Volunteer Meals

Hurricane Sandy has taught us that volunteer work matters a lot. Helping out anywhere is a plus. If you can cook, that's more of a plus . Fire stations and even senior citizen center kitchens always need an extra hand. Even clean up is most appreciated too.

Most volunteers  usually just help set up food tables and ladle out food .However if you can pitch in with food prep do so. Most firehouses have their own chefs with their own favorite recipes. Some will accept another cook with new dishes. You can make dishes at home and bring them in. Lasagna, baked ziti and any casserole is easily made and transported. Also bringing in hot dogs and hamburgers along with turkey and veggie burgers are another good idea,, if local businesses haven't already donated them. You can make potato salad or baked beans if that's the case.

If your oven is working, then think about baking cookies and muffins for volunteers. Although they may not be nutritionally good, they;re still a rush of much needed sugar for energy. Slice and bake chocolate chips are the easiest to bake en masse. They;re also the easiest to transport too. You can also make slice and bake sugar cookies too. Muffins, whether big or small are great too/ These can be eaten for breakfast too with a hot cup of coffee. You can also vary the recipes for  the large and the mini. Try blueberry or chocolate chip  along with corn and cranberry as well. These , too, can be easily brought to any firehouse or center.

Volunteerism is needed during these tough times. Any way you can, contribute your cooking and baking skills.They will be much appreciated and much needed.

Eating Normally In Abnormal Times

It is hard to maintain a balanced diet when you're more worried about survival. How can you concentrate on eating right let alone eating when dealing with a hurricane' afterath and the trauma it brings?Yet that is what has to be done, Eating normally is the first step to living normally.

This is easily said. When families are dealing more with recovery then eating anything takes a backseat.Luckily there are shelters and Red Cross set ups that do dole out warm and tasty food. It pays to have hot meals three times a day because it does give a boost to both the body and spirit. If you;re still living in a hotel or motel, go to your favorite restaurant, diner or fast food joint. Order your favorite. Worry about the calories later. You need comfort food - which is like a security blanket.

Snacks play an importsnt part in eating normal. There's something soothing about munching on your favorite cookies or crackers. Get yourself a sleeve of cookies or a bag of chips. Luckily even drug store chains like CVS and WalGreens as a huge array of goodies to eat,If you have a regular store in your area, then pick up some bananas or apples. Fruit is a good snack, full of vitamins and minerals, needed for energy, Nix the ice cream.It still isn;t really safe to eat yet. Try boxed chocolate milk instead.

It's hard to eat right during these impossible times. Yet eating normal is the first step toward s living normal.it's a step in the right direction - a step towards home.

Fridge Reorganizing

Having the power out has taught many people one thing: don't overstock the refrigerator. You  wind up throwing out things you'd forgotten you've bought (as in my case).The best thing to have is a balanced fridge, one with essentials - not frills.

What are fridge basics? Eggs, milk and juice , the last is important if you have kids. Another basic is butter or if you're more health conscious margarine. Some people feel that bread should be kept cool, however thats' an individual taste.Another must are the condiments,mayo, ketchup and mustard. Mats, whether uncooked or cold cuts are always a good basic to have, however don't overbuy. If the power goes out , the first thing will go is the chicken or the roast beef.

What about the freezer? Ice cream, although considered a frill is always a good thing to have. The problem is that most people like a variety and some people like to have two or three containers. Stick with one ,finish and then go on to  another . Frozen foods are basics too however don;t overstock. These are the first  foods to go bad if there's a power outage. Have one or two , if you;lre really not into them but need them as a quick meal fix. Another idea is only have a few homemade frozen meals, not huge platters  of lasagna or ziti You may forget about these even and it could later lead to a mystery dish.

Fridges are nothing more than cold storage. Don't turn them into full pantries, full of junk. Be prudent when you food shop. Don;t stuff your refrigerator. Keep it on a diet.

A Good Hot Meal

These days it's hard to have a hot meal, especially if you're still weathering Hurricane Sandy and her after effects. yet whatever the meal, a good solid plate of something hot is beneficial. It helps in  creating more normalcy in a disrupted routine.It also helps to gather your family and friends around just to give thanks and enjoy conversation.

Breakfast is always the most important meal and a good one means a good day ahead. Even having a hot breakfast sandwich at McDonald's is still a hot breakfast, complete with orange juice and fruit. The kids will love it . Most motel rooms have microwaves and you can always microwave eggs and bacon in it as well.Your best bet is a nearby diner. There you can get everything from oatmeal to omelets along with pancakes -a kid favorite .You can also get fresh squeezed juice there and bran muffins. too

Lunch is another matter. Most people will usually settle for a sandwich.If you can settle for burgers which are considered a hot and fun along with a salad, then you've got something good to eat.fast food places are a good place especially if you have picky eaters in your caravan.You can also consider again the diner or bringing in microwaveable meals.Dinner too can be found in your frozen food section(that is if your supermarket is open)Another idea is trying local pizzerias and Chinese takeout. You can eat healthy in both, along with just eating old fashioned pizza and fried rice, comfort foods much needed in these times.

A good hot meal means everything to those who are displaced.Whether it be  breakfast,lunch or dinner, it means the world to those who are now living in motels,hotel, and even shelter. It;s a way of being at home even though you're not.

Motel Eating

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy I am now lodged in a motel a mile from my house. It has heat (a blessing) and TV(even more of a blessing). However the kitchen is lacking though I'm not complaining. Yet there is a problem with eating right in situations like this.

Most of the stores in my area have been closed now for a few days. That poses a problem for anything fresh from meats to fruits to vegetables. If you're in that situation think about canned. There are enough varieties of food that can be got form a simple tin.Most motels and hotels have microwaves in them,. Buy a few containers (trust me you'll use them later at home) and heat up a veggie or beef  barley soup. Having a hot meal also gives a sense of normalcy if you have kids. Sitting them down to dinner or lunch, even at a motel table brings it home for them.

As for snacking -if it makes you and your family happy then go for it. Usually drugstores like CVS Walgreen's and Rite Aid have the best and still a wide variety of snacks. Crackers are OK  as are pretzels. Any kind of small cracker like goldfish or CVS/ cheddar stars are fun. There are also fruit chews that may cause th e kids to bounce off the walls, but at least they're eating (because of enormous upheavals, kids  may lose their appetites and just swear off food all together)A lot of hotels and motels do have juice bars or juice machines. Keep them away from soda and iced coffee drinks.Boxed milk, whether plain or chocolate flavored ,is a better bet.

These are rough times for all of here in the tri state area. It's hard to have a normal diet, especially when you have to move to a motel or deal with closed groceries or supermarkets. Bear up.Just go with the flow and just eat to survive no matter what you eat.

Halloween Treats Adult Style

Today is Halloween. a time usually reserved for all those sugary sweet. Treats. melisa Clark wrote about it today in her column A Good Appetite. instead of Mars Bars and M&M s she create decadent ,sophisticated treats for the adult palate. She has some amazing recipes. One is a home made caramels but with a twist .They have bourbon. And a crushed pepper in them for bite. These would be a good after dinner treat with a strong, black coffee.Other treats include a bark with a goat cheese. There's also a licorice themed treat based on the Brazilian bonboniere.this requires melting licorice coffee and dark chocolate together. Balls are formed and then rolled or dipped into chocolate sprinkles and jimmies. I imagine these would be great gracing a small bowl of coffee ice cream. Halloween is a wonderful time for treats, both sweet and savory .Try these as a solution to both. They're a wonderful combo.

A Short Pantry

I'm writing this a mile from my home. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy we have noWiFi so I'm writing this in a Dunkin Donuts on Rte 46 . it is packed because there is no electricity in our area and people meed a good cup of coffee to survive. I have gas so I. Can get coffee , tea and hot cocoa any time. As for my readers outside the East Coast ,Just bear with me for the next few days.I do not know what will happen.I 'll try to write as much as I can.