This morning I really felt God's prodding to get serious about our BOBS. Hurricane Season is forecast to be really bad this year, so I want to be prepared. After searching the internet for menu plans and weighing what my family would eat, I made a menu. Each meal will be packed in a gallon size baggies and stored in each family member's backpack.
72 hour backpack menu
Day 1
Breakfast
Nutrigrain Bar
Cocoa
Fruit strips
Lunch
Tuna Pouch
Crackers
Applesauce
Dinner
Ronzoni Bistro Pasta
Pudding cup
Trail Mix
Snacks: Peanut Butter Crackers, granola bar
Day 2:
Breakfast:
Oatmeal to go bar
Fruit cup
Apple Cider
Lunch:
Jiff to go Peanut butter
Jelly pkg.
Crackers
Noodle Soup
Dinner:
Baked Beans
Applesauce
Granola Bar
Pudding Cup
Snacks: crackers and cheese, hard candies, beef stick.
Day 3:
Breakfast:
Nutrigrain Bar
Fruit strips
Cocoa
Lunch:
Ramen
Cheese Crackers
Fruit Cup
Dinner:
Ravioli
Granola Bar
Dried Apples/Mangoes/Pineapple/Bananas of choice
Snacks:
Beef stick, mixed nuts, yogurt raisins
I'm not saying this is a perfect menu. This is for us to use when we are traveling. I have a larger kit planned for when we reach the RV.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Menu Plan Monday
I'm adding two menus to the freezer: Chicken Enchiladas and Skillet Nachos, and using four meals from the freezer Pinto Beans: I cook 3 #'s at a time and package in 1 1/2 cup freezer packages, and Pizza-from last week. The kids are allowed to choose from the freezer this weekend as DH and I will be in Houston. I have from previous meals frozen Bean Soup, Chili Beans, Spaghetti, Pizza, Pot Stickers and Chimichangas. We also have pocket sandwiches. I will post recipes as the week goes on.
Monday: Pinto Beans, Rice, cornbread, salad --here's the recipe that I use. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/beans_and_cornb/
Tuesday: **chicken Enchiladas, mexi rice, salad http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/white-chicken-enchiladas/
Wednesday: Rosa Pasta, corn, salad
Monday: Pinto Beans, Rice, cornbread, salad --here's the recipe that I use. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/beans_and_cornb/
Tuesday: **chicken Enchiladas, mexi rice, salad http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/white-chicken-enchiladas/
Wednesday: Rosa Pasta, corn, salad
http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/2008/06/food-storage-friday-rosa-pasta-with.html
Thursday: **Skillet Nachos, salad
Thursday: **Skillet Nachos, salad
Friday: Pizza, salad
Saturday: Kids eat out the fridge/freezer
Sunday: Kids eat out the fridge/freezer
Saturday: Kids eat out the fridge/freezer
Sunday: Kids eat out the fridge/freezer
Dessert: Oatmeal Spice Cake, Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
For other great menu ideas head over to http://www.orgjunkie.com/
Friday, May 21, 2010
Menu Plan changes
Thusday was an exercise in frustration. My day was busier than I expected running errands for our family. At noon I realized that I hadn't started the roast for the chimis, so I stopped at home to set up the crockpot, only to realize that I am out of roasts. When did we eat the last one? Plan b --looked at contents of freezer. I hadn't been shopping yet, so it was limited. We had steaks last week, so chicken was the choice. I threw chicken legs in the crockpot with assorted spices and bottled bbq sauce. Cranked it to high and ran out the door.
When I got home at 5, I made hot potato salad and green salad. Dinner was on the table by 6. Yeah! Plans are important, but my menu plan is not my slave-driver. Flexibility is also important, or as Copperswife says, "Hold your plans loosely". I'm trying to learn to do that. It was a major victory not to rush out and buy a roast. I really didn't have time, and I'm trying to stay out of the stores except on shop day. It was also a major victory not to just pick up fast food.
The chicken legs had been purchased at 38 cents a pound. The bbq sauce was 43 cents a bottle and I only used 1/2 bottle. This was a very inexpensive meal for my family of four.
When I got home at 5, I made hot potato salad and green salad. Dinner was on the table by 6. Yeah! Plans are important, but my menu plan is not my slave-driver. Flexibility is also important, or as Copperswife says, "Hold your plans loosely". I'm trying to learn to do that. It was a major victory not to rush out and buy a roast. I really didn't have time, and I'm trying to stay out of the stores except on shop day. It was also a major victory not to just pick up fast food.
The chicken legs had been purchased at 38 cents a pound. The bbq sauce was 43 cents a bottle and I only used 1/2 bottle. This was a very inexpensive meal for my family of four.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Feed the Freezer
Wednesday night was Spaghetti night. This tradition began when the children were younger and went to AWANAS. To get dinner on the table and the kids to church on time, it had to be quick and easy. Even though the kids have long finished AWANAS, they get upset if I change this menu. Sometimes we have cheese ravioli with spaghetti sauce, lasagna or rosa pasta. Plain old spaghetti with meat sauce is the favorite though. I don't have any sauce, so I'll make some. I wont just make enough for tonight though, I'll make enough for a month or so. This way I'll cook once and clean once, but eat 4-6 times. That sounds like a deal to me.
Spaghetti
3 large onion chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
16 garlic cloves, minced (can use fresh, jarred or garlic powder, but fresh tastes best)
2 green bell pepper minced
Large can crushed tomatoes (from Sam's)
4 cans Italian diced tomatoes
2 cups water
2 veggie bouillon cubes
1 Tablespoon basil, dried or a handful of fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley, dried, or a handfull of fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 Tablespoon salt
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes to taste
Tony Chauchere's to taste
Put . olive oil in skillet. Add onions and cook until begin to soften. Add garlic and bell pepper. When vegetables begin to soften add tomato puree and dices, water and seasonings. Cook for 20 minutes.
Variations: Sometimes I add 2 # ground meat, 3 links Italian Sausage and canned mushrooms. This is not a highly seasoned recipe. You will want to adjust the seasonings according to your families taste.
Note: For food storage purposes, I'll need to have 7 large cans crushed tomatoes, 28 cans diced Italian tomatoes, 8 pkg. veggie bouillon, 63 Tablespoons dehydrated onions, 1 3/4 cup olive oil,
9 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, 14 bell peppers, frozen, 7 Tablespoons Basil, salt, oregano and parsley, 3 Tblsp Italian seasoning, bottle of red pepper flakes, can of Cajun seasoning. (I keep 4 large cans in pantry.)
Spaghetti
3 large onion chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
16 garlic cloves, minced (can use fresh, jarred or garlic powder, but fresh tastes best)
2 green bell pepper minced
Large can crushed tomatoes (from Sam's)
4 cans Italian diced tomatoes
2 cups water
2 veggie bouillon cubes
1 Tablespoon basil, dried or a handful of fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon parsley, dried, or a handfull of fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon oregano
1 Tablespoon salt
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes to taste
Tony Chauchere's to taste
Put . olive oil in skillet. Add onions and cook until begin to soften. Add garlic and bell pepper. When vegetables begin to soften add tomato puree and dices, water and seasonings. Cook for 20 minutes.
Variations: Sometimes I add 2 # ground meat, 3 links Italian Sausage and canned mushrooms. This is not a highly seasoned recipe. You will want to adjust the seasonings according to your families taste.
Note: For food storage purposes, I'll need to have 7 large cans crushed tomatoes, 28 cans diced Italian tomatoes, 8 pkg. veggie bouillon, 63 Tablespoons dehydrated onions, 1 3/4 cup olive oil,
9 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, 14 bell peppers, frozen, 7 Tablespoons Basil, salt, oregano and parsley, 3 Tblsp Italian seasoning, bottle of red pepper flakes, can of Cajun seasoning. (I keep 4 large cans in pantry.)
72 Hour Kit
When I was a little girl every time there was an event, hurricane or such, my mother would run out to the store and get canned goods, bread, milk and Daddy would gas up the car. That was so ingrained in me that I did it even though I really didn't think out the why of it. My husband used to laugh at me, because no matter "emergency" I would always run out to the store an make sure I had those things done for my family.
On 9-11, we were living in Missouri. I was driving home from dropping DH off at work when I heard the first news reports. I immediately stopped to fill the tank and shop for emergency supplies. DH had a good laugh until that evening. We were watching the news about gas lines and empty store shelves. My family had the needed supplies. I didn't take it to the next level though unil Katrina.
During Hurricane Katrina my niece lost her house and all her possessions when the levee broke near her home. We thank God that she was safetly away with her family at her parents' farm. Unfortunately, she really thought the hurricane would veer left or right as it has always happened in the past. She had 3 days worth of clothes for each of them, and a few papers, but nothing else. My sister's home, her mother, lost electricity not for days, but a couple of weeks. Food was difficult to get. Gas was difficult to get. It was summer in Louisiana. It was hot. Cell phones were hit or miss, but we were able to get my niece on the phone, and invite her and her family to stay with us. When she got here, the baby had lost weight due to heat. We began to immediately look to get help for them. This was about a week after Katrina. There was no organization. Every day we would go out looking for information and products for her family. Our store shelves were emptied for weeks after the hurricane, so we were not able to purchase all the things we needed. She was not able to access her bank, because the computers were under water. We thank God for the Church of Christ in town, because through them we were able to get formula, baby food and diapers. The Catholic Church in town had clothes and toys to give away. (I only had adult children and few toys.) Governmental agencies were of no help.
Hurricane Rita came through western Louisiana later that year. My husband was in California due to work, so it was up to me to get out with our children (ages 18 and 20). It was so hard to decide what to pack and what to leave under this duress. We were blessed with family on the eastern side of Louisiana who invited us to ride out the storm with them.
During Hurricane Gustav, my family still had our mobile home in Lafayette as well as an RV in Houston. My husband had been transferred, but we hadn't sold our mobile home. During a hurricane, a mobile home is not where you want to be, so we left Houston to go prepare the Lafayette home for the hurricane, and pick up our children, (who attend university here). Getting to Lafayette was not difficult, but packing up all the important things, and closing down the house was difficult. Going back to Houston was a nightmare. Gas stations had run out of gas. It was difficult to find food or water. Lines were long, and the owners ran out of change so you had to pay more to the nearest dollar or not buy anything.
Because of this experience, my family has chosen to prepare an extended 72 hour kit. I bought each family member a backpack. Nothing fancy, I picked them up at the thrift store. Inside the backpack each child has:
1 change of clothing
3 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of socks
Bible
Novel
1 flashlight
batteries
Mini first aid kit
$20 in small bills and change
small sewing kit
Feminine items for daughter
silver foil blanket
toothbrush
travel size toothpaste, soap and shampoo
mosquito repellent
cards
pencil and paper
water
crackers
dried fruit/nut mix
granola bars
1 pkg. chewing gun
1 roll of tp (flattened, in baggie)
hard candy/lollypop
Now this isn't a complete 72 hour kit. I have those in bins stored in our home. They are a work in progress. The backpacks are to take care of small emergencies that happen everyday.
On 9-11, we were living in Missouri. I was driving home from dropping DH off at work when I heard the first news reports. I immediately stopped to fill the tank and shop for emergency supplies. DH had a good laugh until that evening. We were watching the news about gas lines and empty store shelves. My family had the needed supplies. I didn't take it to the next level though unil Katrina.
During Hurricane Katrina my niece lost her house and all her possessions when the levee broke near her home. We thank God that she was safetly away with her family at her parents' farm. Unfortunately, she really thought the hurricane would veer left or right as it has always happened in the past. She had 3 days worth of clothes for each of them, and a few papers, but nothing else. My sister's home, her mother, lost electricity not for days, but a couple of weeks. Food was difficult to get. Gas was difficult to get. It was summer in Louisiana. It was hot. Cell phones were hit or miss, but we were able to get my niece on the phone, and invite her and her family to stay with us. When she got here, the baby had lost weight due to heat. We began to immediately look to get help for them. This was about a week after Katrina. There was no organization. Every day we would go out looking for information and products for her family. Our store shelves were emptied for weeks after the hurricane, so we were not able to purchase all the things we needed. She was not able to access her bank, because the computers were under water. We thank God for the Church of Christ in town, because through them we were able to get formula, baby food and diapers. The Catholic Church in town had clothes and toys to give away. (I only had adult children and few toys.) Governmental agencies were of no help.
Hurricane Rita came through western Louisiana later that year. My husband was in California due to work, so it was up to me to get out with our children (ages 18 and 20). It was so hard to decide what to pack and what to leave under this duress. We were blessed with family on the eastern side of Louisiana who invited us to ride out the storm with them.
During Hurricane Gustav, my family still had our mobile home in Lafayette as well as an RV in Houston. My husband had been transferred, but we hadn't sold our mobile home. During a hurricane, a mobile home is not where you want to be, so we left Houston to go prepare the Lafayette home for the hurricane, and pick up our children, (who attend university here). Getting to Lafayette was not difficult, but packing up all the important things, and closing down the house was difficult. Going back to Houston was a nightmare. Gas stations had run out of gas. It was difficult to find food or water. Lines were long, and the owners ran out of change so you had to pay more to the nearest dollar or not buy anything.
Because of this experience, my family has chosen to prepare an extended 72 hour kit. I bought each family member a backpack. Nothing fancy, I picked them up at the thrift store. Inside the backpack each child has:
1 change of clothing
3 pairs of underwear
3 pairs of socks
Bible
Novel
1 flashlight
batteries
Mini first aid kit
$20 in small bills and change
small sewing kit
Feminine items for daughter
silver foil blanket
toothbrush
travel size toothpaste, soap and shampoo
mosquito repellent
cards
pencil and paper
water
crackers
dried fruit/nut mix
granola bars
1 pkg. chewing gun
1 roll of tp (flattened, in baggie)
hard candy/lollypop
Now this isn't a complete 72 hour kit. I have those in bins stored in our home. They are a work in progress. The backpacks are to take care of small emergencies that happen everyday.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tackle It Tuesday-MT. Ironmore Edition
I really don't mind ironing. I don't know why I let it pile up. DH has been working from home for the past few weeks and I have allowed the ironing to just pile up except for the occasional shirts.
So today, DH's last day at home before returning to work is the day to whittle down the mountain. Wouldn't it be great if I could just finish it and then --keep it up? I'm not sure, but I really want to try.
Menu Plan Monday
This week I will be cooking mostly tried and true recipes. I'm cooking to fill the freezer because the summer looks to be very busy for our family. I haven't listed breakfasts which is usually oatmeal, grits, or muffins except on weekends which is usually pancakes or waffles, or grits, eggs, sausage or bacon. Lunches are usually leftovers, sandwiches, hamburger helper or mini pizzas.
Monday: Mama's Bean Soup, salad
Tuesday: Roast Sticky Chicken, HM Rice a Roni, Green Beans
Wednesday: Spaghetti, Meat Sauce, Corn, Salad, Breadsticks
Thursday: Chimichangas, Refried Beans, Mexi-rice
Friday: Pizza, salad
Saturday: Potstickers, Fried Rice, Salad
Sunday: BBQ Ribs, Potato Salad, Green Salad, Garlic Bread
Desserts/Snacks: Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies, Lemon Cupcakes
To get other great menu ideas head over to www.orgjunkie.com and look for Menu Plan Mondays.
Introduction
My name is Melanie. I am a child of God. From this perspective flows my life. I've been married 27 years to Neil. We have three wonderful children, Rachel, Jessica and Logan. Rachel is married to David and has two sons Nate and Shaun. This blog will be centered on my interests in family, home, cooking, sewing, knitting, cross-stitching and preparedness.
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