Being Prepared

Wow, what a weekend. The things you think about when you don't have electric or may not have electric. So we only flickered as the storm hit but other family members are still without power. Some family members thought they could use their gas oven but soon realized it had all electric readouts and ignition. Church was canceled because they did not have electric to run lights or the furnace. I quickly heated up some soup from my stock of quick and easy mixes in a jar I made up about a month ago for the winter and/or emergency. We enjoyed our soup as we listened to our large oak tree out front crack and loose some of it's larger limbs. We are stocked with candles, warm clothes and easy meals that can be made on our Coleman or Holland grill if need be. We don't have a heat source though and our freezer would thaw after a few days. I also had a problem after working in the crazy weather Saturday morning. I was soaked till I was done and had to put the clothes in the dryer because with all the moisture in our ground I can't dry clothes on a rack in my basement right now because they don't dry fast enough and smell mildewy. So this learning experience helps me to take note for our future home since we would like to be debt free and off-grid. That Vermont Bun Baker is at the top of my list for heating, cooking, baking, and heating water. I can also dry clothes inside if I had to. I will post later some other neat things I found to make life more comfortable without electric.
    I pray all of you are warm, well fed and safe.

My meals in a jar
I took regular recipes and made them so they have no MSG and no preservatives.
I also have next to them some organic broth and organic chicken in a can from Trader Joe's incase
I don't have time or the power to cook the meat. 

My spices and premixed seasonings that make a quick meal of oats, quinoa, rice or beans into a delight.
I got the recipes for the mixes from the book Outpost by MaryJane Butters and they are also in her book MaryJane's Ideabook/Cookbook/Lifebook.