Hurricane Season Tips

Hurricane season has started!  Now is a great time for a reminder of what to do in a tropical storm/hurricane.  These can be especially hard on those with Celiac's; the reason for this is that much of our food is frozen. A lot of the canned food contains gluten and would be unsafe to eat.  However, canned meats and vegetables are often safe.  Try to invest in some of those instead of canned soups or meals.

Hurricane Sandy Day 2 and GF Lasagna Recipe

Day 2

The food supplies are still good however; we have seem to run out of potato chips. 

Power and internet are still up and running.  I have finished all of my homework in preparation for power loss. I spent last night putting my mind into that of a serial killer.  That was perfectly offset by the weather.  There is flooding in areas already and the rain shows no sign of abating.  The winds have picked up and some of the apartments have chosen to evacuate. 

Television and reading are our refuge in this storm.  Also a lot of napping has taken place.  All of us are home since schools and work were closed.  We are still getting along.  I think the Naps help with that.

Luna has started eying the food supply and doing random things like sleeping on the dining room table.  I think she covets what we have left of the food supplies she showed no interest in the potato chips however, I am worried that the lunch meat may go missing.  My mother in law says that this is normal behavior for a Cat but I am starting to doubt her feline proclivities are the motive.

It is dark a lot and I have learned to appreciate some sunlight.  It seems the perfect day to carve a pumpkin.  We think it is a pumpkin, it looks exactly like a pumpkin however, it was in a bin that was marked watermelon.  Either it is a pumpkin or we are carving a very ugly orange watermelon.  Either way it will be carved today.

Gluten Free Lasagna

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
15 oz Ricotta cheese
8 oz Cottage Cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan  cheese
1 egg
2 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese.
1 jar of your favorite GF spaghetti sauce
Salt and Pepper
Gluten Free Brown Rice lasagna noodles

Preheat the oven to 350
Follow the directions on the GF Lasagna noodles
Brown the ground beef Season to taste
Mix the Parmesan cheese, the ricotta cheese and the cottage cheese together with the egg
In a greased baking dish add a thin layer of sauce
Lay out one full layer of the lasagna noodles
cover the noodles in 1/3 the cheese egg mixture
layer on 1/2 of the ground beef
Add a layer of mozzarella cheese
place another layer of sauce followed
by a a layer of noodles then 1/3 of the cheese mixture and then the rest of the beef another layer of mozzarella then add another layer of sauce.
Add the last layer of noodles followed by the rest of the cheese mixture. a thin layer of sauce should be added before topping the dish with a layer of mozzarella. 
Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes
Uncover the lasagna and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
Let the lasagna cool so that it holds together when being served. 

GF foods in a power outage and other safty info

With A storm bearing down on the east coast it can be scary for many people.  This can be especially worrisome for those that have an issue, since so many of the foods have to be preserved via refrigeration or freezing it the food costs so much. 

Picture by the San Fransisco Chronicle

Basic bread products should be fine for a few days outside of the freezer but they will have to be eaten before that.  Some brands are shelf stable if they are not opened.  If you are worried about the storm these are the product to get
Goodbye gluten products are listed as shelf stable
Schar brands are shelf stable prior to being opened.
Some of the Udi's brand breads are shelf stable. 

These do not need to be refrigerated or frozen and would be good outside of a freezer.  Other bread items should last for a few days.

Other items such as all the shelf stable items should be treated as any other perishable.

Below is a guide of how to save food for as long as possible.

Also be sure to have drinking water on hand should it become important.  And most importantly be safe and smart.

What do I do after an outage?
Do not open the refrigerator or freezer. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours. If it looks like the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, gravy, stuffing and left-overs into a cooler surrounded by ice. If it looks like the power outage will be prolonged, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.

What do I need?
One or more coolers. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers can do an excellent job as well. Shelf-stable foods, such as canned goods and powdered or boxed milk. A digital quick-response thermometer. With these thermometers you can quickly check the internal temperatures of food for doneness and safety.

What should be discarded after a power outage?
As soon as the power returns, check temperatures. If the food in the freezer has ice crystals and is not above 40 degrees you can refreeze. Perishable foods in the refrigerator should not be above 40 degrees F. for more than two hours.

What if I go to bed and the power is still off?
Before you go to bed, pack your perishables into your coolers if you haven't already done so and put in as much ice as you can. Also, when you go to bed, leave a bedroom light switched on. When the power goes back on, it will wake you, so you can check the condition of your foods in the freezer.

What if the power goes out while I’m at work or out of the house and it has been more than a few hours before I get home?
Try to determine how long the power has been out. Check the internal temperature of the food in your refrigerator with your quick-response thermometer. A liquid such as milk or juice is easy to check. Spot check other items like steaks or left-overs also. If the internal temperature is above 40 degrees, it is best to throw it out.

What if the power goes out and comes back on while I am out?
If your freezer is fairly full and you know it was not longer than 24 hours, the food should be OK. There will be loss of quality with refreezing, but the food will be safe. If the refrigerator was out for more than 2-4 hours, you are best to discard the perishables.

Also as a basic refresher provided by the Washington Post at Washington Post Link

●Family emergency plan. If you live in an older home, make arrangements to stay with friends or family members who have sturdier shelter. If you live or work in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor. Elderly or disabled people may need extra assistance. Remember that many shelters do not accept pets. Be prepared to evacuate if necessary.
●Emergency contacts. Make a list of emergency phone numbers and contact information. Put paper lists in a plastic bag.
●Water. Keep at least one gallon per person per day and prepare a three-day supply.
●Food and other provisions. Prepare a three-day supply of non-perishable (canned or dried) food per person. Include baby supplies and pet supplies as needed.
●Flashlights and extra batteries.
●A first-aid kit and a seven-day supply of medications and medical items such as glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane, etc.
●Personal documents. Medication list and medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies and contact information for your home insurance agent. Keep these in a plastic bag.
●Extra cash. ATMs and credit card machines may not work in the event of a power outage.
●Charge your cellphone. Keep chargers and an extra battery on hand.
●Fill your car’s gas tank and set aside an extra set of car and house keys.
●Secure your property. Bring inside bikes, lawn furniture and anything that can be picked up by the wind.
●Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters if you have them.
●Smoke detectors. Make sure they have fresh batteries and are operating properly.
●Generators. If you have one, review the instructions and ensure you have the right fuel and equipment.
What to do during the storm
● Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed to preserve food.
● Turn off or unplug propane tanks, electronic equipment and appliances.
● Stay indoors. Drive only if necessary.
● During power outages, don’t use candles — they can be a fire hazard.
● Don’t use gas cooking ranges for heating your home because of carbon monoxide hazards.
●If you go outside during the storm, stay away from loose or dangling power lines. Avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges.
● Wear protective clothing and closed-toed shoes.
● Use your cellphone for emergency calls only, to conserve battery life.
●Don’t bring generators indoors.