Cooking In A

No Power No Problem
Cooking When the Power is Out

So, when might YOU be caught without power?

With so many modern day conveniences we have become more and more dependant on electricity for everything. Yet with of all our technology, we are not immune from power outages that affect large geographical areas for long periods of time. In recent years we have experienced in the U.S large power outages in the middle of the winter and even in summer months affecting millions of homes. Most of these only last a few hours or days but in severe cases this can last months.

What do you choose?

or and Cold, hard noodles sprinkled with some cheese powder or HOT tuna casserole and biscuits. Usual Ways to Cook Without Electricity:

Stove if gas is working can be used by lighting manually. Wood can be stored for fireplaces/fire pits (not efficient) *Exception: wood stove (efficient) Gas grills not very efficient for cooking. Although propane does store indefinitely, not safe to store in large quantities. Can also be used for baking. Camp Stove (small propane canister 2 hours per day / 182 for 1 year) *Generators: Expensive, cant store very much gas for safety reasons. Would help for emergency that last few days, but not for weeks or longer.

We are going to talk about six different options for cooking without electricity. These options that not only are for the most part inexpensive, but are easy to use and as an added bonus, environmentally friendly. These are: Stove-in-a Can, Icebox Cookers, Solar Cooking, Rocket Stove, Dutch Oven, and Applebox oven.

What Other choices do we have?

Stove-in-Can

Small, compact, easy to make, inexpensive ($3.25), 3 hours of cooking (add 1 c. alcohol). It is made from a new quart size paint can with lid, a roll of toilet paper and denatured alcohol (found in paint department) or 70% rubbing alcohol. In addition a 12 oz chicken chunk type can with holes/vents (sets on top of can to allow air) or a #10 can with vents set over the stove. Just light and use as stove. Smother flame with lid. Stores 5+ years. Will warm food can bring to a boil. Good for cooking for 1-2 people. DO NOT USE INDOORS. (also: Haybox / Fireless / Wonder Box/ Victory Oven)

Ice Box Cooker

Fireless cookers have been in use for hundreds of years. They are essentially like using a crock pot with no electricity. Secret in is the insulation. You just bring your meal to a boil in a pot, cover with tight-fitting lid, turn down heat and simmer on medium for 3 minutes (exception beans 10-15 min) then quickly put in cooker, cover with topper and leave for 4 times the usual cooking time. Thats it! No stirring or burning. Food can be left up to 8 hours and still be hot and delicious. It is perfect for foods like: soups, stews, rice, and even bread! Because of losing less steam during cooking you can add up to 25% less liquid to the recipe. Also great for making yogurt or letting bread rise! (Just put a pot of warm water next to it.) For safety food must stay above 140, if it drops below that; remove, reheat, replace. It is VERY important to test your cooker before using. Any container may be used: cardboard/wooden box, ice chest or even just pot wrapped in towels surrounded by Mylar blanket. There must be 3+ inches (1-2 in ice chest) of insulation surrounding pot. Insulation materials may include: hay, shredded newspaper, towels, blankets, pillows, Styrofoam popcorn. Resources: Emergency Food in a Nutshell, by Leslie Probert and Lisa Harkness Fireless Cooking, by Heidi Kirschner, Madrona Publishers. 1981

Rocket Stoves
For video of step-by-step directions or to purchase : rocketstoves.org Also: you tube: How to Build a Rocket Stove Part 1 and Part 2 aprovecho.org or stovetec.net

Made from a 5 gallon metal can, stove pipe and a soup can or even bricks: this stove will cook a full meal with just a handful of twigs. Great for bringing food to a quick boil. How it works: Small sticks burn more efficiently and help regulate the air flow. The air beneath the fuel is preheated and travels up a stove pipe with a height of at least 3 and surrounded by a can that is filled with insulating material. This creates a strong, hot draft. Smoke is pulled through the flame and combusts completely, thus eliminating smelly smoke. All of this creates a very high heat. It is amazing! Outside cooking only. Will make pots black.

Applebox Oven

This new improved version of the Applebox oven is made from a foil-lined apple box (top and bottom) and is an inexpensive way to bake in an emergency. It uses about half the charcoal that a Dutch oven uses and gives the same results as baking in at regular oven. It bakes bread (two loaves at a time), rolls, muffins, casseroles, cookies and cakes, anything you would bake in an oven. For 350 use 10 coals (evenly distributed)=charcoal burn time 35 minutes. If longer baking time required add the original coals every 30 minutes. Baking once a day for 1 hour, at 350 will use @15 charcoals. For one yea r= 20 (16-pound bags) about $60. HINT: Use Kingsford coals (longer more even burn time) =17 coals per pound. Keep dry, stores indefinitely. Other Things: wire rack, small baking sheet, 4-pop cans, rocks/sand, newspaper, matches and charcoal chimney, piece of foil, pot holders, charcoal tongs, candy thermometer to stick in front.

Dutch Oven

Dutch ovens are big, heavy cast-iron pots with lid. They incredibly versatile and can used to cook: breads, main dishes, and desserts. You can cook with them over an open fire, in a buried fire pit, in your oven, over our stove burners, over coals or using briquettes. They work as frying pans, pots and ovens. They come in many sizes: Important: Tight fitting lid with rim and legs (can be stacked 5 high), LODGE really good. Can cook pretty much anything. No need to wash (scrap, cook, oil). Food tastes fantastic. Dutch Ovens Last Forever. Before using the first time you will need to season your oven Other Things: lid lifter/pliers, leather gloves, 18# charcoal tongs, charcoal chimney, lid holder, wooden spoons, newspaper, charcoal. Cookbook: Dont be afraid of your food storagejust Dutch it! found at forsalebymormon.com Free Cookbooks: macscouter.com/cooking/dutchoven.html or scoutingthenet.com/cooking

Solar Cooking
(www.solarcooking.org and solarcooking.org/plans/windshield-cooker.htm) http://www.theideadoor.com/FoodStorage.html (free cookbook)

Funnel Cooker

Roasted Potatoes

Sanitizing Water

Baking Bread

WAPI

All Solar Cooking works on the same 3 principles. Represented by C.A.R. 1) Collect the light: Use reflectors with an approximately 20 x 20 opening Reflective surface materials include: aluminum, mylar, aluminum or chromium paint 2) Absorb the light: Paint the pot matte black or another dark color. Pots can be elevated by a wore base or posts, allowing the bottom of pots to collect sunlight 3) Retain the heat: Oven bags work best. Types of Solar Ovens

Box Cookers- Most popular to build and use. Lid of a box reflects light onto food under glass. It can cook and bake large quantities of food. Up to $300.

Parabolic Cooker- Highly focused light and high temperatures. Cooks nearly as fast as a conventional oven. Costly and complicated to make and use. Potentially hazardous. Panel Cooker: Usually made from cardboard and foil. Very inexpensive. Solar Funnel CookerCheap and easy. A funnel concentrates sunlight onto a dark pot in a plastic bag. Anyone can make one. $5

Solar Facts
Problem: Half the people in the world must burn wood or dried dung to cook their food. Nearly 1.2 billion people, 1/5th of world population does not have access to clean drinking water. Over 1 million children die yearly because of un-boiled water. Wood cut for cooking purposes contributes to the 16 million acres of forest destroyed annually. Impact: Expect solar ovens to replace 60% of cooking fuel in most places. Guidelines for Solar Cooking HINT: Get the food on early and dont worry about overcooking! Most recipes take 25% less liquid when cooked in a solar oven.

Use lightweight, dull, dark pans w/tight fitting lids. Glass too can be used. No shiny stuff. Best on cloudless days when sun is above 45 in sky. (between 10-2 pm). Allow plenty of time. Foods hold well in solar ovens without scorching. Most recipes calling for a higher temperature will do fine with longer cook times. Rotate cooker every hour. Check food about every 60 minutes until you get the feel of it. If windy, weight down box/bucket or bury in ground.

Use sun glasses and pot holders. Can be used on cloudless nights to cool food 20 lower than outside temperature.

Cooking times will be faster in box ovens vs funnel ovens Vegetables: 1.5 hours: No need to add water if fresh. Cut into thin slices or small cubes for uniform and quicker cooking. Grains: 1.5-2 hrs: Mix 2 parts water to every 1 part grain. Amount may vary according to taste. Let soak for a few hours for faster cooking. To ensure uniform cooking shake every 50 minutes. Pasta and Dry Soup (65-85 minutes): First heat water to near boiling (50-70 min) Then add pasta or soup mix. Stir and shake and cook 15 additional minutes. Beans: 4-6 hours: Soak beans overnight, drain, rinse. Place in pot with water. Meats: 1-4 hours: No need to add water. Longer cooking makes the meat more tender. Chicken(cut-up) 1.5 hrs, beef (cut-up)1.5 hr. fish:1-1.5 hours. Baking: Bread(1-1.5 hrs), Biscuits (15-30 min), cookies(15-30 minutes) Baking Bread

Cooking Times.Approximate

To bake bread: Make dough put in bread pans; put in solar oven and cover so they can rise; remove cover, let oven preheat, bake (mine usually takes about 2 hours.

We all can FEEL a storm a brewing

We have learned about some alternative ways of cooking when the power goes out. It really isnt a matter of if BUT when. The only question that remains is how will your family fare when the time comes will you be having dinner by candlelight or sitting in the dark?

FUEL FACTS
CANDLES: diameter x 4 burns about 2:20 hours 7/8 diameter x 4 burns about 5 hours. 2 x 9 burns about 75 hours Store candles in a cool area. Store at least 3 candles per day CANNED HEAT: Stores easily and can be used indoors. A 7-ounce can burns about 1-1/2 hours. Good only for warming, not boiling. Store in cool place. CHARCOAL: Use for outdoor cooking only. Stores indefinitely if kept dry. Use good quality like Kingsford for easier lighting and better burn time. When used in an applebox oven, use 1 briquette for every 35 degrees burns for 35 minutes. For Dutch oven cooking, use the oven size in inches plus 3 briquettes on top and the oven size in inches minus 3 briquettes on the bottom for 350-375 degrees. 1 hour per day baking in applebox oven = 24 - #15 lb bags charcoal. COOKING OIL: Emergency candles can be made from oil. Take a piece of string, lay one end in cooking oil and allow the other end to hang over the edge of jar. Light the dry end. Use 7-8 stings for more light. These are very smoky and should be used only when nothing else is available. FLASHLIGHTS: 2-battery flashlight with new batteries will work for @ 6 hours. Store in a cool area. Dont store batteries in flashlights. Store extra batteries and bulbs. Some headlamps last for up to 200 hours on 3-AAA batteries. Crank flashlight last about 30 minutes on 1 min. cranking. Okay light. Shake flashlights not recommended because they are so dim when lit. GASOLINE: Only outdoor use. For use with generators, use a lot of fuel. Stores 1 year in tightly sealed container, longer with additive, keep in cool place. Limits on amounts to store. KEROSENE: Only use outdoors. With 1 wick, a kerosene lantern will burn for 45 hours on 1 quart. Burning 5 hours each day the following amounts of kerosene would be used: @1 quart per week, 3 qts. per month, 10 gallons per year. It can be used indoors. Dangerous to store. Refuel and light outside to avoid smell. Only store high-quality 1K kerosene. Store outside/shed only in shade. Stores 1-2 years. LAMP OIL: Petroleum based. For hurricane type lamps. Odorless/smokefree, 10 hours per ounce burn time or 640 hours/128 days for gallon. Stores indefinitely in house or garage. Lamp oil should be below top of neck and not less that 2 below while using. Wick should not be visible above the dome while burning. If its too high it will cause smoke. 2 gallons = 1 year per lamp. Store extra wicks and lamps if possible. (available at Walmart) NEWSPAPER LOGS: Four logs burn approximately 1 hour and produce heat comparable to the same amount of wood on pound-per-pound basis. PROPANE: Outdoor use only unless appliance has ODS (oxygen depletion sensor). Stores indefinitely. Store outdoors in shade in upright position. Propane containers must be recertified every 10 years. Small cylinder will burn about 2 hours. Can be used for lanterns, stoves, and heaters. Usual legal limit 5 5 gallon tanks. Small tanks $4+ each. WHITE GAS: Costly and only outdoor use. 38 gallons = 5 hours a day, 2 mantel lantern, 91 gallons = 4 hours 2 burner stove per day. WOOD: Stores many years. Hardwood burns longer. 2-6 cords for winter warmth/cooking.

More Cooking Without Power

When the power goes out, you have several options for preparing meals 1) find a restaurant with power (this may not always be possible especially in widespread disaster), 2) use a grill, hibachi, Dutch oven, or camp stove (this must be done outside and can require special cookware), 3) prepare heat only foods like canned soup, stew, chili or just add water foods like instant soup or oatmeal on a canned heat stove, 4) prepare raw foods or canned foods that do not need heating, or 5) prepare easy to cook meals on a one burner butane stove. All options are viable (except maybe #1!) if prepared for adequately. Option 5 has many advantages. The butane stove will accommodate larger size cookware than will the canned heat stove and normal kitchen cookware can be used. The butane stove can be used indoors with good ventilation. The gas flame is easier to regulate than canned heat and is hotter. These advantages allow the preparation of recipes rather than just heating up of canned foods thus giving more variety to menus while the power is out. The following is a list of recipes that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less (to conserve fuel). "#" indicates no cooking necessary. An additional list includes those that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less if you have quick cooking rice available or canned lentils. Some recipes should be prepared the first day or two after the power goes out in order to use ingredients such as mayonnaise that would need to be discarded if the power remains out for more than a day and you have no way to refrigerate food. The last list includes recipes archived on this web site. When choosing recipes, keep in mind that leftovers cannot be stored if the power remains off and there is no ice to cool and keep them. Appetizers, Beverages Bean Dip # Antipasto # Breakfast Apple Topping Cinnamon Sugar # Peanut Butter and Fruit # Main Dishes Chicken-Potato Cakes Noodled Tuna Patties Deviled Ham Stuffed Peaches # Vegetarian Burger Mix Sausage and Corn Turkey Bulgur Pilaf Tuna Chow Mein Creamed Tuna Dried Beef and Mushroom Sauce Spiced Citrus Tea # Orange Cranberry Juice Cocktail # Chocolate Sugar # Indian Meal Quick Wheat Mix Pancakes Extra-Quick Tuna Rarebit Chicken a la King Mushroom Rarebit Olive Cheese Sauce Ham and Cheese Noodles Herbed Buckwheat Clam Sauce Quick Pasta Sauce Mac and Tom

Mexican Beans and Chicken Soups and Stews Blackeye Pea Soup Creamed Corn Soup Creamy Green Bean Soup Mexican Vegetable Soup Pork and Bean Soup Potato Soup Pumpkin Bisque Quick Supper Soup Salads and Side Dishes Ambrosia Salad # Berry Apple Salad # Mashed Potato Salad Potato Salad # Potato Salad Nicoise # Italian Pasta Salad Fruited Chicken Salad # Tuna Potato Salad # Cranberry Applesauce # Cinnamon Pineapple # Mixed Fruit Compote Stewed Tomatoes and Corn Breads and Sandwiches Whole Wheat Skillet Bread Cornmeal Cakes Desserts Apple-Raisin Compote Graham Cracker Creams # Oatmeal Fudge If you have quick cooking rice: Chicken and Rice Skillet Chinese Fried Rice Polynesian Treat If you have canned lentils: Lentil Burgers

Sopa de la Casa Vegetable Soup Quick Vegetable Soup Quick Stew Clam Chowder Chicken Corn Chowder Corn Chowder Turkey Corn Chowder Peas with Mushrooms Corn Relish Creamy Corn Italiano Southwest Green Beans Italian Beans Green Beans and Bacon Chips Green Beans and Mushrooms Sweet and Sour Beets Browned Garlic Potatoes Confetti Potatoes Bean Sprout Stir-fry Cinnamon Buckwheat Herb Noodles Pork and Beans on Buns Fudge Logs # Peanut Butter Balls # Creamed Chicken and Chestnuts Chili and Rice Quick Rice Pudding

So youve stocked up on all the food youll need after the end of the world as we know it. Youve got wheat, flour, dried foods, canned foods, all kinds of food. But if the worst case scenario happens, will you still have power? There might be power in some areas, but always assume there wont be where you are. And if there isnt, how are you going to cook all that food?

In this modern age of TV dinners, frozen pizzas, canned soups and Hamburger Helper, many people never learned how to cook a meal the old-fashioned way. The majority of city-dwellers are dependent on microwaves, electric stoves, and toasters. But what will they do if the power goes out for an extended period? There are several options:

Grill. This is the first and most obvious option. Hopefully youve stocked up on plenty of coal and/or propane. But if you dont have a grill or are out of coal and propane Camping stove. Acquiring one of these should be a top priority. Coleman makes a great 2 burner stove that you can find on amazon.com. These, too, should always be used outdoors. Make sure you have plenty of Coleman fuel! Fireplace. Try roasting hot dogs and other solid foods on sticks in your fireplace. You can also wrap potatoes and other vegetables in foil and leave them in the fireplace to cook. Campfire. Who doesnt love cooking over a campfire? But you dont want to just roast hot dogs and marshmallows. With a good camp grill youll be able to cook just about anything. Dutch oven. This is a cast iron pot that you hang over a fire. Its ideal for making soups, stews, and hot drinks. A 4-quart Dutch oven is less than $50. To hang it over the fire, youll need a fireplace crane or a campfire tripod. Sterno stove. These are good for heating up drinks, canned foods such as chili, Spaghettios and soup. The best thing about them is theyre portable, weighing less than a pound. I would get a good Sterno stove kit and some extra canned heat. Tip: Try putting your Sterno stove in a fire pit with a few handfuls of charcoal. This way you can grill while using very little charcoal. Kerosene heater. These are usually used for heating rooms, but are also a great way to boil beans, pasta and other foods or make hot drinks. If the top is flat, just set a pot of water on top. A good kerosene heater can cost over $100, but its a great thing to add to your survival supplies, especially if you live in a cold climate.

A few warnings:

Grills should always be used outdoors and a safe distance from your home or shelter. The carbon monoxide can be deadly and a few stray sparks is all it takes to start a fire. Same goes for camp stoves. If you use a fireplace, make sure the flue is open and unobstructed. Dont use treated wood for a cooking fire. Never use gasoline to get a fire going. Make sure fires are controlled with metal or rocks surrounding them. Never leave a fire (not even a candle) without an adult to keep an eye on it.

Getting ready for any type of power outages and other emergencies can get overwhelming. Gas in the vehicle, propane for the grill, emergency water, and storm shutters seem to get all the air time. When it comes to stocking the pantry and cooler, most people head to Costco to pick up a case of sandwich crackers. While that might be fine for a day or two, eating that way for any length of time leaves you susceptible to getting sick.

Use bulgur for a perfect no-cook meal or side dish.

The cool thing about bulgur is that you can put it in a bowl of water to cold soak before you go to work. Come home, add some freshly squeezed lemon juice along with your veggies and seasonings of choice, and youre good to go. If youre making the bulgur salad your full meal, then you may also want to consider tossing in some canned black beans for protein. The end result is easy cheap food that will keep you healthy during storm or blackout recovery.

Eat breakfast cereal using powdered milk.

If the power is out for a few weeks, and you still need to get the kiddos off to school each morning, mix up some powdered milk in one of your extra canning jars. You can mix it right in the container and prepare just enough to get you through breakfast.

This means no worries about finding room in your already-overflowing cooler. If oatmeal is your thing, you can always prepare it on a single-burner camping stove, toss on some raisins, and use this same milk-in-a-jar strategy. Its actually a little more appropriate that way because you dont have to worry about the milk being cold.

Count on cured meats, which can be stored without refrigeration.

This means those packs of turkey pepperoni and cured salami you see in the non-refrigerated sections of your grocery store can be stored in your pantry at any time of year for hurricane preparedness or regular meal prep. Slice some up with veggies and greens for a simple salad with zing, or mix up some pizza dough from your bulk mix supply and toss on a creative pizza sauce along with some of your cured meat. Put the whole thing on a pizza stone inside a covered grill, and youll have restaurant quality dinner all your neighbors will be jealous about.

Look for vegetables that don't need to be kept in your cooler.

In general, anything that isnt refrigerated in the grocery store can skip the cooler. That being said, there are some other vegetables that can probably go a few days as well. One of those vegetables is cabbage. While one wouldnt leave it permanently out in the heat, it can spend the night on the counter if you need to save the cooler space for other items.

Make it elegant.
Can you say candlelight? Thats half the battle. If lasting for twelve weeks without electricity has you feeling like peanut butter and crackers will become your own personal aversion therapy, rest assured youll have plenty else to eat. Classico makes a great basil pesto thats shelf stable until it gets opened. Put some on a batch of angel hair pasta that you boil in a pot on top of your camping stove and pair it with a bottle of white wine. OK, so chances are itll have to be room-temp white wine. But the point is, this entre with some mixed greens and a light dressing can provide a bit of luxury when youve been without power for the long haul. And speaking of dinner beverages, extended post-hurricane blackouts are a great reason to stock up on boxed wine.

Let foil packets become your new best friend.

In addition to grilling fish, polenta, or even burger patties, youre going to want some veggies. If you only have access to a oneburner camp stove, then its time to get creative. Thats where adding foil packets to your grilling repertoire comes into play. Try slicing some potatoes with onions, olive oil, and seasonings to roast, or these Polynesian foil packets to pair with some planked fish. Nearly any vegetable combination will do, so feel free to get creative with vegetables your family favors. Add a little cooking spray to the foil before you start so things dont stick.

Go with flaming fruit for an elegant dessert.

Mixed Berries Romanoff and Bananas Foster can each be prepared in a frying pan on a single burner. You just need a little butter, brown sugar, and some serious rum. Decide in advance if you want to bring home a small container of vanilla ice cream to stash in the cooler and serve with your finished creation. Either of these ideas makes a great break in the monotony after a few weeks.

While this list doesnt include every single recipe we use for power outages, it does provide a launching point for you to prepare. Cooking without electricity or even a full stove doesnt have to mean peanut butter and jelly for months on end. A little planning and out of the box thinking can keep things fun, healthy, and affordable.