Emergency Outdoor Cooking

My wife reminded me that I hadn't done a blog for over a week ... also suggested that I cover something on Outdoor Emergency Cooking. I actually was considering a different name for this post ... "Turd Burgers" ... although it sounds a bit crass, the name came from the appearance of the food ... not the makings or the taste.

It all started when we first moved up on the mountain. We figured we would get a little more snow than those in the valley ... but being so close to the ocean was also a consideration. We woke up morning ... late as I recall ... because the power had gone out. It was also snowing ...

It kept snowing ... and so lightly that our 2x4 railing on the deck accumulated over 14" of snow without falling off. There was even barbed wire with 5" on top ... just consistent, light, fluffy snow.

The problem was that there were too many trees with heavy limbs and they were breaking off rather than shaking off with the help of the wind ... there wasn't any. So we were without power ... along with the other residents up there.




Our neighbor was kind enough to plow out a path for our 4x4's with his bulldozer, but we were left without means to cook ... at least normally, most people would be without means to cook. I have a complete outdoor kitchen that runs on propane ... that works fine as long as it doesn't get too cold.

So we got the BBQ going and upon checking our bread supply, we discovered that there were no hamburger buns available ... BUT an ample supply of Hot Dog buns were in the drawer ... so thus was the creation of our first "Turd Burgers". Basically Hamburgers in the shape of Hot Dogs ... only they lacked the distinctive texture of a wiener.

They were pretty tasty ...

The power was out for 5 days that winter. Thank goodness for wood stoves, propane burners and a covered patio to work with!

Warmest Regards,

Chef Tom


This week we are on OutDoor Cooking - things outside the kitchen & Patio for  The Daily Serving

Catching Pigs ... an email a friend sent to me.

CATCHING PIGS

  There was a chemistry professor in a large college
that had some exchange students in the class. One day
while the class was in the lab, the Prof noticed one
young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his
back and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter.
The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back.
  He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country

who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist regime.

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor
and asked a strange question He asked:
"Do you know how to catch wild pigs?"

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the
punch line. The young man said that it was no joke.

"You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in
the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs
find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free
corn.. When they are used to coming every day, you put
a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming.

When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the
corn again and you put up another side of the fence.
They get used to that and start to eat again. You
continue until you have all four sides of the fence up
with a gate in the last side.

The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to
come through the gate to eat that free corn again.

You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole
herd.. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom.
They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught.

Soon they go back to eating the free corn .

They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods

for themselves, so they accept their captivity."

The young man then told the professor that is exactly
what he sees happening in America . The government
keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps
spreading the free corn out in the form of programs
such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned
income, , tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies,
dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP),
welfare, medicine, drugs, etc. while we continually
lose our freedoms, just a little at a time.

One should always remember two truths:
1) There is no such thing as a free lunch, someone is

paying for it
2) and when you begin to think that having your government

provide for you and make your decisions is ok,  realize that you’ve

also given up the freedom that goes with making your own choices.

If you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of emocracy in America, you might want to send this to your friends.

If you think the “free ride” is essential to your way of life, then you will probably delete this email.

But God help you when the gate slams shut!

The Joys of Finally Being Moved ...

From the title, I think you can guess that I'm glad that it is completely over. The new people are in the old house and I think I've probably been for the last time ... unless of course there is something I've forgotten.

Now it is a huge victory everyday when I can get rid of a box load of stuff ... as you remember (or if you cared), we moved from 3500 sq ft to 1100 sq ft. HUGE difference in size and storage area.

With 2 garage sales under our belt, numerous visits to the thrift store donation entrance and the sale of a few of our older vehicles ... we can start really getting ourselves organized. I figure I have to physically write it on my list of "To Do's" everyday so I don't become complacent and accept the current status quo with boxes stacked one on top of another.

Today, I actually emptied 8 boxes of bathroom supplies into a new cabinet I purchased ... I love the fact that I'm breaking boxes "DOWN" instead of just emptying and refilling them.

I even did a total inside detail of one of the vans ... complete with returning the seats to their rightful location so someone can actually ride with me! I'm not sure when the last time was when I could see the floor between the front seats due to all the mail, spare parts and items being transferred from one location to another.

Another big thing was my upgrade of a couple computers in the house so no one but myself needs to be on my computer in the office.

Still a long way to go ... but at least it's progress and I finally feel like I can relax and release the feeling of "What still has to be moved."

Back to concentrating on Food and Food topics ... Here was last night's dinner of Ribs!

Warmest Regards,

Chef Tom