Ever since the kids were in elementary school, we’ve been asked on a Thanksgiving morning hike with friends in the neighborhood. Some years we make it, others we don’t. On the years that we do make the hike, I have to do a bit more Thanksgiving meal planning, as Greg and I spend most of the day in the kitchen preparing our feast.

When you get right down to it, you just can’t avoid spending time in the kitchen if your preparing a holiday meal. And honestly, I don’t mind spending the time in the kitchen preparing the feast, but I do think I could use a bit more practice on making it efficient so that I can actually enjoy more time with the family throughout the day.

The Family Eats Four Pillars: Planning, Purchasing, Preparing and Partaking, are important to follow on a daily basis, but during holiday time, it is even more important. 

Without proper planning, you’ll be running out of patience as you’re racing against the clock to get things prepared.

Without proper purchasing, you may make several short runs to the grocery on the day of because you’ve forgotten items.

Without proper preparation, a recipe may not turn out just right, or the timing of completion may be a bit off. 

Finally. . . partaking. When your harried, stressed and exhausted, how can you truly enjoy the day? 

Here are a few thoughts on how to make things go smoothly, successfully, and to enjoy yourself in the process. I can assure you, I’ve been putting these Pillars into practice for years, and they still help me get through the day in the kitchen. I’ll be putting these into practice.

Planning

Whether you’re planning a meal for your immediate family or for 20 guests, it is essential to be organized. When planning a meal, know what you’re planning for, and gear it towards your style of entertaining – potluck, buffet, or a sit down meal.

To avoid any extra tension in the kitchen, it is a good idea to prepare recipes that you feel comfortable preparing – and those which you have definitely have tried out before. Why worry about a complicated sauce that you’ve never before prepared?

Choose recipes that will offer give you a good balance between enjoyment in making and enjoyment in eating. And make sure you serve a balanced meal, with all those elements from the Food Pyramid (whichever food pyramid you choose – The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, The Asian Diet Pyramid, The Latin American Diet Pyramid, or The Vegetarian Diet Pyramid)

Holidays are definitely the time to include family favorites, but what I like to do is include a menu that is a blend of old family favorites and new recipes. I’m sure Greg would choose the green bean casserole, with the crunchy things on top. For me, my favorite is potato dumplings. My family pumped out pound after pound of potato dumplings every Thanksgiving, just to ensure we’d have extra for the morning when we would slice them and fry them up for breakfast. Oh, and I can’t forget to make Grandma Gorman’s Mincemeat Pie, (heavy on the rum!).

One other point that I learned in the past few years, is to choose a collection of recipes that my kitchen can handle. In the past I’ve had a home with two ovens, but right now, we’ve only one – and that’s where the turkey will be. If I need another, though, Greg can always light up the grill and roast some vegetables.

Once the menu is decided upon, I gather all recipes together and make photocopies of each. It makes it so much easier in the kitchen when I don’t have cookbooks and magazines strewn all over the place. On each recipe sheet, I highlight the prep time and make notation to myself if it is a dish that can be prepared early. After all recipes are collected, I read them carefully several times so I know what to expect. Then, I plan out the order of events – how I will progress through preparing each item.

Then before I head off to the grocery store, I go through each recipe and write down what I’ll need. I always make sure I check the spice cabinet carefully so that I’m sure I have everything I need once I get down to cooking.

Finally, with all this talk about food, don’t forget to plan what you’ll be serving to drink along with the meal. Whether it is water, milk, juice, wine or beer, factor in your guest list, and plan accordingly!

Remember, the goal of planning is to achieve perfect balance and timing – things may not always turn out that way, but at least you have started on the right foot.

Purchasing 

Not much to say here, except that it is essential that you stick to your list – If you’re a coupon saver, or circular fiend, be sure to peruse the newspaper before making a run to the store. I’d advise not to go overboard trying to buy everything at rock bottom prices – if you do, you’ll probably have to visit several stores to complete your purchasing. 

If you’ve ordered a turkey, don’t forget to pick it up. If you purchased a frozen turkey, Make sure you’ve enough room in the freezer to keep it frozen until time to defrost. Then, clear the way in the fridge for the defrosting. According to the USDA, It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator, allow about 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. 

If possible, and you’re way ahead of the game in planning, make an early trip to the grocery to gather non-perishable items – such as any canned pumpkin or cranberry you may need. The days before a holiday are always crazy at the stores, so come with a plan and be directed as you move through aisles.

Preparing

In the days leading up to the event, I create my own Schedule of Events. I look at what can be prepared a few days ahead or the day before. I also take a look at what needs to be prepped. Vegetables need to be chopped, so why not prep them the night before.

In addition to preparing things early when I can, I take a look at the string of events. We want everything to hit the table all at once. 

I try to follow a systematic approach to preparing things – knowing my schedule and having the right ingredients and tools on hand.

I find I like order in the kitchen as well, which is why it is a must to start with a clean kitchen. Then, I like to clean up as I go. This is also helpful if I need to use a certain bowl of measuring tool for the next recipe. Washing dishes as you go also helps with the end of the meal onslaught of dishes.

Hopefully, if I’ve prepared my menu correctly, I won’t have an onslaught of foods that require lots of last-minute preparation, and I can make the transition to the table with ease.

Partaking

By this time, I’ve already been asked numerous times if dinner is ready. The anticipation of the day – coupled with the smells coming from the kitchen can no longer be denied. I just hope that when that pre-selected time for dinner arrives, everything will be ready to be placed on the table. 

This is what Thanksgiving is all about. We join hands and are thankful that we have food on the table; thankful for our health; thankful for our wonderful family and friends. 

Living in California, we don’t always have our extended family close at hand during the holidays. But, we find this an opportune time to tell stories of Thanksgiving past – and build upon those traditions. One of my most savored is that our Thanksgiving celebration when aunts, uncles and cousins gathered together at my Grandparent’s. My grandfather would market the beginning of the Christmas season by  plopping in an 8-track tape of Christmas tunes during dinner. 

For Greg, it was simply the gathering of extended family at Grandma’s, watching football and stuffing themselves until they couldn’t move. (Now that’s a tradition I think we can all relate to!).

A few years back, we started a Thanksgiving book. Each year we recite what it is we are thankful for – and whoever is with us that day, they contribute as well. I look forward to years down the road when we take a look at the book and remember everything we have been thankful for through the years. 

Have a wonderful – and stress free Thanksgiving!

The post Holiday Gatherings: A Time for Friends, Family and the Four Pillars appeared first on Family Eats.

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A few nights ago during dinner, my husband mentioned that I was upping my cooking game, lately. Of course, he qualified this statement, by saying, “Your meals are always good.” 

It was black bean burgers that evening – something I had prepared before, so I wondered what it was I had been doing differently. 

I thought back to earlier in the week, when I had heard a similar sentiment. It was the night I served Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Mint and Onions alongside sausage dogs. Typically, it would prepare frozen waffle fries to serve alongside the dogs, but on that particular night I wanted something a bit healthier – and fresh – as a side dish.

I realized that maybe I was doing something differently. It wasn’t necessarily the quality of the results, rather I think it was more about ‘what’ I was preparing. With our oldest off in college, I have had the opportunity to prepare ‘different’ offerings. When he is here, I walk the tightrope of trying to accommodate his request for meat, and the rest of the family’s request for a bit less meat. To do that, I found myself in limbo – trying to find recipes in which meat was not the centerpiece of the meal, while giving him the impression that there was meat on the table to satisfy his cravings, and giving the rest of us options to eat less meat.

It’s been almost 2 months since he’s been away at college, and I think I’m getting into the groove of preparing new recipes that are either fully meatless, or use less meat. And I realized that we’ve all been pretty much satisfied. 

That’s not to say we never eat any meat, but in lesser quantities, or fewer times a week. And when I do prepare a meal with a meat protein, I find myself being a bit more creative with it (serving it differently than I had done in the past). Last evening I served up a lemongrass beef and instead of skewing the meat and serving with a starch and a side of vegetables, I decided to slice the meat and marinate, then cook up quickly in a wok, and plate it up in lettuce cups filled with rice, fresh cucumbers, scallions and cherry tomatoes. 

Sometimes it takes a change in our lives to look at things differently. This time around, it took my son leaving for college for me to get a new perspective on mealtime. I hope he enjoys our latest mealtime offerings when he comes home for Thanksgiving break!

Here is the Black-Eyed Pea Salad recipe:

• 1 lb black-eyed peas, or 4, 15-ounce cans, drained
• 3 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup mint, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup greens, such as spinach, baby kale, or sweet dandelion, chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, optional 

dill, optional for garnish

If using dried black-eyed peas, cook in preferred method until peas are tender. If using canned beans, drain then heat on the stove over medium heat.

While the black-eyed peas are still hot and steaming, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, tossing to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with dill, if using. 

Serve warm or cold.

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Family meals hold a special place in our hearts. For the past 18 years, we’ve made the effort to gather together at least once a day to experience the benefits of this tradition. We grew as a family from from 2 to 3, then soon thereafter to 4, and then we added twins, giving us 6 around the table. We made our way through dinner time meltdowns, a million “I don’t like that food,” continued lessons in proper manners, and lots and lots of laughter. 

And now, there is an empty seat at the table.

The past few months my son had been making himself scarce. But, that’s the life of a recent high school graduate. He seemed more focused on making plans for get-always with his friends, than participating in any family adventures (with the exception of our trip to Peru). “I’m not here much longer, so I’m going to hang out with my friends,” he’d declare. Inside I’d think, “Well, you’re not going to be here much longer, what about us? Your family?”

On to Miami

I’ve been letting out the reigns for some time, and slowly coming to accept that he’d be off in college, across the country, transitioning to a new way of life. When we jumped on a plane to Miami, I was excited, as I was pushing away the thought of the impending ‘end’ of his childhood days living under my roof.  Long gone were the days of playing trains, building blocks, and singing and dancing around the house, but I still held onto the moments were would find ourselves together . . . our family meals. 

Food is about sharing, loving, giving. It has always been at the center of our lives. We’ve spent time in the kitchen together since the kids were little. We sit down for breakfast together, gather around the table for dinner, and make sure the food was delicious and healthy, alongside the togetherness. I can attest to the multitude of positives the process of gathering for family meals has brought to our lives. We’ve shared our lives with each other on a daily basis, had lively discussions about anything ranging from favorite Saturday morning cartoons to black holes; and at times, simply sat in silence, feeling each others’ presence, yet knowing that we would be there for each other, through the good and the bad.

Even during the time we were in Miami, readying him to move into the dorm, it was still about food and family. Upon arrival, we drove directly to may aunt and uncles house for a gathering of the extended family. We celebrated our togetherness – and the fact that one of our family would once again be down in South Florida.

The next eve, it was dinner at a friends house – a gathering of my swimming buddies, introducing them to Gray and getting a promise that they’d look after him if needed. The next eve it was dinner at my favorite BBQ spot in South Miami, Shorty’s. We were joined by Gray’s roommate and his family, getting to know new friends, and sharing in a delicious meal. Finally on his last night with us in town we treated him to another favorite of mine – Rusty Pelican out on Key Biscayne. Here, with the Miami skyline as the backdrop, we enjoyed a delicious meal on  our final night with our son before heading home. 

I think the family and friends mealtime gatherings helped me ease into this new reality. Despite all the busy-ness of orientation week, we found the time to slow down, and connect over a delicious meal, while discussing his new life at University of Miami before we loosened our reigns a bit more. We could sense his excitement, and the gentle pulling away from us, as he desired to immerse himself into his new reality as a college student. 

Readjusting at Home

Back here at home, there is that empty seat at the table.  A long term empty seat — not just an occasional emptiness because he is working that evening, or out with friends. But, the emptiness that comes with the realization that he is no longer here, under our roof, following our house rules, adding his silliness to our mealtime, asking for specific meals . . .

Now, we have more elbow room around the table. There are also added benefits of lower weekly food costs,  a bit less teen arguing and fewer dishes to clean.

At the same time, I must celebrate the empty seat at our dinner table, because I know that he is spreading his wings, reinventing himself, finding his groove, and growing into a fine young man.

I secretly hope that he misses our family meals, but know he won’t admit it to me. Instead, I’ll send a care package filled with homemade goodies — just like my mom did for me while I was in college, many moons ago. I guess that’s a rite of passage for new mom’s of college-aged kids.

I can’t imagine what it will be like when all 4 are gone . . .

But until then, the 5 of us here back at home will continue to gather together for our family meals.

The post The Empty Seat appeared first on Family Eats.

The past 6 weeks have been filled with a parade of celebrations, starting with 2 May birthdays and Mother’s Day, culminating this past week with 2 middle school graduations and a high school graduation. In between we celebrated the completion of my son’s Eagle Scout project, enjoyed a mini prom, wrapped up his high school baseball career . . . and so on. When things quieted down a bit this past weekend, I found myself needing to adjust – I was no longer on constant alert as to what the next event was, and the house was just a bit quieter.

With the end of the school year, summer season has officially arrived around here. And that means it is time to transition the what, how and where we eat. Because our schedules have all changed, and our young adult family means we’re all off on different adventures, our food needs are in constant flux. To help me with this summer transition, I find myself revisiting the Four Pillars process – Planning, Purchasing, Preparing and Partaking, to help me readjust to my current needs.

That’s why when the summer months arrive, I transition into making several visits to the grocery throughout the week. For instance, this week, It was just me and the twins at home for several days, and we took to deciding each day what it was we wanted to make for dinner. Now, as we ready for a family trip, its all about carefully Planning meals and deciding on portion sizes , so that by the time we leave, we won’t have perishables lying around.

And Soon, We’ll be 5

The other thing that is ‘eating’ at me, is my boy. He’s on his first of two post-graduation trips, and I know that I have limited time with him here at home before he heads across the country to start his freshman year at University of Miami this August.

I’m getting a bit weepy about the thought of an empty seat that will be at the dinner table. Through the years, we have been diligent in making sure the family gathers around the table. Even as they grew, and their interests in sports and other activities made it more difficult to have a family meal every evening, we persisted and continued to gather together several times throughout the week. Now that I’m realizing that the days of all 6 of us together for dinner are numbered, I’m getting a bit introspective. I look back and hope that all my efforts to teach him about the importance of food has sunk in. Eat good food. Eat a variety. Make your own meals when you can. Keep sweets and snacks at a minimum. And slow down, eat together with family (or friends), and enjoy the time gathering around the table.

I’ve about 8 weeks left to get this summer schedule in order, and to relish the remaining time we all have together until delivering my boy to Miami. In that time, I think I’ll be preparing some of Grayson’s favorites. 

Orange Chicken

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ramen Soup

Flank Steak with Chimichurri

The post Summer Transitions: Food and Family appeared first on Family Eats.

This week, one of my girls independently decided that she would not be eating meat for a week. Of course, she didn’t apprise me of this until I purchased $50 worth of skirt steak for our anniversary dinner with the family.

I was happy to hear of her efforts. I’ve been actively trying to switch from meat as the centerpiece of meals, to highlighting more veggies, grains and the like. It is not as if we are going fully meat-free, we’re just in the process of cutting down on our portions, or simply not eating it every night. That translates to more soups, stews, and grain-based meals, with smaller portions of meat, or simply no meat at all. We’re all into this change – well, almost all of us. Our oldest continues to wrinkle his nose on the nights when we go ‘meatless,’ so it has been a challenge to prepare something that will feed everyone’s needs.

It’s All in the Delivery

Aside from the process of finding satisfying recipes that use less meat or serve as hearty meat-free options, I realized that it’s the words I use that make or break the perception my son has of my meatless options.

For the past few years , when Monday rolled around, I’d announce that I was serving up a Meatless Monday meal. My son quickly caught on to the fact that Monday meals would not be something he wanted to partake in. He no longer would ask, ‘What’s for dinner?” but rather, “Is this another meatless meal, Mom?”

I have to say that it has been a bit of a struggle. I’m juggling the likes and dislikes of each person and trying to accommodate everyone’s needs, just so we can have an enjoyable mealtime. 

But lately, I’ve removed the ‘meatless’ from my mealtime explanation. Rather than naming my mealtime choices as ‘meatless’ I’m simply moving forward with my efforts, and It is serving me a bit better. By focusing more on what is on the table, rather than what isn’t, I’m finding greater acceptance of my efforts – even from my son.

I’m glad my frustrations didn’t keep me from continuing my efforts to reach my goal. While we may not be finished with our journey to eat less meat, but at least were taking small steps needed to accomplish our goals. 

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On a recent Sunday morning I took my coffee standing up. Rather than brew my Sunday morning coffee, then taking the time to sit alone in the quiet of the house, brainstorming, thinking, meditating, I remained standing in the kitchen. 

The reason: a Saturday evening delivery that led to Sunday morning reorganization.

The Puzzle 

To put it simply: Kitchen organization is a puzzle. I’m always trying to fit all the pieces together – pots, pans, baking molds, silverware, roasting pans, serving pieces  – so I can enjoy seamless movements while I’m cooking or baking. I dream of the day when all pieces are put together in a logical way that speaks to the way I maneuver throughout the kitchen. But, because our kitchen is in need of a major rehab, my kitchen tools, gadgets and cookware aren’t always housed in a way that keeps me from digging around for something when I need it.

This week I had enough of some of my frustration and decided to make a change. Nothing major, just one simple change. But that change led to a Sunday morning kitchen reorganization that lasted for hours.

My Spice Collection

It all started with the spices. We had been housing them in the lower shelf of the cupboard just to the left of our stove. It was so hard to find anything. We’d have to move the spices in the front down onto the counter, in order to locate something behind it. Then, as we shoved them all back in, nothing seemed to fit perfectly, so we stack and move things elsewhere – making the search even more complicated the next time around.

My drawer organizer came to the rescue. But, now that the spices were in the drawer, I had to relocate all those oversized kitchen tools elsewhere. And, when I did that, I had to move the items from that drawer into another – and so it went, for the next several hours. 

As the family rose for the day, and we all jockeyed our way through the kitchen, trying to find counter space to do our usual kitchen tasks, I continued on my kitchen reorganization. Rolling pins here, cutting boards there, pan lids under there . .  well, you get the picture.

While a good portion of my morning was taken over by reorganization, I did get rid of a few things ( and, discovered duplicates – even triplicates – of many spices). Kitchen reorganization is always a work in progress – and I’m still hoping to deal with the cupboards under the counter. But not this Sunday. I’m going to endure a bit of disorganization in the kitchen, because  I want my quiet weekend morning back.

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Of all the Four Pillars (Planning, Purchasing, Preparing and Partaking), it’s the fourth pillar that I think about the least. It seems as if I continually focus on the first three to get through the day.

I’m all over meal planning for the week, and when it comes to purchasing, I’m diligent in creating a list, staying within our budget, and sticking to that list. Once I have the first two pillars handled, I move on to preparing meals with stealth-like precision. I know what I’m serving each day, I have the pantry stocked, start prepping items early, and time out the process making of the meal so I can get it on the table at a specific time.

By the time it’s ready for the table, I slip into my seat alongside the family, and exhale. Ahh, success. The meal is on the table, so let’s just eat. 

Our family has always been diligent about sitting down for dinner together. And for the most part, our mealtimes have been engaging. Time spent together at mealtime serves as a place we connect, settle in and hear what’s going on with each other. A place to teach, a place to learn, a place to feel safe. 

But lately I’m feeling that I just don’t want to be around the table together for too long. I’m guessing that it’s because we’ve been here at the house, in each other’s way as we’ve sheltered in place for the past few months. More often than not, our dinner conversations have been less than satisfying, and it seems as if we’re all rushing to get through the mealtime and clean-up so we can disperse throughout the house to check our phones, play a video game, or catch up on emails. 

Gathering around the table is an opportunity, and lately I’ve been ignoring that opportunity. The family dinner has always been a part of our lives, but now that we’re here together, all day long, I’m craving something a bit more. Our lives certainly have been a bit slower since so many of our activities outside the house have been curtailed, but why am I feeling a sense of urgency to get away from the table as fast as I can?

I have always marveled at the dinners I enjoyed during my travels – sitting for hours with Italian friends, while in the kitchen the pots, pans and plates continued to pile up. We’d sit talking about anything – politics, the dog, the locals, and the miniscule things happening with the host’s family members I had never met. 

Similarly, I’ve enjoyed lazy afternoon meals in France, sitting out in the yard, nibbling on cheese, pate, and freshly picked fruits while sipping on Pastis. We seemingly had nothing to do, except sit, talk and enjoy life.

As for the celebrations closer to home, I am missing the gatherings with friends. The times we can partake in a full meal, or just small bites and cocktails, while we sit, talk and laugh together. Food took us through those hours. That’s the kind of stuff I truly enjoy. Clearly, I need to reset my mealtime mind, and once again think about the quality of us all being around the table. 

Gathering around the table, the Partaking, is just as important as all the Planning, Purchasing and Preparing. The end goal is so much more than the act of getting a meal on the table, it is the experience that happens when we do gather.

In fact, the Fourth Pillar, Partaking, is truly the prize.  Regardless of where we are eating, who is joining us for that meal, we need to remind ourselves that what gives us sustenance is not only the food on the table, but those who are there with us. 

Gather around the table. Stop, slow down, and enjoy the food, the family and the friendship. It seems like we need a bit of that right now.

It’s time to “Reconnect with the food we eat and the family we love.”

The post The Power of Mealtime appeared first on Family Eats.

Makes 16-17 ounces, enough for 1 batch of French Bread.

• 1-1/8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (5 oz)
• 1-1/8 cups unbleached bread flour (5 oz)
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp instant yeast
• ¾ cup to ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp water, at room temperature

Stir together the flours, salt and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in bowl of an electric mixer). Add ¾ cup of the water, stirring until everything comes together and makes a coarse ball (or mix on low speed for 1 minute with paddle attachment). Adjust the flour or water, according to need, so that the dough is neither sticky nor too stiff. (It is better to err on the sticky side, as you can adjust easier during kneading. It is harder to add water once the dough firms up.)

Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for 4-6 minutes (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook for 4 minutes), or until the dough is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. The internal temperature should be 77-81 degrees F.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it swells to about 1-1/2 times its original size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to degas, and return it to the bowl, covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.

Note: You can use this on the same day that you make it, if you ferment it at room temperature for 2 hours, instead of refrigerating it. Author prefers to give it the overnight treatment as it seems to bring out even more flavor.

Source: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart. Ten Speed Press C 2001

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It has been a trying week as we’ve been dealing with our latest power blackout here in Northern California. Of course, living with no power for five days is a small price to pay, especially when compared to our neighbors just a few miles north – and our southern California neighbors — who are dealing with wildfires. 

I call it ‘camping, but in a big house,’ because I’ve had to resort to some ingenuity when it comes to cooking what we have on hand. We had a bit of warning that the electricity was to be turned off for a few days (of course, didn’t realize it would be nearly 5 days), so when I went shopping prior to losing our power, I had to think about what to buy, and what to prepare – it’s a process that I already do on a week-to-week basis, but this time was a bit different.

I mentally took stock of what I could prepare  – pizza on the grill, pasta, a frittata, fried rice . . . and then headed out to shop. 

On the Grill or Stovetop

The lights turned off early Saturday evening, but we were prepared with our weekly Saturday night pizza. We usually grill our pizza, so the only difference this week is that Greg had to prepare the pizza in the kitchen using a headlamp – while the hungry family sat in the dark, playing board games. He then headed out to the deck to grill it up!

By morning, we were all chilled from lack of heat in the house, so we all hurried to the kitchen to prepare hot chocolate and coffee. Our daily ritual is top-of-the-stove Chemex pour over ( or a Melitta pour over depending on how many cups we desire). I am also relieved that I could also brew in our Alessi moka pot, when we needed the extra shot of espresso in the late afternoon. 

Luckily I had the foresight to grind several pots worth of coffee, as our burr grinder is electric. I am seriously thinking about a Handground precision coffee grinder for all future blackouts, so that I can grind as needed, by hand, for fresher coffee on my blackout mornings.

Eat the Fridge

“Use up the milk,” was my mantra on Sunday morning – so, it was cereal for breakfast, and warmed milk for the hot chocolate.

Next up was a perusal of items that needed to be consumed soon – those that wouldn’t stay fresh too long without refrigeration (although I was tempted to leave them outside the fridge as our house was getting colder by the minute). Eggs for breakfast – or an evening frittata might do, and for lunch, it was the leftover squash risotto heated on the stovetop, and yogurt in between.

Proper Food Temperatures

By Sunday evening, I had pulled out my food thermometer to measure temperature inside the fridge and freezer, so I could continue my blackout eating plan for the following day.

 Temperature was holding at a cold enough temperature – perhaps bolstered by additional bags of ice in the freezer. 

Your refrigerator should be 40°F/-15°C or below for safe food storage. Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure the temperature is right.

One the last day of the blackout, it was time to prepare the whole chicken. Admittedly, I had never before prepared a whole chicken on the stovetop, often preferring to crisp the skin in the broiler, then placing it in a copper pot in the oven. This time around, I nestled it inside my Le Creuset pot, added a bit of homemade stock from the freezer, a few spices, then set to medium to cook.

That evening, we ate the chicken with the lights on, as our electricity was restored! The house was warming up, and so were our moods. What made it even better was that everyone was home and gathered around the table . . . things were back to normal.

You don’t need a blackout to think about what’s in your fridge. Make it a habit on a weekly basis to use your leftovers, and determine which foods may go bad soon, it will help save the planet and your wallet. Check out Stop Food Waste for tips on how to reduce food waste.

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