Wow!! Has this ever been a week!! We were without power, water and heat from 1 p.m. Tuesday to 4 p.m. Friday. Our source of heat was our wood burning fireplace. We managed to get the temperature up to 52 degrees 2 days and 50 the other day. We ate at McDonald’s for breakfast, Sonic for lunch, and Taco Tico for our evening meal the first day. We decided we didn’t like eating out that much as it was so cold and icy. The next day for lunch I made submarine sandwiches with the deli roast beef, ham, and turkey and cheeses left over from New Year’s and wrapped them in heavy duty aluminum foil and placed them in the fireplace to heat. Not bad!!! Slushy Pepsi to drink worked too. For our gourmet evening meal, we each had a half grapefruit, Mediterranean salad greens ( packaged salad) with a half of cucumber sliced on the top, and hot dogs cooked in the fireplace. Hmmm!
Those were really good with the wood smoke flavor. I am sure all of you have a horror story to tell about the great ice storm of January 2005.

Here is one of my favorite quick and easy recipes for emergencies. (You don’t even need power but cooking on the grill might be hazardous in the ice.)

Hobo Dinners

Hamburger patties sliced potato
Seasoning salt sliced carrot
Liquid smoke sliced onion

Place patty on square of heavy duty aluminum foil. Salt to taste. Put dash of liquid smoke over meat patty. Place 2 or 3 slices of onion, a slice carrot, and a sliced potato over each patty. Put about 1 tbs of butter on top of vegetables or spray with butter spray. This keeps the potato from turning brown. Fold aluminum foil tightly. Place foil packets on cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or place packets on grill and cook for about 30 minutes turning once.

The great thing about these are they are adaptable. Serve 1 or 25, it’s all prepared the same. Enjoy!