MORE FREEZING WEATHER!!!

With MORE freezing weather, here are MORE ways to be prepared:

1. Don't forget your food/water/fuel supply! (That was just a reminder!)

From the City of Dallas (Utilities and Water) we have the following important information:

Before a Freeze:

1. Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of your home, including the attic.
2. Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate those faucets with hard foam covers or wrap with cloth or paper.
3. Cover vents around the foundation of your home.
4. Learn where your private water cut-off valves are and how to operate them.

In Sub-Freezing Weather:

1. Let hot and cold water drip slowly from inside faucets during a freeze.
2. Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls.

If you need help or emergency assistance in turning your vater off or on, you can reach the City of Dallas 24 hours a day by calling 311.

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If you find yourself stuck at home on a freezy day, pull out your powdered chocolate milk that you have stored up and make a cup of "hot chocolate".

Here's an easy recipe from cooks.com (with a few modifications of my own) for those cold days when you're stuck inside with your canned vegetables...

Easy Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb. stew meat (or ground beef)
2 (14-16 oz) cans vegetables of your choice (green beans, corn, etc.)
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 sm. potatoes (cook fresh ones or rehydrate potato dices)
rice
spaghetti noodles

Season/cook meat as desired. Add tomato sauce, juice from vegetables, and water to desired consistency. Cut up potatoes or dehydrated dices to mixture with 1/8 to 1/4 cup raw rice. Break up a small amount of raw spaghetti noodles and put in soup. After rice and spaghetti are cooked, add mixed vegetables and continue cooking until thoroughly heated. Add water if necessary during cooking. Season as desired to taste. (Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, beef boulion...whatever you have on hand that you enjoy.) You can easily double for large families.

STAY WARM!!!