How to prepare for big storm: Bake! Loaded Frittata, Hard Flour Banana Nut Bread

The first of two expected windstorms in the Pacific Northwest passed yesterday with leaves and branches and plenty of fresh air. The second, more powerful storm, is already hitting the coast and expected here in the Seattle area beginning in a couple hours. While it’s not necessary — at least locally — to fill the bathtub with water in order to flush the loo if the power goes out (as it is in Poulsbo at Mother’s place), we’re advised to make sure of supplies for a couple days “just in case” with wind gusts over 50 mph expected during a period of several hours.

What if the power goes out here? Bake ahead of time, of course. I’m prepared with both savory and sweet and the whole house has the aromas to prove it. There’s a nice frittata with russet potatoes, sauteed onion, chopped green chilis, turkey pepperoni, sun-dried tomatoes, stuffed with pepper jack and decorated with Kaukana Port Wine cheese spread. It’s good hot or leftover cold, so there’s the savory protein.

I can’t do without sweets. I admit it. When there’s nothing sweet around, I engage in sugar-seeking behavior. Well, there’s only ice cream at the moment. What if the power goes out? Can’t open the freezer then. Nothing to do about it but bake something. Luckily, there were bananas and walnuts in the crisper and chocolate chips in a bag. The need for sweets along with my intention to try Washington’s own Bluebird Grain Farms organic whole grain hard white flour in Aunt Dorothy’s Whole Wheat Banana Bread* instead of the white whole wheat that I typically use made the decision easy. It turned out very well indeed. Hard Flour Banana Nut Bread. Don’t we love it when that happens?