So...whats for dinner?
Comments
-
I too missed wishing Carole happy birthday I think. This time change has me more messed up than usual.
Moon Love DGD's picture. And wow another on the way. You're going to have your hands full but in a good way lol. I'll be in you pocket for the cataract surgery. DH had it no problems and his was 12 years ago. Surely more advancements in the field since then. Let us know how it went.
0 -
Have to agree on being a fan of PTs. It was interesting to learn that DH's VNA PT had just completed a lymphodema course and was able to help him learn to self massage some of the areas needed to drain and reduce the significant swelling in his surgical side leg.
Today I was determined to make the stuffed artichokes, and get back to my kale soup making...and eventually did both. However, the artichokes were not quite as tender as needed, and next time I will definitely bake them way longer than the recipe suggests, so the "petals"(?) fall off easily. Loved getting back to my kale soup regimen. Just did not have time to make it while caretaking. Makes me feel we are almost back to normal, whatever that is.
DH is actually doing his shower routine pretty independently now, and makes it down to the basement to do his exercise routine (approved by the PT). Wait until he sees how many more exercises he'll be doing once he starts his outpatient PT! I had a ton of pages over a couple of months. Sounds like you had a lovely birthday...and yet to be continued, Carole. Nice!
Boy, Joyce, I do hope that your blood work is indicative of something fairly small and resolvable. Hugs to you!
And yes, kudos to you, Susan for your most recent trip planning score! We will definitely need a full report on that restaurant meal. Can I hire you to plan a trip for us??!! You are amazing!
Looking forward to our upcoming almost back to normal week....and with no snow predicted until the weekend....yay! I may have to go give my favorite snow shovels a little hug.
0 -
;-0 No. I am not planning anyone else's vacation. Planning this one is reminding me how much work it is to plan properly.
*susan*
0 -
Susan, I thought of you last night when we watched Madam Secretary. Part of the story took place in Istanbul. No restaurants, though!
SK, one more PT in your life will hardly be noticed! LOL. You have been through way too much in your bc journey.
Lacey, you are almost a lady of leisure these days with dh regaining some independence.
This was my first birthday with silver gray hair. Now I have "almost" decided to go color again. I'm balancing the extra time and $$$ against the frivolous satisfaction of people being surprised when I tell them my age.
0 -
Aww, gee, Susan.....;). Last year when we were supposed to be planning our trip to Italy, I was typically dragging my heals, when at a charity event, there was a live auction offering of a week's stay at a Tuscan villa. We quickly (read impulsively) bid on it....and voila (!) the rest of the planning began....mostly not by me. As some of you might recall, that villa rental provided quite the adventure. Ha! DH is our planner, and I contributed around specifics....narrowing down hotel choices in Rome, tour choices and times, etc. I have to say that our AAA office was also very helpful in helping us put together parts of our travel plan. But I'm sure that could never compare to Susan's amazing effort. What a gift to her family! And how I am looking forward to hearing about those adventures!
I plan to go to stretching class later today and we will have leftover pizza and a big salad for dinner when I return....and maybe a cup of kale soup!
0 -
Carole, you are right, I am almost giddy at some of the caretaker load lightening! And who would have thought that a purple apron would be my best friend. DH is so much more resourceful using that. He loves the independence it grants him...and we share that enjoyment!
Interesting that you mentioned the hair coloring choice. I colored my roots yesterday after totallyneglecting them during this crazy "rehab" month. A part of me thought, why am I even doing this?! Hmmm...probably because I think I'd look tired and haggard as a gray lady with my skin tone. I usually have my hairdresser color it when I get my hair cut, then use a root touch up in between cuts, since I am not a frequent flyer to the hairdresser. I did notice that your hair looked different in your new profile pic. Both good! Interested in what you decide...
0 -
joyce - have been checking BCO on my phone and somehow missed your CT and blood test situation - good luck - it is nerve-wracking, to say the least. When you had the issue with anemia previously did the transfusion fix things? I am curious as I worked in Transfusion Services when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
carole - your b-day celebrations sound fun - dinner sounds delish - and yay for the cake recycle!
lacey - I love AAA - we got our International Driver's licenses there with ease, we have a local office right up the street. Also got our new passport pix done there, and the lady kept taking pictures until she got ones that we liked - it was a quiet day and she was having fun with it.
In addition to being a master chef, susan is a master travel planner!
0 -
Hello everyone! One eye done. Very weird. One eye good one eye bad. Surgery went well. Got home took a nap. DH went back up to his apt already. But not before going downstairs to get something from the freezer. Only to find it quit working a while ago. LOL. Ice was all gone but water was still cold so no mold yet. He Spent a couple hours emptying it out. Luckily it wasn't full f meat. A couple packages fish, some meat. Bread and rolls. All garbage. About the only thing we kept were the girl scout cookies. Only the outer box was wet. LOL
Joyce, hoping your scan shows nothing major.
To all much love
0 -
Moon, glad the eye surgery went well. It will definitely be better when both eyes are "good." How fortunate that dh went down and discovered the freezer had expired. That could have turned into a stinky mess with packages of rotten fish. I had shrimp in my freezer the summer Katrina hit and wiped out the power for 3 weeks. My wonderful neighbor and her son went into our house and cleaned out the freezer saving it from being ruined.
Lunch out with my golfing friends was a lot of fun. I had a fish special. Mahi Mahi topped with a spoonful of olive salad and served atop a nice serving of green onion orzo with feta. It was really delicious. I thought the fish portion was small. No to go boxes needed at this restaurant!
I cooked brown rice to go with leftover roast pork and gravy for dinner tonight.
0 -
It's Greek night here -- lamb in pitas when tzatziki, oven roasted Greek style potatoes and Greek salad.
Monica, happy your surgery went well. Presumably you are getting the other done in the near future?
Susan, a high five to you! Spain is one place I would love to visit. Looking forward to hearing about that meal. Planning a big trip is about as much fun as planning a wedding in my book.
I will dye my hair until I can no longer lift the bottle or hire someone else to. My natural blonde color looks completely washed out when the gray is prominent. I'll avoid it as long as I can.
Joyce, I feel your pain, my numbers weren't wonderful either. I'm off for an ultrasound tomorrow to confirm that my elevated numbers are due to my fatty liver and not something else. Wish me luck.
0 -
No cell good luck!
0 -
Greek night sounds good, Nance. Is there anything you can do for fatty liver?
Joyce, I hope your worries turn out to be groundless and there's some benign interpretation of the blood work.
I'm emotionally exhausted after watching two recorded episodes of Downton Abbey. One more to go of Season 5. Last year I thought the story had pretty much played itself out but the writers are very good at their jobs. The actors are just outstanding. I heard that this is Maggie Smith's last season with the series. She was quoted as saying she has not enjoyed her celebrity status that DA has brought. She always enjoyed being able to go wherever she wanted to go without worrying about being recognized and that has changed.
The latest Fine Cooking magazine is chockablock full of interesting articles and recipes. There's one article on English muffins that I found particularly interesting because of our English muffin bakers, Nance and Susan. I didn't realize that the muffins are cooked on a griddle before they're baked in the oven. I made them once eons ago when I bought a little kit with aluminum rings and the recipe was printed on the cardboard backing the rings were on. But I think I just baked the muffins.
0 -
Carole - no treatment to speak of - lose weight, exercise, no drinking may help keep it from getting worse but there's no guarantee that those things will help. I have lost some weight and I drink very little but the gym has been on the back burner since the plantar fasciatis, broken toe, holidays, carpal tunnel, weather, blah blah blah. It's always something. Fatty liver is a common problem for diabetics. Lucky me. How is your foot doing by the way? I never bake my English muffins -- just cook them on the griddle. I may look up that article.
After my test tomorrow morning, I'm going to check out the new Fresh Market in St. Louis County, since I won't be far from it. I also have to pick up the paint for the bedroom. My DBIL and DSIL are coming next week. DBIL and DH will do the painting. I also need to look for some curtains tomorrow too.
Lacey -- have we seen the baked artichoke recipe? Sounds like something I would like.
0 -
Monica, glad to see that your cataract procedure went well...and that the freezer crisis was averted. I got to feeling a bit sick thinking about rotting fish in a disabled freezer. You dodged that one!
I'm sorry to hear about those elevated numbers, Nance and Joyce....and hope that you can both manage the causes without undo stress in your daily lives...and NOT A TON OF MEDICAL APPTS! Hugs to you both.
Nance, your Greek dinner sounded wonderful.
When I was growing up, my mother always made stuffed artichokes. I saw some for $1 each last week, so was excited to make them again. I have a general idea of how my mother used make them, but picked a video from Utube to guide me, then added extra tomato sauce in which to bake them. Here's the video....he sounds like a Boston local.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wlfhGpDzz-MMost other recipes I found do not use tomato sauce when baking them. But I prefer that with garlic and some fennel. Also, he does not remove the "choke" (which is sort of a pain when the artichokes are raw, tho I've always done it) so your diners need to be careful not to eat that, and thencut that part out to get to the heart. They are fun and messy to eat. Just be sure to cook them long enough for them to be really tender. The flavor with the stuffing and tomato sauce is delish.
Today I need to get to some sewing....tried yesterday, but had misplaced the electric cord to my machine in one of its many moves out of the dining room. I was so frustrated. Then before I went to bed last night, I decided to look in the d.r. sideboard, and there it was! So to go along with my goal to get sewing tasks done, dinner will be a quick and easy one....kale soup and BLTs.
0 -
Fresh Market is a wonderful place. Today a Hy Vee grocery opened up, but with my wrist I am unable to drive to it. Give it a week to settle in and mayb I can get a pal to take me. It is now the largest grocery-80,000 sq.feet. but it has a dinning area as well and 8000 sq.feet of healthmarket!I am down to my last Nathan's hot dog, so I am going to make sloppy joe with the hamburger. That wouldl be minimum cooking. With this hard cast, I can not even hardly lift a can of pop in my right hand and I surely can't maneuver ot tp my mouth with that arm......
I have one huge chicken breast and one huge pork chop in freezer. and some pasta tv dinners...
I got a 6 pack of tiny lettuce heads---butter crunch shaped like romaine. One cut up with scissors and some olives and jarred artichoke hearts makes a perfect little salad for me. Olive garden Italian dressing to top it off... Friends having birthdays and we ususally go out to dinner, but I want to wait till I can dig in with the right hand.....
Nance, my doctor thought I had fatty liver, ubt after I lost weight and started walking, my liver values improved and then when I went of my Arimidex, they went back up but doctor says its the drug.....
0 -
Yes, Fresh Market is a wonderful place, Redheaded. I had every intention of going there today to take advantage of the Tues. mark down on chicken breasts and ground chuck. But I didn't make it.
I took out chicken for dinner tonight. I'm planning to make chicken with preserved lemon and olives. I think I'll also cook some whole wheat orzo with green onions and feta. In other words try to copy the orzo I had for lunch yesterday but with whole wheat.
Nance, I envy your certainty on the hair color issue. Today I've waffled back and forth, one minute ready to make an appointment for color and the next minute deciding not to make an appointment. I saw my hair stylist at the gym this morning and told her I was thinking about going color again. "Have your friends been giving you a hard time?" she asked, and I replied truthfully that they had been very complimentary about the change.
There was leftover birthday cake at my mother's house today and I couldn't resist eating a BIG piece. It was so-o-o-o good I'm not even sorry I indulged.
0 -
Red, my numbers go up, they come back down. Just so happens my new mo caught them on the up and has to see for herself I guess. Got the results back when I got home and everything looks the same as last time. Nothing that wasn't already seen. A wasted test. Joyce -- hope yours turns out as well.
Hey Carole - if you can't indulge around your birthday when can you. Where did you find whole wheat orzo? The other day I tried the chicken soba noodle bowl at Panera's (it's called St. Louis Bread Company around here because of it's origins) and it was really really good. Now I'm craving more soba. I have a beef and soba noodle bowl recipe I've been wanting to try so I think that's in my future. My hair is so short I color it myself since it takes less than a package. If I had to pay someone to do it every 3 or 4 weeks I may not have so much certainty about it. My mother was premature gray (in her 30s) and my dad is barely gray at all even at 87. I'm somewhere in between. Not enough gray to look striking but enough to look washed out when mixed in what's left of the blonde.
So I went to Fresh Market and I gotta say I was a bit underwhelmed. They had lots of pretty things but most of it was horribly expensive. I've never seen so many different mushrooms and kinds of roasted chicken in one place. I did indulge in some fresh Florida grouper. I emphasize "indulge" -- that stuff was twice as expensive as beef tenderloin. You can tell I don't see much fresh fish around here. There were some good Tuesday specials though. The fresh flowers seemed to be a pretty good buy. I was disappointed that they didn't have more bulk items like Lucky's, which I think I prefer. Red, I love Hy-Vee too. They have wonderful meat and liquor departments. I love those little artisan lettuces too. They're just right for one salad.
Tomorrow I'm treating myself to a pedicure. It's going to be 60 degrees and sunny. Time to let the toes out.
0 -
Fresh Market is expensive and I don't do my general grocery shopping there. It's where I buy the whole wheat orzo. And it does put things on special.
I think I did pretty well with the orzo dish. I sautéed finely chopped green onions (about 6 nice onions) in EVOO. Cooked the orzo a little underdone and transferred it to the skillet with the oil and onions. Used some of the boiling liquid. Added some diced feta and chopped fresh parsley. We haven't eaten yet but the orzo will be good with the chicken (preserved lemon & olives). I used Greek olives instead of green.
We've had rain off and on last day and the same weather pattern is supposed to hang on all week. The temperature is mild and the humidity, of course, is about 100 per cent.
0 -
I am having trouble keeping up right now with all the posts. Feeling really tired lately. I suspect that this is a combination of late-month-Faslodex-fatigue and the hour change this weekend. Yesterday Costco had smoked hams for sale. They have never had smoked hams, ever. I bought the smallest one I could find. Last night I divided it up into chunks, warming one, and freezing the others. Made some Mac/Cheese, a huge salad, and peas. Served the whole family which was nice. Lunch I pulled out some rye rolls from the freezer and made ham and cheese sandwiches. Dinner was a repeat of the mac/cheese with some leftover cole slaw, fresh tomato salad and a grilled burger. I am really glad that the mac/cheese is gone. Gosh is that stuff delicious, but leaves you feeling like you have eaten some heavy stuff. Probably because it is some heavy stuff.
Lots of client contact lately, including folks I haven't heard from in months or years. I need them all to go away so I can finish what I already have on my plate before I head to Europe.
*susan*
0 -
Susan I caved in and made Mac & cheese tonight for supper. and been guzzling soda pop all day.. I haven't got adjusted to the time change either. Slept till 8 a.m. today. Still have one clock--high on the kitchen wall that is on the wrong time. Don't trust myself to stand on a chair to get to it with my arm in this plaster. But, at my dad's I was able to do his. guess I hoped if I fell he would call 911.... Cubed up ham and frozen peas are really good mixed into mac & cheese....
0 -
Dr visit for eye went well. Read 2 of the 4 letters on the 20/20 line. Haven't had eyesight that good for more than 50 years. LOL.
Yes glad we found the broken freezer. I don't go down to the basement but maybe every other month. So a good thing. Also good garbage pickup is tomorrow! LOL also good that the weather though warmer was still only 40. LOL. Really good that DH trucked the heavy containers out too. LOL
Joyce hope your tests will e good. Carole glad yours were good too. Susan I hope you can rest up after going so hard!
Supper tonight was a small stirfry. We managed to get to a grocery store before my DH left again. Had to get a lot of basics.
Much love to all.
0 -
Moon, great news that your eye surgery was successful. As I said in an earlier post, cataract surgery was miraculous for me.
I haven't adjusted to the time change either. I hate getting up in the dark so end up sleeping an hour later.
Nance, I looked at the article on English muffins again and the muffins are baked in a 400 degree oven for only 5 min. after they're browned on each side on the griddle. They're very pretty in the picture. We buy the Bay whole grain. Maybe I'll look for a recipe that doesn't use all that white flour.
There is also an article on making ricotta. I may give that a try today but cut the recipe in half.
Lots of leftovers for dinner tonight. The whole wheat orzo is really good. I cooked the whole bag so have a ton of it. I used olive oil for the green onion and feta dish so leftovers can be incorporated into salad.
No golf with all this rain so I'll go to the gym for a Pilates class. There's a Gentle Yoga after it but we'll see whether I'm in any condition to stay for it. I'm one of the world's least supple individuals so this will probably be comical!
0 -
Carole, making ricotta is easy and fun. The end product is so much nicer than store bought. You end up with lots of whey, and not so much ricotta, so you may not need to reduce the recipe. Impressive that your cataract procedure was so helpful. I am assuming that when I get to the point of having mine done (at this point, I'm just noticing that night driving is just more annoying than it used to be), I won't need my distance glasses anymore.
Heading to the gym, with still achy body from Monday's rigorous stretching class. Afterwards, bringing DH to his PCP.....then need to figure out dinner. DH thinks he's ready to grill....I'll need to re-shovel the path to it and let Mom Nature do the rest....supposed to reach 50's today!
0 -
You're right, Lacey. Making the ricotta was fairly easy. I used 2 per cent milk instead of whole but I did use whipping cream. I was a little nervous, worrying that the lower fat milk might not produce curds. But it did! I bought strawberries today so I'll have some ricotta and strawberries for dessert tonight. I don't think my candy thermometer is reliable because it never showed that the milk was up to temperature even when the mixture had reached the boiling point. I don't remember if I've ever used the thermometer before. Certainly not to make candy. Now to figure out if there's any use for the whey. I poured it back into the milk jug.
The Pilates class was challenging and so was the yoga. The yoga instructor is just what you might imagine a yoga instructor to be like. I enjoyed her "wacky" personality and admired her command of her body. It's too bad that both these classes take place on my two golf days. Otherwise I would go regularly.
Today whizzed by rather enjoyably. It's nice to know dinner will be warm-ups. Or jump ups, as someone called them.
0 -
Use the whey as a substitute for liquids when making bread! I find it a bit sweet so if there is sugar in the bread dough recipe, reduce by half.
*susan*
0 -
Thanks, Susan.
I just took a taste of the ricotta and it is wonderful! So silky on the tongue.
0 -
Ohhhh, so happy for you, Carole to be enjoying the deliciousness of that ricotta. I also used my whey for liquid in bread making. If you have a pet, people put it in their food. Lots of other ideas on the internet!
Had lunch at the hospital coffee shop with DH, after fitness training session, and before DH's PCP appt. He enjoyed pulled pork, cole slaw, fries, salad and pea soup. I sometimes think the orthopod hallowed out DH's right leg during the hip repair! I had a salad and tomato florentine soup.
Then....tonight, DH was eager to grill. So, I cleared the snow and ice frm the grill area and he got back in the saddle (even with his crutch!) I marinaded the chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar with garlic and rosemary. Cooked up some polenta slices topped with parmesan, and made a Greekish cuke salad. Trader's had large organic cukes For just 69 cents each....rare price here!
Off to K kids in the AM, then driving DH to his first PT session.
0 -
One of my pals took me to the new HY VEE grocery store----OMG! You couldn't even move to see what all they had for all the people and this was late afternoon/early evening of day two!The meat counter was amazing----and the seafood and the cheeses----- and all the convenience prepped fruit and veggies... sorry, but with the cast, I find that extremely exciting. I love my pals, but there are two things they are all lousy at--hair styling and food........(they like to eat, but I am the only one who loves to cook)
I had scoop of white chocolate raspberry gelato and a scoop of NUTELLA gelato...... next time I will try the Lemoncello and the Pistachio
0 -
The grouper last night was outstanding. I dredged it very lightly in corn flour and spices and pan fried it in a small amount of oil. Got on the mac and cheese bandwagon and fixed some of that for DH. I like it, but it takes very little for it to be enough for me. Which is weird considering how much of a pasta freak I am. Anyway, I rounded out the meal with some coleslaw. The grouper made me long for the gulf coast and all of the fresh fish available.
DH has requested pizza. I have a couple of previously assembled individual ones in the freezer, so we'll have those with an Italian chopped salad.
Today I did a lot of domestic diva stuff like washing some windows and reorganizing the linen closet. When did we get so many sheets and why don't we ever throw any away? I bought two new sets for the soon to be painted bedroom and needed to make some room for them. I also repotted my orchids, several of which are in bloom and quite lovely. They've been a bright spot this winter.
Tomorrow I plan to do some baking for my guests next week. Penzey's new catalog had an interesting recipe for Bacon Buns -- which appear to be a soft roll stuffed with bacon. How bad can that be? I'm going make some and freeze them for breakfasts next week. Should go well with eggs. I'll also make start some baguettes to freeze and have on hand.
Lacey - my cataracts are advancing too but apparently affecting mostly my peripheral vision, at least according to the retina doc. Seems to me that I have hazy vision frequently but that could be due to my severely dry eyes or who knows what else. She also told me that I might be a candidate to have my excess eyelid skin removed as it's starting to cover my eyes and affect my vision. WTH??? When did my body disappear and get taken over by this alien being??!!!!
Carole -- what did you do with your cooked pork roast? Did you serve it as is? How did you season it? I bought a shoulder roast and am looking for ideas other than pulled pork to serve next week.
0 -
Carole -- I keep meaning to ask how is your foot?
0
