So...whats for dinner?

Maggie, good luck in your decision-making on health coverage. We considered switching to an Advantage plan because it's so much cheaper but stuck with Medicare and BCBS Federal, even though we pay a lot monthly. So far there is never a hitch with getting prescription coverage or approval of treatment. Advantage plans are great for healthy oldies who require very little medical care, just routine screening. Humana and People's Health are two popular Advantage companies here.

I lit the big oven last night to cook the sweet potatoes and the barbecue chicken. Both were excellent.

Tonight will probably be steak fajitas with refried beans, sauteed colored pepper and onion, and guacamole. We'll probably skip the tortillas. I'm back in "lose weight" mode, hoping to get back to my lowest weight last winter and then whittle that down. The Viking Cruise put on 3 pounds and the summer in MN added another 3.

It's supposed to be more comfortable outside today, with lower humidity. DH is playing golf. I'm hoping to get to the gym for an 11:30 exercise class after being on hand to pay the couple who mow our big lawn during the summer. With luck they'll come early enough for me to make the class.

Tonight should be leftover pork medallions dish with leftover brown rice. I may add carrots, precooking them first. You may sense my lack of enthusiasm. LOL.

The sliced beef strips I bought for the fajitas last night were a little tough but still tasty. As usual I ate more steak strips than dh did. He ate all the sauteed onion and most of the sauteed yellow bell pepper. His guacamole was especially good. And I always like refried beans.

Maggie, you have lived such an interesting life and educated yourself in so many ways. This is the first mention of your father's pharmacy.

It has cooled off somewhat, enough, I hope, to allow me to get some yard work done this morning. I plan to attack invasive trees and vines in the flower beds. It's an ongoing war. Yard work counts as exercise.

I agree with Nance, grueling, never mind the angst waiting for results. Hope you can navigate it all and come out without too much stress. I wonder if your hospital offers social services that can help navigate some of this…our tiny hospital has helped us when we saw no options for approvals.

DH will never be cleared of the jaw infection (thank you, Prolia) but just trying to keep it at bay so he doesn't become septic. My heart aches for my DH…all this stuff thrown at him, dealing with all of this at his age…getting older is not for wussies (sadly, I am one…oy).

I made shrimp broccoli coconut curry last night. DH preferred noodles in there (vs. rice) so that is what I did. Leftovers tonight.

We had a substitute "impulse" dinner last night, a take-out pizza. I enjoyed it sooo much. Milk Street tv cooking show was about making pizza, so maybe watching it was an influence.

Carole, I like watching cooking shows, too. One of my favorites is Patti's Mexican Table. I would never use those recipes since the cooking seems to take all day. From what I've seen traveling they are authentic.

Wally, Spinach is good since DH likes that. I'm sorry the dishwasher installation is taking so long.

Dinner tonight was lamb chops, sautéed baby potatoes and parsnips.

I went to a concert downtown last night - all 6 Bach's Brandenberg Concertos with nephew & wife & 10 year old daughter. We were supposed to eat a quiet dinner, but they'd had some problems at a Girl Scout gathering in the afternoon so we grabbed something quick at Local Foods. I had broccoli & cheddar soup. Tonight dinner was sauteed asparagus. While it was cooking, I prepped a bunch of things for this week - guacamole, peeled tomatoes, cauliflower, coleslaw. I screwed up & bought a double pack of raspberries last week - WAY too many so I'll have to double down on eating quickly.

Mae - our lows are still in the 70's. Hoping for 60's at night this week, but day time highs are still over 90. And NO rain in my part of town for at least two months. Everything is dead.

Illimae, I also have chicken and dumplings envy.

Minus, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos are a favorite of mine. My piano teacher had a harpsichord and I had to play all my Bach on it during lessons. There was no way of disguising a wrong note like can be done on a piano.

Dinner tonight was lemon and dill chicken, sautéed asparagus and mashed potatoes.

Last night's dinner was a "meh" meal for me. Bony shoulder pork chops, breaded and cooked in the oven. Baked sweet potatoes. The pork chops were overcooked. The condiment was canned cranberry sauce with berries.

I was on the verge of buying a salmon fillet yesterday. Instead I bought cod. DH always says he likes cod. Now I have to come up with the cooking method/recipe. Suggestions welcome.

I stepped on the wicked bathroom scale this morning and was surprised and pleased.

Carole, For plain cod (like DH prefers) Preheat oven to 400*. Pat fish dry with paper towel. In a glass baking tray/ dish big enough for single layer place cod, drizzle 1.5 TBSP olive oil, 1 TBSP lemon juice, salt, 3 dashes cayenne pepper or 1 tsp paprika or 1 tsp Cajun seasoning. Cover with foil. Bake 10-12 min or longer if very thick.

I like a bit more flavor so I make an easy sauce (serves 2) using 1 TBSP olive oil, 1 clove garlic minced, 1/2 pt cherry tomatoes cut in half, 1/4 cup white wine, 1 TBSP lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp stevia, 1/4 tsp black pepper, pinch red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup fresh basil or 1 tsp dried. After patting dry you can pan fry the cod in olive oil about 3-4 min per side until cooked through. This is a bit drier than using the oven but the sauce moistens it. I usually cook the cod in the oven and make the sauce in a pan.

As Wally pointed out cod is a nice neutral fish for all kinds of recipes.

Carole, Well done getting back to your winter routine and making your scale go in the right direction.

Wally, It’s too bad the saw arrived at the same time as your DH’s fatigue. Hopefully your eyes will recover from dilation quickly so you can attend the dedication.

Nance, Enjoy the Italian dinner. When you find a dish you really enjoy there’s no need to order anything else.

Eric, A gravel truck that was supposed to slowly spread new stone along our driveway in MD miscalculated the height of a wire and just dumped the load of gravel. DH had already moved to Canada so I had to spread it all. Afterwards people driving by would ring the doorbell and ask who had done our driveway. I told them but let the know I was not for hire. It was hard work.

Dinner tonight was pot roast, butternut squash and mashed potatoes.

Maggie, I had 10 yards (dump truck load) of composted soil into the garden. It was a very light soil and that was "enough". I do not want to even imagine moving that much gravel. :-)

Wally, hopefully DH's fatigue will go away long enough to take care of the floor…and still get some rest.

Yup - I'm interested in the COD answer too. I like mine poached or baked or broiled or sauteed. Must be a throw back to my Mother who NEVER fried anything. I understood about the fish smell lingering in the draperies, but still….

I never even learned how to fry chicken. And then I ended up in the South., Ai yah yi.

Hello to all. We have a wedding in St Louis this weekend. Anyone have suggestions for food? We will be arriving Thursday nite, and are by ourselves Friday. Wedding is Sat. Sunday, we'll head home. First big trip for us in a while. Hope all are doing well. Did a quick stirfry for supper. Turned out pretty good. I love Yoshida sauce. LOL

Monica - where in St Louis will you be and what kind of food are you interested in?

Auntie Nance we just arrived in St. LOIS. RIGHT NOW, ANYTHING! LOL

We are at the Holiday Inn on Watson Road.