It's April 2021;What's Cooking / Eating Etc.

I have a rabbit in the oven, asked uncle for dinner, but he's not feeling well, so he'll get some delivered tomorrow. I have started removing the backsplash in my kitchen, getting ready for new cabinets. It is marble, in various sizes and thicknesses and has been a bugger to clean. Live and learn. New backsplash, I think will be a simple subway tile with few grout lines! LOL I am banging with my hammer on a prybar, My neighbour can hear it, but she said it's not bad.

The kids got home after a good flight this morning. Andrea said the cat was happy to see them and Joshua was, too. She asked what leftovers I was reheating for tonight and I told her I just couldn't do any leftovers yet ~ too soon for me.

But I did come up with a favorite ~ ~ I looked in the pantry and saw a few noodles in a package and that made me think of haluski.....yum! Smoked sausage, cabbage, onion & noodles all browned up and cooked together to let the flavors meld a bit. It's a 'one-dish' meal that I don't make often but we always enjoy when I do make it. Oh, I guess we did have leftovers.....we had Jello salad. Lots of it left over so it'll be on a few menu plans until I get tired of it and toss it out.

I finally had a shower last night. AHHHHHH!!!!!!. Nothing like washing the sick off of your body. I can't wait for a bath because that is my kind of therapy. I am not sure how long I have to wait for my skin to heal before I can use a tub.

Hi All.. I know I have been MIA for a long time.. It is not really MIA, because I have been reading things, daily...
Bugster: I am so sorry for what is happening to you.. ((hugs)).. Hope you can recover from surgery quickly, and have a good prognosis..
Imelda, I think it is such a nice, kind thing you are doing for your MIL.. so sweet..
Beth, I love reading about your meals and family.. glad they came down for a quick visit..
Norm, You take care of yourself... your meals are still beautiful
Lore, I love your stories, your posts and your descriptions of redoing your kitchen.
Jimmy, what can I say.. take care of yourself.

I, on the other hand are ok.. I had a stint in the hospital a few weeks ago.. It was from a reaction to a new fluid/bp pill the cardiologist prescribed for me. Yes, pretty severe reaction, where my sodium levels bottomed out. I was put in the ICU for a few days.. It was not frightening.. I just did. I was numb..

Not cooking much.. But I did manage to pan sear some salmon, for Easter. An unorthodox Easter, but these are unorthodox times.. My meals are easy, simple.. just some salmon, wild rice, and green beans..

The building has opened up to visitors. All residents are vaccinated.. They have been good about that. They had CVS come in for several clinics. This was in February..

Just hanging inside mostly.. me and Geoffrey.. When I was in the hospital, I had a couple of friends in here, I knew them from where the prior building where we all lived, took care of him, once a day.. He still hid under the bed or under my covers, or even in his carrier..
He was so happy to see me... He would not leave my side.. reminding me to nap, daily.. He sensed my wellness..

The food here is still horrible.. no matter how much we complain.. I do order it, but half the time I cannot eat it.. I eat early.. I am using up my freezer.. and my supplies... They are really coming in handy.

That is about all from me...
I am ok.. recovery is a long process.. so Bugster, take it easy, and do not do much of anything.. please..
Let your husband and your roomie do some work, for a change.. make them take care of YOU...

I miss Michelle. I really do.. I tried contacting her..to no avail.. so sad.. I even got some telemarketers calling me from N.O. I answered because I thought it may be here.. nope... sigh..

Anyway..
Happy Spring to all.. The start of new beginnings, new life.. hopefully a new start of this new life we are now forging into..

Love to all..

PS.. I apologize for not mentioning anyone...

So sad. She fought long and hard. The second I heard she had pulmonary hypertension I knew It wasn't going to be a good outcome. Is Brian still with us?

I want to move around but hurt too much to do a damn thing. I just have to let nature take its' course.

Bugster2 wrote:So sad. She fought long and hard. The second I heard she had pulmonary hypertension I knew It wasn't going to be a good outcome. Is Brian still with us?

I want to move around but hurt too much to do a damn thing. I just have to let nature take its' course.

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Debbie, Think positive, and don't push yourself. Don't overdo anything.
You are in our thoughts and prayers to get better from all you went through.... Don't listen to everyone that says "Walk around, and force yourself to do things!" ... A little bit at the time. God made our bodies to heal; only if you do a little at the time.
My grandma used to say, "When the horse gets sick, It lies down to rest!"
You take care! Get better.

Beth, I was fearing the worst about Michelle. I really was.. but I did not know her last name.. Would have researched things myself...

So sad.. She fought so valiantly.. Had such an incredible outlook.. She is missed..

And Brian.. such a love story.. They truly and deeply loved each other.. Now they are reunited in the afterlife...

I miss her stories...

Thank you for looking this up... sad.. I will remember them in my prayers...

It is what I have been fearing..
~~~~~~~~~
Debbie, please do not rush things.. do not hurry to start cooking and cleaning.. you need to rest.. That is one thing I did learn.. Rest when your body tells you to.. listen to it...
Do not listen to the others.. They are not really looking out for you.. You have done so much for them.. let them do for you.. It is time.. and if it does not get done, do not worry.. you can only worry about yourself, right now..
Cuddle with your new kitten..

(((hugs))) to all.

Thanks, everyone.....

As I said, I had been doing internet searches since last August and didn't get a 'hit' until today when Cyn's post reminded me. It's sad we are 'internet friends' and care about one another but really know very little about how to reach out if we 'disappear' from posting......

I had sent a 'Thinking-About-You' card to Michelle's address but didn't get a reply....too little too late, I'm afraid. But I know she knew we all cared about her and Brian's well being.

I'm also sad to be reading this. It is amazing, how in this age, we can form a bond with someone so far away, someone we've only "met" because of a shared interest and this seemingly magical thing called technology. So sad to read that a couple who, according to today's life expectancy, was surely not old. I am approaching my 77th b-day soon, I surely hope to have a few more good years ahead.

Tonight's supper was Easter leftovers.....but morphed into something completely different.

the leftover beef tenderloin got sliced and used in a stir fry of a sort of Mongolian Beef ~ served with Trader Joe's Basmati Rice (oh, SO, good!)

Usually Mongolian Beef just has green onions but, as usual, I like to add some veg to lighten it up.

When did Brian pass? I am glad that if they were both so sick that they went so close in time.

Bugster2 wrote:When did Brian pass? I am glad that if they were both so sick that they went so close in time.

" Michelle Bass, 66, died peacefully at home Monday, September 2, 2020."


" Brian M. Bruce, age 73, of New Orleans, LA, formerly of Marion, MA, passed away on Friday, November 13, 2020."

From Lore:

"Lake Erie pickerel/walleye not from fishing son but from a grocery store. But equally good. Plain steamed Brussels sprouts and asparagus. Yumm."

Trying to use up leftovers from a holiday weekend of cooking is always a challenge for me. First of all, I DON'T LIKE LEFTOVERS........that being said, I don't mind leftovers if they're morphed into something that doesn't taste like the original or as a side dish to a completely different meal.

I had a grilled chicken Saturday night so today I turned the leftovers into a chicken salad for my lunch, made with a few grapes, celery & toasted almonds. The dressing I use is a mix of Hellmann's, Miracle Whip, sour cream, chopped parsley (from the patio pots), a bit of Grandma's vinegar syrup for sweetness and tang and some toasted slivered almonds. So now the chicken is gone.

I used up the leftover beef tenderloin in last night's beef stir-fry so now the beef is gone.

I still had some of the Brussels sprouts that I roasted (fortunately I didn't cook them but realized when I was cleaning them there were too many so I put them in a container ready to cook). I'll do them in a cast iron skillet with some bacon grease (leftover from the bacon used in the cauliflower/pea/bacon salad) and onion, probably will use up the last of the green onions I just thought of......

I pulled a couple small pieces of cubed steak to thaw that will get made into Country Fried Steak because that always has a 'milk' gravy and that, in turn, gives me the excuse I need to use the leftover mashed potatoes.

The only things I'll probably toss is the rest of the Jello cabbage salad (I made way too much to begin with but, hey, nobody's perfect.....) and some of the cake.

So, all in all, I've not done bad this year.

Well, I'm glad all the leftovers are done! There was a bit of potato & Brussels sprouts left but I told Dane NOT to save anything. NO MORE LEFTOVERS!!!

Actually, the meal was pretty tasty. Nothing tasted leftover. Of course, the sprouts were cooked 'fresh' and the potatoes were made originally with some butter, sour cream & cream cheese so they don't 'taste-leftover' when reheated. If I'm going to the trouble to make mashed potatoes I want some to stash in the freezer for another time with just a quick reheat in a skillet.

The fried cube steak got seasoned & splashed with some buttermilk. then a dredge & press into seasoned flour. I used some of the bacon grease to fry it up. It's an old fashioned method but it works every time. And I didn't try to cook it too hot this time ~ it didn't get very dark at all. I did end up with too much milk gravy because, of course, I added too much flour to the bit of leftover grease in the frying pan.....as it cooks it gets too thick so you just have to keep adding milk to get the right consistency ~ GLUE is NOT tasty eating! LOL And then you have to re-season so it has some flavor......a seemingly never ending quest!

the Brussels sprouts with the last of the green onions was tasty. I also had a very small picking of green beans. I teased Dane and said we had to count how many we each had on our plates so it was an even split!

I was planning to make a Channa roti to take to my nephew tomorrow for his birthday, and then didn't have a can of chickpeas, so I have to soak some for tomorrow. So, plan B it was. I had a smoked makerel in the fridge so that, on top of a big salad was dinner.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Tina made Easy stuffed cabbages casserole. I didn't like it....

Was it the one where everything is layered? I've made that before and it's a far cry from 'stuffed cabbage rolls'.......my kids ate it ~ ~ but they loved boxed mac & cheese and ramen noodle soup.

LOL

Cookin Lore wrote:I was planning to make a Channa roti to take to my nephew tomorrow for his birthday, and then didn't have a can of chickpeas, so I have to soak some for tomorrow.  So, plan B it was.  I had a smoked makerel in the fridge so that, on top of a big salad was dinner.  

I learned a trick when I was making hummus for snacking ~ canned chickpeas with some water added and simmered until REALLY soft and tender.  Also, some 'roasted / grilled' lemon for a tiny bit of 'smoky' flavor.  My hummus was so very smooth ~ just the way I like it.


I just 'googled' the recipe ~ I'm not familiar with Indian dishes at all! The recipe I saw called for a curry powder (and I'm assuming it doesn't resemble the goldenrod-yellow powder I have in my pantry that I use for chicken salad) and something called amchar powder. Not familiar with that at all. I love that you're really enjoying delving into a new cultural adventure!

bethk wrote:

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Tina made Easy stuffed cabbages casserole. I didn't like it....

Was it the one where everything is layered?  I've made that before and it's a far cry from 'stuffed cabbage rolls'.......my kids ate it ~ ~ but they loved boxed mac & cheese and ramen noodle soup.

LOL

It was all put in a pot, and boiled on the stovetop.