November 2019...What's cooking today?

I got a hair cut for the first time in 8 months. I looked like a hag. The stylist cut my hair too short so now I look like Buster Brown. At least it will grow out in a couple of months. It's funny, if I was a teen, it would be catastrophic. As an adult, I don't really care.

It is frigging cold this morning. 32 dgrees. The winds have stopped and all of this cold air just settles.

Joe and Katie crashed early after polishing of a bottle or two of wine. The next door neighbor gave us a taste of a $200 bottle he opened up. I thought it tasted like soap. Joe thought it wasn't good either.

We went to the party on the cul de sac last night and stayed for about an hour. We then got some beach chairs and parked ourselves in the driveway to hand out candy. There was over a hundred. I think there were quite a few imported kids - mainly Hispanic. They want theie kids to be in a safe place for Halloween. I can't blame them and we don't mind. We had plenty of candy. There was also what looked like severely disabled kids from a group home. Group homes, rehab places are all over the place here in California. Nothing you can do about it if you don't like it. Katie's brother and his neighbors are having fits up in Sequim, Washington about a methadone center going in on Indian land. There is no homeless problem up there right now, nor is there any drug problem. Most of the residents are retirees and their drug of choice is marijuana for ailments and pain. What they fear is that people will be brought up for rehab, relapse, and end up back on the streets in their beautiful town. They are going to fight it tooth and nail. I can't blame them.

We have Halloween candy leftover. It will get eaten eventually.

Tonight for dinner. HMMM. A nearby restaurant has a special on fish and chips. Maybe I can get Joe and Katie interested. If not, I will have to come up with something for dinner. Maybe  4 cheese pizza with a tomato sauce that has been buffered with a little baking soda and cream. Yeah. That sounds good. Chit! I am out of fresh basil. Means I will have to go to the store. That is the story of my life: cook, clean and go to the grocery.

The low was 29 degrees at 7AM.

Joe took Noogie in to have him put down. We kept him going for a few extra weeks and he is still eating a little but he doesn't look good and we can tell he doesn't feel good, so it is time. I will miss him dearly because he loved me. Got a snippet of fur and his collar for the keepsake box. I feel awful for Joe having to do the dirty deed, but I can't watch my pets die. It is too traumatic.

You have my sympathy, Bugs. It's never easy but it's the greatest gift you can give to free our pets from the pain and suffering. Keep fond thoughts.

Some of the neighbors had garage sales today.

I know after sitting outside doing nothing all day the last thing you want to do is think about what to fix for supper. So I offered to make supper for Jeanie, Marilyn, Don & Jim. Dane came up with the suggestion of a New England Boiled Dinner ~ EASY PEASEY!

Smoked sausage, potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans & cabbage. I even splurged and picked up a loaf of bread to split & toast.

It's a meal you cannot get if you go out to eat. No one makes it anymore.

Sounds like you are going to have some very happy friends tonight. I don't think I have ever had a new england boiled dinner before. Maybe someday I will give it a try.

Thanks Beth for the condolences. I sort of feel like I have done something wrong when I know I have done something right. I just wish I was strong enough to be in the same room with him when it was done. When Joe got back, he said i couldn't have handled it. It really tore him up but it is so quick and painless. What is it that they say? Crossing the rainbow bridge?

Bugster2 wrote:The low was 29 degrees at 7AM.

Joe took Noogie in to have him put down. We kept him going for a few extra weeks and he is still eating a little but he doesn't look good and we can tell he doesn't feel good, so it is time. I will miss him dearly because he loved me. Got a snippet of fur and his collar for the keepsake box. I feel awful for Joe having to do the dirty deed, but I can't watch my pets die. It is too traumatic.

Sorry to hear about the kitty Deb. It's better that it didnt suffer.

Split Pea w Ham and diced carrots and potatoes.
That was lunch..... and supper was carry out pizza.

The split pea soup looks good, Jimmy. A long, LONG time ago Pete shared his recipe for the old Magic Pan pea soup. I've not made it in years and years ~ it's a long process, but very good. I can remember ordering it at the restaurant. They served a little shot of sherry to add and stir in just before you ate it.....so good!

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The New England Dinner was great. Everyone enjoyed it. I had cooked it in two pots because I had so much. I dished it up with each vegetable separate in case someone didn't want something. But a vegetable heavy meal was perfect for everyone here, I don't think many cook a meal with potatoes, carrots, onions, green beans AND cabbage on a regular basis.....

And, of course, there had to be ONE screw up ~ ~ When I passed everything from the kitchen counter to the table I forgot to grab the toasted bread. As I was setting plates on the counter after we ate I saw the bread.

We had cold bread for dessert.

LOL

Forgetting the garlic bread in the oven is my favourite part of dinners! LOL

Cookin Lore wrote:Forgetting the garlic bread in the oven is my favourite part of dinners! LOL

Yup! Dane called me "Evelyn", which was my mother's name, because Mom always left the dinner rolls in the oven until the bottoms were burned and the smoke started to billow out of the oven. Hahahahahahaha!

The same happens here.
4 people shoving the rolls in the oven, and (0) zero people watching them burn or dry out.

This was the second day of the neighborhood garage sales ~ I didn't participate but helped at Jeanie's house where another neighbor brought things to join with what Jeanie was trying to purge.

So for supper tonight Jeanie asked Dane & me to go out with her and another couple since I cooked last night. We ended up with Dane driving Jeanie's big Ford Explorer and we drove about half an hour to a sports bar that has Cuban & cajun food.

Jeanie doesn't like to drive, especially in the evening, because about 8 years ago she had cataract surgery that went bad. She's got very limited vision in that eye so depth perception is a problem. The other couple, Felix & Raine, are 80 and Jeanie says she hates to ride with Raine driving because she's a terrible driver. Felix isn't allowed to drive due to his health. So, it was a relief to all of them for Dane to be behind the wheel.

We took them to a sports bar in Leesburg and everyone enjoyed having a different selection from what they usually get when they stay in The Villages. I tasted the gumbo Raine ordered (huge serving) and I'll be ordering that the next time we go. I had teryaki chicken wings and loved every bite. Dane had half a Cuban sandwich, one of his favorites ~ and it was great until all of a sudden his temporary tooth & bridge came unattached and he was DONE eating for the night. And, of course, it's Saturday night so he won't be able to get in to the dentist to have it reattached until some time Monday. I guess he'll have soup tomorrow......

Just a quick reminder:

"Fall BACK" ~ ~ reset your clocks tonight (that need to be manually changed)

bethk wrote:Just a quick reminder:

"Fall BACK" ~ ~ reset your clocks tonight (that need to be manually changed)

Just a reminder.... don't double set back. I did that one year at like 7 pm....then Tina came home from shopping, and set them back without knowing at like 10 PM.
I was even confused! hahahahahaha

The flu shot can give you aches and pains, headaches, fever and it is possible to have an upset stomach - all mild symptoms of the flu.

I am not sure pizza is a wise choice though.

I've been eating out sooooo much lately both with my children and/or my sister, that I said to myself last night..... "Self, you gotta get back on track with eating better, or those 10 pounds will find you again."  Then I just received a text from my sister "How about we go out for brunch?"  Sis is going through her third round of battling breast cancer which is now in her bones.  She has more not so good days because of chemo, than good days, and today is a good day.  So, forget the 10 pounds, right?

It's a beautiful, but cold, sunny fall day here.  Trees have turned beautiful colours.

My SIL also has it in her bones. She has her good days and bad days too. I would definitely go when she feels good. The heck with the diet and weight.

Ditto what Bugs said!

Continuing prayers for your sister and our other forum family members.

The broken teeth deserve a filling supper ~ a soft supper.

Thank goodness for a bag of "parts" in the freezer. I boiled/simmered some ribs, backs & wing tips for a few hours, pulled any meat from the bones when done (the back of the ribs had the 'oyster' ~ nice for soup) and then strained & de-fatted. I added some fresh carrots, onions & celery and then made some noodles.

I think I saw him smile, but I couldn't swear to it.........

Whose broken teeth? Dane's? What happened?

I haven't been doing much cooking lately but tonight I made chili and corn cut off the cob.