fatcook

Yesterday, I had just taken my lunch out of the microwave, when the woman* (not Miss Icantcook) waiting for the microwave said:

You shouldn’t be eating that. You don’t know what’s in it.

Excuse me?

Your lunch, you don’t know what’s in it.

Uh, yes I do.

Did you make it? (she puts her frozen dinner in the microwave)

Yes.

Opening some cans isn’t cooking.**

(I look down at my lunch, which is a red sauce with fusilli)

I didn’t use cans.

Really, Pizza hut? (snide tone)

No, I started with 3 pounds of plum tomatoes and went from there.

 (She stares at me)

From Scratch? (totally disbelieving tone)

Yes and its getting cold. (I left to eat)

What is it with people? She was eating a frozen dinner and sneering at my brought from home? Yes, I know what is in it, I have to. It had 100mg of sodium, 300 calories per that serving and I have no idea how much fat. Its the first two, I need to worry about.

Is it just me or do other people have these problems?

He’s home.

For the first time in months, neither one of us needed pills to sleep, the right weight, the right noises and the bed.  There were a lot of silences this weekend. I didn’t realize how much of our time together is spent in silence until it wasn’t there. I’m not saying it was silent; it’s the noises that define the silence; breathing, pages turning, the creak of the floor, all these are the silences that make us.

There was also much personally silliness, that for reasons of tact, TMI and the FCC I won’t post here. : )

Tomorrow: the further adventures in lunch.

This came up because of a discussion from someone on my flist. When I was typing it up for him I realized My Husband can never have this, in this manner, ever again.  This is most definitely not low sodium. I am going to need to do some serious reworking of this recipe.

Smoked Tea Eggs

From Treasures of our Past by the Phoenix Buddhist Friendship Association

8 eggs

3 tbsps loose black tea (I like Russian Caravan)

2 tbsps soy sauce

1 tbsp coarse salt

1 whole star anise

Water

Asian Spinach & Shrimp Salad

1 tsp of ground ginger

3 tbsps of rice wine vinegar

2 tbsps of low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsps of water

1 tbsp of sesame oil

10 oz of fresh spinach – cleaned, washed and stems removed

1 lb of shrimp – cleaned, cooked and chilled (31-40 work very well)

1 cup of bean sprouts – fresh or canned (I prefer fresh)

1 cup of snow peas – cut in half

1 red bell pepper- cut into strips

1 yellow pepper – cut into strips

Cashews – unsalted (optional)

Mix ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, water and oil together with a whisk until frothy.  Let rest for about 15-30 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors blend.

Assemble the salad in this order: spinach, shrimp, bean sprouts, snow peas and bell peppers. Drizzle with dressing and serve.  Garish with cashews if desired

Makes 8, 2 cup servings.   

120 calories, 260 mg of sodium per serving.

I ran into Miss “Icantcook” again. My lunch was later than usual because of a meeting, so I got to see what she eats.

What do you have for lunch today?

Salad, what are you having?

Lean Cuisine Panini, (watches as I pull containers out of my lunch bag) what kind of salad?

Mixed spring greens with salmon, strawberries, avocado, pecans and a balsamic vingerette. (Assembled as we were talking)

Did you make all that?

No, I bought all the parts and put it together.

I wish I could do that.

Um, it’s not cooking. Other than the salmon and I did that in the microwave.

I still couldn’t do that. It’s cooking.

????????????????????? (her lunch was ready and I escaped)

As near as I can tell, she’s totally convinced herself that she cannot cook and is incapable of learning how to cook. 

Can somebody tell me when cooking got hard? When it became impossible for people to do??

This was the third time, in as many working days, that someone said how much they enjoyed smelling my lunches re-heat. ( I don't mind that, the rest of this I do mind)

That asked me what it was?

Leftovers.

Where I got them from?

Dinner last night.  

What restaurant did I go to?  

None, I made it.

YOU MADE it?!?

(it being chicken curry, shrimp with jerk fried rice and shrimp scampi)

 Scampi is really easy.

Oh, no I don’t cook. It’s too hard.

Scampi is just butter, olive oil, garlic, shrimp and pasta.

Oh, that’s too hard to do.

Uh, boiling water is too hard?

I don’t know how to make it.

Follow the recipe in the cookbook.

I don’t the patience.

You have a masters in early child development and you don’t have the patience?!?

 I can’t do it. It’s too hard.

When the$#@& did this happen? Is this a plot by Big Food to keep us docile and dumb, by taking away our ability to create nourishment for ourselves?

Soylent green is people!!

My Husband and I picked up his son and went back to my in-laws. My stepson is staying there so he can be with his dad.
We were working on the computer trying to find a new ring tone for my MiL (something she can hear), when my FiL came in with his hand cupped. With my FiL that usually means that he has hurt himself somehow. In this case however he had a baby quail that had wandered in the garage. He thinks that the parents abandoned it (I think it zigged when the parents zagged). It's got feathers and the cutest stubby wings. It can walk and cheep. We think it's about 1-2 weeks old. My MiL called my SiL that raises chickens. She gave her some advice:  feed it non-medicated game bird starter, keep it warn (a 40 watt bulb = 100 degrees) and give it water in something deep enough to drink out of but shallow enough to keep it from drowning.
You would think that my stepson would the one interested in the chick but its my MiL that we have to keep chasing away from the box and make her leave the poor bird alone.

 

hawklady

 do you have any suggestions?

For my birthday I was given the meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid, I was also given the sausage stuffer attachment for my Kitchen Aid. I can now make my own stuffed meat products of questionable items and dubious nature!

Mahahahahahhaahahahahahahahahah!

Try this if you dare: 

Xni-Pec* Salsa

*Mayan for Dog's Nose

2-10* Habanero Chiles, minced (if you like it milder, remove ribs and seeds)

3 Plum tomatoes, finely diced

¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ cup of white onion, minced**

¼ cup of sour orange (or 3 tbsps of orange juice and 3 tbsps of lemon juice)

Combine all the ingredients and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

*The amount depends on how much heat you like.

**I replace this with a ¼ cup of tomatillo.

This was one of my better birthdays. I usually get weird and depressed around my birthday and that didn’t happen this year.  Every thing went right and I was happy, odd but I really liked it.

The morning started with sundogs in the dawn sky and “Simple Gifts” by Aaron Copland on the radio.

My supervisor brought in doughnuts and gave me a gift. My manager brought me a gift. It was a good day at work, not too busy but busy enough not to be bored. I started reading “Jingo” by Terry Pratchett, which is way too appropriate for the current social-political situation and made me laugh a lot at lunch.  I got to go out to dinner with My Husband (we found a restaurant he can eat at!).  It was just the two of us, which was very nice indeed. I received presents from him and my in-laws.  I got hear “Simple Gifts” again because I was humming it all day and My Husband wanted to know what it was, so we watched it on You-Tube. I went to bed early and had a good night’s sleep. 

All in all a very nice birthday, definitely in the top ten, if not the top five.

I realize it’s still early but I had to share this. It’s going to keep me laughing all day.

I was talking to My Husband and he complained about being hungry:

Me: Did you eat this morning?

Him: Yes, soft bread and a smoothie. Maybe I’ll have some fruit…

Me: Soft bread?

Him: It was suppose to be toast. But Mom made it last night, butter it and put it in the fridge in a baggie. Then she re-heated it in the microwave for about 15 seconds. It steamed.

Me: Giggle, giggle, giggle Why? giggle, giggle, giggle.

Him: Because it’s faster.

Me: laughing

dead green bunnies through a cocktail straw!

Now I remember what I hated about being single: the being alone part, the being bored part and the not being able to share silly stuff with part.

This is the single longest period we have slept apart since we got married.

 I hate it.

I have it easier than My Husband; at least I have the right bed, the right light and (mostly) the right noises. He’s got the wrong bed, the wrong light and the wrong noises. He also has a freezing house to deal with. My in-laws keep the house about 72 degrees, which doesn’t sound so bad until you realize that’s our high in some of the winter months. To a Phoenix boy, born and bred, that’s cold. It’s also why their power bill is in the $300-400 range per month for the summer months. I keep ours about 80 or so. A 20 degrees is a good difference when it’s 100-110 outside, not 30-40. Brrrrr

He is going to see the PT’s, as soon as he finds the damn referral.  

Roasted Potato Salad

Potatoes
2 lbs of unpeeled red potatoes, halved and quartered (about 6 cups)
2 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of olive oil
¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped coarsely
Cooking spray
Foil*

 Dressing

2 ½ tbsps of balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

2 tbsps of olive oil

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

½ tsp of ground oregano

Heat the grill to medium high (about 350-400 degrees).**

Combine the potatoes, garlic and olive oil in a bowl, toss to coat. Make sure that the garlic and oil evenly coat the potatoes.

Spray a large sheet of heavy duty foil with the cooking spray. Spoon the potato mixture onto the center of the foil. Bring up the sides. Double fold the top, then the sides. Make sure you leave room for heat circulation inside.

Place on grill for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Turn the packet over at the 15 minute mark.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously. Can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Pour dressing over hot potato mixture, add parsley, toss and serve immediately

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.

*The pre-made foil packet work well here.

**This can be made in the oven, instead of the grill: Preheat oven to 450. Place potato mixture on a cookie sheet with a rim and coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

My Husband is doing much better. He can walk, sort of, with a lot of assistance. I keep bugging him to go see the torturers but he wants to wait until he’s out of pain. Which I think is dumb, because he needs the help now. I’m concerned that he is not going to get full use of the leg back if he doesn’t see the PT’s soon.

He’s down to 228 pounds, which is almost where the BMI says he should be for his height. We are going to have to go on a major shopping spree when he is able; everything is too big, including his shoes! A fact I find very funny.

 My MiL thinks he is way too thin and keeps trying to get him to eat more so “he doesn’t fade away”. She’s still having issues with the whole sodium/liquid thing.  As consequence of that My Husband is sick to death of salads. He’s getting them at two of three meals every day. And he is even sicker of oil and vinegar dressing. I’ve been making low sodium dressings for him but they don’t last very long.

I’m doing better personally; I’ve finally figured out the right timing for my drugs and now getting about 6-7 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. That is helping a lot. I have also discovered that I like what the Zoloft does for and to me. I’m not crying at odd moments or at no reason. I can actually think, instead of this over whelming blackness that was covering my mind.  I like this me. The Zoloft is also helping in other ways: things that use to drive me nuts don’t bother me anywhere as much. I can also let things go much easier, the things that use to eat away at my brain and keep me up at night, running around in circles through my mind, don’t anymore. I think they are still there, because my shoulders are still tight and I find that I’m gritting my teeth but not to the point of pain any more. I’m hoping that the drugs will help me to learn the difference between things that I need to be concerned about and the things that I should let go without the glands getting involved.

Since I’m not so desperately tired, I’ve been cleaning, a lot. I’ve also rediscovered some old friends. I’ve read all theVorkosigan books and am currently working my way through all the Discworld books. We have all but two; this should keep me in books for at least a month if I’m careful and only read one per day. Much to my annoyance I seem to be missing the third Ozark book. I know I have, I just can’t find it.

I was going to post yesterday but any day that I declaim that there is not enough bourbon or chocolate, is not a good day to post anything. My office mate wisely left me alone. Today was looking better, then this afternoon hit. There’s still not enough chocolate.

Sorrel Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

3 cups of sorrel

3 tbsps. Unsalted butter

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Cayenne to taste, optional

Ground nutmeg to taste, optional

Wash sorrel and remove stems and any woody ribs. Roll leaves into a log and thinly slice.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it melts into a puree, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the cream. Simmer for 2-3 more minutes while adding the seasonings. Sauce will thicken.

Serve hot or let chill for a least 4 hours.

Goes great with fish, chicken or vegetables.

I spent a quiet weekend, mostly sleeping. I still need more rest but I’m getting better. The meds seem to be helping. I was able to talk about April without breaking down. This just amazed me.

Some friends took me out for Italian on Friday, which I really needed. Then we went back to B&F’s house and watched the “Doing DaVinci”(which the single most suggestive name for a TV show ever!) marathon.

The good news:

 My Husband’s boss came to see him on Friday and told him as of Monday he wasn’t going to be the site supervisor anymore; he was going to be the manager.  There is a serious raise that goes with this. My Husband said if being out for a month is what it took to a promotion he would have done it sooner.

The bad news:

The idiot keeps falling! He’s fallen three times in the past week, because he keeps trying to push his leg faster than the leg want to go. The leg is still on strike, still not at the bargaining table and still throwing rocks and bottles at the scabs. The doctors said 3 to 9 weeks, with 3 being wildly optimistic and 5 to 6 being the most realistic.  

Please forgive me if the makes no sense.

I think I’m going to be having a breakdown very soon. I took all the emotions and stress of the last month and shoved it into a hole and ignored it, because I had no time to deal with it. It’s started to leak out, I’m not sleeping, I’m crying at odd moments and I can’t get my brain to focus on positive things. I have no really idea what to do. I don’t have a lot of local friends, (most of my close girlfriends have moved away) the ones I do have are fairly wrapped up in their own lives and don’t have any time to spare.

My Husband titled a post very similar to this, but it hasn’t quite hit him yet how many other lives have changed because of recent events.

Our life has changed, because this affects us as couple.

My life has changed, because I have to pay much closer attention to what I cook and how. I’ve had to clean out both my spice cabinets and remove those with sodium. I’m going to have to learn to bake without salt. I know it can be done, I’m just not sure how yet. This means on the nights I’m too tired to cook and he doesn’t want to, we cannot just hit whatever place we fancy.

His mother’s life has changed. Since he can no longer eat about 90% of what she cooks. This is proving a special challenge since he is currently living in her spare room.

His son (my stepson) life has changed and he doesn’t even know it yet. We haven’t seen him since March.

Life has changed, a lot for the better, some for the worse.

It could have changed a lot worse, he could have died.

I’ll take the changes I’ve been given, thank you very much.

He got out of the hospital last night!!!

I can't take him home though. He still can't walk on his leg, it won't take his weight. So, he gets to spend the next 4 to 9 weeks at my in-laws. They have a single story house and one of the bathrooms has a walk in shower. These are very important things.

The hematoma is 4x4x7 inches and has started to release the blood. He has what looks like a bruise that is tapered in shape. It's currently about 9 inches at its widest point and about 12 inches long. According to the doctors its going to get worse but it really is a good thing.

The wheelchair that our friend lent us is too small but very light weight. The chair that the insurance has provided is the perfect size but is heavier than sin. I'm going really get some muscles getting this thing in and out of the car.

I went to bed last night at 8:30 and slept until I woke up, which was 9am. Best night sleep I've had in a month or more. If you want to see My Husband's version of the past  4 weeks go here. Please forgive the grammer and spelling, he's still on morphine.