Monday, April 20, 2020

Isolation or Incarceration? Books, Dementia, More Books, Sewing,

I don't think I have anything to write about today. I haven't been anywhere, done anything apart from cook, sleep or read. Spent a somewhat anxious weekend wondering about the car mind you. Is it a major problem or minor, or in other words an expensive or inexpensive repair. Am I going to be singing "I owe my soul to the Meineke store" once again. If it weren't for the computer I would really be off my twist by now.

Just finished reading Dancing with Dementia by Jemi Fraser, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In some ways they had it easier than I and in some ways worse. Not living with the person concerned, you worry about them when you are not with them, however, living with someone can drive you up the wall and back again. Like the continual question this weekend "what are they doing to the car", "why did we leave the car" and so on. Each question repeated frequently although today, Sunday, the questions appear to have been forgotten for a while. Being a teacher, Jemi is much more used to exercising patience than I am and I am finding I am horrifyingly lacking in that virtue.

Now I need something else to read. I am waiting for two author friends to finish their current WIPs but unfortunately you cannot hurry authors. Bit like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire which was subsequently turned into A Game of Thrones. I started reading the series years ago, and I do mean years, til I got to the stage where I could no long remember if I had read the book which was around or not and eventually, I lost interest. As for the TV programme, I saw two or three (borrowed them from the library) and that was my lot. I did read the whole of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan including the ones finished by Brandon Sanderson. Mind you, Robert Jordan, the author, intended to only write seven books and it morphed into 13 or 14, not sure right now.

Confession time, my lovely sewing which caused me so much angst, came undone. I think I must have caught my stitches in fraying material without realising it, so I have it all to do again. Well the seam in my rear end seems to have stayed mended but the side of the leg did not. I really must try and get it done soon rather than leave it for a year or more.

You are lucky you don't know me personally. I started by saying I had nothing to write about and have rabbited on for several paragraphs. Can you imagine what I would do to your ears!!

Supper Saturday I cooked one of my favourite Dump and Go recipes in the IP. You sear a flank steak (sized for your pot of course) on both sides, and then dump in olive oil, Worcester sauce, dry onion soup mix and vinegar then cook. Talk about easy peasy and delicious. Only cooks for about 4 mins too.

Sue, at Elephant's Child, was talking about her local street's display of stuffed animals in the windows to cheer up kids. I had heard of that before, lovely idea. Not something one can do in an apartment building, well you could, but nobody would see it.

Most North Americans would be astounded to know that I have never cooked a grilled cheese sandwich. However, this one by Kevin Lynch of Closet Cooking, would certainly tempt me except I just ran out of Kimchi. I think I can get it a Victoria St. Market, but I haven't got a car, boo hoo. OK, my grocery store has it. I wonder what Kimchi and asparagus would be like?

Kimchi and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Spicy kimchi and salty bacon are an amazing flavour combination that only gets better when bathed in melted cheese and wrapping in toasted buttery bread.
In addition to trying out some new grilled cheese recipes during National Grilled month I wanted to
update a few older ones and top on my list was one of my favourites, the kimchi and bacon grilled cheese! Kimchi is a spicy fermented cabbage that works surprisingly well in a sandwich with lots of ooey gooey melted cheese! Bacon and kimchi are like a match made in heaven and I can hardly resist adding some to a kimchi grilled cheese! It actually works out kind of well since kimchi can be a little wet and since you don’t want a soggy grilled cheese it is a good idea to sauté the kimchi a bit to reduce the excess liquid and using a little bit of the bacon grease works perfectly!

2 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
2-4 tbs  kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped
1 Tbs butter
2 slices bread
2 slices cheddar (or 1/2 cup shredded)

1. Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat, set aside on paper towels to drain reserving 1 teaspoon of grease in the pan.

2. Add the kimchi and saute until it starts to caramelize, about 3-5 minutes.

3. Heat a clean pan over medium heat.

4. Butter one side of each slice of bread, place one slice in the pan with buttered side down, top with half of the cheese, the kimchi, bacon, the remaining cheese and finally the other slice of bread with buttered side up.

5. Grill until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.

Servings: 1

Tips
Serve with gochujang ketchup (mix 1 tablespoon gochujang into 3 tablespoons ketchup) for dipping

Author: Kevin Lynch
Source: Closet Cooking

Have a great day
 

18 comments:

  1. My mother always said 'Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom found in women, never found in man'.
    I am in the more usual category. I can be patient. If I have to. Unless I am super tired - which I imagine you are a lot of the time. Cut yourself some slack. Rather a lot of slack,
    I liked the Wheel of Time series, but did get impatient waiting for the next.
    And don't get me started on Janny Wurts and The Wars of Light and Shadows which is still not finished. By the time she gets a new book out I have to reread the last to remind myself.

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    1. I had never heard the second half of that quote Sue. I can be patient with many things but.... and yes, I am tired a lot of the time.

      Haven't read The Wars of Light and Shadows, I think I will give it a miss until it is finished or I might be before the book is.

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  2. Hi Jo - glad the book was fun - it's a lovely title. Hope the car won't be too awful when the time comes ... take care ... toasted cheese sandwich with Kimchi - or something similar is always satisfying. Take care - Hilary

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    1. It was an excellent book, not always fun, but certainly rang a few bells in my life. Oh, so do I Hilary. dreading it. I think I have rarely eaten toasted cheese sandwiches. I did so once at the bowling alley, before that, I don't remember it.

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  3. Aah. Someone else who has little patience. That is me. I'm okay with kids, but adults? No. Don't think I could handle what you are dealing with. Or my friend with two cancer surgeries in the last year and a husband with end-stage Parkinson's.
    And as my son has said, we quarantine the sick, not the healthy. It feels like I'm under house-arrest.

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    1. I don't know whether I would be OK with kids either Denise, I haven't had a lot to do with them. Sorry for your friend, that is rough. How very right your son is. That's why I titled this blog that way.

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  4. Well, I have met you in person and you didn't talk my ears off.

    We've been Facetiming with my husband's parents every weekend since this mess started and even though neither of us has a lot going on, we still manage to talk for almost an hour each time.

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    1. Ah well, I was bowling Diane LOL.

      It's amazing what we can chat about when we have nothing to chat about isn't it?

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  5. Hello! It is strange new days ahead but I am doing ok but I am in a house and can walk in our yard which is easier than what you have. I hope you car will not cost too much and I am glad the questions lessened this weekend. How I remember the constant questions my mom would ask over and over. It is very tiring. Now stay safe and how sad what happened in Nova Scotia

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    1. I am glad you are doing OK Birgit. I could walk in the park outside our windows but with a walker, probably would be difficult. I hope so too. Yes, it is sad about what happened there, probably someone going nuts after the incarceration!! You stay safe too.

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  6. I read through the comments and thought about my recent phone calls. Normally I hate talking on the phone. But now when I hang up, every call is over an hour. Good thing I don't pay by the minute.

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    1. How true - to pay by the hour would cost a lot of money Denise. Better talking on the phone than not talking at all.

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  7. Haha! I KNEW you'd figure out something to write about!!! The car will be what it is and you know he'll treat you right. I'm sewing masks! And I lOVE grilled cheese!

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    1. Well, next time I see you, you can make me some grilled cheese sandwiches Lisa. The only one I remember, I enjoyed.

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  8. I always hate dealing with car repair issues. Especially in the times we are dealing with right now. I feel incarceration here myself. Hubby and me have talked about it so much with various things that are opened that make no sense versus things that are closed that could be opened. I'm thinking a lot of other people are thinking same things and that's why there are protests happening around the country. I keep saying it; people are antsy and that scares me more than getting the virus.

    People are being creative with how to keep kids occupied during this time like with the teddy bears and such. I know a lot of people are having kids write messages on sidewalks. I also saw on Facebook this morning someone had in their front drive way made a fitness course for their child to do for exercise using chalk to make a hopscotch board then there were things the child had to do like hop 10 spaces, jump, etc. Cute! We did see son and grandson the other day when we were driving around out and about with grandson riding his tricycle and son riding a scooter. Anything to burn energy off the kids I would imagine since parks are closed. (We didn't stop and talk; I don't think they even knew we had driven by but we like to drive by and check out the place, etc). Car rides have been my sanity.

    betty

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    1. You're right Betty, car repairs are bad at any time. Today I discovered Home Hardware (i.e. a hardware store) was open and I was extremely surprised. I am beginning to feel like others, why are we doing this when we didn't years ago for other health problems.

      Keeping kids occupied is a good thing, but how about keeping a few of us adults occupied, not just working, but amusements too. It surely wouldn't hurt to talk to them from inside the car so long as you persuade them to stay away. Look what happened to me on my first car ride!!!!

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  9. I love that you had nothing to write about and then wrote a 17 page post. You rock, Jo.

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  10. I love kimchi. Never made a grilled cheese. I think I remember you saying that awhile back but I'm not sure.

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