Charities, Blanket Repair, Foot Nurse, Artichokes, End of July,

Just went and cleared out our mailbox, not sure when I last went down, but it was very full. Amongst other things, we received an appeal from World Wildlife Fund and Canadian Parks and Wildlife Service mostly suggestion maybe I could leave something in my will. Unfortunately I have nothing to give now and probably nothing to leave in my will either. I would support them financially as much as I could if I had the money. Especially WWF which has been my charity of choice for a number of years.

Ladydog came with Zoey and brought lunch again. Afterwards we chatted for a while and then she produced her crochet hook and some wool and we went into Matt's bedroom and she hooked the hole in his blanket so it is in one piece again. It didn't take her very long at all, I really should learn how to crochet again, a very useful talent.

After she had gone we waited a while and then our Foot Nurse arrived. Now our feet are all pretty again. This time I paid her electronically which is so much easier than a cheque. She did cut one of my toes and put a bandaid on it. Insisted I call her if anything went wrong. Hopefully it won't.

Absolutely nothing scheduled tomorrow although they are supposed to be getting some more artichokes at the grocery store, I hope. Fingers crossed.

I just did the schedule for this blog, the end of July. This year seems to be racing past to me. Monday is Civic Holiday so everyone will be at home, well, most people except those who work in 24 hour places. People often talk about nurses, police, firemen, but you never hear them say prison officers but they too cover 24 hours a day and in a pretty dangerous job too. I know, Matt was one once upon a time.

I made this recipe for supper tonight. It really was quite delicious. I think next time though I will make it with chicken thighs instead of breasts. As there was quite a lot of chicken, I cooked that in a frying pan first and then tipped it into the pot once it was ready. I was quite pleased I used up two chicken breasts which were not skinned and boned. I did that myself, pain in the you know what. I also used my last skinned and boned one too so now have no chicken breasts left.

Instant Pot Orange Chicken

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbs canola oil
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs grated ginger
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 Tbs rice wine
4 cloves garlic minced
1 orange zested
2 Tbs fresh chopped parsley

1. Chop your chicken breast into small cubes.

2. Pour oil into your Instant Pot and press “Sauté”.

3. Add chicken cubes and cook for 5 minutes, until they brown. Stir constantly to make them brown on each side.

4. Add orange juice, tomato sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, rice wine, garlic and orange zest and stir.

5. Close the lid and cook at high pressure for about 5 minutes.

6. Once done, do a quick pressure release.

7. Open the lid and press “Sauté” again.

8. Add cornstarch to thicken the sauce and stir. If the chicken has dried too much, add some more orange juice.

9. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce has reached the desired texture with no lumps.

10. Add the Chicken to a serving bowl, sprinkle with fresh parsley on top and serve with rice.

Servings: 6

Source: Corrie Cooks

Have a great day, stay well, stay safe.
 

Insurance, Good Day, Foot Nurse, Cardiologist,

I forgot to mention, I told you we had received a $10 from my insurance company, Thursday we received another one for $24. At the suggestion of ladydog I checked with them although I figured I knew what it was about, I was right, it is a deduction on their part for the fact that I am doing little or no driving at the moment due to Covid-19. I had to apply for it online. I assumed they would just reduce the premium, not send me cheques, but I am not complaining. I asked them about the fact that I didn't do much mileage anyway and they said get in touch with them in about 3 months, so I will remember to do so.

Today was a good day for us. First of all the PSW came and Matt went for a shower as docilely as a lamb. I had also said he had to have clean feet for the foot nurse this afternoon. Other than getting out some clean things I didn't have to do a thing. When I spoke to the company this PSW works for I asked if they could make beds, next thing I knew, he was saying goodbye and also that he had made the beds. Kind of straightened more like, but beggars can't be choosers.

Approximately 11:30 ladydog and Zoey arrived. They had picked up some kidneys I had ordered, plus Subs for all of us together with dog biscuits for Matt to feed Zoey. We have to restrain the pair of them or they will all go before they arrive almost. It was wonderful to see ladydog, first time since the beginning of the lockdown. Couldn't hug of course. She brought me a lovely bunch of flowers from her local farm store. Lupins, peonies, lillies, chive flowers, all kinds of things some of which I didn't recognise. Needless to say, we talked up a storm. She was telling me Zoey wasn't too keen on kids to which I replied "nor am I" then I got, but Zoey wouldn't bite them which you would. We both doubled up with laughter. Maybe she isn't so welcome after that comment. Hopefully she will make it again next week.

Just before 2 the new, to us, foot nurse came and now we have lovely feet again, well I do, Matt played too much soccer to ever have lovely feet again. Around Happy Hour, Kathy came to pick up her asparagus so we had a quick chat as well.

One bit of bad news, well kind of, my cardiologist is closing up shop at the end of the month so I have to get another one. Called my doc and they are going to call me about a referral on Wednesday. What a nuisance, especially as I am supposed to be having an EKG one of these days.

We had Shrimp Pad Thai for supper which was pretty good. I had some "green beans" with mine. I now have a good amount of asparagus frozen. I am also contemplating canning some more. All the time I have the water bath can in front of me plus one empty Mason Jar, I am tempted. I do need more jars though.

Asparagus With Grilled Melon Salad 

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 small cantaloupe, peeled, seeds removed, and cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 Tbs chopped fresh mint
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp Calabrian chili paste
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 lb medium-thick asparagus, trimmed
Ricotta salata cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler (optional)

1. Heat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high.

2. Drizzle oil on the cantaloupe, and place the slices on the grill. Grill the slices, without moving them, for about 30 seconds, or until browned on the first side. Flip the melon slices, and grill on the other side for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly.

3. Cut the melon slices into 1/2-inch pieces, and place them in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, mint, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, chili paste, and lime juice. Mix well; set aside to let the flavors mingle.

4. Meanwhile, heat 5 tablespoons of water in a large skillet over medium. Cut butter into 8 pieces. When bubbles just start rising to the water’s surface, begin adding the butter to the pan, 1 piece at a time, whisking constantly to form an emulsion. When all the butter is incorporated, reduce the heat to medium-low to keep the temperature just below a simmer. Add the thyme and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and swirl the pan to combine. Add the asparagus to the pan, and toss gently to coat it in the butter.

5. Cover the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender all the way through when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Transfer the asparagus to a platter, and spoon the melon salad on top. Scatter a few shavings of ricotta salata over the salad, if desired

Servings: 4
 
Author: Giada de Laurentis



Have a great day, stay well, stay safe.
 

Internet Friendships, Foot Nurse, Cooking,

You know the internet is marvellous, we can talk to all our friends, send them virtual hugs and get them back without any of the health risks which would be involved in f2f contact. I think of previous pandemics where people must have felt so alone and shut in without all the facilities we have today. Not only that, of course, but we can talk to people over vast differences and become close friends with people we may never meet. Or closer with friends we have met, for instance,  ladydog I met through the internet, cookery would you believe. I have been lucky enough to meet face to face with a number of the people I met through the internet and we have always greeted each other like long lost friends. But, I have a number of friends in Australia and other countries whom, unless fortune really favours me, I will never get to see but that doesn't lessen our very close friendships which have been developed over the years. In my case, mostly through cooking.

I got in touch with the young woman who is going to be our new Foot Nurse but she isn't working right now because of the virus. That could be a problem, especially as Matt's toe nails grow rapidly. Mine don't thank goodness, in fact one toe nail doesn't grow at all any more. Part of my Peripheral Arterial Disease I believe.

This afternoon, I finally got up of my lazy rear end and made some tomato soup which I have been meaning to do since we drank the last a few weeks ago. It is, as usual, delicious. I then started chopping and measuring to make the following recipe for supper. It says serve it over rice? It has potatoes in it, why would you want rice as well? I suppose Cubans, being a somewhat poorer nation,  need filling up, and we don't in this part of the world. I have a feeling I am going to be doing a lot of cooking over the next week or two. We ate this for supper, without the rice and it was much better than I expected, in fact it was delicious. I roughly halved the recipe for my 3 qt. Pot and that was fine for two meals. Tina of Boulder Locavore was asking her subscribers if there was anything she could do for us in current times and I said thanks but nothing. I then commented I was hugging my Instant Pot and she sent me her file of IP recipes. I was delighted and will probably make more. Jacky+Amy are another great source for IP recipes. Thanks Ivy for changing my life.

Cuban Instant Pot Beef Stew (Carne Con Papas)

Carne con papas or Cuban Beef Stew is a soul-warming dish with rich spices (thought it's not spicy-

hot), chunks of tender meat and potatoes in a savory broth.

2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 lbs Beef Stew Meat (my butcher uses Top Sirloin)
4 medium Garlic Cloves , peeled and diced
1 medium White Spanish Onion , peeled and chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper , cored and chopped
2 medium Potatoes (approximately 1 pound), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
½ cup Dry Sherry or Madeira (note: if you prefer not to use any liquor, substitute ½ cup more beef broth)
1 8-ounce can can Tomato Sauce
1 14.5-ounce can can Diced Tomatoes , undrained
1 ½ Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Distilled White Vinegar
1 tsp Oregano
½ tsp ground Cumin

1. Plugin the power cord of the Instant Pot and when the LED display reads ‘OFF’ (in standby mode), press the SAUTE button (with the lid off).

2. Add the olive oil and the stew meat. Brown the stew meat, allowing it to sit between stirring to develop a sear on each side (note: it can be done in two batches.). Remove and place the meat on a plate or mixing bowl.

3. Add the garlic, onion and green pepper to the Instant Pot and sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add the beef (with any accumulated juices) and all the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Seal and select MEAT/STEW (which is preset for High Pressure for 35 minutes).

5. When cooking is complete, wait 10 minutes then do a Quick Release. Serve over rice.

Yield: 8 cups stew

Source: Boulder Locavore

Have a great day
 

Mandarin, Grocery Shopping, Carrots, Foot Nurse, Trump,

Supposed to lunch at Mandarin today, with a friend. Unfortunately they are talking about snow. Might not be too bad for Matt and I but my friend lives out in the country so.... Keep your fingers crossed for us please. Thinking might go bowling after, weather permitting. Not sure how we will do but we can take our time.

I now have an appointment for an ultrasound next week. All part and parcel of my urological problems. Not sure when I will get to the infectious diseases dept. I am told they would be very busy as it's flu season. However, I am somewhat concerned as from all I know, bladder/kidney infections can be quite serious.

Today, Tuesday, was grocery shopping day and I treated us to a Grand Ferrero Rocher each. They are a large chocolate ball with two more chocolates inside. All made with typical FR nutty chocolate. Both of us pigged out and ate the grand ball although we have the two regular chocolates left. That 20 lbs I lost in the hospital is disappearing rapidly, think I had better watch it. Mind you the other part of my brain is thinking about ordering two more next week. They are less than $5 which isn't bad for what they are. Yummy.

We finished off the top sirloin on Tuesday night, missed having the gravy - we'd finished it, plus no more Yorkshire puds. However, I did a roasted carrot dish, in foil, which was pretty good. Basically you oil the foil with olive oil, add small carrots (I used chopped up big ones) add a little sherry or something similar, some fennel seeds, a little sugar, salt and pepper, close them up and roast them at 400°F for 20 minutes or until done.

Got our feet done Tuesday, first time since my hospital visit. Mine weren't too bad, but Matt could have climbed trees with his toe nails. No wonder he is always cutting his finger nails. His shoes must have felt uncomfortable.

Watched Trump last night. Was impressed at first but then everyone produced the actual statistics which he had lied about. I see now why he actually convinced people to vote for him.

Have a great day

Foot nurse, Sniffing,

I have got to keep a better eye on my calendar. Yesterday, (Monday) being Thanksgiving I figured nothing much was happening and then shortly after I got up I was booting up my desktop and noticed there were more notes on the calendar for the day. Turns out our foot nurse was scheduled. Glad I saw it although she wasn't coming til 10:30 but it meant a quick lunch afterwards. Today, Tuesday, the tech guy is coming from my ISP. I do hope he can sort out what's the matter. Whilst writing this the wifi has disconnected twice. I have switched to my desktop which is hard wired.

We did not watch THE debate the other night, but I understand HE sniffed all the way through it again. If for no other reason I wouldn't vote because of that. I cannot stand people sniffing. Drives me totally gaga. Has he got a cold or is it a bad habit? Aren't you allowed to blow your nose during a debate? I hear this has been lampooned already.

A friend at the bowling alley asked me if I liked parsley. I said yes and she said she would bring me a bunch next week. However, I remember the bunch she brought last time and it is a lot of parsley so I wondered about parsley soup. There are lots which describe themselves as parsley soup but contain every vegetable under the sun. A lot have potato, but this one from an English blog called The Garden of Eaden, sounded about right. Although this is a gardening blog, I think I will keep an eye on it for more recipes.For those of you interested, it is a British gardening blog.

Parsley Soup

25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter

1 large onion
1 clove of garlic - not absolutely necessary but it does make a difference, plus it’s good for the heart!
3 celery sticks
150 g (6 oz) fresh parsley (don't be fooled by the weight - this is a lot of parsley)
4 tsp plain flour (for thickening)
900 ml (1 1/2 pints) vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and pepper
A heaped tablespoon of double cream

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic and then slice the celery. Chop the parsley roughly, discarding any long or thick stalks.

2. Gently melt the butter in a large saucepan and as soon as it starts to simmer add the onion, garlic, celery and parsley. Cook until the ingredients have softened, then stir in the flour.

3. Cook for a further minute or two - stirring the mix at all times - before adding the stock.

4. Simmer for 25 minutes, then allow to cool slightly before you purée the mixture with a blender.

5. Reheat, add salt and pepper as required, then add the cream before serving in a heated bowl with a sprig of parsley.

6. Taste test first, then decide whether you should tell anyone else you made it. I hope that you enjoy this recipe for Parsley soup as much as I do.

Servings: 6 or Just Me

Source: The Garden of Eaden

Have a great day
 

My Wednesday. Rambling.

I don’t have a whole hell of a lot to write about today. Bowling, yesterday, was a fiasco once again. Matt had one good game but I just can’t get going at all. I blame the change of venue and my apparent inability to adjust. I do hope I can adjust for the winter league. I would hate to carry on as poorly as I am doing right now.

Once again I forgot our appointment with the foot nurse yesterday so we have to go early this morning. That’s twice I’ve done that. It may be something to do with the fact that Matt goes shopping first thing in the morning, then we bowl at 1 and somehow I forget there is anything else. I could kick myself. The nurse phoned – she gets worried in case something has happened to one or both of us which makes me feel worse for forgetting. Yes, I do have it written down on my calendar. Just being particularly dumb at the moment.

I spent a lot of time yesterday morning sitting on the phone waiting to speak to people and getting somewhat fed up with the whole business. That too might have contributed to my forgetfulness. Forgot to blow any raspberries today either, I’ll never be able to play a didgeridoo.

This afternoon we take our final trip to Barrie’s Asparagus Farm. The store is open all year you understand, but Monday is the last day for asparagus. They sell all kinds of products made with asparagus, as well as other things, some of which they grow, some of which other farms grow and they trade with. I think I will get myself another jar of pickled asparagus whilst I am there, I do like the stuff and as I said, I couldn’t see going to all the effort of making my own. I want to make some more Asparagus/Almond Soup too. If you check out the link above, you can see some of the many products they sell.

An English recipe for those delectable strawberries.

Zesty Strawberries with Cointreau

By Good Food

Servings

Make the most of the fresh taste of British strawberries with this simple recipe. In season from the end of May
Ingredients

• 500g strawberries, hulled halved or quartered, depending on size
• 3 tbsp Cointreau
• zest 1 orange
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• mint leaves, roughly torn, to serve

Method

1. Tip the strawberries into a large bowl. Splash over the Cointreau, add the orange zest and sift in the icing sugar, then give everything a really good mix. Cover, then leave for 1 hr or more for the juices to become syrupy and the strawberries to soak up some of the alcohol.
2. To serve, scatter the mint leaves over the strawberries and give them one more good stir, then spoon into individual glass dishes.

Have a great day

Medical Profession,

We had a lovely afternoon yesterday. Matt went to the dentist who want to extract a tooth but.... he is on Plavix which is a major blood thinner so he needs to get permission to stop taking it for a while. We went to the doctor's office to discover that she is not prepared to take responsibility for it as she did not prescribe it plus he might have a stroke if he did stop (how likely is that for a couple of days?). We then went to the specialist's office who prescribed it originally, but he says Matt is no longer a patient since he stopped seeing him in June and should refer to his family doctor. Back we went to discover that she was now off duty (although I actually spoke to her in the next room) but the receptionist/nurse would talk to her and let us know. I also know her office won't be open again until Friday. What a run around. Matt, meanwhile has a fairly severe toothache. I am not too happy with the medics at the moment. In Canada it is almost impossible to get a doctor anyway, there just aren't enough to go around so you can't just pick and choose. Once you have a doctor, you stick like glue. I suppose that's one good thing about the system in the US, if you are dissatisfied you can say 'nuts to you' and go somewhere else. In fact we did just that, once. I do like my foot nurse though and am off to see her this morning. So not much time. I get an ezine regularly which is aimed at people with diabetes, its called dLife and the latest one had a good recipe for a flourless cake which would also be pretty good for anyone with celiac disease. Flourless Chocolate Cake 1 butter flavored cooking spray 5 egg whites 4 oz Baking Chocolate, bar, bittersweet, chopped 3 Tbs Cocoa Powder, unsweetened 1/2 cup Nuts, walnuts, English, dried, ground (also try almonds or hazelnuts) 1/2 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream 4 oz liquid egg substitute 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 Preheat oven to 350°F. 2 Coat a 9-inch springform pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. 3 In bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until stiff, glossy peaks form. 4 Microwave chocolate in microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. 5 Scrape into a mixing bowl. Stir in cocoa, nuts, Splenda, sour cream, egg substitute, and vanilla extract. With a spatula, fold in egg whites. 6 Spoon batter into prepared pan and gently smooth top. Bake for 30 minutes and cool. 7 Loosen edges of pan and remove cake. Cake will deflate. 8 Additional Information 9 Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, or simply dust with icing sugar. Servings: 8 Have a great day.