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.
 

Monday Morning, Insurances, Exercises, Asparagus Farm.

Happy Monday - first the lawnmower started running around the building at 7:15 a.m. which I managed to ignore and slept a bit more, but then at a little past 8 the construction workers started drilling a balcony. Grrrr. I guess, because of the rain, I had almost forgotten them. Then, I am sitting at my computer when I heard a crash. A frog ornament, which I have had for many a year, perched on the toilet tank, vibrated right off it. And that drilling is not even on our side of the wing.

One thing I did get round to was paying the insurance on the car and the contents of the apartment. There's over $1,000 gone in a flash. Of course I paid with Visa because I get 1% back. It all mounts up by the end of the year. I do save up for the insurance all through the year by the way. That way I don't miss it when I have to shell out.

Later I was a good girl and went down to exercise class. I can no longer do as much as I did a year ago unfortunately, but I figure it is good for me to go. I just wish I could get Matt to go. It's odd, he has been athletic all his life (he used to be a gymnast) and the only thing he does today is bowl whereas I have never been athletic at all and am now more active than I have ever been. School days. if I could get out of games or gymnastics I did. Hated it.

After the class we went to the asparagus farm, penultimate visit, I plan one more on Friday. Today they had a relish for us to sample. Delicious so, of course, I bought some. It has asparagus in it too, I bet that surprised you LOL. I bought quite a lot of asparagus for other people and some rhubarb for one friend. I wasn't even sure if that was still available but it was. I bought some strawberries for us. Plus a spear or two of asparagus of course!!! I had run out of asparagus the day before so planned to have some for supper. I ended up with this recipe. It is very good.

Asparagus With Poached Eggs and Parmesan


8 large eggs
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt, divided
2 bunches asparagus spears, trimmed (about 40)
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 Tbs coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

1. Break the eggs into 8 individual containers (such as teacups, prep bowls, or paper cups). Fill a large, low-sided pan with water, and add vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus spears, and cook 3–4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus with tongs, and set aside.

3. Dry the medium saucepan. Add olive oil, and heat over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté about 1 minute. Turn off heat; add butter, and swirl pan. Add lemon juice, parsley, remaining salt, and pepper; swirl pan again to combine. Add asparagus and 2 tablespoons Parmesan; then toss with lemon-butter sauce to coat.

4. Slowly pour each egg into the boiling poaching water; cook 2 minutes. Turn off heat, and remove pan from burner. Divide asparagus among 4 plates. (Bring plates close to pan with poached eggs, and place a folded clean kitchen towel next to plates.)

5. Remove the eggs from water with a slotted spoon, 1 at a time, blotting bottom of spoon on towel to absorb excess moisture. Place 2 eggs on each mound of asparagus. Pour any remaining sauce over each serving, and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Source: Health


Have a great day
 

Insurance, Brexit,

Ouch, I have just paid our car and home insurance. Gosh that hurts every year. I could pay monthly but we prefer to get it over and done with, I put money aside for it mind you rather than have to suddenly turn round and find a large sum of money. One insurance company we had, split it into 3 payments a year which was better. I don't know if they still do it, but in England we used to have a declining insurance so long as we didn't claim. People used to do all they could to avoid losing that benefit. Of course, we only have to insure the contents of our home as we live in a rented apartment.

I was hoping the final results of the British referendum on whether to stay in the European Union or

not, would be in before I went to bed. I saw one comment that it is considered people don't really understand what they are voting for. If the final vote is for exit, it will make me pretty glad not to live there any more although an exit vote will apparently have repercussions on this part of the world too. These days a country trying to stand alone is nonsensical, especially such a small country. OK we were once great, but that is a looong time ago. I just read that Sunderland, where Matt was born, have voted to leave the EU. Damn fools. It seems that at the moment the vote is swinging that way, the majority want to leave. I gather it is going to be a close result. I hadn't realised this was why the politician Jo Cox was shot. I cannot believe that something like that would happen in the UK. Place must have changed considerably since I lived there.

I have been cooking a lot of skirt steak recently, it is delicious if properly prepared and cut across the grain. Of course I would probably serve asparagus with it whilst it is still in season. Not long to go now unfortunately.

Herb-Marinated Steak with Tomato, Onion, and Herb Salad

By Elana Karp and Suzanne Dumaine

From Plated: Weeknight Dinners, Weekend Feasts, and Everything in Between

Serves 2, with leftovers for 2

Skirt steak is an ideal cut for quickly soaking up flavor (and then cooking in even less time), plus it will hold up all week long. Marinated onions and tomatoes soften as they sit and make for especially great leftovers in sandwiches, on their own as a salad, or, in this case, tucked into a gyro.

Ingredients 

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 clove garlic

2 lemons

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ pounds skirt steak

5 beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, or 2 cups grape tomatoes (whatever’s in season)

1 small red onion

¼ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ bunch fresh basil

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Steak Gyros with Yogurt Sauce

2 large pitas

¾ cup Greek yogurt

Leftover steak

Leftover tomato, onion, and herb salad

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions for the Herb-Marinated Steak with Tomato, Onion, and Herb Salad

1. Roughly chop the rosemary, oregano, and thyme leaves. Roughly chop the garlic. Zest 1 lemon and halve both.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic,
 lemon zest, juice of 1 lemon, and the crushed red pepper. While whisking, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add to a large resealable plastic bag along with the steak, shake to coat, and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

3. While the steak marinates, cut the tomatoes into ½-inch wedges 
(or halve them, if using grape). Halve the onion and slice it as thinly as possible. Pick the parsley and basil leaves from the stems.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the juice of the remaining lemon and
 2 tablespoons olive oil to make the dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.
5. Heat a grill to medium-high or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
 Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. When the grill or pan is hot, add the steak and cook until browned on the outside and medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.
6. While the steak rests, add the tomatoes, onion, parsley, basil, and feta
 to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. 
Before serving, set aside half the steak and half the tomato salad and save for leftovers. Store separately in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

7. Serve the steak with the salad alongside

Have a great day