From Sunday to Now

 Sunday night, I put the brown rice into 6 pint jars and 3/4 of a quart jar. I will freeze each of these for three days, then store in a cool, dark place. Contrary to what is published, brown rice does not have a short storage life at all. One-quarter (1/4) cup makes 1 cup of cooked rice which is one serving. I don't think I have ever eaten one cup of rice!

Tommy could barely find room for one pint in the freezer. I won't be able to store all the rice in the freezer. I may put a couple in the refrigerator. Then, I can put some near the ac vent until we turn on the heat. One time, years ago, I kept brown rice in the boxes in a room that was not climate controlled. That meant that six months out of the year, the rice was heated by the sun. Then, I decided to store it in the freezer. I was eating this rice for four years. This time, I will be more careful. Brown rice does not have the purported short storage.

Of course, I slept little Monday night, just enough to barely keep me sane! However, we had an errand today, and I lived through it. I have been surprised. I did want to nap but managed without. Cleaner was coming at 4 pm after work. 

Yesterday, I wanted tuna salad for dinner. I ate one sandwich. That meant today there was enough for another sandwich. I decided that I needed to quit eating a whole can of tuna for a meal. Silly. Ridiculous. 

She helped me look for some shoes. I did not find the shoeboxes, but I did find two other pair I wanted to wear. She went out to the back door, opened the storm door, sprayed with roach spray, came back in and locked storm door and back door. There was an outside roach inside last night. Se moved my reindeer to a better place, a closet. 

She was vacuuming when I noticed the little place/container for dirt had nothing in it. So, we took the thing apart. She had to use scissors to remove the baseball sized wad of hair from the brush on the bottom and up the hose. After her cleaning it in here and outside, she could not get it together. Neither could Tommy. He never can, so I took it and put it back together. She re-vacuumed living room, hall, bedroom, and dining room. She had done all this and there was nothing in the little visible plastic cannister!!! After the cleaning and vacuuming all over again, the cannister was full. It is a wonder that the vacuum motor did not burn out. 

We planned it. Just before time to leave, I had her put color on my hair. It appeared she was doing a very good job. Then, half hour later, I washed it out. Of course, Tommy comes into the kitchen to spot for me...lol. 

Just after she came, I put the pork loin roast into the bag. Tommy got it into the oven. As soon as I washed the color off my hair, we had food! I had pork roast and mixed greens from a can. He had that and other vegetables. 

We are watching a 70s Zorro movie. Zorro is kissing a girl. I never knew he did that. I watched the half-hour episodes. Tommy tells me in the original Zorro movie, Zorro kissed girls. I am so shocked. 

I suppose I will have her color my hair from now on if she will. No one has ever done that. But, she is rough on my scalp. I can handle it. Well, I lie. A friend colored my hair and ruined my yellow kitchen floor. She let two huge spots drip and did not tell me. AND, she was a hairdresser. No, I did not twist her arm. She offered. 

She moved the huge box with three deer in it from one room to the closet of another room. She called me to see what she found. The ceiling of the closet was falling in and all black moldy. I told Tommy, panicked. He said it had been that way for forty years. He looked at it and shrugged. Yes, it had been that way for forty years. He looked and confirmed he knew it was there. So, he is going to live with mold. This is certainly hard on me trying to get this place fixed up! When I told him we were getting it fixed, he said Okay. Just now, he said it was only stained at first. There is also a water stain in the hall ceiling that he said has been there for forty years. There is a watermark over his chair, too, that I saw when I came here. He thinks he saves money. 

The beautiful weather today helped me relax in the car, put something over my eyes and rest. I think I did eat too many cookies today. When I want a Diet Coke Caffeine Free, I only drink what I want and give the rest to Tommy or toss it. I no longer drink it all because I opened it.

We are having a week of nice weather. For me, that means no rain. So, I can get appointments done instead of having to reschedule. Or, we can go shop for a car. 

I will leave another dinner of pork in the refrigerator and freeze the rest. Tomorrow, I will probably cook all the bscb. I forgot to cook the Brussels sprouts! Someone, remind me.

The carpet even looks better!

Do you become happy when the carpet is vacuumed? Or, when things in general look cleaner or less cluttered? 

Looking briefly at all the Halloween decorations has gotten me thinking about the holiday coming up. Are you thinking at all about Halloween yet?

Did you watch Zorro when it was a 30-minute show on TV? I never thought the mask hid his identity. 

Feb. 14th

 Today, I went into Publix to get strawberries and blueberries that were not in stock on Monday. Still, none were there. I asked the produce guy who told me they were on the front of the produce aisles. What? It turns out there were blueberries and strawberries there two days ago, just in a different location. They are usually at the back of the produce aisle. Oh, well. 

Tommy went into Publix on the 13th and came out, saying there must be 500 balloons in the store, all full of air. I thought he was exaggerating, but when I went in on Valentine's Day, I decided he was mistaken because there could easily have been 1000 balloons. There were ballons on top of each counter of the store. The sight was amazing. 

After I went through the two sets of double doors, there was only a three- or four-foot space to get into the rest of the store. The crowd was worse than a Christmas crowd and it was only 2 pm. 

I bought a tiny pale pink azalea to put outside once I harden it off. Plus, I got one of the heart-shaped ballons that is now in the living room anchored (heavy disk) on the floor and soaring to the ceiling. I have never had one of this type of balloon. 

Balloons are apt to float away. I have seen ballons anchored with all sorts of heavy items. This balloon accessory has all bases covered. It is heavy. It is magnetic. It has a hook. It is a white disk. 

This past weekend, I decided to get a magic bullet smoothie maker. It has a small base and three cups. Someone gave me one like it and after cleaners had been here, I cannot find the base. It was only about four inches across and four inches high. I suppose it is here, but where? I have low-fat Greek yogurt, so I need to make smoothies.

Tommy asked me several months ago if I wanted Chinese. Well, yes but not inside, just carryout. I don't know if the place I ate 25 years ago is still here or even the name. I know Anne said which Chinese place was best, but I forgot. So, we never went. 

Today, he was talking about getting lunch at home before we went out. I have wanted a chili cheese footlong from Sonic. He keeps saying he does not know if we have hotdogs in the freezer. So, I wanted to go to Sonic. We carried out own diet drinks. This was not a Valentine meal, just something I have wanted for a month. So, we went. They brought my chili cheese coney without napkins or a fork. I refuse to eat the footlong hotdog with my hands since I would really need to wear a bib. Tommy called back and finally they brought me a fork and a wad of napkins. It was almost cold by then. But, it was delicious. 

Then, we went to Publix. 

We came home to put away fruit and for me to go to bathroom. We had another stop to make at a big box. While out, I found a fabric sale and stayed buying fabric--red velvet, red with sparkly design, white sheer with sparkles, pink fabric with sparkles, grey? tulle. I bought something else but forgot what. It must be in the car still. I did get Tommy a tiny heart box of candy, the king that has four pieces. It is still in the car, too. He only brought the fabric into the house, something I did not know. 

Surprisingly, it was still quite light out, but by the time we got home around 6 pm, it was the last of the light. When we got out of the car, I realized the strawberries and blueberries had been in the car for 4 hours! 

I have not had a blender since I moved here. I could get one, but there is no storage space on the counter or inside doors. I never used the old one for anything but smoothies, anyway, and I love the one someone gave me. So, I just bought a smoothie maker like I was gifted. 

Since Tommy chopped and cooked the ground beef with onions last night, I cooked spaghetti tonight. It was delicious. Plus, there is enough for at least two more meals for each of us. I should not have to cook for about five or six days with the cooked chicken and vegetables here. 

I brought home two large cuts of pork a few days ago, not sure what cut at the moment, and Tommy left both in the refrigerator. I wanted them in the freezer. When I discovered they were mostly thawed, I was not happy, but nothing to do except cook both now. Plus, I need to cook the last of three cabbages. I suppose I will be slicing and freezing ten pounds of pork. We need to have people over...lol. And, I want navy beans to eat. 

In the big box store, the shelves had mostly been stripped of Valentine's Day merchandise. Employees were busy putting out swim season stuff like floats and blowup kiddie pools. Then, it is on to St. Patrick's Day. Then Easter. 

I am up too late since I need to wash my hair before a doctor's appointment. Last night, I slept nine hours, so I suppose tonight I won't sleep at all tonight. 

Today was the first day since the middle of September that I have left the house without a scarf with a jacket or sweater. I was warm until we arrived home. The sun leaving the sky was chilling. 

What food do you start wanting that you just don't manage, somehow, to have to eat, either at home or out? 

 

Cooking this Week or Not

Sunday: six large chicken breasts
Monday: pork shoulder butt roast. five or six potatoes
Tuesday: cabbage, carrots
Wednesday: turnips
Thursday: sweet potatoes, bean soup

That was the plan. This is how it happened. I got Sunday and Monday done. Felt worse. And now I am stuck with the plan below. However, I felt much better last night. Today, I awoke overheated and with a sore throat and throbbing forehead.

Cabbage. carrots, and turnips will be cooked in the pork broth as were the potatoes. I am freezing the chicken broth to use in dressing. I bought five pounds of carrots to cook. The turnip will cook next week.

Friday, I won't be cooking as exbf is coming. Hopefully, I won't have to cook because it is all done ahead of time. Now, my plan for tonight is cooking cabbage and carrots, at least carrots. I am going to a Christmas party, so we will see.

I told me to remind me to give him some grapes because I always forget those. Many times, I make a list. Other times, I have him write as I tell him what there is.

Last week, I sent home peanuts with him that I got from Five Guys. He loves peanuts, Since I left them in his car, I didn't forget to give them to him.

I have frozen half a cherry pie to share with him. No, I did not bake it. I think I will make an Apple Betty with Granny Smith apples I have. Probably not. Saturday is his birthday--64, just a young'un.

Two weeks ago, I was given an Elephant garlic or something like that. I have 14 cloves to plant. I was going to do that today, but I am achy. However, this is my record of what I have to plant.

Re-reading this post, it feels disjointed but I really don't care.

Your turn
Do you ever awake overheated and then have a sore throat, feel achy, and make yourself sick by covering up too much? Do cooking plans ever go awry?

Tangy Ginger Pork with Autumn Rice

I happened to be in Publix when the woman was making this dish. It is scrumptious! Last Friday, I planned to cook a pork tenderloin. I ended up making a salad. I'm glad I did. The pork loin is on the menu this Friday.

To see this recipe, go HERE.

Ingredients:

pork tenderloin
butternut squash

fresh sage (have dried and ground)

tsp ginger spice paste (I have ginger)

minced garlic

2 shallots (onions instead)

lime for juice (have dried lime)

jasmine rice

chicken base (will use bouillon)

fig  preserves

dried sweetened cranberries

unsalted butter (will use unsalted ghee)

kosher salt (Morton's will do)

Except for the jasmine rice, I have everything or will substitute as noted. I made the fig preserves and dried the cranberries. The garlic is in vinegar in the refrigerator.

Actually, I may have jasmine rice I bought once to try.

This recipe has none of my allergens!

The instructions are in the link.

This is delicious! Publix lady gave me a generous portion of both.

Now, I suppose I need to grow sage and ginger.

Sounds yummy? You have no idea.