Monday, November 28, 2022

Just like that...

 


  Well, well.  Just like that. Suddenly it was Thanksgiving.  And I cooked and I cooked and I cooked.  And I was frazzled. Then the party of 6 turned to a party of 5.  Then my son got sick and it turned to a party of 4.  lol  But nevermind... I cooked a small spiral ham and a 13 lb turkey and glazed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and pecans. I made cornbread stuffing with crimini mushrooms, onions, celery, and dried cranberries. I made smashed red potatoes and turkey gravy. I made home canned green beans with onions and garlic. I had jellied cranberry sauce and whole sauce too. I made a pumpkin and a cherry pie.  And we 4 ate ourselves into a food coma and took a plate and 2 pieces of pie to my sick boy. (The next day I made him some turkey and rice soup.)  After our guest was gone and my husband and his brother who had traveled down from Minneapolis were watching tv, I cooked down the turkey carcass and made 5 quarts of beautiful broth, 4 of which I canned in the electric canner and 1 went in the fridge for soup.  It took 3 sets to get all the dishes done. I know people think I'm nuts, but I don't care how many people are at my house for a meal...we use real dishes.  I did try cleaning up as I went as much as I could. It was still a lot.  SO I got to sit a spell between sets. That helped. It was grand, but I'm really glad it's over. 


  The next 2 days were nonstop. And when Sunday came and my BIL was heading home, I made sure to tell him goodbye and make him promise to call when he arrived safe and sound,THE NIGHT BEFORE. Because no way was I gonna be able to get up at 7 AM.  lol  I intended to do nothing but laze around the whole day, but of course I couldn't as there was laundry to be done (himself's work clothes mostly, but it turned into everything). lol  Once himself was back home from getting his spiritual batteries recharged, he helped with it all.  I'm still tired.  


  To give our systems a rest and try to get back on track, we had a Meatless Monday today. I made sweet potato and chickpea Buddha Bowls that were quite good. I used leftover sweet potatoes, and some vegetables that were languishing in the bin.  The chickpeas are cooked in a spice mix, and instead of roasting the vegetables in the oven, I used my big cast iron skillet to pan roast them and used sesame oil. I had some leftover quinoa from Wednesday night's supper of Peanut Butter Tofu that I used for the grain. The vegetable ingredients were : Kale, Red and Yellow Bell Pepper, leftover steamed broccoli, Red Onion- quartered, and sweet potato.




 The chickpeas were tossed in a bowl  (after draining rinsing and patting dry) with some grapeseed oil and spices. Cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder and salt & pepper. Then in about a  tablespoon more oil in a small cast iron skillet, I cooked them until the crackled a little over medium high heat. Didn't take long and they were toasty and spicy and done. 



 Then I made a dressing for the whole shebang of a quarter cup (plus or minus-- didn't really measure it, just eyeballed it and tasted it, lol) Tahini, about a tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup and a tablespoon or 2 of hot water to thin it down once you've got it all mixed up. It was divine. 



It was a really good bowl -- who doesn't love a BIG bowl of healthy supper on a cold night ?  We finished of f the last piece of pumpkin pie for dessert and it a perfect amount of food. Good and healthy, tasty and using leftover items and vegetables that would hit the compost heap in another few days felt right, somehow.  This week winds down the month and then it is December, and all the madness starts.  Not so much for me, actually. But it's hard times for lots of people and I am a bit of a shelter for some who have these hard times. It's okay... there's plenty of love to go around. We have a very cozy house that's warm and inviting, coffee or tea or hot chocolate is always available.  We keep our Xmas holiday very small, sometimes we have had big Xmas Eve suppers and invited friends who have no other family, or none in the area. Sometimes it's just us. We really have everything we need and even some to share, and though we live on a pretty limited income, simple food, and simple drinks can go a long way to easing the culture shock we go through this time of year.  The week of Xmas, and almost NEVER before, I will get a few ceramic snowmen and Santa Clauses out of storage and put up a small fiber optic tree. I have a raggedy old Gifting Stag (I love him !!) made of papier mache that will make an appearance if the mice haven't destroyed it in the garage. A few Xmas wreaths that I made myself.  That's it. I have no grandchildren and my big family stopped celebrating together years ago, so everyone spends the day with their own. I'm okay with all of this.  It's too much for me these days, as I totter off in my dotage. lol   I expect December will zip through just like November did, and shock me with it's arrival and departure. And the nit will be New Years Eve and then it will be my 70th birthday, which I am looking forward to, as I join the ranks of the old and decrepit.  LOL  Be assured-- there is a LOT of freedom in being old.  When you turn 69, you get a taste of it.  I looking forward to the whole pie next year. Sliding into old age with a BANG !



  Til next time...

3 comments:

  1. Well, one more time I gained at least 5 very satisfied pounds just reading your blog. So happy you did not fall off the Earth from the beginning of November to it's end...I was getting hungry.

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