Baby Back

That is - RIBS .  Something again that I never have prepared . Again , oh , so easy .  On sale at the grocery store the same day I saw an easy recipe on a blog . I thought , why not ?  You know there are so many foods that I have not prepared .  I am sure if I had been married longer or had someone to cook for on a regular basis other than myself and children and then adult children for a few years I would have prepared a broader variety of foods . Because, I really like to cook for others .

Sharon's recipe https://www.gritsandpinecones.com/best-oven-baked-baby-back-ribs-and-rub/ taught me something I never would have known .  And that is how to remove the membrane from the back of the slab of ribs .  I didn't even know there was a membrane to remove .

Now , here is the rub that she used on the front and back before letting them sit awhile for the flavors to blend .

Brown sugar and lots of spices .

Pop into a 300 degree oven for one and a half hours and then cover with a generous amount of Barbecue Sauce .  Back into the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes .  And that is all there is to it .

Absolutely Delicious.

Add some Jiffy Corn Casserole https://easyfamilyrecipes.com/jiffy-corn-casserole/

and some green beans and it is another dinner or two or three dinners for the freezer .

I think it took me longer to post this with the new format than it took me to cook the food !!!

I am not sure if my patience are going to hang around much longer with this "new stuff" .  I've just spent two hours on the Internet trying to learn more about the troublesome issues many of us are having with the new format . Not much help . But , lots of frustration by commenters on google sites .

Be Sure To Vote. 

Mary

Happy Big Face

In years past I have always enjoyed decorating for the seasons inside the house and a little something outside the house .

It seems like I am forever (because it is) trying to get my garage cleaned out !  Well , guess who I found in the garage ?  Big ol' Pumpkin Man .  I have had him for years .  Isn't he great ?  And , he is Big .  Look at his size compared to the house door . He is a nice statement piece sitting alone and not needing other decorations -or friends . As he feels quite comfortable with his imposing stature .  😊 And , he only takes a night-light size bulb .  He sits on the side of the house where he is easily seen by all during their daily travels.

He has such a nice cheerful face and I like him .

I don't usually have any Trick or Treaters coming to my home because there is a very small subdivision near by that in the past before the pandemic put on a huge display of decorations and candy at every house .  The street is closed off and there is sheriff control for safety . I am not sure what the plan is for this year .

Who would have thought that we would see drive-in movies again and here in my home town area ? Seeing this ad in the local newspaper sure was strange .  I guess it took me back to my youth over 60 years ago .  How can it be that many years ago ? I can't say that I recall having attended a drive-in movie all that often . I guess perhaps the religious rigid parental control of my youth may be the reason .  But , I certainly recall the reprimand when I would come home from a date later than approved of .  And , that was my senior year in high school . And, it wasn't long after that I was living away , working on my education to become a Registered Nurse . It still amazes me the amount of control that continued even though I was supporting myself by working evenings and weekends . And , never did they assist financially and they certainly had the means .  After earning my licensure as a Registered Nurse at age 19, I married and was able to become a little more independent and able to escape the harsh control . Maybe , sometime I'll write about how I happened to attend schooling to become a Registered Nurse.  Not a typical trajectory for the day .

How interesting that a notice in the newspaper can take me back to a time in my life from long ago .  I feel so blessed to be experiencing contentment with life at this time . Sure , life has it's hills and valleys , but it is nice to be the driver at the wheel .

OK , I'll drive back to living life in this lane .  

Just read that the "Halloween Neighborhood" is going forward with celebrating .  Marking their sidewalks with every six foot markers and using assistive devices called Pick-Me-Ups to hand out candy .  Masks required .  Pretty Clever !!!

Mary

Bone On Bone

Sounds awful , doesn't it ?  I was not surprised . Much more severe on the right knee than the left !  My Orthopedic evaluation was at a newly opened 8 Million Dollar Medical Clinic about 15 minutes from my home . The new facility is great and beautiful with all the latest diagnostic equipment .  And , the staff is very good and certainly seem very happy to working in such a nice facility .

Look - even an Electric Car Charger Station . How is that for serving the public in this small rural area?

Back to Bones ! Additional x-rays were taken at request of the surgeon.  When she came into the exam room she told me that a Total Knee Replacement for both knees was the treatment recommendation .  Even though I was expecting that , it was very hard for me to hear . The surgeon was exceptionally pleasant and we had a very in depth discussion of the situation including Rehab center and in-home health care and physical therapy.  She said the Minimally Invasive Surgery was not an option .  We discussed the ramifications of Covid 19 and in her opinion there probably will be a serge at the end of the year .  Surgery of the right knee only is scheduled for December 1 at the local hospital where she has been on staff for over seven years .  I will start physical therapy as soon as it can be scheduled to develop improved muscle tone which will help in the recovery .  She said that in her opinion I was a very physically fit person and young !!! WOW !  And , recovery would be only about 2 months . And , if I desired , the left knee could then be scheduled .

 

So , there we have it , all "the Nuts and Bolts"!  The reality of my situation is becoming very real and I will have time to properly prepare for the surgery .

The weather has been wonderful .  Truly , Fall weather .  This is the view from my dining room window !

I am going to have a bowl of Squash Soup and Oatmeal Casserole Bread for dinner . I had never heard of Casserole Bread . Do you know what it is ? It is described as a no-knead bread that is slightly sweat , thanks to molasses and oatmeal that gives it a nice chewy texture . And , baked in a casserole dish .  Of course , it can be baked in a loaf pan and even a cast-iron skillet .

After resting somewhat after I got home at 12:30 PM (appointment was at 9:45 AM) I decided to make some casserole bread .

This is after all the ingredients are mixed and ready to sit and rise for an hour .

This is after the dough is "punched down" and put into The Casserole to rise again for 30 minutes . It rose to the top of the dish quickly and before the 30 minute time frame !  But , into the oven it went .

Oh dear , look what is happening ! My Casserole Bread "runneth over" !

Probably because I used pizza crust quick rise yeast because that is all I had .  I should have watched it closer !

I took it out of the oven to soon because it was spilling all over and it wasn't baked through .  Oh , it had such potential of looking like the beautiful pictures of others and tasting great with my soup . It was sooooo under baked .

(King Arthur Website)

Oh well , tomorrow is a new day and new adventures .

Hope you are all doing well .

Mary

From Squash To Soup

Finally ready to harvest .  Does the word - harvest - make me sound like a big time vegetable gardener ?  I think not .

 

From This to This - - - - - - - -   

Look at the size of this squash . It was too large to weigh on my kitchen scale so I weighed it on the bathroom scale !!  That's a lot 'a squash !  Acorn Squash usually weighs 2 to 3 pounds .

Because I was concerned about trying to safely cut it because of the size and hard surface I put it into the microwave for 5 minutes to soften it a little bit and taste it to see if I thought it tasted like it would make a good soup .  And , it was a GO .

It cut easily and after covering with olive oil and some course sea salt I baked it for one hour .

It came out nicely roasted .

And , ready to scoop and blend with the other ingredients.

I found it to be a lot of fun cooking with something from my own garden .  I think Acorn Squash has a rather mild taste and a slightly nutty flavor . So it can use a lot of added seasoning . Along with onion , carrots , garlic , chicken stock and of course the squash , I added half and half , salt , cinnamon , nutmeg and cayenne pepper . Tasting as you go helps to get the end result you like !  The use of an emersion blender is a great help in giving the soup a nice finished texture .

A small salad and some crusty rustic bread would round out a nice meal .

A few red pepper flakes make a nice garnish .

I am so glad my home grown squash was something I could cook with .  And , now I have some good servings in my freezer .  I don't usually freeze food that I prepare that has cheese or milk products but the small amount of half and half should work well .

Tomorrow is my appointment with the Orthopedic Specialist and I am looking forward to it .  I started thinking more about my leg symptoms and my nursing background and I came up with a  new thought about the diagnosis . Because the symptoms are primarily with my right knee and there is significant swelling behind the knee cap I am wondering if it may be a Baker's Cyst . Yes , my knees are bad but this intense localized pain may have a different cause than just "old knees" !

I am so tuckered out with the severity of pain and I am so hopeful for some type of relief .  And , I am certainly going to push for some pain pills .

Until next time .

Mary

Another Goodie

First off - - - the pain in my right knee and leg and foot is almost unbearable .  I don't see a pattern . Sometimes it is not bad but most of the time SO painful and debilitating.  The ice packs help and small periods of activity interspersed with rest and elevation of my legs makes life bearable . Finally , went and got the ordered x-rays and it was tortuous besides having to wait a long time !  Well, got that off my thoughts so now let's get on with  life .

Hobbling around the kitchen when I can ! 

I don't think I have ever prepared Hungarian Stew . So , a  couple days ago I did this .

This is Porkolt (a flavorful stew) Made With Pork .  I had intended to go out a little further and made Galuska (Hungarian Dumplings) to serve with it . But , I had too much pain . Galuska sounds so exotic . But , when I read the recipe I was surprised it sounded so simple .

The stew is so easy , just a lot of chopping and cutting . Sour cream can be stirred in just before serving . But , I like it served on top .  And , of course the stew can be served on top of wide noodles or rice instead of Galuska .

I forgot that I have this nice mandolin vegetable chopper , slicer , dicer , julienner.

It made quick work of dicing 2 large onions .  That's a lot of onions and could mean a lot of stinging in my eyes . But , no tears with dicing this way .  And , it literally only took seconds to dice after readying the onions .  It looks like there are "a zillion different" slicers on the market and opinions .  This is the only one I have and it works great for my needs .  

How could I forget about this very useful and fun gadget ?  I guess because I haven't used it since I bought it quite a while ago .  Maybe,  I am starting to have an 😉 "old memory" !

Hungarian Paprika is a featured spice for this dish .  It is a sweet paprika which differs from regular paprika which is hot . You need tablespoons of sweet paprika verses teaspoons of hot paprika . 

It is so nice to have yummy homemade food in the freezer . And , it is much healthier and flavorful .

I have been having a great time in the kitchen .  It challenges me some and posting on the blog gives me some creative time .

Still , a little color in the garden . Not much but there are some beautiful Autumn colors here and there .  Even though I am hobbling around I have still been going out into the garden to do a few things to keep it presentable  and watered so the plants don't die .

UNFORTUNEATELY , "The Workers" did not work out in helping me with my home maintenance and garden upkeep !  They are not the least bit detail oriented .  Because of my knee/leg pain ,  I did not walk around the house after the debris was blown off the roof last week .  Later when I was able and walked around the house I could hardly believe my eyes with the amount of mess at ground  level . And , I had been specific about ground level cleanup .  And , the surrounding flower beds were a mess with leaves , pine needles and the shedding short needles from the cedar trees .  There are ways of blowing the roof off without this undesired result . There are other reasons for my cancelling further work but I won't go into detail . Back to "square one" .

It is so difficult to find help and as a senior single woman living alone I have to be cautious about anyone entering my home to do inside repair . I must call references (and more than one) in the future .  The few people that I know well enough in the neighborhood to ask , don't have any suggestions .  I'll keep working on it .

 I still do not have my generator connected so I can "just flip a switch" .  I have purchased a 20 lb. propane tank that weighs 37 lb. when filled .  Which means I could not lift it from the trunk . I asked someone who was walking by if he could remove it from my trunk and he and his wife were very helpful .  My area is a desirable area for people taking daily walks . They drive and park in parking lots and then take their daily walks around the neighborhood .

Planning to be back soon .  My garden grown Acorn Squash is ripe !

Mary

Facing A Huge Situation

I have not given these pages much information regarding a medical development of severe disability and horrendous pain in both of my knees and legs . The right knee is considerably worse than the left . This is not a particularly new situation .  I think the first x-ray of my knees was in 2002 because of pain . But , that was nothing compared to what I am dealing with at the present time . I guess it is about a couple months ago that I started having difficulty with walking and was starting to experience unrelenting pain especially in my right knee . Throughout the years I have had periodic knee problems .  But , my back disability (injury 1992) was so encompassing that I more or less just pushed through the knee issues and eventually I was better .

But , now we have almost twenty more years of  "wear and tear" on knees that are probably also arthritic . My legs and ankles are very very swollen . Ice packs help a little . The recent increase in severity of pain and disability prompted me to see my primary care physician .  That was 10 days ago .  I was quite a sight . At least I thought so . Along with wearing my back brace I had knee supports on both knees and I had to use a cane and could only walk slowly . But , outwardly I think that I really looked pretty good . A smile always makes you look better . And , as they say "I clean up pretty good" !  Fortunately , I have a very good rapport with my physician and the office staff .  They treated me exceptionally well ! And , of course adhering to all the COVID 19 guidelines .

The "long and short of it" is that I most likely need Total Knee Replacement of both knees . Unfortunately , they will not prescribe any pain pills for me at this time (due to the new opiate regulations) and I really should not take anti-inflammatory medicine because I have taken them for many years because of my back pain/issues and my kidneys (they are old) will be endangered because my lab studies already show some abnormalities ! The pain has been very very severe .  I will have x-rays of both knees soon and I am scheduled for a consultation with an Orthopedic Surgeon on October 21 .  I was delighted to learn from my physician that there is now a technique called Minimally Invasive Total Knee replacement and I may be able to have that procedure .  The incision is shorter and the quadriceps tendons are not dissected .  And , the knee cap (patella) is not flipped over . Thus , a shorter recovery time .  

Considering my senior age , the less invasive procedure would be preferred . Depending upon what the x-rays show I will probably have both knees done at the same time .    You can click the photos to enlarge .

This is a specialized technique available from only surgeons with specialized training . The nearest surgeon is located about 150 miles from here in a geographical area near where I lived prior to moving here . So that is a possibility because I still have one acquaintance in the area , actually living in the same town as the Orthopedic Surgical Clinic .

If you follow my blog you know that I do not have family to help me and I have outlived all of my close friends .  So , where ever the procedure is performed I have no idea how all of this can be arranged regarding transportation and post operative help at home . If I go out of the area perhaps I can live in a hotel for a week or so with home health care along with physical therapy which starts the first day following surgery wherever I have it done.  I do not know if a Rehabilitation Center for a few days would be an option .  As you can see , there are a lot of unknowns to be arranged somehow .  And, care of my precious Ivy is a huge concern of mine .  At the moment, all I can do is to take one day at a time !  Somehow -someway it will come together if it is meant to be . 

I am not only taking one day at a time .  Sometimes it is one minute at a time as I attempt to continue "taking care of things" .  There are times I can do more than other times , as you can tell by my blogging posts . And , there are times I can not walk even one step .  Night time has been really rough at times and I am awakened with unbelievable knee pain along with back pain .  Not getting much sleep . Daytime naps help .

Had to reschedule "The Workers" to work on the generator hook-up for some time next week .

That's it for today and that is plenty - - - and I will be OK !  I'm a "tough old lady" and I will live each day to the best of my ability .

Hope everyone is doing well (or at least OK) during these tumultuous times in our lives with the government and the pandemic.  Let's keep the hope for better times .

Mary

Some More Really Good Food And A Lot More

In the kitchen again a few days ago .  This time another new recipe called Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes.

The sauce that bathes these ingredients really is the star of this delightful entrée .  Garlic cloves , red pepper flakes , white wine , half and half cream and basil pesto comes together as a creamy delight .

A nice Surprise from my Granddaughter.

It's Perfect !

And , it looks lovely at my front door where I can see it every time I use the front door . It sure warms my heart !

I am so excited that I may have found help with the care of my garden and home maintenance . Yesterday, all of the 16 barrels full of yard waste (weeds, leaves and pruning) from my garden work were taken to the Yard Waste Dump . And , my roof was cleaned off of lots of leaves and branches with a leaf blower and all the debris was hauled to the Dump .  Up until about three years ago I was able to get up on the roof and use the leaf blower . I rather enjoyed it and it saved money .  Those days are in the past and never to return .  

Tomorrow "The Workers" are going to bring a large portable propane tank (much larger than the barbeque size tank) and prepare my generator so that all I need to do is turn off the main electricity and turn on the switch when the power goes off .  Our last warning regarding loss of power did not effect me but did affect many in nearby locations .  I think my power stayed on because I am less than one block away from Main Street of the historical town that I live in. But , I did lose Internet connection for two days . It is my understanding that there will be a large rolling outage in California and I have no way of knowing if my location will be off .  But , it is great that I will be prepared if it is .  

We are making a list and prioritizing the other jobs that needs to be done to maintain my home the way I wish it to be . All of this is such a blessing !

What a Crazy and Frightening Federal Government with far reaching tentacles all the way to cities and little towns .

Stay Well and we must Stay Hopeful .

Mary