In Season Recipes

6cats

Lots of fresh basil in garden... recipe ideas?

Teka

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Blundin2005

Teka...me too.

Yesterday we took a ride to our favorite co-op market. I cooked scallops seasoned with dijon mustard and wrapped in bacon...broiled them...with shrimp...and fruit salad at the end. Today I unpacked more boxes and then baked a rump roast cooked sauteed in ceasar dressing and cooked with carrots and baking potatoes sliced and scattered around. It was very good...reminded me of my dad...he taught me to make that meal many many years ago.

I'll get the results of the biopsy this week. We leave for UC Irvine Sunday for an appointment for DH. I guess this is what they call touristic health care? I could do without out and just skip to the good part...hangin' out on the patio with friends and a good meal. But OK...it could be worse.

Making a lot of fast food pizzas and salads in these days on the run. 

Best wishes to all as always,

Marilyn

"Never run faster than your guardian angel can fly"

Teka

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Blundin2005

Buon giorno,

The biopsy results -- the doctor gave me a call last night. So, I'll be having a lobectomy within the next month. The stats are right upper lobe, adenoma carcinoma, 1.4 cm, lung cancer, no mets (breast cancer), no lymph involvement, not moving fast. Plan is lobectomy then, hopefully, no chemo after. Got it early. The rest of the lungs look fine.

 

So I've got my summer planned! Hopefully, I'll be back in shape for my son's wedding at the end of September. I have all the boxes unpacked. We are in a good place to manage these curve balls of health at this stage of our life. I consider myself lucky that a radiologist at LaStorta (Roma) picked up the little something last October when I got the MRI for my spine. It was too small to diagnose, they even suggested it could be old scar tissue then, but they kept an eye on it. The pain in my back may have helped me to dodge another bullet for now.

 

As for food news, I can honestly say that I miss the mozzerella. What we find here does not come close to our daily, fresh selection no matter where we've shopped. Other than that, we've found the food very enjoyable especially the fruits and salads in abundance.

 

About mini vacations...we think to take them as often as possible...especially with loved ones.  

 

abbracci tutti,

M

Teka

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Mandy1313

Hi Marilyn!

Sorry to hear about your biopsy results. But as Teka says, caught early this new cancer should be very treatable.  You will dance at your son's wedding and also at his anniversary parties through many years. 

Hugs,

Mandy

6cats

New to this thread... I'm glad you have developed a small community here... but honestly, I am looking for recipes... four zucchini about to spoil on counter... can only eat so many cucumbers and, soon banana peppers coming out the wazoo...

Sorry to hijack all the personal stuff, but wanted to see if it was going to get back to original purpose, or should I just remove this from my favorites? Either way is fine with me, but I wanted feedback before I left.

Teka

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Teka

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carollynn79

Hi all,

Been off for awhile long year with lots of test and concerns but all is well.  Garden is in full glory made green beans  last night, steam green beans, cook 2 pcs of bacon, remove, crumble, keep 1 Tbls bacon fat, add 1 Tbls sweetner we use maple syrup as we have our own, 1 Tbls vinegar, 1 Tbls cornstarch, mix, add more vingear if needed put on beans, top with crumbled bacon, we like this.  Made a sauce for burgers too, 1/4 c ketchup, 1/3 cup mayo, 1 Tbls red wine vinegar, 1 Tbls chopped fresh parsley, 1 Tbls chopped frsh taragon, 1 tsp worchster sauce, mix top burger, good.

Zuccini, I diced, sauted with onion, peppers, garlic in olive oil, add to your favorite pasta, toss, add a littel olive oil and serve.  We also add sauted zuccini to red pasta sauce, made foccacia and topped with sauted, zuccini, onion, garlic and basil very good.  Made a cold pasta salad and added dice, cucumbers, red onion, yellow and green zuccini, tomaotes, any fresh vegetable.  We use mayo, vinegar, maple syrup, parsley, dill, basil, tarragon, greek yogurt, dijon mustard, mix and use as pasts salad topping, or on fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. 

Have been enjoying iced herb tea using, mint, lemon balm or lemon verbena ,and stevia leaves.  Boil water add sweetner if wanted i use 2 Tbls of honey , turn off burner, add fresh leaves and cover for 4-8 hours, strain and add 1 part herb tea to 3 parts water or what you like, this is a concentrate. 

Will try to get on more, glad to hear you are settling in Marilyn, sorry about the DX, Onc is concerned about uterine cancer so undergoing tests but so far B9, off Tamox until all is done.  Also have lymphedema mild but still flair ups cause pain and discomfort.  But all in all life is good, family coming in form all over teh country this week looking forward to time with sister, brother and lots of nieces, nephews and both my sons.  Take care.  Teka glad to hear about trip we take several mini trips anymore they are fun, we take our camper and go where we want find a rustic site spend the night enjoy a campfire and usually a lake, pack up the next day ad go see somewhere else.  Headed to Traverse City mid August plan on good eats, good wine and fresh fruits especially peaches we will get a bushel to can.

Mandy1313

Wow, those are alot of great recipes for summer produce. Like Carolynn,  I also dice zucchini and cook with onions, peppers, tomatoes--use it as a vegetable and as a pasta sauce--everyone in the family loves it.

This morning, I made these very easy pancakes which I wanted to share:

Ingredients are only  one ripe banana, two eggs.   (I used a small banana and one egg since it only was for me).  Just mash the banana until smooth with a beaten egg -- I used a cuisinart -- drop onto a lightly greased pan or griddle-- I used coconut oil.  Cook as you would regular pancakes.  If you like, you can add cinammon or vanilla to the mix.  They will not need syrup as they are sweet as is.  Simple and delicious.

Teka

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Teka

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Teka

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Mandy1313

I'm off for a vacation in  Alaska so will be off this board for a while. Take care all.

Mandy

Blundin2005

Mandy1313...have a great trip...see you when you get back.

Teka...I'm with you...we are considering raised garden beds at waiste level!

Carolynn79...very sorry to hear about the difficult path you've been navigating. Hoping for the best. In the meantime, your table and garden sound as good as ever. I think to you often and your words of encouragement for finding healthy foods here when we arrived. You were right!

6cats...hope you found the zucchini recipes we've posted over the years here. The meat stuffed zuchini in red sauce is one of our favorites. Add a little rice to the meat to "beef up" the nutrition. Mushrooms are a good addition for flavor and vitamin D.

Today I made tuna sandwich with slices of tomatoes on toasted 'Dave's Killer Bread--Powerbread' USDA organic. Very tasty. 

Best wishes to all as always,

Marilyn

Teka

*Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe*

1 1/2 to 2 lbs lean ground beef

1 tbsp oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small cabbage, chopped

2 cans (14.5 ozs each) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 ozs) tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and chopped onion then cook, stirring, until ground beef is no longer pink and chopped onion is tender.

Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add the chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, black pepper, and sea salt.

Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chopped cabbage is tender.

Serves 6 to 8

Lovely flavor!!

Sherryc

Marylinn sorry to hear of the lung biopsy.  I hope the surgery goes OK and you heal fast.  But please research the chemo and make sure you are making the right decision for your diagnosis.  My stepdad had early stage lung cancer had a lobe removed and was told no chemo needed and three years later he had mets to the spine and his lungs were covered in cancer. We were all so niave at the time about cancer we did not research any of it, so I don't know if we would have handled things differently or not.

I am a southern cook but try to eat healthy these days.  Last night I made smothered steak.  DH was sooooooooo happy to have something that was not all that healty.  I have to say it was really good.  I had to restrain myself from having 2nds.  I don't have a are recipe but I flour my tenderized steak and brown it.  Put it in a pan and then make gravy.  I slice onions and layer on the steak and then pour the gravy on top and bake for a couple of hours.  You can cut it with your fork.  Also for the gravy when I am making the roux I really cook the roux so it caramilizes so the gravy is a brown milk gravy.

Teka

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Blundin2005

SherryC, thanks so much for the information...always appreciated. We were in a steak mood too.

Our meal last night was grilled buffalo steaks (low cholesterol), baked potatoes turned on the grill, portabello mushrooms cooked with diced garlic in a bit of olive oil and white wine in an iron skillet on the grill, with a local red wine on sale.  

The Dr. appointment today was sobering. Surgery scheduled the 16th 8 am.

So tonight's dinner was grilled all beef hot dogs on grill toasted buns, side of dill pickle...dogs made locally. Baked beans...rose wine...bowl of cherries (like life) with dark chocolate squares for desert.

Buena notte,

M

6cats

Made chocolate zucchini bread yesterday... half whole wheat, half white flour. The recipe called for 2cups of sugar -- way too sweet. The only "spice" was vanilla, but from my perspective it lacked body/depth. Anyone have a favorite zucchini bread recipe to share. I think it needs additional spices, but I'm not sure what. Oh, it also calls for 1cup of vegetable oil... gotta figure out a way to get the oil down... other than that it was good!!

Marylinn -- so sorry to hear about your surgery... I pray everything goes well.

And thank you everyone for sharing dinner... just makes me hungry!!

sandpiper1

6cats, Sub applesauce for part of or equal parts of the oil. Makes whatever you are baking nice and moist too.

I often lurk here but don't post much. Too busy drooling all over the puter screen

I do hope You and Hubby are settling in Marilyn. Teka, the unstuffed cabbage casserole is a staple in my house. I make it with seasoned ground chicken or turkey.

Tonight I am tired, but had mushrooms and spinach that needed used before it went bad. I sauted onions and garlic with a little oil, then added some homeade beef broth and cooked down the mushrooms, then tossed in the spinach to wilt.

I also cubed some london broil: seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper and a touch of Shiraz cooked in the wok and topped off the spinach&mushrooms with it

I am going to make some kale chips too and a chopped beef and veggie salad recipe I saw on WQED local cooking show. The woman who made it is from El Salvador.

Looked yummy, but not sure I got all of the ingrediants correct. (cukes, red onion, green onion, radishes and cooked diced beef [eye of round - I am using london broil-cooked in a pot with salt/pepper and onion]). Limes for dressing I believe is all she used.

No matter-it can be adapted to my taste (and yours). Tomatoes are coming in. Cilantro is dead, but my other herbs are doing well (basil, oregano, parsley and lemon balm).

Happy cooking and looking forward to more savory postings.

xo

piper

Teka

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Mandy1313

Just got back so I missed your surgery Marilyn: rest and heal.  Sending some prayers up for your good health.

carollynn79

Marilyn hope all goes well and you are back at teh table soon,sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.

I have found that using fresh grated apple for 1/3 and frsh grated carrot for 1/3 of the zuccini make as very tasty loaf.  When I do this I cut the oil by 1/3 and it works well.  Doing lots of canning, made salsa and blackberry jam last week, we also had a wonderful blackberry cheese pie, used a grahm cracker crust, whipped a 1/2 of whipped gream and mixed with 4 ounces cream chhese and 1/4 cup powder sugar,put on bottom of crust and chilled, took 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbls of cornstarch and bring to a boil until clear, add one package of blackberry, raspberry jello, stir well remove from heat and cool, add to chilled cream cheese mix, chill until set, very good, can make lighter by using sugar free jello and fat free cool whip but I have been staying away form artifial sweetners. 

Been having more issues myself, had a hysto scope and D&C today, they removed an unexpected 1+" cyst today, will get reslult next week  Been a long year with several biopsies, so far all negative so hope this one is too!  Keeping busy with garden.

We froze sweetcorn and then I took the cobs and boiled them with sea salt, drained them, scrapped the corn from the cobs, froze in plastic quart jars.  Left soem in fridge and made vegtable chowder today, diced potatoes boiled 5 minutes, added chopped broccoli, and corn of one cob, sauted shallots and garlic in bacon fat, added milk and colby jack cheese, added to vegtable mix and whipped a littel with immersion blender.  Tasted good.  The corn broth has wonderful flavor so will use for vegtable soups. 

6cats

I am up to my elbows in fresh peaches... a delightful problem to have! Yesterday I made peach bread pudding, with cinnamon swirl bread, peaches, milk, eggs, cream, etc. Yummy!

Today I cut up peaches for pies... going to add the flour, sugar, etc to the fresh peaches, then freeze them in ziplocs in the pie pans I usually use. Has anyone tried this? Recommendations?

Anyone have a Peach salsa recipe?

Blundin2005

6 cats, what a great place to be! Up to your elbows in peaches! Enjoy every minute. Have you ever grilled them? I hear from people around here that's pretty tasty.

carolynn79, Yikes! Hope our new reality of chasing biopsies settles down long enough to tend our gardens. True enough that we love to eat what we grow. But we all know it is much more. Having said that, you've been busy as usual with your garden work and I'll bet the family is enjoying sitting around your table these days.

So chest tubes, epidural and folley came out yesterday. I was released from the hospital today. I've been eating salads and lots of mediterranean style items from the hospital menu to keep the body ready to return to 'normal'...still waiting for some evidence of that process, as pain meds are still on board. We all know that drill. DH is making a very large fruit salad for me evening meal...we had grilled hot dogs for lunch on the patio. It felt good to be home.

I grabbed a recipe to share with all of you from the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool newsletter. Cauliflower Gratin...verbatim. Somehow I don't think they will mind.

1 - 2-pound cauliflower head, cut into florets

1 - tablespoon unsalted butter

2 - tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

1 - cup 2% milk, cold

1/3 - cup cheddar cheese, grated

      - pinch ground nutmeg

      - salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and blanch until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well and place in an 8x8 baking dish. 

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle over flour and cook, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in cold milk. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over cauliflower and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes until gratin is bubbly and cheese has melted. Let cool 5 minutes and serve hot. Servies 4

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 176 total fat: 7 g; cholesterol: 22 mg; carbohydrate: 20 g; total dietary fiber: 6 g; protein 10 g.

buon appettito!

Mandy1313 & Teka...about the rest and mend....this is the hard part....hurry up and wait. My sister the OR nurse, flew in for the surgery..what a blessing she is. She also made chocolate chip cookies for the entire hospital staff. My brother arrived as a stop on his cross-country jaunt. My son drove up from San Jose for the surgery and will return Saturday for another couple of days. I lined up merry maids. DH and my bro are heading to UC Irvine for the clinical study on Sun. and return next Sat. I plan to rest a lot in that week. 

I just remembered...there are some of those cookies here for me! Excuse me, but I need to go now.

Teka

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Teka

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