So...whats for dinner?

Laurie08

Michelle- I agree- your hair is looking great and I can't believe how fast it is growing....but the scarves and wigs looked great too- you're just a pretty lady

Debbie- I couldn't agree more with Michelle- I look for your post when I get up inthe morning too, I hope your doing ok and I am thinking of you.  A great big hug from me, I hope you can feel it.

Kay sorry I can't be of help with sweet potatoes, I am not a big fan and didn't grow up eating them so I don't make them (at my Dh's disappointment.)

chabba

Kay, a friend of mine makes special sweet potato dish for the adult table. She mashes them with a little brown sugar, butter and bourbon.  Very good.

MinusTwo

Debbie:  I to am sending prayers & keeping you in my thoughts.  Hope we hear from you soon with the scan results.  Jan

Laurie08

Thinking of you Debbie....

apple

seaside.. i hope those blisters heal quickly.. last week i stumbled and fell (over a toy airplane) on the gravel and caught myself with my palms.. my gosh they look absolutely awful.  Thankfully, they have pretty much healed and my hands have been fully functional.  i liked to 'dry out' burns at nite rther than keeping them covered... they seemed to heal more quickly that way.. as long as your bedding is relatively sterile.

Laurie08

I've got my pot roast in the crock pot.  No cooking for me tonight   I am fighting off this cold for all I am worth.  At the moment it feels as though it's winning.  Just took some more vitamin C, hopefully between that and a nap with the boys this afternoon and I'll be back in the lead...

jacksnana

Here is a sweet potato recipe my family loves.  None of us ever really cared for sweet potatoes much until this recipe.  It is almost like a dessert, so yummy.  I have used canned sweet potatoes and the dish is still really good, but using fresh makes it even more delicious.

Praline Sweet Potato Casserole

6 cups cooked sweet potatoes or yams

1 tsp vanilla

2 whole eggs

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Mix above ingredients thoroughly with mixer until smooth.  (Can be made ahead and refrigerated until baking)

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup softened butter or margarine

Mix thoroughly and chill.  Sprinkly on top of sweet potatoes just before putting in the oven and bake at 350 30-45 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top.

apple

that sounds good jacksnanna.. really good.

i guess we are having rye sourdough and lentil soup

SeasideMemories

Debbie....

 You are still in my thoughts and prayers!    We miss hearing from you hope you had a nice time with your Dad!

deborye

Prayers coming from Massachusetts.

LuvRVing

It was so nice all day so DH cooked ribeye steaks on the grill tonight.  I made baked sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and sauteed mushrooms with garlic, shallots and red wine.  We actually sat at our bar instead of in our chairs...lol! 

Seaside - that is a precious picture!  How are your burns doing?  Hope they are healing well and not causing too much pain.

Laurie - hope that cold gives up on you and you get some rest tonight.  I need to make something in my crockpot...haven't done that in years.  I have used it to keep things hot when I take chili or soup somewhere, but I havent actually cooked something.  Time to dig up a couple of recipes.

SeasideMemories

Michelle,

Rib-eyes are my husband's favorite!  So sounds good to me!  I agree... That picture has become a favorite of mine.. I have a soft spot in my heart for children and animals... 

Things as far as the burn don't look as bleak today... I only have raised blisters on my index finger and thumb... The rest turned into burned patches but, not fluid filled... Thank goodness it was my left hand and I am right handed...  Tonight was leftover chicken!

Laurie,

Hope the roast was good and that you can nip that cold in the bud!!! Geez, there seems to be so many various illnesses going around!  I hope this isn't reflective of how this winter is going to go!  I know it is a bit of preaching to the choir but... I have heard from many others that pneumonia (both viral and bacterial) is making the rounds!  With your son just having had a bout with it, be sure that, if you feel this is anything more severe than a cold, that you get thee to the doctor, pronto! 

Laurie08

Seaside- I have to ask- how do I know if it's anything more than a cold?  I am a suck it up kind of girl and only tend to go if it becomes unbearable- which is almost never.  Although, I did go last time at Michelles advice and had a sinus infection....looks like you ladies are taking care of me

carolehalston

Dinner tonight was fresh green beans and small golden potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder and two slices of bacon, cut into small pieces and browned in the pot before adding water, some chicken broth and the beans and potatoes.  Also homemade fish sticks made with halibut out of the freezer (caught in Alaska this summer on our rv trip).  I used a recipe out of Cooking Light.  Coated the fish in flour dipped it into an egg mixture and then coated it with panko crumbs.  Baked in hot oven on pre-heated pan. 

I love sweet potatoes.  Grew up eating them.  They have to be "aged" for a time after they're dug in order to be good for baking.  My mother bakes them unwrapped in a pan until the skins are dark and the sugar is oozing out.  Left over baked sweet potatoes are delicious when panfried in a little butter.  I usually peel them and slice them length-ways and brown them in the hot butter until they're crusty on the outside.

DH and I will be in IL at his sister's house for Thanksgiving.  She always cooks a traditional sweet potato dish that is very sweet with brown sugar and eggs and vanilla and topped with browned marshmallows.  It is served in her (and DH's) grandmother's special serving bowl.  Which, of course, has to be hand-washed along with the china and crystal and silverware and other serving dishes.  She uses fresh baked potatoes, not canned.

I'm just as glad to be a guest and lend a hand rather than be in charge of cooking a big holiday meal.  Lazy me.

deborye

I will be having about 11 over for Thanksgiving.

Your such a good cook Michelle

We had tuna sandwiches for supper but it was good. 

SeasideMemories

Laurie,



I usually go by a couple of things.... I tend to give any illness that feels routine about 5 days.... The general trend normally is... Feel a little crappy day 1... Day 2 and 3 are horrid... Day 4 you feel a pinch better and the the 5th day you feel like you've turned the corner.... It may linger on for a bit but, you feel like you are on the mend.... Anything that goes longer without any improvement may warrant a visit to the Dr.



Also, anything more severe, like difficulty breathing, severe cough, high fever, stiff neck warrants not taking a wait it out but rather a Dr appointment...



That being said... I had a cold last month... my first in 2 years and it just did NOT want to let go! I had a temp, aches and chills along with fatigue for 3 days, felt a bit better for a couple days and then, wham.... the sneezing, runny nose, cold junk set in..... Took the better part of 2 weeks before I was done.... Never progressed to something where I had to go to the Dr.... Just a real pain!

SeasideMemories

Carolehalston,



We go to my brother's house for Thanksgiving... He does dinner for roughly 20... He provides the Turkeys (he does 3... 2 roasted and 1 deep fried).... My Mom helps.... The rest of us bring a side or dessert... It's crazy yet fun!



Deborye,



Your menu sounds so good! I'm afraid I have not yet mastered getting that many things to be ready all at the same time! Glsd your daughter is coming in to help!

debbie6122

Thank-you all so much for your prayers and sweet words, You make me feel loved! Your all so wonderful- Loved the picture seaside- that is the cutest thing I've ever seen.!! (sorry about your burn) ;-(((

We got home late tonight, had a message from the hospital to call and make an appointment to come in a do a MRI- Hope they can get me right in so I dont have to much longer for results and radiolosgist probably won't tell me much tomorrow but I will call the Onoc's office tomorrow and see if they will tell me anything or as too why they are having me do the MRI.

I had a bone density test 2 years ago and it showed I had very low bone density and was suppose to take boniva but it made my bones hurt really bad so had to stop taking it. I'm pretty sure it is probably arthritis or osteoathritis. I probably shouldnt have mentioned it until I knew for sure but I thought the prayers couldnt hurt

Laurie- Hope you get better soon!

Will let you all know anything as soon as I know- 

Kay_G

No news is good news Debbie, must mean they haven't found anything, but are being diligent and just making sure. I wam continuing to send you good thoughts.



Laurie, I hope you feel better. I stay out of doctors as long as possible too.



Jacksnana, thank you for that recipe, it sounds good! I think I will try it for thanksgiving. I made a turkey breast last night with a sweet potato cranberry casserole recipe I found on line. DH really liked it. I did too, was trying to use up some cranberries we got from CSA. I like the sound of yours better though.



Had my every three month echo for herceptin yesterday. Found out there has been a big change in my heart and now it is functioning somewhere between low normal and mild heart failure. The fun never ends with this. Will see a cardiologist this week. Onc told me not to worry, they will be able to get the function back up. Does anyone else feel just when they relax and feel comfortable the other shoe always seems to drop?

LuvRVing

Debbie - it's so good to hear from you!  We'll all be sending positive thoughts for an MRI that shows nothing serious.  Hope you can feel the love!

Kay - (((hugs))).  I know what you mean - that is exactly how I felt early this year when I had thought my BC journey was over, and then...I found out I had barely just begun!  I wonder if your cardiologist will have an opinion about continuing with herceptin.  It's hard not to be worried, regardless of your onc's comment. 

Laurie - I agree with Seaside's comments about not waiting too long to go to the doctor.  My daughter waited and waited, then went for an inhaler and drugs to help with the cough.  Finally, after at least three weeks, she went back and they put her on a z-pack.  She probably had pneumonia by the time she got antibiotics.  There's a fine line between toughing it out and waiting too long. 

Carole - homemade fish sticks, what a yummy idea!  Unfortunately, my DH would prefer I never cook fish.  i can sneak it in there once in a while, preferably on the grill.  He'll eat shellfish, though.  I took a cue from the grocery stores where they are selling sweet potatoes wrapped in plastic and ready for the microwave.  So that's what I did with mine.  Ten minutes, then resting for a few minutes and they were nice and soft, ready for butter and a little cinnamon/splenda mix.  Very yummy!

Deborye - thanks for the compliment.  I've been cooking since I was 10.  My dad decided that I would not be like my mother, who couldn't boil water when they got married.  So I learned very early.  By the time I was 12, I could pull off the whole family dinner - there were 6 of us.  And I baked the birthday cakes for everyone until I was 16. 

Seaside - cooking a big holiday meal is like Project Management 101. I remember being in a project management training class and the instructor asked who had never managed a project. Many women raised their hands and so I said, "if you've cooked Thanksgiving dinner, you've managed a project!"

Joycek should be flying home today from Florida.  I'm hoping she checks in with us soon.

I have an appt with my RO early this afternoon.  Hopefully this show will get on the road soon. I'd like to be done with treatments.

carolehalston

Seaside, that's pretty much the way my family does Christmas.  We gather at my sister's house, which is laid out to accommodate a large group.  She usually cooks a turkey which her DH gets from his employer.  Also mashed potatoes w/ cream cheese.  Also fresh cranberries.  Somebody else, a brother or me, cooks a large pork roast stuffed Cajun style with chopped green onions, garlic and cayenne pepper, s & p.  One SIL brings a big pan of cornbread dressing.  I bring several dishes, including German potato salad out of the old Good Housekeeping recipe book, creamed spinach and artichoke casserole, sometimes a corn casserole, maybe a green salad that hardly anyone eats.  Dessert isn't a highlight, but we usually have an assortment of pies, cookies, and cakes. 

It's self-serving buffet style.  No alcohol because the dominant religion among the group is Baptist.  Beverages are cola or water.  Coffee later.  And we eat between noon and 1 pm. 

Thanksgiving at my SIL's house in ILL will be about 4pm.  By then everyone is starving.  Service is family style at the table with all the dishes passed.  Red and white wine and water.   Beautifully set table with a centerpiece.  Place cards made by the grandchildren.  It's all very Norman Rockwell and nice and totally unlike holidays in my family where the emphasis is on the food and visiting.  I guess we lack class!

My mother loves for us to have a shrimp mold with crackers to snack on prior to a holiday dinner but we eat too early to allow for snacking before such a large meal.  There are lots of left-overs and most of the family take something home with them.

Laurie08

Michelle- I hope your appointment went well this afternoon.

Kay- I can not imagine how frustrated you must be about the heart test.  I am so sorry you got not great news, but I am glad that you can heal from it.  I have a friend with stage IV that went through the same thing and her heart is back in good condition now, but it was a very low time for her when she got crappy initial results.  ((hugs))

Joyce- Have a safe trip and let us know you got here ok.  I hope your fatigue goes away once you get home in your own bed and perhaps relax a bit.

Debbie- Thanks for keeping us posted on how you're doing, it was nice to wake up to your post this morning.

Carol- Your Thanksgiving sounds great, I am glad my house is not the only house that dessert is not the highlight.  Since I am the one who makes it it's always pretty simple.  My husband however cooks the most amazing turkey, it always looks like something from a magazine!

I am hanging in there health wise.  It's not getting any worse or better, more of a holding pattern.  If I don't see improvement by Friday maybe I'll go to a Dr.  Tonight my husband has to work late so I am thinking quesadilla's for me and the boys.

LuvRVing

Joyce - hope your trip home is uneventful and you don't get stuck in Baltimore.  I'll call you tomorrow.

I am home from my RO visit.  I have my hour-long planning session on Thursday - there will be 5 tattoos - I tried to talk them into using a marker but it was not going to happen.  If it happens the way it was described, none will be visible except maybe the ones down the breastbone if I am in a bathing suit.  Not happy but it's all about pinpoint accuracy, so it's hard to argue about it.   I'll have my dry run on 11/29 then rads will start the next day.  I'll be doing 30 sessions with the only boosts going to my scar line.  On the one hand I am not looking forward to the daily trips; on the other hand, I just want to be done. 

We usually have Thanksgiving dinner around 4:00.  We learned a long time ago that everyone likes to have pork pie (tortiere) in the morning so we eat those around 9 or 10.  And we'll have dessert around 7, after we've cleaned up the dinner mess and everyone has had a chance to digest their stuffing.

Laurie08

Michelle- do you do the pork stuffing?

LuvRVing

Laurie - I haven't made it in a long time because we have the pork pies in the morning and DH likes sausage cornbread stuffing. But I have made it - in my family it's essentially the same as the pork pie filling (the meat mixed with potatoes).  My ex-husbands mother mixed it with bread so that it was more like a typical stuffing.  Do you make it?

bedo

LuvRVing I hope things go well for you. I had my f/u rads appt today I asked if I could get the breast bone one removed.  I got a very reluctant yes from the RO, but not the others.because if it returns they want to know what was radiated  I asked if it could be brown instead of black, was told, brown doesn't last

Laurie Glad you are hanging in there.  With kids get checked out early they bring so many things home.  Gosh, I sound like I'm talking about my cats and mice!  But glad you're doing better Take care of yourself!

To the rest, I am hoping for the best for you.

For dinner. tonight and the last 2 nights and probably tomorrow lentle soup with spinach, crackers, and tonight local herb and garlic cheese.  I'm on a budget and tend to make a huge pot of soup and eat it all week with crackers, bread and salad or fruit/cheese.

Laurie08

Michelle- I do make the pork stuffing- it's basically hot gorton in a different consistency.  No matter how much I make- it is always eaten!

Bedo- thanks!  Your soup sounds good, I have a black bean soup I haven't made in forever, you  might have inspired me

Kids are gobbling down the quesadillas as I type, I love full bellies with no fight!

debbie6122

MRI is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 pm. They didn't really give me a reason, just said they wanted a better look. 

Michelle- I Hope your rads go fast and uneventful for you, I never had rads before, are the tatoos permanent?  Keeping you in my prayers too! 

Kay- Sending you good thoughts and prayers for you, I'm sorry your test turned out not so good on your echo, hoping as Laurie said it can mend it self and get stronger.

Joyce- Hope you made your connection and are home safe now.

Carol- Your menu sounds really delicious for Thanksgiving. And gotta have that wine with it too LOL!

Laurie- Seems like I'm repeating myself with things going on with everyone this week, but hope you get better too soon and dont wait to go in to the ER if it goes in your chest!

Bedo- Your soup sounds yummy, I made chili with corn bread tonight was really good.

It will just be me and my DH for thanks-giving this year, he has to work but will be home around 4 or 5 so I will make a turkey breast with dressing on the side, sweet potatoes, green bean bundles, fruit salad, and mashed potatoes and gravy

What is a pork pie? Must be a east coast food.

Kay_G

Never heard of porkpie either and I've been an east coast girl all my life. I am guessing it's French? Debbie, your menu sounds delicious, pretty much what we will be having. And my DD told me yesterday to make sure I don't forget the pills bury crescent rolls. LOL, must have omitted them one year, my son is coming home from grad school (he's 23), with his girl friend for thanksgiving. Yikes!

Not worried that they're serious, just nervous to meet her.



Debbie, thinking of you with your MRI today. I am sending strong thoughts for good news and no anxiety. Good luck.



Thanks everyone on the thoughts and ideas on the heart. They really do not seem concerned, so that must be a good sign. See cardiologist tomorrow.

LuvRVing

Pork pie, or tourtiere, is French Canadian but very popular here in the upper northeast because there are lots of us with that heritage here in the area.  You can buy these pies in some grocery stores or bakery shops, even though you can't find them anywhere else in the country.  In my family, we make them by taking ground pork butt (not just any ground pork will do), salt, onions, cinnamon and cloves and cook it on top of the stove until the meat is nicely done.  You don't want to brown the meat so it's more "boiled" than browned.  We use about a quart of cooked meat and mix it with 3 or 4 medium potatoes that have been boiled.  Mash that all together and put it in a pie shell, cover with the second pie crust and bake.  Like marinara or any other ethnic food, there are lots of variations in spices, specific meats used, and mixers.  Some recipes call for mushrooms and bread crumbs.  But my recipe is the way my Memere made it and she was from Quebec.  A similar regional specialty is salmon pie, easily made with canned salmon and potatoes.  It's another version of a tourtiere and again, you will find regional differences.

The "gorton" that Laurie mentioned is the same pork that is used in the pie.  To make gorton, you cook the meat for a few hours so that when it cools, you can use it as a pate.  Gorton on toast is a very popular breakfast around our house.  So I usually cook about 5 pounds of pork butt with all the seasonings, take out enough for a pork pie after about an hour, then finish off the rest of it to make gorton. 

Debbie - the rads tattoos are permanent.  If I want them removed, I'll have to go visit deborye's employer after I finish.  Good luck with your MRI today, sending positive thoughts for nothing serious. 

Joyce - did you make it home last night?

Laurie - are you better this morning?  My DD finally went to the doctor, she is on her second course of antibiotics after the z-pack didn't do a thing to help.  She may have pneumonia, the doctor said she heard rattling in her left lung. 

Bedo - I could get my tattoos removed as I won't be able to have the same area radiated ever again...this is the second time for my left side.