So...whats for dinner?

Wench - You didn't say if you will have chemo.That throws everything out of whack. Yes, you can cook ahead for your family, but everyone reacts differently so who knows what you can eat. I spent most of 6 months eating only the BRAT diet and popycycles. I was fortunate not to have nausea, but I sure had the "Big D". Everything went straight through.

After surgery you will probably be on pain killers. Those cause the opposite effect, constipation. There's a good thread with things to eat to stay 'regular'.

My favorite is still our founder Laurie's Salsa Chicken (or pork, or turkey or...) So easy. I'll copy in a separate post.

LAURIE'S SALSA CHICKEN:
The salsa chicken recipe comes from a friend of mine.It great, easy and healthy.
Usually I hate left over but this one is the exception, 
it makes for great wraps or enchiladas a few nights later

2-4 chicken breasts- put them in a Pyrex dish and 
dump a jar of your favorite salsa over it.
Open a can of black beans and drain- dump that over it too.
Cover and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. 
(it works like a fast slow cooker and 
makes a sauce out of the black beans and salsa, 
the chicken just shreds apart.)

Make some brown rice and 2 minutes before you are ready to eat 
uncover the chicken and top with cheddar cheese, 
or mexican blend, what ever is handy,
We eat it using the salsa mixture on the rice as a type of sauce 
and a spoonful of sour cream on the chicken.

Whats great is it takes literally 2 minutes from fridge 
to oven AND you get to say you made dinner:)

Ziti - I combine cooked pasta with marinara (jarred or homemade), shredded mozzarella and a little ricotta, cooked protein (chicken, ground beef, meatballs), and mix together and place in a baking pan, then top with grated parmesan and more mozzarella - Bake at 350 F. for about 30 mins until bubbly. You can also freeze it assembled and then thaw and heat.

MacNCheese - make a white sauce with 1/4 c. flour and 1/4 c. butter or margarine melted and cooked for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add 3 c. milk to make a béchamel and cook until bubbling and thickened. Add cheese of quantity and choice and stir until melted and smooth. You can also add minced onion, a tablespoon of Dijon also, and salt & pepper. Combine with cooked pasta, and I usually add ham, and sometimes frozen green peas. I top with a little extra cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 F for about 30 mins. or golden on top.

Beef stew - dredge stew beef in seasoned flour and cook in oil. When beef is browned (but not cooked through) remove and add onion and garlic to the pan and cook just until golden. Add beef back in and add gravy (can use jarred) and a large can of diced tomatoes. I par boil potatoes with the skin on and carrots that have been peeled and chopped into big chunks, and when they are fairly tender add then to the beef mixture. You can continue cooking on the stove, or put this into the oven.

Anxiously awaiting word on the P'nut too!

SK - so very sorry about your FIL. It's good to have the support of everyone though and it's good that he can do things on his own terms. You're more than welcome to join us at the auxiliary Parent Support table. Carole, I envy your mother's attitude. Please send some to my dad.

Actually Monday, was a pretty good day. We met with the director of the Supportive Living (somewhere between assisted and nursing home) facility where we would like dad to go. He was pretty open about the thing. DH and I went to see the place after we left dad and were VERY impressed. It is smaller than his current space, but I don't think that's a bad thing considering his limited mobility. The place is in a lovely setting and is set up like a hotel really, with restaurant style meals, drinks and snacks available 24 hours a day, CNAs and a nurse on duty 24/7, transportation and lots of other perks. His big gripe -- it has a small refrigerator and he doesn't like it. (Lord, give me strength!) We are proceeding with the paperwork anyway. The rehab facility is having a planning meeting for him next week, which we will attend. I'm sure they will be pushing this placement. I think he would really like it if he would give it a chance. We shall see.

Hello Monica -- good to hear from you. The dandelion jelly is pretty!

I picked spinach from the garden today and with all the recent rain, all the planted seeds are popping up. Here are some pictures of the iris:

Not great pictures, but they are quite beautiful this year.

Tonight is Frogmore Stew (low country boil). Sandy, fried chicken is my favorite and I have uncontrollable craves for it too.

Susan - we're pushing for her - pun intended.

Lol minus, that's what dh and I said too! They also clean his apartment, change the bed linens and do his laundry once a week if he wants. Sign me up!

Olivia, my granddaughter has entered the world! She weighs in at 8lb, 4oz. I will go to meet her first thing tomorrow morning.

*susan*

WOO HOO!! No wonder she took her own sweet time getting here at over 8 lbs. Tomorrow will be so special. Congratulations to you and the lovely couple.

Awesome, Susan/grandma!!!!!

susan - congrats to all of you on the birth of beautiful Olivia, I am so excited for your whole family

She is beautiful Susan! Congratulations to all of you!

Congratulations Susan! Oh my, she is adorable! I love her name! Olivia is also my youngest GrandAngel's name... Sending much love and prayers to Olivia and for all of her new family!

Beautiful, she has a little smile!

Package of chicken thighs, skin on and bone in, thawing for dinner. I thought about doing Laurie's chicken salsa but we had tacos and then enchiladas the last two dinners. Instead I'll probably cook them in the small oven seasoned with onion and garlic and cayenne or chipotle pepper and let the skin get brown and crispy. We'll have a lettuce salad with add ins and asparagus as sides.

We have an Olivia in our family. She's a very smart and sweet 6-yr-old. There are usually one or two other Olivias in her classes since Olivia is currently one of the most popular girl names. It's funny because she likes making friends with another Olivia! I find the popularity of names interesting. My mother's name is Inez, pronounced eye-nez. There were two more ladies in our rural neighborhood named Inez so they were each called Inez plus their husband's name. My mother was Inez Elvin and another lady Inez Jake. Now the only females with the name Inez are Hispanic. My mother's prescription drug company was sending her statements in Spanish!

I just finished up a couple of hours of yard work and am sitting here sipping a cappuccino. Love my little espresso machine.

Carrie, are you looking for the mophead variety or Annabelles? I have lots of both kinds and an oak leaf as well.

Toasted ravioli and a wilted spinach salad with strawberries, bacon and toasted pecans for dinner tonight.