Sunday, December 30, 2018

Just The Filling, Please

We made homemade Runza for Christmas eve this year with our usual Sausage Tortellini soup. Of course I had a bit more filling than bread so it went into the fridge.

Now Runza is a great idea but not so much at the local shop these days. They have amazing burgers but the Runza sandwich seems a little mushy and less than fresh these days especially when compared to these homemade beauties.

I made this filling and used Rhodes Texas Size frozen rolls for the bread component. They make perfect mini sandwiches but drives my blood sugar skyward due to the carby bread. Tonight I had just small bowl of leftover filling with a slice of American Cheese melted over the top for a really tasty, low carb dinner. It was so good.

Here is how I make my Runza filling:

1 to 1 1/2 pound ground beef 85%
1 package of coleslaw mix
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbls butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper.
Saute the onion in butter till translucent, add the ground beef and cook till no longer pink. drain if need but leave some fat to wilt the slaw you add next along with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Cook till the cabage slaw is tender crisp, sample to adjust seasoning, then set aside to cool.

After the rolls rise, flatten them out into oblongs, fill with a heaping tablespoon of filling and a 1/4 to 1/2 slice of  American Cheese. I especially like Kroeger brand as its thick and tasty. Seal the roll and place seam side down on parchment. Bake at 350 till golden brown. 

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Lasagna Bolognese


Big big family gatherings demand big food and this fits the bill. A giant pan of Lasagna Bolognese. If I found this recipe on another blogger’s site and made the sauce right way with the left over ground beef I had from making Runzas. Another delicious endeavor that were devoured on Christmas Eve. 
An ambitious undertaking, making the pasta, doubling the recipe to fit the 12 by 18  pan and handling the hot pasta right out of the boiling water. You definitely need asbestos hands for this. Assembled in 5 grand layers, there is no ricotta here, just pasta and layers of Bolognese sauce and bechamel. I used every bit of all with about a pound of freshly grated Parmesan and a Romano. 
It baked in about an hour at 400 and did not disappoint. Lighter than regular with super thin pasta and lacking the heavy filling, I tried to get a post cut glamour shot but it did not hold its shape well unless I waited for it to cool completely. No chance of that. 

Here’s the recipe from Smitten Kitchen’s blog



Bolognese sauce
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1-inch pieces are fine)
1 large or 2 slim carrots, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
1 1/4 cups tomato paste (from 2 6-ounce cans)
2 cups red wine, preferably hearty but really, anything you like to drink
Water as needed
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs thyme, tied in a bundle

Pasta
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 to 2 tablespoons water, if needed

Béchamel sauce
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon table salt
1 clove minced garlic
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

To assemble
1 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Day 1: Make the bolognese sauce: In a food processor, pulse onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until finely chopped. Heat a moderate-sized Dutch oven (4 to 5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Once hot, coat the bottom of the pan with two to three tablespoons of oil. Once it is hot, add the chopped vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they are evenly brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.

I’m going to insert my favorite Burrell-ism here: Brown food tastes good! Don’t skimp on the cooking times as this creates the big flavors the will carry right through to your plated lasagna. And now I’m going to insert my own-ism: Don’t worry about sticking bits of food or uneven pieces or anything. It’s all going to work out in the end.

Add the ground beef and seasoning again with salt and pepper. Brown the beef well and again, don’t rush this step. Cook for another 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, using it to scrape up any stuck bits in the pan. Cook the wine until it has reduced by half, about 5 more minutes. Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything, bringing it to a low simmer.

Here’s how the next 3 to 4 hours will go: You’ll keep a pitcher of water near the stove. You’ll stir the sauce from time to time. As the water in the sauce cooks off, you’ll want to add more but you don’t want to add more than 1 to 2 cups at a time or you’ll have boiled meat sauce (bleh) rather than something thick and robust with flavor. Taste it from time to time and add more seasoning if needed. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours.

You’ll have about 8 to 8 1/2 cups of sauce but will only need 4 for the lasagna. Discard the thyme and bay leaves and put half in the fridge for lasagna assembly tomorrow and the other half in the freezer for up to a couple months. Ours was still as good as day one after 6 weeks.

Day 2: Make your pasta: Combine all of the pasta ingredients in a food processor. Run the machine until the mixture begins to form a ball. You’re looking for a dough that is firm but not sticky. If needed, add water a drop at a time until it comes together. Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and invert a bowl over it. Let it rest for an hour. (You’ll have about 10 ounces or a little less than 2/3 pound of fresh pasta dough.)

Get your work area ready; I like to line a large tray with waxed paper. Dust the waxed paper with flour. Keep more waxed paper and flour nearby.

Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, run in through your pasta roller on the widest setting (usually “0”), then repeat this process with the roller set increasingly smaller (1, 2, 3) until the pasta is very thin. My Atlas machine goes to 9 but I almost always stop at 8 because this setting makes for thin, delicate pasta that’s not so fragile that I’m pulling my hair out with frustration trying to move it around.

If you find your dough sticking, lightly flour it. If it gets too big to handle, cut it in half. If the piece gets too wide for the machine or becomes annoyingly irregularly shaped, I re-“fold” the dough by folding the sides of the dough into the middle, like an envelope, and press it flat. Then, run the piece back through the machine with the open sides up and down on the widest setting again (0) working your way thinner. This allows the machine to “press” any trapped air out.

Lay your pasta on the floured waxed paper in a single layer, trying to keep the pieces from touching. Flour the tops of them and place another sheet of floured wax paper on top. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and as many layers of pasta you need.

Next, cook your pasta: Cut your pasta lengths into square-ish shapes. The fun thing about making fresh pasta for lasagna is that the shape doesn’t much matter; you’re going to tile together whatever you have and nobody will care if it took 9 or 16 bits to patch the layer together. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Have ready a skimmer, a large bowl of ice water and a large tray or platter that you’ve drizzled or spritzed with oil. Boil several of squares of noodle at a time for 1 to 2 minutes each (1 minute if you, indeed, went to the thinnest setting on your machine; 2 if you, like me, stopped one shy of thinnest). Scoop them out with your skimmer, swish them in the ice water and lay them out (still wet is fine) on the oiled platter. Repeat with remaining pasta. It’s okay to have your noodles touch; they shouldn’t stick together in the short period of time until you begin assembling but if you’re nervous, you can drizzle or spritz each layer very lightly with more oil.

Make your béchamel: Melt your butter in the bottom of a medium-to-large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add your flour and stir it into the butter until smooth. Cook the mixture together for a minute, stirring constantly. Pour in a small drizzle of your milk*, whisking constantly into the butter-flour mixture until smooth. Continue to drizzle a very small amount at a time, whisking constantly. Once you’ve added a little over half of your milk, you’ll find that you have more of a thick sauce or batter, and you can start adding the milk in larger splashes, being sure to keep mixing. Once all of the milk is added, add the salt, garlic, nutmeg (if using) and few grinds of black pepper, and bring the mixture to a lower simmer and cook it, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

* Yes, cold is fine. I divert from the proper béchamel method here as I’ve found that as long as you add your milk slowly, you do not need to heat it separately first. Hooray for fewer steps and pots!

At last, you may assemble your dish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9×13-inch or equivalent rectangular baking dish, spread a generous 1/4 cup of the béchamel. I mostly use this to keep the noodles from sticking. Add your first layer of cooked noodles, patching and slightly overlapping them however is needed to form a single layer. Ladle 1 cup bolognese sauce over the noodles, spreading it evenly. Drizzle 1/2 cup béchamel over the bolognese; don’t worry about getting it perfectly smooth or even. Sprinkle the layer with 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat this process — pasta + 1 cup bolognese + 1/2 cup béchamel + 1/3 cup parmesan — three more times, then add one more layer of pasta. You’ll use 5 layers of pasta total.

There are two ways to finish the dish. You can simply sprinkle the top layer of pasta with your remaining parmesan before baking. This makes the crunchiest lid. I like a semi-crunchy lid and first spread 1/4 cup béchamel over the top layer of pasta before sprinkling it with the remaining cheese. It still gets crunchy — and has corners that are worth fighting over — but never unpleasantly so.

Bake your lasagna for 30 to 45 minutes, until bubbly all over and browned on top. You should do absolutely nothing but put your feet up and drink a glass of wine while you do; you’ve earned it. When it comes out of the oven, I like to let it rest for 10 minutes before serving it.

Do ahead: Lasagna can be prepared right up until the baking point a day in advance, and kept wrapped in plastic in the fridge. Theoretically, you could also freeze it at this point but I haven’t tried this. I’ll update this to say “go for it” if many people respond in the comments that they’ve done so successfully. Lasagna will also reheat well for up to three days, possibly longer but in my apartment, we’ve never had the chance to find out.




Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Sous Vide Bandwagon

Lot's of interested parties regarding the Sous Vide cooking we do at the Denich House. Its quite a foreign concept to some that you can cook a whole roast of beef  in a water bath and have it turn out so well. As for us and our house, a steak only gets cooked in the sous vide. This way I am assured that I won't completely ruin a nice cut of expensive meat and it will be tender and juicy but there can be some pitfalls.

This Christmas I cooked 2 New York Strip roasts. One over night in the sous vide and one for just 5 hours. They did not turn out the same at all and frankly I was a little surprised.

The over-nighter was cooked far too well. It could have been the long rest time or that it just cooked too long. I expected it to be more tender than the short cooked one but it was not and was done throughout. Too done. My oven was just not big enough to cook 2 roast this size but the 2nd roast was a bright medium rare through out even after a reverse sear and hold in the oven.

We purchased Benjamin a unit for Christmas this year, and Anova Stick Sous Vide. I am hoping it works as well as my oven for him and according to Nicholas it will. He uses his quite a bit also.

I rarely use the vacuum sealer any longer as water displacement and freezer bags does a great job at containing the meat. I have used the method for everything from chicken to lobster tails with great success. This roast last night was my first over cooked disappointment. Not sure what happened but I have no reason to cook a roast like this that long. Those cooking times are reserved for tougher cuts like a brisket.


Sunday, December 16, 2018

New York Cheescake recipe

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups (one pint) sour cream, room temperature
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest





Directions:
Generously butter the inside of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil tightly around the outside bottom and sides, crimping and pleating the foil to make it conform to the pan. This will help to prevent water seeping into the pan when you put it into the bain-marie. Position the baking rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 300* Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sour cream until well blended.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and creamy.

Add this to the egg-sour cream mixture and beat until smooth.
Add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat thoroughly, about 2 minutes.

Pour into the prepared springform pan and place in a roasting pan (or other pan) large enough to prevent the sides from touching. Place in the oven and carefully pour in enough very hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake for 2 hours, 15 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a knife inserted in the center emerges clean. Remove from the water bath and carefully peel the aluminum foil from around the pan. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 4 hours. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled. For best flavor and texture, this cheesecake is best chilled overnight.

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Monday, December 10, 2018

Better Living Through Bionics

You may or might not know I have diabetes, type 2. I struggle daily to keep my sugar under control with my treatment plan that includes diet and medications including some night time insulin.   I began to see an endocrinologist a few months ago to get me back on track and manage this illness more thoroughly.  He suggested a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) but lamented the cost and that our new insurance would not cover the device and monthly expense.
I had nothing to lose so I called my company and they actually do cover some of the cost and had a company I needed to use. The device came last week and I put it to use right away. No more finger sticks! Yay me! It monitors my sugar every minute and I check several more times a day than I did sticking my fingers. The sensor lasts 2 weeks before needing a change and my iPhone tracks it all! The downside is  I occasionally catch the sensor on the door jamb and there is a needle there so it hurts a bit.  I think the next one needs to move a little more posterior.
I am so happy to live in this age and be a part of these scientific wonders. Monitoring has been revealing some interesting insights to my daily life and nighttime activity. Turns out that bedtime snack is a huge deal and prevents me from dipping pretty low while sleeping. I look for more protein based snacks during the day to prevent spikes and refrain from foods when I am running high. As you can imagine, this feeds into my obsessiveness about my sugars, in a good way.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Pizzelles and family


Definitely an acquired taste, these are not for everyone as they have anise as the flavoring and not many love the taste of licorice. I do as an adult, but not so much when I was a kid. Most of the appeal for these cookies is the memory of making them with my mom, one at a time with a heavy iron that came from Fante’s in Philly.  The recipe was a closely guarded secret by mom although I am not sure why. I believe I saw it on the packing that came with the iron. 
There are several varieties and flavors now and I have made gingerbread pizzelles but these elicit the fondest memories. 
I had the recipe printed on dish towels after mom died but it wasn’t in her had, she had typed it on a card. Too funny but typical. I had a hard time telling from her recipes which ones she wrote and which ones I wrote for her. Very similar penmanship. 
The debate recently with my cousins on Facebook centered around using he heavy single iron or an electric that makes 2 at a time and quite quickly. I use the electric although my gas range would do the job well, I’m afraid I would crack my granite counter with the iron.  

So here goes with minor variations from the original recipe mostly dealing with the flavoring. I use anise extract, seed, fennel seed and today, star anise powdered by hand. Star anise is quite strong so a little went a long way.

Pizzelles
6 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 sticks of butter, melted and cooled
1 tbl baking powder
1/2 teas baking soda
8 cups flour
1 tbl anise extract
2 teaspoons crushed anise seed
1 teaspoons crush fennel
1 star anise ground. 

Combine eggs and sugar and beat with mixer till ribbons form.  Add the cooled butter and beat thoroughly. Add the crushed seeds and extract and mix in. In another bowl, combine the baking powder, soda and flour.  Add the flour in batches. The dough will be quite stiff. Check the flavor, the time to add more is now.  I used a 1 ounce scoop to fill my baker and cooked till light brown. On the electric, the steam will lessen. Remove the cookies to a wire rack and let cool. They will crisp up as the dry. Store in a zip lock bag. I usually make just half a recipe at a time and yes cousin Bob, I use my Kitchen Aid. 


Sunday, October 21, 2018

Eating Omaha...Hook and Lime

We had the distinct pleasure of getting tickets to The Dead South last night at the Slowdown venue.  It was a chilly evening and dinner was just across the street. Doors opened at 7 so we hit the eatery, Hook and Lime, about 6. Mostly tacos and drinks, the girls had margaritas and I had a Pacifico beer. We ordered every taco on the menu and none disappointed. The chips and salsa trio was a big hit as well. Nice place, great service, quick orders filled. Nice spot to hit before the show.

There were 2 opening acts, the first was ‘meh’ but the Whiskey Shivers was great but x rated language made me cringe, and I curse like a sailor.

The main act did not take the stage until close to 10, very late for this old guy but the show was mesmerizing. The act was like and old time revival with bare bulbs and amber glow at times. The bluegrass was impeccable and the cast of 4 was quite likeable. They were quite surprised the venue sold out and mentioned that more than once. These guys have a lot of fun and you could tell.

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

https://icxcpainter.blogspot.com/2014/09/pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-with-caramel.html


Above is the link for the rolls but since I have been making them, I have some things I do differently these days. For starters I use the whole can of pumpkin. I increased my use of the spices and used the Tangzhong starter for the dough as it made the rolls super tender.  I added another  1/2 cup of the liquid with about 1/2 c of flour and made a roux with I then added to the dough before the rest of the flour. I increased the liquid cause I like my dough a bit wet. I let it sit 40 minutes after mixing then mixed/kneaded (with the mixer) again before allowing it to rise. It will no longer be sticky and wet after the 40 minutes.
This year, I made the dough ahead of time and formed it to rolls, placed in the pan and froze them for several days before thawing them in the fridge and allowing the to rise in the cold.  They are awaiting baking early in the morning for Brenda’s work crew.
Please remember that my recipes are mostly suggestions and I riff off them every time I use them, changing and noting what works and what does not.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

How are you feeling?

As I walk through the rest of my life I guess I am bound to get the head tilt, pouty lips and question, 'How are you feeling?' I am great now that I am eating somewhat normally and not puking. You can stop asking now, I mean that in the nicest way possible but I’m not sick anymore.

Dealing with the daily mess of my diversion choice which really I don't think about that much unless my Apple Watch goes off to remind me to empty the bag every 2 hours or sooner. Really, after I returned to work I cannot say I felt anything but ok. No radiation or chemo made that possible but there was nothing left in me to treat really. While I had cancer and am a cancer survivor, of sorts, In reality I don’t have the concerns of breast cancer victims for reoccurrence so I feel a bit like a poser. Of course, no one is taking glamour shots of me and holding dinners for my survivorship but I didn’t suffer months of ‘curative’ treatments either.

I wear scrubs at work now because the belts I usually wear caused issues when sitting all day and although my co worker was kind enough to fashion a guard for me on his 3D printer, I still get occasional leaks in regular clothes which can be super annoying. Its all part of the deal and dealing with daily life. The problem of my stoma being directly at my waist and waistbands cutting it in two.

I had my first follow up CT this week which was clean. I, personally,  was not expecting anything else but my Family Practice Dr. put the seeds of doubt in my head. I reviewed all the final Pathology reports at work before the scan and was pretty confident I had nothing to worry about.  Mackenzie did my worrying for me and was so relieved with the news.

The big life  test is coming up as we head for our annual pilgrimage to Mexico and I have to figure out how to conceal my stuff in the pool or on a chaise lounge.  I bought several Rash Guard shirts to wear but when I was about 20 pounds lighter so we will see how that works out. I might have to ban the cameras this trip. We stayed overnight at Matt and Lori's a few months ago and that went well. Just a lot of extra work to ensure I am covered in case of untoward events. And the air travel...inflated bags due to pressure etc. Something new to deal with since you cannot vent the bags. We will bring a pin just in case I need a little pressure relief mid air.

All in all, life is good and I have no complaints. I’m ok, let’s talk about something else.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

So where were you on 9-11?

I remember this day clearly as I had just landed in D.C. on Monday for the annual Transcatheter Therapy Conference (TCT) and was looking forward to registration on Tuesday. It was to be a  quick trip and I was mostly about the vendor show as we were in the market for some equipment at work.

I had left Monday in my usual rush, looking forward to D.C. as always and the conference was always a good source of information and reconnecting with a lot of people I knew in the industry. I didn't take much cash with me, typical poor planning on my part but rarely did I need cash at these things. There were lots of reps that offer dinner and a lot of dinner meetings offered by major companies.  My hotel was the JW Marriot on the corner of the National Mall just down the street from the White House and a great view of the Washington Monument from my window on the 4th floor. D.C. was a busy, bustling madhouse Tuesday morning as usual. The TV was on but I was busy getting ready to register and grab some breakfast when the phone rang in my room. Brenda, asking if I was Ok?

A plane just flew into one of the twin towers. I could now see that on TV. Not sure why this did not register earlier but they were talking about the Oklahoma City bombing and I wasn't following closely. As she said something about a plane also hitting the Pentagon, I looked out the window precisely as a plume of black smoke drifted behind the memorial across the way.  It was all so surreal as I looked around my limited view of the city and noticed snipers on the roof next door and a huge array of sirens and activity down below.

The rest of the day was a blur as I tried to sort out what to do in the event of a massive catastrophe and being so far from home. The registration never opened that day or the ensuing days and eventually the conference was cancelled after a brief plenary session with all the attendees that had shown up.  The roads in and out of the city were blocked so if you were not there Monday or early Tuesday corning, you were not coming in our going out. The next few days were stunned silence and little movement on the streets below.

I remember finding the National Orthodox Russian cathedral on a map and started walking as it was the feast of the Elevation of the Cross. No buses or taxis were operating and the city, by Thursday, was a ghost town. All the hustle and bustle had subsided and no one was around. After about 3+  miles I found the church just past the Naval Observatory and stayed there for most of the afternoon as it was going to be a long walk back to the hotel. The bells and familiar service and vigil were a comfort and I could have stayed there forever. I really had nothing better to do. On Friday, the Smithsonian had reopened so I occupied my time revisiting the exhibits I had seen so many times when I was a kid living in Bethesda.

My agent had made multiple reservations on a flight home on Saturday after Dulles reopened. I had flown into Washington National but that remained closed. I have no idea the cab fare to Dulles would be so much and gave the taxi driver my last dime which didn't cover the fare. I was just so glad to be on my way home. Several of the docs I knew from Cedar Rapids offered me a ride to that city but I held out for a direct flight. One of the reservations finally hit and I had a seat out. Sadly, so many did not survive the attack.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Labor Day Love

Another nice family gathering in the books over a Mediterranean themed dinner. All the kids and SO's with a friend or two mixed in. Beautiful evening in Omaha between showers and storms.

I had some ground lamb in the freezer (about 2 pounds) and originally intended to make burgers but decided on sliders instead with Kefta spices. The 2 ounce patties were perfect portions for most of us and if you wanted a second or third then no guilt. Topped with feta and pickled red onions, they hit the spot as a foil to a salad laden with garden cukes, olives, tomatoes and a light Greek style vinaigrette.

The lamb was seasoned with typical regional spices including Cumin, Coriander, paprika, garlic and mint. Mint was also in the salad dressing. Tzatziki sauce for topping and a few chicken sausages for the not so crazy about lamb people and we were all set.

The spice mix for the sliders:

2 pounds ground beef or lamb (Kefta)

1/2 grated onion (I used a whole shallot)
2 garlic cloves minced
2 t paprika
2 t cumin
1/4 t coriander
1/4 t ground clove
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Opt  chopped mint about 1/3 cup, chopped pine nuts

Mix and using a 2 ounce scoop, form into equal portions. Form into balls and flatten, poking a depression in the centers. Makes a bout 13 slider patties. Grill over medium-high heat about 4 minutes per side.
 


Top with crumbled feta, Tzatziki sauce, pickled red onions.

For the Tzatziki I used grated cukes (about 2 medium, slated and drained mixed with 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup plain yogurt. Salt carefully as the cukles will be salty and ground pepper.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Stuffed Chops

We had a busy weekend with my in laws in town, a birthday celebration for my mother in law and various activities.  When they left town on Sunday, I had a couple of 1 1/4 pound chops to be dealt with.
I decided to stuff them after a conversation with Dr. Adam Burdorf on Friday. He was making something and we got to talking about making some sort of stuffing with various ingredients. Pork lends itself easily to fruit fillings so we investigated different kinds of fruit items. I had to stop on the way home to pick up some groceries so I picked up a can of apricots. I just didn't want to deal with reconstituted dry fruit or fresh although dry apricots soaked in whiskey had a certain charm.

I picked up the canned apricots and goat cheese and gave my mother in law a choice between steaks or chops and she chose steaks. We had a nice dinner with her favorite potatoes (pan gratin) and fresh yellow squash.  After they left on Sunday, I made the chops.

Apricot and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chops

2  1 1/4 pound chops, pre salted over night and a deep pocket cut into the sides
1 package herbed goat cheese, about 3 ounce
4 slices toasted bread
1 shallot minced
5-6 apricots chopped coarse
1 teas thyme
Cream to moisten
Salt and Pepper to taste

The chops were pre salted inside and out then brought to room temperature after spending the night in the fridge covered.

I mixed the filling in a bowl and stuffed the chops generously then placed them in a iron skillet heated with a bit of oil. I let the crust on each side for 5-7 minutes before roasting them in a 325 oven for about 30 minutes.
Yep they were as good as they look. We had sides left over from Fridays birthday dinner and a meal was made.


Thursday, August 23, 2018

BLT’s the Serious Eats Way

So tonight we had the in-laws in town and decided to take advantage of summers bounty, red, ripe tomatoes that beg for bacon and lettuce.

Mission accomplished thanks to Mackenzie for the tomatoes and Serious Eats for the inspiration and mayo recipe.



For those of you not a follower of Serious Eats, you have to toast (fry) your bread in the bacon fat, shred your lettuce pick the best summer tomatoes any make your own mayo. Make sure you salt your tomatoes.

The mayo is easy with a immersion blender and  narrow bottom container, just larger than the head of the blender.

1 fresh egg
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t dijon mustard
1 med clove of garlic
1 cup of salad oil
Salt to taste

Place ingredients in order. Head of the blender to the bottom and blend on high, lifting a bit till all the oil is used and it is thick and smooth. Add salt to taste. 

Crisp bacon is key although, personally, I prefer softer bacon. Generous mayo on both slices of toasted bread then shredded lettuce. I love iceberg but any will do depending on your preference. Then those lucious tomatoes, salted followed by the bacon and the top bread. So tasty.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Dinner with Friends





Just the first round of plates..

A nice summer evening with friends at El Basha Mediterranean Grill made for some catching up and great conversation about travel and family. The table was laden with treats from the Middle East and we enjoyed the best of the Mediterranean diet (and the worst, deep fried kibbe, yum), domanthes, hummus (the best in Omaha), platters of baba ganoush, falafels and tabouleh.  We finished with mint tea and baklava and the night ended with plans to gather again. Thanks to Dr. Akkad for picking up the tab, Mark David and Jerry Abdouch for the reminiscing. Great evening.

Eating Omaha....Dairy Chef

I am not sure how the discussion started but hamburgers came up as a topic Sunday at church.  The best in Omaha was discussed and varied widely but there were a few places we had not yet tried.

It was rainy, really rainy Sunday and I knew the Dairy Chef always had a line and was only going to be open a while longer before it closes up for the winter. Knowing this,  we set out for Sunday dinner at the Dairy Chef, claimed by a few to be the greatest burger in Omaha (Elkhorn actually but they are a part of Omaha now so...). Now we have been around and there is a lot to compare too but we decided, since the weather was working in our favor, to hit this place and see what's up.

It is a tiny little spot with a lot of outdoor seating but a door to an interior that was deceptively larger than it let on. About 6 tables were on the inside afforded us a place to sit, so we placed an order, took a seat and waited.  Food is cooked to order here so a short wait.  Lots of Sunday families and little kids.  The burgers showed up with lettuce, tomato and onion. They were large and juicy. So juicy that Brenda's bun was soaked. Mine was okay and tasted really good and a heaping of fries completed the meal. We did not try the ice cream but best burger in Omaha? Still debatable, I have to go to Dinker's again to make sure but I would definitely hit this spot again. Two burgers, fries and a drink for $14. Not bad.  I have to go back for the ice cream. They pile it high here.....



Saturday, August 18, 2018

Slow to the Party...

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/traditional-chimichurri

After all these years I made chimichurri sauce for our T bone steaks tonight. I actually cooked the steaks directly in the grill rather than Sous Vide first. They were tasty, a little more done than I like but that sauce! Herby, fresh and a touch of heat. I used the Food and Wine recipe above. Bright green and crazy tasty on the meat. We have a new fav in the house. I just happened to have a half bunch of chopped parsley in the fridge I had wrapped in a moist paper towel inside a Ziplock. The rest was pure inspiration. It ended a nice day after a disappointing film, ‘Book Club’. What a waste of film and talent. Brenda and I were the only ones under 70 in the house but they all thought it to be laugh out loud funny. Really? They were all ladies, your Grandmas age. I found it disconcerting but redemption showed itself in the parking lot  where one of the seniors took a nasty tumble and nurse Brenda to the rescue. We helped get her back on her feet, offered some basic medical advice and got her into the passenger seat of the car.  Maybe God has a plan after all for us to be in the right place at the right time?
Try the chimichurri on your next steak or chop. I bet it’s great on fish too. Yum.


Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Weekend Company

Our favorite couple came and spent the night Friday so besides a nice Friday meal we had to have a delicious Saturday breakfast.

I saw Bobby Flay make a nice French toast casserole type dish and was inspired to try to make a cinnamon roll type French toast.

Using a smaller casserole dish for just the four of us, I picked up a loaf of Brioche from Trader Joe's as well as a jar of salted caramel sauce. As Ina would say "how bad can that be?" Of course in my haste to get things on the table at the right temperature, I forgot to photograph the final product but here goes:

Caramel Pecan French Toast casserole

1 loaf of brioche
1 jar of salted caramel sauce
6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 T cinnamon
2 teaspoons of  vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2-3/4 cups cream or half and half
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbls Butter
Pecans about 1/2 -3/4 cup

I used most of the loaf of bread and stacked it in a greased medium casserole dish, slightly overlapping and tearing some in half to fill the sides.  Mix the custard ingredients, eggs, sugar, cream, vanilla salt and cinnamon till well blended and pour over the bread. Press the bread into the mixture, cover and let sit in the fridge overnight.

Next morning, pre heat the oven to 375. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with brown sugar, dot with butter and place the foil covered casserole in for about 30-40 minutes. Check to make sure the custard has set up then add the pecans sprinkled over the top and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes. When out of the oven, microwave the caramel sauce for 30 seconds to loosen it up and pour a fair amount over the top of the casserole. Serve immediately.

Not for the faint of heart but this was tasty morning treat and had a nice cinnamon roll taste to it. We had scrambled eggs and bacon and sausage to round out the meal with a good cup of hot coffee.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Cooking School....





I was 'discovered' recently after posting a few recipes I found interesting on the Instant Pot Page on Facebook. A local physician and staff asked me to teach the use of the Instant Pot at their Keto Clinic and I accepted not knowing what to expect.

I have used our pot quite a bit since getting this one around the holidays. I believe I pressure cooked a whole turkey breast in there once but lately I have been using it to tenderize meats before grilling or prepping for other reasons. I know we had used 2 pots to prepare the Irish Stew recipe for the Rainbow House a while back and I was not disappointed in the tenderness of the beef we processed.  I have also used it for pork kebabs and other cuts that benefit from the pressure cooking process.  I had hoped for a 'test' kitchen but basically ended up cooking in the lobby of a local Physicians Building for about 15 ladies and gentlemen.  The recipe had to be Keto which means not many carbs so I picked pork chops and cabbage and added a few extra ingredients like cream, fennel seeds and Dijon mustard to round out the flavors and get a more interesting sauce for the meat. Samples were passed amongst the crowd and pretty well received. It was actually pretty fun and people seemed to enjoy it.  I tend to reserve my pot for tenderizing meats and shun cooking other stuff in it like eggs or desserts. There is a lot of precedence for that but it takes a while to come to pressure and does not seem to save a lot of time in that regard. If you are making beef stews, chicken stocks or beef stocks, this is great. It cuts back the time and need to watch the pot. 

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Dinner for Nicholas, the birthday boy....




Shrimp Bake with Feta and Fennel

Nicholas celebrated his birthday with all of us so I had to have something special. Normally that means a big hunk of meat or ribs but I wanted a little lighter fare this day with the heat and this dish turned out great and definitely a make again. I found 13 to the pound shrimp locally so I bought 2 pounds and the rest was easy.

Mediterranean Shrimp, Feta and Fennel Bake

1 cup of chopped Fennel (about 1 large bulb)
1 can of diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted)
2 T tomato paste
1 large garlic clove minced
1 shallot minced
1/4 c dry white wine
2 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 t dry Oregano
2 T Pernod (opt) (most of my eaters with tolerate the faint licorice taste of the fennel but this adds a bit more)
4 - 6  ounces of cooked orzo pasta, al dente.
8 ounces Feta block, cubed
2 pounds shelled raw shrimp, tails on
juice 1/2 lemon

Bread Crumb Mixture

1 cup fresh bread crumbs ( four or five slices white bread)
 zest from whole lemon
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 T olive oil
Combine all and toss with a fork.



Use a large oven safe skillet. Heat 2 T olive oil and sauté the fennel till soft and a little browned. Add the mince garlic and shallot and cook for about a minute then add the white wine. Reduce this a bit the add the canned tomatoes, juice and all and the tomato paste. I let this simmer a bit then added the al dente pasta I have cooked in the microwave (drained)  This was my addition and I omitted the Pernod altogether.

I removed the pan from the heat, set the oven to 400 and topped the tomato/ pasta mixture with the shrimps arranged tails up neatly on top. I covered the dish with the cubed Feta cheese then the bread crumb mixture.  I placed in the middle of the hot oven for just 15 minutes and the shrimps were perfected cooked. (remember they were large so...adjust the time accordingly). Top with a final squeeze of lemon juice.

Served with a side salad and fresh French loaves, this was a big hit.







Surpise Summer Wedding

An invitation to the 'cabin' for 4th of July turned into a surprise wedding of my good friend Doug and his fiancée, Danielle. Such a great couple and we do dinner often with them. Doug and I have flown together once in a while and spent a lot of time training on the system we use at work.  He is relaxed and laid back as is Danielle and we have a great time.

Its was kind of a surprise but Brenda and I had our suspicions that were confirmed when we drove up and Doug is in full tartan and his whole family was there. So nice to finally meet his dad and sister. I have met his brother before a while back. Danielle's family was equally as cordial and accommodating  We stayed till about 3 or 4 then the heat of the day just overcame me and I wanted to go home but we were there for the good part and its just so nice to be included.
.
















Friday, June 15, 2018

Summer dinner on the patio....

Last night Brenda entertained her co workers on the patio with drinks and a summer salad.  The party was a celebration of birthdays and work gossip as well as a  chance to relax and enjoy the summer evening which turned out ok. Not too hot, a light breeze made the evening comfortable.

The salad recipe is on the blog previously with the goat cheese croutons. I just added a healthy dose of grilled chicken to make it more filling.  We had a lot of snacks in addition, including fried green olives and assorted cheeses.

For refreshments Brenda had obtained a recipe from the bar maid in Iowa when we visited Matt and Lori. Of course the recipe was for one drink and I wanted at least 18 servings to make sure the conversation was well oiled.

Strawberry Lemonade Sangria for a crowd

2 Bottles of a good drinkable Pinot Grigio
1 Bottle of Strawberry flavored Vodka
2 cups simple syrup
2 cans of Sprite
Lemons and strawberries for garnish and fruit in the sangria

We  used Lemon Flavored ice cubes (yes, you could buy them at the store)  to cool it all down but had the liquor in the fridge and freezer before mixing  to ensure maximum cooling effects.

A good time was had by all and no one needed a ride home as we offered plenty of other fluids to keep the ladies cool and refreshed.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Eating Omaha....Barchen

We needed to get together with Jill to deliver some gifts for her birthday so we made plans to hit happy hour locally and choose Barchen,  a German Style Beer Garden in the Benson area.

Mostly beer but sadly, mostly out of beer. Nick tried to order several beers and at least 12 were not available so he settled for what was available. Not much of a beer drinker myself, I sampled a Moscow Mule which was refreshing on this summer evening. The temps were cooler and the shade provided by the large umbrellas provided a lot of relief.

We started with pretzels and mustards with a cheese sauce on the side. Very tasty and went great with beer as well as the Mule.

Jill chose the sausage platter for dinner. A large board came to the table with 8 house made sausages on a bed of sauerkraut.  A sampling of just about everything but it came at a price, $38 for 8 sausages. A side of coleslaw rounded out the fare. Just the right amount of acid to sweet. Most of the sausages were delicious. There were a few I did not care for but the platter disappeared after a bit. More than enough for the 4 of us to eat and that with a few beers and my drink totaled about $105 plus a tip. Pricier than I thought but a nice evening in a great setting with friendly service none the less.


Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Anniversary Celebrating



 

Its been a heady weekend of celebrations. Firstly, Brenda's niece was married in Campbell NE and when spent part of the weekend in Loomis NE. We headed home about noon on Sunday to a retirement party in Blair for one my dearest co-workers from my past.
On Monday, all the kids came for a cookout with the usual fare, ribs and sausages.

Tuesday was a whirlwind of shopping and anticipating the evening which included dinner at M's Pub followed by a night at the theater with 'Wicked'.  The evening affirmed my distaste for modern parenting and was further annoying to have the only men's room closed for the ladies.
Today was gathering what I needed to make our traditional anniversary dinner...Veal Saltimbucca and Fettuccine Alfredo. Before we left for the morning, I made the pasta dough and a batch of bread dough for the coming weekend. In our travels we stopped by the butcher for a pound of veal cutlets. Dinner was all set.

We have had this combo on our anniversary for at least the past 30 years. If veal is out of  reach then chicken acts as a sub.

Veal Saltimbucca
1 pound veal cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thick.
Bunch of fresh sage
1 lemon
1/4 c white white
Prosciutto
Salt and pepper
Olive oil and butter
Cornstarch

Salt and pepper your flattened cutlets. lay a few large sage leaves on the surface and then a slice of prosciutto. fasten with a wooden toothpick. Heat the 2 tbl butter and 2 tbl olive oil in a skillet.  Dredge the plain side of the cutlets in the cornstarch and cook that side down for a few minutes till they start to turn golden. Flip and heat the prosciutto side for a minute of so. Remove to a hot platter and deglaze the pan with the juice if a lemon and white wine. Add 2 tbls butter and whisk until a velvety sauce forms. Pour over the top of the cutlets. I like to add a slice of provolone cheese optionally.

For the noodles I use 3/4 cup flour, one egg, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of water or more. It all goes into the small food processor until it forms a dough. I remove it and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours.  I roll it out to #5 in my trusty Atlas Pasta macine, let it dry a bit before slicing the dough into noodles. I dust flour if it gets sticky.

The sauce is simply cream, heated with few cloves of smashed garlic to steep then a pinch of salt, white pepper and nutmeg. A 1/2 cup of shredded parm then I place cooked pasta right in.







Monday, May 14, 2018

When Life Gives You Chickens....

Make a nice salad for work? We had fried chicken for lunch Friday for Nurse's Week and I took the leftovers home to use in a chicken salad for snacks or lunch on Monday for the staff. The chicken was a bit dry to be honest so I need something with a little fat and taste to it to rescue the dry meat. I found that after a debone the leftovers, I chopped the remaining meat and it made it easier to swallow plus I added a few white meat breasts to supplement the mix.




Tarragon Chicken Salad with grapes and toasted walnuts

 

4 chicken breasts, shredded ( I used grilled, lightly smoked chicken)

½ med red onion chopped fine

2-3 stalks celery chopped fine

2 tbl parsley

¾ cup toasted walnuts

1 cup sweet seedless grapes halved

1 teas dried tarragon or 1 tbl minced fresh tarragon

1 med lemon juiced

¾-1 cup Hellman's Light Mayo

Salt and pepper to taste

 

 


Friday, May 11, 2018

Eating Omaha...Maximos Cantina

Ok so its not really Omaha but an annexed little town called Elkhorn. A subject of considerable controversy a few years back. This little restaurant tucked into the corner of Main Street provided some delicious Mexican cuisine and margaritas even though we only sampled the Happy Hour menu.


We sampled a few items which made us full including 5 of the mini tacos in each flavor offered. The fish and Tinga were favorites. The nachos were Ok but the jalapeno
Crab rangoons were a big hit. The margaritas were good too and the price was unbeatable.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Wild Hair

So the other day I had a waking dream about a salad which I do not do often, I admit. I was really intrigued with the ide of goat cheese as a crouton. How bad can that be? I need a nice protein to go with and Baker's accommodated me with a couple lobster tails on sale so dinner formed in my hear. Now to execute....


Looks tasty doesn't it?  I had to go to the store to fetch the lettuces, beets and lobster and picked up a fig and olive goat cheese.

The cheese was sliced into rounds, frozen for 20 minutes then dipped in flour, eggs and panko. Fried till golden in hot oil then lovingly layered in the salad amongst the chopped lobster that had been sautéed in butter, sliced fresh beets (super thin) and then dressed in a Poppy Seed dressing from Panera. It was really good.  



Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Chillin and Grillin


Tonight’s  grilled pork loin kebabs in a balsamic vinegar marinade, first in the Sous Vide and then on a hot grill with a side of veggies. I reduced the remainder of the marinade for a sauce over the meat. Very tasty and a lot of leftovers for the rest of the weeks lunches.

The marinade:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbls dried thyme
2 tbls sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

I cubed a 1/2 pork loin into 1 1/2 inch cubes then I divided the meat into 2 freezer bags, added 1/2 the marinade to each bag and used water displacement to seal the bags. I let them cook at 137 degree water bath  for 3 hours, drained the marinade into a pan and reduced till thickened. The meat was placed in a grill basket over hot coals till a nice color was achieved. I served it with a bit of the marinade spooned over.
The veggies were large cuts of zucchini and summer squash, onions, peppers and fennel, doused in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grilled till they got a little char in a basket then served along side the meat.






Monday, April 2, 2018

Eating Iowa....Milk and Honey



We went on a lark this weekend, motoring to Manning Iowa to visit a retail shop we both liked on Facebook called 'The Marketplace'. It was nice drive out to the country about an hour and a half long.  The town of Manning is a sleepy little burg of about 1500 people in the heart of Iowa just along Highway 141.

We visited the shop, spent a little money and looked around Main Street before heading back home. Jill offered us a  few places to stop and eat. One of them was 'Milk and Honey' in Harlan Iowa. About 40 minutes from Manning in a westerly direction, the little café sits right off the town square that is  dotted with some specialty shops and historical buildings.

You walk in basically right to the kitchen and place your order at the counter then take a seat after grabbing your own water and place setting. I had a cheeseburger with a side salad and Brenda ordered a sweet and spicy chicken sandwich. As we waited for or order we looked around the sleepy little town. Not much activity this Saturday morning but a regular crowd shuffling in and out of the café which boasted reasonable prices and some unique fare for such a little joint.

My cheeseburger came, obviously handmade, and heavy with melted cheddar, lettuce and fresh sliced tomato. The side salad had thinly sliced beets atop arugula and mixed greens with a side of ranch dressing. Honestly, the salad was delicious and simply fresh and tasty. The burger was large and the bun was fresh with a brioche quality. It was very good also. Brenda's grilled chicken was moist and flavorful with an onion jam and a bit of heat. The home fries on the side were crispy and tender in the center. Not your usual fry. The tab was only $16. Such a bargain for a delicious afternoon meal. We were that much closer to home after stopping that the trip back to Omaha seemed much quicker than embarking on our little adventure. Great way to spend a Saturday.


Saturday, March 31, 2018

Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

Before you start in on me, we did not fast fully this year for Lent as my recovery required a fuller protein intake that I cannot get fasting typically. We modified our fast this year to a few days a week to ensure I lost no more weight and actually gained a few pounds to promote healing. We limited our meat intake as we usually do during our weekly regiment.

I had some flour street taco tortillas and a lot of cheese in the fridge. I found a can of enchilada sauce I forgot I bought  and so I was in business.

Firstly, the sauce.  I like authentic enchilada sauce and usually make my own. For a canned sauce,  I look to make sure no tomatoes are listed in the ingredients, just peppers.

Here is my brand of sauce and if you like authentic taste, this is your sauce. It tasted exactly like my homemade sauce but so much less work.
 
I started the enchiladas by cooking my chopped onions just till softened slightly. A medium size onion was plenty. I had all kinds of cheese, mozzarella, cheddar and gouda. I grated a good amount of all and mixed a few cups with the onions, reserving some for topping. I added about 1/4 cup of chopped, pickled jalepenos too.

I poured some of the sauce in a flat bowl and soaked the tortillas before filling with a few tablespoons of the filling, rolling and placing seam side down in a greased casserole. I like this street taco size tortilla, just big enough for a serving of 2 for a meal. Once the pan was full, more sauce was ladled over then topped with cheese. Baked at 350 till bubbly and then served with sour cream and salsa. Yum. Even better the next day.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

I Owe You an Update....

I am back to work now, my second week back actually, full throttle. I have a desk job with a lot of walking about so its no big deal really. Everything is in place, I have a routine down and am experiencing no issues with any surgery or recovery related problems.

I am writing this because today one of my sales reps stopped by to see how I was. Apparently he is from a small Nebraska  town, Yutan, and his prayer group was wondering about me.  Well Yutan, I am great. Still down a few pounds and trying to keep it that way. So great in fact we booked a trip to Cancun in October with all the kids and others just to feel normal again and have something to anticipate besides Ben's upcoming nuptials.

I guess this should not have taken me aback as earlier,  before my return to work, I ran into another sales rep at Target and he introduced me to his son as the 'Tom' we've been praying for every night. Wow. How powerful is that? It is really humbling. So thank you one and all. I am so happy that all your petitions on my behalf worked and am thankful to actually be able to attend Ben's nuptials in December.

Thank you work, for missing me. I must contribute something though most days I just feel like I'm in the way. Thank you one and all for the prayers and thoughts as I embarked on my journey from all the folks I never met (especially in Yutan) and Roseville, CA and anywhere I happen to reach people with this silly blog or through acquaintances.

Happy Pascha everyone. We celebrate Palm Sunday this week so we are a week behind America but I am looking forward to a nice leg of lamb, family and friends gathered at the table and a cancer free life ahead, God willing.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Dinner with Old Friends

Friday night dinner with salmon in the menu and a semi Lenten feast with Western Rite Orthodox friends.  I have known Tari and Mike Choiniere since the early eighties as Tari and I worked the Cath Lab together for a few years till we moved to Cedar Rapids in '87. While we don't see each other often we decided recently to reconnect and meet every month or so.

 I wanted to make some nice Mediterranean style appetizers with some large shrimps. I started with 2 pounds of 16-20 size shrimps cooked and peeled. To this I added 1 tin of calamari with about half the sauce.


I love this calamari for its texture and smokey taste. Its cheap and delicious too.
To the seafood I mixed in some olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. A bit of parsley, some sliced pickled garlic and ground pepper rounded out the main ingredients. So light and tasty.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Eating Omaha...Via Farina



Yesterday was a busy day. The weather was amazing and we set out for an adventure which turned out to be an all day affair.
Firstly, we went shopping, of course. Hit all our major spots and I found another pair of smaller slacks for work. A few hours of that was about all I could do so we went home to rest up as we had plans to hit Lauritsen Gardens about 230. Stopped by Mackenzie's house to deliver a ottoman we picked up for her at Homegoods on the way down.

We walked through Lauritsen for a few hours and enjoyed the gardens in the green house then on to the Old Market for quick refreshments at M's Pub. While there, since no tables were available and bar seating was uncomfortable, we decided to dine at Via Farina on 10th street.

We started with a few appetizers including toasts with burratta and prosciutto, a crowd favorite. Then some fried cauliflower and a shaved Brussels sprouts salad.

All of this was followed by a delicious pepperoni pizza, thin, chewy crust with charred spots and dotted with fresh mozzarella. So tasty, definitely a spot worth visiting again and again.




Thursday, February 22, 2018

My ‘Alive’ Day...February 22

Today marks the 20th anniversary of my heart attack. A strange thing to celebrate perhaps but the event had a significant impact on my family, especially the kids.

My folks attended the Scout ceremony since I was laid up in the hospital.

That Saturday night, we had been in the hot tub before going to bed. I was restless and went downstairs to experience classic symptoms of wrist, left arm, shoulder and then jaw pain. I had been working in the Cath Lab for 20 years by then and my current position at Immanuel was particularly stressful and I managed a very difficult staff. Being on call was taking its toll on me as well as the late hours and everyday struggles. 

I went upstairs to awaken Brenda and ask her to take me to the ER. She smartly refused and called the squad instead who showed up to find me writhing on the floor in the family room. Brenda was making arrangements for the kids and the neighbors were awoken to the squad parked in the circle where we lived. One of our neighbors was the EMT on duty that night. The started an IV and applied patches and a BP cuff. I have been in enough of these situation to realize the ECG was not good and my pressure was through the roof.  Everyone was trying to calm me down but I knew this wasn’t good. I just wanted to get moving.

When the squad asked where we wanted to go, Brenda said Immanuel though Methodist was much closer. So we went to Immanuel which later proved to be somewhat of a mistake to have my own staff work on me. As it was the moment we arrived, I coded and required resuscitation, being shocked several times back into rhythm. Procedures these days are much different as squads are trained now to respond in more expeditious ways to these emergencies. 

I was cathed that night after being administered tPa and being intubated to find the clot in my left anterior descending was resolving but a blockage persisted. I was brought back on Sunday to place a stent. Today, tPa is rarely used and most stents are deployed during the initial Cath. In the world of cardiology, the last 40 years have been very fluid in terms of treatments and studies for what preserves the most heart muscle. I was dismissed from the ICU to home  on Monday. 

On the following Friday, I suffered a second heart attack and was recathed and stented yet again due to acute closure of the original vessel. I did not code this time but extended the damage to my injured heart. I attended rehab faithfully, quit smoking and joined the YMCA. I went 5 days a week for years. I felt reborn somewhat, alive again. 

Monday, February 19, 2018

Valentine's Dinner

This year, as in years past, Mackenzie came over for our traditional Valentine's Day feast. We had our usual dinner of filet, lobster tail and asparagus with bearnaise sauce for the steak. I ate very little because I over estimated my stamina and wore myself out. I really ate only bites but the dinner was delicious and the leftovers made a delicious pasta with Alfredo on Saturday night.  The rest of the week has been better and my appetite has been much better since. We have made frequent short trips out to shop for groceries and smaller clothes. Each outing gets a nap afterwards but I'm really doing better everyday.


Milk Bread Rolls

https://cleobuttera.com/breads-and-rolls/ultra-fluffy-milk-bread-rolls/

Rather write out the recipe for these amazing rolls I made I thought I would simply give you the link. Not sure why but this worked like charm. Tender, perfect texture and flavor.

Fresh out if the oven...they look commercial.

After the last rise and brushed with egg wash.

Monday, February 12, 2018

Special Requests

Meatloaf. Who knew? I have had several requests for the recipe of this meatloaf I made.




So, normally I don’t make meatloaf except on Brenda’s birthday but I wanted an easy, high protein snack for my recovery and my tastes since surgery have been rather unusual to say the least.

I generally make meatloaf stuffed with something and free form so the grease drains away.  This time I had leftover ricotta, provolone and an open jar of Rao’s pasta sauce.

3 pounds ground beef at least 80/20.
1 pound ground pork
5 slices white bread soaked in milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1-2 tbls Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
Salt and pepper
I used the Kitchen Aid paddle attachment to mix this into a cohesive mass.
I lined a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread the meat in an even layer.
Apply the toppings which  could have included a bit of leftover charcuterie I had on hand but forgot about it.
Use the wrap to tightly roll the whole thing into a tight spiral. Line the pan now with parchment and position the meat in the center. Shape and compact. Remove all the plastic wrap.
Bake at 350 to an internal temp of 165 degrees. Towards the end I like to glaze the loaf with a 3 T ketchup, 2t Dijon, 2 T brown sugar mixture and bake it on till shiny. Enjoy.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Two Steps Foward, One Step Back

We gave it our best shot and tried to remain home but the nausea got the best of me despite doses of Zofran. I pretty much brought forth three days of home living and attempts to eat. So muchso that Brenda became alarmed and called the surgery team on call and was instructed to come directly to the ER. Ben was awoken and headed over to package me up and take us to the ER.

Once there, a quick NG was inserted followed by more vomiting, a cold tip to the CT scanner and the admitted back to Werner for therapy, more contrast studies and IV nutrition. No food, no water and a great hunger. i am now empty, really empty.  
I am not sure I have ever desired food or drink more in my life but fear the result if I take it in.
Meanwhile everyone has been kind, coming to visit or texting me. I have been able to get some rest, pray privately for relief and be bored to tears. I hope the worst is over. I feel everyone pulling for me. Nothing left to do but get better.




Wednesday, January 31, 2018

There’s No Place Like Home

I came home today without fanfare but grateful to be on my way to recovery untethered by the hospital. I can get up at will, won’t have my sleep disturbed and forgo the constant blood sugar monitoring. I can sleep in my own bed, lay about on my own sofa but I am on my own to manage my pain which can be intense.
I, of course, still have the worlds best nurse at my side and can enjoy all the comforts of home.

Day 2 at home

With all that said, pain control eludes me and removes my appetite. The pills help but make me sleepy and I only need them every 6-8 hours. Eating is a challenge. A bowl of cereal sends my gut into rebellion, bloating and discomfort.  Nothing  sounds good to eat while just a few days ago I downed an Arby’s roast beef.
Nights are fine and I have deep restful sleep but mostly on my back and cannot sleep much past 4. Brenda and I are learning the fine art of appliance placement as waking up dry is always the goal. So far just one mishap after a long nap.  Just takes time. Trying not to get too debilitated to get up and move but it’s easy to do for sure.
As soon as my gut realigns itself I will be fine. Looking for mostly bland, non interactive food but protein intake has to remain a priority to heal all these wounds.  Tried the shakes and even Ensure and Boost. Not appealing even if it’s made blended with ice cream. Right now, I am the incredible shrinking man. 


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