Tuesday, October 29 "What's Cookin?"

[cooktocook]

Good late afternoon, friends! Hope the day has been treating everyone well.

As of this morning, I'm wearing my over-the-counter support stockings and am pleased with them. They are so much more comfortable compared to the 3-4 bandages that I've been wearing since getting out of the hospital last month. I try not to whine, however, as the bandages were very successful at reducing the swelling and my legs actually look like legs now!

After OT, I remembered that I had an appointment with the kidney specialist today. The doctor informed me that my numbers from my labs are just about back to normal, and I don't have to see him again until mid-April. Couldn't be happier about that!

Decided we'd stop on the way home to do a few errands and once in the house, I went into the kitchen. Made up a batch of Sloppy Joe's. Thought they'd be good for dinner this evening, but realized I have no hamburger buns. Going to break it down for several meals and have another day/time. Looking at having the last two pasties we brought back from Michigan back in August. These handheld meat pies are popular in Michigan esp. in the upper peninsula where they were portable meals for Cornish miners. So good!!!

Chris, the talk of homemade applesauce and apple butter has me licking my lips. I do have some apples in the refrigerator that I think tomorrow I'll make into a small batch of sauce. Hope tonight you can get a better night of sleep.

Bet, the picture you posted today is gorgeous! What a lovely site!! I miss the "colors"---Fall was always my favorite season.

Ann, happy that the wildfires are keeping their distance from you. As I turned the TV station early this morning, I saw the tail-end about fires in Salem, Ma. How close is that to you?

Tasty, I hope you and your canning group enjoyed your time together today. What delicious goodies did you make? At this point in the season, will you just sell what you have at your remaining markets? Or do you now fill requests for your canning/baking items up to the holidays?

Tammy, your meals always make me hungry! Glad you were able to get everything delivered today with the help of DH. How good that you've already planned your next meal with the potatoes and chili, always a warm and comforting meal. Hope the bake sale on Friday will be successful---your contributions all sound delicious!

mamma, I hope you baked your cookies today. I agree, store bought just isn't homemade. I wasn't too fond of the last oatmeal ones I baked, and I guess DH isn't excited about them either, as the Tupperware container still has quite a few in there. Thinking maybe a pumpkin cookie of some type might be what I make next time.

Elaine, praying that your DS Delores will do well with her radiation and that she does not suffer any more. Enjoy the card game(s) this evening.

Jan, hope you and DH got plenty of ideas lined up for Christmas today after your trip to the Mall. I miss going to the stores, esp. now that the holiday decorating has begun at some of our shopping centers. Due to the fact that I am still recovering, DH and I have decided that what little shopping we do will be done online.  Not the same as being there in a store to touch and see everything up close, but that will be the best it gets this year.

Helen, how good that had to feel to celebrate the return of hot water with a shower!

After another hot and sunny day, it is currently 84* as the evening skies begin to darken. Our time changes this weekend---next week it will be dark by 5---makes for a very long evening. Until tomorrow, take care friends.
Lori
  

[Jan in BC]

     Helen, yes there’s nothing better than a nice hot shower. Your supper sounds good, haven’t made spaghetti with meatballs in a very long time.
    Lori, things are starting to look much better for you. Being pleased with your stockings is a plus, but to have your numbers come back as almost normal, Wow is all I can say. No doctors appointment for another 6 months is a plus too. The shopping couldn’t have gone better. The mall was almost empty and we were there and back home in about 45 minutes! That place will get busy when Halloween is over. I couldn’t deal with that. Got both DGDs gifts at a store called Marshall's, DD2s gift at Body Shop. DD1 asked for my homemade granola, will make that closer to the day. Just have to do the wrapping and make out the cheques. Will do that much later too. Picked up the boys gifts at Davison’s when we were last there. Whew, a load off my mind. Hope to do some Christmas baking this year too, not as much as I’ve done in other years. 
    Well, enough. Can’t really carry a conversation in real life so I unload with you folks and with Midwest. Sorry if I get so long-winded. Jan

[tasty]

Good job on the shopping for Christmas Jan.  We do very little for Christmas these days - there are no youngsters in the family so none of the magic.  The Community Christmas dinner we used to be involved with died when Covid reared it's ugly head.  The guy who did all the behind the scenes work on it died during the pandemic and no-one else has taken it on.  It needs someone younger with the necessary contacts - I think there would be lots of volunteers to do the hands on work but a leader is needed.

[tasty]

To answer your question about what the canning group does now Lori -
We will work for 3 full days over the next 3 weeks at a local commercial-type kitchen that was built in part of a local junior school a few years ago when said school was threatened with closure. The kitchen and related area took over about half of the building and anyone can pay to use it.  It has fabulous equipment that most of us would never see.
During our time there, we will make tourtiere, fruit pies, cookies, shortbread, butter tarts, mince tarts and soups.  All of these are available at out 'big' sale at the end of November and I'm sure I've forgotten some items.  We only have one other market during November, which is a Harvest market, mainly for local farmers and food producers.  We will have lots of
our regular items (jams, pickles etc) for sale at the end of the month, along with all sorts of extra baking.  If there is much inventory left, there is a sale at one of the local churches that we can attend.  Then and only then will we know just how much we can donate to our local hospital.  Last year it was $28000, this year???