MONDAY: What's Cookin'? 9/19/16

[Angela]

Hi there! Here it is past 1 p.m. & I haven't done much of anything. I am still not dressed for the day & you know what, I may just have a pj day! If someone drops in, so be it! LOL 

The kids brought over a delish supper last night. Small price to pay was all the dirty dishes! Two loads in the dishwasher & Ray just returned everything to their house just now when he checked on the dog. The kids left earlier for a week in Toronto/Niagara Falls to celebrate their 25th anniversary. It's difficult for them to get away as my sil works in Switzerland on 4/5 week rotations. Then he has to work in his girls's activities, visiting his aging parents in British Columbia and on & on when he is home! Just too many things to work around.  

It looks very much like fall here too though not that many leaves have fallen yet. There is some colour change though & the leaves will fall eventually. Does seem a bit slower than past years. Slow works for me especially if it holds that white stuff back! 

I too hope everything is well for Helen and her husband. Lori, judging by your dream, it would seem you have Helen in your thoughts. 

So, Chris you are trying a new flavour or brand of HC? Is Starbucks yoyr preferred brand? I like HC in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. No whipped cream or anything extra though! My sil brings me Swiss hot chocolate powder which is excellent & I have been drinking that kind only for quite a few years. Poor fellow had a bag explode in his luggage a few trips back! So, now he is double bagging any if he happens to be bringing some home to Canada. Those baggage handlers can be rough! LOL

Well, I think I need a bit of lunch & maybe a cup of Mandarin orange tea. Too, need to check the brown bear live cams in Alaska. That addiction will soon be ending as the cams run on solar power and there is less & less of that as the days becoming shorter. Also the people working there are all leaving starting today as winter comes closer to this very remote area. Have any of you ever watched these bears? They are quite amazing and there are a number of cameras at different areas. Katmai/Brooks Falls should you care to have a quick peek.

[thegeema]

I was watching Dr. Oz and he was showing a few food hacks on his show. Check these out:  
99 Amazing Food Hacks | The Dr. Oz Show

www.doctoroz.com/gallery/99-food-hacks  

Cooking, baking, and prepping food can be tricky. Become a chef-extrodinare with these tips and tricks. Get the full list of hacks here.

99 Food Hacks You Can't Live Without www.doctoroz.com/article/99-food-hacks-you-cant-live-without

Use these tips and tricks to make your time spent in the kitchen easy and efficient.

Here are a few that caught my attention!!!

8. Save Your Coffee With Coffee Ice Cubes - Pour coffee into ice cube trays and freeze. Use your newly made coffee ice cubes instead of regular ones in your iced coffee—that way your coffee won’t get watered down as the ice melts.

56. Frost Cupcakes With Greek Yogurt

Blend a cup of Greek yogurt into homemade frosting that’s perfect on your favorite cookies and cakes. The yogurt works just as well as butter without all the saturated fat and cuts down on the amount of cream cheese you need to use without sacrificing texture. Get the full recipe. www.doctoroz.com/recipe/greek-yogurt-frosting

13. Make Healthy Gravy With Your Chicken

Throw chopped vegetables of your choice into the base of the pan when cooking chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, dump the veggies and juices into a food processor and blend for a healthier gravy alternative.

AND he showed how to cut a water melon in to sticks. Ask me how and I will be glad to tell you.  I have barely got through the 99.  :D

[tamaralynn]

We heard from DS, and the test showed that she has an infection due to her appendix. She is in surgery right now to have it removed.

[cfniervt]

Wow! Tammy! I am glad they found it! I had what was called a "Chronic appendix" for years and they would not take it out. It would flare up and cause pain for a week or so. Finally it burst! About 6 years ago while I was on vacation. Glad she has a good Dr that is taking it out now! Hugs to you and I will keep praying for her!

Chris

[cfniervt]

Angela- I love Starbucks HC! It is my all time favorite. I met with Tammy yesterday and she gave me a jar of Silly Cow Farms HC mix! It is really really good! Right up there with Starbucks! I think I like Starbucks just because I don't have to make it! LOL I will be finding this again for sure! I shared it with a co worker and she loves it too!
Chris

[marjo]

Had a nice lunch with girls, just four of us. Always good to see Carol when she comes back. then went to town to get pills and did not get 2 of them they needed refill from Dr. So will go back later. They think I live in town?

Did get my stuffed peppers made this morning and got the peach butter done also. So just have to make the tomato sauce w/basil, cheese and bake the peppers. Now just have three Zucchini's that Mark brought me to grind and put in bags to freeze. I am going to leave the smallest and make a chocolate cake w/ Penuche frosting have been so hungry for it.

Better get the peppers in the oven if I want for supper. Then will freeze the rest when baked for future meals. 

Marlene

Tammy that is good news on DGD!! I am sure everyone is feeling much better too.

[valerian]

Hello, all

I spent a great deal of the day running errands. I was told I could pick up my cat at the vets Sat, but when I drove over to get her, they had changed their minds and so I drove over again today and picked her up. My car kept telling me it was 97 out, so I decided it was too hot to cook and just stopped at Subway on the way home. The guy in back of me in the line got something with meatballs, lots of sauce, bacon, and two kinds of cheese. Let me tell you I was kind of upset that I hadn't ordered the same. Probably just as well. I don't need to eat something that will keep me up all night!

[cfniervt]

Waiting to hear from Tammy how her DGD came through the operation? I will keep praying until I know something! Hugs to you Tammy!

[tamaralynn]

Thank you for the prayers...they worked. Surgery went well. They also removed some ovarian cysts, and some adhesions from her gall bladder surgery which was 4 years ago. Hopefully she is all cleaned up and if all continues to go well she can go home tomorrow!

Dinner was so good. I also made Harvard beets. I posed the recipe on a separate post if anyone is interested. I put it attention Pippin since she had asked about the recipe on Sunday's posting.

DH fiddled with the satellite some more and behold we have all channels! Too bad it was too late for me weekend Food channel shows.

Chris, how nice of you to share the HC! I bought it at the Cabot Cheese factory gift shop in Vermont. Hope you can find more of it. We did not open the apple butter because I forgot my oven is not working, so no biscuits today for breakfast. I might have tried the convection oven but DH was gone early, then when he got back home he made a bowl of Maypo. We saw that at the store and decided to try it. He says he has never had it. I honestly don't remember if I have had it. I have heard of it though from my childhood. I always preferred Malt O Meal hot cereal.

Have a nice evening friends!

[emr]

Tammy, so glad to hear that your DGD came through the surgery well. My goodness, she got her money's worth! Bless her heart, she has been through a lot. Hoping this will result in long-term relief.

My dinner plan was to cook a chicken pot pie that I had fixed on Saturday, but when I came home DH was cooking bacon and eggs. Well, I'm not going to say no to that! It was very good and we will have chicken pie tomorrow night.

[sara]

Tammy so happy to hear they found the problem and that surgery is over. Now prayer's for a good healing process. She has had more than her share of medical problems for such a young person. I will keep praying that she will have  good healthy years ahead.Have a good restful night.
Marlene it sounds like you had a wonderful time today with friends. Enjoy the fruits of your labor tonight for supper. The cake sounds really good that you are going to make. Sleep well my friend.
Talk to you tomorrow.

Sara

[cfniervt]

Oh Tammy so glad to hear that DGD came through fine and she will be headed home soon! Oh I am not so good as you think because I only let her have a little bit! Bwhahahaha! She says she will only try it as she KNOWS what I am like if I do not have my Cuppa!

(((Tammy))))
Chris

[tasty]

Just popping in quickly to say 'hi'.  

We have been away in Williamsburg, Via. for the last 10 days.  Had a great time, but I seem to have a problem with my balance.  Not too bad but if it's not better tomorrow, I must phone the doctor and get in there.

I was hoping to see a post from Helen tonight.  Glad you got in touch with her Tammy - thanks for letting us know she is OK.  Really glad the doctor found what was wrong with your grand daughter, did the necessary surgery and happy to know that she is recovering well.

Hubby made burgers tonight for us.

I'll chat tomorrow.

[cooktocook]

((Tammy)), so glad all of our prayers have hopefully been answered today with the surgery your DGD had.  That sweet young gal has gone through so much and now it's time for her to be pain-free and enjoy her senior year!  Please keep us posted how she is recovering as the weeks go on.

((Tasty)), oh, now I'm saying a prayer for you this evening.  Did this balance thing just come on now or were you having to deal with it on your vacation?  Please do make sure if it's not better that you'll get into your doctor soon.

Busy night with calls for jobs--will be working a steady two weeks, for various teachers, in early October while Pre-K has testing to do on those little darlings.

Yes Angela, I do have Helen in my thoughts.  How nice for your kids to get away to celebrate their 25th anniversary--hope they have a nice time.  

Need to get to bed now.  Goodnight friends.

Lori