Turkey Schnitzel, Cucumber Salad, Napa Cabbage Slaw & Pickled Veggies

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Yin and yang  ☯️  balance...  the past two days lovely weather balanced today with clouds and rain...  on the plus side the lawn looks thicker and healthier than it has in years...  the layer of bright green dust...  tree pollen...  washing away...  birds enjoying a bath in the everlasting dip at the bottom of the driveway where water puddles...  Mr Sam sitting by the back door eagerly watching as the rain comes down in earnest...  snug on his rug.

Coffee ☕️ and oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon for the hubs... iced java for yours truly...  sneaking another day away from the grind of tax season...  the hubs spending a bit of time in his workshop... off to the market...  list in tow...  mask on...  hand sanitizer in the jacket pocket...  reusable tote bags in hand.

Perfect timing...  relatively slow at 4pm...  working folks not home yet...  others prepping supper...  first stop...  the $2 bagged 5 lb produce shelf...  today’s haul for $4...  one large cauliflower...  2 heads of Napa cabbage...  and a bakers dozen cucumbers.  A short sprint through the store...  zipping home to prepare supper. 

With 5 lbs of cucumbers... time to haul out the mandolin and get busy slicing...  pickled cucumber 🥒 red onion and carrots 🥕 into mason jars and the fridge to cure...  cucumber salad with sour cream and dill...  napa  cabbage slaw with parsley...  turkey schnitzel...  baked butternut squash rounds with cinnamon...  alongside... a glass of Line 39 Cabernet 🍷 to accompany the meal...   decaf coffee and a Milano cookie for the hubs...   Mr Sam enjoying the turkey as well.   

63% of American adults now fully vaccinated...  time to make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  many vaccination 💉 centers now accepting walk-ins as well...  significant benefits available to those who are vaccinated...  be part of the solution...  until then...  mask up...  limit interactions...  scoot through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?    What’s on your plate?    Thoughts?

Tuna Salad, Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad with Lime Vinaigrette and Dark Rye Bagel

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Spectacular!  The word of the day here in the Big Sunny Apple...  temps in the low 80’s...  light breeze and low humidity keeping it comfortable...  birds singing their hearts out...  a pair of sparrows flirting in our oak tree... hopping from branch to branch...  singing back and forth to one another in a delightful duet.  Folks bringing plants outside...  setting up gardens and porches for the summer ahead.  

Iced coffee ☕️ and a granola bar out on the deck... the hubs enjoying his hot java and a mini turkey wrap...  a perfect day for a cold supper.  Too nice for indoor activity...  the hubs straightening out the garage...  Mr Sam relaxing on the deck in the sun...  time to move the lemon tree, Gardenia and Bay Laurel onto the deck for the warm season...  tomato seedlings to grow bags...  baby peppers into larger containers...  the greenhouse a nexus of activity.

Supper tonite...  tuna salad...  dark rye bagel...  avocado, tomato, cucumber salad with lime vinaigrette...  an Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade) alongside to slake big thirst from today’s efforts.  Wild Berry Zinger Tea and mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert 🍦

With covid restrictions easing for vaccinated persons...  it time!  #GetYourJabOn  the vaccine is currently being administered to all Americans 16 and older for no cost!!  You have to know that won’t be the case in the long run...  so, take care of YOU and those you love...  be part of the solution...  until then...  mask up...  limit interactions...  sail through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Mini Peppers, Sautéed Asparagus Rounds, Parsley and Parmesan

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Temps inching up...  each day a bit warmer...  bright sun ☀️ cool breeze... mid 60’s on the thermometer 🌡 light jacket...  scarf and gloves left at home...  kids out bike riding 🚴 neighbors raking up piles of magnolia flowers fallen from their tree...  cherry blossoms raining across the street...  teeny leaves 🍃 unfurling...  lots of bees 🐝 about...  slurping nectar from the mountain laurel...  lilac blooms almost ready to open... waiting for Mother’s Day.

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana 🍌 the hubs enjoying his hot cup and oatmeal with cinnamon...  meatballs getting 100% of aye votes for tonites supper.  Fitting in all those check ups we missed in 2020 due to covid...  today a visit with the gynecologist to review mammogram and sonogram results and complete the annual physical.  Discovered that older women are more likely to develop breast cancer...  thankfully all is well... a clean bill of health.

Returned just in time to take the hubs to PT...  saw a stunning cherry tree on the way...  then tax prep...  the task not a favorite.  

Supper tonite a welcome diversion...  meatballs atop fresh orecchiette, roasted grape tomatoes and mini peppers...  sautéed asparagus rounds...  turkey meatballs...  olive oil...  parsley and Parmesan.  Alongside a glass of Line 39 Cabernet 🍷 decaf coffee and the last of the Häagen Dazs vanilla bean ice cream for the hubs.   

CDC recommending new guidance for vaccinated Americans today...  less masking outdoors when in small groups or exercising...  still recommended for large outdoor gatherings...  and of course indoors in public spaces as well.  Do your part...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  until then...  you know what to do...  mask on... limit interactions...  hustle through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?    Thoughts?

Bibimbap... First Time

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Baby blue skies...  puffy white clouds...  streaming sunshine... chilly breeze...  spring has arrived in all its glory...   Maple and Pear trees blossoming...  their bright spring green flowers adorning branches...  driving this afternoon... it’s raining cherry blossoms...  pops of fuchsia along the road as the Eastern Red Bud trees burst forth...  all of nature celebration the return of life to Earth 🌎 

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana...  rushing out the door for an appointment...  the hubs on his own for breakfast.  Enjoying the ride there and back... a chance to admire the explosion of spring growth.   Back to the home office...  tax prep awaits...   grateful to be surrounded by sunny windows.  

Supper tonite... a welcome break from the drudgery of tax season...  bibimbap...  a first attempt at a brand new cuisine...  a helping hand from H Mart supplying the picked and fermented veggies...  adding sautéed chicken...  brown rice... and an interesting sauce blended of mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, chili paste, garlic, chive and rice wine vinegar...  complex flavors.  We both liked it and decided we would have it again...  success!!  Time to learn how to prepare the remaining ingredients 😋

Covid has taken just over 3 million souls from our world in the past 15 months...  India at its worst...  the surge over 300,000 cases daily...  Turkey, Brazil, Canadá and parts of Europe suffering greatly.  Vaccinations here in America available to all folks over 16 years...  covid is a devastating  disease...  leaving behind debilitating medical conditions in many of those that survive...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  trot through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Greenhouse Update & Leftovers

 Quarantine activities of the day...  Live from NYC...

Whiplash weather...  cold one day...  warm the next...   Mother Nature unable to make up her mind if spring has sprung yet...  trees 🌳 not confused...  their blossoms adorning branches...  feeding hungry critters and birds...  cherry trees in bright pinks a favorite...  their summer fruits gobbled up by birds and squirrels long before humans get a chance to taste.  Rainy morning followed by clouds and chill...  by sunset skies cleared and revealed the glowing orb as it descended beyond the horizon.

Greenhouse update...  the babies are growing up... teenager tomato 🍅 plants...  nasturtiums have popped through the soil and are growing rapidly...    

slow growing pepper plants still infants (red coloring is from the nearby heat lamp) basil growing their second set of leaves...  mint, parsley and marigolds all doing well...  gave everyone a big drink today...  all happy on their benches.

Supper tonite a melange of leftovers from the weeks meals...  last nights burgers had two remain... a chicken thigh... leg and wing left from our spatchcocked bird...  a few bites of potato salad and coleslaw and baked butternut squash rounds filled out our meal.... orange juice and sparkling water spritzers accompanying...  the hubs enjoying his Wild Berry Zinger tea and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.

The J&J vaccine back in action after a two week pause...  now coming with a warning for women under 50 years of a rare side effect affecting 2 per one million patients.  If you’re in this group and need to chose Pfizer or Moderna for comfort... that’s all right...  but do make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution to knock out covid!  Until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  sail through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your weekend?   What on your plate?   Thoughts?

Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs, Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash with Agave Nectar, Glazed Plantains & Citrus Plate

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

What a difference a day makes...  the big chill arriving...  last night temps dipped into the 30’s...  today never climbing above 50°F...  hats, scarves & gloves back from the closet...  winds nipping at ears and fingers...  glad for the warmth of the mask. 

Driving to PT today...  the canopy of spring green trees covering the roadway...  dotted with hot pink cherry trees...  fuchsia magnolia blossoms ready to pop...  a bright pink apple tree... it’s flowers looking like thousands of pink butterflies landed on its branches...  all among the bright green tunnel of maple blossoms lining the drive... backlit by the afternoon sun...  stunning.

Coffee ☕️ and oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins...  chicken on the menu...  the hubs mentioning teriyaki...  after our chat it’s off to PT for the hubs.  Tax season has arrived...  least favorite chore...  hours of paperwork...  assembling receipts and records...  today sending Mom’s off to the accountant for filing...  our still awaiting completion.  

Supper tonite...  a happy distraction from the grind of taxes...  teriyaki chicken kebabs with garlic and ginger...  avocado 🥑 cucumber 🥒 tomato 🍅 salad with lime vinaigrette and parsley (cilantro = soap to me 😕) orange glazed plantains...  butternut squash roasted with agave nectar and a bright citrus plate of grapefruit, mandarin and tangelo 🍊An orange juice spritzer alongside...  dessert for the hubs... decaf coffee and the last of the scones.

We are heartbroken to learn of a dear friends father in the covid ICU tonite...  we are praying for his health to return as he struggles in the fight of his life.  

Vaccinations are available to all Americans aged 16 and up...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn   Feeling afraid to take the shot?  Understandable with all the news regarding the J&J vaccine...  here is a link to the CDC website explaining how the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines work.  Understanding how the body fights the virus may help ease fear. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mRNA.html?s_cid=10506:mrna%20vaccine%20technology:sem.ga:p:RG:GM:gen:PTN:FY21

In the interim...  mask up...  limit social interactions...  glide through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Penne Rigate with Roasted Tomatoes, Broccolini, Portobellos, Olives, Parsley Olive Oil and Parmesan & Citrus Plate

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Today was an all weather event...  rainy morning...  midday sun with mild temps into the mid 60’s... light breeze...  late afternoon dark clouds...  winds kicked up...  scattered thunderstorms...  evening...  windy and cold with temps dipping to the 30’s...  brrrr.  Folks out early...  by afternoon the weather drove everyone back inside...  blustery winds whipping hats off heads... hair flying.

Coffee ☕️ and a scone...  the hubs enjoying a mini wrap of turkey and salami along with his hot cup of joe.  Off to our days...  appointments and video chats in between tax prep...  the hubs reorganizing his workshop... a monumental task...  Mr Sam finished with his outdoor deck adventures...  scheduled for a nap 💤 Just prior to supper took a brief walk with the hubs...  cold wind...  blustery...  chilling us within moments...  hustling back to the warmth of the kitchen... hot food awaiting.

Supper tonite...  penne rigate with roasted tomatoes...  broccolini...  portobellos...  Kalamata olives...  olive oil...  black pepper...  parsley and Parmesan...  side of ricotta...  homemade roll and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc accompanying the meal...  the hubs enjoying his alongside a chicken leg and thigh left from last nights spatchcocked grilled chicken.  Citrus plate of grapefruit and orange segments for dessert.  

Covid vaccinations 💉 nearing the 200 million mark...  more than 50% of Americans receiving at least one jab.  Variants still spreading...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution to eradicate covid...  until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  sail through the market...  and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken with Sautéed Portobellos in Venison Gravy, Roasted Broccolini & Homemade Rolls

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

Stellar sunshine...  temps climbed into the low 70’s... woo hoo...  felt like springtime...  no jackets required...  mountain laurel blooming with cascades of flowers...  loads of honey bees collecting nectar...  our bossy bee 🐝 a large single female carpenter bee... patrolling the property chasing away all other cavity nesting bees...  she patrols during day light hours...  hasn’t understood the greenhouse yet...  she is relentless.  

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana out on the deck...  the hubs enjoying his cottage cheese and hot java... Mr Sam sprawled out on the warm boards soaking in the sunshine...  light breeze caressing skin on our arms...  just enough to keep us cool.  Spent time in the greenhouse...  everyone growing beautifully...  leeks and carrots that survived the winter now exploding with new growth...  all the babies getting taller and fuller each day...  gave them all a drink and patted their heads. 

Dropped the hubs off at PT...   the race is on... skittered to the bank...  off to the market for a few small items... a quick stop at home to unpack... then back to PT to collect the hubs...  all done and dusted in 70 minutes!  Just in time to hear the verdict in the Chauvin trial...  accountability...  it’s about time! 

Supper tonite...  spatchcocked chicken on the grill...  roasted broccolini...  sautéed portobello mushrooms with remaining gravy from the venison stew...  incredibly delicious...  the chicken moist... skin crispy...  heavenly...  washed down with the last of the bottle of Line 39 Cabernet 🍷 

Echinacea tea... a leaf of crystallized ginger and a scone for the hubs dessert.  

A quick comment...  for years in the US the only way we ever heard about crimes against minorities was when the news decided it was worthy of a report.  Since the advent of cell phones with cameras and video it has become increasingly apparent that these crimes are frequent... blatant and often done without thought or remorse.  The guilty verdict in the Chauvin  trial is a beginning...  but look how blatant and outrageous it needed to be before society paid attention.  Accountability for ones behavior cannot be excused...  regardless of race... color... ethnicity...  wealth... position or job title.  We must all be held to the same standards...  otherwise there is no justice. 

Covid is still with us...  as vaccines 💉 progress at more than 3 million per day...  Americans are still succumbing to the virus...  new cases still top 70,000 daily...  please... make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution...  until then... you know what to do...  mask up... limit interactions...  skip though the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Venison Stew & Homemade Crusty Rolls

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Bright azure skies dotted with cotton like strands of clouds...  temps in the mid 60’s...  chilly breeze cooling suns warm caress.  Lots of folks out...  walking in groups...  chatting behind masks...  greeting one another with masked smiles, nods or elbow touches...  maple trees sporting their bright spring green flowers...  cherry and dogwoods ablaze in blooms...   magnolia blossoms raining onto lawns and sidewalks...  daffodils...  tulips...  hyacinths...  violets and pansies gracing gardens.

Iced coffee ☕️  orange cranberry scone...  the hubs enjoying his with hot java...  venison stew percolating in the background.  Sat with Mr Sam on the deck for a bit...  too chilly for an extended stay...  Mr Sam following into the kitchen for a snack and nap 💤

Off to visit Mom for a bit...  no deliveries 📦 today... just an opportunity to share a cup of tea and a chat.   Returning a bit late to finish up our stew...  supper tonite...  venison stew (recipe in comments)  roasted tomatoes...  homemade crusty rolls and a glass of Cabernet 🍷 alongside.   Delightful 🍲 

Covid variants still spreading rapidly through unvaccinated folks...  infecting  children...  over 70,000 new cases daily here in America...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  let’s stop the spread of variants...  especially to children...  do your part...  until then...  mask up...  limit interactions...  slide through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What on your plate?   Thoughts?

Ingredients

• 2 pounds venison, cubed
•              1/2 c AP flour seasoned with salt and pepper
•              Olive oil 
• 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow or white onions
•              3 cloves garlic minced 
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 3 ribs chopped celery
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
•              12 juniper berries 
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
•              1 Tbsp butter 

Instructions:

Toss the venison with flour salt and pepper and brown it in olive oil in batches
Once all sides of the meat are browned remove to plate and set aside

Sauté the onions and celery with salt and pepper in additional olive oil until softened

Add garlic and stir... cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes 

Stir in the tomato paste and cook the mixture for 1 minute

Add in the red wine to deglaze the pan scraping up the browned bits with a spoon

Add in the vegetable stock 

Add in the venison making sure enough liquid to just cover

Add in the parsley, thyme, rosemary and juniper berries 

Cover...  bring to boil...  reduce to simmer...  continue to test meat with fork... takes about four hours for leg meat stew 

Meanwhile...at about three hour mark... sauté mushrooms in butter in skillet and set aside

At last 30 minutes add in the carrots and simmer 

To finish...  add in the mushrooms and butter and stir off the heat

Serve over egg noodles, rice or with crusty bread 

 

Orange Cranberry Scones and Leftover Turkey Meatloaf, Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus and Tomato Salad

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC 

Sun playing peek-a-boo till mid afternoon...  clouds arriving...  warmth vanishing.  Grey skies dominating late afternoon... threatening drizzle...  robins flitting from branch to branch flirting...  sparrows in a flock chittering in the trees...  our chubby pregnant squirrel packed full with acorns...  she looks ready to pop. 

Iced coffee ☕️ with orange cranberry scones... a brunch treat...  the hubs enjoying his cup of joe alongside.  Spent time in the greenhouse...  the babies all growing...  new leaves sprouting...  thyme flowering on the deck...  gave everyone a drink... their habitat warm and inviting despite the chill outside.  Mr Sam briefly in the deck...  following into the kitchen... the clouds thickening.  

Made a brief trip to Moms for grocery delivery Saturday...  spent time with her and her delightful aide...  chatting and visiting.  She is beginning to enjoy visiting with vaccinated friends again...  attending her chair yoga class...  life slowly easing back toward some semblance of normalcy in her complex.  

Had our first visit with vaccinated friends in 14 months Saturday evening...  it was such a delight to socialize in person...  share a meal...  catch up on news...  seemed like eons..  and at the same time only weeks...  since we last visited.  Catching up over the phone simply not the same as being in person.

Supper tonite...  leftovers from last nights shared meal...   turkey meatloaf, oven roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus and tomato salad...  a glass of Cabernet 🍷 to accompany...   Lemon Zinger tea and a scone for dessert.

Covid variants in Brazil and India overwhelming their health care system...  people succumbing at an alarming rate.  We are incredibly fortunate to have already vaccinated half of adults here in America with at least one jab 💉

35 million citizens fully vaccinated...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be proactive...  take care of those you love...  more than 2 million Covid long haulers are evidence this disease is detrimental... even to those who recover.   Until then... you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  glide through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Sashimi, Wakame Bimimbop and Japchae Supper

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

🎶 Here comes the sun... do do do do... here comes the sun...  and I say... it’s all right 🎶  Bright azure skies streaming down on the Big Sunny Apple...  brisk breeze bringing a touch of chill to the mid 60’s...  birds celebrating the glorious return of the golden orb...  singing...   twittering...  squawking...   squirrels stuffing their chubby selves...  nibbling tree flowers...  young baby leaves...   chittering to one another as they race up and down trees playing catch me if you can.  

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana... the hubs enjoying his oatmeal and hot java...  fish supper gleaning 100% of aye votes.  Details to be determined at the market.  Off to our days...  his a continuation of workshop organization... tax prep...  calls...  and paperwork await.  By late afternoon a much needed break from the drone of work...  tea with the hubs... off to the market to fish for supper 😂

Tonites meal courtesy of H Mart...  sashimi plate...   japchae (Korean cellophane noodles with veggies) wakame (Japanese seaweed salad) and bibimbap vegetables (no rice or broth today) as a side dish of salads...  served alongside soy sauce with pickled ginger slices and wasabi for some heat...  and orange juice spritzer.  

All incredibly fresh and delicious...   enough left for another meal.  Looking forward to making rice and broth next time.  Fun to experiment with new flavors and tastes...  some familiar...  some not...  all delicious and beautifully prepared.  Picked up frozen goyoza dumplings for another meal... one with leek...  one chicken and pork.  Our H Mart has a huge salt water tank at the back of the store...  live fish 🐟  makes for incredibly fresh sashimi. 

The J&J vaccine pause has ended...  10 million doses available for immediate use... risk of serious side effects rare...  if you are hesitant select Moderna or Pfizer...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution bringing herd immunity to America so we can end the variants and resume our lives.  Until then... you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  trot through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?    What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Chicken Teriyaki Kebabs with Yellow Rice, Tomato Cucumber and Feta Salad and Acorn Squash with Agave Nectar

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...  

Sunny but chilly morning devolving into mid afternoon clouds...   by late afternoon a steady drizzle...   busy early in the day...  landscapers blowing...  neighbors gardening...  new songbird singing out his melody from the treetops...  couldn’t find him amongst the branches...  squirrels busily stuffing themselves with last seasons acorns dug from lawns and planters.

Iced coffee ☕️ and a mandarin... the hubs enjoying his steaming cup and burrito.  A few moments to chat about supper...  yesterday’s marinating chicken teriyaki on the menu...  some paperwork... then off to the races.  Hubs to PT...  zoom through the market...  sliding into home plate...   scooping the hubs up from PT to head back...  all in under 90 minutes...  whew...  what a ride!!  

Supper tonite...  chicken teriyaki kebabs with orange juice, lime juice and soy sauce...  yellow rice flavored with turmeric and paprika...  a beautiful tomato, cucumber feta salad with parsley and feta (forgot to take a photo 🤪) and acorn squash baked with agave nectar (forgot to take a photo of that too...  I think my brain is getting mushy 🙃) alongside a glass of Sauvignon Blanc...  dessert for the hubs... Echinacea tea, crystallized ginger leaf and ginger snaps.

Covid cases soaring to 200,000 daily in India...  terrifying...  Brazil also enduring an enormous surge...  never forget how fortunate those of us in America are to have a government that makes vaccinations a priority 🥰

That being said...  Make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  

The J&J issues have created nervousness amongst those who are frightened...  please remember...  50% of Americans have already received at least one dose...  66 million are fully vaccinated...  the variants are more infectious and more deadly...  please protect yourself and your loved ones.  Until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  zoom through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Piggies in Blankets and Crisp Green Salad

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...  

🎶 Rain rain go away...  come again another day 🎵 ...  and it rained...  and it rained...   the puddles growing larger...  and deeper...  kids in galoshes splashing on their way home...  cars driving by...  wipers swishing...  teeny dogs in little pink rubber booties and rains slickers out for a walk...  visible beneath umbrella holding owners huddled into their jackets against the cold damp breeze.  

Hot coffee ☕️ cottage cheese and a mandarin inside the warm kitchen... the hubs warming his hands on his steaming cup...  the rest of the house feeling a bit raw with falling temps outside...  waiting for the heat to kick on.  Teriyaki chicken for supper planned...  the hubs off to his workshop to continue his re-organizing...  which is coming out very nicely...  phone calls...  paperwork...  tax prep await....  plus a closet to clean out...  back to decluttering.  

Supper tonite apparently not teriyaki chicken 😂 still marinating in the fridge...  the rice alongside cooked as well...  also stashed.  Found a pack of mini sausages in the back of the fridge nearing expiration...  hate tossing food...  so pigs in blankets for supper...  along with a fresh green salad (so we can pretend this meal is healthy) and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.  The hubs was positively thrilled...  he said...  and I quote... “Oooh a treat tonite!!”  When Mom asked what we had for supper I just said...  hot dogs 🌭 So glad they tasted good and actually made for a fun... albeit weird...  supper 🤪

Covid cases sill infecting 70,000 Americans each day.  Dr Fauci has indicated that we cannot fully re-open the country until we are below 10,000 new infections daily.  Please do your part and get vaccinated 💉 make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  until then... you know what to do...  So DO IT...  mask up...  limit interactions...  jog through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

His & Hers Suppers... Farro, Ground Turkey with (his) Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant & Mushrooms... (hers) Dill Yogurt

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC... 

Bright sunny morning...  temps popped...  70°F...  light breeze...  robins have arrived with their fat red breasts and loud trill...  perched atop the garage...  little hops across the roofing tiles...  stopping every now and then to call out for a mate...  the male will continue his calling until he has secured a female for the season.  Mid afternoon...  dark clouds rolling in...  temps plummeting... chill wind...  rain on the way.

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana out on the deck...  the hubs always enjoying his hot cup...  discussing repairs and maintenance tasks ahead...  shoring up the forsythia bed where erosion has depleted the soil base...  scrubbing and staining the deck...  rebuilding older planters...  replacing a few shingles... lost during storms.

Spent time in the greenhouse...  all the babies planted in their next size containers...  youngest ones (basil, peppers, eggplant) closest to the heat lamp...  the rest at a distance...   companion plantings interspersed...  marigold seedlings...  nasturtium seeds yet to sprout...  spearmint...  all nurtured and cared for.

His and hers supper tonite...  farro at the base topped with flavorful ground turkey... his with a layer of last nights tomatoes peppers & eggplant...  hers with dill yogurt...  enjoyed with the remaining flatbread pieces from last nights dinner...  Cabernet 🍷for him...  Sauvignon Blanc for her...  delightful 😋

Covid variants continuing to spread as vaccinations 💉 proceed at more than 3 million daily...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  along with half of Americans thus far...  until then...  you know what to do...   mask on... limit interactions...  glide through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?    What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Tomato, Pepper, Eggplant, Mushroom and Queso Frier with Homemade Flatbreads

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

The sun magically reappearing bringing smiles to faces and warmth to chilled bones...  temps climbing into the low 60’s...  folks outside...   gardening...  planting...  chatting with neighbors...  mowing lawns...  little peeks of normalcy amidst the pandemic.  Squirrels digging everywhere...  helping aerate the soil allowing new growth to emerge.

Iced coffee ☕️ turkey salami mini wrap...   the hubs savoring his steaming cup...  trying a new dish tonite...  special thanks to Liz Gutter for her recipe and inspiration...  meatless Tuesday? Off he goes to continue re-organizing his workshop...  telephone calls... video chats... paperwork await...  sun ☀️ streaming in office windows making for a pleasant day.

Dropping the hubs off for a late PT session...  supper prep...  chopping vegetables...  sautéing onions... olive oil...  a little salt... black pepper...  adding in sliced red peppers...  minced garlic...  sliced mushrooms...  cubed eggplant...  blooming spices...  smoked paprika...  cumin... coriander... cajun seasoning... time to add the chopped tomatoes... a little wine...  chicken stock...  a bit of agave nectar...  dark red kidney beans...  then simmer covered...  Turn off the heat...  pick up the hubs from PT...  back in the kitchen...  return to simmer cover off...  finally off the heat add two thick slices of queso frier...  meantime roll out the flatbreads...  coat lightly with olive oil... into the 475°F oven for 10 minutes...  rotate the pans...  10 more minutes...  voilá...  supper is served!  Whew...  that glass of Cabernet sure was extra delicious tonite 🍷

Covid variants continue their march through the Great Lakes region...  infecting unvaccinated folks with a more contagious form...   vaccinations are the way out...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution... along with almost half of Americans...  until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  sail through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What on your plate?   Thoughts?

Tagliatelle with Olive Oil, Black Pepper, Parsley and Parmesan... Scoop of Ricotta & Garlicky Sausage

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC... 

Chilly...  early drizzle... overcast...  a damp drab day...  mostly quiet save the few cars splashing by...  a lone squirrel sitting on the deck rail...  drops glistening in her fur...  looking very pregnant...  nibbling an acorn dug from the rosemary planter...  one less volunteer to pull from the soil...  she leaves behind a little pile of shells the rain will wash away.

Coffee ☕️ and a banana inside once again...  the hubs enjoying his steaming cup...  dinner confusion...  no ideas... flying by the seat of our pants today.  The hubs deciding to re-organize his workshop...  phone calls and follow up await.  Listening to the steady drip of water in the gutters and downspouts outside the office windows...  the pitter patter soothing the soul.  

Supper tonite a quick fix of fresh tagliatelle with olive oil...  black pepper...   fresh parsley and Parmesan...  alongside garlicky Italian sausage...  a scoop of ricotta and a lovely glass of Line 39 Cabernet 🍷 a hot cup of decaf for the chilly hubs...  snuggled in his hands to warm them... with a piece of 82% dark chocolate to finish his meal.  

Covid variants surging in the Great Lakes states...  vaccinations 💉 can’t come soon enough...  hospitals in the area nearing capacity.  Make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  over 43% of adults in the US have received at least one vaccine thus far...  almost half way there...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  if you’re vaxxed keep to small vaxxed gatherings...  slide through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese and Capers, Jammy Eggs, Roasted Chicken Thighs, Cuban Style Black Beans, Brown Rice & Tomato Jam

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

And just like that...  snap...  weather changes...  low 50’s...  rain...  fog...  blanket of clouds...  dreary...  no one out...  umbrellas ☔️ on full display...  dodging puddles...  ducking raindrops...  Big Soggy Apple 🍎 

Iced coffee ☕️ and a banana...  the hubs enjoying his hot cup with cottage cheese and blueberries...  leftover night...  grabbing an apple and cheese on the way out to visit Mom...  groceries...  treats...  time to chat and share the weeks news.   Moms memory is faltering a bit...  she recalls lots of events but sometimes has trouble finding the words.  It is frustrating for her...  we listen regardless... giving her the love and attention she so deserves.  

Came home a bit late...  leftover night...  unfinished bits from the weeks meals...  smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers...  jammy eggs with a bit of mayonnaise, black pepper and smoked paprika...  a delightful appetizer.  The main event... brown rice...  Cuban style black beans...  a piece of salmon to share...  roasted chicken thighs...  tomato jam... topped off with Line 39 Cabernet 🍷...  dessert...  Wild Berry Zinger tea for the hubs and matzo crack 😋

Covid has sickened 136 million people worldwide...  just short of 3 million have passed...  by comparison the annual flu sickens about 30 million folks per season...  with about 25 thousand passing from the illness...  the math is clear...  covid is NOT the same as flu...  far more contagious and more lethal as well...  especially the variant now making its way across America.   

In the US vaccinations topping 4 million daily...  it’s the way out of the pandemic...  when you are eligible make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn   Be part of the solution...  until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions...  skate through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?    What on your plate?    

Thoughts?

Chicken Sausage with Fennel... Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes... Tomato Salad with Avocado, Red Onion and Queso Frier

 Quarantine supper tonite...   Live from NYC...

Overcast chilly morning...  2pm... sun burned through...  temps bounced...  high 60’s...  folks peering out... donning light jackets...  time to venture forth...  birds flitting... chirping...  squirrels chasing... digging...  couple of hawks circling overhead...  life creeping back into the Big Sunny Apple. 

Coffee ☕️ and a banana indoors... the hubs enjoying his green tea with eggs and potatoes...  no dinner decisions...  yet...  time for a trip to the garden center...  marigolds...  spearmint...  dianthis...  companion plantings to keep buggies at bay.  Moved tomato and cucumber seedlings out to the greenhouse...  a chance to harden up a bit.  

Supper tonite...  chicken fennel sausage...  roasted peppers and tomatoes... alongside a tomato salad with avocado, red onion, queso frier and basil in a lime vinaigrette...  so refreshing...  a glass of Sauvignon Blanc topped off the meal.  

Covid variants 80% of new cases nationwide...  vaccines 💉 proceeding rapidly...  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution...  until then...  you know what to do...  mask up...  limit interactions... trot through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?