Category Archives: cooking

Simple Sunday

Posted in bread, California, cancer, cooking, Halloween, peritoneal mesothelomia, Walking by

We got home yesterday around 2:30. Everything went well and now we just have to see what his hemoglobin is with tomorrow’s labs. Especially if he has the chemo on Wednesday, his hemo has to be up. What we discovered though is the infusion is open on Sunday. No one has told us this and it would have saved us from going to the ER.:(

Yesterday I walked over 3 miles at the UCD campus so I was pretty achy this morning so I only walked a little over a mile. Also, I’m not going to the gym as I need to do my morning house reset. I’m also planning on going to the Roseville gym tomorrow so it’ll cover doing weights.

So far, I’ve got the sourdough in the oven, swished the bathroom, and checked what I need to wrap the few presents I have for Christmas. Next is dusting and then steam mop. I’ve slowly finished the garden shed except for that box of extra jars which I’ll go out and do today.

This is one of our resident bucks. quite handsome!!!

a few Halloween things. I don’t put out all my vintage Halloween anymore, just a few pieces.

This jack-o-lantern is probably 1950s.

Frugal Friday on Saturday

Posted in budgeting, budgets, California, cancer, cooking, frugalism, peritoneal mesothelomia, Walking by

Well, guess where we are?? The UCD infusion center. B’s platelets went way up,244, but his hemoglobin went down:(

So he’s getting a blood transfusion. It’ll probably be 3-4 hours but it’s nice here and quiet. I went for a long walk over to Kiwanis house and wow it’s all different. Well, not the Kiwanis house but all around it is construction.

I’m back now and since we have a while I thought I’d get this posted.

Then Monday he’ll get labs again.

So Frugal wise, I went to Winco this week and that’s about it. I think my groceries were $150. So okay really. I am planning Costco at some point next week but we’ll just have to see how everything plays out with chemo and labs.

I made the cauliflower soup last night from The Soup Sisters cookbook. Everyone loved it. I thought it was just ok. I did like it blended in the Vitamix so it was very silky.

I have some sticky rice to use up, so I may cook that like fried rice, and then I have some TJ’s orange chicken to use up, too.

I finished the budget for November so all the numbers add up and are accounted for. Most of our bills come out in the first 10 days of the month, so that’s good timing.

Midweek

Posted in Blood test, California, cancer, cooking, decluttering, garden shed, swimming by

Good news. Barclay’s platelets went up to 90!!! that’s from 22. So a big improvement and the nose bleeds have stopped. His hemoglobin stayed at 8.5 so not much improvement but they don’t do transfusions till you’re below 8. So all around he’s feeling better. He does need to have another set of labs tomorrow as they want it to be twice a week.

This morning he will have a video visit with the oncologist and we should have a plan for the next chemo. I’m heading to the pool and Winco so I won’t be able to listen in but I told him make sure, under no circumstances, are you doing the same amount next time. We’ll just have to see what she comes up with. I think she conferred with the Stanford doctors so that will be interesting. He’s scheduled for next Wednesday.

The mornings are darker now and I’m walking with my headlamp. I guess in a few weeks it’ll be fall back time so 6am will be 5am and so the light should be better then. Plus sunset is like 6:15 so it’s definitely different.

I’ve ordered a water bottle for B since he lost his large one some time ago. I use the Takada brand and like it better than most other ones. This one keeps ice water cold for hours. He’ll need something next week since the chemo will probably be 4+ hours.

I did a large Goodwill drop-off on Sunday. Most of it was from cleaning out the garden shed. I’d got most of it sorted and cleaned out. I do have another load of plastic bins to get rid of and I’m not sure if I’m going to leave them out for free ( this would be on our main road as our driveway is a dead end to our house) or take them to Goodwill. I also have another box of canning jars to give away as I don’t plan on canning that much next year. I do love canning and it’s been a great hobby and food saver but I’m older and it might just be easier to buy jam rather than making 12 jars of strawberry jam.:) I guess the reality of what I can do and what can’t/don’t want to do is becoming clearer.

Frugal Friday

Posted in budgets, California, cancer, cooking, frugalism, swimming by

This week has been ok money-wise. We’ve had to fill up the Santa Fe twice, but using Costco gas saves quite a bit. Gas here in town is $1.00 more a gallon than Costco. Go figure.

I went to Bel Air to get some leeks for soup and some tea drinks for B. I spent $58. Probably at Winco that would have been a lot less.

Then most of our annual fall bills have come due. Allstate I decided to do in payments. That’ll help break it up and I’ll finish it by Dec. Then the big one is our insurance. Here in California most insurance companies are not insuring for fire so you have to get a rider with the California Fair Plan. So you have one with the insurance company, in our case, that’s AAA and the the Fair Plan.

Both went up a couple hundred dollars but at least it’s not thousands. Still, for such a small house it’s a pretty expensive policy. There was no payment plan option so it went on the credit card. I got to $600 in my cash envelopes, but that’s certainly not enough. Hopefully next year I can get more in there.

Today is a swim day and Barclay trying to get someone to do something at UCD in regards to appts. We are so frustrated with them and honestly shocked at their inefficiency and lack of response. It is baffling since before we had such extraordinary service from them before. But this has been absolutely awful.

So once I get back from the pool, I need to organize my thrift store stuff to take next week. I also want to box up a dozen pint jars and offer them on Pay it Forward as I have way too many jars now. I’m not planning on canning as much so I know someone who is canning will use them.

Thankful Thursday

Posted in books, bread, California, cancer, cooking, Gratitude, reading by

So thankful chemo went well. No problems at all; it went way quicker than we thought it would.

I’m thankful I had lots of books on hold so I can read today. One was a LP so I have to return that and get the regular one. I have been reading ‘The Two Towers’ and am about a third of the way through.

I’m thankful I do not have to drive to Sacramento today to pick up B’s specialty prescription. This is one that is very expensive and has to go through the grant process. It’ll probably be ready Monday or Tuesday. He is supposed to start it tomorrow but that’s not going to happen.

I’m grateful that the heat wave will soon be over and we’ll be back in normal October weather. It’s not too unusual to have higher temperatures in October just not 99 degrees. I think today is supposed to be 94.

I’m making a loaf of whole wheat bread in the breadmaker but I think the hydration is off. It seems too stiff. I’ll still bake it but next time I’ll do a bit more water. With the bread maker, it’s harder to adjust the ingredients as the machine is doing the mixing and kneading. So when I checked it later I could see that it was a little stiff but by then it’s too late to add water. I’ll see how it turns out. Whole wheat is always a little tricky anyway.

Menu Plan

Posted in budgets, California, cancer, cooking, meal planning by

So this week, we’re starting chemo, so I’ll probably keep dinners even more simple.

Last night we had a Costco mushroom and truffle pizza. It was as good as a restaurant. If you see them at your Costco and if you like a thin pizza with mushrooms this is for you.

Tonight I’m grilling some chicken and then there will be leftovers for either soup or something. I am also going to bake one of our delicata squash with butter and brown sugar.

Tomorrow, I think I will plan a ramen soup so B has something easy to digest. I’ll probably add an egg to it too for some protein.

I’m going to cook some rice in the Zojuruishi and make rice bowls. I’m out of tofu so I’ll need to pick some up at our Holiday Market. I won’t be able to get to Costco till next week with everything going on. I have some spinach to use and mushrooms.

A freezer meal of some sort, probably lasagna that I made a while ago and froze.

Something with eggs since I have a lot in the fridge. Either a frittata or scrambled eggs with potatoes.

I will do one fish dish this week. I have some salmon in the freezer so I’ll do that with a rice pilaf.

Here’s the Pullman Pan. or Pain de Mie.

and the loaf of sourdough.

I just had some toasted and it was excellent.

Simple Sunday

Posted in bread, budgets, California, cancer, cooking, swimming, Walking by

I feel mostly back to normal after our 2 days at Stanford. I was quite tired yesterday but today felt good enough to go to the gym. I did weights and some treadmill.

I also got some sourdough going and I’m trying a new baking method using a Pullman Pan. Everything in preparation is the same, fold and turn, bulk rise, but then you place the dough in the pan and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The pan has a lid that you put on to bake and it gives you a square loaf that is great for toast or sandwiches. I’ll post some pictures and give an evaluation. If the sourdough doesn’t work out I’ll just try a regular yeast bread.

I made up an apple tart using apples from our small tree. The big apple tree had lots of apples but the bugs got into them so most of them went to the deer. I have to go check the Rhode Island Greenings because I think there were a couple of them. Those trees are still fairly young so it’ll be a few years before we see any crops.

We have a few hot days coming up and hopefully, we can close all the windows and it won’t get too hot. I think I saw 99 and 97 so fairly warm:( Well, it is that time of year when it can be cool or hot.

We had a good walk this morning and I plan to keep walking my regular days even when B starts his chemo. I figure the first week he won’t feel like it but by week 2 he should be able to.

I plan on swimming tomorrow and then maybe going over to Winco for a few things. I don’t need a lot but would like to get some Bubbly water and that’s the cheapest place to get it. Depending on how Wednesday shapes up, I could go to the library and the gym while B is in chemo. We need to find out from the nurse how long she/he thinks it’ll be. the doctor seemed to indicate that it’s a fast infusion but the pre-drugs can take some time. That’s like Benadryl and saline.

I scheduled my flu and covid shots for this week too so I’ll be glad to get them done.

I’ve cooked some baked potatoes for dinner and I will make a spinach salad to go with that. I’ll have to check what kind of protein I have because I know I used the tofu up. I need to make up my menus for the month tomorrow so I can plan out what to use up or what I may need to buy.

Simple Sunday

Posted in California, cancer, cooking, Flylady, husband, simple foods by

HAPPY FALL EQUINOX

Happy Birthday to B!!!! 74 years young today!!

Happy birthday to Bilbo and Frodo too!!

My son came over yesterday and we had a birthday dinner of tofu burgers and fries. Quite yummy. Then we watched Shrek 2. That’s my favorite with Puss in Boots.

Then this morning he made a huge brunch, also delicious.

I headed to the gym for a quick workout. I plan on making some brown rice for dinner and to use tomorrow too. I think I’ll also do some salmon. Then I have some salad stuff to use up.

Tomorrow I plan on going to the Roseville gym but I might wait till Tuesday. It depends on how much I get done today.

I think the Flylady zone is the bedroom so I usually do that and the Living zone together. Both don’t really require a lot: just dusting, watering plants, mirrors, and vacuuming. Plus just a general tidy up and putting things away that need to go elsewhere.

Thankful Thursday

Posted in Blood test, books, California, cancer, cooking, Gratitude by

Yesterday was lots of fun with my son going to see Deadpool 3. For some weird reason, I just love his character and it’s really quite funny, well if you don’t like heads flying I wouldn’t recommend it. The theatre was empty except for us and that made it even better. After that we went up for pizza and it’s my favorite NY pizza. I’m grateful and thankful for such a great son. He’s very thoughtful and knows me well.

I’m thankful the days are moving along till our Stanford appointment.

I’m thankful the weather is so beautiful and fall like. Both of us, are born in September so maybe that’s why I love the change of season so much.

I’m thankful( actually so grateful) that my labs came back still in the normal range. I’m definitely nervous that somethings going to happen and then I won’t be able to keep up with B’s appts. So far, my daughter has the PET scan covered, and my son will pick up his Dad after his first chemo. That chemo will potentially be ALL day so I’ll do the morning and then he can come after work.

As always I’m thankful for the small things in life that give me so much joy like reading, cooking, walking, and even daily chores.

My son found me a pasta maker at the thrift store. It’s practically new so I’m making some pasta for tomorrow. I don’t have the wood drying pasta thing but I’ll check on Amazon how much it is and how soon it would get here. You can also just make little stacks of the pasta and let it dry on a cookie sheet. He’s a very good cook so he wants to try it after I do.

So I have a question for those of you who read other people’s blogs that have advertisements. I’ve thought of monetizing my blog but every time I start to do it, I’m just kind of turned off by it. Any thoughts? I know when some blogs have ads flying all over I don’t even read the blog and just close it. Frugal Girl’s blog is monetized and the ads seem to just be in the middle of paragraphs and not too intrusive. I think she just mentioned though on her blog that the ads don’t really bring in the money. So how does she earn from the blog? Does anyone know how that works?

Menu Monday

Posted in Blood test, California, cooking, swimming by

I think I’ll do a mix of from scratch meals and then some pantry/freezer meals this week.

Last night we had a broccoli casserole that used broccoli, chicken and tofu on the other side, ranch dressing and then cheese on top. I used up all the broccoli so that was good. It was ok. Not great but ok.

Soup night of some sort. Last week I made homemade mushroom soup ( to use up the Costco mushrooms) and it was quite delicious. I want to add some new soups to my rotation so I’ll be checking out recipes. But if I don’t find something, I’ll just do lentil or minestrone.

I have a meatloaf and mashed potato dinner planned. It’s enough for one dinner and then I’ll freeze the other half. B can have a veggie burger with his potatoes.

I think I’ll plan a brinner this week too. I have lots of eggs so I could do pancakes, eggs, and veggie sausage.

I have a freezer lasagna to use one night with a salad.

I feel like a curry as well, so maybe red lentil curry with rice.

Probably a pizza night but that’s still TBD.

The freezer is low on meats as I haven’t restocked anything so I need to plan a Costco trip for some beef, chicken, and maybe fish.

I got my labs done and was out the door within 10 minutes. Then, I went to the pool. It was crazy busy for some weird reason. Usually, now when I go later, it’s pretty empty so I don’t know if it was just a one-off or what.

I’m home and chilling for the rest of the day. I’m almost done with Fellowship of the Ring.