I'm still here!

Well, December 21, 2012 didn't get me and I'm still here.  A lot has happened since I last put in a post.  Sorry for the delay but 2012 was NOT a good year.  It really started in September of 2011 when Dad got sick and then was finally diagnosed in January 2012 with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma and in Stage 1.  (I think I said that right, anyway...)  After going full bore with chemo, he was pronounced to be in remission around late May to early June.  He had lost a LOT of weight and was a bit frail and started doing a little better but not really. 

By the time August/September of 2012 rolled around, he was not much improved and went in for another CT scan which showed him at Stage 4 already.  He got another round of chemo for his birthday (78th) and the news that there really was nothing further that could be done.  He opted for home hospice and he passed on October 1st, 2012 with immediate family around.  Plans for the funeral was a team effort.  I am so thankful that my sister, Renee was close and could help Mom with Dad's care.  He certainly gave it his all, but the lymphoma won out.  The funeral was well attended by immediate and extended family and friends.  It was raining cats and dogs during the service at the funeral home, and I think Dad had his say when the preacher got wound up and was starting to get going when a huge clap of thunder broke out - it did the job and preacher wrapped it up.  But the rain had cleared when we got to the cemetery.  Dad got full military honors and rightfully so.  I now know what the military honor guard put in the flag when it's rolled up. 

About 2 weeks prior to my going to Arkansas to be with Dad, Mom and sisters, Renee and Angel and try to be of whatever help I could be, I was informed that my job was being phased out.  I managed to train my coworker for about a week before I had to leave.  After the funeral I came back home and worked with my coworker to the best of my ability to stuff 15 years' worth of bookkeeping knowledge into about 8 weeks of training.  I'll just say it was not an easy task given the time I was afforded even though I was there all day during those 8 weeks.  That's all I will say about that. 

Now, I've been unemployed for about 6 weeks and although I've sent out numerous résumés, I've only received a couple of acknowledgements but no calls.  I've cold-called at least 50-60 firms but the majority are not hiring.  I really didn't think there would be many hiring at year's end.  So, I keep trudging forward. 

About 3 weeks ago I got some form of food poisoning which I suspect was from sampling a cheese spread that was sitting in the cheese section at a local grocer.  NOT ever going to sample stuff anymore!  Then, I got an URI just after Christmas.  Let's just say I'm still trying to recuperate from all that.  I've been taking my probiotics and restarted taking multivitamin packets from Melaleuca. 

So that brings us to the present, I'm unemployed (again), missing my Dad, trying to recuperate from being sick, trying to clean my home office by packing it up and looking for employment.  In the meantime, when weather is nice, I'll be trying to help my husband work on the house to finish repairs (replacement of windows, siding, painting, drywall repair and finish the kitchen remodel (3 years in the process)).  We have most of the supplies already.  There is a possibility that we may be moving out-of-state and we want to finish up repairs so we can put the house on the market.  I hope by the time we get to that point, the housing market will have improved.

I haven't forgotten to count my blessings though.  I still have my Mom, my sisters, my daughter, my son-in-law, my son, my daughter-in-law, my grandchildren, my husband, my nephew, his wife, my great nephew and my dogs, all of whom I love so much and get love back in return.  Our property in Colorado is paid for and waiting for our return.  So, we continue to plan for our retirement as well.

Since I knew I was getting laid off, I've been trying to "shop" from my freezer and pantry as much as possible while supplementing with fresh fruit and veggies from the store.  Both the freezer and pantry are showing signs of use.  It's really helped with food costs by doing that and I must say that I really was well stocked!  There is just a minimal amount of meat in the freezer and we've pretty much gone vegetarian. 

My sisters are both starting out their new year by getting back to exercising while watching the new season of "The Biggest Loser".  I need to dust my elliptical off and get on that.  Tomorrow is a Monday and I'm determined to begin exercising on it.  Baby steps... 

Time to get that menu plan finished.  I will try to be better in posting this year as well.  Enough for now!  Take care and "see" you soon!

Happy New Year!

Well, here I am having gotten caught up in daily life and haven't posted to my blog.  I started the blog with the menu plan and now cannot find it.  Bummer, that was a lot of work, too.  I will have to restart it.  Until I get it finished, I will leave you with a basic recipe.  It's so simple that some of you may think it not worthy to post, but I did say I would post recipes.  So, here goes. 

I decided to begin with a staple used in a large part of the world - rice.  As noted in my pantry blog, there are several kinds but this recipe holds pretty well for all kinds save the arborio or risotto.  That has a recipe all its own.  So, whatever type of rice I'm going to prepare - whether it be jasmine, basmati, sushi, brown or glutinous (sweet) I use this recipe:

2 cups of rice, rinsed and drained
2-4 TBS of oil*
3 cups of liquid**
Seasoning***

1.  In a 1.5 to 2-quart saucepan spread the oil over the bottom and heat over medium-high heat.

2.  Add rice and stir to coat as much of the rice as possible with the oil. (*NOTE: depending on what type of meal the rice will be a part of, you might want to use different oils for different cuisines.  Such as canola with a splash of toasted sesame for Asian meals, olive oil for Italian, Morrocan, Spanish or American fare or just canola, sunflower or other for a bland rice.  Experiment to see what you like best.) 

3.  Toast the grains until slightly golden.

4.  Add the liquid slowly as the pan and contents will be hot.  (**NOTE: I like to use chicken stock instead of water or, if I do use water, I use chicken bouillon - 2 cubes or 1 TBS for 3 cups of water.)

5.  Bring the liquid and rice to a boil and lower heat and simmer for about 3 minutes while watching.

6.  Add seasoning.  (***NOTE:  See note about liquid. If you use bouillon, you may not want to add any more salt.  Again, depending on what you will be pairing the rice with in the meal will dictate what spices/herbs you use.  For most cuisines, I like to add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder and about 8-10 grinds of freshly ground black pepper from the pepper mill and AFTER tasting salt to taste.  If I'm making Spanish or Mexican food, I'll put in about 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground toasted cumin that I have in another peppermill I keep on my counter and perhaps 1/2 teaspoon of aromatic smoked sweet paprika.  Again, experiement with the spices.)

7.  Lower heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.  (NOTE:  If using brown rice or black glutinous rice, you want to give it 30 minutes before checking.  These have their bran coats on and need more time to cook.) 

8.  Check the rice with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula and make an "X" in the rice.  If the water is completely gone and the bottom comes away, it is ready.  Fluff with a fork to separate.  Some people (like me) like to cook the rice until the bottom is lightly golden and slightly crunchy and this may take about 3-5 minutes longer.  White rice should be ready within 15-20 minutes.  Brown rices may take as long as 30-60 minutes.  If there is considerable water in the rice when you check it, add about 5-10 minutes to your cooking time and do this each time you check and there is water in the pot.  Just make sure not to raise the temperature too much or it will burn.

This should make 4-6 servings.

Thanks for supporting me.  My lunch is over and I'm off to work some more.  Have a great Easter!!!

Working Stiff

Well, my status of unemployment has ended as of January 9th.  I received a call from a firm I worked for about 6 years ago asking if I was interested in the Office Manager position that just opened up.  Although being off for a couple of months was nice as far as not having to be somewhere, it sucked when I had to call and inquire about job positions only to be told there weren't any.  I was just about ready to go outside my comfort zone of the familiar and actually applied for a job in another state working for the Department of Agriculture.  Seeing as how I've not received so much as an acknowledgement for the application, I feel reasonably sure that I was not even in the running since I've not heard anything in about a month. 

The good thing I've gleaned from this experience is that I realize now what is most important in the way I spend my money and have goals to retire my debt by September of this year, save enough to dig the water well on our property, save up for the new roof and help my husband to retire his debt perhaps by the end of next year or shortly thereafter. 

I've been trying to follow the Nutrisystem guidelines while cooking meals myself and have, over the past week, been eating salads for lunch with a small portion of entreé with protein snacks and fruit and drink up to 2 liters of water a day aside from my 2 mugs of coffee.  I've also been doing my rehab exercises on my sprained foot and seem to be improving there. 

Additionally, I've been working on the simplification issue - one room at a time. 

Until later...have a good one!

The New Year

Still working on that menu plan.  Planning to put it up for next week if I can decide what the meals will be.  I've already been trying to eat more healthfully and will definitely try some of the recipes that my sister has presented.  Already we have been eating less meat and more vegetables.  I am also trying to increase my water intake, but for some reason I find it hard to drink so much water.  I have been walking the dogs everyday and physical therapy on my ankle is making improvements. 

After making numerous calls to firms only to hear that there are no openings for the past 2 months, I've received a call and been offered a job with a firm I respect.  I have worked with the firm in the past and was sad to have to leave when the firm broke up at the time.  As soon as the position opened, they called me to see if I was interested.  Having someone seek you out feels good and helps to renew faith in myself.  I think by having had to cinch my belt a few notches financially will help me manage finances a bit differently this time round. Now that I have a better picture of my long-term goals, I think it will be easier to make things happen without so many distractions, ie, spending money on unnecessary things. 

Independent of finding gainful employment, I've started "spring" cleaning and working toward that simplification of my life I spoke of earlier in my blog.  My plan for that is to work on the house one room at a time until I get the whole house done.   It is somewhat liberating getting rid of things you no longer need or use. 

Speaking of spring, I've started receiving seed catalogs and am gearing up to working in the garden more.   I have some peat pellets to start vegetable plants by the 15th to be ready by March 15th to plant in the garden.  Here's hoping that this gardening year will be a productive one. 

I'm also hoping this year will be much better all around than the year past.  I can say that so far it is already much better.  If you are reading my blogs and are in a similar situation, just keep a positive outlook and hang in there! 

Christmas is here!

I'm spending Christmas with my family here in North Arkansas.  I made the trip from my home in North Texas with my two furry "children" which are Siberian Huskies, Kimi and Lobo.  They love road trips and were so excited to come with me to my parents' home.  They are wonderful companions and take their job of protecting me very seriously. They are pretty good travelers and love being able to check out what's going on in the area whenever we need to make pit stops. 

Technology is helping to keep me in touch with my kids and their families.  We are planning to "Skype" later on so we all have an opportunity to share Christmas while not being able to be physically together.  I hope to be able to see my Son and my Daughter, Granddaughter and Grandson before the day is finished. 

I was able to finish making all the gifts I had set up to make for family and friends and now have started a crochet project for myself.  I need to make a weekend trip to visit my Daughter-in-Law soon after I return home.  Now it's time for me to get really serious about the diet menu plan which I will be publishing and following very shortly.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!

Christmas Elf - Hanging in there

Hey y'all!  I'll bet you thought I'd fallen off the planet or something.  I haven't.  Been pretty busy though.  Since I was laid off, I've been trying to simplify my life a little, find new employment and get ready for Christmas.  Oh, and Thanksgiving with my Daughter and her extended family.  Those grandkids are sure growing by leaps and bounds - busy becoming little people with distinct personalities. 

My Granddaugher Nati is something else!  She's got SO much energy - I wish there was some way to capture it and bottle it.  I'd make millions!  Last time I was over, she showed me something and said "Grams, don't you love it?"  Priceless!  Rafi is a little man of few words but he's got "Da-da" down and "Mama" when he's hungry.  Then he has a repetoire of various sound effects.  My Daughter-in-Law published some 3D ultrasound pictures and it is amazing the strides that technology has made.  It looks like my Grandson to be has his Dad's nose! 

I began the menu planning and have it somewhat worked up but will be more serious once the holidays are over.  I've been crocheting like crazy!  I've been working on "shopping" from the pantry and freezer and clearing some things out. 

Found some oriental somen noodles in the pantry I had forgotten I had and made some nice noodles for lunch that were actually supposed to be noodle soup but the noodles really sucked up the liquid!  I can't remember what the name of the soup is but I was trying to duplicate a Thai noodle soup with coconut milk using this dried coconut powder I got in a shopping trip when I went to see my baby Sister Angel in North Little Rock.  She and Dani took me to this oriental market where they have all kinds of cool culinary treats!  I met this nice Japanese lady there trying to find out about the black glutinous rice they had in the store as I was looking for the white version.  All the store had was black glutinous rice and I asked her if she'd ever cooked with it.  She had not and asked me to send her an email once I tried it.  Going to have to do that soon.  The rice was good but tasted different from the kind I was used to. 

Since I've been home and being more domestic, my husband says we must be saving some money not going out to eat as we had been doing when I was working.  I've also been scrounging from my garden - still have parsley, fennel and some mustard growning.  I also found either a carrot or parsnip in there.  That will be going into some soup.

Well, enough of a break, I need to get back to my crocheting.  Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Basics

Ok.  So you are probably wondering what is in my pantry that I consider “basics”.  And when I say “pantry” that not only means literally my pantry, but my spice cabinet, refrigerator and freezer as well.  I would venture to say that generally we really don’t think too much about the staple ingredients that we always try to keep on hand.  They are just what we’ve been taught and/or like to have on hand. 

Also, being a regular “Jane”, I don’t have a huge kitchen and therefore, a humongous pantry like celebrities have (although I wouldn’t mind having a separate room for a pantry!).  Let’s look at the collective pantry. 

Pantry (literally)

Dry ingredients:

Pasta/noodles:           

For me, pasta and noodles are always in my pantry.  When I was a working stiff I just didn’t have time to play with making my own.  Now that I have some time to myself, I will try some homemade pasta. 

Nowadays there are plenty of whole grain and vegetable options out there.  I would suggest you try several brands until you find one you like.  Just be sure to strictly follow the cooking instructions as some of the non-wheat pastas are not very forgiving at being overcooked.  However, generic brands are tasty, too and as long as you don’t weigh them down with fat-laden cream sauces and tons of butter, they are not the most horrible ingredient to keep around.  I like bucatini (thick hollow spaghetti), capellini (aka angel hair), cavatappi (hollow corkscrew), conchiglie (shell), couscous, fettucine, farfalle (bowtie), fregula (similar to Israeli couscous), fusilli, gemelli (spiral), gnocchi, gomito macaroni (elbow), lasagna, mezzelune (cheese filled), orzo (looks like melon seed), penne, tortellini (cheese filled dried tiny ravioli), radiatori, rotini (twists), spaghetti….it’s so much fun pronouncing all the types!  Basically, the idea is the finer the pasta, the lighter the sauce or the heavier or chunkier the pasta, the heavier the sauce, but more on that later. 

I also like to experiment with pasta or noodles from various cultures.  Don’t rule out oriental “pasta” like the cellophane noodles which are made with mung bean starch, Japanese buckwheat noodles, rice noodles, udon and Mexican fideos (noodles).  There are so many possibilities for nutritious meals that taste great and are easy on the budget.   

Rice:   

Have you really looked at how many kinds of rice there are?  It’s amazing when you start looking at all the different varieties available now.  Think past the generic white rice.  Please make an effort to visit your local whole foods market.  You can save money while broadening your culinary horizons by visiting the bulk section.  You can buy as little or as much as you like.  Brown rice comes in short and long grain varieties – that’s where the white versions come from but you get the valuable bran coating.  I’m not saying you cannot eat white rice, but I would suggest mixing it up so that you don’t use white rice all the time.  Give the other varieties a try such as forbidden black rice, wild rice (not really a rice but SO delicious!  You could say I’m wild about wild rice!) to name a couple.  Granted whole grain rice does take a little longer to cook, but it’s worth it. 

Keep an eye out for sales that come along at the whole foods market and buy several varieties to keep on hand when you can.  Many whole/health foods markets and chain stores are technology savvy, so Google your local health food store as well as your favorite chain store so you can keep track of when stuff goes on sale.  You can get Jasmine and Basmati brown rice instead of the old white standby and many times the prices at the bulk section of the organic whole foods market is a better buy than the generic grocer which seem to charge more for the same or similar product because it is lumped with the “health” foods.

Whole Grains:            

Amaranth, flaxseed (whole and ground) grits (yellow or white), Oatmeal (quick cooking, rolled and steel cut), pearl barley, quinoa (red and original), wheat (whole and cracked) and 9 grains hot cereal to name a few.

Legumes:

Adzuki beans, Anasazi beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo (chickpeas) beans, kidney beans (pink and red), lentils (green, yellow, red), mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, turtle (black) beans, split peas, etc.  There are many more, so I suggest you keep those that you like on hand.

Flours:

Arrowroot, barley, brown rice, cornmeal (coarse and/or fine), cornstarch, graham, oat, potato starch, rye, soy, spelt, tapioca, teff and whole wheat (whole grain and unbleached). 

Fruits:

Dried apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, prunes.

Other:

Carob powder, carob chips, crystallized ginger, dark chocolate (99% bar, chips and powder) peanut butter, peanut butter chips,

Canned ingredients:

Beans (garbanzos, cannellini, kidney beans (pink and red)), black turtle beans), coconut milk (light), corn, hominy (white and yellow), tomatoes (whole, chopped, crushed), tomato sauce.  If you don’t have reflux issues you might also stock tomato paste, but I don’t use paste as it tends to be too concentrated and aggravates reflux and ulcers. 

Oils/Vinegars:

Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar (10-year), red wine vinegar, avocado oil, canola oil, hazelnut oil (toasted), olive oil (extra virgin – green color), sesame oil (toasted), truffle oil (white and black) and walnut oil.  

Condiments/Sauces:

Soy sauce (low sodium) and worcestershire  sauce.

Spice Cabinet (and more)

Sweeteners and Baking essentials:

            Almond extract, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, confectioner’s sugar, dehydrated buttermilk, dehydrated eggs or egg substitute, dehydrated egg whites, dry skim milk, honey, Splenda, Splenda brand brown sugar substitute, sugar, sweet dairy whey, vanilla extract and xylitol. 

Spices/Herbs:

Allspice, annatto, anise, asafetida, basil[1], bay leaves, celery seed (whole), cloves (whole and ground[2]), cumin (whole and ground), dulse[3], fennel (seed), fenugreek, garlic (fresh either in cloves or minced in oil and dehydrated granulated powder), ginger (ground), juniper berries, lemon grass (dried), mint (chocolate, peppermint, pineapple, spearmint), mustard (ground and seed), nutmeg (whole[4]), onion powder[5], oregano, parsley (dried), peppers (dried ancho, chile de arbol, chipotle, Japanese chili, red peppers), peppercorns (white, red/pink, green and black), rosemary, sea salt (generic or kosher and finishing such as grey, red, jade, black), sesame seeds (white and black), thyme and turmeric.

Refrigerator

Dairy/Eggs:

            Cream (heavy whipping), eggs (free range natural), half & half (nonfat and full fat).

Fruit:

            Apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries.

Vegetables:

            Avocados, carrots, celery, fennel, parsnips, peppers (green and colored), plantains (green and ripe) and yucca.

Countertop

Bananas, heirloom tomatoes, lemons, limes, onions, peppers (hot), potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes.

Freezer

Butter, chicken stock (homemade), chopped green onions, chopped leeks, cilantro, corn, peas, parsley, peppers and vegetable stock (homemade) and a bag for holding bones and vegetable pieces for making stocks.

I'm working on my meal plan for week after next.  See you soon. 

 

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[1] If you have space in your garden or have room for a few pots, please make room to grow herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, sage, thyme to dry.  Dry them hanging upside down for a couple of weeks (one of those collapsable clothes dryers are great) and them store them as whole leaf in glass jars until right before you use them and then crush them to release the oils.  You can successfully store quite a few culinary herbs and spices this way and save a lot of money. 

[2] If you have a coffee/spice grinder, you can grind your own fresh right before you need them to have the best flavor. 

[3] If you want to limit salt, you can use dulse as a substitute.  It is a dried seaweed product and is salty but with an added benefit of protein. 

[4] I keep whole nutmeg and use my microplane to shave off just what I want when I want it.  Otherwise, you risk the spice losing flavor with long storage. 

[5] Buy small amounts since it has a tendency to solidify into an almost indestructible block.