I opened the fridge and saw the rice dressing mix and realized I had to cook that today. It was frozen on Monday and Tuesday so probably needed cooking today. And I felt well enough I did that, it took a while but Ron really enjoys it.
And he did. He has eaten about half of it. It is basically chopped organ meats and spices simmered for 20 minutes and then mixed with plain white rice (per package directions and label). You couldn't pay me to eat it but it is a Louisiana favorite and very readily available in Houston.
So he's been working on that all day and having a good time with it. After I did all that I took a nap and woke up with another brutal headache. I am getting TIRED of these things. I have been able to take care of Ron and do all the dishes (the rice dressing requires a fair amount of dishes).
And I have to give props to a kitchen favorite, my spoonula. I got it last year, so awesome for cooking thick foods. And also good for getting the mayo out of the bottom of the jar. Here is is:
I am slowly adding in red kitchen accessories. My aunt was horrified when I told her I want to do my kitchen up in red, but I have a purple bedroom and an orange Bible study room, so not really surprising. So I didn't PAINT it red but I am adding red accessories.
When I was a kid I used to like to look through the catalogs that came to the house, and JcPenney had wallpaper for a while, they had the cutest small red heart wallpaper on a white background, and then a matching trim with more ornate red hearts and black accents. I loved it so much I thought it would be perfect in a bathroom (I am a romantic so not a big surprise). I can't do the kitchen up like that (wallpaper is a bitch, I hear) but I can do red accents on a white background, or, in my case, I will do it in cream. So I have a red stockpot, the spoonula, when the microwave finally goes I will get a red one, etc. It might be cute to get some framed red heart prints and hang them on the cabinets, if people do that? Anyway so I like red accents in my kitchen. It's a great tool and worth the money I spent.
Dishes went pretty easy the cooking pot is nonstick, so is the rice pot. My kitchen is so small and Ron took a big cabinet for "man stuff" so I keep the rice pot out in the garage. 😂 It is fine out there, I just don't use the rice pot that often, maybe 2x a month. Coffee pot and kettle get used several times a week so I keep those on the counter. Oh, and I have a red (manual) can opener.
I am not very hungry so the plan is to eat a cup of noodles just to get my pills down and then maybe eat some garbanzo beans later. I love garbanzo and kidney beans. Sometimes I mix them together right out of the can and eat them. Ron would rather not he prefers a split pea, pork & bean, or pinto.
I thought it was interesting he said he wanted to have the split peas with a can of corn and some rice added, with the ham of course. I may have to use the big pot for that it will expand.
Last year, during my purge, I got rid of some pots and a roaster pan I wasn't using. I have the stockpot (5 quarts I think), a 2 quart saucepan, a big iron skillet and that is it for ovenware. I have some baking pans but I don't do any baking. I have canned food and various shelf stable foods in the "pots and pans" cabinet. I think that is a better use.
I really feel I have the right amount of cookware.
It is really nice having the canisters of lentils, split peas, and rice (3 canisters) on the counter so I can just grab it when I am cooking. They are all good proteins (maybe not the rice but it completes a bean protein) and easy to prepare.
I don't mind doing some cooking but I want Ron to love it. Yes, I said it. If he doesn't love it I'm not cooking it. So I knew he liked the rice dressing already so I felt fine spending an hour of my life on that. I did make a mistake on it. I prefer "hey stupid" directions with steps on everything, like "remove box before you put in the microwave" type things. Anyway the dressing did not have very specific directions on cooking the meat mixture. Cook some white rice, yeah, I got that. 1.5 cups finished was the right amount, by the way. Ron prefers a little more rice. I think because he grew up "dirt" poor and they used rice to stretch all the proteins.
That is one reason I never ate protein food when I would visit his parents, I would say I already ate but I would love some rice and vegetables. I would praise the quality and flavor of their rice, which was basic store brand rice in a rice pot. Then I would eat the rice and vegetables so I wouldn't take their protein. I grew up with abundant proteins which is one reason I am probably "so tall" per my brother (five foot 7). No one told me to do this but it seemed kindest. If they had a big holiday meal with abundant meats, I would have a few ounces, and it was always good, but they taught Ron to stretch everything with rice.
But "simmer for 20 minutes" I get simmer but did it need water? How much? I put a cup of water and that was WAY too much. I had to cook it down an additional 20 minutes. But I know now, a half or a third cup water will do it. And Ron said "put it on the list" (short list of favorite foods) so I can do it again. AND the rice dressing mix was only $3 I spent more than that on soda most times I went to Walmart.
Speaking of Walmart, I got the card and thank you VERY much! I also got a Bible catalog that is one thing I love to drool over and free shipping! Oh, it made me whimper. I need to think about doing a Bible Handout soon. I have them in the garage I just need to go hand them out. One thing I would like a "happy face" mask because the recipients are always trying to gauge me when I walk up. Normally I smile widely but they won't see it now, will they? 😕 But I want to make sure God is leading me when He does I always have a great Handout.
Anyway, Ron still liked it and that's what matters. He has dysphagia which is a swallowing problem, and he does better with thick foods. The rice dressing is nice and thick, so are the bean dishes he's been eating. I always have my eye on his protein too.
About a week ago he said he didn't want to take 4 pills at 5 PM every day. He has the prostate pill, seizure pill, and the stool softener (I know TMI). I was adding the multivitamin in there but he said take it out and give it at a separate time.
So I got out the "big boy" pill organizer with four compartments a day. I appropriated the two compartment one for myself and now have 3 weeks of pills to my right as I sit on the computer. I have his 5 AM pills, then the multi for the noon pill, but I am not used to 3x a day pill dosing and keep forgetting it. He will take it if I give it but I need to remember. I think I may need to set an alarm for a while.
And speaking of pills I need to eat my cup of noodles and take my mood stabilizers. That is it for now.
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