What are you up to today? This week?

[woodland_miniatures]

And I'll bet you have the car gassed and waiting, just in case, until your wife is completely well.

The aubergine stew turned out incredible - definitely a keeper! If anyone is interested, here's what I did:

Aubergine Stew

1 cup uncooked garbanzo beans (cook the day before - they take about three hours) OR two cans garbanzos, drained and rinsed

3 links turkey Italian sausage (I used mild, but hot would be good, too)

2 T olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic

1 good-sized eggplant, peeled and cut in 1" cubes

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 tsp dried oregano

2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes (I used no salt added) PLUS 1 can's worth of water

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

In large heavy pan, heat the oil and brown the sausage (remove it from the casings and break it up into chunks as you go); add the chopped onions and garlic and cook until translucent - do NOT let the garlic burn! Add the eggplant, bell pepper and oregano, cook and stir for a few minutes. Sprinkle the eggplant mixture with the salt, stir and cook another minute or so, then add the tomatoes and the water. Cover and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes, then add the garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer another 20 or so minutes, until the eggplant is soft - around this time you should hunt up the whole cloves of garlic and crush them with a fork to spread the flavors. Add the black pepper.

Serve in a bowl - it's a thick, chunky stew - with a bit of grated parmesan or asiago cheese on top and a slice or two of whole grain bread and perhaps a tossed salad. Supper time! This seems to make around six servings and I'm betting it'll freeze well.

[havanaholly]

Oh, YUM! Mary. I use a lot of pureed garlic because we really prefer the flavor of the raw garlic, but after eating packaged aloo palak we got on a BOGO at one of the Indian grocery stores, I had to find a recipe to make it fresh (MUCH better!) and discovered making a paste of the garlic and ground ginger; WOW!

Here's the recipe for potato & spinach curry/ aloo palak:

2 bunches palak (spinach) (I used a bag of fresh and took it out by the handful and rolled it slightly for chopping)

2 potatoes

2 tomatoes (I used 2 Tbsps of chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil)

1 onion (I used half of a sweet Vidalia onion)

2 garlic flakes (I used a rounded tablespoon of garlic puree)

1 ginger (I used two tsps of ground Indian ginger)

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder (I used 1/4 tsp cayenne)

1/2 tsp tumeric (I used 1 tsp regular curry powder)

salt to taste (not with the sun-dried tomatoes in oil, I didn't)

oil for frying (a couple of tsps of olive oil for the onions)

Cut the spinach, onion, potatoes and tomatoes (if you use fresh)

Make a paste of the ginger & garlic (if you use fresh, gring them togther in a morter)

Fry the onions until they turn transparent (we like them to just begin to brown at the edges)

Add the powdered spice mixture

Add the paste mixture and mix it all well

Add the potatoes and tomatoes.

Cook until the oil leaves the sides of the pan

Add the spinach and any salt and cook until the spinach is tender (I put it in, cover it for two minutes, take off the lid to stir and put the lid back on and turn off the fire. Five minutes later it's ready to serve).

We had it with fresh shrimp, but you could serve it with garbanzos (Emeril pureed his version of aloo palak and used it as a "gravy" with garbanzos; yuck!) and naan or chapatis for a main.

We're finishing up packing the camper for the next two weeks, heading out to Gold Head for a couple of days' hiking and then down to Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest for next weekend's All-Florida Paddlers' Rendezvous and hopefully a visit to DH's mom & "baby" brother, who is recovering from a stroke.

[woodland_miniatures]

Ooooh, i can smell those wonderful spices right now - YUM!! (wiping drool off chin - and thinking I actually have everything in my pantry except that old American standard, the potato; oddly, I don't have any of those on hand)

It's funny, my whole life with my mother my diet was fairly unimaginative and somewhat restricted, except those times I visited my father, who cooked Tex-Mex. Mom grew up with a father who had terrible gastric ulcers, so the diet she understood was very bland and her mother was never one to try anything different; my mom just basically didn't much care for cooking - well, who would under those circumstances? So we ate your basic meat and potatoes most of my life, with mostly overcooked veggies and not too many of those.

Now that the lady has passed on and I'm having to manage my heart disease with the blessing of not having to please anyone but myself, I've become pretty adventurous and discovered I like all kinds of things that were just never on the plate when I was growing up. And discovered I really do NOT like a whole lot of things that WERE on the plate back then LOL! It's literally a whole new world opening up for me in the kitchen!

[MerriMagic]

Ow...Steve, I hope your wife isn't in a lot of pain..that's a tough surgery but if the doctor got all the nasty stuff, she'll be good to go from here on.

Jeremy, I'm sorry your wife and kids are down, too. Hang in there.

Heidi, BLESS YOU! *hands you a tissue*. Find a couple of good DVDs and curl up on the sofa..nothing better for a cold than a hot toddy, a warm bed, and some yummy comfort food.

Hmm..gallstones. I had my gall bladder removed with keyhole surgery..and I drove home two days later. (it was only a mile). The most pain I had was when I woke up...they stick a hose in you and blow you up with air, first..I felt like an overfilled Goodyear tire. Ow.

I LOVE Oatmeal..with dried cranberries and a tiny touch of butter (or these days..butter buds)! I even eat it as a snack. You'd think with all the roughage I eat, that I'd be nice and thin, but nope, you can roll me down the street with a stick.

Having owned a restaurant, I have a couple of recipes that are really good. I'll have to pass them on, in here.

Oops gotta run. I need to make it to the store, JoAnn's crafts (for scrapbook paper for wallpaper in the Chantilly, hehe...I got some loot for my bday and that's where I'm gonna spend it), and the bank before 4:30. If I missed anyone, I'm sorry..I'll catch up when I get back!

[heidiiiii]

Oh Jeanne...you are funny! I like you . Holly, I am most definitely going to make your potatoes.. And we have all those spices in the house. Chelsea and I love a good Indian potato curry.

I did stuff today but I did not over do it. I need to finish getting better...today was good.

[pdlnpeabody]

Wife's surgery went so well they sent her home this afternoon (they did her surgery at 11:00 this morning). She's still groggy, but doing very well. I just have to keep the kids off of her for a few weeks.

[Starfire]

That is good news Jeremy! Now the kids are a different matter!!!! lol!!!

[Anna]

Well, it has been a few hectic weeks again (when isn't it hectic huh????) and today on the way home it was pouring down rain when I started noticing a little morw than just rain in there more like snow slush which it turned into, or rather medium sized mittens.. White, cold and fluffy mittens...

So right now the temp is aornd freezing, there is an inch thick layer of snow outside and it still coming down, yay or sum'thin... It is wayyyy early for snow in these parts of Sweden, wayyyyy early!!!! Tomorrow morning might be a "fun" ride into work...

Hugs

[KathieB]

I've been catching up on some threads this morning. Drooled at the recipes and said a quick prayer for those undergoing surgery or are ill. A speedy recovery to all!

We're in New Orleans, where we bought a condo yesterday. The inspection is later this morning. We'd only planned to look, but . . . this is really a buyer's market, and the unit is in a lovely gated community, so I won't feel nervous about it being unused several months out of the year. We're planning to drive to Atlanta for Thanksgiving with my sister's family and then come down here until after Mardi Gras, maybe early March, before returning to Missouri for the spring and summer. Am already thinking about which mini projects will come down with us.

Trying to think like a snowbird makes my head hurt. Does anyone here head south for the winter and return north in the summer?

[sparklepuppies]

Oh Kathie, how exciting! And be sure to wave at me when you pass by!

And Anna, YUCK on the snow! Way too early for that!

[heidiiiii]

Yuck Anna! I am sorry you are getting snow already. I have stuff falling from the sky but it is leaves. Lots of colored leaves. Very pretty.

Kathie, Chelsea is planning on visiting a friend in New Orleans either in December or January. I do not know what, where, or when yet but I will let you know. Maybe you can give some ideas of what she can do.

She was offered to rent out a room and live down there but I do not think she is ready to leave her job just yet. This trip is more of a fact finding mission.

I am going to make some nice pesto pork chops, broccoli, and mashed Yukon gold potatoes. I was able to get hold of an old old local recipe for a salad dressing that I am also going to make today. i thought I would share with you all.

95 House salad dressing.

Makes 2 3/4 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

¾ teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, lemon juice,Worcestershire sauce, mustard seeds, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and blend well.

Chill, covered, until serving time.

Serve over a mixed green salad of lettuce and Chinese cabbage.

The 95 house closed when I was about 10 years old. It was opened a very long time and many people loved it and miss it to this day.

[grazhina]

How's this for aggravation?

During the weekend of Sept.11- 12 my bridge fell out, and on the 15th they put in a temporary till the lab was able to make me a new one. It was going to take 4 weeks, but my dentist was going out of town for a week, so I had to make do with the temporary for 5 weeks. After a couple of weeks or so my mouth quit hurting,the swelling and redness ceased and the temporary began to feel ok. I felt ok for almost 2 weeks till one night while I was brushing my teeth, a big hunk of the temporary bridge broke off leaving a very sharp point sticking out. It was a Thursday night, the office would be closed till Monday, and I was getting the real bridge on Tuesday, so i had to just put up with it. I slept with a wad of cotton in my cheek till Tuesday morning.

At one point I seriously started wondering if I could stick my Dremel in my mouth and sand down that sharp jagged point.

I get into the dentist's office bright and early Tuesday only to discover that my dentist hadn't shown up for work and they couldn't get a hold of him.

He had gone to Guatamala or Honduras, I forget which one, to do dental work, and hadn't come back. They had no idea what had delayed him.

Another dentist came in and sanded down the temporary for me since it was causing pain, and I was given an appointment for today.

I went in today, my dentist was back at work safe and sound, and I sat in the chair and got bibbed.

Behind me I could hear him suddenly give an annoyed cluck and sigh and mutter something. I said, "Should I get up and go home?"

He replied, "Yes". It seems the lab made my bridge wrong. There was no way it would work. His assistant called the lab, informed them of the problem and wanted to know why in heck they made it that way.

They said they'd make a new one, it would take a week, arriving next Friday. The dental office is closed on Friday, so I can't get it till Nov. 2. I told the assistant I felt the lab should give me a discount. She replied that "Well, they're making me a new bridge at no charge". ?????????? Darn right no charge for the second bridge!!! geeze....seven and a half weeks....had I but known I would have switched to a liquid diet and said forget about the temporary.......do I really need teeth?

[Starfire]

I can really relate to that grazhina. The whole thing started with a detached retina and six surgeries then in between them my front top bridge (4 teeth) broke off. I had surgery to extract roots of three teeth, (wait for three weeks to heal), surgery to build up bone six weeks to heal), implant surgery for three posts, another lengthy wait to insure posts were set. Then another wait for dentist to take appropriate measurements and lab to make the new bridge.

This past year has not been my best!

[woodland_miniatures]

Oh, don't get me started on dentists, Grazhina - suffice it to say I deeply sympathize (and have had fantasies of turning some of those tools in the dentist's office on the dentist.....)

[Gayle]

How exciting Kathie, I know you'll love it. At least you already know the best places to eat. My idea of being a snow bird is completely different. I'd be packing for an extended stay in Australia, then move back in the spring. Perpetual warm weather.

[pdlnpeabody]

I've been catching up on some threads this morning. Drooled at the recipes and said a quick prayer for those undergoing surgery or are ill. A speedy recovery to all!

We're in New Orleans, where we bought a condo yesterday. The inspection is later this morning. We'd only planned to look, but . . . this is really a buyer's market, and the unit is in a lovely gated community, so I won't feel nervous about it being unused several months out of the year. We're planning to drive to Atlanta for Thanksgiving with my sister's family and then come down here until after Mardi Gras, maybe early March, before returning to Missouri for the spring and summer. Am already thinking about which mini projects will come down with us.

Trying to think like a snowbird makes my head hurt. Does anyone here head south for the winter and return north in the summer?

Yep, down to Orlando for the winter and back up to Gainesville for the summer!

Sorry to hear about the dental problems Grahzina. I'd be in the dentist's chair more often if my insurance policy was worth the paper its written on.

[grazhina]

Beverly, what you had to go through is a process of severe damage & waiting for healing between treatments and is the absolute pits, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. I hope things get better from here in, I sincerely do.

For me it was just an aggravating pain in the tuchus. When I found out they made the bridge incorrectly I wanted to explode. I got a Big Mac instead. You know, McDonalds has responded to the food police by putting less sauce on their burgers. I brought one home for DH too, and he expressed the opinion that the burger was no longer any good.

Getting back to my bridge, I'm annoyed that it's taking so long and there's no real reason for it. I just hope this temporary holds out for another 12 days.

I've bitten through 2 crowns in the past you know. yes, I did

I wouldn't mind being a snowbird. I'd like to fly between the southwest, Florida, and I don't know, maybe South Carolina?

[KathieB]

We went back to the condo today to meet with the inspector and while there decided that the large master bedroom -- corner room, lots of light -- will be the studio/craft/computer room and the smaller second bedroom will become the master. Guests are going to have to put up with a sofa bed in the living room. Can you tell where our priorities lie?

[katethesape]

You poor darlings. I despise the dentist. And the orthodontist. After getting 8 teeth pulled (3 of which were permanents!), they decided to put on braces and then after 3 years of that torture, I moved and found out that my old orthodontist had totally screwed up my teeth. So it was another three years.

I am also tongue-tied, which means I can't even stick my tongue out of my mouth (it's joined too far up on the bottom). So every time I go to the dentist, it's "No, really. Stick out your tongue." "mffmfmmff!" "Um, seriously. Stick it out!" "I CAN'T!" "Oh. Yeah, you can't. You're tongue tied." "Yeah..."

Anywho.

I'm going to Chattanooga this weekend to play in a wedding (harpist), and I get to go on that road trip with my old roommate from college! Pretty exciting. So I'm working 'til 12 today and then going home to load up the harp and all the rest of my stuff and then we're hitting the road. DH is already miserable and planning to eat in the school cafeteria (I work at a university) all weekend. Gross.

[Syphon79]

Trying at the moment to calm down because I'm so upset with my parents and my cousin -- they showed up at the apartment late this evening unannounced (they had dinner somewhere in Alexandria, so they weren't too far from my place). Luckily Bryan was out with his friends so I let them in for some coffee and "nonsensical" chatter (as I'd like to put it).

I'm not very close to this particular cousin (our relation in the family tree is so distant) but I did not like him immediately. He was pretty pretentious and actually sneered at how my fiance and I have "rodents" as pets. Was secretly smiling to myself when one of my friendly ratties (Hobbes) actually gave an annoyed "hmph!" noise when the cousin made the comment. My father luckily laughed and commented that at while they are rats, they definitely know how to respond to comments!

My cousin's wife commented about the GL Madison in the dining room. I told her it's a hobby and that it's still under construction. Meanwhile, their toddler daughter (who is an absolute terror -- she kept whining how she doesn't want to be near "icky smelly animals" -- kid you not) DEMANDED that she get to play with my dollhouses (I had the Winston out in the living room for display). I gently told her that it has some very delicate items and it's not meant to be a plaything. But as a compromise I'll pull out some minis she can play with in the meantime.

This part I didn't expect -- she threw a tantrum on the spot and said I was an awful woman for not letting her play with the dollhouse. My parents looked embarrassed and what's worst, neither my cousin or his wife said anything to their kid. Luckily I was standing between the kid and the Winston so I knew she couldn't get to it without literally throwing me aside. Instead, the kid storms into my dining room, goes to the table...

...and swipes the Madison off of it. I had just glued the roofing so the panels fell off when the house hit the floor. My father and I rushed over to the dining room and I was literally seconds away when this little monster stomped on the Madison. Honestly, the minute I heard the plywood break, my heart almost stopped.

Without a word, I pulled the kid off what's left of my house and carried her to the front door. Before my parents could say anything, I just opened the front door and told everyone "I believe you've all stayed here long enough".

My mother was white as a sheet and my father was shooting my cousin and his wife dirty looks. Didn't bother seeing what that family looked like -- I shut the door the minute they all were in the hallway.

Everything's a blur after that. I cleaned up the living room, then went to the dining room and started picking up the pieces and putting them back on the table. Then I just sat in the living room and cried until Bryan came home. Told him what happened, and he's so angry at my family right now -- not a good thing, since we have a gathering on Sunday at my parents' house.

Am so numb right now -- I was so proud of that house and I don't know if I can salvage it. Then again, I can't look at the pile without bursting into tears. My cell phone rang several times after the incident -- my parents' numbers showed up repeatedly. But don't think I'll be in the right state of mind at the moment.

Am I wrong to react like this? Part of me wants to say that it's a kit, and I can just get another and start again. But at the same time, tonight just seems so surreal. Even I'm having a hard time believing it...

[woodland_miniatures]

Oh, Daphne, what a horrid experience!! Really, you showed great restraint when you merely shoved them all out the door instead of doing murder. Those cousins are being completely irresponsible in how they are raising that little monster - she's obviously never been told "No!" in her little life and they will pay for that later, worse, SHE will pay for that later.

Honey, I'd be in a rage and in tears, too, and I don't know when or if I'd ever be able to speak to any of them again. It was not "just a kit", it was something you loved and treasured, and I don't know when I've heard of anyone acting with such disrespect for another's belongings. GRRRRRRRR!!!!

{{{{{{{{{Daphne}}}}}}}}}}

[Syphon79]

Thanks Mary -- felt super foolish for posting this rant online. But feel like I can't talk to Bryan about it -- get the impression he's too angry at my parents. To him he said my parents should have said or done something rather than trying to call me after the damage was done. He said in a way, my cousin and his family not only destroyed my dollhouse, but basically insulted our household as a whole.

Currently have Hobbes in my lap as I type this. Bryan rewarded him with extra treats for "defending his Mommy's and his rat siblings' honor". Funny little chunkybutt -- maybe he's trying to comfort me because he keeps trying to find a spot on my lap to comfortably snooze.

[Muriel]

Poor Daphne! Hugs! how horrible Perfectly normal that you should feel like that and think you showed remarkable restraint with the kid and cousin. I'd send them a bill for the kit and construction materials (wallpaper, paint, glue etc if you've used it so far). Whether they pay or not is another question, but if their kid destroys something in a shop they'd be expected to pay, and so they should now too. I know it's probably not the money for you, but for them paying the money won't be so nice.

Are the cousins going to be at the gathering too? If it is just parents I'd probably go. Yes, they came with the cousin, but maybe aren't quite responsible for the kid. They were probably in shock too. (Only you know their relationships though, so you have to judge it)

How upsetting!

[Jo Med]

Daphne, I was horrified to read your post. Did her parents just stand back and watch while this was going on, didn't they try to stop it or apologise or ANYTHING??? I think you reacted so rationally. I might have regretted my actions if it had happened to me but that child would have learned a lesson that would have remained with her all her life. I know its not deemed correct to physically discipline children these days but the results of that mindset are plain for us all to see on the streets today.

I am so sorry that your kit is broken but even sorrier for the way in which it happened - it screws up your head for a while. I wouldn't blame you if you decided to pass on the family get together but in reality that could prolong the agony and turn it into a family feud so if those cousins are there I would just keep my distance from them and their monstrous brat.

Huge sympathetic hugs to you.

[MellyGabs]

Daphne I just read your post and I am so sorry to hear about your night. I think you reacted much better then I would, I would probably wouldn't have even answered the door pretend I was out! I think if I was in this situation I would call my mom tell her how disappointed I was and ask her next time she comes to visit call pls so it gives me time to go hide my pets and dollhouses! Take it easy and relax this week and get call display!