A Good Busy Wednesday

With the help of Marion Cunningham's edition of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook

I successfully cut up a whole chicken.

I found sometimes, for example with drumstick and thigh separation,

it was easier to do it by hand - as in hold it in my two hands,

move it around to feel for the joint and break it there, 

feeling your way, twisting it apart.  

Much easier than trying to use a knife, not understanding exactly

where I should try to do the separation. 

Right now the chicken is marinating in buttermilk in the fridge;

I got this inspiration from this book that I reviewed

and I am going to use at least 2 or 3 recipes for the 

chicken itself, which I will put flour and seasonings on 

and oven-bake the 'fried chicken' ... 

It was a cloudy day again... nice to talk a walk with Mr Husband

and I always look at this skyline and say 'hello' to NYC... 

I made Mary's Red Lentil Soup again for the first time

this Autumn! 

It became a Lenten staple last Spring for me

and still feels like a nourishing and comforting soup.

I put some in the freezer for myself to have next week,

which is going to be an inordinately busy week for me.

***

I saw the following on social media:

I saw this on social media today and when I looked it up

the focus was on the fact that 1. it seems to be true 2. US is really bad

at mathematics, which is no surprise.

But I liked this 'meme' for more than that point,

but that we must realize that it is easy to misunderstand something

and actually make the poorer choice, often because of

how something is portrayed or sounds to us in advertising. 

'quarter-pounder' just sounds catchy.

I wish that more would realize that social media and the like

can be very deceptive and that it easier than one thinks to be 

'taken in' by something (an idea, a trend, a movement, what-have-you).

And, of course, this is also a really good reason for NOT 'arguing online' 

to quote this meme. 

Anyway, something to think about. 

***

I like social media but I try to be aware of what I am seeing

and not take it at face value, esp if I don't know the source

or the person behind it. 

I did another book review on my own social media account,

you can see it here. 

Ironic perhaps to talk about how to be careful on social media

and then post something from it that I created,

but technically speaking I think blogs are part of social media

so there you go, or, rather, here we are. 

***

So tomorrow I am going to make that chicken, God willing,

and make some more potato wedges.

Should last us through Sunday at least. 

(Since Friday is a normal fast day so no chicken...!)

***

I got a cute little note-taking notebook

(the kind that flips over, so you have one page

at a time with the spiral on top)

and I am keeping my to-do list there 

and that's actually helping me a lot. 

Instead of only having emailed reminders that can overwhelm me

with how many can flood my inbox in one day!

***

So my Husband sent me a link to an article about

how groceries are being stockpiled again.

I am not worried like I was back in late February early March.

I have a lot more on hand, we've been slowly growing our

pantry and paper supplies and, 

Thank God, we are ready. 

There's still a few things I am thinking of getting, 

but really, I can only be thankful. 

***

Next week is going to have some personal challenges for me.

I don't know how much I will write about it

here but it's going to be a tiring week,

and it's nothing I can change.

So, if you have a moment, a prayer for that would be 

MOST appreciated. 

***

 I am really feeling so thankful and having

the cooking to do, books to read and review,

and the routine of our days here,

they are really helping me

focus on things that help me

instead of falling into a puddle of worry.

Not that I don't do that, I do.

But I am also seeing what is helping me,

since anxiety is something I have dealt with

for decades....!

***

God BLESS you and keep you

and protect you!!!

May His face shine upon you

and show you the way!

An unexpectedly good Monday

Even though I had a rough night's sleep 

(and ended up falling asleep after a really good breakfast!)

I was able to go to the local grocery store;

my friend Grace told me about this way to do

boneless turkey breast 

and since I could not find bone-in turkey breast,

I thought this to be a good idea (though I liked the recipe I found

yesterday too) ...

I had found some cherry preserves, gotten another bag of red lentils

(once the Nativity Fast starts in late November, this soup

is going back on rotation!) 

And by this soup, I don't seem to have included the recipe on my blog of the soup

I made for WEEKS of lockdown during Great Lent last year.

It's from my friend Mary and here is her words for the soup:

 My family's favorite is very simple. I just made yesterday, oil free, but it's better with oil. Saute until soft in 1 T. of olive oil - one chopped onion, one large chopped carrot, and one minced clove of garlic. Add 1 T. of tomato paste, 2 tsps. cumin, 1/4 tsp of cayenne, 6 cups of water, two veggie bouillon cubes, and 1 cup of red lentil. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and, if you want, puree with the immersion blender (I always do).

I often would include 2 large carrots... 

It's a really great soup! 

And fun to add macaroni too as well! 

***

I see that I am getting diverted from what I was going to tell you about the TURKEY.

So, I was buying (very selectively, our pantry is nearly complete...and we had just

gone to the grocery store yesterday...) and I was in the frozen section looking for

the frozen turkey when I asked an employee where to find it

and went there and was looking for the boneless turkey breast and there I found 

it but also a BONE-IN turkey breast! which is what I had wanted to do in the first place!!!

I was so surprised and happy!  I then bought the wine for the meal,

plus some more for cooking ...

and I drove back home... I don't drive much around here

so it was an accomplishment for me, anyway...

***

Tomorrow I hope to make a fia-sauce with ground beef 

(which was already cooked with tomato and Italian spices).

spinach, mushroom, cooked pasta and cheese casserole... 

That will last us till the weekend.... 

(since Wednesday and Friday are fast days)... 

***

We were listening to Classic FM during dinner and this 

stunning gorgeous one of my favourite songs how could I forget for one minute? 

came on... here it is:

this beautiful, heavenly, song is 

 Gregorio Allegri's Miserere mei, Deus 

sung here by The Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge.

***

My Husband listens to Audible books whenever he has spare moment...

I am more likely to listen to either part of a service from one of my 

favourite monasteries or classical music...

or Christmas music, once Thanksgiving is over :) 

***

We had a really nice walk, beautiful as you can see by the pictures

of sun and cloud.... it cheered me up... not that I was down as much as 

just tired from the grocery run .... I had gone, also, to Bed Bath and Beyond

and am now fully stocked on adult bubble bath.  Yep.  Love baths

with Epsom salt and a nice bubble bath scent (lavender, eucalyptus...)

***

Before I went shopping, which was after lunch,

I made, and almost forgot to mention, really good potato wedges/home fries!

One of the first reasons I discovered the toaster oven I have is because

it, by some, is considered a totally equal if not better than air fryers because

of the speed convection setting (blows hot air around fast basically,

which is what an air fryer does from what I understand).

Anyway, I used the speed convection setting for the first time with the 

potatoes pictured above!

Here's what I wrote earlier about them:

Potato wedges/home fries the healthy way! 

Washed and cut in thick wedges. 

Placed upright on the parchment paper, 

then [topped with] olive oil garlic salt (Trader Joe's) 

and garlic powder [also Trader Joe's]. 

Baked first at 400F for 13 minutes with speed convection

 and then 425F for 11 minutes with speed convection!

***

Next time I will go for 425F to begin with and the speed convection

and then see how long they take. 

With the light in the toaster oven, and a quick opening of the door,

I was able to easily gauge how they were.

***

Well, I better get to bed...

I hope the song I put above blesses you like it does me!

God bless and keep you!

I know for so many this time is SO hard.

May God give us peace and comfort in the midst of our struggles.