dfish

Good morning, everyone! It is a cold start to a nice day. Temps are supposed to get up to 40 with a sunny, blue sky. That will be nice for walking my laps. After that I will spend the day spackling all the holes in the wall. Previous Owners had a thing for nails in the walls. I'm going to have to introduce this house to my messy painting ways, I'm afraid. At least I won't be under a time constraint like I was before. Today's meal almost makes the designation of comfort food. If you like cheeseburgers, this is for you. You have the great beef patty, caramelized onions, rye bread, oozing cheese, and just the right amount of grease to make it delicious. Ree Drummond is starting us off with a classic patty melt recipe. They are so easy to make, you just have to take the time to caramelize the onions properly. Feel free to substitute your favorite cheese if swiss isn't your thing. You can also make this with Beyond Burger for the vegetarians at your table. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/patty-melts-recipe-1976809 This next one calls for sourdough bread instead of rye. I'll have to think on that a bit. https://themodernproper.com/patty-melt When I saw Tex-Mex patty melts, I thought they would put some taco seasoning in the ground beef. But, no, it is just that oversized Texas toast with pepper jack cheese. I would add the taco seasoning. https://emeals.com/recipes/recipe-49090-315362-TexMex-Patty-Melts This next one uses bacon. That sounds like a wonderful addition to me! https://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/bacon-patty-melts/ Last up is a patty melt with a portobello mushroom. I'm going for the beef, myself, but some would prefer this and it isn't any more work to add some of these into the mix. https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/portabello-melts-recipe As you can see, it is easy to change this up and make to your specific tastes. Now, I am going to find a place where I can get a good patty melt. Wishing everyone a wonderful day. Warm thoughts and hugs to those recovering from illnesses and bon voyage to those embarking on a ship. And stay warm all of you who live on or near the frozen tundra ( @ger_77, that is you!)

@Ichiban Nekko Thank you for the update. It does sound like you are on the right path, both of you. I hope you fully recover quickly!

Good morning, everyone! I woke up to rain, but it is supposed to clear out eventually. Hopefully it will be a decent day. This has to be short as I have a Zoom meeting at 9. Today's meal is really one that you can make your own very easily. Just use the foods you like best! This first one uses a rotisserie chicken. Can you get any easier than that? https://cookpad.com/us/recipes/356564-triple-decker-tortilla-pie That looks nice and fresh! This next one doesn't use any meat, just mashed pinto beans that are spiced up. You can add meat if you wish. I doubt it would hurt anything. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-beef/triple-decker-tortilla.html This one uses black beans. https://www.seededatthetable.com/mexican-triple-decker-pizzas/ And this one uses ground beef. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tortilla-pie/ There are tons of variations for this meal. I would take the meal and use it as a framework and make it what I want it to be. You can't mess it up! Wishing you all a wonderful day.

It is fun. Farkle is a fun game to play and easy to learn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farkle Add my thanks that Tana looks a little better this morning. Sandi, I swear someone messes with my thermostat here at home in the middle of the night. I get really hot and throw the covers off for a while and then wake up cold and put them back on. I know nothing like that is happening because I am the only one here right now. And, I've never been known to sleepwalk.

Good morning, everyone! It is supposed to be a mild day with temps in the 40s. That is good for doing my laps. I have a hair appointment at 3:00 pm and tonight we are resuming our Family Farkle Friday. When my dad was with us we would gather at his house each Friday for pizza and a couple games of Farkle. Farkle is a dice game that can become addictive. My dad loved it. We have all missed the weekly gatherings since he passed so I offered to host Farkle Fridays for the time being. My niece may alternate with me. Today's meal looks like one fit for impressing company. I may try to make this next week as tonight is pizza night. This first recipe is a bit complicated because it has you brine the chops first. I'm thinking it is probably worth the effort. https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/pork-chops-with-peppercorn-sauce/ This next one doesn't require the brine and uses cognac in the peppercorn sauce instead of wine. I think the cognac would provide a really nice depth of flavor and it does cook off the alcohol. https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/pork-chops-with-peppercorn-sauce/ This next one doesn't feature a sauce, but does have an optional pan sauce that you can make. I think I would, just to enhance the flavor. I love garlic and garlic goes so well with pork. https://www.threeolivesbranch.com/peppercorn-garlic-pork-chops/ Alton Brown makes his peppercorn pork chops in the slow cooker. He first brines the chops and then pairs them with apples, another wonderful accompaniment to pork. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pepper-pork-chops-3414701 Hoping that one of these will appeal to some of you. Wishing everyone a wonderful day. Let's have some more rabbit, rabbit luck. @Quartzsite Cruiser I hope Steve enjoyed his first night at home. @mamaofami are you still negative? Rapid healing to everyone else suffering from sinus infections, colds, flu, or weird mouth rashes.

Thanks for the clarification, Jacqui. Our cruise goes on to Greenland and Iceland as well and we are so excited about it. I am so sorry, Sandi. There does seem to be a lot of tragedy in your neighborhood. I hope this is the end of it. I think the White Rabbits were working overtime for you and DH. Great news! The rabbits were working for me today. I found my jewelry that had been missing since the move. It was safely hidden in an inside pocket of my carry on bag. I'd only checked the bag two times previously. I also successfully got my auto insurance transferred over and had my name added to the homeowners insurance. And, I was able to get in for a haircut tomorrow - the hair is getting shaggy! And I have a pedicure scheduled. Couldn't get in there until January 4th, but I am in!

Now you have me worrying about our cruise in August of 2023. I think we'll be taking our chances on it. I would love to do a land trip to that area. There is so much to see and do and I would like to spend my time to really enjoy it. Oh, Happy Day!

Rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit! Good morning, everyone from a cold and blustery mid-Michigan. At least there is no ice, so I can bundle up and do my morning walk. Today's agenda is finding a hair salon for a haircut and switching auto insurance from Ohio to Michigan. Then I can get the Michigan license plates and a Michigan driver's license. Moving seems to be a never ending process. Today's meal sounds interesting. I'd try the mustard glaze once and if I like it, go for it. If not, I'll go back to Mom's recipe. This recipe directs you to Good Housekeeping for the directions, but GH is a pay site and I'm not in the mood to pay them right now. I think we can figure out what to do. https://www.copymethat.com/r/kdwvPEd6K/mustard-crusted-mini-meatloaves-with-roa/ Martha Stewart not only gives us the ingredients, she provides directions as well! https://www.marthastewart.com/336901/mini-honey-mustard-meatloaves-with-roast Here is one with roasted potatoes, but apples could easily be added. https://aggieskitchen.com/mini-honey-mustard-meatloaves-with-roasted-potatoes/ For those wanting a more traditional meatloaf, here it is in mini form: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/glazed-mini-meatloaves/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

@rafinmd not a lot of good news to report. The burning, red lips are grouped together with the mouth and called burning mouth syndrome. For the portion of the face around the mouth that is affected they sometimes prescribe a topical steroid. My sister said it helped a little, but didn't fix the problem. Not much does. My mom used plain, regular Chapstick on hers and it helped some. My sister just had to outlast it. The condition comes on quickly and will sometimes resolve in the same manner. In the meantime, watch sun exposure, avoid acidic foods and drinks. Sorry I couldn't find much else.

Roy, my sister has that problem around her lips as did my mom. It comes and goes and is a royal pain. I'll ask her what she does for it.

I'm sorry to hear that Tana is having issues and that you are having problems with your hip. I hope the hospice nurse can help Tana and that you get into the ortho appointment soon. Let it be something easy to treat in both cases. Glad you like the recipes today! I am so sorry to hear this. What a huge disappointment, but glad that you can see the silver lining in that you caught it early and it is treatable and you are in a good facility. Here's hoping a room opens up soon for you. @aliaschief Thank you for delaying your trip. I shake my head when people are coughing up a lung or two and say, "It's just a cold." What makes them think I want that? You are a great example for others. @Cruising-alongI hope the tummy issues resolve and that it isn't the flu. @lindaler I'm happy to hear that you survived the storm with no damage. I hate storms like that.

I hear you and I am one that has to have a clean kitchen to wake up to each morning. I'll stay up and clean up the messes rather than let it sit. Unless I am really sick.

Good morning, everyone! The temperature is supposed to drop all day, so I want to do my laps early while it is warmer. We're also supposed to get some strong winds later in the day. Well, maybe the winds won't wait until later. I can hear them already. @kazu Jacqui, I am glad to hear the foot is slowly improving. Bad sprains can take forever. Today's meal is a great one. I haven't had pork chops in ages. When I was in high school I used to make pork chops and scalloped potatoes for dinner at least once a week during the winter months. Haven't made them since. This first recipe doesn't include the apple, but that can easily be added. Pork chops and apples do seem to go together. https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/recipes/a12094/pork-chops-balsamic-braised-cabbage-recipe-wdy0113/ This next one is a one skillet dish, so very little to clean up afterwards. It also has the apples included, but uses apple cider vinegar. Balsamic can be used instead. https://www.wyseguide.com/pork-chops-with-cabbage-and-apples/ Here is one last version with some tips on things you can add to the dish depending on your tastes. https://www.melissassouthernstylekitchen.com/braised-pork-chops-cabbage-apples/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Take your time with the kitchen. It isn't going anywhere. My class was actually called International Dance and we did other folk dances as well, but mostly the square dances. I was not looking forward to the class, but it turned out to be a great one. I even wished there was a Part II. My second phys ed class was bowling. Well, Quartzsite can be the in a crunch guy. I met some people at the grocery store today who drive 2 hours one way to see their doctor here in town. They are from a small rural area and there isn't much there for medical help. That is why I told Sue we had to come here to Midland. Not only is the rest of the family here, but we would be close to services we needed as we got older such as health care. Happy Days are here again! Glad to hear the good news. Yes, you do need a day at home now and then. The worst thing a care giver can do is neglect their own needs. While you may not be giving the direct care, you are still giving care by being there. I don't do snow and ice either. Leave it to those who have to go out. That made me laugh. We prefer the colder climates. I've never done a Caribbean cruise and probably won't do one. I'm not a beach/lay in the sand and sun person. I'd rather be walking around and hiking and hot weather is not good for that.

Good morning, everyone! It is supposed to be a mild day but breezy. Rain is moving in tonight, so we are mostly overcast. I took Square Dancing in college as a phys ed class. We were required to take two. I really enjoyed it. It was a great cardio workout and tons of fun. It is a good thing that there isn't a lemon creme pie in the house. I know I'd eat it and I don't need to do that. I had a great first visit with my new doctor today. Finding a good fit with a doctor is so important and I think I got that. We ended up talking for over an hour, sharing philosophy, travel experiences, etc. We didn't get to sharing recipes though. When I first saw today's meal, I thought of pizza with the cauliflower crust. I guess you could use a cauliflower crust, but that isn't what this recipe is. And, @marshhawk, Annie, you can roast the cauliflower with olive oil and then put it on the pizza and drown it in cheese. The best of both worlds! This first one is basically cauliflower, mozzarella, parmesan, and some greens. It comes together quickly for dinner on a busy night, especially if you keep the cauliflower on hand. https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cauliflower_sheet_pan_pizza/ This one sounded really good to me with the roasted garlic. I love garlic and put it in almost everything except breakfast cereal. https://foxeslovelemons.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-garlic-pizza/ This one shows that this is really a very versatile dish. You can change it up to meet your tastes very easily. This one uses red onion, some red pepper flakes for a little heat, and gruyere cheese. https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/recipes/a12445/roasted-cauliflower-pizza-recipe-wdy1213/ I would probably try this recipe because of the variation of ingredients. It has a good blend of flavors and isn't just cauliflower. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/cauliflower-tomato-and-olive-pizza-3894798 This last one is more of a vegetable side dish as it doesn't have a real crust. It uses the cauliflower as a vehicle for the rest of the ingredients. I think it would be pretty darn good, myself. https://www.mydiaryofus.com/blog/roasted-cauliflower-pizza-bake Lots to choose from today. If you do cauliflower pizza, you have carbs to spare for the lemon creme pie. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

I think with that it depends on the system you have. With ours when the pilot goes off the gas to fireplace is off except for the pilot. It is kind of like the pilot on your furnace. Or your older furnace. When we couldn't get it to light we turned off the supply to the system, not just to the fireplace.

Thank you for all the comments. I think we'll love the gas log fireplace. It is easy to turn on and off and creates a nice ambience in the room. Now that we know where the pilot light is and how to light it, should it go out again we can easily get things working again. As Sue said, the more time she spends here, the more she loves it.

Vanessa, I am so sorry to hear of BFF's DF's death. I am sure you are both comforted by the fact that you came home to be with him at this time. Warm thoughts and hugs across the miles to you both at this difficult time.

This is really a huge disappointment. We love Sel de Mer, whether pop up or stand alone. On the Pinnacle class ships the restaurant has a more extensive menu, but we always found something that delighted us on the pop up menu. It will be difficult for us next summer because we won't have Rudi's or Tamarind.

I think I started it all when my stove gave up the ghost back in December of 2020. It then spread faster than Covid through the group. I was hoping that it would end when it came back around to me and got the fridge, washer, and dryer in one swoop in February of 2021. Ahh, to have a remote. This is an older model and doesn't have a remote. I just turn a knob at the bottom right of the fireplace. Do you have wood burning right now? I agree gas log is easier and that was why I was happy to get this. My sister wanted wood burning, but that is a lot of work. One house we looked at had converted a wood burning fireplace to a really cheap electric one. It looked really bad. We did get an electric one for the family room, but it is a good quality and looks great when it is on.

Good morning, everyone! What a great picture of @summer slope Dixie and @StLouisCruisers Sandi. You make us all wish we were onboard with you! It is supposed to be a mild day today, so I'll do my walk around the neighborhood. I see my new doctor today. This was really poor timing. Who wants to see the doctor the Monday after a major holiday that revolves around food? No wonder there was an opening in his schedule. Today's meal sounds really tasty. I like reuben sandwiches and I like French dips. Meld the two together and it should be a hit. Well, maybe. This first one is really close to the description. All you need to do is add in the sauerkraut. I usually saute the sauerkraut until it is getting brown. https://neighborfoodblog.com/slow-cooker-beef-brisket-french-dip-sandwiches-sundaysupper/ The directions for this recipe are on the Good Housekeeping site that insists I pay them money. I decline to do so. But, most of us can figure it out. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/frenchdip-brisket-reubens--57702438956038734/ And here is the whole recipe courtesy of the Billings Gazette. https://billingsgazette.com/win-super-bowl-with-french-dip-reubens/article_ac216531-f225-52ec-8997-1303d02a117d.html I'd give it a try, Super Bowl or not. Actually, I am back to my fish and veggies routine. Wishing you all a fantastic day!

Laura, I am sorry that a visit from the appliance gremlin makes you feel like a part of the Daily family. Seriously, we don't have an initiation protocol. Sorry about the dishwasher. I've had one for 3 weeks now and I don't know how I lived without it. Since it is fixed now, I think we'll just leave it alone. It is gas log and normally so easy to operate. I think it is natural gas. There is a gas line that comes directly to the fireplace. And, yes, it can heat the room up! I love sitting in my chair next to it with my Kindle wrapped in my quilt.

Oh, Vanessa, that is such a difficult decision to have to make. We had to do that for our dad. The nurses said they'd call us if he got worse that day and we said we were staying with him. I think that helps the patient and the family. One of the greatest gifts I have had is being with both my mom and dad when they passed. I hope you get the same great support from the staff that we got when we were there with dad. Hugs. On the good news front: We fixed the fireplace. The pilot had gone out and we figured out how to relight it. It didn't work anything like the ones in the YouTube videos.

Good morning, everyone! We are supposed to be on the warmer side today, but rain is moving in. I told Sue that we had to hang pictures today inside and work on the garage door getting it to pair with my car. We spent a good part of last night trying to get the fireplace to work, but no such luck. I'm not sure what the problem is, so I can hear cha ching loud and clear and will probably have to call in a fireplace repair person. The Sesame Chicken Stir Fry is a dish that is easily adaptable to individual preferences. You can overload it with veggies and no problem. Or, leave them out. No problem. This first one is an easy basic recipe. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sesame-chicken-stir-fry/ If you are feeding vegetarians, you could substitute tofu for the chicken. I'd probably try it with shrimp, too. https://iwashyoudry.com/honey-sesame-chicken-stir-fry/ On this next one I would leave out the brown sugar and go from there. https://www.gohealthyeverafter.com/easy-healthy-sesame-chicken-stir-fry/ And there you have it! Wishing everyone a wonderful day.