Mountain Musings

Kitchen Takeover

Recipe post ahead...as requested!

As Mom mentioned in a previous writing, I (Hannah) was in charge of meals for a couple of weeks in February. The tradition continued of one of us girls choosing Valentine's week to cook. I enjoyed, as always, browsing recipe sites and coming up with mostly new recipes to try out on the family.

Overall, the family thought the meals were not only edible but delicious, with probably some do-over recipes in the mix. Interspersed in these two weeks' menu plans were several leftover nights, and the special desserts covered us for awhile, too.

Below are links if you'd like to try these menus yourself:

Tomato Bisque

Grilled Pastrami Sandwiches with Onion Marmalade

Instant Pot Beef Gyros (with these flatbreads)

Greek Potatoes

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert (adapted)

 

Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs

5 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese (adapted)

Sweet Potato Kale Salad (similar to this)

Our Valentine's Day menu was, like the other days, written on a chalkboard in our kitchen:

Italian Meatloaf Pinwheel

Caesar Salad

Pesto Breadsticks

Cheesy Italian Baked Beans

Red Velvet Cookies or Chocolate Nemesis Cake

Granny (2 weeks before her fall) awaits her cookies:

 

Personal Chicken Pot Pies

Salad

Canned Peaches

 

New Mexico Chile Stew

Dixie Cornbread

Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies

 

Sticky Garlic Chicken over Quinoa

Roasted Broccoli

 

Breakfast for Dinner of:

Waffles (from Hope's Table cookbook)

Oven-cooked Bacon

Scrambled Eggs

 

And...then when Granny was in the hospital and rehab, with Mom away for hours of the day advocating for her care, I once again handled meals for the family for another couple of weeks. While they weren't as planned out ahead of time, it filled a need, and I was glad to help in this way. So you get a few bonus pictures:

Chicken Pasta (using Trader Joe's Creamy Tomato Basil sauce)

Beef Barbecue Sandwiches

Have you tried anything new in the kitchen lately?

~Hannah

Missing in Action

Well, hello long-lost blog! Hello, faithful blog readers!

Yes, missing in action applies to me. Here's my lonely sewing room....everything is in the exact same spot as it was over two weeks ago when a family emergency happened.

Unfortunately, Granny fell and broke her shoulder...oh no! I was actually sitting at my sewing table when I heard her scream and Hannah calling for me to come quickly!

The local rescue squad arrived and took her to the hospital where we learned the humeral head of her shoulder was broken, a break on which surgery is not normally done.

She was in the hospital a few days in quite a bit of pain, before being transferred to a rehab facility for a week until we could bring her home for more comfortable accommodations, definitely better food, and her family's loving care.

This week a home health nurse, physical therapist, and occupational therapist arrived to begin twice weekly care to get her mobile again. They'll be in and out for the next two months before more range-of-motion outpatient physical therapy starts.

Here's Granny, still smiling and glad to be home after all her hospital and rehab escapades:

We were able to get outside on the deck one warmer day this week to get some fresh air and sun. She's still quite weak, and we need to be oh, so careful with that arm/shoulder:

Before this accident happened, long-time friends were scheduled to stop by for an overnight visit on their way to Florida. We definitely wanted to see them and didn't want to cancel even with Granny in the hospital. So...with a little maneuvering, I was able to be in both places at just the right times. :)

They have fond memories of Granny and were so sad they didn't get to see her this visit. Here we are with Tim and Donna from Connecticut. Tim was Tom's best man in our wedding...40 years ago this summer.

Needless to say, we ask for your prayers for Granny as she recuperates and especially that her shoulder will heal quickly and properly...and for us as we care for her.

Tomorrow we go to the orthopedic surgeon for new x-rays; he's performed all her previous back surgeries and, I'm sure, will be so sorry she's having to go through this.

And for those friends who have already sent cards and flowers, she appreciates them all.

Hopefully, I'll be back making daisies this week...or soon.

"Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice."  ~ Psalm 51:8

Thank you for your prayers!

~Deb