I find myself a month behind in rent, a shut off notice on the gas bill and no money for groceries. I have food enough to carry us for a month, perhaps a little less. I am frightened and worried. My husband received a $25.00 gift card for doing a focus group. Of course, it is for the most expensive store around. Which means $25.00 isn't going to buy much. There are the three of us. Myself, my daughter and my husband. He is a meat eater, it's not a meal until it contains some kind of meat.
We have had it hard over the years, but is is about to be the worst than it has been in many years. My daughter and I have lost our insurance. I take several medications, with one of them costing nearly $600. If you add all of them together it totals about $1000. We survive on $1346. a month. I have friends who pay more than that for rent a month.
I think we have handled this situation pretty well for the most part. Guilt over my daughter not being able to have everything she wants or needs is the hardest part. Deciding what bill to pay and buying food seems to be a true juggling act. We dropped a ball and are faced with $800. worth of shut off notices.
It is December - a dreaded time of year for me. Filled with embarrassment and sorrow, when my daughter puts on a brave face and pretends everything is okay. Last year a woman that I've known since elementary school bought Christmas for us. She sent clothes, a music CD for my daughter and personal items, not only for my daughter but also for myself and my husband. It was much more than I would have ever expected anyone I haven't seen in over 20 years to do. It was very humbling and a kind act. I did no ask for it, I would never do that. And I still cannot express my deep and complete gratitude to her.
This year is no different yet very different from past years. My heart is broken along with my spirit. We struggle, like so many others and most of the time do so without complaint. No, this is not how I envisioned my life. But it has and could be worse. I have been homeless, I have eaten at the soup kitchens and I have had to survive through a lot of things of my own making and some not.
I put up our ugly little Christmas tree, I decorate it with no enthusiasm. I hung the garland in the archways and a wreath hangs on the door. But there is little joy. There will be no excitement on Christmas morning. It will be just another day. I will make as many gifts as I can for my daughter, a scarf, a bracelet and maybe a throw with the yarn I have left. I had bought her a sweater, a pair of pants and a hat last time I had a little money. She told me to wrap them and put it under the tree. I wish I could go back and make different choices. I know each and every one that lead me to this place. Sadly I knew at the time I was making the wrong decisions.
SO, back to the reason for writing this post. I have went through every cupboard and I have written down every box and can of food I have. I now have the task of figuring out how to feed us for as long as possible. I have no idea when I can buy more groceries.
There are two thinks in this world I think area more important that most anything. Having a roof over your head and food in your belly. I know there are people who have even less than me and they are happy to have it. And believe me when I say, I am truly happy for all I do have. As I work to make a filling menu with what i have available, I am going to post any recipes I use. Maybe I can help someone else out there who have a similar situation.
Tonight I made Dirty Rice. Not really a recipe, I've made a few times and always different. Tonight was very simple.
Dirty Rice
1lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1/2 Green pepper, diced
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 green onions, sliced in rings
couple dashes cayenne (optional to taste)
1 cup water
3 cups cooked rice
Browned the meat, drained any fat off, added onion and bell pepper, all the spices, green onion and cup of water. Add cooked rice, mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. I didn't not put an amount for the salt, I don't cook with it. We just add salt after we get our servings.
Really easy. Pretty tasty.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Rocky Mountain Oysters... Dinner Danglers!
Rocky Mountain Oysters, Swinging Beef, Montana Tendergroins, Dinner Danglers, Moo Marbles (this one made my daughter giggle) These are just a few of the nicknames I found when searching the web for recipes.
On a quest to try as many new things as possible, I checked off one more on the list. Today I bought a pair of Rocky Mountain Oysters from the butcher. I was there to pick up my beef heart and kidneys and it was only the second time I have ever seen them there, so I figured why not. My daughter immediately wrinkled her nose and said she wouldn't be trying that. My husband (who's like Mikey.. he'll try anything) Said with a shrug "sure why not".
When I was standing there at the counter waiting for my order to be wrapped an elderly woman came up and was picking up an order for the same thing. I asked her how she prepared the "oysters". She said to boil them first then fry and make a gravy. Everything I had read was saying to fry them, but I had not read anywhere to boil them. She and I talked a while longer while we waited and I decided I would try the method she told me about and go ahead and boil them.
OK. So I sometimes forget to take pictures until it's too late for that step. I do the best I can.. my memory isn't always so good. Here's what I did..
On a quest to try as many new things as possible, I checked off one more on the list. Today I bought a pair of Rocky Mountain Oysters from the butcher. I was there to pick up my beef heart and kidneys and it was only the second time I have ever seen them there, so I figured why not. My daughter immediately wrinkled her nose and said she wouldn't be trying that. My husband (who's like Mikey.. he'll try anything) Said with a shrug "sure why not".
When I was standing there at the counter waiting for my order to be wrapped an elderly woman came up and was picking up an order for the same thing. I asked her how she prepared the "oysters". She said to boil them first then fry and make a gravy. Everything I had read was saying to fry them, but I had not read anywhere to boil them. She and I talked a while longer while we waited and I decided I would try the method she told me about and go ahead and boil them.
OK. So I sometimes forget to take pictures until it's too late for that step. I do the best I can.. my memory isn't always so good. Here's what I did..
This is what the "oysters" look like when you get them from the butcher.
He had already made small cuts in the membrane that needs to be peeled off. I did not peel this until after I boiled it. I read that there are really easy to peel if they are frozen and you peel as it thaws. I will try that next time.
I just filled a pot with water to cover the oysters and set it to boil.
After I took them out and was able to peel them. Peeling was not so easy and I ended up having to cut off some of the membrane. I sliced them up, I will say that they were considerably smaller after they are boiled which was a surprise.
I seasoned flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Yes, we are Buttertons. I cook with butter whenever I can. It is probably the most unhealthy thing I do. I added some olive oil to make it healthy =) (I had too much butter and ended up not using this at all, but just a tiny smidge out of this pan.)
Dirtied another pan to keep from using too much butter.
This is with the gravy I made. Sorry the picture is so sloppy it was hard to keep the hubby's fingers out of it long enough to take a picture.
I didn't use a recipe, didn't measure anything. It came out pretty good for a first time. Honestly it tastes like a cross between liver and beef kidney (which has a texture of chicken gizzards) if you've ever had that. I wouldn't say there is anything special about it other than it being Moo Marbles. LOL.
For the price and the amount of meat it turned out to not be cost efficient and I probably won't make it again. But hey! I got to check off one more thing off the list of stuff to try.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
No Kidney punches here!
My family is constantly on the look out for new recipes using meats and/or ingredients we have never eaten before. I have to say it has turned out pretty well so far. I know that some of the dishes we try are standard dishes in other parts of the country or around the world in other countries.
Before I continue, I would like to add a disclaimer, it is not my intention to offend anyone in any way. This is solely my opinions based on my personal experiences. I know that some people are extremely sensitive and I apologize in advance.
Being one half of an inter-racial relationship has always been interesting in the kitchen. My husband grew up in a household that regularly ate pigs feet and chittlins', souse (head cheese), pigs ears and hog maws. I have since tried all of these things since we've been married. Some I like, others not so much! My husband had never tried what his mother called "white people" food. Rice-a-roni, green bean casserole, stove top stuffing, cabbage with ham and noodles and Corned beef and cabbage and many many more! He has tried these and likes or loves some of them. There are somethings I know I will never get him to eat. Tuna casserole..well any dish that contains the word casserole (other than green bean casserole), anything containing tater tots, fish sticks, cheese wiz, or marshmallow fluff.
OK, so back to kidneys. I am blessed to live 5 minutes from the West side Market here in Cleveland, Ohio. It has been standing for 100 years, they just celebrated the anniversary. There is a butcher there that sells beef. The market is only open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturday. Vince, my butcher takes off Mondays so he can cut his meat. He gets his big sides of beef and will even take special orders in advance. If you ever get to Cleveland, be sure to look him up. His stand is named after him. Any how.. When I visited him last he had a Beef Kidney sitting in his display case. I bought it and began looking for recipes to use it in. Every recipe I found was for steak and kidney pie (which I do plan on trying). Recipe after recipe was pretty much the same. I asked on the Buzz for suggestions and got some good answers. Don had a couple ideas that I really liked since it wasn't a pie. I love reading his answers to posts, and I was hoping he would answer mine.
I soaked the kidney in milk over night to draw out any not so pleasant taste. I am going to be adding the recipe to my recipe box and when I do I will post it. I cut up the kidney and had some really tender thin steaks I cut in strips. I sauteed them in butter and olive oil, added some sliced onions and then made a gravy. I served this over rice and it was delicious!! I was worried about the texture of the kidneys since I sometimes have problems with different textures. It was perfect. Firm, not mushy or tough. It truly is something everyone should try. The taste is pleasant and the steak goes very well with it. Next time I will try the Kidney and Steak pie.
Cleaning and prepping the kidney for its milk bath.
Doesn't that look good!
It sure did taste good!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Our Pre-Thanksgiving Feast
My husband and daughter agreed that we should do something other than the "traditional" Thanksgiving meal. The suggested Mexican/Hispanic food. We've been talking about it for a couple days and have decided on Chicken and cheese enchiladas, a taco bar, Spanish rice, corn, 7 layer dip and chips and churros for dessert. I guess that sounds pretty good. Although I am still trying to deal with not having the regulars.
I had already bought all the ingredients for dinner. I made our not Thanksgiving dinner tonight. It was good! I made green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing and chicken (we never buy turkeys). I have a ham still in the freezer, and I will use that sometime this month or even keep if for Christmas. If they aren't going to try and take that holiday away from me too!
I had a lot going on this evening so I forgot to take pictures as I was preparing the food. I did get some pictures after it was served.
I had already bought all the ingredients for dinner. I made our not Thanksgiving dinner tonight. It was good! I made green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing and chicken (we never buy turkeys). I have a ham still in the freezer, and I will use that sometime this month or even keep if for Christmas. If they aren't going to try and take that holiday away from me too!
I had a lot going on this evening so I forgot to take pictures as I was preparing the food. I did get some pictures after it was served.
I took the opportunity to make three of the recipes I needed for the November activities for Allrecipes Allstars. I am sure I will be making some sweets and I will add them and their recipes when I make them. I am glad I was able to have my "feast" even though it wasn't on Thanksgiving day. The day really isn't important, I got to sit down to a wonderful meal with my husband and daughter and enjoy talking about our day. For that I am Thankful!
I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I am not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertisers are only used for experienced-based reviews on Bundts n' Bowls. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of T. Graham.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
She had me at "Meep!"
Two years ago this month my daughter talked us into being foster parents at the local APL (animal protective league). We figured she would lose interest pretty quickly so we agreed. The day we went in for orientation was the day we brought home our first foster.
She was all white, a tiny matted kitten.. She'd been found in a basement and was severely underweight and had a bad case of diarrhea which did not help. She was less than half a pound. They needed someone to take her for a couple of weeks to "fatten" her up. (that made me giggle and think of Hansel and Gretel)
When we got her home we wanted to give her a bath to clean off the feces and try to get some of the knots out. Her fur was speckled with dried blood from being infested with fleas. The APL had given something that killed all the fleas. We got the sink ready and the water the right temperature, but none of us were ready for what we would see. I felt sick to my stomach and my eyes burned with tears. This cat was nothing but bones. Her hip bones stuck out and all you could see was every bone in her rib cage and the skin almost seemed to sink in between them. She was shivering so hard and nothing seemed to be helping to get her warm. I eventually put her against my skin and kept my hand over the towel that was covering her. It took for what seemed like forever for her to stop shivering.
We found she was too weak to hold her head up by herself. She was unable to walk and if she tried she just fell over and laid there not able to get up. I hand fed this kitten and had to give her water from a syringe. She started to improve almost immediately. She started getting stronger and by the second day she was able to lift her head. I would sit for hours with her laying on my chest, her nuzzled up under my chin. She even tried to take a few steps, wobbly but she was able to do it.
Unfortunately, on the third day the diarrhea was so bad it took her right back to being too weak to lift her own head. We took her back to the APL to have her checked out. They hooked her up to an IV because she was dehydrated. They asked if I could try again and take her home with me. They explained that sometimes no matter what we try some of the animals don't make it. Some are just too weak to survive. My heart squeezed in my chest. This kitten I called Meeper, because that was the only sound she could make... a meep, might not make it. It was at that moment I wondered if I would be strong enough to do this. Could I?
We took her home. But unfortunately I was unable to give her the care she needed. I had to return her to the APL, and they sent her to an experienced foster parent. They assured me that it was nothing I had done wrong. It was not a good situation for our first foster.
I found out two months later she was healthy and ready for adoption. They also discovered she was much older than they had thought at first. She was about 7-8 months old!! She was so small because she was starving to death.
I go to see her, my "meeper" and hold her one last time before she was adopted. She knew me, and she snuggled up under my chin and started to purr.
She was all white, a tiny matted kitten.. She'd been found in a basement and was severely underweight and had a bad case of diarrhea which did not help. She was less than half a pound. They needed someone to take her for a couple of weeks to "fatten" her up. (that made me giggle and think of Hansel and Gretel)
Looked pretty fluffy huh? Not so much!
When we got her home we wanted to give her a bath to clean off the feces and try to get some of the knots out. Her fur was speckled with dried blood from being infested with fleas. The APL had given something that killed all the fleas. We got the sink ready and the water the right temperature, but none of us were ready for what we would see. I felt sick to my stomach and my eyes burned with tears. This cat was nothing but bones. Her hip bones stuck out and all you could see was every bone in her rib cage and the skin almost seemed to sink in between them. She was shivering so hard and nothing seemed to be helping to get her warm. I eventually put her against my skin and kept my hand over the towel that was covering her. It took for what seemed like forever for her to stop shivering.
We found she was too weak to hold her head up by herself. She was unable to walk and if she tried she just fell over and laid there not able to get up. I hand fed this kitten and had to give her water from a syringe. She started to improve almost immediately. She started getting stronger and by the second day she was able to lift her head. I would sit for hours with her laying on my chest, her nuzzled up under my chin. She even tried to take a few steps, wobbly but she was able to do it.
Unfortunately, on the third day the diarrhea was so bad it took her right back to being too weak to lift her own head. We took her back to the APL to have her checked out. They hooked her up to an IV because she was dehydrated. They asked if I could try again and take her home with me. They explained that sometimes no matter what we try some of the animals don't make it. Some are just too weak to survive. My heart squeezed in my chest. This kitten I called Meeper, because that was the only sound she could make... a meep, might not make it. It was at that moment I wondered if I would be strong enough to do this. Could I?
We took her home. But unfortunately I was unable to give her the care she needed. I had to return her to the APL, and they sent her to an experienced foster parent. They assured me that it was nothing I had done wrong. It was not a good situation for our first foster.
I found out two months later she was healthy and ready for adoption. They also discovered she was much older than they had thought at first. She was about 7-8 months old!! She was so small because she was starving to death.
I go to see her, my "meeper" and hold her one last time before she was adopted. She knew me, and she snuggled up under my chin and started to purr.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Halloween Hosting
I love Halloween parties! My birthday is in October and my parents liked to throw Halloween birthday parties. Now that I am older I still love a good Halloween party. I get most of my decorations from the Dollar Tree. I loved doing different types of crafts and painted quite a few wooden plaques and signs a few years ago. I always put fake spider webs up across the porch and I have some headstones I put out. I usually rake up some leaves and shape them into graves in front of the headstones. This year because of Sandy my graves were blown away. I also have two blow up ghosts that I hang on either side of the front steps. I try to make it "gently" scary for the kids in the neighborhood. We have little kids next door and they still freak out a little over some of the decorations.
This year one we had some fun activities for the Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador program. I made caramel corn which everyone loved! Pizza pockets and chocolate filled crescents. As part of our party we carved pumpkins. Some of our friends brought "witches fingers" it was the orange peanuts with a half of jellybean "glued" on the end. Another did the witches hats made using a cookie and hersheys kiss. We replaced bobbing for apples with making candle apples. Boy were those good!!! It's been years since I've eaten one and I had never made them before.
There are so many ideas I have seen from other AR-ers and I can't wait to use some of the ideas or the recipes they have shared!
The hurricane disrupted some of the plans we had for Halloween. Our city postponed trick or treating until next week! Boo! It will give me time to get some discount candy!! lol. We were without electricity for a few days, and my church postponed the food pantry scheduled for Oct 31 until Friday Nov. 2. I am thinking I would like to make some treats for the people who come. Maybe more of that caramel popcorn, but also I am thinking some granola bars.
Everyone had a pretty good time this year. I enjoyed making all these things, and I got the bonus of getting to buy new cups with spiders and webs on them to add to the Halloween supplies.
I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I am not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertisers are only used for experienced-based reviews on Bundts n' Bowls. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of T. Graham.
This year one we had some fun activities for the Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador program. I made caramel corn which everyone loved! Pizza pockets and chocolate filled crescents. As part of our party we carved pumpkins. Some of our friends brought "witches fingers" it was the orange peanuts with a half of jellybean "glued" on the end. Another did the witches hats made using a cookie and hersheys kiss. We replaced bobbing for apples with making candle apples. Boy were those good!!! It's been years since I've eaten one and I had never made them before.
There are so many ideas I have seen from other AR-ers and I can't wait to use some of the ideas or the recipes they have shared!
The hurricane disrupted some of the plans we had for Halloween. Our city postponed trick or treating until next week! Boo! It will give me time to get some discount candy!! lol. We were without electricity for a few days, and my church postponed the food pantry scheduled for Oct 31 until Friday Nov. 2. I am thinking I would like to make some treats for the people who come. Maybe more of that caramel popcorn, but also I am thinking some granola bars.
Everyone had a pretty good time this year. I enjoyed making all these things, and I got the bonus of getting to buy new cups with spiders and webs on them to add to the Halloween supplies.
I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I am not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertisers are only used for experienced-based reviews on Bundts n' Bowls. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of T. Graham.
Pumpkin Carving First
Every year we buy pumpkins to carve. We live in an area that for whatever reasons kids do not trick or treat. We have tried over the years to sit out there with our bowl of candy expectantly waiting for all the little cowboys and princesses.. and nothing! Although we did have a woman about 50 years old try to get some candy. She had a bag and everything, no kids or grand kids When my husband told her to "get outta here" she just shrugged and said, I had to try.
This year we were able to find pumpkins for less than $3. My daughter is usually pretty picky. She really likes the Mini pumpkins, which she is unusually good at carving. I can hardly see to do something so small. They come out looking so cool! I'm not sure if anyone else even carves these mini pumpkins but if not, you should give it a try. My hubby has to find the biggest, roundest pumpkin he can. I prefer tall, thin, smooth skinned pumpkins. It also has to have a nice long stem. Ooh.. that sounds like a personal ad for a picking up a pumpkin! This year C (daughter) and I had to settle on pumpkins that weren't our typical choices. E (hubby) of course was able to find one that fit his definition of a perfect carving pumpkin.
We put off carving the pumpkins for a couple weeks. It has rained what seems like every day this month! I'd guesstimate out of the 31 days, it has rained 22 of them. We did have one 80 degree day, that broke records! Anyhow, I was not feeling well on the day we decided to carve the pumpkins, so I decided I would take pictures of them carving. It's been a couple of years since we had a camera, so E's new phone has become my new camera. It is so cool! I can take a picture and immediately email it to myself. I can even take video on it, although I haven't figured out how to send that yet. I'm no techno nerd, so this is the coolest thing I have ever seen.
C turned 16 this year - so she's all independent (sometimes) and she wanted to carve her pumpkin "herself" ( I usually cute the lid and help clean out the middle. )
We stopped buying those pumpkin carving kits a couple years ago, they are always so flimsy and the knife always bends or breaks. So we use the weapons of destruction found in my kitchen.
This year we were able to find pumpkins for less than $3. My daughter is usually pretty picky. She really likes the Mini pumpkins, which she is unusually good at carving. I can hardly see to do something so small. They come out looking so cool! I'm not sure if anyone else even carves these mini pumpkins but if not, you should give it a try. My hubby has to find the biggest, roundest pumpkin he can. I prefer tall, thin, smooth skinned pumpkins. It also has to have a nice long stem. Ooh.. that sounds like a personal ad for a picking up a pumpkin! This year C (daughter) and I had to settle on pumpkins that weren't our typical choices. E (hubby) of course was able to find one that fit his definition of a perfect carving pumpkin.
We put off carving the pumpkins for a couple weeks. It has rained what seems like every day this month! I'd guesstimate out of the 31 days, it has rained 22 of them. We did have one 80 degree day, that broke records! Anyhow, I was not feeling well on the day we decided to carve the pumpkins, so I decided I would take pictures of them carving. It's been a couple of years since we had a camera, so E's new phone has become my new camera. It is so cool! I can take a picture and immediately email it to myself. I can even take video on it, although I haven't figured out how to send that yet. I'm no techno nerd, so this is the coolest thing I have ever seen.
C turned 16 this year - so she's all independent (sometimes) and she wanted to carve her pumpkin "herself" ( I usually cute the lid and help clean out the middle. )
We stopped buying those pumpkin carving kits a couple years ago, they are always so flimsy and the knife always bends or breaks. So we use the weapons of destruction found in my kitchen.
This stopped my heart, and I held my breathe the entire time she was cutting. I couldn't say anything or it would have sent her into a teenage hissy fit. So I just took pictures and worked out the fasted route to the hospital in my head.
Love the face! Sure am I glad I got out of this slimy duty this year!
More heart palpitations for mom. Why do they have to grow up? There is still a lump in my throat!
Her finished product! It's a Cat!! She added whisker holes after the pic was taken.
Let me tell you about my husband. He is an over achiever when it comes to carving pumpkins. He grew up in a household that did not celebrate Halloween and he had never carved a pumpkin until he was with me. The first few pumpkins sported the traditional jack o' lantern face but over the years he has started to design his own faces.
I don't have a lot of pictures of him carving his pumpkin. I took quite a few of him sketching out the design and carving. But his camera is racist! I can't get a good picture of him for anything. We have black cats and can't get a picture of them either!
This is after he sketched and traced the design onto the pumpkin. Cheesey grin.
This is the last picture I could get that was good enough to see him doing the pumpkin. Looking pretty cool.
Had to get C to hold the pumpkin for a pic.
As I said, I wasn't feeling so hot. I thought it would be quick and easy to put some big ol' alien eyes and a tiny nose. It came out really blah.. so I ended up adding a mouth to it. Now everyone tells me it looks like Jack from "Nightmare before Christmas". I had to look it up, I have never seen the movie before.
This is my finished Jack O' Lantern.
Hubbys finished Jack O Lantern
C's finished Jack O Lantern
All three (taken before I added my mouth)
We always have fun carving the pumpkins together. Even though I did not feel well this years was good too. My pumpkin smelled funky when I opened it, but I decided to carve it anyway. It's going outside so it didn't really matter. Well... Hurricane Sandy decided to make a little visit to Cleveland and it was crazy windy and rainy. They sat on my dining room table until I had to take them out last night. My pumpkin was already "dying" and had attracted fruit flies. Where they hell do they hang out? and how do they show up so quickly? My poor pumpkin has made it to Halloween day. Glad it got here before his complete demise. Now he looks like a monster zombie pumpkin!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)