A pasta state of mind

All week I've been looking forward to going out with friends last night.  We planned to go to RedRossa Italian restaurant.  It's good, and the decor is decidedly "un-Pierre" like.  So all week I've bee making pasta.  I have been using different types of pasta, and adding all sorts of things like green onion, broccoli, prosciuto, sliced Italian sausage, herb/garlic marinara, butter, and Parmesan.

So Thursday night's concoction was the best.  Green onion, broccoli, butter, sliced sausage, and butter. 

Looks good, right!  I had the leftovers Friday noon.

Friday night I ordered chicken Parmesan.  I ate about two-thirds of it and brought the rest home.  So I got 3 meals for my $14 entree,  At noon today,  I did a "leftover makeover."  I cut up the chicken with the angel hair pasta, and added some prosciuto and green onions.  Toss it in the microwave, and 3 minutes later, I had lunch!

Again, looks delicious, and I think it was better than the original meal.  Plus this time I had exellent service--me!  Our server last night was dreadful.  She was getting people'd drinks mixed up, never asked if we wanted dessert, then proceeded to give me an $82 check.  What?!  I had a $14 entree and iced tea.  Was she on crack?  No, just screwed up the checks and gave mine to someone else.  And they politely added 18% gratiuty to our checks.  We were actually happy.  Most of us tip 20% to 25% so she got less from us than if they hadn't added it.  Or maybe they just give the lousy servers the big tables so they don't earn as much.  If she'd been any good, we probably would have left extra.  But we sure didn't!

I also got the chance to show Doc P that I do leave my house in something other than jammies in need of an IV or other immediate medical attention.

Liver Disease Awareness

Do you have a liver disease?  Recently diagnosed and looking for more information about the American Liver Foundation or your particular disease?  There is information available on the Web to help with your search.  Check out this link for the American Liver Foundation’s (ALF) educational resources:  http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/downloads/

For example, did you know that October is Liver Disease Awareness month?  I didn’t, and I usually track that kind of thing for work.  I knew that March was Colorectal Cancer Awareness month—and I don’t have that.  What that says to me is that not nearly enough education is done of the general population.  Maybe that is why liver cancer is not   diagnosed until it is in the late stages, as are many other liver diseases and disorders.  I think everyone should check what information their driver’s license exam station has about organ donation and see how prominently it is or isn’t displayed.  Maybe we need to do a big organ donation drive in October.  Plus, the liver isn’t the only organ that can be harvested.  There is a heart, two kidneys, corneas, lungs, bone marrow, and even veins.  See how many lives can be improved or saved by just one person becoming an organ donor?  Pass out donor cards where you work.  Urge people to be tested at transplant drives for other diseases or people.

Mostly, I want to break the stereotypes associated with liver disease.  With sincere apologies to those that do suffer from hepatitis, alcohol-related cirrhosis, and conditions associated with risky behaviors, that has never been my lifestyle.  I am not an alcoholic.  I rarely ever drank, and never more than one or two drinks if I did.  I have never used “street” or illegal drugs.  I have never shared needles.  I have not indulged in unsafe or risky sexual practices.  So how did I wind up with liver disease, and a cirrhotic liver?  If you have Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) or “fatty liver,” here is more information just for you:  http://www.liverfoundation.org/downloads/alf_download_20.pdf

My hepatologist was able to answer many of my questions, but not all of them.  That is, in part, what led me to listen to a friend whose mom is a nurse (totally qualified, right?) when she told me that transplant testing was overkill and just a waste of my money.  So I cancelled those tests two years ago.  And nearly died last year as a result of it.  I had the testing done, and am now on the waiting list.  As for that friend—we are no longer friends.  Not because I couldn’t forgive her for her stupidity and short-sightedness, mind you.  I never even thought about that.  But because she can’t handle having a friend that is not 100% healthy.  Guess what?  Anyone can get sick or be in an accident and die at any time.  Even her!  Turning her back on me was an act of selfish cowardice.  Or maybe she can’t forgive herself for what she did.  Three words:  Karma’s a bitch!

The best thing you can do to help alleviate your symptoms, stay healthy, and maybe postpone that transplant even, is to take care of the liver you have.  Here is some specific information on that;  http://www.liverfoundation.org/downloads/alf_download_29.pdf

Personally, I have found that eating well (smaller portions of complex proteins, more simple proteins, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables (US grown if possible), little or no salt, and drinking lots of water have helped me.  My MELD score has remained pretty stable over the past year and my tests at my annual checkup were pretty good.  Six whole months until I have to see the hepatologist again.  I do have my six-month appointment with my local internal medicine doc in September, so I’ll get my scores checked then, which is also about when they are due for the transplant center too.  I am not a nutritionist or dietician, and you should follow your own doctor’s specific plan of care for you.  And take all or your medications when you are supposed to—even it they taste yucky!

Bedtime now, since I’m going out to dinner with friends tomorrow night.  Should be fun!  Thanks for agreeing to babysit, Jayd.  I know Q and G appreciate it!

What a difference a day makes!

Yesterday it was so hot that all the big digital thermometers on banks and stores were all screwed up. Walgreens said it was 78.  BankWest was freezing at 0 degrees on one side and 104 degrees on the other side.  And it was humid! 

Now it's 77 and not humid with a nice breeze.  I had to wait until almost 10 last night to water my garden.  I may have to water tonight, or I may not.  I'll have to check it later. Maybe I should at least water the tomatoes since they are growing so well.  The cherry tomatoes in particular look good and are already bearing fruit, even if it is still green and the size of peas.  Another couple weeks and they may be ready.  Shirley will be happy for sure!

Better eat my lunch now.  Chicken salad on 12 grain bread, and creamy cucumber and onions.  Yum!

Chex Mix!

Ok, I admit I am addicted to Chex Mix.   And Ghardetto's.  Regular.  Italian.  But it's SO salty!  Now that I'm keeping a closer watch on my sodium and fat, I decided to try my own.  All the recipes are basically clones of the salty original, so I was on my own.  I do have to say that I wish the sodium content in the Chex cereals was lower than it is, but at least it doesn't taste like a salt lick.  The result?  Everyone liked it.  Corn, rice and wheat Chex, Goldfish pretzels, and Bugles (remember sticking your fingers in them when you were little to make witches' fingernails that you then ate off one by one?).

Gone was the melted butter.  In it's place was the olive oil and balsamic vinegar spray they sell by the Pam non-stick spray.  I thought the vinegar would give it a nice tang.  Then I sprinkled it with garlic powder, onion powder, and a kinda spicy salt-free seasoning mix I found at the dollar store.  Stir.  Repeat until you think everything has been sprayed and seasoned.  Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  I haven't provided quantities, since I didn't really measure.  Just make as much as you need.  If you're making a small batch,  you may want to reduce the total cooking time.

That's about all I've been up to this week, other than working and trying to keep up with watering my tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs.  Time to go to bed now, although I don't have to be at work until noon the next couple of days.

Shedding tears...

...of joy!  They are, as I write this, dismantling the rides at the carnival set up across the street for Oahe Days.  I swear the girls in this town can hit notes 2 octaves higher than Mariah Carey when they screamed on the Pharoah's Fury.  I had to wait in line at the vet clinic with half the dogs in town to take care of our bleeding ears!  Also rather happy that my air conditioning is working, since it's at least in the mid 90's and super humid.  You can barely breathe out there!  I'm nice and cool, about to enjoy a lovely luau pork sandwich, some beans, and coleslaw.  I love the roasted pork--and it turns out that there is no sodium in the brand of liquid smoke I bought.  They had hickory, maple pecan, or mesquite.  I went for mesquite.  Here's the SUPER easy recipe:

Luau Pork
Boston Butt Pork Roast in the quantity you need to serve your family or guests (buy on sale and freeze)
Apple juice to come 2/3 the way up the pork
Liquid Smoke

Rub liquid smoke into thawed  meat.  Put in pan.  Pour apple juice around the meat in the roasting pan, not over it.  Cook covered at 250 degrees for 8 to 12 hours (or overnight on 'Warm' in the crock pot after bringing the meat up to hot and the juice to a boil on 'High', then turn down to 'Warm'.).  Baste meat periodically.  Let meat cool for about 2 hours so you can handle it to pull it into chunks (not shredded).  Put in a covered container with either a little of the roasting liquid, or some new apple juice and a couple drops of liquid smoke.  Toss.  Refrigerate until cool to let the meat take in the juices.  Serve hot or cold. 

I do not put any type of BBQ sauce on it before serving--let your guest do that.  I serve it on a nice firm bun with some seasoned pinto beans and slaw (try broccoli slaw!) and iced tea.  Boston Butt is a nice cheap cut of meat, and this makes the most of it, making in nice and tender.  Enjoy!

Oahe Days 2012

All is quiet now, with the bands done playing, the rides silent, no traffic, screaming girls hitting unheard of octaves as they screamed while riding the Pharoah's Fury, no drunks wandering past on their trek to transportation (hopefully with a DD or public transportation), and my headache finally almost gone.  It started Friday night with the band's bass vibration and hasn't let up.  And my luau pork is still cooking away slowly.  I can't wait to pull it into chunks for a sandwich for lunch.

I shouldn't complain too much, however.  A year ago I way in a hospital bed, not knowing what day it was, the time, or how to use my cell phone.  It was sent flying across more than one hospital room.  They gave me orange juice for breakfast with a bowl of cereal.  Big mistake!  And it was raining.  And thundering.  And lightning.  We had a little storm pass through Friday night that did quiet the carnival for a few hours, but nothing like last years torrential downpours that flooded the streets and the sandbagged areas meant to protect from the big flood.  In fact, the carnival is sitting where the levee stood last summer.  But remind me to make sure that my medical tests are done next year over the Oahe Days weekend.  I've enjoyed them much more when I'm not in town!

They did have a beautiful day for the festival yesterday.  Not too hot, not too humid, and a nice breeze to help keep it comfortable.  So I did walk through and took a few pictures to share with you! 

 How cute are these spinning dinosaurs?



I hate to say it, but these ponies look bored.  I suppose if I had to walk in a circle all day

hauling crying children around, I'd be a little cranky tool 

I don't care about cotton candy or cold drinks, but let me at that Sno-Cone action! 

Yep, just one block from my house to the stage.  Did I appreciate that convenience? 

Umm, let me think.  No!

Cute little train!  I guess it wasn't exciting enough for the little folks since it was nearly empty.

And last but certainly not least.  Directly in front of my apartment so I can hear every screaming pre-teen girl rival Mariah Carey in octave range, is the Pharoah's Fury.  Basically a big "boat" pendulum that swings ever higher, elicitng their voices to do the same!  I was quite happy when they shut the carnival down Friday night at about 10 PM due to a passing thunderstorm.  Blissful quiet.  I guess they started up a few hours later again, but I was sound asleep by then.  Which is where I need to go back to now.

You're a Weird One, Mr. Shiloh

You've seen pictures of Shiloh here on the blog before, but now you get to see him in all his weird glory--being the dork he is.  He loves to play with his brown squeaky bone, but sometimes he rolls on it and the floor to scratch his back.  Of course, he looks more like he's in the middle of some kind of spastic fit!  Rolling and twisting around, all four legs flailing in the air.  And he will eventually return to the upright position.  But it seems like he's stuck on his back and can't get rolled over--couldn't be further from the truth!  He's just being Shiloh.  I've tried for a couple of days to get him to do it for a video, but couldn't get it.  Finally, here is a short snippet of the little goof . . .

Just click on the arrow to play a game of "scratching my back" Shiloh!

The Great Tomato Project

I love tomatoes in just about anything--chili, soup, baked beans, spaghetti sauce, chopped up and tossed with basil and garlic with olive oil for an easy pasta sauce, sun-dried, in cheese spread, in Swiss steak , . . . you get the idea.  But I HATE raw tomatoes.  I've tried, but I just can't do it.  So why, then, do I have six tomato plants in five varieties?  Well, I can make sauce, chop and freeze for winter use, and give them to some neighbors and friends.

It kind of started as a way to clean up the front of the building after last year's flood.  Sucker trees everywhere, dandelions in a yard unaccustomed to them, branches and other debris (from a smoking neighbor and Mary's psycho cat) from the planters and other areas.  After we got it cleaned up, we put some new potting soil into the planters to bring up the soil level.  Then we planted.  And this is what we currently have:

Green peppers, Bush Big Boy tomato, sweet basil, and rosemary. 

The peppers are at the other end of the tomato cage, so you can't see them here

Dill, Biltmore tomato, chives, and parsley.  Again, the dill is  behind the cage.

Baby Cakes cherry tomatoes and a few marigolds.

Roma tomatoes.

Cherokee Purple tomatoes.

Beyond my patio on the other side, I've planted two Regal cucumber vines.  I guess I'll be making another trip to the hardware store for something called a cucumber fence to support the vines and fruit.  I did get a larger cage for the Roma's in the barrel planter, but didn't get it put on yesterday.  I'll do that when I water tonight.  Hopefully this weeks warm weather will really get things popping.  If you look very closely, you can see a couple of little yellow blossoms on the Romas.  Or not--I guess the picture chopped off the tops.  Dang!

Ok, so time to go check the ribs in the crock pot.  The smell is making me wild!  But they won't be done for another 3 hours.  I didn't have any apple juice to put in, so I cut up an apple very thinly to get the flavor.  I really don't plan to eat barbecued apples!  And hopefully we will get a couple of applications in at work so we can get them trained and calling.  Out of the office Thursday and Friday to go do testing to stay on the transplant waiting list  Yay.  Sounds fun, right?  Not.