Chicken Salad Sandwich

Post New Year's Day breakfast:
chicken salad sandwich
mad with coleslaw dressing
and sweet dill picks,
while yesterday's left over turkey
is cooking in the the soup pot.

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Memories Underfoot

These are the memories that lay underfoot,
the memories I stumble over when waking up.
A black and white long haired cat,
whose purr vibrated the house
when he wanted to to toss him
a furry toy mouse.

These are the memories that lay underfoot,
the memories I scramble when waking up.
Taking eggs from beneath a hen
she set there glaring at me
she wanted to hat the eggs I know,
that that was never to be.


I, also, posted this in the journal Writing in Snow, under the folder Awardicon Items, in my writing.com portfolio. Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Foodie Friday: Pasta, Chicken, and Canned Vegetable

Istiqlal (Independence), 16 Jalál (Glory), 172 BE - Friday, April 24, 2015 about 11:50 am Pacific Daylight Time

I decided to have pasta, chicken, and canned vegetables this weekend. I'm staying in my apartment (unless someone calls and offers to take me out Saturday or Sunday) to get some housework finished before the exterminator comes on Monday. I want something that is quick, easy, and tasty to worm up for my lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. I cooked the pasta yesterday and I'm cooking the chicken today. Once the chicken is done then I will mix it with the pasta and then mix in the canned vegetables.

Pasta, Chicken, and Canned Vegetables

Step 1: Cook one bag of pasta (you chose the size and the type).
Step 2: Cook chicken legs and thighs with their skins on (breast pieces if you prefer or you can use a whole cut up chicken).
Step 3: When chicken is done then remove skin from chicken and the chicken from the bones.
Step 4: Throw the skin and bones away because it is unwise for you to eat the skin and for your pets to eat the chicken bones.
Step 5: Divide pasta into two containers before mixing in the chicken.
Step 6: Mix half the chicken in one container of pasta and the other half of the chicken in the other.
Step 7: Put one container of the chicken-pasta mix in the refrigerator or freezer (this depends on the way your family feels about leftover and how creative you are with the recipe).
Step 8: Open the cans of vegetables you want to put with the first container of chicken and pasta. I'm having sweet peas, corn, green beans, and green salsa.
Step 9: Season with whatever seasoning you want when you heat it up to eat.

Cook's Note: If you would prefer rice with this dish then cook the rice instead of the pasta. This recipe can be made in one day if you don't mind spending the entire day in the kitchen.

Midwek reflections on Cooking Chicken

Istijlal (Majesty), 16 Sharaf (Honor), 171 BE - Wednesday, January 14, 2015 about 5:36 pm Pacific Standard Time

I cooked chicken today. I had about eight pieces of frozen leg quarters I got at one of the food pantries a few days ago. I took them out of the freeze and cooked them all. It took me almost all day, but I have enough chicken to last me the rest of the month. I put most of the cooked chicken parts back into the freezer, but I kept a couple out to go with the vegetable stew I made this afternoon.

I used frozen vegetables so the stew was easier and quicker to cook then the chicken. I divided the soup into storage containers so that I can freeze some of it. I will have a leg quarter tomorrow and another one on Friday. The rest I will eat next week because I want to open a can of salmon this weekend to fix with a green salad. I don't get large amounts of chicken often, but when I do I like to have some of it with soup.

Foodie Friday: Don't start the day without coffee

Istiqlál (Independence), 6 Kalimát (Words), 171 BE - Friday, July 18, 2014 about 9:03 am Pacific Daylight Time

Don't start the day without coffee. Don't go back to bed, until after you've made a fresh carafe of coffee, if you get up at 1:30 am because you wake up and can't go back sleep. Those are my lessons and advice on the third Friday of July 2014. I had planned to make a Funny Friday enter this morning, but I couldn't remember encountering anything funny this week.

I got up at 1:30 am this morning because I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I responded to the blog prompts on writing.com, posted it, and then took my thyroid medication. I felt sleepy so I went back to the love seat (I don't have a bed to sleep in) and dozed off. I got up at 6:30, took my other morning med, made coffee, and then started to review on  writing.com. I should have waited until after the coffee brewed before doing the first review because it wasn't up to my normal review quality.

Now that I've had a couple of cups of coffee, I will warm the roasted whole chicken I purchased at Smith's Food & Drug Store yesterday. I also purchased a small container of coleslaw which I will have with the chicken. I had a couple of coupons that needed to be used before July 20, so when I went to the store to get my medication I purchased a few other things and used the coupons I need to use before Sunday.

Now that I've had one or two cups of iced coffee I'm focusing, so now I can eat breakfast and plan the rest of my day. I think I will warm the chicken up in the pepper sauce I had left over from the chicken breast I cooked yesterday. So far this week I've eaten only chicken or fish, maybe it's time I purchased a small lean piece of beef to add variety to my diet. I also need to get some type of fresh vegetable because all I have in the house is canned green bean, corn, and carrots. I think I purchase some celery or green salad makings the next time I go to the grocery store.

Foodie Friday: White Fish, Chicken, or Canned Chicken Stew

Istiqlál (Independence), 4 Raḥmat (Mercy), 171 BE - Friday, June 27, 2014 - about 3:01 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Decisions, decisions, decisions, the decisions never end. I have a choice this weekend, i have white fish and chicken thighs in the freezer, while in the cabinet I have a can of chicken in water and several cans of various vegetables. I have to decide what I will fix to eat  this weekend, whatever I fix to eat I will have to open a can of vegetable to go with it.

When I went to the store yesterday, I purchased peanut butter, Ovaltime©, and white fish. I did not purchase any fresh vegetable because I had lots of canned vegetable in the cabinet. If I have fresh vegetable then I will not open a can of vegetable. I have to start opening the canned vegetable and eating  those. I am not sure what other types of canned good I have, so while I looking for vegetables I will see what else is down there.

Maybe I'll fix the white fish with a can of corn or some green beans for lunch. For breakfast I will have hotcakes and eggs with some chicken sausage. This is the first time I have tried chicken sausage, normally I purchase the turkey sausage; however, this time I decided to try the chicken.

Foodie Friday: Leftover Beef Stew

Istiqlál (Independence), 19 Jamál (Beauty), 171 BE - Friday, May 16, 2014 about 11:38 am Pacific Daylight Time

“The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.”

Calvin Trillin 

 I am eating leftover beef stew this weekend. After considering all my options, which was the vegetable I purchased at the Farmer's Market on Wednesday and the canned good in the cabinet, I decided that before going to the grocery store I needed to see what was in the freezer. I found the beef stew I made in April (I think that is when I made it). I had to get the beef stew out of the freezer because I needed the container to store cheese. I think I need to get more storage containers.

When I made the stew I used canned carrots and green beans for the vegetables. However, I did not use stew meat for the beef; I think I used either round steak or flat stake. Since I did not write the recipe down I do not know which one I used. I have to go to Smith's Food & Drug store on Saturday to pick up a prescription, so I will purchase  a package of chicken (which I need to go with  the vegetables) and maybe a box of frozen fish sticks. I do not need any canned good because I have everything in the cabinet I need.

I know I will not get any beef because I have a package of some type of steak in the freezer when I want to make another batch of beef stew. I think that may be all the beef I purchase because I am considering eating only chicken for my meals because I have to cut down on the beef and there is no use having it in the freezer when I do not know when I will use it.

Midweek Reflections: On a Nontraditional Breakfast

‘Idál (Justice), 6 Bahá (Splendor), 171 BE - Wednesday, March 27, 2014 about 9:05 am Pacific Daylight Time

It is Wednesday, halfway through the last full week of March 2014. This morning I am eating a nontraditional breakfast of chicken, spinach, and celery soup. I made the soup myself at the end of last week, so I have to finish it off today because I want to make another batch of bell pepper chicken soup.

When I went to the store on Saturday, at least I think it was Saturday, I bought a package of chicken leg quarters and a steak. At the time, I was not sure whether I wanted to make beef stew (I never use stew meat for beef stew because other cuts of beef are tenderer) or chicken soup. After checking my refrigerator and the cans I have in my pantry, I decided that chicken soup with celery and spinach would be a better choice. I will use the steak for something else, perhaps get some barbecue sauce to marinade the steak.

I like the soup I made, but it needs something. Therefore, before I make the bell pepper soup I will check the spices I have on hand. I do not keep salt in the house because I would rather cook with spices then with salt, besides sometimes I use canned vegetables in my soup and those have enough slat in them.

Foodie Friday: I like Turkey Sausages

Istiqlál (Independence), 13 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness), 170 BE - Friday, March 14, 2014 about 11:29 am Pacific Daylight Time

I like turkey sausages! I tried them for the first time this morning and I realized that I like them. When I went to the store yesterday, I decided I needed some kind of meat to go with breakfast. I knew I didn't want beef, pork, or chicken, so I purchased two packages of fully cooked turkey sausages. I fixed them this morning with my hotcakes and eggs.

I don't know why I didn't try them before today, maybe because I wasn't raised eating anything except pork sausages. I purchased the link sausages because I can't eat the patties (not in the pork sausage anyway). The next time I get this type of meat, I'll purchase the turkey sausage patties and see if I can eat those better then the pork sausage patties. I may even purchase the turkey sausages that are not fully cooked and see how I like those.

I have to change the way I eat by cutting down on the beef  and the pork. Since I don't want to cut meat out entirely I have to start eating chicken and turkey. I think the next time I make Spanish rice, I will purchase the ground turkey and see how that works with my recipe. I prefer to have a little bit of meat in my diet, so poultry is a good substitute for beef and pork.

Recipe of the Week: Potato Microwave Casserole

Jamál (Beauty), 11 Bahá (Splendor), 169 BE – Sunday, April 1, 2012 about 7:10 AM Pacific Time

Potato Microwave Casserole

Ingredients:

4 small to medium potatoes quartered.

1 12.5 oz. can fully cooked chunked chicken packed in water drained or undrained

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes drained or undrained

Preparation:

Step 1: Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into quarters.

Step 2: Place potatoes into medium to large microwave safe casserole dish with a lid.

Step 3: Cook potatoes 5 minutes and then test to determine if cooked through. You do not want to overcook the potatoes, but you do want them almost completely done before adding the rest of the ingredients. If necessary, cook the potatoes another 5 minutes and test again. You should be able to stick a fork into them without any difficulty.

Step 4: Open the 14.5 oz. can of tomatoes and pour them over the top of the potatoes. If you want to drain the tomatoes, you can. Sometimes I drain them and sometimes I pour the undrained tomatoes into the casserole.

Step 5: Open the 12.5 oz. can of chicken and pour it on top of the other ingredients. Again, if you want to drain the chicken before adding it to the other ingredients you can. As before, sometimes I drain the chicken and sometimes I do not. It depends on whether or not I am planning to add the liquid to leftovers in the coming week.

Step 6: Place the lid back on the casserole and then place the casserole in the microwave for another 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions:

This is a main dish; therefore, you may serve it with whatever you like. I suggest a couple of dashes of hot sauce if you want it spicy. You can either add the hot sauce before or after you cook the casserole.

Number of people served:

I suspect this will serve about four people. Since I cook for only my mother and myself, I am never sure precisely how many people a recipe will serve because this usually depends on what you serve with the dish and how hungry the people are who eat. Sometime I serve other things with this dish and sometimes it is the only thing I serve, except desert or some type of fruit.

Thankful Thursday: The bandage is off my left leg

Istijlál (Majesty), 3 Mulk (Dominion), 168 BE – Thursday, February 9, 2012 about 4:55 PM Pacific Time

I am thankful that the bandage is off my left leg and I am wearing both of my thigh-high compression stockings. I did not know anything could feel so good, but they do.

I am thankful that today’s ultrasound revealed no blood clots. I still have to get up every hour and walk around, but that is easy to do. I have many things to do so it is not a problem to walk for ten minutes every hour. I gave another ultrasound scheduled for March and I am praying that it does not reveal any blood cloths.

I am thankful for KFC. I bought a six-piece dinner before coming home today because I did not want to cook anything. I still have a great deal to do this evening and tomorrow before Mom returns home. I do not have to worry about making Mom’s bed, but I do have to take her clothes off the drying rack and hang them in her closet. I also have one more load of her clothes to do before she gets home tomorrow evening.

I am thankful for chocolate chocolate chip cake; I bought a cake at KFC as well as chicken. I think I will have another piece after while and then save the rest until Mom gets home tomorrow.

Recipe of the week: Green Beans & Pasta

Jamál (Beauty), 9 Sharaf (Honor), 168 BE – Sunday, January 8, 2012 AD about 10:02 AM Pacific Time

Ingredients:

1 26.5 oz. can of pasta sauce (any flavor)

1 16 oz. pkg. of elbow macaroni (any type of pasta may be substituted)

8 c. water

2 14.5 oz. cans green beans (any style) drained

¼ c. of grated cheese (any type)

Instructions:

Step 1: I fix my pasta in a slow cooker, so I start this dish the night before. Put 8 cups of water in the slow cooker and turn the cooker onto high. When the water reaches the boiling point, I put in the pasta and let it cook. If you put the pasta into the slow cooker too soon, it gets starchy.

Step 2: Remove pasta from slow cooker and drain. Then place the pasta into microwavable casserole dishes (either 1 or 2 will do depending on the size of the casserole dish). Then place the pasta into the refrigerator (if you cook the pasta the day before making this recipe).

Step 3: Open the can of pasta sauce and mix it with the macaroni. If the macaroni is in two casserole dishes divide the pasta sauce between the two casseroles.

Step 4: Mix the green beans into the macaroni and pasta sauce; if you are using more then one casserole dish divide the green beans between the casseroles.

Step 5: Put the casserole dish into the microwave and heat the mixture. The length of time depends on the microwave, but give this dish at least 2 ½ to 5 minutes.

Step 6: Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the green bean and pasta mixture. Note: If using two casserole dishes then change ¼ cup of cheese to ½ cup and divide between the casseroles.

This recipe makes enough for several people; therefore, if you want to freeze parts of it go ahead. To do this place the mixture into freezer containers that are also microwave safe, but do not add the grated cheese until you are ready to heat and serve.

Serving suggestions:

Serve this dish with either chicken thighs or breast. If you serve with chicken thighs do not remove the skin before cooking the chicken, especially if you are cooking the chicken in the microwave.

Microwaveable Chicken and Rice Casserole

Istiqlál (Independence), 12 Masá’il (Questions), 168 BE – Friday, December 23, 2011 about 10:30 AM Pacific Time

Today I am making Microwaveable Chicken and Rice Casserole, with plans of dividing it into two portions and freezing half for use later. The recipe makes enough for at least four people, so it is more then Mom and I will eat today.

Ingredients:

4 cups of cooked white or brown rice
1 14 oz. can clear chicken broth
1 14.5 oz. can sliced carrots
1 14.25 oz. can whole kernel sweet corn
1 14.5 oz. can cut green beans
1 12.5 oz. can fully cooked chunked chicken in water
½ cup of your favorite cheese grated (if you want more cheese add 1 cup)

Directions:

Step 1: Cook the rice. You may want to cook the rice the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator over night.

Step 2: In a medium to large microwavable casserole dish combine the rice with the chicken broth. Stir until the well mixed.

Step 3: Open cans of carrots, corn, and green beans. Drain the water off the vegetables. Stir the vegetables into the rice and broth mixture.

Step 4: Open the can of chicken. If you want to drain the water off the chicken, go ahead. Sometime I drain the chicken and at other times, I mix in the chicken without draining off the water.

Step 5: Place the lid on the casserole dish and put it in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Step 6: If you are making this dish for one or two people divide the contents for freezing.

Step 7: Place the casserole in the microwave to cook or rather to heat. Since the ingredients have all ready been cooked, the only thing you have to do is heat it up, which takes about five or more minutes depending on the microwave oven and whether or not you add grated cheese to the dish.

Step 8: While the ingredients are still hot, stir in the grated cheese. The cheese should melt into the hot ingredients.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve this with a green salad of some type. You can buy salad ingredients already mixed at the grocery store.

A Recipe in Progress – Microwave rice casserole

Jalál (Glory), 16 Qudrat (Power), 167 BE – Saturday, November 19, 2011 about 9:55 AM Pacific Time

At the beginning of the week, I fixed a package of rice in the slow cooker. I fixed the entire package because I wanted the rice to last all week. This time I did not add any bouillon cubes to the rice, but the next time I make it I think I will add some chicken or shrimp bouillon cubes.

On Thursday, I added a can of chicken and a can of green beans to the rice. Thinking about it now, I realize I had too much rice for one can of either item. However, since I did not use a measuring cup when I transferred the rice to the microwave casserole dish, I do not know how much rice I used. When I tasted the rice, I realized I needed more chicken and green beans.

Today, I added the rest of the rice to the casserole dish, but I did not add any other items. I wanted us to finish the casserole this weekend so that I can begin fresh on Monday and keep track of the amount of the ingredients. Right now, the ingredients are rice, chicken, and green beans. Next time I make this recipe I will add corn, peas, and perhaps carrots or switch to cans of mixed vegetables. I have not decided which just yet. I also have to buy some chicken bouillon cubes because I have only shrimp cubes in the refrigerator. Yes, I keep my bouillon cubes in the refrigerator.

Rice, Canned Chicken, and Green Beans

Kamál (Perfection), 9 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 167 BE – Monday, October 24, 2011 about 3:40 PM

Today I fixed rice, canned chicken, and green beans. I mixed the green beans with the other ingredients because it had only 2 grams of dietary fiber. Since Mom is going to eat this for her supper, I had to make sure it had the least amount of dietary fiber.

Mom is on a low fiber diet, which means she can have no more then 3 grams of fiber in a meal. The rice and chicken have very little or no fiber, so this is a good mean for a weekday afternoon.

I mixed one can of chicken and one can of green beans with the rice. I am not sure how many cups of rice because the casserole dish I used already had rice in it. When I cooked the package of rice, I flavored it with one shrimp bullion cube. Since the cube contained a great deal of salt, I did not want to use more then one. I am not sure what size package of rice I used; I had enough rice to fill two medium casserole dishes.

All right, that may not be the best way to cook rice, but that is how I do it. This way I only have to cook rice once a week. I cook the rice and then I decide what to add to it for our meals the rest of the week; it saves time and energy.

I Gave the Chickens to a Farmer

Kamál (Perfection), 14 Mashíyyat (Will), 167 BE – Monday, October 10, 2011 about 10:45 AM Pacific Time

This morning Mom asked, “Where are the chickens?”

My response, “What chickens?” I have to remember not to ask the “what” question, when asks me about where animals or people are because sometimes she gets upset. She did not get upset this morning.

Mom said, “I thought we had chickens.”

My response, “We could not get a permit, so I gave the chickens to a farmer.”

When Mom was a child, she lived on a farm in Oklahoma and they had chickens. When my grandparents moved to Blackwell, the also had chickens. I suspect Mom still thinks she lives in Blackwell, Oklahoma. I have not broached the subject because I do not want to get Mom upset. My answer seemed to satisfy her, so I will leave it at that right now.

When dealing with an Alzheimer’s patient, you have to put yourself in their world. Mom does not remember attending her parents’ funerals; she thinks they are still alive. Mom does not think she is 90 years old, which is another subject I have no intention of broaching.

If Mom brings up the subject of the chickens again, I will take an egg from the refrigerator, cook it, and tell her the farmer brought us some eggs from the chickens we gave him. It will make Mom happy and I really do not think the store where I buy my eggs cares what I tell Mom about them.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Istijlál (Majesty), 3 ‘Azamat (Grandeur), 168 BE – Thursday, May 19, 2011 2:04 PM Pacific Time

When I went to the grocery store on Tuesday, I bought a package of boneless skinless chicken thighs. Normally, I buy the chicken thighs with the bone and the skin still attached, but on Tuesday, I decided I wanted to try something different.

I like the way the way the boneless thighs cook. In addition, it is easier to eat and fix in different recipes. Mom seems likes the chicken better then any other type of meat, since she does not want to eat with her fingers the boneless thighs are easier for her handle.