Foodie Friday: Seven things to do before going to the supermarket or grocery store

Istiqlal (Independence), 10 Raḥmat (Mercy), 172 BE - Friday, July 3, 2015 about 8:48 am Pacific Daylight Time

1. Coffee: Drink at least one carafe of coffee before leaving the house. Remember, you have to be wide awake while driving to the supermarket or walking to the bus stop.

2. Eat: Eat a substantial breakfast or lunch before leaving the house. You do not want to be hungry when you enter the grocery store because you will purchase more then you intend.

3. List: Make a grocery list and take it with you when you leave the house. Put the list in your purse or packet and do not leave it lying on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator.

4. Coupons: Check your coupons before you leave the house to make sure you have all of them. If you use e-coupons downloaded to your shoppers card then you need to download them 24 hours before going to the grocery store.

5. Cellphone: Make sure your cellphone battery is fully charged before you leave the house because you will need it in case of an emergency. Traffic being what it is there is no guessing what could happen on the drive to and from the grocery store.

6. Aisles: Take a logical approach when moving through the grocery aisles. Even if this is the only exercise you get during the week, you still need to take a logical approach so that you don't forget to get anything. A logical approach to walking the grocery store aisles means less stress.

Not Foodie Friday: Moving and Murphy's Law

Istiqlal (Independence), 8 Núr (Light), 172 BE - Friday, June 12, 2015 5:55 am

I spent the last three days moving from one apartment to another. It wasn't a long move because I only moved from apartment two to three. It wasn't a traumatic move, but it was a bit weird. After I moved I realized I couldn't find the pill box containing my thyroid tablets. I didn't pick the box up before I left the apartment and one of the women helping me move put them in one of the moving boxes, but she could remember which one. I found the pill box on Wednesday afternoon so I was able to take the pill this morning.

The refrigerator in this apartment died, so it was replaced. The new refrigerator works, but for some reason the items don't feel cold to me, so I may have to turn it up a notch. I'll see how they feel tomorrow. It could be that the beverages haven't been in long enough for the entire bottles to get cold. Most of the bottles are large containers of fruit juice or soda. It could be that I like my juice to feel colder in late spring and summer.

Then the Cox tech was late arriving and my internet connection didn't get back up until later then I thought. After the tech left my router couldn't find the internet so I had to manually reboot that. I finally got back online and started catching up with the online commitments I have. I have not encountered a new problem, which I suspect has to do with the new furniture configuration in this apartment.

I put both computers on the same desk, which is a bit crowded, but at least I don't have to move half way across the room when I need to use the other computer. I also moved the location of the television. It is now on my right side instead of behind me. This makes watching the news a little easier. I missed watching the news on television. I don't think I missed watching too many other programs, but I will have to see about that when I get back into my news watching routine.

It feels weird having both computers on the same desk. It is a bit uncomfortable, at least I feel uncomfortable which could be caused by the new furniture configuration. The other desk is sitting across the room. Right now it has my coffeemaker on it, but I think I will move the coffeemaker into the kitchen and put the lamp on the desk. I can use the desk to hold books or for writing in my journal. I'm still sleeping on the loveseat, but I expect to begin sleeping my my bedroom as soon as I can get a bed or a recliner.

Foodie Friday: Ice Cream and Other Summer Favorites

Istiqlal (Independence), 13 Aẓamat (Grandeur), 172 BE - Friday, May 29, 2015 about 4:23 pm Pacific Daylight Time

"I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream"
Word and Music by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert King

That song was published in 1927 and I was born in 1946. I remember singing the song when I was a child. My grandparents might have had a record or they could have taught it to me as a child. I don't remember when I learned the song because I have sung it all my life. Every time I think of this song or sing it, I think of summer and my grandparents.

This year summer, in the northern hemisphere, begins on Sunday, June 21 at 12:38 pm Eastern Daylight Time (9:38 am Pacific Daylight Time), when the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This is called summer solstice which is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). It is time for ice cream and watermelon (not necessarily at the same time).

While I am not opposed to putting ice cream on watermelon, I prefer ice cream on pie or in a cone. My favorite pies are rhubarb and cherry. I like them warmed with a scoop of vanilla or French vanilla ice cream on top. I like a cup of hot coffee with my pie ala mode. I also like coffee with my watermelon, but I have been known to drink soda while eating watermelon. Sometime I eat the watermelon without any type of beverage because a beverage with watermelon is unnecessary.

Foodie Friday: Cranberry Apple Juice Ginger Ale

Istiqlal (Independence), 11 Jamál (Beauty), 172 BE - Friday, May 8, 2015 about 1:51 pm Pacific Daylight Time

I picked up my senior commodities today. In one of the bags was a 2 qt. jug of apple juice. I have an 11.5 fluid oz. bottle of concentrated cranberry juice. According to the direction on the cranberry juice, I need to mix the cranberry juice with 35 fluid oz. of water. I will mix the concentrated cranberry juice with apple juice instead of water, which means I may have to add slightly more apple juice then I would water. I will taste it once I have to juice mixed to see. I have mixed apple juice with the concentrated cranberry juice before and then I had to add a little more apple juice to make it taste right for me. Another way to do it is make the cranberry apple juice and then when I go to drink it mix it with ginger ale. This combination tastes good as well.

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.

Foodie Friday: Tuna Whatever AKA Tuna Casserole

Istiqlal (Independence), 2 Jalál (Glory), 172 BE - Friday, April 10, 2015 about 1:06 pm Pacific Standard Time

Blogger's Note: I am a creative cook! I am a senior citizen surviving on a fixed income. I create my recipes with what I have in my house, which meas I do not always fix a recipe of any type in the way one expects. Today my lunch and possible dinner is a version of tuna casserole called Tuna Whatever.

Tuna Whatever

1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can of tuna in water
2 cups of cooked macaroni or pasta
3 or 4 dashes of Mrs. Dashes Southwest Chipotle seasoning blend or whatever type of seasoning you want

Open the can of soup and then dump it in a sauce pan, electric skillet, or microwavable casserole dish. Measure in one can of water followed by the can of tuna and the seasoning of your choice. Heat this mixture either on top of the stove, in the electric skillet, or in the microwave. After this mixture is hot then add the 2 cups of pasta and anything else you think it needs. If you want to add cheese to it go right ahead; I no longer use cheese in my recipes because my doctor took it off my diet. I cut out the cheese because it is too difficult to figure out the amount of cheese I can eat on my diet. It is much easier measuring milk and cutting it down to a level my body can deal with.

Foodie Friday: Salad and Fruit on Friday the Thirteenth

Istiqlal (Independence),12 ‘Alá (Loftiness), 171 BE - Friday, March 13, 2015 about 9:44 am Pacific Daylight Time

Today is green or chicken salad and fruit day. I do not feel like fixing or eating anything else. I woke up this morning with an upset or queasy stomach. I suspect it may have been something I ate last night. I am not sure what caused the feeling, but I know it was not salad or fruit because I did not eat either of those items yesterday. After saying several prayers and drinking a couple of cups of coffee I feel better.

I purchased a couple of those small bagged salads and a fruit mixtures when I went to the grocery store the other day. I will have one of the salads and the fruit for a late breakfast or early lunch. If I finish that then latter today I might cook a turkey patty and eat that with the other salad, but I do not want to eat bread today. I think part of the reason I felt bad when I woke up was the amount of bread I ate yesterday.

Fruit and Green Salad

Step 1: Put the green salad in a salad dish.
Step 2: Place the fresh fruit over the green salad.
Step 3: If you want to add some type of salad dressing go ahead; however, this is unnecessary with this salad.

Foodie Friday: Grocery Shopping Memories

Istiqlal (Independence), 14 Mulk (Dominion), 171 BE - Friday, February 20, 2015 about 3:57 pm Pacific Standard Time

I went grocery shopping today. As usual, it wore me out. I remember going grocery shopping with my grandparents and I do not remember them getting worn out from just walking down an aisle in a grocery store. I know that I am not in that good of health, but I do no think I should be this tired after purchasing food. I have to be doing something different then my grandparent to get this tired.

One thing that my grandmother always did, which I do not always do, is make a grocery list. Grandma would make the list the day before and then check it the day she went to make sure she had written down everything she needed or wanted. Another thing my grandparent did was to start at one side of the grocery store then work their way to the other side by going down each aisle. I am a bit more haphazard in my approach to grocery shopping. In fact, I sometimes find myself returning to an aisle because I thought of something that I needed. I have to go grocery shopping again next week, so I will try my grandparents method. I might not get as tired and I could get everything I want in one trip.

Foodie Friday: February is National Canned Food Month

Istiqlal (Independence), 19 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 171 BE - Friday, February 6, 2015 about 3:29 pm Pacific Standard Time

In honor of canned food month I am posting a recipe for vegetable soup made with canned vegetable. When using canned vegetable drain the liquid off before using it in soup or any other recipe because this will cut down on the salt. A friend of mind said she also rinses the vegetables before using them because that helps cut the salt, since I have not tried this I cannot say how well it works, but it is worth a try.

1 can of green beans
1 can of corn
1 can of peas
1 can of mixed vegetables
1 can carrots
1 can potatoes
1 can beans
7 cups of water (that is one cups of water for each can of vegetables). If you want more water then go ahead and add it.
1 to 3 dashes of Tabasco® sauce for each can of vegetables (This depends on how "spicy hot" you want your soup.)
1/4 tsp. of Mrs. Dash® Original Salt-Free Seasoning Blend (If you prefer one of the other Mrs. Dash® blends then go ahead and use it instead.)

Mix all the ingredients into an electric skillet or soup pan and heat. Stir the mixture occasionally until it is hot and then serve it with your favorite crackers or put it over rice.

Foodie Friday: Eggplant and Apples

Istiqlal (Independence), 12 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 171 BE - Friday, January 30, 2015 about 1:42 pm Pacific Standard Time

Eggplant and Apples

1 medium to large eggplant sliced
2 medium to large apples (any type of apple) sliced or diced
1/4 to 1/2 cup broth (any type of broth)
1 or 2 small to medium green onions cut into small pieces
5 or 6 squirt vinaigrette dressing or marinade
3 or 4 dashes of green Tabasco® sauce

Mix all of the ingredients together in an electric skillet or a sauce pan. Put on low to medium heat and let it cooked until done. For those readers who are looking for an exact cooking time you will have to figure it out for yourselves. I fixed this by turning the electric skillet on low and then checking every few minutes to see if the food was ready to eat. I know that is not normally how one cooks, but that is the way I cook.

I will fix this dish again. When I do I know that the recipe will change because I never make anything exactly the same twice. I used chicken broth for this recipe, but the next time I may use beef broth or vegetable broth (I have to purchase vegetable broth the next time I go to the store). I do not know what kind of apples I used because they were given to me. The apples I used this time were yellow and red.

Foodie Friday: Eating healthy on a fixed income

Istiqlal (Independence), 5 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 171 BE - Friday, January 23, 2015 about 8:43 am Pacific Standard Time

It is difficult to eat healthy on a fixed income. It is difficult to follow a special diet when you get most of your food from food banks which give you a lot of canned goods. One of my doctors put me on a low phosphorus, low protein, and low potassium diet. Most canned goods list only the protein content, while a few cans list the potassium content. I have not found any that list the phosphorus content. This means that I have to search food websites to see what the phosphorus content might be, if that ingredient list on the ingredient labels on the website.

I have three handouts, which my doctor gave me, listing some of the foods that contain the forbidden ingredients. The problem is that some foods can be low in phosphorus and high in potassium. This makes choosing healthy foods even more difficult then it already is. Sometimes I get very frustrated when it comes to figuring out the contents and then making the portions small enough so that I can eat the food. The good thing about labels is that they list the serving in a can and also how many cups a serving contains. This means that I can cut down the serving size to an amount that my body can handle. At least I can if the amount of phosphorus, protein, and potassium are listed on the label. If the amount of those ingredients are not listed then I have to pray that the food either does not contain the forbidden ingredient or that the amount is so small my body can handle it.

On a positive note, since I do live on a fixed income I can get a food stamp card. This allows me to purchase fresh fruits and vegetable which are listed on my diet. Because some of items are more expensive then others, I still have to watch what I spend. Since I am 68 and living alone, I purchase the fresh frozen vegetables as much as possible. This allows me to measure the serving sizes and gives me a larger variety of vegetables to use in my recipes. If I had children or a spouse and was living on a fixed income I do not know how I would handle it.

Foodie Friday: Fish twice a week

Istiqlal (Independence), 17 Sharaf (Honor), 171 BE - Friday, January 16, 2015 about 2:14 pm Pacific Standard Time

Cans of pink salmon
sit in my cupboard waiting
a new recipe.

My doctor told me
I could have fish twice a week
I thought fresh frozen.

Went to the food bank
where I received several cans
of tuna and pink salmon.

How do I prepare
them so that I do not get tired
of eating canned fish?

Foodie Friday: Whatever You Call It Soup

Istiqlal (Independence), 4 Qudrat (Power), 171 BE - Friday, November 7, 2014 about 12:36 pm Pacific Standard Time

I made
Whatever You Call It soup today
I put in all the leftovers
instead of throwing them away.

I put
all the leftovers
in the electric frying pan,
let them simmer,
and then added
a dash or two of hot pepper sauce.

I will eat the soup this weekend
so that on Monday
I can start from scratch
cooking new leftovers
for another batch.

Foodie Friday: Grocery Shopping

Istiqlal (Independence), 5 ‘Izzat (Might), 171 BE - Friday, September 12, 2014 about 2:52 pm Pacific Daylight Time

I went to the grocery store this morning because I needed coffee and peanut butter. I ran out of peanut butter on Saturday, September 6, but decided not to go to the store until I ran out of coffee or it was Friday. I ran out of coffee yesterday so I went grocery shopping today.

A trip to the grocery store sound boring; however, rather then being boring it is an adventure. It is an adventure because Smith's Food & Drug store (my favorite supermarket) is in the process of changing the arrangement and location of the products on the shelf. This means I have to look for the items I want instead of going to the aisle where the used to be located. Some people find this upsetting, but I enjoy the hunt.

As I wrote, I went in for coffee and peanut butter. I also purchased three cans of soup, some turkey sausage, eggs, hot sauce, three 12-packs of ginger ale, and some yogurt. I intended to purchase only one 12-pack of ginger ale, but the store had three for a specific amount of money. Three 12-packs of soda sounds like a lot for one person, but in my case it is wonderful.

When I picked up my senior commodities on Wednesday, September 10, I received more apple juice. I am tired of drinking apple juice without it being mixed with something else. Apple juice is not my favorite fruit juice, so I can just drink so much of it before I have to switch to something else. If I mix the juice with ginger ale it changes the taste of the apple juice enough to give me a different drink. I will drink more apple juice this way.

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: Happy Friday the Thirteenth

Istiqlál (Independence), 9 Núr (Light), 171 BE - Friday, June 13, 2014 about 10:22 am Pacific Daylight Time

Happy Friday the Thirteenth or perhaps I should say have a lucky Friday the Thirteenth. There are lots of superstitions about Friday, food, and the number thirteen. Some of these superstitions are amusing and some of them cause a person to stare blankly into space shaking his or her head in astonishment.  One of the food superstitions that I grew up with concerned eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day.

Every year I remember Grandma fixing black eyed peas. On December 31, Grandma Mary put the black eyed peas to soak and then, on the morning of January 1, she would put them on to stove to cook. Before turning on the burner, she would add salt, a table spoon of white vinegar, and either pigs feet or fat back. The peas were always cooked by the time the family was ready to eat in the afternoon.

Another superstition I was brought up with concerned salt. If either my sibling or I inadvertently spilled the salt then Grandma or Grandpa would tell that person to throw a pinch of salt over his or her right shoulder. I remember seeing my grandparents and parents do the same thing when they spilled the salt.

A superstition my family never had to worry about was having thirteen guest at the dinner table. I doubt that we could have fit that many people at the table anyway because there was barely enough room for the eight people at our table much less thirteen. Still it is considered unlucky to have thirteen people at a dinner table or a dinner party.

Foodie Friday: Apple Chicken

Istiqlál (Independence), 12 ‘Aẓamat (Grandeur), 171 BE - Friday, May 30, 2014 about 11:16 am Pacific Daylight Time

I tried something new this week, I put two chicken thigh a casserole  and then added two cups of apple juice. Next I put the cover on the casserole dish, placed it in the refrigerator, where I let the apple juice marinate the chicken for a couple of days. This morning, I took it out of the fridge, sprinkled some Buffalo hot sauce over the chicken, and then placed it in the microwave for twelve to eighteen minutes. I like the taste that the apple juice gives to the chicken. If you want the chicken browned then place it in a fry pan for a few minutes before putting it in the Microwave.

For my lunch I will warm some of the green beans I have in the refrigerator up in the sauce from the chicken, to see how the apple juice make the green beans taste. I receive apple juice in my senior food allotment every month, so I need to find creative ways to use the juice and cooking with it make using it much easier. I like apple juice, but not every day unless I can find different  ways to cook with it.

I will continue to work on this recipe until I have it perfected. I know that the next time I make it I will have to add more hot sauce. I also my add some celery or some other kind of vegetable besides green beans. I enjoy cooking as long as I can do it  creatively.

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.

Foodie Friday: Three Greens Soup

Istiqlál (Independence), 5 Jamál (Beauty), 171 BE - Friday, May 2, 2014 about 6:56 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Yesterday, a neighbor informed me that when you make soup you have to have at least three greens in it. Therefore, tomorrow I will put the spinach and the asparagus  in the celery soup I have in the fridge. I will finish the soup after breakfast because I am making a spinach omelet for breakfast. I usually make a three egg omelet, but this time I will make it with only two eggs.

After I cut the spinach for the omelet I will put the rest in the soup and then cut the asparagus up. I think I will fix the soup in the electric skillet tomorrow. I will fix the omelet and then finish making the soup, which should last me three or four day. I also need to start my grocery list for Monday because I did not purchase everything I needed today.