National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day

Peanut butter sandwich 

With grape jelly makes a good lunch. 

Happy Nation Peanut Butter Lovers Day, 

Celebrate by having 

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

I prefer grape jelly, 

But my mother liked strawberry jelly, 

Either one is good 

On a peanut butter sandwich. 

Thankful Thursday: November 13, 2014

Istijlal (Majesty), 10 Qudrat (Power), 171 BE - Thursday, November 13, 2014 about 1:55 pm Pacific Standard Time

It is Thankful Thursday and it is Peanut Butter Lover's Month, a wonderful combination since I have two small jars of peanut butter in the house.

Today I am thankful...

01. ...for the loaf sandwich bread because I can have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

02. ...for the jar of grape jelly have sitting on the shelf in my kitchen because my favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwich is made with grape jelly.

03. ...for the two unopened jars of peanut butter I have because I can stay home this weekend without worrying about running out of peanut butter.

04. ...for the coffee I have in the Tupperware© canister because I can have a cup of hot coffee with my peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich.

05. ...that my checking account is not overdrawn today.

06. ...that I was able to pay the power bill this month without asking someone for help.

07. ...that the weather is not too hot or too cold because that means that I do not have to turn the central air unit on.

08. ...that I was able to fill up the gas tank of my car this month. Normally I just keep the tank half full because that is all the gas I can afford to purchase.

09. ...that I have a bowl of mixed fruit and Jell-o© salad in the refrigerator for snacks this weekend.

10. ...for the two slices of cake I  received today when I picked up my food bags because now I can have cake and coffee for breakfast.

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.

Mom's Favorite peanut butter cookie

Jalál (Glory), 18 Mulk (Dominion), 169 B.E. - Sunday, February 24, 2013 about 4:10 P.M. Pacific Time

I bought a box of Mom's favorite peanut butter cookies yesterday. I went to to store to pick up a package of paper towels and other items. When I arrived, there were Girl Scouts selling cookies in front of the store. I bought a box of peanut butter patties, which were Mom's favorite cookies.  Mom liked these cookies because they have both peanut butter and chocolate.

a box of cookies
chocolate peanut butter
are crispy and sweet

Recipe of the Week: Blueberry Bagel with Peanut Butter

Jamál (Beauty), 1 Ayyám-I-Há (Intercalary Days), 168 BE – Sunday, February 26, 2012 about Pacific Time

My mother likes peanut butter on her bagels, so three or four times a month I toast a bagel spread it with peanut butter.

Ingredients:

1 blueberry bagel

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Directions:

Step 1: Assemble ingredients

Step 2: Cut the bagel in half

Step 3: Toast the bagel

Step 4: Spread the peanut butter, after divide the peanut butter between the two halves of the bagel

Serving suggestions:

Amy type of breakfast food or drink, my mother likes to have grape or orange juice and coffee when she eats her bagel.

Note: You do not have to use blueberry bagels with this recipe, any type of bagel will work. I have not tried this recipe with onion or salted bagels, but please feel free to experiment and be creative.

Medication and The price of peanut butter

‘Idál (Justice), 18 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 167 BE – Wednesday, November 2, 2011 about 7:32 AM Pacific Time

What, you may ask, has the price of peanut butter to do with medication? In our house, a great deal. Peanut butter is one of the foods I use to hide my mother’s medication. Sometimes, because of the Alzheimer’s disease, Mom does not want to take her meds. She fights taking her meds, so rather then argue with her; I hide the tablets in food.

I can always tell how difficult Mom is going to be. Mom has two meds that are capsules rather then tablets. One of these she takes first thing in the morning. Sometimes she takes the capsules without too much of an argument. At other times, she refuses to take it. This med is for her stomach and prevents heartburn, which she has if she does not take the capsule on a regular basis.

The problems with time-released capsules are that she cannot chew them, but must swallow them whole. The capsule (a different medication) she takes of an evening is easier because she is happier in the afternoon then in the morning. As I was writing, I hide the tablets in her peanut butter or ice cream. If peanut butter prices get too high, I will have to find another food to conceal Mom’s meds.

The price of peanut butter

Kamál (Perfection), 2 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 167 BE – Monday, October 17, 2011 about 3:20 PM Pacific Time

The price of peanut butter is increasing. I don’t suppose it should surprise me because everything, except my income is going up. If the price rises too much, I may have to stop buying peanut butter. I’m not happy about it, but I’m not sure there is anything else I can do. Mom and I live on a fixed income, which means we’re living close to the bone all the time.

The majority of our money goes for other things besides food. Peanut butter is one of Mom’s favorite foods. Mom could make an entire meal of peanut butter and crackers. I don’t know what I’m going to tell Mom if I have to take peanut butter off the menu.

I like peanut butter myself. If I stop eating it then the peanut butter will last longer. That may be one solution. I buy the peanut butter for Mom, instead of buying it for Mom and me. I will miss eating it, but I can get buy with something else. I can eat grape jelly sandwiches, I don’t have to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I will miss them; however, I don’t see any other solution to the problem.

Changing my work schedule

Jalál (Glory), 19 Qawl (Speech), 167 BE – Friday, December 10, 2010 about 6:37 PM Pacific Time

Despite the fact I don’t like working graveyard, I’m going to have to start that shift. No I’m not taking a job outside the house, I’ll still work online, but I’ll be working nights rather then during the day. I’m attempting to work when Mom’s asleep

Lately, I’ve had difficulty getting online before late afternoon. Mom requires more attention then she used to. She is still capable of doing many things for herself, but she wants more attention. She also doesn’t want to eat anything except peanut butter and cereal. Mom will fix peanut butter and cereal for herself, but nothing else.

Mom will eat what I fix, but she won’t fix anything for herself except peanut butter and cereal. Unfortunately, peanut butter and cereal isn’t a balanced meal. In addition, Mom will not take her meds unless I give them to her. Anyway, I’m going to have to work online when Mom’s asleep and that means graveyard.

A peanut butter and blackberry jam sandwich

Jamál (Beauty), 11 Qudrat (Power), 167 BE – Sunday, November 14, 2010 about 11:55 AM Pacific Time

I eat breakfast earlier then usual this morning. I had a hot cup of coffee and peanut butter and blackberry jam on toast. I made a sandwich for breakfast and enjoyed it while I read my Sunday paper.

Normally, I do not eat breakfast, but this morning I decided that I wanted a peanut butter sandwich. In fact, I had two sandwiches. I made one sandwich on French bread and another on Italian bread. For both sandwich I used blackberry jam and peanut butter. Today my morning started nicely, very pleasant beginning to the day.

An oatmeal morning

‘Idál (Justice), 12 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 167 BE – Wednesday, October 27, 2010 about 9:46 AM Pacific Time

Considering that, Mom is on a low fiber diet, I am not sure that fixing oatmeal is a good idea. However, I am fixing oatmeal anyway. I woke up this morning wanting oatmeal, so I am going to fix a batch in the slow cooker. It takes the oatmeal longer to cook then on the stovetop, but it will cook.

I am fixing oatmeal this morning. I am fixing enough so that we can have fried oatmeal on Friday or Saturday. I think if I am careful about how much oatmeal Mom eats there will not be too much of an issue. Anyway, I will see how the oatmeal affects her today and in the morning.

The Nutritional Facts on the box indicates that oatmeal has 4g of dietary fiber, which is 2g more then Mom’s diet calls for. According to the label, the dietary fiber in oatmeal contains 2g of soluble fiber and 2g of insoluble fiber, whatever that means. Mom’s doctor did not specify the type of dietary fiber, I did not know there was a difference until I read label.

Since I am on a high fiber diet, the amount of fiber does not matter to me. When Mom fixes her own breakfast, she fixes peanut butter sandwiches. I Mom had her way she would eat peanut butter sandwiches or peanut butter and crackers all day. I cannot let her eat the same thing everyday, so I fix most of the meals. As long as she gets at least one meal with peanut butter Mom is happy.

Food and my mother

Istiqlál (Independence), 6 Kamál (Perfection), 167 BE – Friday, August 6, 2010 about 3:52 PM Pacific Time

My mother needs to gain weight, but she does not eat very much at a time. Mom eats more when we go out then when we eat at home; however, it still is no a lot of food. The doctor gives her prescribed something to increase her apatite and it does increase her apatite. She still does not eat very much at a time.

Mom gets full quickly and once her stomach is full she stops eating, which is what people are supposed to do. I suspect the problem is what she eat, I do not think Mom gets enough variety at one meal. I let Mom get her own meals because it helps her to feel independent. Mom is in a much better mood when she feels independent.

I think one of the problems is that Mom does not cook anymore. When she fixes something to eat, she makes a peanut butter sandwich or eats cereal. If I cook eggs, Mom will eat an egg sandwich. In fact yesterday, she ate a peanut butter and egg sandwich. Mom likes peanut butter and puts it on almost anything she eats.

I will weigh Mom in the morning to see how much she weighs, I think she may have gained a few pounds, but she has not gained enough. Tomorrow for lunch, I am fixing orange barbecue steak, with sliced potatoes. Perhaps if I make special recipes she will eat more.

A Happy Fourth of July

Kamál (Perfection), 12 Rahmat (Mercy), 167 BE – Monday, July 5, 2010 about 10:41 AM Pacific Time

Mom and I had a happy Fourth of July!

We stayed home all day on the Fourth. We ate hot dogs on buns with yellow mustard and sweet relish. On Sunday evening, I cut a small seedless watermelon in half for us to eat. Mom enjoyed the watermelon, so I am going to buy another one for us.

I still have to get some foods that Mom can fix for herself. All though, I should say will fix for herself because there is a difference. We have plenty of food in the house, it is just that Mom will not fix anything other then peanut butter sandwiches or cold cereal.

Mom liked the hot dogs we had yesterday. She put mustard on one bun and peanut butter on another. Mom seemed to like the hot dog and peanut butter on a bun. Mom needs to gain weight, so as long as she eats the food I do not care how she combines it. I know some of the food she combines sounds a bit odd, but Mom is the one eating the combinations.

I heated the hot dogs in the fry pan yesterday. I also placed the buns on the plates, but Mom fixed the rest for herself. If I cook something, Mom does the rest for herself; she just will not cook or open a can. I am not sure why she does not want to cook anymore. I suspect some of Mom's actions have to do with Alzheimer' disease.

My Mother is eating us out of bread and peanut butter

Jalál (Glory), 6 ‘Azamat (Grandeur), 167 BE – Saturday, May 22, 2010 about 9:31 AM Pacific Time

Mom's favorite food is peanut butter; she can eat it on or with anything. Mom eats a peanut butter sandwich or peanut butter and crackers without any difficulty. She picks at the rest of her food, she will get a bowl, plate, or cup of whatever I fix and nibble at it.

I fixed macaroni and vegetables yesterday, Mom ate very little of it. She did eat several peanut butter sandwiches. This morning I peeled an orange for her, she is eating that, with her peanut butter sandwiches. When we go out to eat, Mom eats most of what she orders and then brings the rest home.

I took her to the doctor last week and she weighted 99 pounds. Mom needs to gain more weight, but I do not think peanut butter sandwich are going to put the weight on. Mom needs to eat a bigger variety of foods, the problem is getting her to eat. Mom takes a medication to increase her appatite, when Mom gets hungry she eats. She eats peanut butter sandwiches.

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast

Istiqlál (Independence), 9 Asmá’ (Names), 166 BE – Friday, August 28, 2009 about 8:00 AM Pacific Time

It's time for breakfast, I took my thyroid table over an hour ago now it's time to eat. This morning, I'm fixing one or two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat. I still don't have denture adhesive in the house I can use. However, I'm not going to let that stop me from enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

It's been a difficult morning, so I need a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Babying myself because my lower denture plate moves around in my mouth when I eat isn't going to make the morning or the day less difficult. This morning, I'll make myself two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, one sandwich with grape jelly and one with strawberry preserves.