Monday, September 23, 2013

Third Time...Charm

Eggplant. Or, if you prefer, aubergine. Your thoughts?

For the majority of my six decades, I have loved the color...hated the vegetable. Mostly on general principle...on both counts. And, until this year, I've never tried to grow eggplant in my garden. Why grow something you have no intention of eating, I ask you?

Truth be told, Missy M is the reason I have changed my ways. She has met very few veggies that she will eat, but she grows a great variety in her Secret Garden. Gives most of her harvest away to friends and coworkers. Doesn't let the fact that she will not consume it keep her from trying to grow it. She's my inspiration.

So, this year, I found room in the tomato-and-pepper row for one lone Black Beauty eggplant transplant. Put it in the ground, put a tomato cage around it, and immediately covered it with a piece of summer-weight row cover to protect it from the myriad of insect pests that seem to adore the plant. It looked like it was in quarantine from Day One.

I was so excited when the first shiny, purple fruits began to appear! And then I had my first cause for pause: when are eggplants ripe? Hmmmmm. Had to look that one up...and then take a chance. Here's what The Veggie Gardener has to say on the subject:

There are a couple factors to consider when deciding to pick eggplant:

Size – I like to pick my eggplant when they get to be a little bigger than my hand. As with other vegetables, it is better to pick eggplant when they are young and tender. Picking them early will also encourage the plant to grow more, and will help to extend the growing season. The eggplant does not have to be those behemoths you see at the supermarket.

Shine – An eggplant is ready for the picking when it gets a nice reflective sheen to it. Grasp an eggplant you might think is ready, and carefully hold it up to the light – if it appears to be very shiny, it is ready.

  
The first ripe beauty was sliced, breaded, and fried. Fried eggplant. That's how I remember Rena Belle fixing eggplant for Daddy. Uh, no. To be fair, it could be that I am a lousy fryer: I don't like to fry things because you have to stand over the skillet and constantly tend to the contents...and it makes such a big mess to clean up afterward. Whatever...I didn't like the results. Strike one.

The next two ripe eggplants were also sliced, but they became part of the layers of a lasagne. Unh-uh. Didn't work for me or Mr. T, who was home for this experiment. To be fair, I probably should have steamed the slices a bit before introducing them into the middle of a dense stack of ingredients, as they were judged too tough to eat, even though everything else was fine. T removed his eggplant layer and tried to feed it to the dogs. The Bassets were wise, but there's always Abbie...she'll eat anything, right? Apparently, not a fan of eggplant. Swing...and a miss. Strike two.

Now, if I can claim any trait, it is that of persistence. I'll keep trying long past when common sense may have led another to throw in the trowel, so to speak. But, that lone eggplant plant was again producing fruit after a brief respite during the hottest, driest days of August. So, I had to give it one more go.

The Kitchen Garden is currently in transition from warm season to cool. I'm writing about that over on my garden blog, Gardening With The Giants. (Click here to go there.) While we have said goodbye to many of our faves like beans, cukes, squash, and most of the tomatoes, we are still enjoying the taste of Summer with okra, peppers, and...you guessed it...eggplant. Here's a picture of today's harvest, below.



See that gorgeous shiny purple eggplant? With those peppers and the Sun Gold tomatoes, I could just imagine a tasty stir-fry (recipe below) was in our immediate future!

And guess what? We loved it...ate every bite...filling and taste-bud-tickling! It was a home run!! 
As "they" say, third time IS the charm.

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Recipe

Beef-Pepper-Eggplant Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 pound beef round, cut into 2-inch strips
2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-sized fresh eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
2 carrots, thinly sliced on diagonal
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on diagonal
1 onion, thinly sliced in rings
3-4 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeƱo pepper, thinly sliced (opt.)
10-12 cherry-type tomatoes
2 tablespoons salted peanuts (opt.)

Sauce: 1/2 cup beef broth or stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Hot, cooked rice

Directions:

1. Marinate beef strips for 15 minutes in a zip-top bag with the 2 T. soy sauce, 2 T. rice wine vinegar, and 2 T. cornstarch. Prepare all vegetables. Prepare Sauce by whisking together listed ingredients and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large wok over medium-high heat; cook and stir eggplant cubes until softened, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to rest.

3. If needed, add more oil to wok and heat over medium-high heat: cook and stir beef strips until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Move beef to plate with eggplant.
4. If needed, add more oil to wok and heat over medium-high heat: cook and stir (in the following order) bell pepper, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until tender-crisp.
5. Add beef and eggplant into other vegetables in the wok, and then add tomatoes and peanuts. Season with Sauce. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender and Sauce has thickened, about 2 more minutes.

6. Serve over bowl of hot, cooked rice. Enjoy!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Fast-Approaching Fall

Hard to believe but I'm seeing leaves changing colors here at Casa 3917. Not just the tulip poplars either...those early-droppers have been generously sharing their yellow bounty since July. No, I can see reds and golds in the maples and the dogwoods in our yard. Can the oaks be far behind?

Fall, of course, means football. And it typically means tailgating and cheering for Duke at their home games in Durham. This year, however, you'll likely find us far from the college crowd, ensconced in our family room, thankful for being just a few feet away from the action on the big screen. Sigh. At least Abbie is a fan...shown here at attention on the foot rest of Mr. T's recliner last Saturday for the LSU game...while the Bassets hold the sofa down and catch a few zzzzz's. 


We had planned on heading for the beach next week, like we usually do. September is such a fine time to enjoy all the amenities without all the families, if you catch my drift. The days are still sunny and the water is still warm...and, if you aren't battling hurricanes (which also seem to enjoy the beach in September), you can have quite an enjoyable, restful retreat. Just what the doctor ordered.

Except...not this year. We've had to cancel another 2013 adventure due to the continuing saga of Mr. T's shoulder. Granted, a week at the beach, enjoying the warm salt water of the ocean, would be excellent therapy for both his shoulder and his knee. But, we have to be mindful of "personal time off" when it comes to Mr. T's job. Knowing that he is facing a big chunk of non-productive recuperation and recovery time (surgeon has said 3-4 months altogether), we feel that now might not be the best time to be away.

You see, we know surgery is just over the horizon...we just don't know when. And that last part is more jaw-locking and teeth-grinding than the first part. The "not-knowing-when" part. Grrrrrrrr. 

So...MRI is done and the latest diagnosis on our patient is "severe tendinosis with partial tears of the distal supraspinatus and undersurface of the subscapularis...(along with) probable tear of the anterior labrum with loculated fluid..." Good grief. Need a nap? By all means, read more on this ailment here: http://www.sosmed.org/shoulder/rotator-cuff-tendinosis.html 

Two things you'll want to note:

1. Mr. T has the additional problem of a tear in a tendon. This aggravates any attempted at-home or physical therapy...at least until the tear has healed of its own accord...which is becoming less and less likely. It also means the surgery, when it comes, will be different than described in the long-winded  article, due to having to repair the tears. More ice please.

2. In all the blah-blah-blah, there's one salient paragraph, beginning:  "Surgery may be considered if a concerted effort at non-operative treatment has failed to result in improvement in comfort and function after 3-6 months." That's the key...3-6 months. And he's rounding the corner on three as I write this. 

He has done all the steps...he is in the range of "misery time without a resolution"...so, my guess is that the BCBS insurance Utilization Review clerk, sitting in a cubicle somewhere in New Jersey, is more likely to approve the surgeon's request now. Ah, modern medicine.

Anyway. We'll have a better idea of the next steps after his upcoming appointment. Next week. Mr. T's explanation of why 3 weeks in between appointments: the dr wanted the option of giving him another cortisone injection. OK.

The best way I can describe our lives of late: suspended animation. Waiting, by any other name. It feels like we are waiting for the other shoe to fall...in Fall. Like the leaves.

And we all know how much I love to wait...


Monday, September 9, 2013

Make A Wish

Welcome, September...one of my favorite months! Several reasons for this feeling come to mind:

1. It's Mr. T's birthday month...always a reason for joy! More on this in a minute.
2. It's Elmo's Gotcha Month! Our "baby boy" became a member of the Drool Gang in 2005, when we adopted him from Guardian Angel Basset Rescue (GABR) while we lived in O'Fallon, MO. Even though the GABR foster mom told Missy M that Elmo "needed" to be an only dog, we soon found out that was just not the case. Mr. E needed to be part of a pack...with a strong leader like Gus was.
3. If it's September, that means August (not one of my faves) is over for another year. And the hottest and most humid part of Summer is (typically) behind us. Hooray! 

Here are some pictures that connect with Reason #1...and the Man of the Month:





The first one is Mr. T's cake (as requested, chocolate with white icing), his birthday bouquet of flowers in bloom in the gardens on this day, and a few of his cards from friends and family. The second one is the Peel'em and Eat'em Shrimp with zippy Cocktail Sauce he wanted for Birthday Dinner (recipes below). And the third/last one is of his birthday present: a new Trex swing for the Kitchen Garden overlook in the Way Back Garden...being enjoyed by himself and Miss Abbie. (The "old" swing was wooden and only three years old when it began to fall apart...hence, the Trex choice.)

Of course, as do most things in our DIY world, the new swing arrived via UPS in a flat box, stamped with those three most-dreaded words: "some assembly required." And it was h-e-a-v-y to boot. Fortunately, Mr. T was able to scoot the box into the garage where he could assemble it on his workbench, and then slide it over onto the garden wagon for transport to its final destination. Still, the lifting, hoisting, and mounting on the chains was extremely difficult...given his current shoulder problems. No wonder he was happy to rest a bit when all was said and hung!

Shoulder problems, you say? Oh yes. Still with him. In spades. After the FP read the diagnosis of "chronic dislocated shoulder" produced by the X-ray of his right shoulder, the orthopedic surgeon ordered an MRI. Now, we are working on the assumption that, instead of a dislocated shoulder, Mr. T has a "torn rotator cuff aggravated by tendinitis." Good grief. As Daddy used to say, "well, they call it practicing medicine for a reason..."

Either way, another cortisone injection was in order. Gave him maybe 3-4 days relief, at most. He is trying to do the exercises the dr prescribed, but they are more painful with each day, making physical therapy a pipe dream at this point. And he still can't find a comfortable position to sleep. We've even tried switching sides on our bed to see if that would help...not much. So even with liberal use of a heating pad, he's still getting very little sleep, and even less restorative rest

He left this morning with an arsenal of supplies to help him get through another week on the road: usual meds, including Celebrex (anti inflammatory) and Tramadol (prescription pain med. which he can't take during work hours or while driving); a topical NSAID rub called Voltarin Gel, prescribed for me and my back by my pain management dr., and willingly shared; additional OTC pain relievers, in the form of Excedrin Extra Strength (aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine) as the FP has forbidden him to take ibuprofen in addition to the Celebrex for fear of causing stomach ulcers (although Dr. K would probably frown on Excedrin and Voltarin with equal negative reactions); BioFreeze, a roll-on cool-therapy analgesic, originally suggested by my physical therapist following back surgery; Icy-Hot patches, as he gets more relief from warmth than coolth, he says; and two zip-loc baggies to hold the bagged ice he'll apply after his long drive to MD: one for his shoulder, one for his knee. Oh yes, don't forget: he's still dealing with a painful left knee. Even with all of the above, he likely won't get much relief from his pain, er pains.

Sigh. It's evident he can't go on like this much longer.

So, you will understand that his birthday wish this year included "feel better soon." And if that involves surgery to repair the tear, then bring it on...he's way past ready!

Here's hoping this four-leaf clover I found near the swing helps him get his wish!


=========================

Recipes, as promised...

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Peel'em and Eat'em Shrimp

Ingredients:
1-2 cups cider vinegar or beer
2 cups water
2 tablespoons OLD BAY® Seasoning (see substitute below)
2 pounds large shrimp, fresh or frozen
Cocktail Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:

In a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, mix beer or vinegar, water and seasoning. Bring to boil on medium heat (can do this on burner of outside grill). Gently add steamer basket of  shrimp, then cover.

Steam 2 to 3 minutes for fresh or 8-10 minutes for frozen, or just until shrimp turn pink, stirring as necessary to evenly steam all shrimp. Drain well.

Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Then, peel'em and eat'em...just like the name says. Best served with a zippy cocktail sauce, an ice-cold bottle of beer, and lively conversation. Enjoy!


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Old Bay Seasoning Substitute

Ingredients:

4-6 whole bay leaves
2 teaspoons celery salt
1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except whole bay leaves and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container, along with whole bay leaves, and store in a cool place. Use 2 tablespoons of mix and 2-3 bay leaves in liquid where the shrimp is to be boiled. Remove and discard bay leaves after boiling.


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Cocktail Sauce

2 cups tomato catsup
2-4 tablespoons prepared horseradish (more=zippier!)
1-2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour in a jar and refrigerate for several hours. Use liberally with chilled shrimp. The longer the sauce rests, the hotter the taste from the pepper flakes! Enjoy!










Sunday, September 1, 2013

Let Us Eat Cake

That was fun! Took a little Sunday drive of 175 miles or so, headed west on I-40 to see Brother J and SIL J in Asheville. Had a great time together.

Their former 'fixer-upper' home, purchased a bit over a year ago and refurbed with care and a keen eye for character, looks lovely and is a credit to SIL J's ability to look at a jewel-in-the-rough and see the Hope Diamond. Amazing talent...appreciated all-the-more because I'm devoid of any ability in that arena. They have worked hard...and it shows.

I said I'd bring tomatoes and lettuce from the garden to add to the meal...and dessert. Neither of them had ever tasted Sun Gold tomatoes, so was glad I could introduce them to these super-sweet morsels. Also I had a couple of ripe red Big Daddys and two big Brandywine Pinks for slicing. The lettuce is a bit sparse this time of year, but we had enough to decorate our burgers, which tasted great right off the grill.

And about the dessert plate I fixed...


Squares of Double Chocolate Coca-cola Cake along with Easy Cheesecake Cupcakes topped with cherry pie filling and frcesh (well, from the garden by way of the freezer...:-) blueberries proved to be equally popular. Links to recipes here:


Mr. T is certainly glad to have a holiday tomorrow to recover from such a long, driving weekend. His shoulder is getting worse, not better...and he will have a difficult time waiting a week or so until he sees the ortho surgeon. Since he had the MRI taken on Friday, he might be able to get in to see someone else in the practice a bit sooner? Fingers crossed...he's got to find relief soon.

Meanwhile, we'll have to eat cake, I suppose.

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