It is a much cooler day, today, with the high being only 85F!
Yesterday evening, I went for a stroll around the front garden after a long time. I was disappointed to see that, even though the pomegranate tree had been covered with flowers earlier in the spring, not a single fruit was forming! I guess the tree decided to take a break this year?
Afterwards, I took a stroll around the back garden, too. Bun Bun was there, happily munching on the cat food; it barely moved off the steps when I walked past! LOL.
I enjoyed the strolls, but, later, my calf muscle felt a little sore. I'm hoping it was just from the unusual activity of strolling both gardens! It didn't turn into a flare up, for which I am very grateful!
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| Modified "Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini" |
My daughter found a recipe online for a dish called Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini that she made for dinner, with modifications. The original recipe called for black beans and tomatoes; we didn't have black beans (she didn't think much of my suggestion to use a can of baked beans with the sauce rinsed off! LOL) and she left out the tomatoes, too. She also substituted chicken thighs for chicken breasts and sweet peppers for bell peppers as that's what we had! And she doubled the amount of garlic called for in the recipe from three cloves to six and reduced the amount of cheese to just a sprinkling (she doesn't like cheese)! There might have been a few other modifications, too, as we didn't have some of the spices and seasonings called for in the recipe ( (she added some regular chili powder and chili flakes instead of taco seasonings, for example) LOL. But, the resulting dish tasted good. PLUS, it used up two zucchini from the stash! We had some of it for our lunch, today, and it was just as good warmed up as it was when it was cooked, last night.
Speaking of the zucchini stash, my daughter took this photo on Wednesday night, after she put away the day's garden harvest and I thought it would do so nicely for the SPSH prompt No. 14 - Inside Your Fridge or Cupboard:
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| SPSH: #14: Inside Your Fridge or Cupboard |
There are more zucchinis in the drawers, as well!
Today, has been another good day without pain! I made my cup of morning tea, fed Dancer and the garden cats, did a load of laundry (bath mats, Dancer's towels, etc.) which were put on the clothes drying rack to air dry, folded and put away the blankets I washed yesterday (the linen closet needs to be tidied, but, that's for another time), and swept my bathroom! I even sat at the piano for the first time since the sciatica pain started and played one short piece! I didn't sit there for longer than a couple of minutes, but, at least, I played one very easy piece (from the beginner book)! Not ready to resume lessons and practicing (don't think I can sit for longer periods of time, yet), but, it felt good to play even that one easy piece.
Daughter warmed up the Tex Mex dish for our lunch and just now, I've eaten a fresh peach in lieu of my usual cup of tea.
Later in the evening, M stopped by to tend to the garden and he got to try one of the zucchini pancakes with peach chutney and some of the Tex Mex chicken/zucchini dish. He's a good sport and declared them both to be delicious! LOL.
I've planned to make something that will use up more zucchini for our dinner! I don't know how that will turn out - it will be an experiment, but, I'll post about it, tomorrow, after I make it and we'll be able to tell if it was a success or not!
Today, I am grateful for:
- Another good day
- What I've been able to accomplish
- Working appliances and electricity
- My mother insisting on buying a piano for us
- Phone chats with family and friends
Today's joyful activities included playing the piano for just even a short time!
Plans for tomorrow/weekend will depend on how I am feeling and daughter's schedule, but, there might be more chutney making taking place!
How was your Friday? What are your plans for tomorrow/weekend?
Glad for no flare-ups.
ReplyDeleteYour zucchini dish sounds great! I am currently down to just two more__for now. But I am being overrun with green beans! We are harvesting nearly a pound a day. Looks like I am gong to be doing a boatload of giving away or freezing!
Thank you, Anne.
DeleteWe picked 4 more zucchini, today! :D I planted some green beans, but, we are picking only a handful as half the plants didn't come up. Should cook what has been picked so far, though!
I'm happy to read you haven't had any further painful flare ups.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed the lack of fruit will mean a bumper crop of pomegranates next year. X
Thank you, Jules.
DeleteYes, I'm hoping for a good crop, next year; maybe the tree needs to be pruned and fertilized.
It's funny that you said your daughter modified the recipe. I think she saw a concept and totally made it her own with all of the substitutions. Since you both liked it, I hope she remembers what she did. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, she will often modify recipes, unless they are for a very specific dish. Even then, she will substitute sauces, etc., if she doesn't have the exact ingredient called for in the recipe. :)
DeleteWow, you are overloaded on zucchini! I was just going to give you a link to Anne's blog but then just noticed you are already following each other. Nice to be able to share ideas for all the zucchini! I'm so glad Friday was another good day. Have a great weekend. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I've an abundance of zucchini! LOL! Looking for takers! I wish I had a bigger freezer (I have a side by side fridge/freezer) to store the summer's bounty!
DeleteHaha, love your fridge photo. That's a great choice for the SPSH.
ReplyDeleteI think your daughter has inherited your cooking skills. I often do recipes like that where, due to so many substituted ingredients, the only similarity to the original recipe is the name! Some can be repeated but most can't!
I hope today's experiment is successful.
Glad you like the fridge photo! :D
DeleteRecipes are meant to be adapted! I will follow cake recipes as given, for the most part, but, otherwise, I make lots of substitutions!
I couldn't do the experiment I wanted to do, yesterday - by the time I cooked the chicken curry (in the electric skillet!), I was tired; but, I'll try to make it, today. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will turn out, OK! :D
What fun to let M taste test your zucchini creations! Always good to have an independent opinion. That photo is perfect for the SPSH. Good that you had a wee session on the piano, too.
ReplyDeleteWe had lots of rain yesterday so no outdoor meetings for DH or me with friends. But he got a home haircut which turned out well I think. He's not often around long enough to nail down for a barbering session so the rain was useful!
It was nice of M to try the new dishes. He said if he didn't know he was eating zucchini pancakes, he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference! I think I preferred the waffles to the pancakes, but, that's because I like waffles better. :)
DeleteGlad you had the rain and it meant you could give your DH a hair cut! :D Now, if you could send some of that rain our way... At least, it is was not that hot, today (high of 87F which was quite comfortable).
I chuckled at the sneak into your frig showing your zucchini harvest. What a nice image.
ReplyDeleteThe dish your daughter made sounds delicious. And using 2 zucchinis in one recipe is a win in my book - ref: refrigerator image. lol
You were busy on Friday doing household tasks. It's good to hear that your days are slowly returning to normal.
The fridge shelf full of zucchini is this year's photo of the summer! :D
DeleteI am feeling better now and more able to do a few things around the house. So thankful for that!