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| Red Stemmed Celery |
I picked the red stemmed celery, today. I didn't cut or uproot the plant, but, picked most of the stems. I washed them well, then chopped them up, leaves and all, and froze them. I'll add them to soups and stews, etc., as needed (I can't eat raw celery; it causes gastric discomfort!).
Daughter texted me at 6:15 a.m. saying she's heading out on the drive down to Los Angeles, with her friends. I didn't see her text until I woke up at 10:00 a.m. and I was surprised. I hadn't expected her to leave so early! So, I rushed to finish the housework I wanted to do before she arrived home. I tidied the kitchen (why oh why does my "after cleaning" kitchen look like other people's "before cleaning" kitchens?), swept and mopped the kitchen floor (then, proceeded to spill things when I cooked, later), cleaned daughter's bathroom, and had Rebel the Robot vacuum my bedroom.
The drive from Berkeley to Los Angeles usually takes about six hours, so I was expecting my daughter to arrive around 12:30 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. I cooked the salmon fillet, cooked a pot of rice, and made a cucumber salad to have lunch ready when she came home.
Daughter texted at 11:30 a.m. to say they had stopped for gas and her friend who was driving had to attend a work-related meeting, remotely, so they'll be a little late. She didn't get home until almost 3:00 p.m.!
We had lunch after she came home and then, we relaxed and chatted a bit. Later, she took a nap as she didn't get a lot of sleep, last night.
M was here in the evening and I had him trim the bottle brush tree even more. It will be easier to keep it pruned now, I think.
In the evening, while daughter napped, I made patties with the ground beef and vegetable mixture I had cooked earlier. I added a grated carrot to it and a mashed up boiled potato and added curry powder and chili powder; it made a nice filling for the pastry I made from scratch:
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| Patties Fresh Out of the Oven |
We enjoyed the patties for dinner, with a little Sri Lankan chili sauce. Ice cream for dessert!
On Friday, I was grateful for:
- Daughter had a safe ride home with her friends
- Having her home again for a week-long visit (although she will work remotely from home for two days, next week)
- M's help with the garden
- Getting the house cleaned and tidied
- Working appliances
Today's joyful activity was hugging my daughter!
Plans for Saturday include getting take out from our favorite Japanese restaurant for daughter's birthday dinner!
How was your Friday? What are your plans for Saturday?
I'm glad your daughter had a safe journey home and I'm sure you will spend a wonderful week together. Please wish her a very happy birthday from me. Nice to see your red stemmed celery and your patties look delicious.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eileen. We are having a relaxed day at home today, with plans to get dinner from our favorite Japanese restaurant in the neighborhood. :)
DeleteI'm not a celery lover but I'd be intrigued to know how the red one compares with the green. At first sight, it looks like rhubarb! Have a lovely time with your daughter. Glad you got everything straightened out before she arrived - even if you rushed unnecessarily! Now you can relax and enjoy the week.
ReplyDeleteIt had a nice celery smell, but, I, too, thought it looked a bit like rhubarb! I love rhubarb and I have tried growing it, but, it has not done well in my garden. It's another expensive item to buy in the grocery store.
DeleteEven after all the last minute cleaning, daughter's asthma flared up when she came home (she's not used to Dancer's fur and dander, anymore) and she took a couple of puffs from her rescue inhaler and we had to run the air purifiers. I (well, the robot, actually) vacuumed the family room, again, today.
If you did have rhubarb in your garden, I'm sure it would have done well this year, with all the rain you have had. I am constantly trying to get rid of the stuff. The freezer is never free of it. If you lived nearby I'd deluge you with it!
DeleteLucky you! Blackberries and rhubarb!
DeleteMaybe I'll try growing it, again! But, I've read that it requires winter temperatures below 40F, and that can be a bit of a problem. By the way, I picked some oranges today! They'll make up for the lack of blackberries and rhubarb! :D
Wow! You certainly did a lot today. I'm happy that you're daughter's there for a visit, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do together.
ReplyDeleteI did, didn't I? I had been cleaning a little bit all week, but, I procrastinated a little bit, too! Even so, her asthma flared up shortly after she got home because she's not used to Dancer's fur and dander, plus there's all the pollen from the garden. We've been running the air purifiers constantly since she came home! We are planning to just relax and enjoy each other's company while she's here, and she has to work two days (remotely) next week. But, we'll get some take out dinners and do a few fun activities, I'm sure. :)
DeleteOh my goodness, the whirlwind of cleaning for daughter’s visit, the worrying while she’s on the road, and the joyful anticipation of her arrival—all the feels (as the young people say)! You probably needed a nap. 😴
ReplyDeleteI hope your red-stemmed celery experiment is successful. It might also taste good in a stir-fry.
Your meat and potato patties look scrumptious with their tidy crimped edges.
Enjoy your festivities!
It looks like a quiet weekend here. ☺️
LOL, my daughter says she's not a visitor and I don't need to clean and tidy the house when she's coming down for a visit, but, I like to have the house tidy and clean for her and I want to minimize her asthma flare ups as she is no longer used to Dancer and his fur and dander, etc. Even with all the dusting and cleaning, she had an asthma flare up after she came home and we've been running the air purifiers since she came home.
DeleteAs for needing a nap, daughter took one! LOL!
Yes, the celery will be good in a stir-fry, too. I love patties (or anything encased in pastry!) I find myself cooking more and making fancier items for meals when my daughter is home! It feels like more work to make them for myself only!
Enjoy your quiet weekend. Hope you are having some nice weather. :)
I am so glad you have your daughter at home right now.
ReplyDeleteBest . Gift . Ever!
Thank you, Anne! Yes, it is. :)
DeleteWonderful that your daughter is home for a little while! Your patties look delicious. I make empanadas sometimes, but I buy the pastry already cut into rounds. I'm sure homemade is much better! Ill have to try adding curry powder to them. I hope you have a great visit with your daughter!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Celie. It's lovely to have her home, again. :)
DeleteThe patties do look like empanadas, don't they? They were usually fried when we made them in Sri Lanka, but, now, I tend to bake them. I generally tend to make my pastry from scratch, unless it is puff pastry. The rolling out and cutting circles take a little time, but, homemade pastry sits better with me. :)
Those patties look delicious! I'm glad your daughter made it home to your place safely. I am doing laundry, knitting, and yoga today.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephenie. I like your plans for the day! I've done a load of laundry, myself, a bit of cleaning, and will be crocheting in the evening. :)
DeleteIsn't it nice to have more than one to cook for? Your patties look so perfect.
ReplyDeleteIt is, Bushlady. I find myself cooking more when my daughter is home. I should make double and freeze a portion for myself to enjoy when she's gone back to Berkeley! :D
DeleteOh good, your daughter is home for a nice visit. I know you are a happy Mom.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she appreciated lunch being ready when she walked in the door from such a long drive. And being tired from not sleeping that well, food & a nap were in order.
Those patties look delicous.
Thank you, Debra; yes, I'm happy that my daughter is home, again, for a visit. :) The patties were delicious! I should make them more often, but, of course, I don't. All that pastry is not so good for me!
DeleteHow lovely that your daughter is home again for a visit.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon; I'm enjoying having her home for a visit. :)
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