Not Complaining, Buuuuut

[Olevern]

I guess that usually means you are complaining, huh? Just got done eating. Pulled some pork chops out of the freezer (why were they four in a pack when it is just the wife and I?). Thawed them, browned them, then put them in the bottom of a roaster, put a pack of prepared stuffing on top and slightly thinned down two small cans of Campbells cream of mushroom soup to pour on top. pan for jar gravy, pan for can o peas, pot for potatoes (mashed) and an hour later, dinner.

Now, I like what I prepared, but now I'm looking at a mountain of dishes, pans, pots, roaster utensils, etc.

Not only that, but I've got enough left for three more meals. That sounds like a good deal, but not sure I want to eat the same thing for four days straight.

Oh, how much I miss my wife.

It's been since August she's been in NJ helping with my daughter and grandson. I talked with her tonight and my daughter is back in the hospital in pulmonary distress (asthma) and I don't know when or if this will ever end. I am grateful to have my daughter still here with us and I guess I shouldn't complain.

I am spending alternating two week periods between my daughter's home in NJ and our home in Pa. My wife needs a break and I need to spend some time with her, so I travel to give her the ability to take the car and go out and see friends, shop and just have some time away from the pressure.

I am on my two weeks at home at present and I guess I'm just feeling a bit down.

Got a call yesterday from a lady at the church we attend asking me if I would be here (in Pa.) on Saturday. When I said I would, she asked me if I would prepare a Christmas Tree lighting service, to include three special numbers in addition to leading those attending in singing carols and a devotional.

Really.... this Saturday, as in four days from now? I have to choose and practice three solos, choose and prepare midi accompaniement for five carols, print out lyric handouts for the carols, plus prepare and deliver a Christmas devotional. Then take a load of sound equipment to set up outside in front of the church, set it up and take it down.

I wonder what would have been her reaction if I said "No", considering this has been on the church calendar for months?

O.K., guess it's time to turn off the self-pity and get back to work.

Anybody want three already prepared stuffed pork chop meals?

[blademasterii]

You need a grill. That being said, just refreeze two of the chops and whatever sides you made. After you have done this a few times with different meals it will be like home made tv dinners. You can take them with you when its your turn to go or leave them for the wife so she wont have to cook. Just use a marker and put the cooked date on them. Could also make a list on the freezer door of what is in there.

[Olevern]

You need a grill. That being said, just refreeze two of the chops and whatever sides you made. After you have done this a few times with different meals it will be like home made tv dinners. You can take them with you when its your turn to go or leave them for the wife so she wont have to cook. Just use a marker and put the cooked date on them. Could also make a list on the freezer door of what is in there.

Great ideas, blademaster, much appreciated.

[rush1886]

+1 on the "homemade tv dinner" idea. Perfected this idea with my 1st wife. Been married to my 2nd wife 22yrs+ now.

[km101]

I've always heard: "if you need something done, get a busy person to do it." You have the ability to do it where others may not. Thank God for your talents, and "Git er done!". You and everyone at the service will be glad you did.

[Frank46]

I have become a master of the microwave, broiling pan and exactly one pot. If it won't fit in any of the three guess I'm going out takeout. Frank

[Bad Water Bill]

Collect a few Boston Market,Stoffers or my favorite Marie Callenders T V dinners.

The meals are not bad BUT you want the nice large trays they come in. Place a complete meal in each tray and insert the tray in a 1 gal Zip lock bag. Label it with a felt marker and place in the freezer.

Now you will have a meal of your choice ready to eat in about 3 minutes with only a Knife, Fork and freshly rinsed tray in the sink.

When life gets back to normal you will find those same trays make great BOOLIT containers along side of your sizer or press.

Now that is really recycling.[smilie=s:

[x101airborne]

Vern, I feel your frustration, but you are a dependable person and that is getting hard to find. So, you are depended on to do a lot. Consider it a compliment.
I buy the Glad brand compartment trays at my local grocery store. They are cheap and reusable. Then I put a piece of duct tape and write what it is and when it got put in there. I actually enjoy filling them. I dont know why, but I like opening the freezer and seeing all those meals. Quite common for me to stuff two or so into my pack when I go hunting. I set them on the dash of my truck parked in the sun and when I come in for lunch, I have a nice warm meal to eat on the tailgate. The second I will microwave at the cabin in the evening. I didn't get this fat by being lazy. I WORKED at it!

[Blammer]

Sounds like you need to invite your golf or hunting buddy over for dinner! He can clean up for the free meal! :) No better way to get friends over than to fix food.

Think of the project as something to occupy your mind and body instead of staying at home in a deep funk staring at food.

[frkelly74]

You need a grill. That being said, just refreeze two of the chops and whatever sides you made. After you have done this a few times with different meals it will be like home made tv dinners. You can take them with you when its your turn to go or leave them for the wife so she wont have to cook. Just use a marker and put the cooked date on them. Could also make a list on the freezer door of what is in there.

I would just add that it should be a gas grill. They are self cleaning.

[WILCO]

You need a grill.

You also need to learn how to say "No!". Time to cut down on other people's drama Vern or you're never going to survive the challenges ahead. As for quick and easy meals, I've learned to use canned foods such as soups, veggies and meats. One menu example would be as follows:

1 can of roast beef in gravy.
1 can of green beans
1 can of sweet potatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes

Mash the sweet potatoes and add some brown sugar or syrup to taste.
Add half a can of tomatoes to the green beans and rough them up with a wooden spoon in a mixing bowl. Put the sweet potatoes in one half of a round casserole dish or cast iron skillet. Put the green beans in one quarter section and then add the roast beef to the other. During the prep time, have the oven warming up at 350 degrees and bake the items for 25 minutes.

Makes for a healthy quick meal and feeds two folks with a little leftovers.

[41 mag fan]

Vern,
I bet Zach would love to help you eat up them leftovers!! Now helping doing dishes might be a different story!!

Theres not a member on here, that hasn't been saddened by the trauma you've experienced in your life with your daughters stroke. All of us on here hope she'll recover fully and have no more troubles or setbacks.
You and your wife are the epitomy of what good parents are. You and your wife has been there with your daughter from day 1, and one has been there at all times while the other takes a break to recoup from the stress you both are feeling.
Even though there has been setbacks like the asthma, your daughter has been feeding off the strength of her parents being there by her side.
Without that strength Vern, your daughter might not be here now.
Your daughters a very lucky person to have loving parents there for her.

[Bad Water Bill]

+10 on what 41 mag fan said

[FISH4BUGS]

What's wrong with eating the same thing three or four days in a row? I do it all the time!
We roast an organic chicken (usually around 7 pounds or so - sometime bigger) and that feeds two of us for three or four days. Sliced chicken sandwiches for lunch (sometime make chicken salad) and chicken and veggies for dinner. I save the carcass and about every other chicken I make a chicken soup with veggies from the garden (fresh in the summer and frozen in the winter). When I get tired of chicken (usually after two in a row), we do organic burgers for a couple of days. Breakfast is organic sausage and eggs from the chickens next door.
I contract with an organic farm that raises chickens, pigs, cows, sheep (I HATE lamb) and we buy all our protein from her. 4 chickens a month plus burger and sausage. I have to say it is a great way to eat. No chemicals, no antibiotics, no hormones....just pure food.
I can cook chicken a hundred different ways......all of them very tasty!
I certainly agree with what 41 Mag Fan says

[Freightman]

I feel for you as my wife of 52-1/2 years had surgery on her hand and I am the cook, house cleaner, dish washer, yard man and errand boy for the last month and she has two more months in the cast and then goes back to surgery to take out the four pins they put in to stabilize the bones in her hand \, then six more weeks before she is to pick up anything heaver than a small coffee cup. I have found out one job I would not have that is a housewife< I would go back to handling freight again it is easier. Good luck to just fixing enough for you by yourself as most food need more to cook to perfection.

[Olevern]

Thanks, all for the support. Guess I was just feeling the stress, usually I am a pretty positive person. To bring everyone up to speed, my daughter just had an incident this morning which ended her back in the hospital in Phila. She had an appointment with the pulmonary specialist at a hospital in Elmer, NJ. Son in law took her and after the appointment they went right down the street to a diner for lunch. She started having difficulty breathing and asked my son-in-law to take her back to the hospital (highly unusual for her). He got her in the car and on the way back to the hospital, she stopped breathing and started turning blue. Son-in-law nailed the gas and careened into the emergency room where they rushed out to help. They bagged her and got her back again, and cleared the mucus which was blocking her brochial tube by deep suctioning, but would not discharge her. After they ascertained (scope) that her airway was closed down too small by scar tissue from multiple surgeries, they transferred her to the teaching hospital in Phila for additional surgery (which probably won't happen until after the week end as her surgeon is away for the week end. So, I had promised Zack to take him out deer hunting again tomorrow (Sat.)morning, will do that, handle my obligation at the church Sat. evening and then head back to NJ to stand by for another surgery.

Michelle was very fortunate to have her problem within two blocks of the hospital, otherwise, she probably wouldn't be with us. Once again, God was watching out for her.

[**oneshot**]

Sorry to hear about your situation, best wishes to you and your family.

On the cooking part: Take one day and cook a whole bunch of food(meatloaf, pork chops, tenderloins, soups) what ever you can fill up the burners and oven with, minus taters since they don't freeze very well for some reason. Put it all into the little sandwich sized tupperwares in meal portions.
When I worked nights I did this once a month or so and the family had TV dinners on the days I worked. Best part was everyone didn't have to eat the same meal and only had to do the heavy dishes when I cooked. I had a freind come over once while I was cooking, I had the stove full, 2 griddles, crockpot, one single plugin burner, and the BBQ all going. He said I looked like the old traffic cop on the corner with all the hand and arm movements. It was really worth it in the end.

[a.squibload]

Hang in there.

Don't forget pasta (if you like that).
10 or 15 min to boil, drain the water.
Tonight I added leftover half of sauce
from fridge & 2 cut up bison hot dogs.
Some raw cauliflower for veggies.
Only used one pot, was pretty quick,
have leftovers for a lunch.

[gwpercle]

You need to brush up on one pot meals like jambalaya, casseroles , chicken and yellow rice. I don't like doing dishes either so I try to cook everything in one pot or two pots max. Be glade to post a few of my favorites if you like

gary

[ROGER4314]

I have lived alone for most of my life. Now I share my home with the neatest little dog named Jake! You are describing my normal meal routine and I NEVER cook just one meal. Instead, I make giant pots of food and nibble on it all week. In between meals from the giant pot, I'll work in a meal of Church's chicken or something similar to keep things from becoming boring. I cook one night and use the microwave for the next 3-4 nights. Of course, I make 2 egg ham & cheese omelets with cereal every morning for breakfast.

Try this one: Get a pound of ground beef & brown it. Drain the fat. Mix in a bottle of Wally World spaghetti sauce. Boil up a pound of spaghetti drain it and make a plate with spaghetti and put the meat sauce over it. Shake on some cheese. It's fit for a king!

I'm sorry to hear of your family problems but no one can make you happy. You must do that for yourself. I'm retired and fill up my days with lots of fun and exciting activities. Tomorrow, I'll roll the Harley out to do some errands. That way, I get the chores done and have fun riding, too.

Flash

[EMC45]

God is good Olevern. You are being sought out to do these things because you can and are a willing vessel. That is not a bad thing. Time to fire up the crockpot brother. Let it simmer while you tend to other things around the stead and it will ease the burden some. The folks affected by your efforts will remember what you have done for them.