Welcome to the PCH Kitchen- September 2012

WELCOME TO THE PCH KITCHEN

Good morning, so good to see you. We hope you'll find the warmth and the friendship here that we have been privileged to enjoy. We have a common bond. We are Physically Challenged Homemakers.

We share affection for one another through compassion, honesty, and most importantly, respect for one another and one another's situations.

We gather here to share information on ways to make our lives easier, to offer support to each other and to share humor and laughter, sometimes tears and always good food.

There is always room in the kitchen for all who would like to join in...So help yourself to a cup of coffee, cocoa, tea or fruit juice. There are always fresh fruit , muffins, coffee cake and cookies....pull up a chair at the old country table and visit awhile.....and remember to tell a friend.

For our old friends that have not been by for awhile, we hope you will drop in and let us know how you are doing.

The summer weather is back to "normal" here. It has misted all day and is very humid. We haven't seen this much rain since Memorial Day!

I saw an info-mercial on a NuWave oven, and I'm very interested in getting one. It goes on your countertop and cooks with convection and laser- not like a microwave. It browns nicely, and you can buy attachments to bake cakes, breads, cupcakes, brownies, rolls, etc. You can get a good deal of a little blender (like a Magic Bullet kind) and get a free mini-oven for just shipping price. It will be around $200 for the whole thing, plus those "extras", but then I won't have to bend over a hot oven anymore.

Mary

Thanks for opening the kitchen Mary.

I went to BING and typed in ....NuWave oven for sale in stores.....and found cheaper prices than 
$200. Some as low as 79.00 but perhaps you don't get as much with it as with the one you are talking about. Worth investigating before you order.

Guess fall is around the corner for some folks. Nice and warm and sunny here today and through the weekend and into next week. Funny how that works. When we used to go camping on Labor Day weekend you could always count on it raining. Now that we sold the truck and camper it gets nice instead. Murphy's Law.

We had a nice time at the beach. Not always sunny but that's the coast for you. Duane had a cold when we left and by the time came to come home he had a sinus infection. Got off the freeway and headed right for the walk in clinic before even coming home. He has an antibiotic and is feeling better.  We stayed at some cottages instead of a regular motel and the owner bakes pastries every morning. Muffins, scones or cinnamon rolls. Very good!

I have been having some pain above and around my knee so the dr. ordered x-rays and said there was a little arthritis but wanted me to go see the orthopedic guy which I did on Fri. He said the same thing....typical knee arthritis. Told me to go to Costco and get a bottle of Glucosamine Chondroitin and try it for six weeks. So we will see if it works. Only hurts when I get up from a sitting position or lying in bed. Thankfully walking isn't a problem.\

Fish tacos for dinner. Don't feel like making a big meal.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone.

This is a busy weekend for many folks. We didn't go anywhere this year. We have a golf tee time for tomorrow morning though.

It is the typical hot and humid Sept. weather here now. It's too late with rain, for saving plant crops, but it was good to get rain. I hope the prices on beef and corn aren't too high this winter.

Glad to chat with everyone!

Mary

Hi ladies, Liz send us some Fall weather, I am so ready for it, hot and humid here withe rains and no rain today, but humidier, hehe, is that a word, I think so. Whoosh, walk outside and your soak from the sweat. Kerry has been working on the laundry room and making headway, still got to grout it after it sets. Then putting down border trim and I will seal it as well, then get to put the washer and dryer back in. Sounds like you had a much better stay Liz rather than a motel, homemade baked goodies, sounds delicious. Hate to hear that Duane is sick with sinus infection though. Did he get to enjoy any fishing while over there? Which beach did you go to, or camping area? Beautiful out the Liz. Liz you don't get on FB do you? If by chance you do, Dee posted a notice that is will be having surgery again, if you don't let me know and I can copy and paste and send to you if you like. But keep her in your prayers please. My new fridge is no longer made, no service person in the area, so Electrolux is doing a buy back from us, refunding our money are we get to keep the fridge, minus a warranty. Crazy that they sell products to certain areas and no service provider and also that Lowes would sell the product under the same thing and also an extended warranty. Lowes also gave us back our extended warranty money, talk about aggravating, this has taught us to be sure to question the servicing of things that we buy here. Not happy with Lowes or Elec, either, what a headache this has been. Has anyone heard from Ann? Talked to her via phone the other day and so far they had not evacuated or been told to I don't think, but the fire sure was close to them. Not sure what we are having tonight, something simple. I have a counter cooker, infared, convection and something else oven, paid 69 dollars for it at Wal Mart, not alot of bells and whistles, but makes a awesome deli type whole chicken,chicken strips, and other chicken, fixed pizza in it with no extra special attachments, french fries and some meatloaf, all were good. Need to run a fix a bit of supper, enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend. Connie

Hi Everyone,

Mary, hope your temps get better.  I have a NuWave myself and it does work well but for me I don't use it very often.  Hope you will be happy with it.

Liz, hope Duane is on the mend, hate sinus infections.  Hope the Glucosomine and chondrotine will help you. 

Connie, glad you are making strides on the washroom.  Hate grouting though myself.  Glad at least they are giving you back your money for the fridge.  Don't understand them selling something they can't even service.  Kind of ridiculous huh!  At least your getting your money back for all of the aggravation you have had.  Please let Dee and Dave know I am thinking of them both and keeping them in my prayers.

We are doing good here besides very smokey skys.  The fire is now over 20,000 acres and growing.  Hopefully will calm down a bit with cooler temps during the nights and mornings.  Jim is still working this fire so working  15hr days.  Been busy with canning, almost done though.  Maybe some more apple butter and a friend picked alot of what she called Oregon berries for me to make some jam.  She pulped it so that is very nice.  Gearing up for winter, will do a huge shopping next week so that way we are all stocked up for the winter.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Hugs, Ann

I might just get that t.v. offer for the NuWave oven because it comes with so many extra things (like a little "Magic Bullet"-like blender, other extras too. It may be around $200 with the shipping costs though. I'm sure if it bakes good, I'll like it. I do like the crock pot because of countertop cooking, but the pot doesn't "brown" things- sometimes that doesn't matter, but sometimes it's good.

It rained here a bit again this morning. The temperatures will be in the upper 90's for the next few days though, with humidity. I wish this rain came earlier in the season to help crops though.

My mom is supposed to come here today (few hours away), and then we can go shopping. (I finally get to go out!) She will bring some zucchini from my dad's garden, and there are many good recipes here on the site with zucchini.

Bye for now!

Mary

Hi Mary, Liz, Connie, Ann and rest of Kitchen Gals. I completely forgot it was a new month until today. Nice to see all the posts. Had a nice evening yesterday. Family had a weiner roast and sa'mores. And 5 deer visited the yard while we were eating. Son in law picked apples for them to eat. A doe and 2 young and another doe with one young. They ate left and then came back for more. Looks like it will be in 80 temps rest of week. I will enjoy the warmth.

Wishing all a good week.

Hugs, Deery

We went to Long Beach Connie for the kite festival. Arrived Sat and left Wed. The festival ended Sun and I thought two days of that would be enough. But the weather changed. Was beautiful Sat. and lots of kites were up but Sun. it turned very windy, even for kites I guess, and was starting to sprinkle so the kites came down very early and even the concessions along the road folded up so was glad we got there early on Sat. and saw something at least. Long Beach is close to Ilwaco but no fishing for Duane. It's expensive and he wasn't feeling well anyway. Two times we saw a mama deer and her fawn right outside some condos on their lawn walking to the boardwalk. No rain here in the Seattle area. Today is around day number 42 with no rain. You might know. Every year we camped on Memorial Day as well as Labor Day and we could always count on rain. Now that we sold the camper it is nice. Murphy's law. It is supposed to be 80 by Thurs. or Fri.

Duane is still not feeling up to par. I think his Amoxicillan runs out by Fri. so if he still is feeling punk he will have to call for another antibiotic. That one does not cut the mustard for either me nor my DD. I always ask for something else as I know in 10 days I will just be calling back for something else.

Ann...sorry you are near some fires. Hope Jim stays safe and they get it under control soon. With my son's experience last year with the Az. fire I can understand your concern.

I seldom get on Facebook Connie. They've made changes and I haven't made an effort to understand them. Didn't get on there that much anyway. So if you can email me, do so.

Liz

We just got a bit of rain early this morning, so maybe I'll get my sons outside to cut grass this year! (They've only had to do it a few times this spring, then it turned yellow with the drought and heat- never had to cut it this summer- we went months without rain). The temperatures went up again to the upper 90's this afternoon when the sun came out. It may be 90 tomorrow- that doesn't sound cool, but it is cool-er than it has been.

I have a recipe in the crock pot called Creamy Italian Chicken that was in a 1999 episode of Quick Cooking- I've made it ever since I found it. It's very simple, and I serve it over rice.

Mary

Mary, the creamy Italian Chicken sounds good. I like things over rice. Sounds like comfort food.

Wishing All a nice Weekend.

Hugs, Deery

My mom got a small rice cooker for me last month. I've made rice many times in there, and always comes out good. It also came with a piece that you can put on top, to steam foods while cooking rice. A recipe I have for salmon over rice, made me think- why not make the salmon in the steamer while the rice cooks? I'm trying that now- it has been almost 30 min. and it hasn't turned off yet, but this is saving energy and money! You put a sauce of orange juice (or pineapple juice) mixed with soy sauce and oil, over the salmon and rice. Tastes very good. The recipe is for a microwave, but I thought this would work too. I'll let you know what happens.

Very nice weather out now. It only got in the mid-70's today and 50's tonight. This is nice fall weather, after the heat wave. The storms we got with hail yesterday, are on the east coast now, and are strong.

Mary

I said I would let you know what happened with the salmon. The salmon turned out very good, but the rice, in the bottom pan, turned out very mushy. The salmon juice dripped into the rice (there are many holes in the container to let steam in), so this didn't work out well. Maybe I can put in less water for the rice? But, then again, there wasn't as much "air" for the steam to go out, since the salmon was covering  the top. This may not be very good to do- as a regular rice cooker, the rice turns out great.

Should be a nice day today. Only supposed to get to 82 degrees today. I like the fresh air from outside to come in the house.

I put out my hummingbird feeder again- bees really swarmed it a few weeks ago, and we have had rain since then, so my husband thought it would be good to put out again. A hummingbird keeps coming to it every 10 min. or less. She really likes it. I just put it out on Saturday night, and she was there yesterday already!

Mary

Mary, the rice cooker/steamer sounds usefull. Sorry rice didn't turn out with the salmon. Probably veggies would steam fine and not drip so much liquid. Does the instruction booklet have tips for use. I have an electric steamer but don't use it for just myself. I like to steam rice in it in plastic container included with steamer. It doesn't stick at all. Easy clean up. I had a small rice cooker once but hated the clean up.

Expected to have 2 or 3 cools day here. In 60 temps. Good sleeping anyway.

Wishing all a good week.

Hugs, Deery

I, too, have one of those rice steamers but never use it anymore because there are just the two of us. I never tried using the top part for cooking anything except veggies and never when there was rice in the bottom. The rice is bound to absorb the flavor of what you are cooking up top from the drips so I wouldn't like that much. A friend from church gave us two beautiful salmon fillets yesterday that he caught out in Puget Sound Sat. so we will feast on that tonight. Will cook on the bbq. I froze one because we never would be able to eat that much by ourselves. Duane may have a date with friends to go out himself on Fri. if there is room on the boat. Crossing fingers. 

Rained last night so we didn't break our streak for no rain. Needed three or four more days of sun to do that. Of course the sun came out early this morning and no more rain in the forecast. 

Am going to the church after dinner and iron tablecloths. We are hosting the Global Independant Baptist Fellowship meeting next Mon through Wed so I guess they need ironing because of being stored. I'll go on Tues and help serve lunch and clean up afterwards.

I'm going to go to Kmart tonight and get a jug of carpet cleaner. Hoping that is where I've bought it before in the gallon size. Can't find it at WalMart or Target so it has to be Kmart. 

Hope you are still safe from the fires Ann. Central Wa. around Wenatchee has fires from lightning.