This Week in Chow Town

These were the meal possibilities I thought might happen this past week. I do like calling them possibilities rather than a plan, because if they are just possibilities I don't feel like a failure when it changes.

1. Steak, new potatoes, tossed salad, grilled squash
2. White bbq chicken, caulitato salad, collards, keto or regular rolls
3. Veggie soup keto corn bread,
4. Hot dogs, tater tots (or not) coleslaw (We have had this every Halloween for the past 30+ years)
5. Chili, keto corn bread, some side vegetable tbd
6. Mississippi chicken over mashed potatoes or caulimash, tossed salad
7. Hamburgers, tater tots (or not) all the fixings that go with burgers.

Monday: Was up early to deal with Mom and then had a couple of appointments. I came home, did a few minor things (like laundry) then went back to see Mom again. TheHub called while I was sitting across the room from Mom watching her glare at me  visiting with Mom and suggested we cook something out since it was a gorgeous night. Win!
Steak, new potatoes (TheHub) caulirice (me) tossed salad, baguette (TheHub)

Tuesday: Morning with Mom who was sound asleep until the daytime caregiver came. Best. Morning. Ever.
Afterward I had to take care of some business, then my car veered into Ulta's parking lot. I had no choice but to get out and look at products I have absolutely no idea how to use what is new in the world of makeup. I did buy a set of false eyelashes (because one of the caregivers told me I have crappy eyelashes and need to wear them) and some black lipstick (Halloween). I must be some sort of peasant because I have no idea why anyone would need most of the products in the store. But then most people who wear makeup probably spend more than 5 minutes applying it. I tried to put on the eyelashes and afterward I thought my own nubby lashes were better than what looked like wooly caterpillars crawling across my eyelid about 1/8 inch above my lash line. Some of us just aren't meant to be beauties!
Forgot to allow for book club this week on the meal plan. Glad TheHub had leftovers.
Dinner out with gal pals. We did not mention the book once!

Wednesday: My Beloved Sister took the day off and went to Mom's for the gap this morning. Not having to go there for the morning was sheer bliss. In fact I did not go there once on Wednesday and the earth continued its orbit, though Mom called me (twice) to let me know I did not come see her. Maybe it was better when she did not remember how to use the phone. I used the day to do a little self care and it was wonderful. I had planned on throwing chicken on the grill, but the downpour of Biblical proportions  rain made it impossible. Dinner was mainly heating things I had cooked previously and frozen.
Sautéed chicken thighs with mushrooms, collard greens, keto mac and cheese (mac free made with cauliflower instead)

Thursday: Halloween! Had to get my spooky on and be ready for the treat or treat brigade. TheHub and I had the same meal we have every single year on Halloween night. It started when our older sons were young and needed to eat before they headed out for the Halloween candy tour. We have not had little kids in a long time, but we still eat our holiday meal like we always did.
Hot dogs (bun optional) with all the fixings, coleslaw, baked beans (TheHub)

Friday: Friday was a normal day, starting with going to Mom's in the morning, heading home and doing some routine chores, including getting rid of Halloween decor and gussying the foyer and dining room with a touch of Thanksgiving.

We have only been to the lake place two times since April and only stayed overnight once.  We needed to check on a few things and start the winterizing process so TheHub and I decided to go to the lake for the night. We thought spaghetti would be a good meal because I could make the sauce in advance, pack it, the fixings for a salad, then cook the pasta when we got to the lake. It would be virtually no effort, we could eat quickly then enjoy the sunset over the lake while sitting on the porch So I made it, and we headed to the lake.

Once we opened the door I noticed an unpleasant smell. Then I walked into the kitchen and found a couple of baskets on the floor. Though unusual, I could very well have left them unbalanced on the counter. We do have one lake neighbor with an incredible sound system on his boat and it does vibrate the house sometimes. It could have easily knocked them off. No worries, until I walked to the sink to put water in the pot for spaghetti. Hmmmm, glass was everywhere, the Moscow mule cups that live in the window sill were in the sink, along with my watercolor brushes that live in a glass jar next to the cups. Crap I knew then a critter had been in the house and I figured it was not a little field mouse. We started looking around the cabin and found a dead smelly squirrel in TheHub's "relaxing" chair. Fortunately it had not been dead long enough to start decomposing, however the stench might have killed the chair. After removing the critter we had to run into town for some cleaning supplies. While we were out shopping we decided the best thing to do was walk around in the night air for a minute to get the smell out of our brains (thank you bbq joint that was cooking pork over a hickory pit). Neither of us wanted to eat in the still smelly house so we went out to eat.

When we got back to the cabin we cleaned the upholstery then removed the offending chair to the screened porch.  Time will tell if it is a keeper or if we need to get rid of it, but at least it can not continue to foul the house. After removing it the smell was gone, so we did go ahead and spend the night, but left shortly after waking.
Mediterranean food in a small sit down place, chicken shawarma for me, kabob pita for TheHub  (No way we were taking it back to the lake place to eat)

Saturday: As I have said before, we are big fans of college football, particularly the SEC, and specifically Alabama (Roll Tide). There were some really good games Saturday even though Alabama was not playing. Since we left the lake early we thought we would go to the Russian food festival, eat and then get back in time to watch most of the Georgia/ Florida game on tv. The festival is at a Russian Orthodox  church in Brookside Alabama. It is a small town about 10 miles northwest of Birmingham in what was once a coal mining community. It seems that the town, at one time, was predominately a Slovak community (very much an oddity for Alabama, since most of the early miners were Irish or Welsh) . The Church is still active in the community, (relatives of the original occupants maybe?) and puts this festival on yearly. I had never even heard of it until last year and we could not make it then, so we set out to have a little ethnic treat.  Yep, us and every other person in Alabama. We parked a couple of blocks away and got in line very near to where we parked. After 45 minutes we had moved approximately 1/2 of a block with about 200+ people in line ahead of us. After timing how long it took for each person to get through the doors (no  idea how long the line was from the door to the food) we decided to bail. We calculated at the rate it was moving it would take us at least an additional hour just to get up the stairs and through the door.

While waiting we talked with a lovely young couple in line ahead of us about the various food festivals in our area. We mentioned how much we enjoyed the Brazilian festival and it turns out the man was from Brazil and had helped with the festival. He told us the Brazilian way of grilling a steak and even told us where and what kind of salt to buy. On the way home we stopped at a Latin super store to get bbq salt.  I had been there several times but it was a first for TheHub. We wandered around it for a while and bought much more than the salt. I think what I like best about this particular market is the way they have things organized. Different aisles have specific foods from different countries, and the produce sections is nothing like, Aldi, The Pig or Publix. For someone like me it was almost like being a kid in a candy store.  If the ball game had not already started, or if I were alone, I would have browsed the store for a couple of hours.

Because we did not get the much awaited meal, and were hungry after seeing all the different foods at Mi Pueblo, we stopped at Arby's near our house. What a let down after anticipating a delicious lunch.
It was later when we ate and we decided to skip a traditional dinner and watch the Auburn Ole Miss game while we snacked.
Roasted peanuts, cheese, chips (TheHub), Halloween candy (TheHub) Keto chocolate cup (not TheHub)

Sunday: Daylight savings time is in the rear view mirror and the nights are getting dark much to early for me. I do not really like to eat before dark, but with it getting dark so early it feels like the nights last forever and makes me want to eat earlier. The conundrum of it, is I generally do not start thinking of cooking until after 6, but now we will be eating about that time.  I will have to either start dinner earlier or have everything done in advance so I just have to rewarm and serve. I think I will opt for rewarming and serving since I never know what Mom the day will demand. Sunday was as good a day as any to do some massive prepping. 
Chili, keto corn muffins

I mentioned last week, I have subscribed to the Misfit boxes. It is a supposed rescue mission for odd shaped produce that is perfect except for its appearance. I have received 2 boxes now and am unimpressed and left with produce that I am allergic to or have no use for. (Keto and an abundance of fruit do not go hand in hand) Instead of throwing it away (minus the eggplant which I have a severe allergy to even though I love it, so I did toss that) I am having to do a lot of processing and freezing various fruits. I was produce heavy before the last box was delivered and now I am trying my best to incorporate most into my meals. It might not be something I want to continue during the winter. I will give it one more delivery and then I believe I will have a better feel for whether it is worth my time and money or not. Meanwhile I am adding celery to everything and making pear butter tomorrow!

Meal possibilities for the coming week:
1 Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread or keto roll
2. Smoked sausage, cabbage, new potatoes (TheHub)
3. Veggie soup, keto cornbread
4. Mississippi chicken, coleslaw,  squash casserole
5. Stuffed bell peppers, pear and kale salad
6. Seared scallops, tossed salad, new potatoes
7. Out to eat at our favorite local restaurant (delayed anniversary celebration, the earliest reservations we could get) Absolutely will not be a Keto meal and this is why!