My Mother's New Hobby

New Age Bamboo Flute Music

My mother bought a 75 gal. fish tank the other day.

My son, Alex, and I, had taken the tank and the stand to my mother's house 

from the pet store, and we had set up them up in her meditation / music / reading room.

She already had her double wide motorized recliner chair in the room.

Now she has a 75 Gal. fish tank in it.

I will also be putting in 2 small tanks for my mother in this room.

One will be the Nursery / Breeding / Hospital tank...

and the other will be a female tank.

My  mother wants to breed certain live bearers for the main tank.

I will also be putting in her iPod and speaker set...

along with her incense set.

My mother will then go into this room whenever she wishes to just relax 

and enjoy watching her tropical fish while listening to her favorite music.

This comfy recliner goes almost flat...

so my mother could cover herself with a comforter and fall asleep

watching her fish...if she so desires.

The light bar has two on settings...

one has all led lights on...

the other is the moon light setting...

with just a few blue leds.

I had ordered the gravel and other items for the tank off of Amazon.

They should arrive in a couple of days...

and I will then finish setting up her tank.

Shortly afterwards...

I will take her fish shopping.

I will be taking care of all the maintenance on the tanks...

and I will be teaching her how to breed tropical fish.

I used to have several large aquariums, and I used to breed coral platys 

and spectacular veil tailed guppies.

Alex taking photos of jetting flames from the pillars.

Although there is not a great selection of tropical fish in Reno...

I can get many by mail order...or...we can take a trip into California...

along with an insulated container...and stock up on fish there to bring back.

Either way...

my mother should soon be enjoying a greatly enjoyable hobby.

Quick And Easy Italian - Tortelloni And Pesto

Song:  Oltremare

Artist:  Ludovico Einaudi

As I cook every night for my mother...

I shop for quick and easy, but nutritious, meals.

With so many foods being mostly prepared...

having delicious and nutritious meals is very easy.

One of our favorite salads is this one.

It is just enough for my mother and I to finish off before we eat supper.

It comes with some dried fruit and nuts...

as well as dressing.

The salad is quite large...

and it is in the large quantity which makes it especially healthful.

To make the Tortelloni...

it just takes 10 to 15 minutes in boiling water (8 to 10 min at sea level - 15 min for our altitude)...

(I also add about 3 Tbs of Olive Oil).

We usually eat jalapeño and cheese focaccia with all Italian dishes.

There are whole lines of Tortellinos and Raviolis with differing stuffings

readily available at any grocery store.

Last night...

I made spicy Italian sausage spaghetti.

Tomorrow night...

I will make lasagna.

We are on an Italian kick right now  :)

-----------

Again...

before each supper...

we always have a very large salad.

Anyone wishing to lose fat sensibly...

just by eating a large salad before eating supper...

you will steadily lose weight in the form of body fat...

besides greatly increasing the nutrients and fiber necessary for good health.

With the ease of almost ready made meals directly from the grocery store...

eating healthfully has never been so quick and easy.

Shishito - A Fire Grilled Flavor Filled Pepper

Song:  Grenade

Piano Cover:  Mark Fowler

Shishito is a very mild pepper which still has all the flavor of hot peppers...

simply without all of the heat.

As in almost all peppers...

they are filled with flavor...

as well as nutrition.

They may be bought at almost any Asian market.

This copper wire fish / vegetable griller is available at most Asian markets.

You would think that the copper wire would easily transmit the heat to the handle.

It simply was not so.

I had my mother try her hand at turning the peppers...

and I then took over roasting them over the open flame.

I love the peppers charred.

We had eaten the peppers with Bulgogi.

With just a dip into soy sauce...

they are full flavored and absolutely delicious.

Their aroma and flavor liven up any meal.

Salmon Meuniere - A Quick And Easy Meal

Song:  Black Orpheus

Flutist:  Karin Kopp

All this meal takes is to defrost several salmon fillets...

putting on salt and pepper and flour...

and then pan frying them for about 4 minutes each side.

I buy 6 - 10 pounds of frozen salmon fillets at a time for my mother.

Each fillet is individually vacuum sealed so there is no freezer burn.

It takes a mere 5 minutes in a hot water bath to fully defrost them.

This is the only brand of extra virgin olive oil I buy.

It was tested and certified by Consumer Labs as to be pure.

You may get it off of Amazon or at Trader Joe's.

The defrosted salmon fillets are then put on the flour...

salt and peppered...

and covered in the flour.

The fish is then put into a preheated and oiled pan

(medium high heat...traditionally in butter...but I tried it with olive oil.

Next time, I will try it in olive oil and some butter...about 50/50).

After all of the pieces are in the pan...

I then cover it...and in four minutes...I turn the fish.

After the other side is done...

they are ready.

Remember...

cold water fish is very beneficial for the health...

and should be eaten often.

This Tonkatsu sauce I find to be the best.

My mother and I start out our meals with a large salad a half hour before eating 

the main meal.

I will go over some of the highly nutritious salads we eat in a later article.

Actually, one of the salads I had made into a delicious meal by adding 1 pound of juicy tri-tip.

I will be taking my mother shopping at Trader Joe's next week.

We will pick up various seeds, nuts, and dried fruit for our super salads.

My wife is tending the sprouts we will be using also.

I will be going into a quick and easy way to make various healthful salads

after our shopping trip next week.

Rotisserie Chicken Salad - An Inexpensive And Healthful Meal

Song:  Aerith's Theme

From FF VII

Rotisserie Chicken is one of the most healthful ways to eat chicken.

If you buy it at a Super Walmart...

it is just $4.99.

You cannot buy a whole raw chicken for less.

They are made fresh, several times a day.

Also, a whole loaf of French Bread...is sold there, for $1.00.

I usually stop by the grocery store on the way to visit my mother...

so I may have fresh ingredients with which to make her dinner.

My mother took off the meat from the rotisserie chicken...

and then diced it into bite sized pieces.

She then washed some salad greens.

I popped some orange rolls into the oven.

My mother loves this grape juice.

I put in the salad greens and diced chicken into our bowls.

There was still plenty of chicken left over for a couple of meals tomorrow.

I then made a fresh batch of Balsamic dressing.

Notice the brand of olive oil I always use.

This particular brand...

Extra Virgin California Estate Olive Oil (from Trader Joe's)...

was one of only a handful of independently lab tested Extra Virgin oils (Consumer Labs)...

to have proved to be true Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Most olive oils on the market have been heavily adulterated with inferior oils.

This particular brand is also much cheaper than the imports.

The Good Season Dressing Packets and Carafe are still available on Amazon.

I ensure my mother has an ample supply of extra virgin olive oil...

balsamic vinegar...and Italian red wine vinegar...

as well as plenty of dressing packets...

so she will be able to always enjoy a delicious and healthful salad.

My mother enjoyed a light supper...

and before I left for the night...

I started her out on a new Korean Drama  :)