A Birth Day Celebration

 

Song:  Above All

Artist:  Helen Jane Long

Yesterday (Dec. 7th) was a time for celebration...

not for a birthday had...

but for a birth day given.

Let me explain.

Technically...

I was born on Dec. 7th...63 years ago.

However, I haven't celebrated my birthday for many decades...

well...at least not for me.

Birthday celebrations for children... yes.

However...for me...no.

For one...I am a grown man.

I had done nothing, I had earned nothing...

I deserve nothing for this day.

And for the second and most important reason...

my mother had done something.

She had dedicated her young life to bearing and raising me.

A mother not only goes through the discomfort of pregnancy...

but her body takes great wear every time she gives birth.

And then...

there is sleep deprivation for years

as she interrupts her sleep to ensure her baby is fed and dry...

so he may sleep.

Then she spends the rest of her time ensuring her house is clean

and the meals are nutritious.

Where I had been a burden all of my young life...

she had made all of the sacrifices.

This is her day of celebration.

On my calendar day of birth...

I make it my mother's day of celebration and thanks...

and I have for many decades.

A man gives credit where credit is due.

The more children a mother had...

the more days of celebration she deserves.

My mother, my younger sister, and I (my elder sister couldn't make it) 

went out to a local Korean BBQ eatery.

My mother loves good food.

It is an all you can eat place where...

like most all you can eat places...

I eat myself almost sick.

My mother is elderly...

and she needs 24 hour care.

My sisters and I equally share our care of her so she may 

have the same level of care she had given us when we were in need

as young children.

We ensure she is fed delicious and nutritious food...

and that her house is in order...

so she may now sleep comfortably.

My mother...

a traditional mother...

one whom had stayed home to take care of her family...

has already earned her comfortable retirement...

for the rest of her life.

Happy birth day to you, Mom.

It was you who had given to we...your children.

It is now our pleasure to give back to you. 

My birth day is your accomplishment...

and so...

your day of thanks and celebration.

Bandi Loving The Snow

 

BGM

A good winter snow...

and Bandi loves it...

only because she may enter a warm house whenever she pleases.

She was eating snow and playfully running around on the snow covered ground.

She is thicker due to her winter coat...

and winter fat.

I love winter.

A fresh snowfall brings about freshness 

and the delicious feelings of sweet solitude.

A New Twist: Habanero Ham Hocks And Beans

 

Song:  The Last Of Us

Cover Artist YouTube Name:  Beyond The Guitar

I had modified the Smoked Ham Hocks and Beans recipe

(be sure to get the smoked ham hocks...it makes a big difference).

I tried substituting Habanero peppers for the Hatch, Anaheim, and Pablamo chilis.

Not only are far fewer peppers necessary...

the Habaneros add a zing to the dish that the others had not.

I had ordered a 24 Quart stainless steel stock pot...

as the old enamel one was not only too small (12 quart)...

the enamel had worn out in some spots.

This pot should be in every kitchen.

I had previously dehydrated and vacuum sealed many habaneros for just this 

type of cooking.

I cook this dish with 8 cups of dried pinto beans...

which I presoak for at least 12 hours.

I then add 4 - 5 smoked ham hocks.

Each ham hock only costs $2 - $3 each...

and they stay frozen until ready to use...

and there is no need to defrost them since I cook this dish for approximately

12 hours on a very low boil (simmer).

I only added the small amount of habaneros as seen.

After simmering a few hours...

I taste tested the soup.

It was perfect on my first try.

I was being conservative at first to ensure I wouldn't ruin 

the dish by over spicing it...

but I had accidentally gotten just the right amount.

The volume of these great ham hocks and beans is about 14 quarts.

I just finished storing this dish in multiple glass containers.

It can be frozen...

but I love this dish so much...

that after I give my sisters their share of the meal...

I still have many days worth of easy to heat, and delicious to eat, meals.

I usually eat it as a stew with diced white onions on top 

and with a good amount of black pepper mixed in once I put the dish in a bowl...

and I will eat it with some form of bread on the side.

My mother loves this dish as well.

And besides being very nutritious and delicious...

it is now even more inexpensive to make.

The habaneros are inexpensive in the first place...

and then as you only need a few for this whole dish...

it just made a great dish into an even greater one.

I also yielded an extra quart of top soup to pour some 

over Bandi's food as an extra treat for her.

She loves it so much she licks her bowl clean.

Now...

I prefer to slow cook this dish for 12 or so hours because some of the 

great benefits of the ham hocks lie in the bones and in the connective tissue.

Being on low boil for 12 hours allows the marrow and collagen to liquify and thicken

the soup so it becomes a stew.

These ingredients greatly add to the flavor and nutrition of this bean stew.

I can tell when it is done when all of the meat just falls away from the bone

without me having to pull any off.

Anywhere between 12 - 14 hours is just about right.

I keep the stew covered until about the 9 or 10 hour mark...

and then I continue to cook until the liquid lowers to a desired height

(Keep in mind that I live at over one mile in altitude...

and as such...

all of my liquid based cooking has to be extended as water boils

at a lower temperature...

and so...

I must extend the cooking times).

However, this time I just ladled the excess off to supplement Bandi's kibble.

This is probably my most eaten dish.

My body seems to just crave it.

Beans are so healthful for the gut microbiome.

The gut has been so overlooked as the seat of health.

It all starts there...

and by populating the gut with healthful amounts of good bacteria...

the effects for the body are profound.

Backyard By Day And By Moonlight

 

Song:  Romance De Amore 

Artist:  Xuefei Yang

The backyard plants are starting to show their growth.

My mother loves her backyard.

I just put up some solar powered lights for her night time enjoyment.

Her flower bed is just starting to bloom...

although some of the flowers won't make an appearance until next year.

My mother loves the sound the waterfall makes.

These solar powered lights are excellent.

I have the flowerbed lights on their lowest setting...

and the waterfall lights on the medium setting.

My elder sister often takes my mother out to sit in the backyard and enjoy 

some coffee.

Bandi loves to climb on my elder sister.

Japanese maples are relatively slow growers...

but they are well worth the wait.

The gladiolas were the first to start blooming.

The ground covers bloom all summer long...

but will take a while to spread as they grow.

My mother even gets to enjoy her neighbor's flowers as some may be seen from her backyard.

My mother is often awake in the middle of the night.

Last night...

after I put in the lights...

I took her out for a moonlight showing of her backyard.

Next time...

I will make a pizza for us to enjoy as we look out at her backyard.

The waterfall looks beautiful covered in snow in the winter.

These lights are supposed to be water and frost resistant.

We will see about their performance as the years go by.

However, so far, they work well...

and as they have a built in photosensor...

every time I look out at the backyard at night...

it is alight without me having to do anything more.

On the lowest setting...

the lights will burn continuously for 25 hours...

and on the medium setting...

for 15 hours.

On high setting...

they only run for 8 hours.

And so...

I put the waterfall lights on medium.

This way the battery in each unit will never fully discharge...

and one day's worth of sun will keep the battery fully charged.

These or so superior to the wired lights.

Well...

sometime next week my mother and I will enjoy a hot pizza

while we look out over the yard at night.

----------------------------

Addendum:  9 / 11 / 2022

My mother and I ate pizza on the patio near midnight.

It was just a light midnight snack...

but food always tastes better somehow...

outside with a nice view.

There was a nice summer breeze blowing...

neither too warm...

nor too cool.

A New Dish: Thai Brussel Sprouts

 

Song:  Give Me Love

Artist:  George Harrison

Before I go into the Thai Brussel Sprouts...

I made a modification to the Smoked Ham Hocks and Beans dish.

I doubled the amount of dry pinto beans used to 8 cups...

and I doubled the number of chilis used to 10 - 12.

The amount of ham hocks used I kept the same at two packages...

or a good 3 - 4 individual ham hocks.

It makes for a quite more substantial meal...

and all without much added cost or effort.

The resulting amount perfectly fills a 12 quart stock pot.

Again, I soak the beans while changing the water every few hours...

for about 12 hours.

I add the beans, chilis, and ham hocks (frozen) and fill to about one inch above any ingredients.

I then bring the whole mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to 

a medium low heat...

just to where there is a slight, but low, boil.

I cover and cook it at this setting for 10 - 12 hours.

I recheck the water level to assure the ingredients are fully immersed...

however, if the water level is still too high...

I simply uncover the pot and continue to cook 

until the water level is just above the ingredients.

I use either Pablamo, Anahiem, or Hatch chilis...diced.

Now on to the Thai Brussel Sprouts.

First of all...

I had always hated Brussel Sprouts...

until one day not too long ago.

I had tried them at a restaurant near San Francisco with my family (Pacific Catch).

They were so delicious that I knew I would have to try to make them on my own.

I now make them often.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 F

Remove stem

Halve them length wise

Put them in a large bowl

Coat all with olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Lay face down on a flat baking sheet

Bake for 30 - 45 minutes to get desired surface char

Take out and cover each in Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Bake an additional 10-15 minutes

Although it looks like I piled some on...

each brussel sprout is actually face down directly on the baking sheet.

I just topped the sprouts with the loose leaves which were left over 

in the bowl after mixing.

After pouring the Thai sauce.

After baking with Thai sauce on.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet before putting them in the fridge.

These will keep for many days refrigerated.

Simply warm in micro...

and serve.

Delicious and nutritious.

As I was baking the Brussel Sprouts...

I made shrimp Yaki soba for my mother's and my supper.

I used precooked frozen shrimp.

I simply bathed the shrimp in warm water to defrost them.

And in a wok with a few tablespoons of olive oil...

I quickly stir fried the noodles.

After but a few minutes...

I added the spice packets to the requisite amount of water in a bowl and mixed 

before pouring over the shrimp and noodle mix and stir fried the mixture 

until the liquid was gone.

My mother ate a large serving...

and I had two large servings :)

Although it wasn't so good as I would often eat in Osaka, Japan...

 at a street vendor on my way home from work many years ago...

it was about as good as any other I have eaten here in America...

and all for much less and with very little fuss.

It was actually quite delicious.

I will keep this brand of Yaki Soba stocked in our fridge in the future.

It is a perfect and quick meal.

My mother loves noodle dishes...

as do I.

I had stocked up on quite a few packages.

Some also add veggies and/or eggs.

I think I will add some shredded nori on top upon dishing in the future.