What's for dinner?

[Drew]

"My plan is to live forever.  So far, so good."

Source unknown.

[glenn kangiser]

So you are saying you wouldn't eat chips and cookies for dinner, Drew?  It is vegetarian food.

There is good food around.  When Sassy leaves for work, I sometimes get lazy about cooking...and ...that really sounds like a good plan, if you can pull it off, Drew.  I was just funnin you a bit...

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

I think sometimes men feign ignorance about cooking just so their wives feel needed.  Nice of you to be so thoughtful to Sassy, Glenn.   

My husband can boil eggs, make ramen, and cook rice in a rice cooker.  He thinks that qualifies him as a cook. 

[glenn kangiser]

hmm Think I'll go fry an egg and makes some ramen. Thanks, Homegrown.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

   It's OK, Glenn, we're on to you... we know it is only an act, but we like to feel needed anyway. 

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Tonight we had potato soup.  That's it.  Plain ol' potato soup.  After the chili for last night's supper and then the coffee and omelette loaded with tabasco this morning, it was the only thing I could think of that didn't sound like heartburn.  The soup was good and filling and warm, but after all, it's just kind of plain.  That's the worst part of pregnancy.  Even water gives you heartburn, darn it.  I feel kind of bad for my family because I suddenly become a little picky when I'm pregnant, not so much because I crave something, but more because there are some things that sound absolutely repulsive.

[glenn kangiser]

No wonder I always have heartburn.  I must be pregnant.

...and that would explain the bulge around my center too.

I must continue the act, Homegrown... I couldn't have anyone thinking I was self sufficient.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

That must be it, Glenn.  You better get into see a doctor and see how far along you are...      Some guys luck out on playing helpless in the kitchen, and some don't.  My dad used to be one of the non-cooking guys, but then he married my step-mom and he had no choice but to learn or he was going to starve to death.  So far I've found that he makes decent fajitas, good omelettes, he can handle pinto beans, and I can finally stand his chili, which he makes with steak.  He and my step-mom used to use her cooking as a form of child abuse, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not (and never was) a picky eater.

My husband was looking at me this evening, straight-ahead, and he said, "You don't really even look pregnant."  But then I turned to one side and he giggled, "Well, now you do."  I know I'm on the level, though, 'cause my bubble's in the middle.   I'm only halfway through... I don't want to think about what the heartburn's gonna be like a few months from now... it'll be like with my first where I couldn't eat much of anything even though I crave everything spicy, hot, pickled, sour, and salty.     I could handle another one of those omelettes drowned in tabasco right about now, but won't do it because I'd pay for it all night.

[glenn kangiser]

Does drinking a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar help with your heartburn?   It works pretty well with mine a lot of the time.  My daughter said she read that many times people take an antacid when what they actually need is more acid to digest the tough stuff. 

Apple Cider vinegar does the trick.  You will drink it -- maybe 2 or 3 tablespoons then in about 1/2 hour things begin working -- you start burping -- passing wind -- etc.  --- all the good things that make heartburn and reflux go away.

[Redoverfarm]

About six months ago my wife's family and friends started a monthly tradition or sometime every couple of months.  Usually keeping with the themes of holiday's throughout the year each family would cook a dish that corresponds to that time. Well last night was "something you never fixed before".  Some of the items were
black-eyed pea salad, cabbage casserole, taco salad, beef casserole, honeybun cake, new variety of orange jello salad just to name a few.  No one walked away hungry.  Occassionally someone cheats and slips something in that they usully cook but ha thats ok as nothing is thrown out on that account.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

About six months ago my wife's family and friends started a monthly tradition or sometime every couple of months.  Usually keeping with the themes of holiday's throughout the year each family would cook a dish that corresponds to that time. Well last night was "something you never fixed before".  Some of the items were
black-eyed pea salad, cabbage casserole, taco salad, beef casserole, honeybun cake, new variety of orange jello salad just to name a few.  No one walked away hungry.  Occassionally someone cheats and slips something in that they usully cook but ha thats ok as nothing is thrown out on that account.

That sounds like it would be a lot of fun... maybe I should start something similar with family and friends...

Glenn, to answer your question, vinegar doesn't seem to help, but sometimes drinking a cup of hot green tea does, possibly because it is supposed to speed up digestion, too.  From what I understand, heartburn during pregnancy is different in that it isn't caused by the same thing... it is because your body produces the hormone relaxin which causes the muscle that keeps food in your stomach to loosen up, and therefore, no matter what you eat/don't eat, it is really hard to avoid.  I really try to avoid taking anything for it if I can, especially chalk stuff like tums because I've read that taking calcium in the form of calcium carbonate contributes to kidney stones, and that sounds painful, so I'd like to avoid it.  I also try to avoid eating close to bedtime because lying down increases it.  Sometimes it is just going to happen whether I've eaten anything or not.  Last night we had dinner around 5 PM and I didn't go to bed until after midnight, but I still had heartburn... on top of that, I'd only had really mild soup for dinner.  After the baby's born, I'm sure I'll have no problem at all... and right now it only seems to be a problem in the evening hours when the baby is most active... I think the little bugger is kicking the daylights out of my stomach and that's not really helping. 

[Redoverfarm]

Glenn I came across a book which deals with nothing but vinegar remedys.  If I can find it I will try to locate the author.  A lot of the "ol timers" swear by it.  Oh wait you might fall into that catagory 

[glenn kangiser]

Hey John, I'm not a real old timer-- just a medium old timer. 

I know how you feel, Homegrown.  Mine comes and goes too.  Just not in 9 months.

[Redoverfarm]

They saw you are only as old as you feel.  This changes daily for me. But I am not complaining as I am still on the right side of the grass.

[benevolance]

reduce salt intake to eliminate kidney stones...

Glenn you use ocean salt or some such do you not... from salt lake city or something...I bet that is why you get kidney stones.. lack of proper hydration and salt intake are key  contributors to kidney stones....

Drink more pure water and lay off the salt dude

[glenn kangiser]

I don't have any kidney stones, Peter.  We use Real Salt from Redmond Utah --- much better for you than the plastic stuff they sell in stores.  Tastes better too.

I can use as much salt as I want with no I'll effect.  In the summer you will find it dried on my T shirt.  I become a walking salt lick.  Nope -- no problems here --everything works fine except the occasional heartburn from too much sugar or grease.

[MountainDon]

Sage advise, Peter.

Re water intake: one thing I learned when I moved to the southwest is that most people here are partially dehydrated all the time. I fell into that trap myself and went through a terrible bout of heat exhaustion in UT one summer. One way to judge whether your water intake is sufficient is to monitor how frequently you have t0  urinate. If you're not having to urinate every few hours at least you are likely not drinking enough water, prostate problems and pregnancy issues not included. Along with that if your water intake is insufficient when you do go your urine will be a darker shade of yellow.

As for salt, whether the normal table salt, kosher, sea or Real, my opinion is that if you are adding salt to your cooked food at the table you are likely consuming too much. Certain exceptions apply to those involved in some activities that cause profuse perspiration. One of the few foods I add salt to at the table is for a baked potato. I use it sparingly in cooking, adding to water to boil rice, pasta, potatoes is the most common. Using spices and/or stronger flavored foods frequently will obviate the need for heavy salting to make things tasty.

It also seems to me that consumption of large amounts of dairy can increase ones propensity to form kidney stones. 

It should almost go without saying that commercially canned foods are extremely high in sodium content. Ditto for restaurant foods; most restaurant foods are also high in fats. Restaurants use an awesome amount of butter.

With that aid we ate out tonight. We had a sub (maybe not too bad on the salt and fat) at D'ions (Pizza and sub place; semi fast food) using up one of our gift cards Christmas gifts from appreciative preschool parents.

[glenn kangiser]

BTW - I had a 16oz Stouffers? Chicken Pot Pie tonight -and a bit of mint chip Ice Cream.

Water -- hmm  better drink some and see if I can get that specimen up to a Whiter Shade of Pale.  (Procol Harem '67)

[benevolance]

I helped a guy out that was an alcoholic one time he was going to a rehab course and they said that almost everyone is dehydrated...through use of coffee, soda alcohol we are not getting enough hydration...And one of the things they did in that rehab was to treat the dehydration from consuming so much alcohol daily...

One thing about urination...It is a good idea to check the urine if it is yellow you are pretty dehydrated...We do not need to turn this into how is your urine debate... but it is true...

If you are urinating all the time you may want to check your blood sugar level as it is the easiest symptom of diabetes... but we need to be urinating at least half a dozen times a day and it should never ever be yellow... Direct sign to drink more water.

My bad habit is coca Cola...I do try to drink a lot of water though...Once you get dehydrated all kinds of bad stuff starts happening to your body...

And yeah I read that people in the southwest were not only dehydrated...but the salinity of the water there is much higher than that on the east coast and it causes stuff like the Kidney stones.

Of course some people can eat salt licks daily and live for 90 years without a problem...Sort of like the guy that smokes cigars and lives forever... it can happen but it is not very likely.

[Redoverfarm]

Listening to the thread I was wondering if anyone had heard that water around large deposits of Limestone contribute to stones. When I once lived in Charlestown/Harpers Ferry the local people seemed to be more prone to have stones. This area was completely limestone with a mass of underground caverns and lakes.

Glenn what are you doing next fall. My son would like to take you hunting to attract the deer to a salt lick.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Last night we had frozen pizza and plums for dinner.  Weird combo, but we were in a hurry to get back to work because I was finally grouting the tiles in the kitchen.  My 3 yo came in and asked me why I was "growling" at the tile and when my husband was able to quit laughing, he showed her what the grout was and what we were doing with it.

[glenn kangiser]

Glenn what are you doing next fall. My son would like to take you hunting to attract the deer to a salt lick.

hmm That sounds like it could be fun.  Will a licker license be required?

Seems anywhere that there is extra hard water, kidney stones could be a problem although some people may be more predisposed to them IMO. 

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Tonight, I've actually planned a meal of cheese and crackers and whatever veggies are left in fridge, freezer or wherever.  Doesn't sound like much of a meal, but DH and I are of course staying up till midnight to finish the kitchen completely.  I got the other countertop and one wall done last night.  Must...finish... the kitchen!  Of course tomorrow it'll be black-eyed peas, coleslaw, and cornbread or corncakes.  Incidentally, after reading Little House on the Prairie to the kids, they wanted to know what cornmeal mush was, so I fixed it for them for breakfast this morning and they acted like they were in heaven.  My little one came in and announced, "Mama, you can make cornmeal squash for me anytime 'cause I love it!"  Next they'll be wanting me to fry prairie hens.

This will be the third year in a row we've been doing home repairs at midnight on New Year's Eve.  Two years ago, it was our old house... we were getting it ready to sell.  I looked up from nailing down baseboards when I heard the neighbors shooting off fireworks and leaned over to kiss my husband who was finally finishing up the floor inside the downstairs closet.  We'd gone home for Christmas, spent part of the day with my family, part of it with my dad and his family, and then spent the rest of our vacation finishing up that old house.  Last year, I think we were installing the kitchen sink on New Year's Eve... I know we finished the tile right before then... one way or the other, we were working on the house.  One of our friends recently suggested that since our kids are a little bigger now we ought to go out or do something for New Year's Eve... I looked at him and said, "What do you think we're DOING???  Hey, we're getting a lot accomplished here."

[FrankInWI]

I gotta spend more time on these side-bar forums.... looks like a friendly place. 
Yeh, it's NewYears Eve.... which means nothing to me (only thing I have in common with G. Bush is we both put the cork in the bottle).  I did buy some pork ribs on sale last night and I'll bake them, and at the end sauce them up with BBQ sauce.  I did buy saurkraut too, thinking of cooking them in a roaster with that and some shredded apple, but I soon realized the boys probably wouldn't eat it.  Son #1 is Ice Fishing, he'll come home with a hell of an appetite (not that he really needs to work to eat). 

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Frank, you should spend more time over here... in my case this is where I hang out while I'm waiting to move and buy land and build a home, LOL.