All Hands on Deck

While I've been cooking, Craig has been sanding the deck.

He started the deck refinishing project the week before we went to Yosemite by renting an orbital sander.  Unfortunately he and that sander did not get along and he promptly returned it!

When we got back from our trip he spent most of a week trying to hire someone to come and do the sanding for us. But it seems the local "Deck Doctor"  doesn't sand decks, and would not recommend anyone who did. He said he just does repairs and stains without sanding.

We had the decks replaced some years ago, and at the time we stained them with an oil base stain.  We were told we would need to sand them and re-stain every few years to keep them looking good.  But time flies by, and except for sanding and re-staining the top surface of the rails we have not done anything to them. Over the years the stain has faded, worn off, and the wood has discolored in places.  If we just put on more stain the discolored areas turn black.

Last week Craig rented a drum sander and it worked much better for him.  

In one afternoon he sanded the upper deck and part of the lower deck.  About 450 square feet.  Enough to start with.

He then worked with his belt sander on the edges.

He sanded for several days.

On this day the weather was a bit cool in the morning. A reminder that winter is coming and soon it will be time to shift to indoor projects.

Finally it was time to stain. 

I applied the stain with a roller one board at a time. 

Then Craig wiped off the excess. 

Working together we finished the areas he had sanded in one day.

Before he sands the rest of the flat deck area, which is mostly under cover, Craig is going to work on the two flights of stairs, and the small deck outside the kitchen door. He wants to see if he can buy a larger belt sander for that.

It's hard to believe the railings were once the same shade of "redwood" as the deck is now.

My knees are old, and I cannot kneel without great discomfort. But I can sit, and so I am now in charge of sanding the railings with a hand sander.  

Only 516  2"x 2" upright rails! 

I'm pretty sure I won't finish until spring. I will work on them section by section. Sanding and staining as I go. Working when the weather allows.

I couldn't find a pair of goggles to protect my eyes from the sawdust, so I dug up the ones I used for skiing. Maybe I should use this for a new profile picture! 

For Laura and Teri, a little more about making Spring Rolls

I thought I'd write a bit more about them and encourage you to try making spring rolls yourselves.  

Laura, look for herbs in the tubes, they really do taste fresh.

Teri asked if the wrappers had to be steamed. The answer is no.  

Spring roll wrappers do not have to be steamed or cooked in any way, nor do the rolls themselves.

They are softened by dipping them into warm water.

I prep all of my ingredients first, then set up with a dinner plate next to the sink, and a wide bowl like a soup bowl in the sink filled with warm water.  

Next you dip one wrapper into the water, wetting it completely. You will quickly feel it soften. Place it onto the plate, it will continue to soften as you put your ingredients onto it. You do not need to rush, nor leave it soaking for long.

Lay your ingredients, starting with the shrimp or avocado near the edge that is away from you. Fold up the lower edge, then the sides as if you were making an envelope. Roll it away from yourself to complete.

At first most of your rolls will be loose and may not be pretty. They will taste just as good though. It takes a bit of practice.

I set each roll onto another plate, leaving space between them so they don't stick together. I cover the plate with a wet paper towel and refrigerate until serving.

This web site has step by step pictures using some sort of square wrappers. To me they look like egg roll wrappers that have to be fried, but the folding is the same as the round ones.

Another fun thing is you can roll just about anything. Try using spinach, rocket, or cabbage! And you can make two or twenty! The wrappers keep forever if you don't break them or get them wet.

Have fun, and let me know how it works for you.

Spaghetti Squash Spring Rolls

We don't have any fall color here yet, so here's another food post.

I had not cooked spaghetti squash very often before this last six months or so, because I didn't know how to prepare it. The outer skin is very hard and I had trouble cutting into one.  Peeling them is hard too.  Then I read that you could bake or microwave the entire squash before peeling.  Easy!

You simply pierce the squash in several places, like a potato,  so it doesn't explode, and microwave it for 10 to 18 minutes, depending on how big it is and on your microwave power. 

On a recent shopping trip I found the smallest spaghetti squash I had ever seen.  They are usually about the size of a football.  This one couldn't have been more than six inches end to end! 

In less than 10 minutes steam was coming out the holes and it started to crack so I knew it was done.

I took it out and let it cool for about an hour.  If it wasn't done, the stand time would finish the job.

I cut it open lengthwise, removed the seeds and dark colored stringy stuff attached to them. I then scraped the pulp into a bowl with a large tablespoon. This little squash gave me about three cups of pulp. Although this could be done just before dinner, it can be held in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  There are many recipes for it from plain to fancy.

The best way to think of Spring Rolls is that they are an Asian hand held salad. Traditionally they contain rice noodles or bean threads.  It was Craig's suggestion that I try using spaghetti squash instead, and it has become a favorite of mine.

In California, you can buy Spring Roll Skins at most large grocery stores in their international foods section. I don't know about other parts of the country, but I'm pretty sure they are not hard to find anywhere.  (When I was a young wife in Milwaukee, I had to go across town to a special Mexican grocery to buy tortillas.)

Spring roll skins are thin and hard, and made from rice flour.  

Making spring rolls is not difficult, but it does take some time and practice. It is best to prep all of your ingredients in advance.
  

Spaghetti squash: prepare as above, or use rice noodles made per package directions.  Cool either.

Fresh mint and fresh basil, lettuce, preferably romaine or leaf:  shred or cut into fine strips. Put in separate containers. I use coffee filters instead of bowls for the prep to cut down on dishes. 

Carrots: cut match stick size, or shred with box grater.

Avocado: not shown above, peeled and sliced.

A protein:  I used cooked shrimp that I cut in half down the center line. You could use tofu or imitation crab legs.

I thought about taking pictures of how to roll them, but there are several very good tutorials on the web. Just Google "how to make spring or summer rolls." I needed both hands. 

The top roll on this plate was an experiment.  I realize that it might not be possible to get fresh mint and basil when we are in small towns or national parks. I also wanted to make one without any shrimp.  Recently I bought a refrigerated tube of basil made by 'Gourmet Garden' and found in a produce section.  The "fresh by" date says it will keep four months in the refrigerator. It squeezes out like toothpaste.  I also have dried mint and cilantro on hand.

So I made one with larger slices of avocado instead of shrimp, a line of tube basil,  generous sprinkles of dried mint and cilantro, and extra shredded lettuce. It was quite nice.  I did some research on the internet and found the 'Gourmet Garden' also makes mint in tubes. Their store locator shows many stores including Walmart Superstores.  It might be possible to get it there!

Finally, we always eat spring rolls with a couple of different dipping sauces.  I like the  peanut sauce made by 'House of Sang,' and Craig likes a home made sauce made with oyster sauce, chili, sugar and garlic.  If anyone want the recipe send me an email. 

Give them a try.  Experiment with the ingredients to suit your own tastes.  

My daughter says my eight year old grandson likes to roll his own!  It's that easy.

Oh, and they are low calorie, low fat, and low carb!

Whats for dinner at your house (or RV) tonight?

Excellent Breakfast

The Alfa is tucked in on her pad for a while.  We may take a short run in November, but basically we will be working on house projects until our Christmas get away. 

It's probably a good thing we don't have a trip soon because California is having a fuel crisis.  Gas prices are skyrocketing. $5.00 gas is being reported in San Francisco, and some stations are closing temporarily rather than pay the high wholesale prices. COSTCO is one of them.  I paid $4.50 for regular yesterday!

So ... I can either put the blog on hold, unlikely, or write about other things in my life, like food.

I had an excellent breakfast this morning.  Leftover ratatouille with leftover spaghetti squash mixed in. 

So good!

Picture from the Web

I cooked the Ratatouille in the slow cooker on Tuesday.  

So easy.  

I really like the cooker I have because the ceramic inner pot is removable and fits into either my home refrigerator or the RV refrigerator, and I can do all the prep work the night before if I want, it is so much easier than doing all the chopping and making a mess in the morning.

I don't really follow a particular recipe. This is how I make it:

Cut the following vegetables into 1" - 1 1/2"  chunks and place into slow cooker, adding the seasonings as you go:
1 large onion
3 bell peppers, red, yellow and orange. 
1 green bell pepper (optional)
2 crook neck yellow squash 
2 or 3 zucchini 
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers
1 large or 2 small peeled eggplants

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes that have been peeled and seeded, or 2 cans chopped tomatoes that have been drained in a sieve to remove excess liquid.  

Seasonings:
Lots of chopped up garlic,  
2 or more tablespoons salt and pepper, 
a generous amount of Italian blend seasoning or your own mix of dried oregano and basil. Parsley is good too. I just shake it on as I add layers of veggies.

A generous splash of olive oil. 

I mix all of this together and top with 1 thin sliced smoked sausage. I use a turkey one from Hillshire Farms. 

Vegetarians can leave the sausage out.

In the morning, I start the slow cooker on high for a little while if possible and then turn it down to low for the rest of the day: 8 hours or so.  If it looks done before dinner time I switch it to warm.  

I do not add any extra liquid to the veggies, nor do I salt and rinse the eggplant. 

Ratatouille is a hearty vegetale stew that is wonderful on a cool autumn evening. I serve it in a soup bowl with both a spoon and a fork.  Sometimes I add a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley on top if I have it.  

A nice slice of fresh homemade bread completes the meal. Bread is also great to sop up the juices.

The above recipe amount made eight servings.  We had it two nights for dinner, then Craig had it for lunch one day, and I ate the rest for breakfast today.

Yumm...

What is one of your favorite fall comfort foods?

You are all gone

Strang, I have been checking my Blogger Dashboard from time to time today, and you are all gone.  It says I do not have anyone on my reading list.  Comments seem to still be there, and I can go to individual blogs via my Followers links.

Is anyone out there?

If you read this please leave a comment.

Merikay

I was good and bad today

Craig loves baseball.

Me?  Not so much, but every few years he gets me to go to a game with him.  Today was the day.

In the past, I have always rewarded myself for going to a game with garlic fries, bratwurst, and sometimes cheese nachos.  I was determined to not eat any of those things, and packed a baggie of carrot sticks and  sliced red pepper.  I put them, and a bottle of water into my purse with a cool pack.

Good intentions, but I was lead astray.  Not by any of the favorites mentioned above, but by my own generous intentions (sure!) and a hot day.

Craig asked me to stand in line and get him a BBQ pork sandwich while he went to get a beer.  The BBQ was being sold at the same stand as ice cream, and one of the ice cream options was a double dip in a cute little plastic baseball hat. (I'm really trying to put an altruistic spin on this) Craig loves ice cream and eats it almost every night at home. 

I thought the cute cup would be fun to use as he watched and listened to all the play-off games in the upcoming weeks.  But the only way I could get this special prize for him was to buy some ice cream.  

 I choose his favorite flavor, butter pecan.

After getting his sandwich and the ice cream, I went down to our seats to wait for him.  It was really hot, and his my ice cream started to melt.  What to do?

I had to eat it.  
Bad me. 

It was very good. 

I'm not ashamed, because I had really bought if for myself.  Carrots only go so far.  Only a saint would be willing to buy him a BBQ and pass on the Ice Cream.
  
I'm not a saint.

In addition to his BBQ, Craig also had a bratwurst.  
He offered me the first bite.  I said no.
He offered me the middle bite.  I said no.
I ate the last bite. 
I am not a saint.
It was very good.

I also ate my bag of veggies.
They were better than the bratwurst. 
They tasted fresh and cool. 

I shared them with Craig.
Good me.

What have you indulged in lately?

Went Shopping Today

The idea that women like to shop for clothes is a myth.

At least around here it is.  I am a woman.  I hate to shop for clothes.

But I looked at myself in the mirror today and decided something had to be done about my appearance.  The favorite tee shirt I had on hung like a sack, and I have noticed an increasing problem with my elastic waist pants wanting to slide down.  

I probably should have hung onto the thin clothes I tossed last year, but I never expected to be this weight again.  I know this is not a bad problem, but for me shopping for better looking clothes is a nightmare!

I spent seven hours shopping today!  Well, the first hour or so was not exactly for clothes. 

 I went to REI to look at a topographical map of the Death Valley area.  Our trip there is not until Christmas, but I can't help starting to explore from my recliner in the evenings.  You can go into the park from either the East or the West on Hwy 190.  The West entrance would be the closest for us, but I have been reading RV forums and consulting the "Mountain Directory West" and have learned there are several curvy mountain areas with up to a 9% grade if you go in from the West.

Every one suggests the East entrance.  When I checked out the topographical map I can see why.

While there I browsed the sale racks, and found something I have been looking for.  A simple windbreaker jacket. This Sierra Designs was on sale for $11.98.  Originally $44. The nice thing is that it comes with a little bag that the jacket can be squished into and you can then hook it onto your back or waist pack.  Great for hiking.  It also has a hood so if we get caught in the rain or strong wind my head will be protected too.

Feeling good about that purchase, I decided to go across to the mall and look at some other new clothes for myself.
  
Horrible!

 The biggest problem is I don't really know what I'm looking for.  I did manage to find two tops that I liked, but that was all. Everything is either to dressy or to young. I don't want to look like an old lady who is wearing teeny bopper clothes.

But, I feel like I have a new body and want to put prettier clothes on it!

Speaking of which, I reached my goal of -45 pounds while in Yosemite. My BMI is now 25 which is "normal".  No longer "overweight"!  I had new blood work done when we got back, and although my 3 month average blood sugar is a little high, my fasting glucose was under 100 for the first time in my adult life!

I feel great!  I wish I had a fairy godmother who could wave a wand and bring me new clothes.

If nothing else, I can always put in new elastic or get some suspenders.