I worked really hard to change the decor from October to November.....
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When I go for walks I must protect my face and be careful not to get overheated because of rosacea and ocular rosacea and a bunch of other weird things with my eyes. So, I look like the invisible woman.
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Atypically for me I did not take photos of our Thanksgiving food or table. We had a pleasant day but missed the rest of the family (Covid strikes again).
Isaac donned this Santa hat sometime in November and to my knowledge, did not remove it until mid-January.
We got our flu shots on November 3. I chose to get the "under 65" dose because of my overreaction to some vaccinations.
Grandson, Daniel came down with Covid November 7. I made chicken noodle soup and homemade bread for him.
Son Jonathan flew to Orlando on a business trip on November 6. While he was there a hurricane approached his location (ironically it was hurricane Nicole...). He got out just ahead of the hurricane and arrived home to find his wife, Nicole, very sick with a stomach virus. And then the very next day, the 10th, Jonathan closed on a major purchase. They kept my prayer list active this month!
On the 11th I ande a big pot of stew and took supper to the Rausch family.
On the 14th I had a well checkup and blood tests found I was low thyroid and high cholesterol. I upped my dose of Thyroid meds which ought to help the cholesterol reading also; here's hoping. It took awhile for the higher dose to help but by the beginning of December, the debilitating exhaustion had lifted.
The Rausch family recovered from Covid in time for Thanksgiving but the Garnett Borns were going down one at a time with that stomach virus. So it was a nice but quiet Thanksgiving.
On the 25th I put up not one, but TWO Christmas trees.
We attended a 96th birthday celebration for Johnnie on November 26th; Irma and Amy hosted a breakfast for him. Sweet photo ops.
Toward the end of the month I was wrapping presents and filling the freezer for December gatherings.
Food prepped this month (I see I need to branch out with my soup varieties--I seem to stick pretty close to the basics):
- Stew
- Chicken noodle soup
- homemade bread
- Thanksgiving food--turkey, sausage/cranberry stuffing, and mashed potatoes were made ahead and frozen. If you cover the sliced turkey with broth and thaw it gently, it is better after having been frozen than it was straight out of the oven. It is a little like brining/marinating after the meat is cooked rather than before. Moist and tender.
- Vegetable soup
- Breadsticks
- "Grammy" cupcakes--egg and dairy free, double chocolate, somehow they are moist and yummy (recipe follows).
- Mel's birthday peach cobbler
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Dairy and Egg Free Cupcakes
Chocolate, Spice, or Lemon
· 1 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour
· 1 cup brown sugar or granulated sugar (for lemon, use granulated)
· ¼ cup cocoa (for lemon or spice, substitute ¼ c. vanilla instant pudding)
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 1 cup water (for lemon, use 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, then enough water to make 1 cup)
· 1/3 cup vegetable oil
· 1 teaspoon white vinegar (omit for lemon)
· ½ teaspoon vanilla (omit for lemon, add ½ teaspoon lemon zest)
· ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips (omit in lemon or spice)
· For spice only: add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Frosting ingredients are approximate.
Chocolate frosting:
½ cup earth balance or less, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Enough water to make spreading consistency, whip with electric mixer until fluffy.
Spice frosting:
½ cup earth balance or less, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or ½ teaspoon vanilla and ½ teaspoon maple flavoring
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Enough water to make spreading consistency, whip with electric mixer until fluffy.
Lemon glaze:
¼ cup. instant vanilla pudding, dry mix
Juice from 1 lemon
About 2 cups powdered sugar
About ½ cup Earth Balance, melted
About 2 Tbsp. H20, stir by hand to bring to thick glaze consistency.
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