Immigration Update #645254241

I am writing this with tears in my eyes. But they are HAPPY tears. After almost 18 months of agony, separation from my beloved KoD, eons spent on the interstate and the Northway, we have finally heard that they have scheduled our interview date for the Green Card, in Montreal. Praise be to God that they did NOT schedule it on the High Holydays, nor on Sukkot, but on Chol Hamoed.

We have a lot of logistics to work out, but the end of this tortured road is finally in sight.

OrthoDoc Update

BH there is no herniation, no surgery necessary, no abnormality in my spine. However there is still pain. Which leads the OrthoDoc to suggest that the pain is in fact muscular, and must be treated with a regimen of physical therapy (as you Americans call it) and exercise.

I shall call tomorrow and set up my first appointment at the torture chamber….

Just very grateful that I don’t need surgery. That was a huge fear of mine and google became my enemy. Not good to be a cyberchondriac!!

Kitchen Slavery

In our house either everyone volunteers to help in the kitchen at once, or no one volunteers. I cannot have everyone helping in the kitchen – too many cooks, and all that. KoD loves to help in the kitchen too – being married to a man with detailed knowledge of food safety practices is always interesting, lol!! So much I didn’t know….

Anyhow, with the back pain issue, and with me wanting the kids to be willing to help and to think helping is second nature, we had to come up with something that would teach them the skills, help me at the same time and not drive me insane while in the midst of food prep.

The “Weekly Kitchen Slave” was born. See, we already have a weekly turn of who gets to sit in the front of the car when the KoD is driving and Ima isn’t in the passenger seat. This cuts down on fighting when you have 3 old enough to sit in the front!! So why not have a weekly turn of who gets to help Ima in the kitchen.

We started it on Friday, and there have been no fights. It’s Lenny’s turn (oh the fun of being the oldest). He was watching a movie when I called out “Oh Kitchen Slave, Oh Kitchen Slave!” and he came running. (Ok, fine, he slouched into the kitchen with remote control in hand).

For five minutes he washed some dishes and opened some canned veggies for me, and put some stuff in the dishwasher. He must have looked at his watch a bazillion and seven times! But no complaining, because he knew it was his turn to be the kitchen slave. I should really call them sous chef, but kitchen slave has a nice ring to it.

We’ll see how it works once they all go back to school – but I think that we are onto a winning system here.

How does it work in your house?

Chicken Italiano

The basis for this recipe comes from Norene Gilletz’s Second Helpings. Thanks to my SIL for sending me the original recipe yesterday as I don’t have my cookbook here with me. (I miss it, been a trusty companion for over 16 years….soon, soon). I added rice, as this is easy to make as a one pot meal. As I type this it is cooking in the oven. Smells divine.

So this is my adaptation:

2 cups of white rice (although I am sure you can use brown)
2 onions, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
6 -8 chicken cutlets
1 clove garlic, minced (can also use garlic powder)
¼ tsp oregano
1 can tomato sauce, 1 can water
2 bay leaves

Spray deep 9 x 13 baking pan with Pam. Cover the bottom evenly with rice. Place vegetables over the rice. Rub chicken with garlic and oregano, and add to pan. Pour tomato sauce and water over chicken, and add bay leaves. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1½  hours. 6-8 servings.