A Happy Suppertime

Monday afternoon a co-worker came into the facility kitchen with a huge birthday cake, followed by a few trips to her car for groceries. Oh my gosh, I'd forgotten all about her younger daughter's big birthday - she is ONE year old! A more adorable, cherubic-faced, happy Hispanic baby would be hard to find. Little Nadia is pure happiness.

It had slipped my mind that Nadia's mother, who is a caregiver and also works in the food industry, and caters events, was going to prepare one of the two entree choices! All I had to prepare for supper was fettuccine alfredo. Piece of cake! I didn't even have to come up with soup du jour as there was going to be so much food and dessert.

The decibel level in the large dining room rose to a new level with a dash of excitement and anticipated fun. The cause? - The older sister and brother were putting a shiny Mickey Mouse table cloth on one of the tables with matching paper plates. And the little princess was being paraded from table to table to the joy of  everyone.

Meanwhile, mama was busy dicing fresh cucumbers, roma tomatoes, grating carrots, chopping cilantro, adding 'krab' meat, shrimp and prawns, fresh-squeezed lime juice, black pepper, some ketchup and a little hot sauce. This concoction, once tossed well, was mounded by a generous spoonful atop a crispy corn tortilla - we titled the dish "ceviche tostada" - pronounced: se-vee'-chay. The happy mama dished up a sample and I shared it with each table to encourage the older generation to take a risk with something new. Most of them did try it and really loved it. The colors were just a joy to see - echoing the beautiful colors of autumn outside.

Then came dessert-time. Everyone sang "happy birthday" to the wobbly-footed toddler who promptly plunged her hand deep into one of the frosting "pine trees", buried her face into a corner of the cake and came out grinning, wearing the green, and blue "sky". Everyone got a piece of the large cake, plus a small cup of multi-colored jell-o pieces held together in a gelatin mixture made with evapored milk. Sounds not so good, but delish. I'll try to get the recipe.

It was a very happy suppertime - light-spirited. Gosh, we should have little children around more often. We adults tend to take ourselves so seriously. Mealtime is very, very important to residents at assisted living facilities, and, well, not everyone can be pleased at the same time. We keep trying.

"Mama" has many friends among the caregivers, and they came to honor her efforts and be part of the happy celebration.

One of the residents will celebrate her birthday in two days. She will be 101. Just imagine the age difference between the birthday girls - one entire century! God help us all for what the future brings. We really need to prepare the little ones for strength and hope and perseverance.

Baked Sweet Potato with Lemon and Maple Syrup

What a wonderful thing that 'Di' sent in her comment re the Olde English Pork and Prune recipe. Some day I shall tell what has taken me so long to get this posted.... :(  .....but now that I'm on a week vacation and feeling a bit more rested from the crazy work I do I am able to share this lucious recipe with you.

BAKED SWEET POTATO WITH LEMON AND MAPLE SYRUP

(A bit different for Christmas)

2 lbs white sweet potato (purple skin) preferably, or orange sweet potato.
3/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbls veg. oil
Mix together

Peel sweet potato quickly, before it oxidises
and cut into 1" rounds or chunks.
Steam until just soft.
Place into baking dish and pour over
mixture, coat well.
Place into a pre-heated oven at your normal baking temperature, turning over at least once.
Bake until most of the juices have been absorbed, or become sticky, about 3/4 hour. Be careful not to burn.
Serve as an accompaniment to a main meat dish, or as a main with a salad.

Bon appetit!
Di

Recipe from Renee and Mike

SURVIVAL SOUP

3 cups cabbage, cut up
1 cup carrots, cut up
1 large onion, diced
1 can French-style green beans, drained

4 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes (or chicken, or veg - I used fake veg chicken ones and it's good)

12 - oz low-sodium tomato juice
1/2 tsp (or less) salt
1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste)

1) Combine cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, and greens beans in slow cooker.

2) Heat the water to boiling in kettle or saucepan, sir in bouillon cubes.  When dissolved, pour over vegetables.

3) Add tomato juice, salt and pepper.

4) Cover.  Cook on low 8 - 10 hours.