Annie DeMoranville

Monday Menu: Freezing for the Week

What I’ve been freezing in my food cubes this week.

Ropa Vieja – I was craving it for some reason and chuck cross rib roast happened to be on sale. Perfect timing all around. I froze the leftovers in the 1 cup cubes. Enough to serve over rice or on a salad.

I also froze grilled hamburgers (to crumble over salads), more shredded chicken, rice, and mashed potatoes.

My experiment this week will be diced potatoes and diced hard boiled eggs. I wanted to see if they would then thaw and make a decent potato salad. My first attempt – freezing leftover potato salad did not work. I want to see if freezing them separate and then adding the mayo mixture after they thaw will make a difference. I know it’s not the potoes, they freeze well. It might be the eggs are the deal breaker.

Finally, as the garden started to deliver more fresh veggies, I had enough cucumbers to make a small batch of this Korean Cucumber salad.

Furry Friday: Stitches

Actually, staples.

Post surgery nap.

I have not blogged all week because Trixie injured herself last Friday. After surgery I’ve been playing “keep the Dane quiet” and “keep the Danes separated” all week.

Exhausting.

We are still not sure how she managed to get a two-inch gash in her shoulder that was so clean it looked like it was done by a scalpel. No blood, either. The vet and I were stumped. Minor surgery to clean up the edges and staple it shut and she was home by end of the day.

White duck eating watermelon out of yellow bowl — Nora enjoying her watermelon treat

Meanwhile, the next night, Nora was attacked by raccoons. She was uninjured, but the raccoons may not have been so lucky- between the dogs and me evicting them from the yard. The drought has made them angry and unafraid, so it took a bit of effort.

Her coop needs some extensive repairs, which I’ve been doing slowly.

So no blogging this week, although I did get some good writing done. Emotional trauma will do that for me, gets those creative juices flowing. LOL

I also finally got all the books, both ebooks and paperbacks, set up for direct sale on the website. Click here to purchase directly. Audiobooks are still only available through Amazon and Audible.

Below the fold are Trixie’s staples, if you are wondering. Nothing gory. I saved those photos for friends and family via text.

Fun times.

Here’s hoping next week is quiet. Until then.

caution, mended wound ahead….

Work Wednesday: New Duxbridge Novel

I am heavy into the second book in the Duxbridge Mysteries. I don’t have a title yet, but do have a solid story.

Because of that, I haven’t written the first installment of the Evolution of TJ Wilde: Full Sail, yet (you can see the stories about Run Aground and Underway here).

1950 typewriter, 1940 Art Deco phone and Italian cat sculpture on a desk

How about a few photos of my birthday thrift store finds to make up for it? The 1950s Royal typewriter (with the green keys!) absolutely stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t even hesitate to grab it. It works great, was clearly well taken care of or restored. Types great, looks even better.

Duxbridge Audiobook Updated

Duxbridge Audiobook users, the voice has changed on the book now. You can get the new voice if you like by deleting and downloading the book again.

I really HATED the old one and the new one is much easier to listen to, possibly because she had a deeper range.

Saturday Morning Harvest

Been such an up and down veggie garden season so far. Today’s assessment – my San Marzano tomatoes are just beginning to produce fruit, so they probably will not survive the first frost.

My jalapenos went from no peppers to a plant full – nice surprise.