PANDEMIC DIARY - How I Spent My Sequester - Pt. 1

 

PANDEMIC DIARY
How I Spent My Sequester
Part 1

With all the negatives of sequestering, I have one positive.  Richard's doing all the dinner cooking (I didn't name my blog "My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings" for nothing).

At some point I'll muse about other things, but right now I'll focus on the food I've been eating and cocktails I've been drinking (and so far, weeks into the 2020 Pandemic, I've gained only two pounds... and I did NOTHING to the bathroom scale... nothing!) 

We've been starting our evenings with a cocktail - When we have one in a restaurant, it's a vodka martini (hold the vermouth) for me and single malt for Richard.  Normally we're not mixed-drink cocktail people, but hey, we're not going anywhere and neither is the liquor, so why not?  Especially after I dragged out from our cookbook closet/pantry an old (30's/40's) wooden cocktail recipe book and a 'drinks' pamphlet from the forties that I had inherited from my parents - We looked at the whiskeys in our drinks cupboard and shook up a new drink each night.  We hit new shaker heights!

Here are top favorites so far. 

Gin Fizz

Cosmopolitans

Gin Orange Blossoms

Pixie Tangerine & Bourbon Sours

Scotch sours

"Penicillin" - Scotch rocks w/ Ginger Honey
 

Some of the sequester dinners Richard has made in our very own sequester kitchen:

Richard dishing out his shrimp scampi risotto

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese  w/ Bacon - a dish made in keto heaven

Chicken in a Tarragon(Richard added fennel) cream sauce + zucchini - divine

Crispy Frico Chicken Breast w// Mushrooms & Thyme + green beans - a freaky good frico!

Roasted Salmon w/ Peas & Radishes - a Rad dish!  (sorry)

Sauteed Salmon in Lime Butter Sauce + Corn & Broccoli - citrus-y succulent!

Sole Almondine (an all-time favorite) + summer squash & asparagus. O Sole Mio!

Korean Meatballs w/ Mashed Carrots & Peas - Seoul Food!

But, after scouring all our cook books, Richard dragged out our old Weight Watchers "123 Success Recipe Collection" and made my favorite pork chops which he hadn't made in years --- so, so good.

PORK CHOPS & APPLE with MAPLE-BOURBON GLAZE

 Ingredients:

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Four 4-oz boneless, lean center-cut pork chops

1 apple peeled, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/3 - 1/2 cup bourbon

Directions: 

Spray a large nonstick skillet w/ nonstick cooking spray;  heat.  On a large sheet of wax paper, combine the flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge the pork chops in the flour mix on all sides, then saute until browned, about 5 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a plate/platter.

Spray the skillet w/ more nonstick cooking spray; cook the apple, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and slightly softened.  About 2 minutes.  Transfer to the plate/platter with the pork chops.

Pour the maple syrup into the skillet, then add 1/3 cup of bourbon; stir to combine thoroughly.  Return the pork chops and apple to the skillet; reduce the heat and cook until the chops are cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the chops and apple to a new platter.

If pan juices are too thick to stir, add the remaining bourbon.  Increase the heat to high and boil  the pan juices, stirring constantly, until thick and syrupy, 1-2 minutes.  Serve on the side.

4 servings

Per serving:

301 calories

ll g total fat

4 g saturated fat

54 mg cholesterol

322 mg sodium

13 g carbohydrate

1 g dietary fiber

25 g protein

41 mg calcium

WW points per serving:  7

Bon Appetit!

However you're passing your sequester time, please be safe and well.  Wear a mask for your neighbor and stay out of crowds.