Critters and fritters

Lets see, today's menu included: 3 croissants, a carrot, coffee, 1/4 lg bag BBQ chips, 2 fried eggs, 2 pc toast, hash browns, bacon, more coffee, 1.5 apples, lemonade, 4 zucchini fritters with salmon and dipping sauce, ice cream bar, lg glass white wine.


Tonight's supper was an amalgamation of two recipes pulled from different magazines. Today's Parent and Chatelaine. They were similar enough that I blended them together for a unique taste that was mostly family approved. The boys didn't eat too much, but they sure gobbled the salmon. A distinct hate for the dipping sauce, though. Elliot got very upset when his wasn't in the shape of a rodent or other small critter-like creature.

While the from-frozen salmon was baking with a dusting of lemon and dill, the fritters were easy enough to whip up, even with these critters underfoot.

Cheesy zucchini corn fritters

2 small zucchini
1 cup cooked corn (I used thawed)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/8 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Do not peel zucchini. Coarsely grate and then spread out over paper towel - cover with more paper towel and press down to remove water. Put in large bowl. Sprinkle in cornstarch and mix. Add corn, onions and egg, mix well. Add cornmeal, flour, milk, salt & pepper and mix.

I heated a bit of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and then used a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter out and into the pan to form patties. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on how golden and crispy you want them.

Alternatively, you could put them on a parchment lined baking pan and bake at 400 for 15 minutes, turning them carefully, and baking for 8 more minutes.

Sauce:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp grainy dijon mustard
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix well, serve on the side. Good with salmon, too!

Tasty!

Leftovers from my kitchen helpers.

Tomorrow's attempt will be crock pot lasagna. Stay tuned!

c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e

That is all.

Oh, and maybe some tea. And steak. With sour cream. And pirogies. And pancakes. And ice cream.







***Too Much Info Alert***









For the last few weeks, I've had frequent, but intermittent pain in the middle right side of my abdomen - about a finger width up and 3 finger widths over from my belly button. It's tender to push on and reminds me, eerily, of when I was pregnant and would get an elbow or knee pushing out of me. It feels a *bit* more solid there than on the other side.

Yes, I'm gassy. Yes, I'm eating a bunch of foods that I know I'm sensitive to and shouldn't be having. My bowel habits have changed a bit, but are still moving. I'm not pregnant - at least, I keep having negative tests and periods. But even my periods are different over the last few months - arriving later than usual, staying shorter than usual, and are alternating between being heavy/painful and almost non-existent.

No idea. Maybe a kink in my intestines? (seems too high for that) A hernia? A stone-baby? Trapped gas? Nothing at all? I'm seeing my dr for something else on Tuesday and will be telling her about it.

I was speaking with my aunt-by-marriage last weekend and she has Crohn's... we were comparing symptoms and it sounds like I could be setting myself up for a trip down that road in the next few years. She was diagnosed when she was only 5 years older than I am now, but said that based on the testing/questions, hers was late-onset and she'd been battling it since her teens without knowing it. She's not a blood relation, but there are many digestive issues in my family.

*sigh* Yet another reason I really need to get myself off the sugar/dairy/wheat/etc and back on track.

Still ok in the weight department: 156 the other morning. Surprising, since the belly seems bigger than ever. And the pregnancy comments are popping up again. Still want/need to lose at least 15 lbs.