hi,

batch of brownies just came out of the oven.

cooking helps me
and
i suspect it helps others.

so,

what's cooking?

cu,
larry-b

Hi, I am a better cook than I use to be, because I started to look for things to cook that were softer. It gives more variety also. My husband is in trouble because he has gained quite a few pounds and vanity is working on him. This also kept me busy, so it is a good way to forget your troubles.I garden , vegtables and flowers.That is fun, rewarding and good exercise.Whats cooking, Apple pie, maybe Apple Dumplings, and Zuccini Bread.You can see I live in the North East and its Harvest time!

Not sure if you want to hear about this one.. the in-laws came over a couple of weeks ago, and mother-in-law was commenting on how skinny I got. Apparently she's been thinking, because she's now come up with a plan...more chicken soup for me. Now that wouldn't be a big deal, but she's decided to start raising chickens so she can give my wife live chickens to cook. Of course fresh is better, right?

Just what I need, live chickens running around the apartment. Was interesting enough the night we had shrimp for dinner....

So, in China, same as everyplace else, chicken soup cures everything. Add the right type dried used to be something alive, and it's official medicine.

Sometimes it doesn't pay to ask what's for dinner.
Bob

ok,

i started life in the North East and thus appreciate the fine apples up there this time of year (cider too).

Bob maybe a hobo with chicken soup,
however my first home as a kid was a converted chicken coop... yes a real hillbilly! food kept cold in the creek... my uncle added on to the place and raised his family... never know looking at it that chickens lived there first.

anyway the brownies made with olive oil are gone.

i'll have to make some more.
cu,
larryb

For those who are having great difficulty eating much solids - my husband thrived on yes..the "proverbial" chicken soup (the kind with the skinny noodles in it), ice cream (melted down), Rice Krispies cereal (in milk of course!), glasses of Ovaltine....and one of his favorites that actually gives him no trouble to eat is....catfish (pan fried with a little oil or butter). He LOVES that, and it is so easy for him to eat. Just thought I'd share these ideas for anyone interested. Also - another member was kind enough to share a recipe called a "Mega-Shake" which is LOADED with calories (1300 per 20 oz. serving) and might be helpful for anyone looking to gain weight or maintain the weight they are at now. If anyone is interested, please let me know - since I saved the recipe, and I'll be happy to share it.

Hi
Vegies dont do chicken soup! What do vegitarian cannibals eat? Swedes! Sorry guys. I cant tolerate much in the way of sweet things so the good bit is no chocolate, my Mom always says something good comes out of everything, but she still is eating the chocolate. Nice to meet you all see you again soon.

Gainer`s Fuel from Twin Labs........along with Jevity Plus and Gainer`s Fuel via G tube, I`ve gone from 118 lbs two years ago to 185, and still got the tube..........Packer

Hi Donna Jean,

I'd love that recipe for the 1300 calorie drink. I have a friend who is a 5 years head and neck cancer survivor, unknown primary like me, who just underwent gall bladder surgery. He is down to 90 lbs. He could sure use it. Either post on this thread or send it to me at [email protected]. If it is tasty, I'd post it. All those folks doing radiation can use it.

Helen C.
Your veggie people can make vegetable broth. One of the things that makes chicken soup so healthy is all those good carrots, onions, celery, etc. that goes into the pot. Just add more and leave out the chicken.

Eileen

Hi Eileen. Here is the recipe for the "Mega-Shake" that you requested, and for anyone else interested.

Blend Together:

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 cups ice-cream
1 TBSP. malted milk
2 TBSP Ovaltine
1 package Carnation Instant Breakfast

This provides 1300 calories per 20 oz. serving.

Thanks again to Mandi for providing this recipe back in March 2003.

I just bought a juicer for my husband and I would appreciate any recipes using vegetables and juices that can taste pretty good. His taste buds or working but he can not eat solids and I am trying to offer some healthy foods for him. His swallowing is good, it is the processing with the tongue and chewing that are difficult. He does drink alot of Ensure type products mixed milk, ice cream, protein powder, some fruits, I just want to give him a variety. I hope someday he will be able to eat better. I hate the fact he can not enjoy food but I am glad he is around, he is a treasure to me.
Becky

Hi BeckyR46
hope this gives you some ideas
3 carrots 1 apple 1 orange serves one
scrub and trim the carrots, quarter the apple, peel the orange and cut into rough segments put everthing into the juicer use immediately, only because it separtates if you leave it to long, if you do just shake. ALso www.bbc.co.uk click on food, then on reciepe search, use juice or smoothies should give you some more ideas
all the best
helen.c

Dear Becky,
I blend a fruit or vanilla yogurt with fruit (banana 1/2, stawberries and blueberries) for a yummy treat. Not big on veggies (tsk tsk) so I don't have a smoothie recipe for those.
I think your husband will like this.
Judy U

Ok so I've been yapping about this Chinese herbal soup my wife makes that tends to give a good energy boost, strengthen your body, make you feel better. Please forgive if the translation isn't all that clear, This is one of those "there really isn't a recipie for this, just a handfull of this and that" type of recipies.

A word of caution here, this is an acquired taste. If you're expecting normal chicken soup, forgeddaboutit. However it does seem to help with the energy level. Some of the ingredients are going to be difficult to find stateside, you don't want to be using the powdered stuff. The Chinese name of the ingredient is in brackets.

20 grams Red Glossy Ganoderma (chi ling zhi)
10 grams Astragalus Membranaceus /Astragalus Root (huang qi)
10 grams Chinese Angelica (dang gui)
(all three of the above should be chopped into pieces. Stuff below doesn't need to be chopped)
a little bit (like a quarter of a orange

Bob, as a Chinese, I perfectly understand your recipe but I haven't tried the type of chicken soup you wrote about. For those who love chicken, I think it is necessary to take away the skin before cooking to avoid too much fat in the soup. I prefer using lean meat in the soup. Judging from the ingredients, I don't think you guys in US can get hold of the herbs. For me I eat a lot of different types of fresh fungus, mushrooms and strawmushrooms. Stir fry or boil them in soup with some meat. Very cheap and available in supermarkets.Easy to cook and swallow too!

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnose in 9/01.

Karen, I did forget to mention that that chicken is skinless and cut up somewhat. Nicole uses black chicken, says it's better.

In some areas of the U.S. there are large "China towns" that carry this type of stuff. In Southern California there's a chain of supermarkets called "99 Ranch Markets" that specializes in Asian foods. Walk through the doors you pretty much leave LA and arrive in HK.

Bob

OK folks you asked for it and finally it is here.

My world famous blender ideas!
(more commonly known as Chrome Teeth Cuisine)
(less commonly known as dizzy food)
(even less commonly called tornado food)

The first rule about blender food is THERE AIN'T NO RULES! I tried almost anything.

First stock up on a few items. Get to a health food store (or a super grocery or big drug store) and get a high protein powder mix, It is like flour and has almost no taste so it can be added to anything. A lot of whole milk, at least a half gallon of vanilla ice cream (the better brands have more real dairy and thats what you want). A bunch of bananas, Large selection of yogurt, wheat germ, regular oatmeal (quaker), any other grains you like, your favorite vegetable oil (olive if you like it or some of the other good for you kinds), eggs (cooked), any other fruit you like that are soft ( strawberries, blueberries, peaches, prunes, not apples but apple sauce, Then stock up on ice cubes.

A typical recipe might go like this: 1 banana, one tub of yogurt, 1/2 cup of fruit (washed and no pits) 1/2 cup of ice cream, 1 to 3 table spoons of protein powder, 1 to 3 table spoons of wheat germ, add enough milk to get it to blend, (it is better to get the fruit and liquid blended then slowly add the dry stuff.) The oatmeal can also go in dry right out of the box. Add more milk or ice cream till you like the consistency. A table spoon or two of oil gets you a little more fat (you need it) and will blend right in. Ice cubes can be added for more cold and wet. Put in the crushed multi vitamin (just one or two a day). The ideas is to play with the various items and see what you come up with that you like. remember the colder the less it hurts. Also the mix will tend to thicken in the mug as the oatmeal swells up.

At first this may not sound that good but I found I could get hundreds of calories and lots of protein in a mug that might take only a few minutes to drink. And I still make some of these even now 'cause I like them.

A few other pointers, don't forget the fiber (wheat germ, fruit and oatmeal) the amount of dairy might tend to stop you up a bit, If you get on any pain meds they will cause serious constipation! avoid them if you can or get on metamucil or something. The yogurt is good for yeast problems (besides being an excellent food), you can throw in nuts (peanuts, sunflower, walnuts, cashews,) and they will add a different flavor/texture (leave them in long enough to get chopped up) along with very good food value.

Once you get the basic idea then you can take a walk on the wild side; I took an entire Whopper with cheese from Burger King cut it up a bit, added milk and had that hamburger! It was not quite the same but suprising good and I needed to taste something regular. I also regularly blenderized scrambled eggs with milk and drank them. I tried an entire Ceasar salad also (with mixed results )

Soups and stews can be made to go right down with out having to chew. There are some excellent soup stocks that you can buy that make a great flavor change, don't be afraid of aromatic spices they can help with the taste problems (AVOID HOT SPICES).

sometimes I would blenderize what ever the wife was making for supper that way it wasn't such a big job. Use your imagination and remember to keep eating even if your not hungry.

I hope this helps some and I dare you to top the Whopper meal...

Seeing Gary`s comment in Coping/Anger, on humor,our`s is pretty dark too.....I just got Packer that says Cemetery Dance on the back, and on the front Let the Dance Begin.....needless to say, if people want to stare, I like to give them something to stare at.........another good way to lift your spirits, at least for me, is to make a radical change in your looks.......I`ve gone from brunette to punk blonde, trying for the Billy Idol look........hey, it makes me feel great. I`ve learned through all this if you want to do something, just do it !!!!! Dee

hi Dee,

interesting that you mention hair color. a long distance friend just did blue hair.. got me thinking.. this mostly bald guy might go from brown to white over night.... i like your suggestion, 'just do it'.... well, maybe in time for the holidays.

i bet you look great blonde.

cheers,
larryb

Back in '95 when I got sober I shaved my head (not like there was a lot to shave anyway) and rather liked the "chemo" look (little knowing that someday I wouldn't have to fake it). It probably distressed some of the folks in infusion therapy - "Oh my God! -am I going to end up looking like HIM?" At least I didn't worry about my hair falling out. Only half of my goatee/moustache fell out - I don't mean half of the hair in total, I mean half on only one side of my face -and then mainly the dark hairs at that (they have since grown back I am happy to report). And then there's the "Nazi death camp survivor look". I do that one really good - It's really fun to go into ice cream stores every day and order a double scoop and watch all the stares from (overweight) people wondering how does this guy get away with this? See - there really ARE good reasons for forgoing the PEG tube.

Asking wierd questions from the doctors is fun too like "Why isn't my brain symmetrical on the MRI?" (this assuming that you have asked all of the important questions FIRST).

I have come a long way from being caught up in the statistics.

Laughing at myself is an important part of my coping therapy these days...