Are you worried about your children missing a couple months of school? This week, I downloaded a great Kindle book, “Educated.” The memoir seems very timely now, with all the school closings due to COVID-19. Author Tara Westover never attended elementary school or high school. She wasn’t even home schooled. And yet, she graduated from Brigham Young University, and received a Ph.D from Trinity College in Cambridge, U.K. Her older brother taught her to read, but she had to teach herself algebra before she could get into college.
On Wednesday, I weeded the flower beds. And tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain, I’m going to transplant some Hosta. It’s great to be out in the fresh air, and digging in the dirt. .
My husband has agreed to let me trim his beard. I’m letting my own short hair grow longer. I may come out of this with a new hair style.
It’s strange watching TV reporters social distancing and reporting from home. They look so pale and their features appear distorted without the fancy make up and good lighting. I bet they hate seeing themselves on TV. Some of their home environments don’t look very snazzy. Plain white venetian blinds? A microwave on top of your frig? If it were me, I think I’d rig up a nicer background. Some pretty curtains, maybe. A plant or two? Anything but venetian blinds or a microwave oven.
Finally, got out some old cookbooks, looking for recipes that don’t call for canned soup (Stores are completely out). Made Chicken Tetrazzini using white sauce as a base. My husband doesn’t like mushrooms, so I substituted green peppers. It was so good! Also, I didn’t add salt. You can add salt and pepper to taste.
CHICKEN TETRAZZINI
1 pound thin spaghetti
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup flour
3 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained ( or a diced green pepper)
2 or 3 cups diced chicken (or turkey)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Reheat oven to 350 degrees . Lightly grease a baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, and place in baking dish.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, making a smooth paste. Mix in chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Mix sauce with spaghetti, cheddar cheese, chicken, and mushrooms or peppers.. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake about 30 minutes in preheated oven until temperature reaches 160 degrees or until surface is lightly browned,
It’s easy to cut the recipe in half if you’re cooking for two. Or, you can freeze the leftovers to enjoy when everything gets back to normal. I hope that day is coming soon!