OMG!!! The Captain makes a healthy meal!!!

(Where's the bacon fat when you need it?)

So, as I said it would, Fall has returned to Michigan. It is raining and cold here in Redford at 6:00 AM (49 degrees F. or 9 C.) with a forecasted high for the next several days only in the mid-fifties. But, no coffee to warm me up (blood work fasting, remember?) Ever try and chug down 6 pills with just a "sip" of water? It's possible, but not pleasant!

Anyway, drove to the lab in the rain and got my blood drawn by the same nurse/technician I had the last time, two years ago. Well, come to think of it, she's the only one in the building at 7:00 AM. She's 40-50ish and is also an author (biographies and "A History of, say, Detroit" kind of books) which should make her interesting and a religious fanatic, which does not.

Now, before I start to get comments from the religious right, let me
explain. I have no problems with people of faith in general, but let me give you an example: She was talking about how it was reported in the news this would be another warm winter. I agreed and said I was concerned about the sum total effect of this global warming (as I am). She said we really don't need to worry about that, God will take care of it.

Now, I don't know about you, but my idea of the Christian God is not the benevolent, New Testament, "turn the other cheek," or "come to Me, My little lambs" kinda God, but rather the Old Testament "turning people into pillars of salt if they don't listen" or "drowning the entire freakin' world, except for Noah, if they screw up" kinda God. So, I always picture God using the same voice and almost the exact same words as my friend B___, back in the day when he was my boss, who once said to me, "You screwed this up, so you fix it. I'll fix it if I have to but, trust me, if I have to, you will not like it!"

(Note to self: You just compared B___ to God and that's creeping me out a little!)

Anyway, I got three vials drawn and a rather ugly, folded gauze pad and tape bandage and left. I know it was more psychological than real, but I was starving and thirsty, so on the way to work, I stopped at a McDonalds and got a sausage and egg McMuffin and a large glass of water and ate it before arriving.

Regretting my complete lack of food discipline and knowing I still have my upcoming annual physical on October 23, I chose to eat just a salad for lunch.

Long time readers may remember Jake has wanted to recreate two or three of his mother's staple recipes from his childhood (and I think Jeremy has talked about at least one): I believe they are: a rice and hamburger dish, her bread pudding and, what she called goulash.

Now, over the years, I have SO altered that rice dish that I cannot give you the original recipe (I like mine better, LOL!), I don't like sweets so the bread pudding never really interested me (I do remember it was thicker than most of the bread puddings I've tasted since. You could, for example, pick up a piece in your hand and eat it). And, this is all I can remember about the goulash (I think it was her step-mother Gerry's recipe). You browned hamburger. You added sliced onions. You added some salt and pepper and maybe an unknown spice or two). Then you dumped in one of those large cans of
tomato or V-8 juice. While that got happy, you boiled a box (1 pound) of elbow macaroni. Once drained, you added the macaroni to the hamburger mixture, simmered it a bit and served.

That being said, I came across a recipe that, for some odd reason, spoke to me. So, I decided I'd make it tonight, in honor of being free to eat what I want (but, still trying to keep it healthy, lol!)

However, a number of things (mostly my pantry items) kept me from exactly following the original recipe. So, I will post it as I read it and add what I altered:

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pound lean ground turkey (I could only find 1 1/2 pounds of ground
turkey for sale)

- 1 (14 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes (the can in my pantry had also contained basil, oregano and garlic)

- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I also added one small/medium yellow onion, chopped)

- 1 cup tomato sauce (I had none, so I used a small can of tomato paste plus 1/2 of that same can of water)

- 2 teaspoons white sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (I left that out as my canned tomatoes already contained basil)

- I added 1 teaspoon of paprika, as all real Hungarian goulashes have
paprika in them.

- 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta (the box I had only contained 12 ounces)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey until browned.

2. Stir in the stewed tomatoes, garlic, onions, tomato sauce (or tomato paste and water), sugar (and paprika), and then simmer for about 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, and then drain. Combine the pasta and turkey mixture.

I let everything get happy on simmer for 10 minutes, then served it (again, not called for in the recipe, but more traditional) with a dollop of sour cream and thin sliced scallions (white and green)

Very, very good! I ate it watching TV and went to bed around 11:30 PM.