I am still in a state of mild shock. I do not have to study. I still feel so strange. I finally finished a long term goal on December 15 when I passed my final test. The registered nursing board test is darn funky doodle. I had been having nightmares about the test for weeks. Nightmares about math problems with lots of kg, units and fluid rates bouncing up in down in cartoon shapes on my bed, obscure disease processes flowing over my body or weirdly having to identify strange rashes via text messaging from my phone. I am so glad I have completed my goal but at the same time I feel a little lost. My days since graduation in June have centered around book study, disease processes or lab test review and practice testing.
I have been thinking what is next? What do I do now? Thoughts have been rolling in and out like an ocean tide. I could, I could, I could...I could go back to school! I have been thinking about more school since the day I graduated.
Yup that is me in the funny white coat, covering up the dress I purchased just for my special day with my wonderful family.
Today I started an application to start my next journey in education. Family Nurse Practitioner. Intention...to be obtained from Wheeling Jesuit University.
Today is January 2 and I am enjoying the fruits of my December 31 think cooking fun. I think, cook and fantasize while I and my kitchen create magical yummy food. I love lucky peas. Which is funny. If I love them, then why don't I cook them more often? I don't know, but I sure cooked up a mess to share with friends as the old year fell to compost and the new year sprouted...beautiful possibility.
Lucky Peas with Dumplings
1/2 pound bacon
1 whole onion chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
2 pats of butter
2 T flour (gluten free use rice flour)
home made poultry stock
1 cup water
salt and pepper
5 cans of black-eyed peas
collards
1. Cook the bacon in a large pot. Remove the bacon, chop and place the drippings in a separate bowl. Set both aside for later. Add onion saute, and garlic saute some more in the pot with at least 2 T left over drippings and butter. When the chopped onion is translucent add the flour. Stir and cook 1 minute. Add peas and cover with stock. Add water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 35 minutes or until peas are tender and thick and saucy.
2. Chop collards. In a fry pan add 1/2 teaspoon or less of saved bacon drippings and when it is popping hot add collards. Turn a few times to make sure all the greens are cooked and are a bright green. Put aside in a separate bowl. Add the collards to the peas just before serving. Mixing well.
Dumplings
1/2 cup flour (gluten free use rice flour)
1/2 cup white corn meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 or 3 scallions minced
2 T cold butter
1 T reserved drippings
1/2 cup sour cream
1. Combine flour, corn meal, baking soda and scallion in a bowl. Cut butter into the flour until it has a coarse texture, and add drippings, sour cream and chopped bacon. Stir the moist dough just enough to mix ingredients together.
2. Heat a fry pan with any left over drippings. Add teaspoon fulls of the dumpling dough spaced well apart. Place a cover over the pan and cook about 4 minutes, turn the dumpling and cook covered about 4 more minutes.
I found this recipe in Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2013 page 156. I of course changed it to suit my taste buds. Enjoy and change the recipe to fit your taste buds too. ") Cook up some Magic!
No comments:
Post a Comment