Friday 1 December 2023

In My Kitchen - December 2023

I am pre-empting myself, but by the time you read this, I will have had (Fates allowing) my second eye operation.  Yay!!  And I've had another crown put on a tooth in the meantime.  My bank balance is teetering on the edge at the moment :=)  Why are doctors and dentists so blithe with OUR money?  

Sure, give me one of those extra-expensive dental crowns and yep, throw in a massive filling, and an expensive bone scan etc etc ...  Grrrr!  Let's hope next year is a lot less hard on the purse, emotions and mental health.  Anyway, enough whingeing, my friends.  Let's look at some good stuff, before we all descend into Christmas madness.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays of whatever sort you fancy!  See you all in January, my friends!  Have a marvellous and wonderful festive season.

c. Sherry M.

In My Kitchen:


there were Halloween biscuits
I gave some to my dentist's office.  Tee hee ... Cavities here they come.

there was homemade chicken soup

and blanched green beans for the freezer

I bought local honey at Tyalgum Country Store

This is a fabulous general store out in the countryside.  They serve food and coffee, and sell groceries, and bits and bobs.  I loved it!!

and coffee drip bags from a coffee roaster down the coast

there were Diwali sweets from our Fijian-Indian friend

and another cute tumbler from Miss E. pottery

I made blackberry compote for my porridge 

and I blanched cauliflower, which was heading to the freezer

and I bought this online from a Japanese store in Sydney -
 there is roasted sesame dressing, and a yuzu ponzu


and the curveball: a portrait of our house by our friend Ms. Atee


c. Sherry M.


Be a part of our friendly IMK community by adding your post here too - everybody welcome!  We'd love to see you.  Tell us about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg. in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  And one curveball is welcome - whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  

The link is open from the first of the month to midnight on the thirteenth of the month, every month.

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3. Email me: sherrym1au@gmail.com, with your link or any queries about the link process, or if you would like it to be added after the 13th ('cos I'm happy to add it for you later)


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50 comments:

  1. Good luck with the surgery (or if it's done by now, good luck with recovery)! I had the impression that Australia had complete national health insurance, so I'm startled that you have to pay for the op. That's terrible! Here at least seniors over 65 have medicare from the government.
    Thanks for hosting and for setting this up before your big day!

    best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. thanks Mae. Day 2 of recovery; all going well so far except for the incredibly runny nose! We do have free health care for people with concession cards - Old age pensioners, single parents etc and we do have some bulk billing for others but it seems like a lottery!

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  2. Wonderful images all. And good luck with the crown and the eye surgery, which I hope you sailed through with no problems! Take care healing!

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    1. thanks jeanie. all done and dusted and seemingly going well so far!!

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  3. I'm glad you're finished with the eye surgeries and that they went well. I know what you mean about doctors and dentists getting a lot of your cash. Love all of your photos!!

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  4. That tumbler looks really sweet and those sweets from your Indian friends are so tasty, Sherry. Hope you recover soon from your eye surgery!

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  5. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Enjoy!

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  6. We've had a run of expensive teefy peg and doctor business - it makes my bank account hurt! Hope your eye heals fast and fabulous and that you are soon enjoying 20:20 vision. Lots of goodness in your kitchen - that compote looks especially good! Thanks for hosting us in my/your kitchen all year long. Hope you have a delicious Christmas and a happy and healthy 2024. "See" you next year! xx

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    1. yep the bank accounts are looking loose these days:) But at least with the eye surgeon, you get most of the money back from Medicare! Happy merry christmas xx

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  7. I hope the op went smoothly! How on earth can you tell which Japanese condiment is which? Love your tumbler and painting.
    from Tandy I Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com

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    1. thanks Tandy. the inner labels have the english names but also i know what the sesame dressing looks like:)

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  8. In order of importance - seriously hope the eye op is a full success and the tooth crown satisfactory and its frightful cost somehow absorbed! I need both 'procedures' but am still 'managing two ghastly unbelievable winter electricity bills and eating L&E whilst my foot and back and heart still were not behaving! January, definitely ;) ??? AND a warm and happy Yule and all the very best for the year ahead! AND love lots you have put on your post BUT may I please have the name of the on-line Japanese shop you used - like the look of your purchases - that mushroom powder ('umami' !!!!) looks inviting! . . . bestest . . .

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    1. thanks Eha. it seems to be going well so far. Yep crown all done and dusted. Bills seem endless lately! The japanese store is called jimoto foods in sydney. Yep i can't wait to try the umami powder. it smells great. happy holidays to you. cheers sherry

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  9. Good luck on your surgery and God bless you.
    Merry Christmas.

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  10. Glad to hear that you've had your second eye surgery (hopefully the last one!) and the dental work done.. ouch for the body and wallet but hoping that you will recover and be back to form before the holiday crazies! I love that chicken tumbler, you always have the most adorable ceramics! Take care and Merry Christmas!

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    1. yep only the 2 eyes:=) Have a lovely festive season!

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  11. Get well soon Sherry! Love your new pottery cup!

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  12. Glad you’re all done with the surgeries!

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  13. All the best with your surgery. Hope you have a speedy recovery. I love your tablecloth on the pucture of the coffee

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    1. thank you Petrina. yes that tablecloth is a beauty!

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  14. I hope you're recovering well Sherry? It will be great to have your surgeries all over and done with :)

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    1. yes thanks lorraine. Just need time to get better now.

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  15. Hi Sherry. Happy to hear you're on the other side of the medical stuff. May the new year bring you nothing but good health and happiness.
    There's so much fantastic stuff in your kitchen! LOVE the Miss E. pottery mug (just looked them up -- beautiful things!), the umami powder, and coffee. Who doesn't love "seriously good coffee!?" :-) ~Valentina

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    1. thanks Valentina. I'm hoping for a great 2024, as are many people I think. Yes isn't that pottery fabulous? I want her whale platter. Yep good coffee is delightful!

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  16. How wonderful to have a portrait of your house. Hope your recovery is going well Sherry, oh to have perfect vision again. A lot of really fascinating new things in your kitchen, and I love the umami powder. Have a wonderful Christmas.

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    1. yes we love the portrait. we actually have another one done by another artist! happy xmas to you too.

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  17. Hope the surgery went well and your recovery is speedy Sherry!

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    1. thank you Neil.. it all seems to be going well so far.

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  18. Hi Sherry, gosh it was like reading about myself! I had eye surgery (x 2 - one for each eye) earlier in 2023 and I have more eye surgery ahead of me. I also need a crown on a tooth but waiting to check all is ok with it first! I love that tumbler of yours! Also impressed with the portrait of your house by your friend. And of course another busy month in the kitchen for you - my eye is drawn to the homemade chicken soup (my kinda thing)! I hope all has gone well with your surgery. Merry Christmas to you in case I don't see you again before then! Thanks for linking up with #WWWhimsy ! xo

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    1. yes i remember reading your post about the eye surgery. oh what else are you having done on your eyes? Yep glad i got the crown done before the eye op and xmas. Merry christmas to you too. xxx

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  19. Woah - that painting (drawing?) of your house is so cool! Ms. Atee is certainly very talented. I do hope the 2 surgeries went well. It feels like when it rains, it pours, right? Here's hoping for some dry weather! Happy holidays to you and Mr. P. Get better soon so we can see fun new posts in the new year!

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    1. yes she is very talented - and an architect and a mum and ... Yep surgeries went well, just trying to recover now. Merry christmas to you and yours.

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  20. Our health needs can get expensive, can't they? Even with insurance, it can be overwhelming at times. I hope your eye surgery went well!

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    1. yes indeed. hubby and i don't have private health cover so we have to cough up the $ ourselves :)

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  21. As always Sherry lots of good things happening in your kitchen. Here's hoping you are feeling 100% since your eye surgery, and you are happy with your new crown.

    Best wishes for the holiday season.

    Velva

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    1. thank you Velva. Yes eye and crown feeling better!

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  22. Thanks Sherry for sharing your updates! I'm glad to hear your second eye surgery is coming up soon, or better already done, and I hope it went well. Wishing you all the best for a smooth recovery!

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    1. thanks Raymund. Yes eye op. all done and coming along well. I'm just getting fed up with putting in eye drops 8 times a day!

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  23. Hi Sherry, I hear you on dentist fees, even if it's just a check and clean it's expensive. I love the chook tumbler, so cute! All the best for your recovery after the eye op.

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    1. thanks Deb. Am feeling better and can certainly see better :)

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  24. My favorite thing of the month? That incredible tumbler from Miss E! I also love the portrait of your house… So, how is your eye? Your tooth? Everything else? Happy Christmas, and here’s to hoping for a much better 2024 for all. David (C&L)

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    1. oh yes I love her pottery. and the portrait. Yep thanks eye going well. tooth good. still got feet issues and stuff ... that's life, isn't it? happy christmas to you and yours!

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  25. From Johanna @ https://gggiraffe.blogspot.com/
    Hope you are seeing well and chomping well by now so you feel it was money well spent! My health has been a bit whack a mole this year - one thing is fixed and the next pops up - so I hear you on that! And it amused me that you gave sweet biscuits to the dentist - was it a thank you or a hole in the teeth for them as well as you :-)

    Glad to see your kitchen is in fine form. That chicken cup is gorgeous. I love how good you are at preserving food in your kitchen - I try to learn from this. I am a big fan of ponzu so I love the sound of the yuzu ponzu. Your house looks like a fine Queenslander. What a lovely picture!

    And I love your festive artwork - have a great Christmas and new year and here's to good health and good food in 2024.

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    1. oh yes indeed it has been that kind of year, and I still have other (less important) health issues to fix up. but that's for next year! Thanks for being part of IMK this year. See you in 2024! Happy festive season; happy Christmas!

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