Not shy, but retiring...

Of the moment but nevertheless momentous, it was a decision I may live to regret. All it took was a visit to a website and one phone call.
As of August 1, I will be among the ranks of those collecting Social Security. (That's if the Republicans don't turn us oldsters into an endangered species. I could have waited, but "entitlement" is sounding more and more like a dirty word.)
Now that reality is setting in, I realize I will also be pursuing side hustles if I want to do more than simply survive on the pittance I will be receiving.
Last night I cranked out 16 photo cards and ordered supplies to make more, plus postcards. I also signed up for a new weekly farmers/crafters market.
The museum was out of my scenic Columbia Gorge and Lewis & Clark DVDs, so I made a batch, also ordering blank DVDs and jewel cases. I will try to sell DVDs, jewelry and some cards and framed photos at my table at the market, plus a few wall hangings or pillows.
Wait a minute --- this is already running into money...
Mom wanted to take me out to dinner last night to celebrate, as she is excited about not having to sit alone at home all day while I am at work. She knew I was tired, and said we could go somewhere close to home.
I refused to go out. I had planted part of our(tiny) vegetable garden before attending a tense PUD meeting --- on my day off. The meeting was mostly in executive session; two of the three board members are trying to fire the PUD manager. That meeting is precisely why I am so ready for retirement. I have known most of the participants for years, including the 'citizen' contingent waiting in the lobby like Madame Defarge (nearly all the complainers wanting him fired are former PUD employees who worked there before he came on board, and things are much better now). One of the PUD commissioners admitted saying their target is a 'sacrificial lamb,' but off with his head nonetheless. There is nothing worse than old '60s activists with too much time on their hands.
Returning to dinner and last night --- I was tired and down in my right hip and I didn't want go out.
There was a bundle of Washington asparagus waiting in the crisper drawer, so this is what I made: I started some Thai jasmine brown rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and removed five small chicken breast tenders from the freezer and placed them on a plate. They were still frozen, but I sprinkled them with 2 tsp. of sesame oil, a splash of fish sauce and 2 T. of low-sodium Trader Joe's soy sauce, mincing a clove of garlic and shaving about 3/4" of frozen ginger root over them. I cut up eight of the thickest stalks of asparagus, removing the fibrous ends. Half a sweet onion and half a sweet red pepper were cut into strips and added to the pile.
Pouring about an inch of excess rice water --- I had used too much water ---into a deep non-stick skillet, I turned the heat on high.
I left a little water in the bottom of the rice and put the lid back on the rice, turning off the heat in a minute, as it was nearly done.
Then I hacked the still partially frozen chicken tenders into 1-1/2" slices and added them and the marinade ingredients to the pan with the rice water. Then I threw in 1" pieces of the lower part of the asparagus stalks, saving the tops to be added toward the end. In went the red pepper and onion strips, plus the chopped white part of two large scallions, saving the green tops for later. I opened a small can of sliced shiitake mushrooms and drained them, throwing them in with the chicken and vegetables. Next I added 2 T. each of oyster sauce, soy sauce and agave syrup, plus several grinds of black pepper (I saved the red pepper flakes for my portion, but you wouldn't have to). I stirred in the remaining asparagus and scallion tops, plus 1 T. of cornstarch. In a couple more stirs, it was done.
The new trick I learned last night: Other than the sesame oil, no oil was used in the stirfry. Although it was the result of a flub, using the excess rice water with its rich jasmine flavor made an excellent sauce base. I will continue to do that. Although browning things in oil adds umami, there was more than enough flavor to go around with those ingredients.
The leftovers are going to work with me today for lunch. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, I have to put in extra hours due to early deadline.
August can't get here fast enough.

Faux frying....

I started out more than an hour early this morning (Tuesday, April 20) for a 10 a.m. meeting with my state senator and two state representatives to do a story about the close of a very contentious special session. The meeting was at the White Salmon Library, which is only 20 or so miles east of here. However, the state Department of Transportation is removing excess rock from S.R. 14 and I was warned the road would be completely closed for blasting from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. I left before 8 a.m., more than enough time, and was amused to discover rock was already blocking one lane and crews were frantically trying to open the lane to let people through for a few minutes before closing the road again for two hours. They accomplished their temporary clearance, and I proceeded to another detour at M.P. 64, which is up the White Salmon River via Alternate 141 and through a lovely section of curves and narrow roadway, guaranteeing that people will stop in the City of White Salmon just to catch their breaths before proceeding on.
I did, and arrived in time for my rendezvous with the lower Yakima Valley legislators, who had no idea what I had just traversed to arrive for their version of the state meltdown budget. We are not yet California, but give us a couple of years.
After our meeting and renewing my driver's license at the White Salmon office (the new photo looks like someone's grandmother), I headed to Hood River. I bought some fuschia starts in five colors at RiteAid, and went grocery shopping at Rosauer's in the Heights. It has a few faults, but it has lovely produce and a wonderful health food section. I found a large 22-ounce bottle of agave syrup on sale, and a 12-ounce bag of erythritol, which is supposedly in short supply now due to its sudden popularity. I had tried to order some online from Emerald Forest, the source of my 5-pound bags, and was notified that all but the individual one-serving packets were unavailable in Colorado due to high demand. So I paid $11 (on sale!) for a 12-ounce bag in Hood River. At least I didn't have to pay shipping.
I also got a package of turkey breast tenderloins at Rosauer's, and other items, including parmesan, frozen seafood mix and ham, all under 3 percent fat.
After I arrived home, we planted the fuschia in a hanging basket (cheaper at five plants for 89 cents each than a Mother's Day hanging basket would be at $25). I will make up for it another way, such as a Mother's Day sternwheeler cruise.
Preparing dinner, I took out a big fat sweet potato, peeled it and cut it into strips, placing the pieces on a rectangular baking sheet sprayed with canola. Then I took the turkey tenderloins, cut them into smaller strips and put them in a shallow container of leftover pancake batter with extra Eggbeaters, buttermilk, Hungarian paprika, garlic and onion powder and fresh ground pepper. I then rolled the turkey strips in panko crumbs, and placed them on a canola-sprayed cookie sheet into a 400 degree oven, after giving them a light spritz with the cooking spray. They were all done about the same time, and I added raspberry mustard to the plate as a dipping sauce. It was a marriage made in heaven. Mom was thrilled at a supposedly "verboten" dinner menu. Who needs deep frying? Hooray for panko crumbs.