I'm back. Vascullitis has not kept me down.

Today is a new day.  August 1, 2015 and I am still alive.  I had not publishe anything since 2011 because I had several helth epiosodes.  Since then I have had continuous chest pain and hospitalizations to treat the pain.  All the male cardiologist I saw did not know what to do with me and they finally referred me out to Dr. Noel Merz at the Cedars Sanai Womens Heart Clinic.  She was able to diagnose me and started treating me for the pain.

In April 2015 I was hospitalized at Henry Mayo for about a week without any treatment or relief of the chest pain.  I was discharged and told the pain was caaused by the vascullitis.  Two days later I was in the ICU at Cedars Sanai where I underwent a CT scan and was told there was probably a 50% blockage of my right coronary artery.    I underwent an angioplasty with stent placement two days later.  I have been on blood thinners since then.

The last two weeks have been good weeks and I am now starting to feel better, so I am back creating new recipies that are easy, healthy and energy saving.  Here is my latest that I created with fresh home grown organic Argentinian squash and Heirloom tomatos that my husband grows in the back yard.


Ingredients:


4 squares of grocery bought puff pastry
1 medium Argentinian Squash
1 large Heirloom Tomato
1 large sliced whit onion
3 sprigs of thyme
2 garlic cloves diced
1/4 cup each shredded jalapeno jack, cream cheese,   gruyere and cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp beef base
splash white wine.


1. Preheat oven to 385 degrees F.

First caramelize your onions in a pan by adding butter, chopped garlic and thyme.  Once they are soft and caramelized add your beef base and the splash of wine to deglaze the pan.  Set aside to cool.

Now you can slice your tomato and squash.  Start your tart by  layering your puff pastry on a non greased tart pan.  You can then start building your tart using the squash as your first layer, sprinkle each layer with some pepper.  Then add your second layer with the heirloom tomatoes all around the tart.  The third layer will be the caramelized onions.  Finally add the mixture of cheese as a topping

PASTA FOR THANKS GIVING?

Hello my friends,

It's been a while since my last post, but after receiving many calls and requests for catering for this Thanks Giving, I decided to post this recipe instead.   Unfortunately I do not have the energy to cook for other families this year, in fact my daughters are cooking this year for our family.  One of the most called for meals has been my shrimp with pink sauce and my "crack tamales".    I will give you my recipe for the pasta, not the tamales.   My daughters would kill me if I shared the tamale recipe with any one.   I have simplified the Shrimp With Pink Sauce recipe for you.

Ingredients:

2 pounds medium size peeled and de veined shrimp
2 table spoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 stems fresh thyme
2 table spoons fresh basil chopped
1 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Contadina crushed Italian tomato with basil.
pasta water
Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

For sauce:

Take shrimp and coat with seasoning salt, pepper and  cracked pepper flakes.  On a large skillet melt the butter and add the thyme, onions  and chopped garlic.  Saute shrimp a few at a time in the butter and remove  cooked shrimp to a plate.  Do this until all the shrimp are cooked.  Once all the shrimp are cooked, use the same pan to add the heavy whipping cream, chicken stock and add the crushed tomato.  Allow this to cook down till thick and if needed add some of the pasta water.  This will allow the sauce to thicken a bit more.   Once the sauce is a bit thick add your shrimp and your pasta and saute for a couple of minutes.   Finish your dish with the chopped basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.   Serve immediately and enjoy.

For pasta
1  package angel hair pasta
2 Chicken bullion cube- use instead of salt

Bring large pot of water to boil, add the chicken base cubes and pasta once the water is at a rolling boil.  Do not add oil but stir past once or twice to keep it from sticking.  Strain pasta and add directly to the sauce.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO BE SAD

Hello my friends,

It has been a few weeks since my last blog.  Nothing too interesting has happened since my last blog, but I have continued to recover well.  I am still trying to cook tasty meals for my family.  Today is a special day, my daughter Liliana is turning 22 years old.  I can't believe how fast time passes by.  Last night we were talking about how things will happen in the order in which God wants them to occur and how they will not happen before or after.  If I did not have my children when I did,  because of my autoimmune disease, I probably would not have had any children.  An even though I lost my kidneys and have had many health problems, God has blessed our family with love, unity and had given us a comfortable life.  Had it not been for my kidney disease I would not have become a realtor and would probably still be working for some one else an d living in the valley.   So rather than sitting here feeling sorry for my self, I choose to sit here and thank God for all his blessings and invite all of you who may bee feeling down or stressed to do the same.   Life is too short to be sad.   God bless all of you on this most joyful day.

 So since today is going to be a long day and Brenda my youngest does not get home till after 7pm, we decided to celebrate a pre-birthday yesterday.  I cooked for Liliana her favorite meal,  Pozole.

Here is the recipe.

1 large can of Hominy  (Make sure you strain out water from can and rinse off your hominy before adding to soup pot)

7 pounds of pork   (neck bones and pork stew meat combo).
1 large white onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons Knorr chicken base (crumbled)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp.  menudo mix
1 tsp.  ground clove
1 fresh bay leaf
1 small can Las Palmas mild enchilada sauce

Place all the above in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Once it is boiling lower heat and cook for approximately 3-4 hours until meat and hominy are soft and tender.    Serve warn with some Pozole toppings.


Toppings for Pozole:

Shredded cabbage
chopped onion
lemon
thin slices of radish

 Hello again;

Since my last blog, I have continued to do my daily dialysis with fairly no problems.  But about a week ago, we began to notice high venous and arterial pressures when doing the treatment.   What this means is that there is some sort of restriction or blockage in the fistula.   This can cause blood clots or just not being able to clear out the toxins from my blood properly.   We contacted Dr. Shook my nephrologist and he suggested I call the vascular specialist.  I called Dr. Rafidi and he scheduled a Fistula gram.

 This is a procedure that is performed under local anesthetic and twilight anesthesia.   What this means is they numb the incision site and usually give you some medication to make you lightly sleepy and relaxed.  They insert a needle and inject a dye that allows the surgeon to view your veins under x-ray.   Once they see how the dye runs,  they can view if there is any scaring, stenosi(narrowing) or blockage.  They can use a balloon to clear it out.   My procedure only took about 20 minutes and another 20 for recovery.   I did have some bruising, and swelling, but for the most part I am recovering nicely.

I took a break from cooking until yesterday when I made my apricot rum BBQ pork ribs.  My husband insisted I share the recipe with you.

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 small can tomato sauce
2 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp dried onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1tbsp hot wing sauce
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp Montreal steak seasoning

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Rib preparation

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbs. Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
2 tsp. chili powder.
1 tsp salt
juice 1 line
1 tbsp mustard.

1 rack of baby back pork ribs cut in half.
Grilling aluminum foil.


Mix all ingredients and place in a marinating bag,  Add rack of ribs and marinade for at least 1 hour.

Turn your BBQ on if you have a gas grill to medium heat.   Place your ribs in aluminum foil and place on your BBQ on medium heat.  Cook for about 20 minutes and then flip over.  Cook for another 10 minutes. After about 30 minutes unwrap your ribs and check to see if they are cooked.  You can tell if they are if they start pulling back away from the bone.   Baste with any left over liquid in the foil and place directly on the grill to get the outside toasty.  This is when you can baste your ribs with the BBQ sauce on both sides.  I usually baste two or three times till the sauce looks like it is caramelizing.   Remove from grill, cut and serve with your favorite BBQ sides.

oo

Hey Every One,

Last week I had a couple of problems with my dialysis, one day my pressure dropped during treatment and my oxygen saturation dropped to the point my skin started to turn blue.  Thankfully my daughters were there to respond immediately.  They tested my vitals, turned on the oxygen machine and had me lay down with my legs up.  I was able to recover and continue the treatment.  I was amazed at how fast they responded and were able to perform under pressure.  This got me thinking about what they go through and what the family of the ill person goes through.

We never think about the stress level which our husbands, mothers, daughters go through when we are ill.  And I think that medical professionals don't take the time to address this either.  I hear there might be one or two support groups out there for caner survivors and their family members.  But there really should be support groups for those who are helping a family member deal with any illness.

I for sure know that dialysis and renal disease can take a tole on the person who has it, but it also takes a tole on the family.  A lot of times the whole family had to make adjustments to their diet, life and even work schedules.  The stress level in the home can be elevated to a point where relationships can start falling apart.

How do we deal with it, well that all depends on the person.  In our family we try not to sweat the little stuff, we only sweat the big stuff.  And the trick is, there is no big stuff.  We deal with the situation and try to move on.  We try to laugh things off and enjoy every minute with each other knowing that time is precious and tomorrow is not a guaranty for any one.  And most of all, we leave it up to God knowing that it does not matter how ill you are, if it is not your time to go, its not your time to go.

So having said that, if today you run into some one who is rude to you, or just plain mean, don't get mad, don't lash back, you don't know what trials they might be going through  They might not be feeling well, or one of their loved ones might be ill, or they just might be having a bad day.


So for today I wanted to share my lean chorizo recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean pork.  (I had my butcher ground pork loin for me)
2 table spoons dried California chile
2 table spoons dried Chile ancho
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 garlic clove grated
2 tsp menudo mix crushed
1 tsp. cracked pepper
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar

In a bowl mix all the above ingredients until well incorporated.  Allow to marinade at least 1 hour.  It will be better if you leave it for the next day.   When you decide to cook the chorizo you may need to use a non stick pan or add a table spoon or two of oil to the pan so it can fry properly and not stick.  Cook till crispy and serve.

Serving ideas:  Tacos with chopped cilantro and onion.  Use your favorite salsa verde and crispy potato.   You can do this by cubing the potatoes, tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper.   Lay the potatoes on one even layer on a sheet pan and bake on 350 till golden brown.

Hi every one,

It's been a few weeks since my last blog.  I have to apologize for that, but since then I had a couple of health trials.  I had one more hospitalization as a result of chest pain.  It turns out I was not getting enough dialysis even though I dialyse  on almost a daily basis.  But since I am on Prednisone and had been taking Cytoxan, this actually changed my blood chemistry and increased my weight.  I had to adjust my treatment time, the speed we ran the machine and also the amount of dialysate that we use.  So having said that, I think we finally have the treatment under control.

These last few weeks have been a real learning experience.  I have also learned that not every one who is in health care is in it to help patients.  So if you find yourself on the side of the patient and the people who are suppose to be taking care of you and looking out for your health are not.  Then just speak up.  As a patient you are responsible for your own health care.  Your doctor, nurse or technician can only do so much.  If you feel you are not getting the appropriate treatment or if you feel more can be done, then it is your responsibility to your self to go out there and get it.    If you feel you are not being treated with the respect or compassion you as a patient deserve, then fire those health care professionals.

 Having said that, I am currently looking to transfer home hemodialysis treatment centers.   Davita Simi Valley here we come.


Recipe for today will be our Chicken Burger Patties

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
6 button mushrooms
1 small onion cut in 4 pieces
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp.  seasoning salt
1 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp. fresh  thyme
2 tsp. parsley
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor place the mushrooms, onion,  garlic cloves, oregano, thyme, parsley and chop into small pieces.  They should be small but not pure.   In a bowl add your chicken, bread crumbs, egg, seasoning salt, Montreal seasoning and your mixture from the food processor.    Mix together and form a small patty.  You might want to grill a small bite size patty to see if seasoning is right for your taste.  If seasoning is right you can start making your patties.  If you like a little more seasoning adjust and re-mix.  

You might want to refrigerate your chicken mixture for a few minutes to make it easier to handle.  Ground chicken can get a bit sticky when you work with it.   Once you can form your patties you can cook on a non stick pan.  Allow your patties to properly brown on each side and be sure to cook fully since it is poultry and you do not want to eat raw chicken.                                                              

 *  You can serve with your favorite burger toppings and burger buns.  This also goes well with pitas and your favorite Greek pita toppings.   We like tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese and yogurt sauce.

If you want the recipe for my yogurt sauce email me at alejandrvelasco@yahoo.com

Hi every one,

Yesterday was my first day at the gym.  Having all the health issues that  I do,  required extra planning ahead.  Aside from packing my work out clothes and bathing suite for the swimming pool, I had to pack an extra bag with medical supplies.  I had to pack my sugar tester, insulin pen, needles, alcohol swabs and snacks.  I also took my portable oxygen tank just in case I need it.  And lastly a frozen water bottle with extra juice for low blood sugars. And off we went to the gym.

I first  tried the elliptical machine, that was tough.  I was only able to do it for 5 minutes and then I had to stop because I felt that I was going to pass out.  I took a small break and went and changed into my bathing suite.  I was so tired at that point that it felt like I ran a marathon.  But I pressed on.   I went in the pool and was able to swim 4 laps.  If you can call doggy paddling swimming.  I rested and them was able to walk/swim the pool for 8 more laps.  I might say this is quite impressive.  If you think that just 2-1/2 weeks ago I was discharged from the hospital with oxygen for home use.

I am determined to get my lungs and heart healthy again. So I will be swimming 4 days per week.  I find this is easier for my body and puts less stress on my non existing muscles.  When we came  home we grilled some delicious shrimp and vegetables.  Great way to finish the day before my daily dialysis.


Here is the recipe for grilled shrimp.

2 pounds peeled medium size shrimp.
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp.  fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil.
the leaves of 3 large sprigs of fresh thyme chipped

Mix all the above ingredients and grill until shrimp are pink and cooked.

You can also use these shrimp to make tacos.  You can find the recipe for taco toppings on one of my previous blogs.   Enjoy....