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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Old Notebooks


Before I turned on the computer tonight I was looking through some old notebooks, searching for something I wrote in high school, intending that to be the subject of this post.  I was not successful finding what I was looking for, but realized that each of the notebooks I found was a time capsule.  The one that stays with me is from Hillary’s first year or so of life.

         It begins with a record of a dream that I had which although was of a somewhat disturbing nature ultimately left me with a peaceful feeling upon awakening.  There are several diary type entries about Hillary’s development, diagnosis, and prognosis; as well as my hopes for her life.  There are notes from doctor’s visits and phone calls, test results and questions I wanted to ask (and did, and recorded the answers).  I found the spelling of my friends’ daughter's name and the birth information for my neighbor's second child. There is the phone number for my sister-in-law’s hospital room from when she had brain surgery, and a few notes about bills that needed paying.  There were a couple of rather poignant poems I wrote, and a page that Anna drew on with a red marker.  On the covers are some scribbled phone numbers and the license plate number for another sister-in-law’s car, along with some doodles and dates.  On the final two pages are a recipe I copied from somewhere for a casserole.

         Looking through that notebook was a quick look at a very stressful, eventful time and I’m glad I have it, to help me remember how things started with our special needs journey, and to see how far we’ve come.  It was a bittersweet thing to find and reflect upon, but I’m so glad I have it.

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Here is the recipe on the final pages of the notebook:

         Hungarian Kielbasa & Noodle Casserole

Prep: 20 min.

Cook: 43 min.

1 lb. potatoes, cut into ½ “ pieces

½ lb. extra wide egg noodles

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)

1 ½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup chicken broth

½ lb. kielbasa, cut in half lengthwise & thinly sliced

1.)       Grease a 2 qt. casserole.  Heat oven to 375 F. Place potatoes in a large saucepot of lightly salted cold water.  Cook over high heat until water comes to boil. Reduce heat & simmer about 10 min. until just tender.  Remove potatoes with slotted spoon & set aside. Add noodles to simmering water in same saucepot & cook 5 min. or until just tender.  Drain well & return to saucepot.

2.)       While potatoes are cooking, heat butter & oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion & cook 8-10 min, stirring occasionally, until tender & lightly browned.

3.)       Add diced cooked potatoes, paprika & salt to onions in skillet.  Cook, tossing, 2 min. or until potatoes are golden red.  Add chicken broth & boil 1 min.  Pour potato mixture over noodles & toss to mix well.

4.)       Pour mixture into casserole.  Toss kielbasa over the top, tucking some pieces into noodles.  Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

1 comment:

Kathi said...

That is pretty neat... So much of what we've experienced can be lost if we don't make notes or find that recorded information. My brain just can't remember those details. It's pretty enlightening when we can put ourselves right back in that moment... long ago. Interesting....