Mrs. P made creamy (frozen) corn farfalle with (frozen) peas and shrimp and a side order of shishito peppers.
This was my first real dinner after laminectomy surgery on Wednesday to partially remove 3 bulging disks (L3, L4, and L5) that were hitting a nerve causing pain to shoot down my leg and numbness in my foot for the last 6 months. I had 3 epidural injections that didn’t help. This was my 1st surgery and I had no idea what to expect. It was a long 8 hour day at the hospital. I no longer feel the pain in my leg but the pain in my back from the surgery is excruciating. I can barely bend, sit up, or get out of bed. Poor Mrs. P, who has been a saint through all of this, has had to change my bandage several times a day because it is soaked in blood. She also had to rush the dog to the vet, so she didn’t have time to make anything with fresh ingredients. It looks like we won’t be dining out this weekend.
Mrs. P rocks!
Nearly got takeout but instead made ranch baked chicken tenders, parmesan couscous, and steamed broccoli. Not particularly photogenic, but it worked. Off to a concert (Kelsey Waldon) later.
She sure does! I don’t know what I would do without her.
I am so sorry to hear of your pain and discomfort for the last 6 months, as well as the post op pain. Wishing you a speedy recovery @paryzer, but I’m sure you’re in good hands with Mrs P. Hope you’ll be back to your regular dining schedule soon!
Oh, @paryzer I do wish you a good recovery. Backs are finicky and recover at their own pace, so give it time.
In the meantime, I hope that you and Mrs. P. take good care of yourselves and don’t fear takeout dinners. Sometimes that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
Oh wow, Mr P! Sounds like the operation will do the trick.
I went thru it. facet injections, epidurals. They worked to varying degrees. The thing that helped me the most was going back to a really good, firm, old-school mattress - no pillow top or other supposed back saving features.
Discombobulated, jet lagged, and generally exhausted - little desire to go grocery shopping, so I gave in to prime now. They were out of what I wanted most - a variety of wild mushrooms, sent the wrong cut of meat, forgot the garlic, and multiplied the ginger. Sigh.
Pulled dal I froze before I left, made some fresh rice, and pan fried (spice-rubbed) cod. Added spinach to the dal because I didn’t feel like making a separate vegetable. Meal hit the spot.
Some of my recent indian sweet stash for dessert - sandesh, a Bengali sweet made with ricotta, this one flavored with palm jaggery.
Pretty good for jet lagged and generally exhausted. Jet lagged and generally exhausted for me means Postmates or Taco Bell.
I tried. Mushrooms and eggs were the plan 
(Also this was all in my freezer already… I had it defrosting in the fridge for tomorrow… except the rice, 5 mins in the baby PC).
Mushrooms, pepperoni, home-cured olives, EVOO
Burgers and Bearnaise sauce, beet greens, sauteed potatoes
Very cool.
Hoping you feel better soon both for your sake and Mrs P’s.
Thanks everyone for your well wishes! I really appreciate it. This was my 1st surgery and I didn’t know what to expect. I would just be happy being able to do the simple things like bending down or getting up out of a chair or bed without being in such pain. At least I no longer feel the nerve pain and numbness shooting down my leg.
BF currently cooking a Puerto Rican feast. Lomo Saltado, totones, rice, and pasteles (pre-formed by a 90 year old Spanish woman who sells them out of her house LMAO) that just need to be boiled.
He also visited his grandma today who sent me a plate of pig ears with arroz con gandules. I’ve eaten my share of “odds and ends”, but the almost human-like texture is not something I could get used to. That and the teeny tiny little hairs that still remained. 
So sorry to hear of your pain, but glad the surgery went well. the BF suffers from really bad back pain - for the last 15 years or so, so I feel for you. Glad you have Mrs. P with you. Hoping for a speedy recovery, but don’t push yourself(ves)!!
Found rapini at my farmers’ market - I almost never find the stuff around here! bought three bunches, used one tonight with orecchiete and hot Italian sausage. Unfortunately the sausage was already fully cooked (my bad) so I didn’t get to crumble it, and the whole thing turned out just a tad too salty. the good news is the brussels with FM bacon, brown sugar and balsamic turned out great.
FM had these little tiny pies - got a black/blueberry one, as I’ve had a weird pie craving lately. Tasty, but it wasn’t the coconut cream pie I was dreaming about.
also bought FM chicken feet for stock, in the slow cooker now. These were big suckers, much bigger than the ones I get at the Asian market (and so, double the price). Can’t wait to see if I can tell the difference in the stock.
