Comfortably Round

The terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Yes. One of those. I know this was the title of a comedic movie that was out a little bit ago, one that I did not see, but the title seemed applicable to yesterday. It is not many days on which you have a medical treatment, find out some very bad news, have to make some really difficult decisions and loose your job all within 6 hours (no, the job loss as devastating news as it is, was not even the very bad news), but as that was the string of events, starting at 1000 a.m.,  I think it would qualify for the above titles. It seems now there is no where else to go other than up. I hope. I cannot image the alternative.   

It started out as an absolutely beautiful day, but after I found I suddenly had the afternoon off, I was not in very much of a mood to cook, I have to confess now, that even with all of this effort that I put into these meals, on many days, while I am alone and am pretty much running from one job to the next to complete my 14 1/2 hour work day, I do not have the time to make something nice for myself. In that, I do not eat as healthy as I want to and succumb to the time constraints to purchase quickly prepared food on the run... you know what I am talking about. I hate that it is the place I am for I so much enjoy good food, food shared and prepared with others....with someone who would love to share a meal with me, talk and enjoy fellowship together or even (gasp), make one for me. Ha... what a thought! Yesterday, being in somewhat of a slump, I felt like doing the same if only for the lack of energy to get into the kitchen, but with even tighter budget considerations, I had to make due. Maybe comfort food would help. It couldn't hurt and as no one seems willing to anymore, as the phone sits silent and the doorstep is empty, the spatula might.

Finding inspiration on a friend's online recipe suggestions, I decided to maybe make something fun, interesting and wholesome to salvage the evening I thankfully had ahead of me with Hayden, even though he was sick. Using some ground turkey, I made meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese, coating them in wheat crumbs from crushed up crackers. Browning them and then cooking them into a gravy, I also found a bag of potatoes, cheese, peppers (I always seem to have them) and broccoli and took it another step and made Au gratin potatoes while I was at it. Photos below, 1st of the browned meatballs, then kitchen in mid preparation (notice the cool Gloche with my beautiful orchids... a gift from folks at work... no, not a parting gift, but from my other job), healthy goodness and my heart shaped pan Au Gratin. It came with the stove, but I like it.