Sick House

We don’t usually get sick.  We have had a serious long run of no illness but that all changed last week.  I should have know that we were in for something when Sasha declared he was too tired to go to ski training last Tuesday.  As any good parent would (and without the protest of a more responsible mother present), we went skiing.  That night as we returned home, I knew I had made a mistake.  Sasha had a fever that quickly escalated to a 104° fire inside his body.  He was out the rest of the week, and I destroyed the weekend as well.  A trip to his Dr. on Saturday didn’t provide us with the answers and drugs to knock it out so he just had to sit and simmer for 6 days.  The whole time we were waiting for the other shoe to drop…..for Noah to get infected.  On Saturday I thought we had dodged a bullet and my mistake was that I said as much publically only to be reminded on Sunday that if you have one sick kid you will soon have all sick kids.

In our house sickness means you get to eat whatever you want whenever you want.  When Noah and I were away on Saturday at ski practice, Virginia made Sasha twice-baked potatoes.  While potatoes are a huge hit in almost every form in this house, the kids have never had twice-baked potatoes. When the same hit Noah on Sunday night just as Sasha seemed to be getting better, I knew that I would also be doing my share of comfort cooking.

Noah was told of the twice baked and I think he got sick just so he could have one.   I made one the first day, and think I rocked it.  For our potato you need to use a real oven.  You can’t microwave a baked potato and expect it to be good.  I wash them and put them in a 400-degree oven until it is soft.  It really does depend on the size so it can range anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.  Once it is soft, I slice it in half and burn the crap out of my hands scooping out the hot potato.  You don’t need to get it all as a little left inside keeps the skins structure, which is important when you stuff them.  I add the scooped out potato to a pan that has broccoli, onions, mushrooms and garlic sautéed with ample olive oil, salt and pepper.  I mix it around until the juices are combined and then re stuff the skins on a baking tray.  You can top with cheese or not and then convection broil until golden brown.  We serve them with fresh guacamole and a salad.

In addition to the baked potato, Noah also wanted a Panini sandwich. When Virginia’s mother died we kept her Panini maker.  Not sure if it was ever used, but it has become a favorite of the kids especially when they aren’t feeling great.  Sounds easy enough to make a sandwich and then put it in the maker and go, but in this house you need to make the bread first.  Noah wanted a Panini so we made bread in a loaf as I have posted before.  It is a pretty simple sandwich once the bread is done.  We use soy cheese to satisfy our diets and then always put in a veggie.  We had red peppers and I sliced them thin and put it in the sandwich.  I then Paninied them until they were toasty.  It does make a good sandwich.  I then put it on a crisp Romaine leaf and had some great cherry tomatoes from Twin Springs.  Both the kids love Dijon so I put a Dijon dip together with a little Rice Wine to give it a little moistness.   Problem is I start eating them as well.  In fact I end up eating all day long with the kids and feel a different sickness when they are home from school.

It isn’t that our comfort food is bad for you, but the constant eating and cooking makes me sick.  I have no control and always need to taste everything I make.  If it wasn’t constant consumption I would be fine.  Fortunately everyone recovered and while Virginia finally got hit, I was able to slip through without getting it full blown.  I think the virus knew that someone needed to cook.