Left to my own devices...

Food Network

...I could spend way too much time watching the Food Network and knitting. Not having TV at home, when I am away, it's tempting to gorge myself on the Food Network. I don't think I could watch it much on its own, but with some knitting in my hands the combination is perfect. For other types of TV (reality shows, dramas), I lack previous viewing experience so don't always get what's going on. But the Food Network... no previous experience required!

Tomorrow night, I am making a nice dinner for my Dad and Carol, but it needs to be easy-to-swallow foods. After watching my Dad eat for the past week--what works and what doesn't--I think I've got a menu figured out. In searching around the Internet I came across quite a number of cookbooks for people who have swallowing problems. The key with my Dad is small pieces of tender items that have some type of smooth/slick coating or texture. Ground beef for example, is a complete no-go because of the rough, dry texture. Chicken salad works great. He lost some weight with his latest hospital episode; he needs to pack in as many calories as possible. So I'm looking forward tomorrow to spending some time in the kitchen with this bit of a culinary challenge.