My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Sunday 2026.4.19
An Observance
I have something written on my calendar for today's date. But first, a little back story:
Between the rows of mobile home spaces here in the trailer park there is a narrow strip of land known as the utility easement. The area is technically not part of any rental space. It's where the utility lines are located — electricity, water, gas, etc. We can use the space. Many years ago I planted herbs.
For several years I had a contentious neighbor. She was awful. Her husband tramped down my herbs when he was trimming her lawn. Later, he put up a fence and she planted a small tree and a garden in the easement. When she was at risk of being sued because she caused some disputes with the park owner that raised all our rents, she moved away.
On this date in 2021, I moved her fence and took back the easement. I covered it with stone. The new neighbors put up their own fence, but on their side of the easement, leaving the area to me. It's not useful space. My tomato plants are in a large planter in my driveway. It was a matter of principle.
A Little About Vine
I blogged previously about having fulfilled my Amazon Vine commitment for my current six-month evaluation period. I've been keeping track of my orders since the beginning of the year. I ordered 62 items, 17 of which were products I wanted. The rest was schlock I requested only to satisfy my quota. The junk went into the trash.
Now, to avoid paying income tax for the products I order and discard, I look for items having a $0.00 taxable value. They are mostly foods, medical supplies, and pills like dietary supplements. I don't order any taxable item unless it's something I really want or need. I can always use coffee filters, napkins, and paper plates, which have a tax value.
A Little Good News and a Little Bad News
I had blood drawn for a basic metabolic panel ordered by my urologist. All the numbers were well within the "normal" range. That's the good news.
However, while I was in the building I stopped at the dermatologist's office because I was never given the results of the biopsy done back on March 5th. I had assumed no news was good news. It wasn't good. The diagnosis is basal cell carcinoma.
It's early yet. It was a small bump on my nose. Now is a good time to deal with it. This type of cancer grows very slowly and it's the most common type of skin cancer to treat. Caught early, full remission is common.
Naturally, the doctor wants to do surgery. No. I understand. She wants a billable procedure. She gets a lot more money from the insurance company for performing surgery than she gets for writing a prescription. Everyone wants more money. We're a greedy nation, and the medical industry is only surpassed in greediness by the Disney Corporation.
I want the cream. The most commonly prescribed chemotherapy cream is topical fluorouracil, also called 5-fluorouracil (5FU), which is an amusing abbreviation.
I called the office. No one was available to answer the phone. I found that odd because when I was in the office on Wednesday, I was the only patient and there were three staffers in the office. I left a message saying I wanted the doctor to call a prescription into the pharmacy at the local Costco store. Now I wait.
I asked ChatGPT for a review of the dermatology company. Reviews were mixed. Some people were satisfied with the care they received. Others reported frustrations trying to call the office and make an appointment.
Weight
Nothing to brag about this week. I gained about a pound, most of that probably water retention from eating salty food. After receiving the cancer diagnosis, I wanted comfort food. On the way home I stopped at Costco and bought a rotisserie rack of ribs. I pigged out. Next week will be better.
Wednesday 2026.4.15
Tax Day
Today is the deadline for paying any income taxes we might owe here in the USA. I owed; so, I paid.
Bummer
The next live episode of Saturday Night Live isn't until May 2nd. We need to wait more than two weeks to see how they will depict Trump as Jesus Christ.
The Tomato Chronicles
Several developments to report this week.
I previously mentioned about the second vine the Better Boy is growing. I let that grow and the flowers on it are starting to bloom. With my finger, I brushed the flower a little to hopefully pollinate it. This could be my first tomato.
I also previously blogged about the cutting I put into water to see if it might root. It did. The two other branches I added later turned yellow and wilted; so, I discarded those.
Later today a bag of potting mix is supposed to arrive from Amazon. I have a small pot, about two gallons in size. I'll put the cutting into the soil, just as an experiment. I know a small pot is not the right place for a tomato vine. However, it might be fun to see what develops.
Meanwhile, the vines are now almost up to the second rung of the tomato cage. The Big Boy has been leaning a little to one side; although, it appears to be correcting its posture. I thought it could use a little training to urge it upright more toward the cage.
The Big Boy will supposedly grow large tomatoes; so, it will definitely need to be tied to the cage for support. Urging the vine closer to the cage might help with the taping later.
And, if I might reflect a little: It's encouraging to see that those two little seedlings I bought back in early March are now healthy vines nearly 20 inches tall. It's only April. I hope they grow to six feet or more by August.
Sunday 2026.4.12
Onerous Onus
As planned, I put my state and federal tax forms in the mail on Wednesday, a week before the deadline. I also printed all confirmations of payments, which I did online. All the copies are in the file. I should be good for another year. Now, all I can do is hope I didn't make any expensive mistakes.
And speaking of expensive...
Vine
With my Amazon Vine obligation satisfied for the current evaluation period, I'm only monitoring the program to gain better insight on how best to work the system. From what I've learned so far, it's possible to satisfy a week's quota — which I set to three or four items — with only nontaxable items. Pills, such as vitamins and dietary supplements, are the best. They're 100% free and easily tossed in the trash when they arrive.
Yes, it's wasteful. What becomes of "Waste not, want not"? Do I blame Amazon or the governments? For 2025, I paid more than $1,100 in tax. That is above and beyond the automatic withholding. It's not all Vine. Some of it was because of savings interest, YouTube revenue, and a mandatory Fidelity retirement account payout.
And speaking of wasteful...
More Downsizing
There was a time when I thought dehydrating foods would reduce the crowding in my freezer. I dehydrated some mixed vegetables to use later for soups. I bought some canning jars for storage in the shed. However, after trying it, it was too much work. Besides which, now I mostly eat stir fry dinners made in my wok (see below).
I had a dozen empty canning jars. I've been placing them in the recycling bin, a few at a time. The shelf space I clear up in the shed is being used for the extra bottles and jugs of oils and sauces I use in my stir fries, ingredients that don't need to be refrigerated after opening.
And speaking of clutter...
Potpourri
Many years ago I regularly had dinner at a former friend's home. One thing that irked me about his kitchen was that he stored many of his ingredients on the kitchen counter. That left very little room for food prep. I like clear counter space.
Well, I'm ashamed to admit I let my kitchen get a little away from me. So, this week I've been working on that.
When I became enthusiastic about cooking with a wok, especially when making cooking videos, I liked the idea of having different frying oils — corn oil, olive oil (high temperature), avocado, safflower, peanut, vegetable (soy) oil, etc. Really? My next goal is to use up my oils and keep only two — corn oil and olive oil.
There were also several jars of homemade seasoning mixes, such as rubs for barbecues or dry ingredients for salad dressings. One of them was marked "keto friendly," evidently from my keto period. I combined them all into one jar and that will be my seasoning mix for frying tofu (see below).
And speaking of frying oils...
An Experiment
A cooking friend gave me an idea. Slice pressed tofu thinly, maybe ¼ inch, and then dip in egg wash and then in shredded cheese (I used Romano). Fry in oil until the cheese is lightly* browned. The first two stuck to a nonstick pan. I switched to a better quality skillet and there was barely any sticking at all.
*I have a pet peeve about "nice." I see cooking videos in which the cook says something like, "Fry until nice and brown." What is "nice"? I try not to use the word.
The flavor was mild. These would make a good snack. They could be made with some cayenne for added kick. Or use sharp cheddar cheese. There is plenty of room for variation — maybe grated mozzarella and then topped with a little marinara and Romano. (Note to self: Make more pasta sauce.)
Another Experiment
One trick I learned from watching stir fry videos is that many chefs add a little chicken bouillon — they call it "chicken powder" — to the sauce for added flavor. That gave me an idea.
On Thursday I mixed up a fresh batch of seasoning mix for my Finger Lickin' Chicken, but without the flour. I added a little bouillon. I also cut up some tofu into small cubes.
The plan was to mix some of the seasoning with oat fiber or almond flour and coat some cubed tofu, and then deep fry it in oil. Drain them on paper towels and set them aside. Then proceed as usual to make my customary stir fry dinner. It worked.
I fried the cubes, letting some cook a little longer to see if additional browning would make much of a difference in the texture and flavor. It didn't.
Then I added the cubes to my stir fry. My dinner was delicious. The cubes were chewy, like morsels of tender meat. The flavor was different, but very good. They held up well in the wok.
More Fried Tofu
Yesterday I repeated the process, frying an entire one-pound package of tofu. For these, I first coated the cubes with egg wash, then I put them in a ziplock bag with some of the seasoning mix and some almond flour. Toss, toss, toss, then deep fry in oil.
As an extra benefit: The clean tofu trays work well for storing the cubes. Each fits in a one-quart ziplock bag. One went into the refrigerator; the other went into the freezer. I have enough for five to six meals.
More Shrinkflation
I ordered whole bean coffee this week. It was formerly sold in 3-pound bags. Now they're 2½ pounds, but the price is almost the same.
Weight
I did well again this week, losing a little more than a pound. But, I'm stuck again, this time at around 190. Plateaus happen. But, maybe something I can use for a little inspiration: A neighbor saw me on Friday. We hadn't seen each other in a while. She said, "You're looking good." That's quite a compliment because she once criticized me for having a big belly.
Wednesday 2026.4.8
Tax Time
So far, it appears I owe $892 in federal income tax. I say "so far" because the amount changes according to the mistakes I make. I do my federal form 1040 a few times in pencil. When I last did the form I owed $402. Now I owe more than double that. I'll do the forms again, starting at the very beginning, two or three more times until I see consistent numbers. I have a week to get it right. I owe the state $244.
I'll cheat a little on the state form. California does not tax Social Security benefits (the fed does). However, to deduct the benefits, I am supposed to complete the long tax form plus a Schedule form for a total of 12 pages — all for just one deduction! That's too much work. What became of the Paperwork Reduction Act?
The short "EZ" form is only five pages. I am doing the easy form and simply not reporting my SS benefits. The tax I owe is the same.
I'll do the final forms this morning and get them into the mail today.
Here's an Idea.
What if we were to promise to use Article 25 to remove Trump from the Presidency if Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz? One regime change in exchange for another. It seems fair.
Something New
I learned something new this week. I can use a little red wine rather than shaoxing in my stir fries. I've been keeping a few bottles, four I think, under the bathroom sink. I hid them there, from someone who would help himself to my alcohol. I stocked wine for entertaining. However, since the Covid outbreak, I don't invite guests to dinner anymore. I would also bring a good bottle of wine with me when I was invited to dinner. Those people have either moved away or passed away. So, I'll test some wine in my stir fries. Supposedly, it's best to add it to the marinating sauce rather than directly into the wok.
The Better Tofu Press
The tofu press I mentioned in Sunday's blog post arrived on Monday. I squeezed a standard cake, from 5cm to 2½cm. I was in no hurry, as I had chicken thawed for my stir fry dinner; so, I left the press in the refrigerator to continue working overnight.
However, the directions that came with the press had instructions for both an electric press or a manual press. OMG! Now I want the electric one, which sells for $99 on Amazon. I'll use the manual press for a while, but I might gift myself the electric press as a birthday present when I turn 75 in July.
How Easily We Forget
I've been practicing my Rubik's Cube routines again. I hadn't practice for about a month and I couldn't recall some of the routines. Thankfully, I created a laminated cheat sheet, lest I ever forget. Well, I forgot. Knowing how to solve the cube isn't important, but practice is good for the brain. I find it best to close my eyes and let my hands remember what to do.
Something Personal
I am recovering from another case of conjuctivitus (AKA pink eye) in my left eye. The worst has passed. It was a little painful at times, which kept me awake, but Tylenol helped.
The Tomato Chronicles
Yesterday I pruned off more lower branches on each plant and then I filled the planter with enriched soil. To finish, I covered the top with a generous layer of wood chip mulch to discourage weeds.
I still want to encourage growth upward; so, I pruned off flower buds from each plant. Meanwhile, the Better Boy did something unexpected. It started a new vine. It wasn't from a sucker; it was a side shoot. It has flower buds on it; so, I decided to let it grow rather than prune it off. The Big Boy, so far, has only the one vine.
As for growth, the topmost leaves are now halfway between the first and second rungs of the tomato cage. The plants are looking healthy. Other than a few leaf miners, there are no insect infestations yet. Those will assuredly come soon. I have plenty of neem oil. That, mixed with water and dish detergent, helps keep the parasites under control.
And as for that clipping I placed in water: It is starting to develop roots, finally. I added a couple more cuttings to the water.
Sunday 2026.4.5
Happy Easter
May the beatific bunny bless you with a bounty of benefits. Eggs too.
Tofu Crackers
As planned, on Wednesday I set up my food dehydrator and sliced a cake of tofu thinly. I had pressed the cake overnight to squeeze out most of the water. I seasoned the slices with a light sprinkling of chicken bouillon powder. I got 30 crackers, plus some sticks cut from the last slice of tofu. I set the dehydrator to eight hours at 145°F, but they were fully dry and crisp in four hours. Some people call it tofu jerky.
As for the dehydrator, it's a Brod & Taylor Sahara the company sent me to demo in a YouTube video. I made a salmon jerky video. That was back in the fall of 2024.
The most difficult part of the tofu project was the patience. By the afternoon, they were done. The flavor was mild, but good. They needed a bit of salt. For an alternative to store-bought crackers, they were pretty good.
However, would I make them again? Definitely not. During the course of the afternoon I ate them all — a pound of tofu. It showed up in my daily weights too. Normally, a pound of tofu would get me through four or five stir fry dinners.
So, the dehydrator went back into the shed.
And Speaking of Tofu
I ordered another tofu press. The one I received earlier works fine, but it's really difficult to set up. A lot of strength is needed to pull the elastic loops into place. The new one has a dial on top. It looks simple. Place the cake inside and turn the dial to apply pressure. It is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
Even though I have no plans to make tofu jerky again, I use pressed tofu in my stir fries.
Done and Dusted
I finished yet another shirt on Friday. I don't need shirts. However, it's all part of my plan to declutter my home. Fabric on a shelf just takes up space; I can use shirts (although, I don't need them). There is still some fabric to use up, but I'm making progress.
The next piece is a queen flat sheet, which is enough for two shirts. The material is bamboo viscose, which is really comfortable to wear, but a pain to work with.
I have plenty of smaller pieces — each is not enough for an entire shirt — that I could combine for a "remnant" shirt made up of different fabrics.
I'm estimating three more shirts total might be the last of it.
Another Done and Dusted
According to my account on Amazon Vine, I ordered 81 items and reviewed 98%. The goal was 80 items and 90% by May 1st. I can now coast through the month of April. I submitted one additional order for some nitrile gloves, which I use daily. At the tax rate, they cost a little less than the gloves I buy at Costco. I typically use around five gloves per day for personal medical maintenance. Over the course of a year, that's like getting 1½ boxes of gloves for free.
Weight
I did well this week. My weight this morning was 189.8. For the week, my average dropped by 1.5 pounds.
Wednesday 2026.4.1
An Observance
On this date in 1994 I bought my mobile home. I have lived here for 32 years, and I've been happy. I really like my home.
Further Simplification
As some of you know, I have more than one YouTube channel. A favorite for a while was My Kitchen Vlog. I abandoned that channel in 2024 when a security camera filled my tablet with video clips and I was unable to remove them. I had to do a factory reset, which also removed my apps. One of those apps was for the teleprompter I used when making my Vlogs. I searched online, but I couldn't find the apps I needed; therefore, I couldn't restore my tablet. Frustrated, I gave up. No more Kitchen Vlogs, other than two unboxing videos, but those were done without using my teleprompter.
My Kitchen Vlog doesn't generate any revenue. It was more of a vanity project. I enjoyed talking about some things. Now, I occasionally check the channel for comments. I don't like to ignore people (I know what that feels like). So, I have been working through all the videos (more than 200 of them) and turning off comments. That frees me from having to monitor the channel, which makes my life simpler. I'll be 75 years old in July. I prefer a simpler life now.
Later on, I might delete some of those videos. Many were about issues at the time, such as trying to get my first Covid vaccine. Nobody cares about those issues now.
Meanwhile, I boxed up my Ikan teleprompter for storage in the shed (but, see below). That means more decluttering out there. And that leads to "spares."
Once upon a time I liked socks I bought at Costco. They were cotton and really comfortable. Then, for a while, the store only stocked synthetics, which made my feet sweat. When I found cotton again, I stocked up on spares! They were boxed up and stored in the shed.
I did some shifting. I tossed some old shoes in the trash (leather uppers cracked from lack of use and soles with holes in them), which made room for the socks. And that made room for the Ikan teleprompter to go into the shed. The tripod went out there too. Phew!
At Last!
Then, while I was editing the Kitchen Vlog videos mentioned above, I saw one that named the teleprompter apps I was using on my tablet. Aha! Ureka! I found them! I charged the tablet. I charged the foot pedal. I downloaded the apps I need. Then, after pairing the pedal to the tablet, all is working as it used to. My tablet is once again fully functional with my teleprompter.
Now I want to make Kitchen Vlogs again.
Something New
I learned something new this week. I can dehydrate tofu.
My dehydrator was moved out to the shed a few months ago. I initially wanted it because I thought it would be good for dehydrating vegetables. However, I don't have a garden, and I buy frozen vegetables for my stir fries.
Lately, I've been experimenting with tofu. I like it in a stir fry. It isn't as good as meat, but it's okay and the nutrition is very good. I did some research and saw how to dehydrate tofu.
Here's the plan: Have you ever tried those Chicken in a Biskit crackers? I love those, but they are very high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients. I have chicken bouillon powder. What if I were to sprinkle a little of that on the tofu slices before I dehydrate them? I started the process this morning. I'll let you know how it turns out.
The Tomato Chronicles
I am very pleased with the progress of my tomato plants. The tops are now up to the first rung of the tomato cage.
The Better Boy is doing a little better than the Big Boy. It started smaller, but now it is almost as tall. The Big Boy, however, has larger leaves. I pruned off a few more flower buds. Soon, when the planter is filled with soil, I'll let a few flowers bloom and pollinate them. What would happen if I cross-pollinated a Big Boy with a Better Boy? I guess I'll find out.