Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Vaccines, spring cleaning, and a recipe

We received our second Pfizer shot on Thursday.  All went well except the expected side effects with my arm hurting and the extreme fatigue we were warned about by the medical staff.  Otherwise, there were no unusual side effects.

I had to pray about getting the COVID vaccine since I don't even get a flu vaccine each year.  However, after talking to my primary physician, he assured me that even if I were to have side effects from the vaccine, getting COVID as a Type 1 diabetic would be far worse.  I could see his point.  

Before getting the vaccine on Thursday, I made certain to get some of the housework and projects finished so if needed, I could spend two or three days just recovering.  I've been chipping away at a lot of small indoor projects that make me feel like quite a bit was accomplished.

Since I have been able to purchase a few vintage cranberry glass serving pieces at Goodwill the past couple of years, I went through my other glass serving pieces and decided to send to charity those which were no longer needed.  Someone else will be glad to get them.

We did so much decluttering during the COVID shutdown that there isn't a lot to do for Spring cleaning.  Even then, it always surprises me how much can be sent to charity.  I think that comes when one has lived enough decades!  ;)

We still keep those things that we may not need now but would be very useful in emergency situations, like extra blankets and our sleeping bags (which need to be taken to the laundromat and washed!).  

I only made a couple pantry purchases earlier in the week.  There have been many reports that generic items may become even more difficult to get again in the future.  Generic drugs were almost impossible to find this time last year and have been hit and miss since then.

So, when I go to Meijers, I stop in their pharmacy section to see if they have my favorite Meijers brand of allergy medicine that is "similar to Benedryl" (only far less expensive!).  I particularly like the dye free formula as neon pink pills just look weird.  I did buy them when that was all they had last year.  Especially during Spring and Fall allergy seasons.

They have had them in stock and on sale so I bought a couple small boxes earlier in the month and two boxes this week. The dye free version only comes in the small boxes.  I have a couple boxes of their generic Ibuprofen bottles put back already.

This is the first Saturday in May.  Thus, it is time for the Kentucky Derby!  I have never been to the Derby, although I have enjoyed seeing photos of the women in their beautiful hats and the equally beautiful parties when I used to subscribe to Southern Living.  Not to mention, the stories about the horses and their journey to the Derby are enjoyable.

My mother is from very near Louisville so in a way it seems like home, even though I did not grow up in Kentucky.  One tip of the hat to my heritage is baking a Derby Pie on the day of the race.  I've had this recipe since my daughter was a baby, it was given to me by a good friend at the time.

The recipe has become quite well known since then but I will share it here.  I made it quickly this morning, even though I wasn't feeling the best.  Using a frozen crust I already had in the freezer made it very easy to make.  It doesn't require an electric mixer, I whip it up in my largest Pyrex bowl.

I'm told the original recipe from the Derby contains a shot of bourbon but my pie is always booze free and kid friendly.  ;)

Derby Pie

• 1 Cup chocolate chips
• 1 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 Cup sugar (white but I have also used brown sugar)
  
• 2 Beaten eggs
• 1 Stick butter - room temperature
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 Cup flour

1 Unbaked pie shell 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together sugar, eggs, and butter.  Add vanilla.  Add flour and then the chocolate chips and chopped nuts.  Pour into 9" pie shell (a frozen shell works great for this pie).  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.  

I like this best at room temperature or even chilled a little but some people like it warm with ice cream.  This makes a great picnic dessert and it is even better the second day.  This pie is very rich so I serve smaller than average slices.  Enjoy!

Image:  Derby Pie photo from coffeeteabooksandme on Instagram.