The patient is doing well! The surgery went well, and we just returned from the hospital after spending a few hours with her. She was her usual joking self [although she’s definitely been through a rough 48 hours], and enjoyed the lovely meal of saltines and ginger ale I fed her.
Karen wanted me to tell all of you females the following friendly PSA:
Should you experience any post-menopausal bleeding, please see your doctor ASAP!
After dinner, we walked to the hospital – a little over a mile. We both hate driving and parking garages, and a little cold and dark wasn’t going to stop us from using our manpower!
Talk about manpower – Matt wheeled Karen’s overnight suitcase the whole way!
I wore my Danskos so they’d get a little flashback to hospital life!
Before heading to the hospital at 8PM, we had a nice dinner –
Recently Matt declared that we do not use the crockpot enough. I agreed! When thinking of a recipe style I’d like to make, my mind kept drifting back to this Cranberry Crockpot Chicken with Kale. [Oh it’s so nice to have a recipe already written!]
The second time around it was just as good!!! We had another bottle of Tribal Moose Cranberry Sauce that the company sent me earlier this year to use, but you really could use any kind of BBQ sauce – one with apples or anything on the sweeter side would work.
Lurve cranberries. The chicken was tender. The kale chewy [I could have eaten twice that amount of kale!]. Brown rice nice and sticky.
Afternoon snack attack: pretzels and cinnamon almonds.
Time for a little reading and then, rest.
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
Glad to hear surgery went well and Karen is recovering. She’s lucky to have you two so close.
Katy (The Singing Runner) says
Glad to hear she is doing well! 🙂 Such a relief.
Amanda (Eating Up) says
Glad everything is okay! Happy to hear she’s in good spirits!
Ashley says
Glad to hear she’s out of surgery and doing well in recovery…I’ve been checking since lunch! 🙂 Get some rest!
Camille says
I’m so glad Karen is doing well! We are all rooting for her!
Sara says
Oh, I am so happy to hear that Karen’s surgery went well and she is doing great. I wanted to check your blog one more time before I went to bed.
Danielle says
I’m happy to hear that Karen is doing well post-surgery. Thank you for keeping us updated. Many hugs to all of you!
Christin@purplebirdblog says
That pear placemat is the cutest. So happy to hear Karen is doing well!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
I am soooo happy to hear her surgery went well and that she’s able to crack a few jokes, love her little PSA there 🙂
And woot for Danskos. Such comfy shoes!
Dorry says
Glad Karen is OK! I loooove that y’all walk everywhere or ride bikes. My husband and I do the same these days since we live in the Uptown part of Dallas. Enjoy your reading!
Kel says
Thank you for the update on the patient! I have been checking in throughout the day.
Sending healing vibes her way!
Cathy B. @ Bright Bakes says
I need to pull out the slow cooker again too…that chicken hits all my favorite flavors!
glad to hear karen is doing well…
love ‘n prayers,
cathy b. @ brightbakes
Ellen says
Glad that karen is recovering. I am a chronic lurker but have been praying and thinking about her all day. Keeping her, you and matt in my thoughts during her recovery and the next steps.
Melissa @ I Never Imagined says
So happy to hear Karen is doing well 🙂
Cara Craves... says
That chicken dish looks divine!
Glad to hear that things with Karen
went well. Hopefully her healing
goes just a smoothly.
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
glad karen is doing okay! saltines and ginger ale sound pretty delicious, actually…and you had much more crockpot success than i did tonight (we have the same brand!)
Lisa says
I’m glad to hear Karen is doing well. Best wishes to her.
And I hear you on eating a mountain of kale. Love.
Josie @ Skinny Way Of Life says
So glad to hear she’s doing well! I’ve been checking back since 3 pm, I was getting worried! lol
Hannah says
Oh yum, what a Christmas-colours-themed meal! Most importantly, though, wonderful news about Karen 🙂
Alaina says
Oh that dinner looks devine! I lurves me some cranberries too 🙂
Krystina says
So glad Karen is doing well. 🙂 Dinner looks lovely.
Sana says
I hope the people that need to read that PSA!
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says
Glad to hear that Karen is doing well and in good spirits! Oh, and that dinner looks divine.
Anne P says
So glad to hear she’s doing well and recovering quickly! xo
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
I’m so glad that Karen is doing well after her surgery! Wishing her a speedy recovery!
Btw, that cranberry chicken looks scrumptious! I lurveee cranberries too 🙂
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Glad to hear Karen is doing well! Thank her for the informative message; we women have to pay attention to all signs and symptoms. 🙂
Your dinner looks fabulous!!
Kathy W. says
Great to hear that Karen is doing well! Hope she’ll be home soon & enjoying Kath + Kanz cooking!
Marina says
I’m glad everything went well.
I hope she recovers soon! I wish she has an awesome New year’s eve in hospital 😉
My mom is a doctor, and will be working today, she says parties for new year’s are pretty great in hospitals 😉
carlee says
HOLY YUM dinner looks fabulous!
Lauren says
So happy Karen is doing well. She’s so lucky to have you guys during this time.
I love that Cranberry Crock Pot recipe. I actually did this for tempeh one time and it was just as good.
Happy New Year Kath!!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
Glad to hear the surgery went well!
Simply Life says
Oh I’m SO glad she had good news!
Michele @ Healthy Cultivations says
And I echo the rest of the commenters… I’m glad things went well.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I am so glad to hear that Karen is doing well. I love that she is joking…those kind of drugs will definitely do that to you. I hope you got some sleep last night and I can’t wait to hear how Karen is doing today.
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Glad to hear that Karen is doing well! I hope she has a speedy recovery!
Elizabeth @ RunWithSneakers says
I hope the hard part is well over now for Karen.
Your dinner plate looks soooo delicious and beautiful. I used to make cranberry chicken, it was one of my favs. I think I’ll try a version with tofu and make my plate look exactly like yours (just tofu instead of chicken.) That cranberry sauce over the kale….. mmmmmmm.
Emily says
Glad to hear that Karen is on the up and up. Hopefully she has a smooth recovery, thoughts and prayers are with her!
Stephanie says
So happy that the surgery went well!!!! Prayers for a good recovery and happy new year to you all 🙂
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday says
Good te hear that the surgery went well! Well-wishes to her for the new year.
alana (at) the food says
who wouldda thunk to use cranberries like that….you!
now me!
congrats to karen, sending good thoughts for a speedy recovery (my mom had the same surgery a few years ago)
Judy says
Glad to hear that Karen is doing well. God Bless her in her recovery…
stacey-healthylife says
Wow that dinner looks so good. Love the cranberries.
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
SO happy to hear everything went smoothly!
(p.s. Lovin’ the Danskos! I’ll be wearing mine for my clinical rotation starting Monday! 😀 )
Ma Fea says
So relieved to hear Karen is doing well. I know you and Matt will be sure to help her take it easy as she recovers. Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for your daily inspiration, Kath.
rebecca lustig says
those almonds look soo good! trader joes has the best variation of nuts– from dusted with cinnamon to dipped in chocolate
wishing you a happy healthy and safe new years eve!
ashley nicole says
CUTE cardigan! and i am loving the cranberry chicken. i wish i could click on it and make it appear 😉
Belinda says
It is nice to hear Karen is doing well. Karen has and will continue to be in my prayers. I’ve been a reader for over two years. I do not comment much but wanted you to know how appreciative I am to you for taking the time to write this blog. It encourages me to make better food choices and incorporate exercise to my life. Have a Happy New Year!
Kath says
Thanks Belinda!
Tiff says
I am glad Karen’s surgery went well. Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.
Meg says
Huge smile on my face right now that I’ve heard that Karen is well 😀 Yay!
Your dinner looks delicious! But really, what’s new? Haha.
Enjoy your morning, Kath! Hope all is STILL well 🙂
Andy says
So glad to hear Karen is on the road to recovery. It’s wonderful you live so close and can be there to support her. Happy New Year to you all!
Stephanie says
Too cool! I just bought the Frog and Toad series for my son for Christmas. I can’t wait to start reading them aloud to him! Happy New Year!
Katie says
So glad to hear Karen’s surgery went well … and that she’s on the road to recovery.
BTW … how do you get brown rice sticky?!?! Mine always seems to come out watery.
Many best wishes for a happy & healthy New Year!! 🙂
Kath says
I use Lungberg’s short grain brown rice. Always sticky!
Kath says
Sorry – LUNDBERG
Angela says
I am glad Karen’s surgery was successful and she is well. She seems very close to you!
On another note, I was rather irked by the photo opt you had of yourself positing behind a hospital bed. There are very ill patients around you and taking a moment for a photo opt like that was offensive to me, as a future medical professional. Matt’s wheeling of the suitcase was funny and warming, but a random full body posed body shot by the hospital bed? I’m sure you did not mean to offend anyone, but please be more sensitive. I can’t help but visualize your glowing photo next to someone who is on hospice with feeding tubes and aphasic from a stroke suffering from metastatic cancer. Doesn’t sit well 🙁
julie says
I have to second this. Is there any place you won’t take a picture?
JessicaEn says
I see your point, but I have also had a friend in hospice, and it was very lovely and comforting to her when people would act normally around her and treat her normally. She had a wide variety of friends, and whether they were bloggers or musicians, she loved having a bit of the outside world. She hated it when people tip-toed around her. And Kath cant be responsible for making sure every patient in that hospitable is okay with her and her actions… She was there only for Karen, and I can bet that Kath carrying on as normal was BETTER for Karen than if they had acted differently. 🙂 What a great discussion; thanks for letting me be a part of it.
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
Those cinnamon almonds look so good! I keep seeing them at Trader Joe’s 🙂
Meagan says
Cranberries have been on my mind lately. Dinner looked great!
Bethany says
Hi, My first time commenting, but a dedicated reader. I would love to make this chicken dish, but what if I can’t find a cranberry BBQ sauce at my Whole Foods? Would a regular BBQ sauce taste weird or kill the cranberries’ flavor? I have never heard of cranberry BBQ sauce before, but maybe it’s more popular and available than I think.
Kath says
Hey Bethany,
You could use any BBQ sauce, but I’d look for one with a fruit theme – apple, peach, etc. Something a little on the sweeter side.
Bethany says
Thanks!
Namaste Gurl says
I just adore all your colorful place-mats– I can tell we have similar tastes not only in food, but decor too 🙂
Erica says
Hi Kath,
I am an avid reader. We are in Boston visiting my fiance’s family and on your recommendation we visited the Boston Olive Oil Company! I dropped your name and they were so very happy that I was there on your recommendation! We are returning to Maryland with a Bottle of Natural Butter Olive Oil (which has changed my life) and a bottle of Dark Chocolate Balsamic.
We also visited the Publick House in Brookline and had a fantastic Happy Hour of Craft Beers, Seafood Fritters, and Bag ‘O Frites. Thank goodness I read your blog because my “family to be” was so impressed with all the locations!
Happy New Year!
Kath says
Oh how fun!! I wish I’d gotten a bottle of that buttery one – it was soooo good!! Glad you had a great time!
Faith @ lovelyascharged says
I have some leftover cranberries that are STILL sitting in my fridge (and unbelievably haven’t gone bad!) from Thanksgiving. I bet that would be a great sauce for some tofu strips – def going to test the waters 😉
Lauren says
Glad to hear Karen’s surgery went well. I’m also glad you shared her PSA! The same situation with my mother-in-law. Her Dr. warned her if she ever had bleeding post menopause to come in asap, and she did! Same diagnosis and surgery as well. Praying her recovery goes so smoothly. It’s so nice she has such a sweet family to help take care of her.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
I’m so glad to hear that Karen is doing well! She’s so lucky to have you guys so nearby for support. 🙂
Laurie says
So glad Karen’s surgery went well. Continued prayers for a fast recovery! Wishing all of you a Happy New Year!
Heidi - apples under my bed says
Wow this recipe looks so delicious! I must have missed it before. Scrumptious, can’t wait to make it!
Heidi xo
Whit says
Glad Karen is doing well! Making this recipe today – thank you!!