![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/7679fb1ee1e19da5aff2821511c15a62.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Say what?\u00a0 It’s that time of year again when they empty out my veins like a maple tree in spring. With Mary by my side, we were up at the crack of dawn, bleary-eyed and ready to hit the road for the “six gallons of blood” extravaganza. It’s like a vampire’s dream come true! Maybe I should ask for a frequent donor card.<\/p>\n
The new vampire at the doctor’s office was incredible; we were in and out in five minutes without a blood-curdling scream!<\/p>\n
We headed home, but I decided to stop at The Gourmet Pie Company in Los Alamitos. Gourmet Pie and Cafe is a family-owned and operated restaurant started in 1984 by Ruthie, Tony, and Mike Richards. They started Gourmet Pie so they could share their dedication to and obsession with delicious recipes and baked goods with everyone. \u00a0The restaurant was initially located in Cypress and started as a bakery specializing in pies, cakes (wedding cakes), breads, pastries, and cookies. Soon after opening, we expanded their menu to include some of our favorite home-cooked meals.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-09-03-000-650x366.jpg\")
Located on Katella in Los Alamitos<\/p><\/div>\n
After a fantastic meal, we departed for home, with the only stop being CVS for some meds.\u00a0 In the afternoon, we did some chores and took naps as the temperature outside was in the 90s.<\/p>\n
Mary woke me up around 5:00 pm, and I was tasked with cooking the filet mignon steaks.\u00a0 These suckers were two inches thick and therefore required an expert’s touch!\u00a0 I had marinated them for several hours, and they were ready to go!<\/p>\n
Why did the steak get promoted? It was a cut above the rest!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-09-03-002-650x866.jpg\")
They are soaking away!<\/p><\/div>\n
They went onto the very hot griddle with lots of sizzling and steam.\u00a0 I gave them three minutes on each side to sear the surface, then lowered the stove to medium and let them cook four minutes per side until the internal temperature was 130 degrees.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-09-03-003-650x487.jpg\")
In the pan and ready to be eaten!<\/p><\/div>\n
The word \u201csteak\u201d comes from the Old Norse word \u201csteik,\u201d meaning \u201croast,\u201d which shows how long this delicious food has been part of human culture.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Mary prepped the plates with stuffed squash and a stuffed jalapeno!\u00a0 I gave her a three-minute warning so she could nuke her plates, and the steaks were added after a few minutes of sitting.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2024-09-03-004-650x487.jpg\")
Oh my!!! A meal fit for a Ma-Ha-Ra-Ja!<\/p><\/div>\n
Around 7:00 p.m., Dianne came by after being at the hospital, and we prepared another plate for her; she had half of Mary’s steak! Dianne polished it off without delay. We worry about her keeping herself well, as she has been in and out of the hospital for the past 45 days.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/09\/IMG_1968-scaled-e1725456235305-650x405.jpg\")
Happier times will always be remembered!<\/p><\/div>\n
Dianne bid us farewell, and we eagerly made our way to the inviting pool, where the water was a blissful 91 degrees, creating a warm and comforting atmosphere. As we floated around, the carefree ambiance prompted endless giggles and laughter, filling the air with pure joy for another delightful 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n Mary is like a duck in the water!<\/p><\/div>\n After all the floating, we crashed hard.\u00a0 I went to brush my teeth and upon returning Mary had attempted to read, but she was sound to sleep;\u00a0 I removed her glasses, put the book on the table, tucked her in, and kissed her goodnight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Say what?\u00a0 It’s that time of year again when they empty out my veins like a maple tree in spring. With Mary by my side, we were up at the crack of dawn, bleary-eyed and ready to hit the road … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2024\/08\/2024-08-19-016-e1724146435165-650x586.jpg\")