September 2025 In My Kitchen

Posted on by Astrid

Hi everyone. It’s the last day of the month and I’m joining in with the In My Kitchen linky once again. Last month, I said I had a few plans for the first week of September and hoped the rest of the month would be active as far as cooking and baking went too. Well, it wasn’t really, but in addition to there still not being any clarity on when I can actually do a cooking/baking activity, it didn’t help that I was sick with probable COVID for most of the second half of the month. Anyway, let me share what I did accomplish.

First, on September 2, I cooked a pasta dish for this side of the home. I used roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, garlic and chicken. I bought the roasted bell peppers in a pot, but later found out it’s relatively doable to make them yourself.

Then, later in the week, I made another bowl of overnight oats for myself. In the picture, you can see my special spoon. I usually don’t take pictures of my adaptive cutlery or other special tools, but actually why not?

Too bad I don’t think of creating simple breakfasts or lunches for myself more often, as I really wish I could contribute to my wellbeing that way. However, I also blame the day schedule, because I have “alone time” for thirty minutes before lunchtime and I cannot prepare food completely without help.

The next Saturday, September 6, I used my two-hour activity time slot in the afternoon to bake Biscoff blondies. My baking tray was a little larger than the recipe creator recommended, but the blondies turned out great regardless. Most of my fellow residents and staff had one with their evening coffee.


They were delicious but very filling. When, the next day, my spouse and I had two of them, neither of us cared for lunch even though I am usually almost insatiable.

The next week, I didn’t do anything in the kitchen. On the 18th, however, I celebrated two years at this care home, so I wanted to cook dinner again. That day, there was also the institution festival, so I decided to do the cooking on Wednesday the 17th. I made burgers for the entire home, both sides, so 20 residents plus staff.

Unfortunately, the home was short-staffed that day, so I initially offered to eat in the living room as to not need a one-on-one staff in my room. By this time, my respiratory symptoms were getting noticeable and I was easily overloaded. I managed to snap a picture of my plate when in the living room, but quickly decided to go back to my room.

Once in my room, I discovered the staff who I’d asked to do the final work, had forgotten to add the onions, bell peppers and mayo to my burgers. Thankfully, this got sorted and I took another picture of my burgers before consuming them.

The burgers, unfortunately, weren’t as good as I’d planned them to be. I mean, they couldn’t have been all that great, as they were freezer burgers, but I had totally wanted the dish to be more appealing.

Overall, the first half of the month was pretty fulfilling in the kitchen department, but the second half wasn’t. I’m hoping that, now that I’m almost over this respiratory bug, I can start preparing food again. Today, I did get a breakfast box full of yummy things in it to be used on Saturday, when I do the Walk on Sunshine for the Dutch cerebral palsy charity.

30 thoughts on “September 2025 In My Kitchen”

  5. I loved reading your post – it gives me a kind of imaginary walk through a care home and the activities. I often look after patients from there and it’s hard to imagine life there, so thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear you were sick and hope you get better soon!

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    1. Thank you. Re the “alone time”, I’m not technically required to be completely on my own in my room anymore, so maybe if I asked, the staff would be willing to help me prepare my own lunch rather than do it for me. However, the “alone time” (the word no longer appears on my day schedule, but it used to) being interpreted literally is so ingrained in my mind that I struggle to let go of it.

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  10. Your joy of cooking and especially sharing it with others is wonderful. I am a retired Administrator of an Assisted Living and few of my residents were as motivated! But I will let you in on a little secret, all of us who join Sherry for IMK have a dish or 12 in a month that did not turn out as hoped. But food cooked with care, is always a celebration, so just keep celebrating!

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind comment. I indeed love cooking and I also love seeing how much my fellow residents enjoy my homemade food. My fellow residents are all severely intellectually disabled, so while they might be able to do some simple food prep tasks, none of them can cook.

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  11. Hope you’re feeling better! You still achieved so much despite – the biscoff blondies look especially good! I am sure the staff and other residents really appreciate all your efforts 🙂

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      1. I am sorry to hear you are struggling. I really wish there was more research in mental health care, but then (at least here) there are barely enough doctors to treat even a portion of the population that needs help. I am so thankful I have insurance that helps me stay in treatment through meds and therapy. I hope you improve day to day. Hugs!

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        1. Thank you. The problem for me is that I have multiple mental health conditions on top of being multiply-disabled including autistic (which here unfortunately is viewed as a psychiatric condition too).

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