By End of January. Gayle has gained four pounds in three weeks with us. She has color in her face. Her blood pressure is steady. She is laughing more. Last night she told Josie a story about a cow that got loose in 1956 and broke through a screen door at her grandparents' farm. Josie was hysterical. I have not heard Gayle tell that story in twenty years.
Drove Monday-Tuesday, a short Des Moines round trip. Worked from home Wednesday-Friday. Wrote. Cooked. Watched the snow. Gayle helped me fold laundry Thursday. She did it sitting on the couch with a basket on her lap. She said, "I used to fold laundry standing up." I said, "You are sitting down. The laundry doesn't care." She said, "The laundry has standards." I laughed. The laundry has standards. Gayle has invented that sentence. It belongs to Gayle now forever.
Dave had a hard back day Thursday. He could not stand up without help. I drove him to the chiropractor. The chiropractor helped. He iced at home in the afternoon. He was better by Saturday. He was fine by Sunday. But Saturday night after Gayle had gone to bed he said to me in the kitchen, quietly, "Brenda. I think I'm going to need surgery at some point." I said, "I know, Dave." He said, "Not yet." I said, "Not yet." He said, "I just want you to know I know." I said, "I know, Dave." We are having conversations about future surgeries the way we used to have conversations about future children. Slowly. With care. With mutual agreement. Forty-one years from now we will look back on this kitchen conversation and know we handled it right. I am sure of this.
Book two at 21,000 words. Steady progress. Sarah is pleased. I am pleased. I am not in a hurry.
That week — the snow, the laundry, Dave’s back, Gayle gaining color back in her face — called for something that asked nothing of me. No complicated prep, no hovering over the oven. Just a skillet on the stove, some potatoes, some kielbasa, and the kind of heat that makes a kitchen feel like it’s doing its job. This is the meal I keep coming back to when the week has already been full enough.
Potato Kielbasa Skillet
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes, halved (or small Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced (red or green)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Parboil the potatoes. Place halved potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8–10 minutes until just fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the kielbasa. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa slices in a single layer and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Crisp the potatoes. Add the drained potatoes to the skillet with the vegetables. Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes develop a lightly golden crust.
- Combine and finish. Return the kielbasa to the skillet and toss everything together. Cook for 2–3 more minutes until heated through and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve directly from the skillet.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 920mg