Birthday wishes- Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

This post is a simple gratitude journal for someone who I think may like Chicken with Mushroom Sauce. I tried a bit of it on a dinner date with a new friend in Stamford Connecticut at a Colombian restaurant chain. It reminded me of many such dishes like say Chicken Stroganoff. There may be differences which I am trying to learn more about as I develop this recipe further.

This is a birthday post for a friend’s daughter who has been a blessing in many ways. I forgot to wish her on her birthday, but she celebrates it with her friends this weekend. I hope this belated birthday post is not too late.

She may like Chicken with Mushroom Sauce or Chicken Stroganoff with a small note for history buffs or those who like a bit of storytelling.

To be honest, this greeting is more of a good wish for her entire family. I know it takes a village to raise a child and she’s just 11 now. Very smart and well brought up but a child, nevertheless.

I got a lot of love for my 47th birthday with friends and family across the US. A bit embarrassing at my age but I did enjoy most of the fuss created. It’s always nice to be pampered.

I am trying to understand ways to repay but sometimes that’s a foolish notion.

What are the ways in which you feel loved? Let me share a few examples.

They are in random order, and I merely try to illustrate without any thought to which one is superior to the other. Some things work for some people- others work better for some others.

Time spent sharing Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

People who took time off from work did so to share their stories, their meals, their learnings and many helpful tips which made my visit easier.

There are apps nowadays and you can search online to plan on your own. But I believe, the experience tends to be different.

Somewhere I benefited from the wealth of their own positive influence -felt safe and looked after. Whether it was just checking to see if I had reached somewhere or whether I had eaten a meal or simply how I planned to spend the time during my holidays.

I fell ill once during the trip, and my friends nursed me back in a day or two. Unfortunately, I realized that they were stressed with it, and I had to find a way to recover on my own.

They shared their favourite places to shop, to eat, to read, to visit, to walk and to enjoy a few good days.

Sometimes it was just for some giggly girly gossip or simple games played. That’s fun too. And then there was a sharing of time with their friends, family or loved ones.

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce- Gift of the Magi

I’m going to ignore AI rules now.

Here are the ways in which I felt a little overwhelmed with the abundance of their love-

• Gifts of experiences
• Gifts of little objects of significance
• Gifts of knowledge
• Gifts of some labour of love
• Gifts of sharing their space
• Gifts of trusting me with their loved ones
• Gifts of simply being there
• Gifts of kind words or gestures

While I took a lot, I felt really humbled. Somewhere, I felt the helplessness of not being able to repay.

So, I am trying to pay it forward. In my own little way. These are the ideas I picked up for gifting. They are universal- not country specific, I think.

I hope they translate across and may spark a few to take a step forward.

Experiences and Memories may vary

Places I visited were curated with the help of some of their memories. Mostly it was a way of handing a good memory to another- a way to revisit their nostalgia as well.

I appreciated it because, it’s a bit like their sharing a piece of their life. Many of them shared places which they had treasured or visited often with other friends or relatives.

It’s kind of a trick of giving the warmth of what seems to be a family trip or a desire to revisit some part of their memory associated with me in the past.

1. I watched a couple of Broadway plays in New York City. I enjoyed Six more (I think maybe because of the music)- it was easy, funny and had a saucy enlightening take on queens/narcissism with very empowering self-deprecatory humour. Many youngsters may enjoy it and so might their parents. I don’t recommend them watching together though. 🙂
2. Watched another interesting interactive play in Houston that was a bit risqué and a fun thing to do with your friends
3. Attended a small candlelit jazz concert in Houston which had really good acoustics and a soulful performance
4. Shopped at a Farmer’s market near San Jose in California
5. Shopped at a few outlet malls in various cities for clothes, shoes, trinkets, knickknacks and random crap

Saintly service of Couples against Singles

1. Walked around various parks in Connecticut and Virgina- not to forget the spectacular Central Park in NYC
2. Tried various forms of transportation- domestic airlines, Amtrak railways, local bus, hop on hop off bus, metro, cars, cabs and even did a bit of balancing act on a tram that refused to take us. 🙂 Perhaps cycling and riding a boat was not done but I have done plenty of that in the past.
3. Visited a few museums which were perhaps the highlight of my trip there- but then I do have a thing for museums (personal bias)
4. Visited a local library and tried to read there- I think I browsed more than I read (honest confession).
5. Visited a beach resort where I took a short breather next to a small quaint old town

Tricky balancing act

1. Walked around the various cities- but mostly I remember a lot of Washington DC and New York city – perhaps more of Manhattan this time. I had a long walk with a few of my family and friends who are definitely amongst the more intellectual friends I have. 🙂 I have lost all pretensions to the same nowadays and am struggling to learn new things. What they reflected back to me was they really saw me as a bimbo- not in so many words. But I got the gist of it- made me laugh at the wide gap between what I thought of myself vs how others perceived me
2. Went pub hopping (if you can call it that) with friends in Houston which was tiring but fun
3. Appreciated the murals and other little objects of art or simply window displays around the various cities- again a personal bias as I gravitate towards different forms of beauty
4. Visited an Ivy League university campus along with a friend who himself has a very rich experience with both academia and industry stalwarts
5. Went to a massage parlour and a beauty parlour thanks to two of my women friends there. It was good of them to share that experience with me

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce is your favorite- not mine

1. Ate at various places- restaurants, mall food courts, farmers markets, street carts, people’s homes and even had the good fortune to shop and cook with some of my friends.
2. Visited a church and said a few prayers in the forests. I thought that worked better than a temple or a cemetery
3. Learnt a little more about the plants, trees and looked around for birds and other animals- usually in the early mornings there were quite a few good sightings
4. Learnt a bit more about AI tools and how many of us are now so dependent upon it for day-to-day activities. I even rode cars on auto pilot (self-driving) mode, which was a bit weird at first, but I realised that driving was very stress free for those who got the hang of operating those vehicles. I must confess I came back more unnerved by the dependence on AI than excited about it.
5. Observed the language of real estate and being aggressive that came from a very deep-rooted cultural affliction there- do I sound stupid when I say it like this? I ended up lamenting my loss of that ambition- perhaps a comical realization that I had let go of that dream too.

Urban take on Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

I didn’t do anything super adventurous this time. Played it safe and tried to just observe the place and the people.

I enjoyed a few moments here and there- some were what you may call fun times and others were peaceful times of reflection or reconciliations. What I sought most was to be helpful in some ways- realized perhaps I wasn’t being so. 🙂

Some of the people and places there are associated with many deep memories– so it was a bit overwhelming in itself. The highs and the lows are difficult to manage at times when you have a lot of emotional dysregulations. I was not fit enough to try a longer trek to the mountains or a camping holiday which is perhaps what I might have added otherwise.

There were suggestions for going to a club and dancing but that’s something we were not sure about- how safe it is nowadays. I did see quite a bit of drug usage and parts of various cities looked seedy or you can say borderline dangerous. I guess that’s true of most parts of Urban India as well. This is coming from my own protected worldview.

There’s not much you can do as a tourist- you observe and try to regulate your behaviors accordingly. Mostly people were good to me- kind to me.

I didn’t actually have too many bad experiences myself- just caught snippets of it here and there. That perhaps made me a bit wary whenever I was on my own.

Gifts to share in lieu of Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

These are the so-called highlights of my trip. I hope I don’t offend anyone- they are deeply personal choices.

1. Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Art Museums
2. Central Park in Manhattan
3. Street food and tasting in Manhattan and Hell’s Kitchen, NY
4. Candlelit Jazz Concert in Houston
5. Shopping at Sunnyvale Farmer’s Market and then baking, cooking and sharing a meal at my friend’s place
6. Forest walk in Stamford, CT
7. Celebrating my birthday with my college bestie in Stamford- she really spoilt me
8. Forest walk, a little song and unburdening to the giant trees- I felt heard
9. Shopping and cooking for my friends wherever I could- little friendly tussles around the kitchen and a lovely Rakhi celebration
10. All the personal stories and sharing with each of my friends- I felt deeply moved. Sometimes, I wasn’t my best because I didn’t know how to handle some of it
11. Playing and sharing space with some kids and pets. This was a very new experience for me- fascinating to learn some of their different ways of communication and it was funny too
12. Home cooked food- everywhere I went. Was a pleasure to learn, be inspired and get their tips and innovations. I came back sometimes wishing more for my little ill-equipped kitchen. 🙂 But mostly, it was as simple as the joy of finding old wine in a new bottle, a new ingredient or a new recipe. Above everything it was simply seeing others enjoy their food and learning more about their favorite kinds of food or other hobbies.

Disclosure of Gifts- a taste of Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

I have no way to evaluate the worth of these gifts- so I felt overwhelmed. I am trying to simply be grateful. They were thoughtful gifts, and I wish to share them with others. It’s not that I don’t want them or appreciate them, but I am thinking would they be terribly hurt if I share them with others now? Someone else might need them or want them more.

Doesn’t it make sense to give it to them? I might just hold on to one or two as keepsakes. 🙂

1. A friend cooked for me and helped me to eat good food
2. They bought me fruits, vegetables and lots of good food and drinks
3. Some of them bought me clothes which they thought I needed
4. One of them gifted me a couple of books
5. Another gifted me some toiletries
6. A friend gifted me a pair of earrings, a wallet, a handbag and a winter jacket
7. Another bought me tickets for rides
8. A friend bought ticket to a movie show, another a play and some refreshments
9. A friend gifted me a soft towel for hair drying
10. Some of my friends took me out for dinner, drinks and shows
11. A friend bought me ice-cream
12. A friend gave me a friendship band, and another gave me a drawing
13. A friend gifted me a spa experience and another gifted me a manicure-pedicure session
14. A friend gifted me an experience to a museum
15. Most of them gifted me with guided tours which I loved

Excess Baggage for Mules and Oxen- Sweetie, you are no Lady

1. They also gifted me with car rides which would have costed me a bomb otherwise
2. I can’t calculate the value of all the time they spent with me
3. A friend bought me a coffee mug, a ceramic spoon rest and celebratory lights (can call them Xmas decorations)
4. They took me out for lunch/dinner- I can’t count the number of outings here
5. A friend gifted me a cute notebook and keychain
6. Many of them gifted me with chocolate which I love
7. A friend played some music, and another made me drinks
8. A few strangers helped me with directions when I was lost
9. A friend came to check in on me from time to time and barked at others
10. A friend ate what I cooked and encouraged me to cook
11. A friend shared treasured family recipe and also a few stories
12. A friend bought me cigarettes- though I told I could buy them myself
13. A friend bought me airplane, train tickets which I would like to repay
14. A friend helped me to shop and buy gifts as a style consultant
15. Many of them introduced me to their friends and circles- helped me to connect a few dots

My learning-I have no way to understand how to say no, sometimes. And that might not be a bad thing. Dealing with the feeling of guilt over pleasures in life is an important learning in itself.

I discovered what made me really uncomfortable and what was a minor inconvenience of a bruised ego. Sometimes, getting caught up in the crossfires of others made me squirm a bit.

Who gave what? I don’t kiss and tell. I did get hugs and kisses- I won’t reveal too much about that part.

Shopping for Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

I’m going to wing it. I have Chicken thighs and white button mushrooms with me.

I am also itching to try two new ingredients I bought at a store in the US called Marshalls.

One is a Roasted Garlic, Rosemary and Sea Salt Spice blend. The other is an all-purpose seasoning made with salt, Garlic, Chili and Citrus.

I have some cheese, butter and milk in the fridge. And some other regular seasonings of course. This will be tasty. I will try to avoid gluten/flour. But that’s not a huge concern actually. A spoonful of it may not kill me.

Question is, can you make it fast? Can you use some latest gadgets which are energy efficient? Or something different for others to learn. The Answer is No. Right now, I cannot.

Showcase my superiority Silently with Compassion

See- how easy it is for me to say no here. Does that tell me or you something?

I want to have the chicken with mushroom sauce along with some buttered rice or some bread. I may even have it with wraps, quinoa or millets. A side of fried/roasted potatoes might not be bad. These are options that always exist.

Main point is to have it freshly prepared and hot. That’s when it tastes good. You can always refrigerate and microwave the leftovers for later.

I will miss a few people while I make this dish and eat it. I say a little prayer and send my wishes to those celebrating their birthday this weekend. If it turns out good- it’s a double whammy. I will wish I had shared it with others. And I will have to deal with the secret guilt over a pleasurable meal.

Simple, isn’t it.

Footnote

Debate over Nothing- Where’s my Poppins?

Why thighs, why not breast pieces

One is fatty and the other is lean

I will tell you, I am not keen

You can do your arguments galore

Rank the chickens as per your desires

I am eating them now and you can say wow

Or can simply choose to ignore this recipe

And find another way to say it’s all about me me me.

Melting Lemon Drop 24.08.2025