The Art of Making Do

July 14, 2020

(note from Jane: I asked Elisabeth to tell me about the food in detention and she said she often takes the food given to them and makes her own meals, using the microwave and a few items she buys from the commissary (things are very price-y, as I will document in a future post). I asked Elisabeth to send me some of her recipes::

One day this week for lunch they gave us tomato sauce with some meat balls and for fruit they gave us oranges. With the tomato sauce, we made a soup. We added the cheese we buy from commissary and nachos. To the tomato sauce I added water, seasoning, cheese, cream cheese, and butter. Then I boiled it in the microwave. I put the meatballs in butter and cut them up into small pieces, then put them in the boiled soup. On top, I put chili Cheetos and then I enjoyed a very delicious soup for lunch!

We also make chow mein with vegetables and meat. We use the noodles from the Maruchan soup and add seasoning and vegetables and meat and, if we have it, some Italian vinegar, and it so good, you want to lick your fingers! Well, we make what we can. When they give us boiled potatoes, we cut them in half and add butter and mustard and put them in the microwave. Everything I cook is due to you, Mama Jane, because thanks to you I can buy food at the commissary. And it's not just for me, I always share with Xiomara and Claudia. I thank God that he has blessed me with you so that I can share, so that I have plenty to share. One day, Juanita, we are going to make a chicken soup, with a few vegetables, a little seasoning. Even here, I am surprised by how good it tastes! The soup seems to have a lot of vegetables and the taste is super delicious. Xiomara asks me, where did all these vegetables come from. I laugh and tell her that God must have given us extra vegetables and extra taste.