So...whats for dinner?

SpecialK

Last night was stuffed shells with marinara for DH, I am trying to return to a more restrictive diet - I have been a bit lax lately, so I had pulled chicken over Horiatiki salad. Not sure what I will make tonight. DD is currently in Bali, after stops in Tokyo and Singapore - she Facetimed me last night - gotta love technology! I have been at her apartment packing and loading my car each evening. I have packed enough that DH stops by (he passes her place on his way home) and we load his car and then stop at the storage facility on the way to our house. So far this is working well, we aren't overwhelmed or exhausted by trying to do this in one day. Only drawback has been rain - every day. Today I need to go to the storage unit and organize it since it is now basically full except for furniture too big to fit in the car. Almost everything else is already there. We have a dinner party here on Sat with 6 of us - not sure what I will be making. I think I will do peach cobbler and a raspberry cheesecake for desserts, and I got the cutest deviled egg plate last month so I will make loaded deviled eggs, but still formulating my plan for the rest! My initial thought is roast pork, oven roasted potatoes and green beans with almonds and parmesan, all pretty low effort with not much scrambling around while the guests are here.

Moonflwr912

Hi All! Been busy helping my DD2 with my DGD1. My daughter changed jobs, and had sinus sx. Now shes had strep 2x since. Uhg. She needs her tonsils out (DD2). But shell have to wait. Oh well.

Look! 2018 Dandelion Jelly Batch!

Yum! It tastes like honey. Have a Great week everyone

Moonflwr912

DGD1 helping pick them!

SpecialK

moon - sorry to hear about your DD and the need for tonsillectomy. My DD had that surgery at 23 and it was pretty unpleasant for her - much harder as an adult. Can't believe how big your DGD is! So cute!

ChiSandy

Bummer about the tonsillectomy, Monica. I had mine out, along with adenoids, when I was six; but there was residual tissue which grew back and I had no idea until I was dx'ed with strep tonsillitis at age 40. When you're a kid, the unlimited vanilla ice cream is a plus, but it's no picnic for adults. Haven't had the vestigial tonsils removed, though.

Last night I made an insalata Caprese with buffalo milk burrata, tomato, homegrown basil & scallions over arugula. Dressing was aged balsamic and basil olive oil, finished with black pepper & Sicilian orange sea salt. Too lazy to Photoshop out the balsamic splotch:

Main course was grilled lamb shoulder chop marinated in olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, garlic, fresh mint & oregano; grilled spring onion; and leftover roasted beets from WH's salad bar, with Penzey's "Pico Frutta" seasoning. Yes, after taking the pic I put away half the meat for later:

What's driving me crazy right about now is a plague of ants on our breakfast nook table, to which I came home today after my mani. I have emptied all bowls & baskets of stuff that isn't sealed, and cleaned them and vinyl placemats in hot water & dish detergent, and zapped ants dead repeatedly (5 x now) with Lysol all-purpose cleaner spray (don't want to use insecticide because of our cats). They even got into my thermal shopping tote, which I filled with soapy hot water and dumped several times. My housekeeper did the same several times too before she left for Alabama last night for her DGD's h.s. graduation. Of course, when the exterminator comes on the first of the month there's no sign of six-legged critters. I don't know where they're coming from--I don't see a nest or a trail of them. But every time I go back to the table they're swarming. I might buy some ant traps and supposedly pet-friendly bug spray, but if that doesn't work I'm gonna have to call the exterminator & sequester the cats.

MinusTwo

Special - BALI??? Your daughter is in Bali and you are packing her apartment? Why aren't you in Bali with her? I sure hope she 's on a work trip. Eeek.

Dinner was cold boiled shrimp & a big salad - including broccoli, avocado & English cucumber.

ChiSandy

Dinner tonight was a tossed salad of red & green Little Gem romaine and red oak leaf lettuces and arugula, topped with a can of Spanish line-caught bonito in olive oil. Dressing was the oil from the tuna, Meyer lemon juice, black pepper and Sicilian caper sea salt. Might have some mixed berries, pineapple, red papaya and pomegranate seeds over angel food cake (perhaps topped with crème frâiche or mascarpone and sweetened with a dollop of raw honey or pinch of stevia). Will save the leftover lamb from last night for breakfast tomorrow.

Gonna scrounge up a spare spray bottle and fill it with a 50-50 mix of vinegar & water and zap the inevitable next wave of ants. Some suggest borax, but several people reported their cats died from it. Might put the kibble dishes inside metal pie plates and create a "moat" so ants would drown but cats could reach the food.

Speaking of cats & food, Happy (my orange patch tabby "puppy-cat") has decided he likes Rachel Ray Nutrish (wet & kibble) as well as Fancy Feast & Crave paté food. (Till recently, he'd spurn anything other than Friskies loaf-style). Heidi (my little black princess who had kidney-stone surgery in late 2016) is restricted to prescription Royal Canin reduced-calorie kidney-diet canned chicken/rice "meaty bits in gravy" and kibble. She still prefers "gooshy-food" (per LOLCATS.com) so I have to mash it for her to keep her away from Happy's. Happy will gladly clean up her leftovers. She has a habit of wolfing down her kibble, walking over to Happy while he's still nibbling, whomping him in the head with her paw, and finishing his kibble. If she tries it while I'm watching, a stern "Heidi...NO!" usually works. I used to free-feed them both regular indoor-cat "mature" kibble, but the vet put her foot down and insisted they both lose weight. They get half a small can (Happy, alternatively, gets 1/4 of a 6-oz can, one Nutrish or one "pan" of Crave) every 12 hrs, alternating with 1/4 c. of their respective kibbles twice a day.

SpecialK

minus - I know, right? What's wrong with this picture? She is not on a work trip, she is with her BFF the flight attendant for Delta - they took a series of free flights to Tokyo, Singapore and Bali. She just called me to tell me they are going to see monkeys, the rice terraces, something else and then on to another town. On the flip side, I am that weirdo who likes to pack and organize, and she's a hot mess when it comes to that - so this is actually less stressful than trying to involve her. Plus it eliminates the "mommmm, do you know where the ________ is?" Don't know if you remember that I flew to California to help my BFF clean out her garage for the first time in 30 years... DD will be back to hoist the heavy furniture - can't do that, so that will be her contribution.

ChiSandy

I hate packing so much (my mom would stress out and start packing a week before a trip, right up to the last minute) that I have a travel wardrobe (mostly Chicos, Magellan's and TravelSmith) in three color schemes that I can roll up and throw in a suitcase the night before, or even the morning of if it's an afternoon flight. I have a separate first aid kit and zipper pouches with trial & travel sizes of tooth, hair & skin care all prepacked in a rollaboard spinner. I keep master packing lists in my Notes app: short, medium, and long trips. The biggest PITA is packing meds & supplements.

One of my recurring nightmares: it's a half-hour before I have to leave for the airport (usually on a return trip) and I have yet to pack; I get there barely in time to check in but there's always some physical obstacle to getting to the gate.

SpecialK

chisandy - for travel I do something similar - I generally pack black and white basic clothing and bring accessories to add color, like scarves and jewelry - although sometimes I just wear the same necklace, tank watch, band ring, and a pair of diamond studs the whole time - goes with everything. I bring Lindsay Phillips Meredith sandals which have changeable snap-on jewels, one flat shoe and/or sneaker, and one pair of heels or boots depending on weather. I have a dedicated cosmetic bag that always stays packed. I need to do the master list thing - DD's BFF the flight attendant does that too - she sent her list to my DD and that was super helpful in her deciding what to bring - they have small day packs and a larger backpack only.

illimae

I love packing! For my recent 6 day trip to Florida, I packed 4 shirts, shorts, jeans, a sundress, boat shoes, flip flops, a swimsuit, swimsuit cover up, pajamas, a toiletries bag and 3 pairs of sunglasses in a regular sized backpack.

Dinner was made by a friend living with us for a while. It’s a pork stew with purple cabbage, onion, potatoes, carrots, apple and various spices, he calls it “purple pig”. It was pretty good.

eric95us

What about dusting food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) around the table? It's non-toxic but very irritating to insects.

When ants were stealing Pest's cat food, her vet sent me to his brother (a beer brewer) to get some food grade DE and lightly dust it a foot or so around Pest's dish. He said it's completely non-toxic to animals/humans, but deadly to insects. He went on to say that it wouldn't kill the colony, but that the ants would quickly learn to avoid the area....he was right.

I'm having ant problems in my kitchen. Jessiecat is too old to jump up on counters, so I don't need to worry about him getting into anything on the counters...These ants prefer oil over sugar so I've mixed a tiny bit of boric acid USP (from mom's house) with a tiny bit of oil and put it in a bottle cap on the counter and the ants are swarming around the stuff.

Boric acid and Borax are both boron compounds so either would likely work...since I already have boric acid..that's what I'm trying.

Hopefully it's strong enough to kill the ants, but no so strong that it kills them before they "get home with the takeout dinner".

SpecialK

illimae - I may have missed it but at part of Florida did you visit? I knew you were on a trip - and saw the waterside restaurant pic.

ChiSandy

Gordy's heading off to Grand Rapids to stand up at a friend's wedding (8 hr. trip on a Greyhound because of inadequate train service and exorbitant small-market-destination airfare); so I made him truffled (oil & salt) scrambled eggs, sausage and toast. I decided to try that jar of shakshuka sauce I picked up at WF on a whim. Much easier and less messy than I thought--one pan on the stovetop, and the whole shebang slid intact into a pasta dish. Delicious! (And I only needed 1/3 of the jar for 2 eggs).

Don't wanna jinx it, but I think the ants are under control this a.m. Nonetheless, I'm picking up a spray bottle and apple cider vinegar--I hear it works. I also put in an order at WF on Tues. for fresh Copper River sockeye salmon, which is in season (and which I hoped to grill on cedar planks for friends on Sun. or Mon.). But it hasn't come in--the fish guy says that they got a little bit in last week and were expecting more, but according to the fish wholesalers in Seattle the catch thus far has been disappointing: undersized and less flavorful. (And the Pebble Mine, which would totally devastate both the river's spawning grounds and Bristol Bay, has yet to be approved and isn't yet up & running). They do expect some Bristol Bay and Bering Sea king salmon, though. I don't find it as flavorful, nor its texture as pleasing, as the sockeye. Too thick to do well on the grill or planked. But I can quick-brine and pan-sear it like I do with farmed Icelandic filets, and it's more healthful and environmentally safe than Atlantic. (I often get Verlasso sustainably farmed Chilean filets from Peapod, but it has more Omega-6 and less Omega-3 than wild Pacific).

Atlantic & Pacific are generally the same species, but the Atlantic wild salmon fishery has been overfished nearly to extinction (the rest polluted by runoff from fish-farming), and all Atlantic salmon on the market are farmed. Apparently the Atlantic cod fishery is so endangered that commercial fishing for it is severely restricted (MA's fishermen are up in arms, as are ME's lobstermen whose catch is similarly restricted), and any wild cod you see for sale is Alaskan.

illimae

Tonight was a slow cooker pot roast, so yummy.

Tomorrow will be French Dips, can’t wait!

ChiSandy

Dinner at Cellars tonight. Bob had a cup of lentil soup and a green bean/feta salad--he had two big lunches. I had no lunch after my shakshuka breakfast, so I had a honey-brined pork chop with mustard sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, and roast Brussels sprouts.

ChiSandy

Thus far the vinegar seems to be doing the trick ant-wise--at least they're controllable. It hit 85 today even by the lake, so I expect to see more critters.

My herbs are doing decently--except for the basil. Wonder if there's something in the potting soil doing it? Might buy a package and start it in water on the sill--no cold windowpane to shock it. Scallions are doing beautifully that way--wish I'd known about that trick earlier. Landscaper coming over tomorrow--I texted him to pick 6 tomato plants for container-growing that will stagger ripening. (Last year, about 1/4 of my crop got blossom-end rot, maybe because I failed to cull and under/overwatered).

Tonight, I made cedar-planked Copper River salmon on the grill--man, those planks can go from soggy ,with salmon raw, to up in flames in a snap. I had the presence of mind to toss a glass of water on the flames, turn off the burners, close the lid and let the fish carry-over cook while I sautéed the snap peas. Served it with a Persian cucumber salad with parsley, pomegranate seeds, sheep-milk feta and a pomegranate molasses dressing. No leftovers! (Also, no photos--too busy juggling).

Sunday morning is "Bike the Drive," which closes Lake Shore Drive to motor vehicles till early afternoon. Bob has to be at Christ Hospital early that morning. Tonight he was able to grab a cancellation at the Oak Lawn Hilton, so I will go down and join him for a late dinner and a morning swim.

ChiSandy

Minus, when I was a kid in Brooklyn (and skinny to the point of worrying my parents & pediatrician), we lived across the street from a luncheonette/soda fountain/candy store. (Back then, there were more soda fountain/newsstand/candy stores in any given neighborhood than there are Starbucks today). They had a whole row of three or four of those milkshake mixers with metal canisters. But we never got plain shakes--we got malteds, mostly chocolate. I can still taste them when I close my eyes. My mom used to give us 35 cents and send us across the street, and would phone the owner to make sure not to let us go back out until we'd finished the glass, the leftover portion in the canister, and the huge cookie (we called it a "wine cracker") that came with it. It's a miracle that I didn't start edging up into double-digit dress sizes till I was 16.

ChiSandy

The cedar-planked Copper River salmon was so good last night, and we'll have at least 8 of us over to grill on Monday, that I figured that regardless of price I would get some more. Yeah, right--the very few places in the Chicago area that still have ANY wild salmon are getting $60/lb for fresh, king only. Mariano's had what it claimed was Copper River for $12/lb, but before they could realize the typo (they meant per 4-oz portion) they got cleaned out of it. They had king for $26.99/lb., but that went fast too. Even Pike Place Market was charging $75/lb for sockeye. One fish market here says that the availabilty of any wild salmon, at least here, is only 2 weeks--and we're in the middle of it. Apparently (and I've checked several websites) this year's catch is not only late but extremely small--so small that the state fishery authority is thinking of declaring it closed for the season to allow the remaining sockeyes & kings to spawn so that there will be enough hatched to be caught next year. I shouldn't have dipped into my frozen stash all winter. So it looks like I will have to supplement Mon's menu with the sustainable Icelandic fillets I got from WF and immediately froze. And maybe a steak or two.

carolehalston

We are in MN which has been much-too-warm MN since our arrival on Wednesday. I hope this heat is temporary and not the arrival of climate change warming of our little piece of summer earth. The good news is that both the a/c units in the camper home are working. At least the mornings are cool and we can enjoy coffee out on the deck. About noon we close the windows and doors and start the artificial cooling.

On the trip north we ate mediocre food to satisfy hunger. Nothing memorable. I did my best to eat WW healthy. On Thursday I went to town and stocked up on food. Last night was breaded chicken thighs, skinless and boneless. I used the outdoor gas grill as an oven. The thighs were a bit overcooked because the cook was socializing at a gathering next door and drinking a martini. The side was steamed yellow squash. We also had a romaine salad with avocado and tomato.

Tonight will be grilled brats that dh bought today at a good supermarket that makes their own brats. Sides will be Bush baked beans out of a can and a slaw with napa cabbage and fresh pineapple. I have been eating mostly zero point foods for breakfast and lunch to save up for this point-heavy dinner. WW hits me for 9 pts for a brat! Except for the slaw, dinner is a dh type meal. I am not a huge fan of brats or baked beans.

So far I am doing well with avoiding the grazing at Happy Hour. My next door neighbor's large deck is a gathering place where folks bring their own alcoholic beverages and most bring snack food. It's the perfect opportunity for mindless hand to mouth motion. DH and I have our before dinner cocktails with the other folks but we do not return after our dinner for continued drinking.

All in all, things are good. Hoping Canada will dump some cool air this way.

illimae

Tonight was seared chicken, sautéed spinach and a squash/zucchini hash.

eric95us

Dinner at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Sharon had Penne Pasta and I had bass (fish).

We drove this time...Arimadex knees. :-(

ChiSandy

Tonight was a bit of a "miss." Bob called too late (8 pm) from Oak Lawn to tell me he'd be done at Christ Hospital around 9:30. Nothing open down there that late except a steakhouse, Italian red sauce joint, and Hooters. (As to the hotel bar/restaurant, it'd be only the bar menu, which by now I could probably recite from memory). On a nice night, everyone is driving and traffic--especially on Lake Shore Dr. approaching and through downtown--would be atrocious. I'd be looking at a 90-minute drive at a minimum--and I'm still in my housedress. (My "go bag" for emergencies in the car has just a change of underwear, nightie & t-shirt plus meds & tooth stuff). By the time I packed enough to look decent checking in & out it'd have been at least 8:30, and truthfully I was too tired to wrestle with traffic. Besides, with Gordy away the cats wouldn't get fed. And the hotel's culinary saving grace, brunch, would be of no avail because Bob's got to be in by 8 am tomorrow. (No sense eating alone--I can do that much more cheaply at home).

So I opened a package of imported artisanal Tuscan dried "spaghetti alla chitarra" (pasta dough forced through a multi-wire frame that looked like a cross between a harp & a guitar) I got at WF, and decided to make cacio e pepe. Wrong move--the pecorino Romano I had on hand was the hardened heel of an old piece and didn't mix well with the reserved cooking water, so the sauce broke. The pasta took forever: 13 min., and was a weird combination of being too al dente in the middle surrounded by mushy at the same time. It tasted fine (especially with truffle oil), but ultimately unsatisfying. Live & learn, I guess. Next time, I will stick with either fresh or tried & true commercial linguine or spaghettiWhen I get hungry again I'll reheat Thurs. night's leftover Brussels sprouts & mashed sweet potatoes (had the pork chop as brunch).

Tomorrow I will scrounge up some more proteins to grill (have a couple of burgers and three chicken bratwurst besides the salmon & two ribeyes. One friend is strictly heart-healthy (had two angioplasties), so no beef for him. (If it rains, Plan B will be carne asada, as I have quite a bit of grass-fed skirt steak, and pan-sear the salmon). Will see if WF has any salmon left and pick up the fixings for Greek potato salad (or maybe buy it ready-made at Treasure Island if Dirk's Fishery across the street has any frozen wild salmon). Still have buffalo burrata and a couple of tomatoes--may pick up a couple of heirlooms and some more basil, as my plant's still sort of anemic. Last night's cucumber-feta-pomegranate salad was a winner, so I'll do it again with the three Persian cukes I have left; and pick up three ears of corn to grill. (No more corn on the cob for me, as gnawing on a lamb bone made one front incisor too sensitive, and I'm afraid to loosen it--invasive dental work with Prolia in my system would be disastrous. So maybe I'll strip one ear of corn and make elotes). Still have plenty of arugula and baby lettuces, as well as berries (straw-, blue-, black-. rasp-, cherries and papaya)--perhaps pick up another angel food cake. Friends are bringing a "green slime" salad--from their MI childhood, made from whipped lime jello, Miracle Whip, candied fruits & walnuts. Some sort of veggie component I can't identify keeps it from being outright dessert, but it's delicious. And I'll bake a small cornbread in the toaster oven, plus get a baguette or two.

carolehalston

DH cooked the brats last night and, IMHO, overcooked them. At least most of the pork fat dripped out. We heated the Bush beans on the grill burner and let them simmer to reduce the liquid. I ate 1/2 of a brat with common old yellow mustard, about 1/2 a cup of beans and a generous helping of pineapple slaw.

I'm thinking tonight will be pasta. Linguini and a sauce provided by Rao with perhaps the addition of some lean ground beef. Perhaps not. Definitely grated romano. Side will be romaine salad.

auntienance

It's been unseasonably warm here too Carole. After the coldest April on record we are on track to have the hottest May on record. - in the upper 80s and 90s for most of the month. Trees and flowers came on quicky but have faded just as quickly due to the heat. I did plant six tomatoes, four cucumber, one squash and three pepper plants. Oh, and some onions and green beans. It sounds like a lot but actually is far less than usual. They are all doing well at the moment because of summer like conditions.

Friends are coming tomorrow for a mixed grill and classic bbq fare: baked beans, corn on the cob, deviled eggs, fruit salad and a Texas sheet cake with homemade ice cream.

Tonight is going to be fish sandwiches and mac and cheese all from the freezer. Maybe some fresh asparagus for color.

MinusTwo

Sandy - you'll have to report back on the mystery ingredient in the 'slime' salad. Maybe avocado? My mom made one with avocado & cashew nuts.

Carole - Is pineapple slaw what it sounds like? Coleslaw with a can of crushed pineapple? I have a friend who adds crushed pineapple to her carrot & raisin salad.

Eric - sigh!!! Beautiful venue. Thanks for sharing. I've only been to the South Rim.

Going to see Book Club with some lady friends this afternoon. I only see one or two movies a year but I expect to laugh out loud. Then we'll eat at Peli Peli Kitchen. It's South African "comfort food". The blurb says inspired by England, France, Holland, India and America. I've been to their original restaurant & the tastes are always interesting, but this is supposed be be more casual.

ChiSandy

I used to be able to stand common yellow French's mustard (Gordy still likes it) until one day when Gordy was two and insisted on going to "Showbiz Pizza" (rival of Chuck E. Cheese). We were at the one in Brighton Park just n. of Holy Cross Hosp. on the S. Side--it was full of screaming kids, semi-drunk parents, and for some odd reason smelled like cheap hot-dog mustard. It spoiled French's for me, and I actually gag from it. So I eat only Gulden's, Dijon, English/Chinese or German-style coarse mustards. (At the ball park, no mustard on my hot dogs unless I have a packet of Gulden's or Grey Poupon in my purse--and the latter is not my Dijon of choice, since I prefer Maille).

Not sure what to eat tonight--had Thurs.' leftover sides for brunch. Gordy just got back from Grand Rapids and headed straight upstairs to nap. I'm off to Target or Menard's for a new toilet seat (yet another lid has bitten the dust), then to Mariano's &/or Treasure Island for anything to grill plus TI's Greek potato salad.

SpecialK

carole - great minds think alike - we are having spaghetti with marinara and some turkey meatballs, and a romaine salad!

ChiSandy

Bob has a freebie coupon for the Fireside Inn--not my fave, as they are known for big portions of heavy and oddly-spiced general-American food (their "Cajun meatloaf" would be considered a felony on the bayou), but I'm tired and have to make potato salad and portion out salmon tonight--as well as get the kitchen tidy, so it's the path of least resistance. Hope not to overeat or need to bring home leftovers, as fridge & freezer space is already tight.

Went to Treasure Island, but they ran out of Greek potato salad this morning, so I bought red potatoes to try and recreate it from my recollection of it and the Frugal Gourmet's variation on it. They did have Pacific salmon at a much more reasonable price: fresh Skuna Bay from Vancouver Island--but it's farmed and a dead ringer for the familiar Atlantic variety; and previously frozen Copper River sockye for less than half what I paid for fresh at Whole Foods. Now, I normally wouldn't buy previously frozen in quantity, but seeing as how I had to freeze what I bought Thurs. anyway, any salmon I were to serve tomorrow would be previously frozen. I bought 2 lbs. and will use it first because it shouldn't be re-frozen. Not going to cedar-plank it--will use my wire fish baskets instead. Got a great bargain on brioche and pretzel buns, which I can freeze, in case anyone wants burgers or hot dogs. They also had corn 4/$1, so I will grill three ears & cut them into cobbettes and make elotes from the fourth. I will round it out with insalata Caprese (two heirloom--one yellow, one tiger--tomatoes and as many of the two regular ones on hand as I need), and Chinese smashed cucumber salad (ATK recipe using English cukes--a buck each and I got long ones). Fresh litchis to round out the fruit on hand for dessert (one guest will be bringing cheesecake, which he buys at Eli's outlet store in Nov. and freezes). I was able to get some Poilane whole wheat sourdough bread, which I will toast on the grill. Should be enough food. Hope I have enough chairs--some may have to eat indoors. (All of us if it rains). Needless to say, plenty of microbrews & wine on hand.

MinusTwo

Sandy - do you care to share the recipe for Chinese Cucumber Salad?

In spite of the fact that I too post restaurant meals, I'm still more interested in recipes. Illimae's home made meals look delicious.