So...whats for dinner?

SpecialK

patsy - I hope the day goes smoothly tomorrow and will cross fingers for a low Oncotype score! My skin cancer removal went smoothly - I basically had a lumpectomy on my shoulder - have a 3cm incision and it was comfortably numb until about two hours ago. The area is at the top of the shoulder without much flesh underneath and this is my dominant arm so I need to try to stay a little quiet. I'm not good at that, lol! I did make dinner early consisting of cold salads - green beans with bacon and feta in vinaigrette, and red potato salad while I was still comfortable, just reheated brats so it was easy. I think tomorrow will be sore, but just have a quick dentist appt and the rest of the day I can try to keep still. In the interests of full disclosure - I left the cheese off my burger and also skipped the flat bread, so I was fantasizing right along with you!

minus - love cottage cheese and peaches! My mom frequently made cottage cheese salads and added tomatoes, sliced scallions and old school “French" dressing.

ChiSandy

What about hanger steak for Stroganoff? It's a flavorful but not photogenic cut that butchers used to save for themselves before foodies discovered it. More expensive than skirt or flank steak, but cheaper than strip, filet or ribeye.

Tonight was weird. If I were Catholic I'd have been praying nonstop to St. Anthony (patron saint of lost & found objects)--mid-evening, I was trying to gather the stuff I'll need for the dulcimer festival this weekend, but couldn't find the tote bag I'd taken to my last gig in Madison, which I thought had my harmonicas, velcro wrist wrap (for holding ice packs), Traumeel gel and an ice pack. So after sending a text to the venue where I'd played, I went out to the car to see if it was in there with my emergency duffel and stash of reusable shopping bags. Reached into the closet for my leather jacket, but it wasn't there! I realized I'd forgotten it this afternoon at the nail salon (it had warmed up outside and everyone else was walking around coatless). Salon owner, who lives in my 'hood, dropped it off. On the way back in from the garage, I saw a big black (likely expensive) metal water bottle tucked into a corner of the deck--texted the landscaper, who replied it was his. Went back inside and there was a really pretty pair of glasses I don't own--they're my housekeeper's (I lusted after them and wanted to buy a pair, but she got them at the V.A. eye clinic, not open to non-vets). Texted her that they're on the dining room table. Then I found the harmonicas in the accessory pocket of one of my dulcimer cases.

So dinner was kinda late. Fortunately, I'd defrosted a piece of Copper River sockeye salmon, which I pan-seared. Sautéd snap peas, and steamed & seasoned some freekeh--always wanted to try it, because it's high-fiber and cooks more quickly than rice.

MinusTwo

Special - that's my other 'go to' - cottage cheese & sliced tomatoes. I eat that w/no dressing. Hope you were able to sleep w/o rolling on your shoulder. That's a pretty good chunk removed. You need someone to tie you down today- lol.

carolehalston

I rarely make stroganoff. Once upon a time I think I used a tough cut of beef like round steak but I like the idea of a tender cut that wouldn't be overcooked. At some point in my life I stopped liking tough beef that has to be cooked and cooked and cooked to be chewable. My mother "smothered" round steak and made a delicious dark brown gravy. The flavor was in the gravy, served over white rice, a staple in our southern family.

Last night's ribeye was a bit overcooked but the slices in the middle qualified as medium rare. I had half a baked potato with butter and a delicious romaine salad with tomato, cucumber, avocado, blue cheese and Greek olives sprinkled with olive oil and white balsamic.

Tonight's menu will be boneless chicken thighs, sweet potato chunks and salad. We don't seem to tire of our romaine tossed salads. DH always adds generous amount of sweet onion to his and uses a bottled onion dressing, Ken's brand.

SpecialK

minus - exactly - I do need someone to tie me down! I keep forgetting and then moving too suddenly. Surprisingly, I did sleep ok, but I am a side sleeper and usually sleep on the unaffected side - so yay for that!

eric95us

I've been scanning some of the "billions and billions and billions" of slides and old photographs.

ET (evil twin) and Pest. Pest is the cat. :-)

This was taken in late 1986.

Egads007

I only wish I could sleep that soundly!!

ChiSandy

My last frozen Wagyu sirloin filet, seared on the grill in cast iron (had started it on the stove but I set off the smoke detector)! Mushrooms with butter, dry marsala and the juices left over after slicing the steak--8 oz, fed two of us. Broccolini with garlic, lemon, olive oil and chili flakes. Leftover freekeh with butter and porcini-infused sea salt.

Considerably less sophisticated fare this weekend, as I'm doing a dulcimer festival in a small town about 2 hrs. SW.

carolehalston

Today is dh's birthday. We ate breakfast out following exercising at the gym. He doesn't want to go out for dinner so we're having a pork steak, a favorite of his. Sides will be corn cut off the cob, another favorite. And probably a salad. Maybe cauliflower mash.

MinusTwo

Carole - please tell him Happy Birthday. The B-day dinner sounds great.

M0mmyof3

Carole-Happy Birthday to you DH!

eric95us

Happy Birthday "Mr. Carole".

M0mmyof3

Hubby brought home grinders for dinner.

PatsyKB

Happy to say we are going out to dinner with close friends. Even better, we have a big fat gift card to use at this particular restaurant, so the four of us will enjoy an excellent meal and split the difference between the total and the gift card. A win win all around. (Because I eat mostly plant based and all healthy, I checked the menu online - plenty to choose from!)

Bon appetit, everyone

eric95us

What restaurant, PatsyKB? Sharon and I get up "that way" on occasion.

PatsyKB

Mariposa, Latin-Inspired Grill https://mariposasedona.com/

It's a great place for the views and some of the dishes. Over the past couple of years it's been in existence, we have had everything from poor to excellent experiences and everything in between. Mostly a matter of inconsistent service. So who knows? Since we have this gift card, however, we know the price will be right tonight.

eric95us

One of these days we'll get up that way. Tomorrow Sharon and I are heading up to the Kendrick Peak fire lookout tower. Even though most of the state's forests are closed, that particular place is still open.

I grew up in the desert and tolerate the heat pretty well (at 5pm it was 110F/43C), but it kind of grinds on Sharon. So we do cool country stuff whenever we can.

For what it's worth, at 5pm the watch tower reported 69F/19C and it will likely be below freezing tonight. It's quite a change for a place that's only a 3-1/2 hour drive from home.

Dinner tonight is all the left overs from earlier in the week. So, it will be a "little bit of a lot of things" dinner tonight.

MinusTwo

Dunch earlier was a gigantic salad - started with 1/4 a bag of Dole Pomegranate salad mix. Added one tomato, 1/3 of English cucumber, 1/2 an avocado, a large helping of leftover broccoli, sunflower seeds. I saved the dressing from the bag for another time & used a delicious Ranch from HEB. I thought about adding black olives and shoestring beets, but my better judgment said no. I was barely able to finish as it was. Not even room for a roll.

I just had two 'lemon mini bites' for dessert. They used to be available at Costco but have been gone the last couple of years. I found them at WalMart one time. Smaller than a mini-cupcake and shaped like an upside down bundt cake with lemon icing w/lemon zest on top & all the sides. Absolutely delicious. And so small - of course there are no calories... lol.

https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/Upper-Crust...

auntienance

Happy birthday to the dh Carole!

Tonight was a Serious Eats recipe for French bread pizza. Amazingly I found whole milk mozzarella in my little town. It was pretty tasty. Cut into small slices it would make a nice appetizer. We had it with a fairly pedestrian salad made of home grown romaine (but not my home.) My garden is full of marble sized tomatoes however. I'll have to put wire on top of the cages to keep the critters from stealing them.

This morning while putting out jelly for the numerous Baltimore orioles that come to the feeder, the little fawn (so little!) ran out of the woods and scampered up around the side of the house. We spotted mamma deer there and they both strolled up to the garden without stopping, then on across the street to the woods on that side. All of our trees are full of apples so I figure they'll be coming around there soon. They really enjoy the green apples and will eat all of them on the bottom of the tree and those that fall on the ground.

Minus, I used to get the brownie bites from Costco. Terribly addicting! They haven't carried them for a while now about which I have mixed feelings lol

MinusTwo

Late lunch/early dinner... I never know whether to call it 'dunch' or 'linner'.

Came home from water aerobics absolutely starving & planned to poach or saute some salmon - enough for a salad tomorrow too. Then the phone started ringing with Civic Club issues before I could even get off my wet suit. When I finally got to the freezer, a package of PF Chang's Shrimp Lo Mein jumped out at me before I could find the salmon - and by now it was 2:30pm. So with less than 10 minutes to prep, that was my dunch. Not bad. It was supposed to be a meal for two but I ate the entire thing.

Salmon is now in the top freezer of my fridge instead of out in the garage freezer.

Lacey12

Checking in after a while...so, yes, this will be long....sorry!

HB to your DH Carole! Sounds like you two are off to a great start to your summer in MN. Good for you on the weight loss! I saw an add for an air fryer the other day and wondered if it was a compact enough item for you to bring with you. Am guessing not.

Special, I hope you are healing well....and not exerting too much, tho that’s probably a stretch (pun intended). My mother often served us cottage cheese and fruit salad in the 50’s/60’s. These days I sometimes enjoy having store bought cot chs with pineapple to which I add walnuts for some crunch.

Minus, we are all humbled these days with our “brain cramps”. I find that I really do have to pay better attention to things I hope to remember...otherwise the name, item, place, appointment, product, etc., just flies right through my brain with no landing. I have found, however, that my recall has reverted to its better functioning state since my PCP reduced my Pravastatin, which she had increased to 20mgs last year. Similar improvement when I went off tamoxifen. Obviously my brain is very sensitive to meds! I hope your bloodwork is fine and you can go to once a year appts.

Nance, I loved your wildlife report! We have tons of chipmonks and squirrels if you’d like to import any for the fox! Since we no longer have housepets, the chipmonks have taken over, and I hope they are not damaging the foundation of our house as some neighbors have reported on our town Facebook page. Every afternoon we also see one rabbit nestled in the middle of our lawn eating grass (or more likely clover, which abounds). She isn’t phased by our presence and I’m guessing is bulking up to feed her bunnies, probably under the shed which we have yet to see emerge.

While we have yet to truly experience any consistently nice warm weather days, I decided recently to start our summer tradition of having BLTs for dinner. I made them with some nice Farmer’s Market salad bowl lettuce and cut thick slices of a crusty loaf of Trader’s bread. Not so traditional, but Yum! Let the summer season begin!

A few weeks ago, I had my physical and the doc decided since we are not sure about the random lightheadedness I experience, I should wear an event (holter?) monitor for a month. Two weeks are complete, and I cannot wait to get this damn thing off! It is time consuming and annoying to wear. I did not get the most modern version since the cardio dept was out of them (I should have waited!), so I am constantly needing to apply, and change these sensors to my chest and wear the not small enough sensor appliance around my neck, remember to change the battery of that, and keep the separate larger monitor right near me at all times, keep it charged, etc. Ugh! I do hope some valuable info comes from this. End of rant!

On Tuesday I celebrate my 73rd birthday, and we are going into town, first on a duckboat ride/tour since I keep promising DH we’ll go on one since he never has been. I have been on a few....as a special chaperone accompanying some of my more behaviorally challenging students in my school days. Ha! This will be a bit more relaxed and the weather looks promising.

After the tour, we are thinking about having a drink at the Top of the Hub (Prudential Building) since it’s been many years since I have been there and the city of Boston has changed dramatically in the past 20-30 years, sporting a very different skyline. We’ll close our little outing with a stop at Eataly (with no homage to MB!), probably avoiding the most expensive restaurant (only one that takes reservations) and enjoying something more casual. Next Saturday DS2 and wife will take us out for a combined birthday and FaDay celebration.... a tour of the new places in the Seaport area of Boston, and then at Tuscan Kitchen Seaport, new to that area. I should be able to consider myself familiar with contemporary Boston after this week.

We head to NJ the following week for DGD’s Kindergarten graduation and for DGS’s piano recital. Looking forward to seeing them! I’m busy coming up with ideas for activities we can do together if there is ANY down time during the four days we are there....and of course researching vegan recipes I can make for those docvegans! If only they ate cheese

Eric, I would concur with the observations of others here that you seem to be adjusting to retirement quite nicely!

Last note....Minus those lemon bites sound amazing!!

auntienance

ACK!! Just lost a long post!

The very abbreviated version: pork picatta with lemon parm pasta with asparagus or broccoli mixed in.

Lacey12

Nance, sounds so delicious!!

And could you possibly teach me to “abbreviate" ?! )))

M0mmyof3

Got invited to a party at my neighbor’s house for their grandson who is starting high school in the fall.

MinusTwo

Lacey - thanks for all the news. It's NOT too long. Sounds like a great couple of weekends. I too hope the 'halter time' goes quickly and you get the benefit of some report or other that is useful. Please do let us know from the wilds of New Jersey.

My blood is OK except for cholesterol. It's jumped up since cancer. This is in spite of all the exercise, skipping beef, the weight I've lost and doing other healthy stuff. I've about decided those raised numbers are caused by one of the vitamin supplements I'm taking post BC - like maybe the two different "B"s that were supposed to help my chemo induced nephropathy (not). I plan to discuss cutting out everything with my PCP to see what happens. Except I don't want to cut the magnesium that really helps my leg cramps - so with my luck it would be that. Still - the numbers are border line so I won't have to take statins.

Nance - as usual your meals sound delicious.

Mommy - you'll have to report back on the graduation party fare.

M0mmyof3

We had lasagna, salad and garlic bread, fruit and cheese. Chocolate cake and cookies.

carolehalston

Last night's dinner suited my taste buds. Canadian walleye fillets lightly breaded with Louisiana fish fry breading and sprayed with olive oil spray and baked to crispness in the grill/oven at a high temperature. One side was cauliflower mash. A second side was our usual romaine tossed salad but without avocado.

Tonight will be turkey burgers without buns, carrots and salad.

SpecialK

Last night was impromptu dining out at one of our favorite healthy restaurants - I had a Thai bowl - chicken, mango, shredded lettuce, carrot, scallion with sauce, over noodles with an extra side of lime vinaigrette. DH had a broccoli and chicken bowl with sun-dried tomato over a combo of kale and brown rice. Tonight I am making sweet and sour chicken over rice for him, and probably nothing for me - just ate a big Greek salad with leftover steak added. I cooked the chicken thighs earlier and will use them with pineapple, carrot and peppers, and make a sauce from the pineapple juice, with chili sauce and ketchup, brown sugar, cornstarch, Worchestershire, and a little water. Quick and easy!

M0mmyof3

chicken kebabs marinated in Italian dressing and pasta salad

Magari

Last night we grilled cumin/spice rubbed lamb steaks and corn. Tonight we're making sand dabs with herbed couscous and a spicy mango cucumber salad.