So...whats for dinner?

carolehalston

Hi, Katy. I had to go back a page and find you. SpecialK is definitely a good person to tell you about planning meals. She's a pro. I'm in awe of the variety in her menus.

Thanks, Nance, for the link. The unstuffed peppers dish looks like a "hot dish" to me! Otherwise known as a casserole. I'm sure I would like it and dh would, too.

Minus, it will not be cooling down at night in Louisiana until late October or even November. It does cool down wonderfully here in northern MN. Lately it is low 60's when we wake up and will soon start dropping lower than that. In addition to sheet and light comforter we keep a fleece blanket handy. I do love sleeping with a window open and no a/c.

Tonight's dinner will be chicken breast.

The tomatoes are turning ripe on the three tomato bushes in Mary's garden. I have huge beautiful home-grown tomatoes, FINALLY, in August. One bush is Lyman's (Mary's dh), one bush is mine and the other is John's (elderly Texan).

SpecialK

carole - what a nice compliment!

minus - no evening cooling here either until late in the year! We are going north for a vacay for the first week in Sept - will be nice to get out of this sticky heat

ChiSandy

Tonight at Cellars is the "BBQ Festival 20/20:" tasting 20 wines (that go with BBQ) for 20 bucks, plus an all-you can-eat buffet featuring ribs, pulled & fried chicken, brisket, and various salads, sides and mini-desserts. I will get quizzical stares for eating ribs with a knife and fork (still have to avoid using my left incisors & cuspids, and chew mostly on my right side). But seeing as how I don't have dental insurance and my two root canals cost more than two months of Gordy's rent, I'm not gonna do anything to endanger those teeth. Anything my endodontist says, I reply "yes, ma'am."

Been in the 60s overnight and grazing 80 in the daytime. Finally seeing blue skies, as the haze from the wildfire smoke was pulled east by the departed storm fronts. But ragweed is off the charts this week, and molds and other weeds are way up there too.

KatyK

Illimae - I did not see the stem of the wine glass, just looked like a nice dinner that needed a glass of wine!😀. At least that is how I think. No need to apologize for what you drink. All that matters is you like it. I’ve been drinking rose this summer. Was so happy when doc said it was o.k. to enjoy a glass of wine.

Thanks for all the great meal prep suggestions. I will put them to good use. Tonight making a big batch of meatballs. Will use some tonight for meatball subs and tomorrow a banh mi bowl (cooking light recipe) which has rice, veggies, and an Asian inspired sauce. So got two nights planned!

Great suggestions from all, thank you

auntienance

Panko breaded pork tenderloin tonight with the last of the local corn on the cob :-( and a sauteed squash medley with onions and tomatoes.

Beautiful here too yesterday and today but back to heat and humidity this weekend. At least we've had periodic rain, too late for the garden, but the grass looks beautiful and needs to be mowed weekly. Unheard of here in August.

illimae

Tonight DH made 15 Bean soup with Ham Hocks, it was so good. I already stashed some in the freezer for later 😋

MinusTwo

illimae - funny - I've been thinking this week about beans with the left over ham & ham hocks I have in the freezer. I just need to pick up some celery, since I really like that addition.

ChiSandy

Ilona, looks yummy!

KatyK

The meatballs last night made a good meatball sub. I made a tomato sauce starting with Pomi - I love that tomato sauce. It’s just plain tomato, no salt or anything else, so you can season it how you like. Had a side salad and had some cherry tomatoes from the garden. The grandchildren were over for dinner last night and loved it. Now I have leftover meatballs for another dinner

M0mmyof3

Going to have to dive into the freezer to see what strikes my mood to cook for dinner tonight.

carolehalston

So... the thawed boneless chicken breast half became three small flattened fillets. I breaded them with panko and browned in olive oil and butter. Meanwhile two sweet potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil had roasted in the grill/oven during Happy Hour. Salad was sliced tomato and cucumber from Mary's garden. Sweet onion addition to dh's salad. Easy and satisfying. We split one of the baked sweet potatoes so one is left over.

Today's weather is iffy with possibility of rain, but we're signed up for couples' golf and dinner with the group afterward. The restaurant is the Y, not a favorite of ours but the room is nice. We'll try again to find something on the menu that lets us understand why some of the other folks like the Y.

ChiSandy

The BBQ buffet last night was potato salad, avocado/asparagus salad, slaw, New Orleans BBQ shrimp over rice, honey-bourbon wings, bacon-wrapped dates, ribs, BBQ pork sliders and brisket. Caramel brownie & lemon-bar squares, petits-fours sized. I dissected that wing and that rib as if I were a surgeon--pretty difficult with a dinner and not a steak knife, but got 'em down to the bone. I'll tell you--not being able to pick stuff up with your hands and chew it off the bone, cob or a sandwich makes for great self-discipline and portion control. By the time I finished, I was full...with half the amount of food I usually eat at buffets.

Not sure what I'm gonna make or order tonight. Made an egg Benedict for brunch. Bob had torn into the challah overnight (like a bear at a campsite), leaving me just enough to arrange on the plate as a base. Tried out my new "poach pods;" let the egg cook a bit too long for a Benedict (but just right for a plain poached, fried or soft-cooked egg, with the yolk sort of gelled in the middle). Sliced a Brandywine tomato, picked some basil, topped it with a thin slice of Serrano ham, then the egg and nuked a packet of Christian Poitier hollandaise, which I sprinkled with cayenne.

M0mmyof3

Made beef stroganoff but with lean ground beef. First time I ever sautéed mushrooms and they came out perfect.

illimae

Tonight’s dinner was leftovers from lunch, two slices of margherita pizza and some really great garlic bread with truffle oil and homemade ricotta.

auntienance

Made the unstuffed cabbage tonight with a few tweaks -- such as a dash of fish sauce, hot sauce and addition of brown rice.

Carole, it's been a while since I had a baked sweet potato - I must pick some up.

Sandy, which poach pods do you have?

MinusTwo

Mommy - hooray for your mushrooms.

My ex-DH treated me to Capital Grille for lunch. Celebrated with a cocktail - screwdriver for me & bloody mary for him. The waiter said the only complaint that he's seen about the lobster bisque was too much lobster. How can you have too much lobster?? Anyway, it was packet with lovely chunks. Delicious sour dough rolls. We each had a filet with whipped potatoes as an entree. He ordered coconut cream pie for dessert. I ordered a cup of decaf coffee. I brought home 1/2 of my 8 oz fillet for tomorrow. I will definitely not need to eat again tonight.

KatyK

The Bahn Mi bowl with the leftover meatballs was quite good. Enjoyed our dinner on the patio - finally cool enough and not too smokey. A nice rose went well with the dinner. And I absolutely know you cannot have too much lobster

eric95us

BBQ chicken in a Dutch oven.

Tonight and tomorrow night we are staying in Montpelier, ID.

ChiSandy

Nancy, I think my poach pods are OXO. They look like yellow rubber topless/bottomless hourglasses--crack the egg into the solid top part and it sinks into the bottom part, which is perforated so the water gets in & circulates, but the egg whites don't leak out. (I'd used some other kinds, but they really only heated the eggs). They fold up into nesting half-domes for storage. Ilona, homemade ricotta? I'm impressed. And truffle oil: mmm.

Tonight I tried the fresh pasta Bolognese again. The raw fresh fettucine didn't look like it'd cook in the sauce, so nuked it in the Fasta Pasta first, this time for only 1 min. Still came out like a gloppy lump of paste. Down the In-Sink-Erator it went...DeCecco pappardelle to the rescue again. Accompanied with sauteed kale and a slice of LaBrea rosemary-olive-oil sourdough for "shaving the cat" (mopping up the sauce by wiping the plate with the bread). Of course, no sooner had I plated it than Bob came home with half a chicken Parm sandwich and mostaccioli marinara (his dinner from Baracco's across from Advocate Christ Hospital).

DOTD: chocolate egg cream (albeit the seltzer was kinda flat).

carolehalston

I've been making poached eggs lately in a skillet of simmering water with a bit of vinegar. I've decided that poached is my favorite cooked egg with soft boiled second favorite. The poached yolk is so creamy.

Dinner last night was pan-fried crappie fillets lightly breaded with fish fry breading seasoned with salt and cayenne. Side was left-over small red potatoes in a butter seasoning. I split the potatoes and cooked them cut side down in a skillet while the fish was cooking. DH made his usual tartar sauce and got out the ketchup for his potatoes. I squeezed fresh lemon on my fish.

Today we're driving about an hour to Pine River to attend the annual blue grass festival. Lunch will be festival food and dinner will be whatever.

Lacey12

Wow, Sandy, you’ve been through a lot with that wrist/hand situation. But clearly it hasn’t kept you down. So good for you! I would need to ask my son to interpret all the medical terms....you obviously have more than a law degree!

Special, I may copy and print your advice to Katy. You are def the queen of meal planning/prep. You should write a book! I can see how you are able to cater with relative ease...so organized!

And a belated WELCOME Katy!

Carole, poached eggs are also my favorite.

Thanks for those links, Nance! And I hope you find and enjoy some yummy sweet potatoes. We ‘ve had them with two of our at home meals since being here, and they were really delicious. Somehow, I never think to buy them, but the grocery store here has potatoes displayed more prominently than my store at home, so I succumb to the attraction.

This week besides eating out at a restaurant that was just okay (we both had seafood dishes with spicy sauces.......DH’s on pasta), we ate bison burgers at home, and last night BLTs on sour dough bread.

Later today we have our association meeting at the beach, after which we have a social time. I am bringing cut up veggies and hummus. Not even a vague idea about dinner. I feel like all we do is eat here!

carolehalston

Last night's dinner was brunsweiger (sp?) and tomato sandwiches. Tonight will be BLTs. My meal rotation won't rotate any good suggestion and a glance in the freezer didn't help.

It's very dark outside at noon. We're under a thunderstorm warning.

auntienance

Lighter fettuccini Alfredo (sub half and half for some cream) made with roasted garlic and fresh pasta I think. Probably a small side salad for balance.

MinusTwo

Dunch was a large salad with blue cheese crumbles, tomatoes & a whole avocado. Opened a bottle of Apothic Dark red blend wine - "...blends dark fruit flavors of blueberry & blackberry with opulent notes of coffee and dark chocolate..." It's as good as I remembered. I'll probably have popcorn around 8pm.

illimae

Dinner tonight was oven roasted rainbow carrots and red potatoes with grilled squash and steaks, grilled until the grill started acting up and I accidentally burned my right hand and arm relighting the pilot. I had a friend take over and broil them while I iced my hand. The sides were so-so and the steaks were a little over done, oh well, looks like I’ll be grill shopping soon.

Lacey12

Dinner tonight was a mix up. Despite the fact that a number of our neighbors decided we should have a spontaneous shared potluck at the beach to enjoy the full moon rising, DH was dying for fried clams. Sooo...he bought an order fried clams which we shared at home, then we brought a variety of cookies, pistachio nuts, chocolate candies for dessert options, and white wine to our beach gathering. There were lots of entree options there, but having just downed fried clams, I just tried...and enjoyed a portion of.... a wonderful caprese salad with delicious red, yellow and green tomatoes grown by a (part time) neighbor here in her Mass (home) garden. It was daunting to hear how much work it takes her to protect her crop from the chipmunks and groundhogs....confirming for me that I made the right decision to stop trying to part time garden at home!

Anyway, we enjoyed some delightfully smooth home made red wine from another neighbor while listening to my DH's selection of “moon related" songs on his new bluetooth speaker and watching the gorgeous full moon rise over the lake....until the mountain weatherclouds concealed it. A lovely evening. We are fortunate to have many wonderful neighbors here.

illimae, I hope your hand/arm heals quickly, and that you get a new grill even morequickly!

ChiSandy

Brunch at Cellars (Bob brought it home for me because I was tired and it was hot out) was tossed salad and quiche (broccoli, Gruyère, shallot). Tonight we walked around the corner to Ethiopian Diamond for their Traditional Sampler: asst'd sambusas (like flattened samosas--carrot, spinach, beef, lentil), doro wat, chicken alitcha, zilzil (lamb) tibs, beef tibs, red and yellow lentil stews, collard greens, potatoes & carrots and salad on injera (and more injera to tear up and use to scoop up food). Since I now have red nail polish, I didn't have to worry about turning my French manicure tips orange.

Harvested another handful of cherry tomatoes, and noticed one regular-sized tomato had started to ripen, so I snatched it up & brought it indoors. Squirrels got another one. Our Concords are ripening too.

carolehalston

I added slices of avocado to my bacon and tomato sandwich last night. Delicious.

Tonight we're having cheddar brats, Bush's baked beans and a salad of sliced tomatoes, avocado and blue cheese. I found small wedges of blue cheese and gorgonzola today. The menu is dh's kind of food.

KatyK

I think tonight will be dinner that my DH makes. I do most of the coking but he can make this - shrimp red curry on rice. Easy and yummy!

I’ll be cooking a lot the next week to get ready for a trip to OR coast. We have a camping van with freezer so I like to stock it up ahead of time. The first thing I’ll make is burritos, breakfast ones with eggs, sausage, taters, cheese and others with diced chicken breast, pinto beans ( just made those today in crock pot), veggies, cheese, whatever sounds good! So easy to take from freezer to microwave when we’re on the road. Can’t wait to go. But first have to go to Salt Lake City for an appointment at the Huntsman cancer Institute. Out of state for me but going annually for second opinion. Anyone else go there

MinusTwo

Went to lunch with a friend at Sweet Paris Creperie. Disclaimer...no calories...LOL. I had a delicious breakfast crepe called Alaskan - smoked salmon & all the normal trimmings along with scrambled eggs. My friend had chicken with walnuts, gruyere & grapes. Comes with a salad. The crepes were probably 16" in diameter before they're folded. Then of course we had to have dessert. It was a big mistake since we were both sooooo full - in spite of the fact we both took most of our desserts home. I had the special of the month - Tres leches crepes w/strawberries. She had something with mixed berries. Yum. We'll go again.

I'm worried about sinking at water aerobics this evening even though we ate 7 hours ago.