So...whats for dinner?

ChiSandy

I've found that the more restaurant or takeout meals I eat, the less likely I am to gain weight--packing at least half my portions to take home and using the leftovers creatively is an automatic form of portion control!

KatyK

Haven’t posted for a while. I had scans Monday (good news, no progression, stable and some shrinking) and a dear friend brought over a wonderful meal - a curry with chicken, spinach, potatoes and a nice salad. It was enough for three nights! Our two grandkids are spending tonight and we will make burgers on the grill, French fries from Trader Joe’s and broccoli. We are getting ready for a van trip and I will do some cooking ahead but wasn’t feeling up to making a lot of meals so yesterday DH and I went to Trader Joe’s and got a variety of frozen meals. Rare for me to do that so Iam hoping they will be O.K. Will also get some salad kits those are good for traveling. What are some of your favorite frozen meals?

ChiSandy

I like Michelina's frozen eggplant parm. For awhile, TJ's carried unbreaded eggplant parm "stacks" but I haven't found them in a couple of years.

carolehalston

Yay, Katy, on good scans! Sorry I can't recommend frozen meals. I never buy them.

Tonight I had planned dinner to be red beans and sausage (out of the freezer, home-cooked) with brown rice and a salad. DH hasn't been feeling well all day and may not eat anything. If that's the case, I will probably just have a bowl of red beans and rice and skip the salad.

Nance, I have never gotten the hang of Pininterest. Maybe I'll try again.

ChiSandy

I'm going to have my leftover pork chop, plus Israeli chopped salad (does it cancel out the treyf?) or red cabbage salad. WIll freeze the leftover shwarma & rice.

illimae

Tonight DH made Pork Ribs, Cannellini beans and Brussels sprouts.

auntienance

Three inches of snow for us with temps in the teen's tonight. I know for you northern folks this is not unusual but it's unusual for us. Our average high for this time of year is 60. This feels harsh.

It was a soup kind of day so I made Senate bean soup and cornbread. The only side was homemade applesauce from our apples. I probably should have made this dinner Tuesday.

auntienance

Btw, Carole, you will find your multicooker invaluable for beans. The navy beans cooked to perfection in 12 minutes (actual cook time.) And no soaking required.

Lacey12

Nice to see lots of folks returning/posting!

This week I had a fun experience, joining a one time visit to a creative writing class at an engineering college in our town. The profs wanted to have a “ story share” between the freshmen creative writing students and the local seniors who wanted to write a short story. It was really a nice experience. I was particularly pleased to see this serious engineering school provide humanities courses to the students. Olin College is a unique small school. It is maybe 20 years old, founded by a bizillionaire engineer who granted the first class free tuition and the charge to help developm the curriculum and overall program...true to their modality of project based learning. It is in a consortium now with Wellesley and campus neighbor, Babson (a business college), so the students have some nice academic and career planning opportunities.

I was paired with two girls who both wrote interesting stories...one was from Madison WI and one from NJ....both wrote “dark” endings. Glad they alerted me before reading! The assignment was to write about an object in your home that had meaning. My story was much lighter, but they enjoyed it and had useful comments. After the class, we had lunch together. BOY, would I like to be in college now! The choices for food seemed creative and never ending. I was so impressed given my paltry choices (mystery meat?) 50 plus years ago. But then my tuition/room/board was a very small fraction of what students pay today. I am not much of a lunch eater, but could not resist some of the interesting vegetarian selections. So, of course I took a pic. I explained to the girls that I was doing this for our thread...and they loved it! So sweet!

That evening I made portobello and chicken parm since I had chicken in the fridge that needed to be used.

Tonight we had leftovers of that, paired with an arugula and baby kale salad with pear, red onion, carrot, and avocado, with a honey mustard dressing.

BTW, I noticed in our local grocery store flyer that Rao’s is featured for $4.99 a jar this week! I may stock up for my white fish putanesca veggie dish over orzo. Wonder if the jarred sauce market is a lot more competitive these days. Rao’s was always close to $10 a jar....which I never sprung for!

Nance, I’m horrified to learn of your snow so esrly! Yikes!! It is currently pouring rain here and I’m thankful it is not snow. Hope you return to more normal regional temps soon. Oh, and I saw some recipes for pear hand pies today....thought of you!!

Lacey12

Oh I never explained the lunch plate...at 11 oclock a wonderful quinoa pilaf with raisins and nuts, next, sliced roasted zucchini with a curry sauce, then spicy roasted cauliflower, next spinach salad with balsamic dressing, next, hummus, then a bit of interesting pasta, and finally a lentil chili. Vegans would love that cafeteria! There were so many other choices, too, but I was quite sated with the plate I had.

HappyHammer

Hi All....been away awhile but sure have enjoyed reading your posts!

Yay Katy, for your good scans! Last night= Baked pork roast with onions and sweet potatoes, tossed salad and steamed broccoli. Tonight, leftover pork sliced over warmed bun, homemade cabbage slaw and a few chips.

So happy that tomorrow we are to be around 50 degrees....planning on working in our attic for a bit and taking off any holiday decorations we will not be using!!! Then, Dh wants to watch football...ok by me....am going to go through holiday decorations and recipes and get all organized for our family. Am having some cardiac issues...currently wearing a 2 week monitor...tried to get a CTAngiogram on Tuesday ....apparently was very dehydrated....4 sticks later they said let's try again in 2 weeks....had an hydration IV yesterday and will get at least 2 more before we try that again....my doc and my BIL (vascular/gen surgeon) say it may be due to radiation. Dammit.

ChiSandy

21 degrees right now at 1am. Have to be in the Loop by 10 am--too cold to stand out on the CTA station platform, too expensive to park (and too cold to walk from & to the parking garage), so I'll Uber it down there. Rehearsing all day tomorrow & Sunday.

carolehalston

Lacey, Rao's has gone mainstream. I have been buying it at Walmart's and at my local Winn Dixie, which I'm happy to say hasn't closed like so many other W/Ds. I haven't seen Rao's that cheap but it's often $6.99. I like it so much that I have almost stopped making my own red sauce. I usually add home-made turkey Italian sausage made with ground turkey.

DH must have picked up an intestinal virus this week as he made the rounds of doctors' offices keeping scheduled appointments. He ate a light breakfast yesterday and nothing else except hot chocolate and hot tea during the day while he stayed in his recliner not feeling well. About 3:30 this morning he developed the dreaded D. Now he seems better but the dinner menu is in doubt. Not sure what he will want to eat today and tonight.

Saturday is one of the three days I visit my mother at the nursing home but I dare not visit her today for fear of carrying to her a stomach virus.

It's a pretty day here, sunny but looks a little windy. It was cool enough in the house to turn on some heat this morning.

bedo

Hello, I haven't been on for a long time. Both biopsies turned out negative.

Special, I had an implant about 5 years ago with bone graft which is only powder put in the lost bone area. My timeline was like yours. It was bottom front where I went through a windshield when I was 20 and the capped tooth finally failed after many attempts to save it. I had a temporary "flipper" for 6 months which was doable. My implant now looks just like my other teeth and only hurt in the pocketbook. I've been enjoying honey crisp apples

Minus, I believe I heard that you lost your SIL I am so sorry, it is hard this time of year and I hope that you find comfort in the rest of your family.

I am on my way to duck pin bowling so I wish everyone who I didn't mention a good three day weekend if you have one.

For dinner last night I opened a tin of anchovies and mixed it with bowtie pasta. I liked it. I thought of it as fast food spaghetti puttenesca (which is spelling incorrectly) I can hear the collective "Ughhh!"

I told my daughter that I was going to make muffins for my grandson who is 18 months now. She said "Mom, don't. He doesn't like your cooking. That's probably why he's been crying today, he is probably afraid you're going to feed him homemade split pea soup or something"

How rude.

auntienance

Yay Bedo! So happy for you! Hopefully Charlie will in time learn to appreciate your eclectic cooking style lol

Carole, one of the many things I despise about winter - the many rampant viruses. Ugh. Hope your DH recovers soon and you manage to dodge the bullet.

Homemade pizza tonight. I'm off to make dough.

Lacey12

Bedo, there was an interesting piece recently (maybe in the Times??) about the delights of adding anchovies to one’s cooking. It is amazing how the flavor and umami is enhanced without a sauce tasting like fish (fortunately).

On the “cold weather illness” front, my DH has been fighting a nasty upper respiratory virus for over three weeks....very unusual. And even more unusual is that I haven’t contracted it. Usually (tho rarely) if he has a cold for a few days I catch it and hold on for a month, and end up with sinus andlung involvement requiring lots of meds. So am keeping fingers crossed here....and he is seeming better. He is always on the go, so it was odd to see him actually cancel events and stay home, but I was glad for all the people who didn’t get infected!

Nance, this sounds like a perfect day for pizza! Yesterday among all the pear recipes I saw, there was one for a pear and prosciutto white pizza that sounded delicious. Please do report on yours...and a picture would even be more delightful!!

queenmomcat

(shyly) Does lunch count? Or rather a late brunch at Frontera (trip to Chicago for my birthday): bajio style eggs, and about half a dish of ice cream (I filled up!)

GreenHarbor

Happy Birthday, queenmomcat! I say lunch counts :-). Supper tonight will be one of my favorite comfort food meals- a grilled cheese sandwich.

MinusTwo

Queen - of course...and popcorn at midnight and cold pizza at 3am. Or pork ribs for breakfast and waffles for dinner. Happy B-day and glad you got to brunch.

Oh Bedo - I'm so glad your biopsies were negative. And so glad to see you posting again so I'm not the only weird food fiend. I wore my 'elf' hat for Halloween. I would substitute the anchovies for a can of smoked oysters and macaroni w/ butter. Weird that you daughter thinks your grandson cries about your cooking. That's nuts. Unless of course they are raising him vegetarian or vegan and you're trying to feed him steak; or he needs a gluten free diet and you're giving French Toast with sourdough.

Lacey & Carole - sorry to hear your DHs are still ailing and certainly hope neither of you catch the germ. I usually have to pay $7.99 for Raos, but like Carole, I rarely make sauce from scratch any more. One of the smaller jars of Rao's is 4-6 meals for me.

Illimae - are you doing OK? Do you have a trip planned to West Texas in the near future?

Hammer - Good to see you. Sorry to hear about the heart issues. Hopefully there will be a relatively easy 'fix'. Please let us know.

The celebration of life for my SIL was today. Her choice was to be cremated and scattered in several places where her memory will live on, but 200 (two hundred) people came to this memorial. She volunteered with so many different groups and was always there to help everyone - even new acquaintences. And she worked hard to keep every friend she ever met. At my age it's unlikely that I could muster 200 people even if far flung friends were to fly in from every corner. It seems like too many of my friends have already died - or their spouse have died and they moved away to live closer to their children. I was fortunate that we talked every week & ate a meal together at least once a month. Lovely stories but of course there is a hole in my heart.

Everyone went back to their house and they had Persian food catered. I don't remember the names, but there was 'wedding' rice & cherry rice w/nuts & dill rice, cucumber/sour cream mix, plates of cheese & raw veggies, naan and 'fingers' of delicious chicken & beef, and four or five other dishes. My niece has a long time friend who's parents own a Persian restaurant in Houston so that's where my SIL always chose to order food. Always excellent.

ChiSandy

Minus, so sorry for the loss of your SIL--but it sounds like she had a magnificent tribute. May her memory be for a blessing.

Happy birthday, Queen! I'd say that anything by Rick Bayless counts as "dinner!"

Today was an all-day rehearsal (in 25-degree weather). Mercifully, I had competent Lyft drivers both ways. (And it was cheaper than parking in the Loop). I drank 3 bottles of water and was still parched. I really, really hate choreography--I am directionally-challenged and my balance still leaves much to be desired. (A year off from personal training is coming home to roost--perhaps my back P.T. will include some balance work). Get to do it all over again tomorrow (and there will be Bears game traffic), every night this week, and all day next Sat. & Sun. (including costume changes). I'm a principal in only one scene (a quartet). but I have four costume changes (including wig and body-miking) nearly one on top of the other. Learning & performing the music, lines, and staging isn't the tough part: it's the freaking logistics!

carolehalston

Hi, Bedo! Great news on the biopsies. Had to chuckle at your daughter's insulting comment about your grandson's aversion to your cooking. Like Minus, I would probably sub canned smoked oysters for the anchovies. I do like sardines, though. I think it's the "hairy" appearance of the anchovies that turn me off.

DH was well enough today to eat a ham and cheese sandwich, which I made and served to him. His weight has dropped 5 lbs.

Last night I made a chicken soup with boneless skinless thighs, diced celery and carrot, and egg noodles. We have quite a bit left over. I will probably warm it up tonight and create more broth.

Minus, I am very sorry for your loss. Your SIL sounds like a great person.

M0mmyof3

Trying a slow cooker meal from Omaha Steaks tonight.

Lacey12

Queen, Happy Birthday! Of course lunch cou nts....if I were smart about weight mgmt (and didn’t need to cook for a ravenous husband) I would move to a lunch for dinner modality, and have some popcorn in the evening! I couldnthen possibly prevent any shopping trips to buy next sized clothing!

Last evening I avoided going to the food store and made us an omelet with onions, orange peppers, and asparagus with a side of garden salad that included green leaf lettuce and baby kale, red cabbage, carrots, red onion, and grape tomatoes with a balsamic maple syrup vinaigrette.

Tonight we are meeting friends at my new fave local restaurant, where I might just get one of their huge salads, and maybe a protein on top.

Last night

I spent a lot of time communicating with my SIL in Thousand Oaks. they had just returned to their home after an evacuation due to the wildfires. One house on their street was destroyed, but so far they are safe and monitoring hot spots. Please keep them in your thoughts. My brother is getting more progressively disabled with his Lewy Body Dementia, so getting him out of the house in the middle of the night was quite the challenge for her. It’s frustrating to feel so helpless to concretely help them being 3000 miles away.

Minus, your SIL sounds like she lived quite the productive, connected and valued life. So nice to hear about her wonderful celebration of life. And how unique to have a Persian menu for the repast. I recognized some of those dishes. I am so sorry that you are experiencing such grief as we enter the holiday season. But how wonderful to have had her in your life. I think one of the hardest things about our stage in life is steeling ourselves to manage all the losses of close relationships that we face. I am always amazed at my 91 yr. old stepmother who has had SO many friend and relative losses. She keeps making new friends and has outlived many of them already. Her attitude is so positive that she draws people to her so she is always “in connection” with others. Speaking of her, I must call her now to keep her updated on my brother’s situation.

With thanks to our veterans today, and hoping that we have a peaceful week ahead

auntienance

This is why I love Asian fish sauce so much - you get the anchovy umami without the texture.

Tonight is fajitas quesadillas probably with pinto beans. I'm wishing for an avocado but don't have one. The sliced peppers and onions will have to do.

Lacey, I'm so sorry about your brother. That must be so difficult.

KatyK

Chicken wild rice soup - this will get packed up to take on our van camping trip. Tonight DH making one of his meals he makes - a red curry shrimp. I love curry! Such a bummer when avacadoes are out of season.

Have a BIL close to CA fires. They are staying putright now but I’m worried about them. I hope these fires are just done soon!

Moonflwr912

im happy for the good scans you guys had.

Minus, sorry for the loss of your SIL. I lost a good friend this week. The funeral was Saturday. It was unexpected and quick. Still cant believe shes gone. Life is short.

My DH will be returning to work soon. Possibly as soon as this week. Ug. Hes ready to go, but driving will be a problem. We'll figure it out.

My daughter will also be returning to work, she cant get her head around going back. Her deoression isnt going well now, so Im worried. My otber daughter husband took a job in MI and is not loving it, so hes looking for a job again. They moved in August... ach well. Such is ilfe. LOL

Supper was chili I made Friday during tbe snow we had. Sunday was 32 degrees and chicken and rice. . Today was 40. Yep, fall. LOL

Much love to all

carolehalston

Moon, hugs to you for your family worries and for the loss of your good friend.

I was tempted to skip my WW meeting again this morning since I don't expect any good feedback from the scale. But I have decided to go anyway. I have an apptment with my PCP today, too.

Not sure what dinner will be. Cooking for (and eating with) someone with stomach issues isn't easy. Last night we had the leftover chicken noodle soup. Guess I should look up "bland diet."

Yesterday I bought three Kindle cookbooks, one of them the Pressure Cooking book you recommended, Nance. I learned that I probably should have bought a 6 quart size multi-purpose pot, not an 8 qt. The Kindle version of cookbooks is much cheaper than the book version. Not sure what I will do with the 2nd Power Quick Pot, maybe give it to one of my two sisters as a birthday present. It's so large that I don't know where I would store it in the camper up in MN.

auntienance

I am sitting here at my breakfast room table watching yet another early November snowfall and the gazillion birds flocking to the feeders. While I'm sitting here I'm going through ten years or more of food magazines (Cooks Illustrated, Cuisine, Food and Wine) and tearing out recipes I want to keep. It's a daunting task. I've been at it for two days and am not halfway through. In fact, looking at it all is making me slightly queasy. I may have to make chicken soup for dinner. My best remedy for stomach issues Carole.

To all our vets and families out there, thank you so much for your service.

Lacey12

Katy, such an inviting soup! I imagine a nice hot bowl of that on a camping trip,would be great.

Moon, I’m also sending you hugs. Always so worrisome when our family members struggle. I hope you keep yourself nurtured.

Yesterday a lot of time was spent on the phone first with my SIL and partially with my brother who is so slow in his processing of and responding to speech that it’s painful. Poor guy He was happy that I called to acknowledge Vets Day. His Marine affiliation and duty is his proudest identification despite his many other accomplishments. I don’t know exactly why they are staying in their home given that they are surrounded by hotspots, but it isn’t my choice. What a nightmare for all those who are losing everything. Only one house on their street has been destroyed so far. Other relatives and childhood friends who were close to our family were also calling me to check how my brother was doing. I’m hoping that the winds die down and they can try to get back to a semblance of normalcy. Big snowstorms here are looking mighty tame now!

We ate out with some friends last evening. DH had the fruitti di mare (pic below) and I had the autumn salad with sirloin tips atop. First time at this restaurant that I was disappointed in the quality of the salad greens. It looked beautiful, but those limp darkened pieces were underneath. Darn! Obviously in the summer they have access to great local fresh produce for their salads, which were the best I’ve ever eaten at a restaurant. Will now make a different choice on the menu in the winter.

Nance again, you are a better gal than I! I Cannot imagine going through the cookbooks and/or mags. No chicken soup would cure the feeling I get when considering that task!

BTW, speaking of chicken soup....not sure if I mentioned how tasty the Alessi chicken soup (comes in a large packet) is. I made it when DH first had his virus and added Trader’s bone broth to it for some extra nutrition. He loved it. I just ordered more from Amazon to have on the shelf.

DH’s meal

Interesting salad, but not fresh underneath. :

carolehalston

I'll have your dh's meal! Beautiful platter of seafood. I thought of you today and your unused Instant Pot, Lacey, as I used my new Power Quick Pot for the first time. I really like it! Operating it is easy. I used the Saute feature and the Pressure feature to make the base for beef stroganoff. The meat was chuck steak cut into strips. I sauteed mushrooms in a skillet and added the contents of the pot with the cooked meat and gravy. I'll add the sour cream before serving.

The surprising part about cooking in the Quick Pot is that it is so QUIET. I was expecting some escaping steam. The only hint that cooking was in progress was the little screen with the time counting down. The pot is warm to the touch but doesn't give off a lot of heat. I am changing my mind about taking the 2nd Pot to MN. It opens up the possibility of cooking meals we don't usually have during the summer.

Instead of noodles we'll have some mashed potatoes with the stroganoff. I also plan to make myself a salad. Not sure whether dh will want one. He seems almost back to normal today. He even went to the supermarket.

Nance, I empathize with your fatigue, dealing with the magazines. I have been spending hours shredding bank statements and old checks dating back to the 90's. I am cleaning out filing cabinets and wondering why in the world I saved all those banking records and income tax returns and receipts. Fortunately our bank stopped returned the checks some years back.