So...whats for dinner?

Beaverntx

Nance, the story I get from my ophthalmologist is that today's dilating drops work faster and don't last as long so no constricting drops. Once I did have an overdose of constricting drops and, as much as I dislike the blurry vision with the dialation, over constriction was worse!

Enjoy your pizza tonight and cabbage and meatloaf later! I'm thinking turkey burgers, fries, and sauteed cabbage with horseradish for us tonight.

Magari

Our seafood CSA delivered rockfish today. I'm going to make a quick chowder and we'll have salad a baguette with it.

MinusTwo

Magari - yum for the Rockfish.

My dinner was a big pile of cold boiled shrimp.

eric95us

Instead of dinner, I spent the evening fixing a wiring problem (causing dim brake lights) on my 1957 Jeep FC-170 so I can drive it to a car show tomorrow. The link points to the picture of my Jeep that appeared in a magazine article. Sharon got me a leg lamp (the Major Award in the play/movie Christmas Story) because of that article. :-)

ChiSandy

Ah, the leg lamp! Even more iconic than the Krazy Kat pendulum clock!

Gave Bob the leftover lobster ravioli—can't believe I made a cream sauce from scratch that didn't break! My early dinner (after voting, getting a new battery in my watch, buying the right cable to charge this USB-C iPad off the USB-A port on my suitcase, and buying some CBN sleep capsules & CBD patches at the dispensary) was from “The Sausage Restaurant" next door to the latter. Looks like your average Chi-town hot dog joint till you read the menu: when the legendary Hot Doug's closed, they got the recipes. Mine was duck sausage with foie gras medallions & truffle aioli. (They also have brats, bison, chorizo and andouille).

ChiSandy

Brunch at the Delta Sky Club at O'Hare was spinach-artichoke mac & cheese, tuna pasta salad, kale salad with chickpeas. On the plane, Biscoff cookies (couldn't help myself) on the flight. Sitting in the JFK Terminal 4 Sky Club—which makes the one at O'Hare look like a high school cafeteria—was handed a pink sangria before I could even sit down. “Dunch/Linner" was steak and chicken thigh fajitas on yellow rice, and spicy cucumber-pickled radish salad—accompanied by champagne. Will have a decaf cappuccino with my whole grain raisin roll before heading to the gate. There are even showers and a mini-spa here—which I hope they’ll let me use on arrival after Customs & Immigration and before heading back to Terminal 2 for the flight home; I will have a >4-hour layover after a >12-hour flight from Tel Aviv.

carolehalston

Safe travels, Sandy. Hope you have a great trip.

Dinner last night was leftover red beans and rice and a big romaine salad. Also slices of buttered French bread heated in the oven. Tasted really good.

Today is the annual Woodworkers Guild barbecue so our main meal will be early afternoon. The barbecue is always hosted by the owner of a camp who cooks the best barbecued chicken I've tasted. There will be lots of pot luck foods. I'm making a combination cauliflower and potato salad. Today is supposed to be warm with a high temperature of 80 degrees.

MinusTwo

I'm always amazed at the things I've picked up on these threads that I never knew. Thanks to Moon and Carole I understood the meaning of "hot dish" in a book I'm reading set in MN. My mom just called it casserole.

We played Chickenfoot yesterday for the first time since Thanksgiving. Thursday was the second anniversary of the death of the lady who always hosted us. Her husband said he missed 'girls giggling' in the house and asked us all to come play - and he played with us. Everyone brings something to eat but no planning. So Spinach & Artichoke dip, mixed vegetable quiche, chopped broccoli salad w/raisins & almonds, chocolate pie and fresh strawberry pie. Needless to say I didn't have any dinner.

SpecialK

chisandy - have a great trip!

minus - all your chickenfoot food sounds yum! Right up my alley!

Tonight is boneless pork chops, sweet potatoes roasted with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, and green beans with butter and dill.

Edited to add: I ended up making a tarragon and mustard cream sauce that was keto for DD (and us!), it came from a recipe I have made for years that used pork tenderloin sliced and pounded into medallions. You remove the cooked pork from the pan and add tarragon, Dijon, white wine vinegar, stock, and heavy cream, simmer and reduce and nap over the pork - in this case, the boneless chops.

Our kids got a leg lamp for DH - it now resides in one of the "hidden" bars in the Pentagon - those are not an urban legend, they do exist!

auntienance

I'm envying your 80 degrees Carole, it's a whopping 35° here and earlier I watched giant hamster flakes coming down covering everything. It's finally stopped and has since melted but it was demoralizing to watch.

More basement cleaning out today. We're running into a problem with what to do with leftover paint. DH is a notorious over buyer of paint so we have many partial cans to dispose of and you can't just throw them in the trash.

Tonight is taco salad with pico de gallo, avocado, green onions, cheese and taco filling from the freezer. I may mix up the pico with the avocado for some guac instead of just slicing the avocado, and add that and sour cream to my salad. DH will have neither of those on his.

SpecialK

auntie - we have a central disposal location for paint, batteries, things you can't just throw away - do you have that where you are? It is run by the city/county. If the paint is unopened you can also donate (I think) to Habitat for Humanity.

auntienance

Special, the county adjacent to mine does offer that service, however mine does not and you have to prove residence.

MinusTwo

Nance - we have a both City & County hazardous recycling - but it also looks like a number of the paint store here will take old cans. Both some of Sherwin Wms and Glidden stores are accepting old paint. Also there are some interesting tips on line for adding kitty litter to water base paint (NOT oil) & letting it dry do you can dispose of the can.

Failing that, maybe you can find a friend with a driver's license in the next county who will go with you. Someone here found out the hard way that you have to take something like a water bill and a driver's license - and they have to match your face.

auntienance

We are doing the kitty litter thing, it's a slow process.. Thanks for all the info guys!

M0mmyof3

Chicken Stir-Fry

Beaverntx

Yesterday a cold front blew through (unfortunately no rain) so dinner last night was chili with cheddar cheese and corn chips -- planned to make cornbread until I found out we are almost out of cornmeal! Tonight cooked some of the chili down and served on baked potato with a side salad of romaine and tomato.

carolehalston

There were three bowls of potato salad at the barbecue on Saturday. DH said he was in potato salad heaven. I didn't eat any because raw onion is an ingredient in most people's potato salad, plus I don't enjoy chilled potato salad. In my family it was always warm or room temperature. I can sense all the "Yuks" out there!

But I got a yen and made a cauliflower potato salad for dinner last night. The cauliflower was cooked tiny florets. Other ingredients: boiled eggs, celery, dill relish, mayo and yellow mustard. It was delicious! I didn't miss the potato.

The meat last night was warmed barbecued half chicken that I brought home. Gerald, our host on Saturday, makes the best barbecued chicken I've ever eaten. His advice is "low and slow." His barbecue sauce is thin so there's no gooky sauce on the chicken. His barbecued ribs and sausage are good, too, but there were no leftover ribs.

On our way home on Saturday, we stopped at the shrimp truck parked near the Madisonville bridge and bought ten lbs. of gorgeous shrimp. We headed them and froze in packages with water. I have six packages so we'll be eating shrimp before we depart for MN at the end of May.

Dinner tonight? How about shrimp?

auntienance

Fresh shrimp sounds awesome to me Carole - I'm on my way!

Fwiw - my mom made a delicious mashed potato salad that was usually warm or room temp. It was one of the few things she made well.

MinusTwo

My grandma always made warm potato salad. She said my grandpa learned to eat it when he was in Germany between the wars.

I had no salad greens to go with my meatloaf so I mixed lightly cooked cauliflower & shoestring beets with sunflower seeds & craisins and tossed with a sweet & sour dressing. Not bad. I debated adding a can of artichoke hearts but didn't know if they would match. Thoughts? I still have 1/2 of each left that I can 'doctor' differently. Or what about Brussel's sprouts?

Valstim52

Dinner tonight is Chicken/Steak fajitas. I made homemade pico and salsa. Jazzed sourcream (sourcream, cilantro and dash of cayenne). Delish with all the veggies added.

MinusTwo

Val - great to see you. Hope you are doing OK.

I often think about friends who don't post often. Hope April & Moon are doing OK too. And Susan. And everyone else who spent time sitting at our table.

april485

I am indeed ok...recovering from a pretty bad auto accident. Suffice to say that I am mending well enough to be back at the every-day grind of work. Making beef Lo-Mein tonight to use up a piece of steak I have had in the freezer that I don't know what to do with as it is too small for both of us but works in a stir fry. I have not made this in a while and am looking forward to it. This is a photo of some I made a long time ago. I have gotten better at it and now use more veggies than I apparently had on hand when I made this batch.

Hoping all of you are well! Have not read back too far so saying hello and hope to see more of you.

.

MinusTwo

April - so glad to hear from you but sorry about the auto accident. No permanent bed effects I open. Ah Lo Mein is one of my favorites. Thanks for the picture. I'd love to have your basic recipe - knowing that I can always add more veggies.

MinusTwo

Joyce - Great to see you. Based on what I've seen of the weather up North it's good you're staying until May. I can't remember - did you buy a house there or are you in a condo? Do you golf or boat or fish? What fun to see Laurie. We'll look forward to a report.

Lacey12

Keeping up reading but not writing here as I’ve been planning baking, and heavily obsessing about the dessert table I’m creating for DS2 and DDIL’s shower (they are actually using that word now:) event on Saturday. Also been busy dealing with death of a friend/colleague and regular contacts from SIL about my brother’s marked decline since we left CA.

Was in touch with Laurie today and we might “see” her soon. I love being able to report to her that her Salsa Chicken recipe pops up intermittently on our thread.

We have been eating a tenderloin of pork for our last two dinners which I one-pan roasted with lots of veggies and sliced sweet potatoes. Salad on the side, and some sour dough bread.

Tonight I’m caught up in baking Italian lemon sprinkle cookies and Southern moon pies, so we’ll rely on Trader’s to feed us the Greek Chicken with Orzo meal, and maybe make a salad.

Nance, I hope the disposal of the paint cans is going well. Ugh! We have so many in our basement too. Yikes! DD2 recently dropped off a crib for our house, and is eager to help us clear out his old room for baby visits. Clearly we need to do this ourselves, but his truck will be helpful to bring things to the dump. I think he is really horrified at the thought that we might “expire” and leave this big place for him to deal with. So the baby is a great excuse to move us along in the clean out direction. Ha!

April, I am also sorry to learn of your accident, but it sounds like you are healing well, if you are already back to work. May the healing continue!

I just heard from a childhood good friend who is about to undergo a mastectomy after a couple of lumpectomies and biopsies. Seems like a lot. We have a call set up for tomorrow night so she can update me on her current situation, and I hope she will connect with bc.org for support. Such a useful site that I am thankful I happened upon years ago.

Laurie08

Hi everyone! Pat messaged me today and let me know that I was remembered on this site! It has been a long time since I have been on. I am so happy to see that everyone is enjoying exchanging recipes, stories of life, home and family. I had no idea when I started this thread that it would still be going so well! I will make an effort going forward to check in. I need new recipes too!

Some of you know I started this thread when my two boys were about 1 and 3. I was a stay at home mom and had lot's of time to plan my meals and I love to cook. Now, my boys are in 3rd and 5th grade, I work full time in the elementary school working the same hours as my boys as a full time sub and support person. Life has changed! But I still like to plan my meals as much as I can and still cook a family dinner every night. Some nights are better than others, depending on sports schedules and my energy at the end of the day. I have a couple new recipes to share with you that have become some favorites of ours. Those who remember me know why I don't bake...I am not a person to measure. Sorry! I just eye ball things and go with it. Usually I get lucky!

Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 chicken breasts ( depends how full you want them makes 8)

sour cream

shredded mexican cheese

onion

flour

butter

flour tortillas 8

diced green chili's (I do mild)

chicken broth

There are 2 ways to do the chicken- the planned way-

put chicken with a little broth in a crock pot with diced onion. cook till done and shred.

the UNPLANNED way.

boil chicken in water until done. Use mixer to shred (it works I swear!) Skip the onion.

Lay out a flour tortilla, add some shredded chicken and sprinkle with cheese. roll it up put it in a pyrex dish repeat until done.

In a large pan heat and add about a 1/2 stick of butter. Melt and flour, about 2 heavy TBSP? Make a roux. add about a 1/2 to 3/4 of a carton of broth. MIx. Add about 1/2 of a 16oz container of sour cream and small can of diced chili's. MIx well and bring to simmer. Pout over enchiladas. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 until golden and bubbly. 35 minutes or so. * note make sure you seperate the enchiladas after you pour the sauce on, so the sauce reaches the bottom of the pan. Unless you want it crispy.

Serve with spanish rice and toppings you like, sour, guac, salsa, lettuce, tomato etc.

I will have to try to share my chicken piccata recipe tomorrow. I need to get my oldest to do homework and get dinner going....thinking tacos at this point? Maybe the chicken piccata?

auntienance

Wow Laurie and Joyce checking in on the same day - hi guys! We miss you!

Watching paint dry is no joke - it's torture. I did find a county hazardous waste collection site (30 miles from here) but they don't take latex because it can be put in the household trash (dried). The next plan is to put concrete mix in the paint, which solidifies much faster but of course is much heavier. The trash collectors complain about that too. It's maddening.

We did rent a storage unit today and will transfer some of our boxes to storage.

Gyros, Greek salad and perhaps some pilaf if I can motivate enough to fix it.

illimae

Tonight was Cod with Broccoli and wild rice. First full day back from a trip to Wisconsin to take my bff to a concert, now back to eating better (no more cheese curds!)

Beaverntx

Tonight I halved a chicken breast, browned on one side, turned, covered with salsa and cooked on low; served with asparagus, chorro beans and a green salad. Hadn't tried fixing chicken that way before -- it was nice and moist with a good flavor as well as being quick and easy!

Moonflwr912

Hello all. Trying to check in at least once a month. I read, but dont post a lot. Been busy since DH retired in Jan. DD2 had her baby, all is well. DD1 moved back to WI in March. Snow is melted, and it smells like spring. My DH saw a robin, but I havent seen one yet. Today is beautiful, 45 degrees and sunny. Gorgeous spring day, still winter coats, but now we sweat in them. LOL.

Supper tonight will be meatloaf, mash potatos and carrots. Total comfort food, and one I dont have to think about. Just saw a cardinal pair outside my window. The bright splash of red is welcome.

Here are 2 of my 3 DGD. #1 and 3. DGD1 is 4 and growing so fast. She loves her sister alot. Right now, she likes to "match" her baby sister in clothes we will see how long it goes. LOL.

Lacey, our kids are so grateful to the flood last year. We got rid of a dumpster of things then, and since January, probably at least that much, but just a bag or 2 at a time. Plus, a bag or to to St Vincent de Paul, almost daily ad I purge every closet. Jus 2 left in the house that have not been touched.

Laurie goid to hear frim you. And you too Joyce.

Nance, spread out the paint on newspaper to dry, and then you can throw it a away.

Dang, if Id known you be in WI, illimae Id have popped in to see you!

April sorry about the accident.

Hope all is going better for all of you. I miss you all a lot when I dont check in, but Ive accepted the fact that 1x a month is all I can get to for a while. Feel free to PM me, or find me on facebook too.

All my love,

Monica