So...whats for dinner?

Beaverntx

Wow, Illimae your pizza sure beats the one we had tonight, our usual home made one. Ours was good in taste but cannot hold a candle to the eye appeal of yours!

Sandy, we had a similar restaurant experience. When they reopened after remodeling the quality of both the food and service had deteriorated to such an extent that we quit going there! Really can't fathom a logical connection between remodeling and poorer food and service...would think it might be the other way around.

ChiSandy

It's all about social media--Instagrammable food & interiors, and Yelp reviews. The latter can be ridiculous, with stars taken off for the stupidest things: no gluten-free items (in a patisserie!), too old a clientele, boring background music, not enough (or no) TV screens at the bar, and (this is the most insane criticism) "decor is too harsh & masculine for a lesbian-friendly neighborhood" (one of the things that sank a bar/restaurant a few blocks from me). The silliest Yelp reviews? Lake Michigan, a local monastery, even the moon! Millennials are largely responsible for this trend: ever wonder why so many restaurants play loud electronic dance music? Market research showed that it makes people drink more, eat faster, and draws a younger, more attractive crowd. No restaurant (except those utterly secure in their reputations and faithful clientele) wants a reputation of looking outdated, being unhip and partly full of mostly 40+ patrons. Every place wants to be where people who want to see & be seen go (apparently food, drink and service are secondary). We had thought that such a venerable steakhouse chain as The Palm (which dates back to the 1940s) would have been immune to this trend, but nooo...

And they wonder why they never seem to be full any more (we used to have to make reservations even on a Sunday night, and when we were staying at the Swissotel for a cardiology meeting they were full, even for "837 Club" members and hotel guests; but now they take walk-ins). Apparently they're coasting on the name recognition, as well as being the only restaurant inside and within several blocks of the hotel. Another ominous sign is that we never have to wait more than a minute or two any more for the valet to bring our car--the joint used to be jumping and a 10-minute wait was not uncommon.

Reader425

Enjoyed the Palm review Sandy. I too have seen that kind of changes for the worse in the DC area. I hadn't thought of the social media connection. The wine situation was flat out false advertising.

Lilli great looking pizza! I'll have to be more creative with the dough next time I make one.

Tonight was a big salad, 4 cheese tortellini with whole foods rose alfredo sauce. And a side of pan-fried bratwurst. I have a study group on Mondays so dinner is more of a quickie.

MinusTwo

We have a Palm here too. I've always thought it was way over priced for what they offered. Quality is good but not superb. Alcohol prices are over the top. Too many other excellent restaurants in town.

Illimae - would you be willing to post the pizza recipe? It looks delicious.

illimae

Here’s the “Tasty”twisted pizza recipe, enjoy! (Note: the “glass” referred to in step #4 would be small, like a shot glass)

ChiSandy

What’s for dinner tonight chez nous? Nada—it’s Yom Kippur and I’m fasting till sundown tomorrow or when the temple serves the kiddush & refreshments, whichever comes first. Bob had dinner at the hospital, and the cats eat what the cats eat. I did have an early supper before temple of a big salad with a can of sardines and a stick of string cheese. I get to drink one cup of black coffee or one espresso tomorrow so I don’t get caffeine-withdrawal headaches, and water of course. But that’s it

MinusTwo

Oh I miss Bedo. Like me, she had odd combinations of meals at totally inappropriate hours. Last night at 8pm my meal of the day was leftover 1/2 a baked potato and 1/2 a package of frozen peas. Today was a bowl of leftover Anasazi beans with a nice glass of Cote de Rhone red wine.

Hey Bedo - if you're out there, hope all is well.

Lacey - is your DH going to have knee surgery this fall?

Oh and Nance - what's happening on the house front? Did you sell? Are you planning to move yet?

eric95us

Last night we ate leftovers that DD left when she was dog sitting for the week we were in Ohio. I gained about 2-1/2 pounds while there...sigh.....and now I'm working it back off.

The park service had to push the work schedule back to Oct 22 for the Grand Canyon work I'm doing. So, today, as a practice, Sharon and I donned our loaded backpacks (me 38 pounds, Sharon 29 pounds) and we walked about 2 miles up a not so nice hill in the White Tank Mountains before heading back to the car. As usual, it feels funny when the packs come off.

When we do go, it will be going on the Bright Angel Trail and then up the North Kaibab Trail, stopping at Indian Gardens, Phantom Ranch, a place near Cottonwood Camp and then out to the North Rim. It's three days of work-walk and one day of just walking....with the loaded backpacks.

ChiSandy

The temple’s break-the-fast snack table had keto-friendly stuff: grilled veggies, cheese, tuna salad. (I did cheat and have half a mini noodle kugel—figured the cheese & eggs in it balanced out the noodles). For dinner I pan-seared scallops in beurre noir along with some roasted romesco (looks like fractal broccoli) & cubed butternut squash over riced cauliflower from WF’s salad bar. Eggs shakshuka for brunch today. Tonight’s our last night of mild dry weather for quite a while, so I’ll grill a couple of small grass-fed burgers and top them with cheddar, tomato & ‘shrooms.

High of 63 tomorrow morning, then rainy & dropping down into the high 30s overnight (even here by the lake). So we’ll have to harvest the remaining tomatoes, even thos that are tiny & green, as well as bring in some herbs to root in water.

MinusTwo

Eric - sounds like some serious walking - not to mention the packs. We'll look forward to hearing about your adventure. How nice of your DH to leave you left overs. Did you MIL and her sisters have a good visit? Well - I too gained on vacation - 3 lbs. I worked hard and got it all off in a month.

Illimae - I forgot to say thanks for the 'pizza' recipe. Looks like something I'll try. Interesting that it calls for puff pastry. Most of the recipes I found for similar concoctions were with pizza dough.

Working on clearing out the fridge & freezer. I love having things on hand but I forget what's in the back. Today was a sandwich of sliced rotisserie chicken breast on pumpernickel - both taken from the freezer last night. Just took out a package of Spinach & Cheese Ravioli that I froze two months ago for tomorrow.

I'm cleared for cataract surgery on the first eye on 11/4. I'll be staying at a hotel in the med center since I have to be back the next day for post-op and can't drive until after that appointment. It's a 30 minute drive one way at the best of times & can be an hour. Rounding up different people to take & pick up & take & pick up was just a nightmare. This worked really well when I drove myself to my 8 hours of chemo every 3 weeks and stayed overnight for neulasta the next day. The medical rates & free shuttles to the hospitals make it an affordable option.

Beaverntx

Tonight was Johnny Marzetti in spite of temps in the 90s today. Needed something fairly quick to fix as DH needed to leave early for a meeting tonight. Should be more appropriate tomorrow night if the predicted cold front arrives as forecast. Have plenty of leftovers as this is yet another dish that I seem to be incapable of making "just a little bit."

M0mmyof3

Pork chops, applesauce and beets

eric95us

Sharon and I went out for pizza tonight. Sharon was walking to the car and went back inside to put on a sweatshirt because it was cold. It was 82F degrees.

I'm not sure that 82F qualifies as "cold". :-)

MinusTwo

Oh Eric, our blood gets so thin in these southern climes. Even if it's not technically cold outside, every restaurant is freezing - along with all the doctor's offices.

ChiSandy

Was going to grill burgers, but the rain began earlier than I thought. So I cast-iron seared them indoors instead (with Vidalia onion and emmentaler cheese). No buns. Yellow tomato insalata caprese on the side. Have a couple of yellow, 2 small red and one med. Cherokee Purple tomatoes on the sill, along with 3 small green ones. On the vine, a red one is starting to ripen, as are 3 lg. Cherokee Purples showing some "blush." The rest are green but with temps going down tomorrow night into the 30s with wind chills in the 20s (even here by the lake), they're all getting harvested tomorrow, along with the basil. (The other herbs, especially rosemary, are hardier).

Ilona, there's a variation of pizza in Nice (near the Italian border) called "pissaladière" using puff pastry for the crust.

MinusTwo

Carole - I know this is likely useless information since you're probably on the road - but Target had Raos on sale for $5.99. I stocked up.

SpecialK

Hi all - hanging out in Cali. Saw Hamilton in SF on Wed, it was awesome - loved it! Had a nice dinner beforehand, a mixed greens and spinach salad with goat cheese and apples, and a white bean purée with triangles of homemade toasted pita, and a glass of rose. We stayed with a friend in SF who has a flat in a beautiful old Victorian row house, and she made us scrambled eggs with avocado and spinach and lattes for breakfast. We went for an urban hike afterward, great views of the city and the weather was perfect. You may have heard about the power issues out here - we have not been impacted - power was on in SF and Sacramento has municipal power, so we have been fortunate - others have not though. Having the two-fer seasonal special tomorrow night at a local restaurant that we had last year - butternut squash, leek, and sage lasagna with focaccia and a bottle of white wine. Will try to remember to take a pic!

Here is a view from our hike:

Lacey12

Tonight I decided to make cauliflower steak pizzas. I rarely make such things using fresh cauliflower since I dislike dealing with the crumble mess that working with it creates...and yes, there was more crumble and I didn’t make the perfect steaks (but learned from my mistake how to cut it with less break off pieces, for the next time).

I baked them at 400 for 20 minutes until fork tender after brushing with garlicked olive oil, then topped each piece with some Italian-herbed tomato sauce, chopped mushrooms, chopped marinated artichokes hearts, mozzarella and finally parmesan. I popped them back in the oven until the cheeses melted. We had a garden salad and some tuscan wheat bread to round things out.

For all the food pix I take, I totally forgot to take one of these little “pizzas” which is too bad since they were pretty....and tasty!

Minus, DH is scheduled for his long-awaited hip replacement on Nov 25th, the Monday before Thanksgiving...not ideal for family holiday planning. There is a possibility that he could get a sooner date if there is a cancellation. Although I have both a mammogram and a colonoscopy coming up over this month, and don’t really want to have to cancel either of those if a surgery date comes up that conflicts with them. Feeling a bit selfish about keeping those two appts that are not easy to re-schedule.

Good luck with your cataract procedure. Your plan for staying near the med center sounds like a smart one!

Lacey12

Special, we cross posted, so missed your update. Love the SF view and glad you are not being impacted by the power issue. How difficult a situation! Your meals sound wonderful! Enjoy the lovely sounding meal you describedtomorrow evening. Hope to see a pic!

ChiSandy

Special, oh how I miss SF and the Napa/Sonoma Valleys!

Lacey, going to have to try cauliflower-steaks (pizzas or not). I have yet to find a cauliflower crust that doesn't get mushy and stick to the pan (except for Quest's pizza, which does have a bit of tapioca starch so it's not fully-keto, though it was specifically recommended by my bariatric clinic). Tonight was the path of least resistance: from Wing Stop around the corner, 3 original hot and 3 mild Buffalo wings with celery and blue cheese dressing. Bob's off this weekend so we'll go out tomorrow night.

keywestfan

Sandy,

One of the very best - know this sounds odd- restaurant meals I’ve ever had- was a few weeks ago at Joe’s Stone Crab. It was a thick grilled cauliflower steak with a delicious pesto on top and bottom and very thin apple strips with a light dressing arranged in a sort of tower on top.It was. beautiful,creative, and delicious

Beaverntx

SpecialK, gorgeous picture of SF! Good to hear you've not been in the lights out areas.

Hmmm, cauliflower steaks. Haven't tried that yet. Glad to read such positive feedback. Have one more meal of Johnny Marzetti here. Temps were in the 90s day before yesterday, today we are working on getting into the 60s so JM may just hit the spot.

M0mmyof3

Probably will be a quick dinner of burger and fries.

SpecialK

So..... here’s my pic of the butternut squash lasagna... LOL!!!

MinusTwo

Perfect Special. Much needed laugh out loud moment.

MinusTwo

I'm making a big pot of soup with leftover chicken broth, leftover onion, small bag of carrots and some noodles. Actually due to the quantities or leftovers it turned out to carrot slices simmered in Swanson's broth with sauteed onions, then noodles tossed on top. Not much broth, but a good taste.

At sometime I wrote myself the following note about lentils: to reduce gas, boil for 3 minutes, soak overnight with 1/8tsp baking soda. I assume what I didn't write is to drain & rinse & finish cooking the next day? But in fact I've never tried it yet. Has anyone else? Does it work?

Lacey - I'm going to make your delicious cod dish tomorrow since I have a open jar of Raos.

Moonflwr912

Hello all. Im back at my exercise classes and none too soon. They fired the women whom i covered for when she missed her 4th class with no call or reason. I now teach every T. I also have to cover Monday, as the woman leading that class has had bronchitis for over a month. 2 days in a row is a bit much. LOL.

Ive been cooking so much more often because if Stan being home, so have been doing comfort foods since it dropped into the 30s this weekend.

Heres

a picture of a meal, consisting of the 99 cents steaks that were on sale at Kwik Trip. They were better than some steaks Ive had at restaurants, but they did need a bit of trimming first. But still, quite good. 5 oz and odd shapes just a minor inconvience. We ended up going back and buying 6 more to freeze for later.

This is mini meatloaves ( muffin tin size)

with roasted potatoed and glazed carrots. I ended up making up 3 lbs of the meatloaves, 24 of them. Keeping 8, giving the rest to my daughter, along with the other bag of carrorts and the rest of the 3lb bag of the roasted potatoes. That way when she left at 6:15, she didnt have to cook supper at home.

It gets a bit more expensive to cook for 6 people a couple of times a week. LOL.

Much love to all

Lacey12

Ah ha, Special...I see you had to send it back! LOL

Last night we decided to use a gift card that DS2 had given us last Christmas (!) for a restaurant in Seaport, the Tuscan Kitchen. We arrived early since the Cs’ game we attended first was over way before we expected it to be. I am rarely early for anything, but it gave us a chance to actually find street parking, and leisurely peruse Seaport Blvd. I’ve been anti Seaport over the past couple of years since it has been massively overbuilt, and the trendiness of it makes for constant crowds and traffic...and it feels to me like a modern Wall Street, with me unable to get my directional sense when driving there...and I used to know my way around! Well, we found a parking space and really enjoyed our stroll to the restaurant, learning how the area is really trying to be an enjoyable “neighborhood” in Boston. The millennials seem to love it...tho I doubt many can afford to live there. Am guessing that it is the new socializing spot for millennials living in South Boston (next door).

There was a cool consignment store that sold small amounts of home made products for artisans wishing to test out the market. Then there were open spaces set up for physical activities, bocce ball, “bags”, and just relaxing...and of course a city block area “beer garden” with food trucks and an area for buskers. So we learned why people might want to live there.....if they had millions to spend on a condo! Clearly Sunday evening was a good time to be there, unlike Fri ir Sat nite.

Our dinner was lovely if not one of the best we’ve ever enjoyed. We had calamari with a lemon sauce, bibb lettuce salad, and entrees of (his) swordfish on saffron risotto and (my) scallops with a relish medley of peppers and a bit of bacon. DH thought his was flavor deprived, but mine was good. We shared a molten choc cake with a dollop of vanilla gelato.

Today DS2 brought the baby over since DDIL had to work (works from home) and daycare was closed. We had a lovely, if tiring day, and I am again reminded why old folks don’t have babies! DS2 got a few hours of work in before they left in time to bring dinner home. I was so tired, I had no interest in making our dinner. So I took a “bar style” pizza out of the freezer, cooked it and served it with a nice garden salad. I shall get to bed at a decent time tonight!

Minus, I noticed that Rao’s is selling their sauces for 4.99 here this week. Maybe it’s a natl sale? I need to make that dish but our stores have been featuring cod at ridiculous prices. Wonder if we have almost fished out our cod supplies!

Keeping her Papa busy! It will be fun when she starts her adventure into finger food, which will also provide another enjoyable activity for this little one. Fortunately she loves these little musical toys. It must be awful to be trapped in a little body that can’t yet explore all the interesting things she discovers with her eyes! We’re excited that she is actually growing a bit of hair fuzz

Lacey12

Great cold weather dinners, Monica! That steak does look yummy. We hardly eat red meat anymore, but miss it in a big way occasionally, and break down....like having lamb burgers last week when DH just could not deprive himself any longer. I figure we can use the occasional boost for our hemoglobin! LOL

Good for you with all that exercise class leading.

Moonflwr912

Lacey, shes beautiful! And yes, no way could I take the GDs every day! LOL