So...whats for dinner?

MinusTwo

Eric - hysterical - but great work BTW. Can you hear us clapping? Love the hat. No errant sunbeams causing basal cells for you.

Worry/Pooh - you really inspired me with your herb salmon. I prefer to eat late mid day if possible so I experimented this afternoon. I'd already pre-cooked 1/2 a cup of french green lentils. Sauteed them with garlic & onion powder. Added all of the chopped top greens from a BIG bunch of Bok Choy & sprinkled with a bit of sugar, red pepper flakes & Hatch green chili powder. I had intended to either eat alone or add to a soup. Instead I defrosted a piece of salmon and poached it with butter, Pinot Grigio and dill. It was delicious placed on the bed of lentils & greens. Of course I had to drink some of the Pino Grigio too. Somehow it's not really drinking in the middle of the afternoon when it's white wine.

Yogatyme

Minus, that sounds delicious!! I will have to try it. Tonight we are having leftover grilled chicken cubed and sautéed with onion, garlic and grape tomatoes from friends garden. Added just a little Tuscany spice blend. Served over pasta Fresh fruit salad.

Reader425

Thinking of you and said a prayer for you Sandy. Hope all goes well and will look for an update.

Had a delicious wedge style steak and blue cheese salad for dinner. A nice Malbec, focaccia and dipping oil rounded it out. Sounds healthy except I then went to book club, lost control and had cookies and apple crisp!

Lacey12

Chi, I’m hoping all went well today.

Welcome to all the new table members!! So nice to “see” all of you!

Tonight I ordered a grain bowl at a restaurant in Harvard Sq., which had several grains, roasted brussels sprouts, butternut squash pumpkin seeds and a pumpkin dressing. Sounded interesting, but was missing spices in my opinion...thus bland. I cook with spices a lot, so maybe the rest of the world might have enjoyed it more than I. We also had clam chowder as an app. “The Moth” was fun and we heard some interesting stories, on the topic of “Ink”. As you might imagine, several stories related to experiences with tattoos, as well as stories from promising writers.

This morning we received a call from DH’s orthopod’s office that they have a cancellation on Halloween if he’d like to reschedule his hip replacement surgery then. I think we’re going to go for it. It’s a bit inconvenient in terms of it being the holiday, and DS2’s birthday (and we would have loved to be with them for the baby’s first Halloween), but.....he’ll be in much better shape for the holiday season if he has the surgery now instead of Thanksgiving week!

On Thursday, I have my yearly mammo which I usually tough through using a bit of gross denial, but I feel a bit nervous this time since I really do not want any distractions from being able to get DH’s surgery out of the way, after such a long wait. Wish me luck!

Special, your trip to DC sounds like a great fun visit...seeing your son as well as old friends. Enjoy!!!

BTW, I looked at the Rao’s Puttanesca Sauce ingredient label. I think you nailed it with your list. The only thing I don’t recall if you mentioned is the oregano and fresh basil, and that's probably my poor memory.

Oh, and Minus, when I make dinner omelettes, I sautee lots of veggies and then cook the eggs (sometimes with a bit of baking powder to make a puffier omelette), and arrange all the veggies on top of the eggs with some cheese(s) on top and pop it under the broiler. It is an open face omelette!

ChiSandy

Well, it turned out indeed to be The Incredible Shrinking Seroma (though it took one exam, two ultrasounds and a spot mammogram to confirm it). Apparently, as it has shrunken from 20cm post-rads in early 2016 down to about 5cm. now, and the fat inside the fluid has continued to "necrose," the scar tissue over it has gotten denser and harder. I didn't feel it before, nor did my MO, because when she examined me last month I was 8 lbs. heavier. My surgeon (Dr. Eye Candy's partner) & the radiologist showed me the films from 2016, 2017, 2018, last June, and now. The shrinkage is pretty dramatic--and the particles of debris have gotten smaller too. My surgeon told me that I won't need to see her or her partners again unless something's wrong; but when I've decided I've lost enough weight she'll refer me to a plastic surgeon to do the left reduction/lift.

So thanks for all the prayers, thoughts, Jud's magic spell, and "the BCO party in my pocket." It warranted a glass of Cremant de Limoux to go along with the choucroute garnie I made when I got home from chorus rehearsal tonight. Tomorrow afternoon is my bi-monthly weigh-in: now that I'm just about at my interim goal weight, I will find out how much more they want me to lose. Today I pulled on my new size 2 Chico's slim-leg ankle jeans--and though the waist fits fine, they're swimming on me everywhere else (especially my thighs and the "twerk that don't work"). I think I will have to haul out the sewing machine and try to taper them--or take them to the tailor around the corner who's shortening my knit pants that didn't come in "petite" length. (In college, my sorority sisters & I used to go to the Wrangler outlet near campus, buy men's jeans, by waist size/inseam length, and have them tapered on-site).

Did get some disconcerting news today about two acquaintances: one, a well-known singer-songwriter from L.A., has squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue; it's "in situ," but he'll still be on vocal rest for the rest of the year or more. And the holistic MD in Evanston who certified my medical marijuana application is closing her practice to fight an aggressive gastroesophageal cancer. She was into anti-aging medicine, clean living, fitness and natural products (head to toe, as well as foods) and practiced what she preached, yet this bastard of a disease still managed to find her. Hope she can come out the other end of this okay.

WorryThePooh

thanks carolehalston

auntienance, my mouth is watering reading your lentil meatballs recipe!

I am trying to lose a bit of weight I've put on since being on Tamoxifen, so tonight I had just a can of tuna with cottage cheese and salad leaves!

auntienance

Sandy, good news on the test results! I admire your diligence with your weight loss regimen and congratulate you on your amazing results.

Good luck with your mamm Lacey. And good luck with Bob's surgery!

Costco run today. Dinner will be whatever I can discover there.

MinusTwo

Oh Lacey what crazy timing. I'm glad that DH can get the hip surgery early, but... If you can stand it, why not put off the mammo until the end of November? That way you won't have to be dealing with the first days of DH recovery at the same time as waiting for stupid results.

Sandy - I never shop at Chicos. What's their size 2 in the real world?

carolehalston

Good news, Sandy!

Dinner last night was "leftovers of your choice." DH had a woodworkers guild meeting. He had brown rice with chicken curry from the night before. I had leftover rice stir fry topped with butterbeans.

Tonight will probably be pasta with Rao's and veggies added to the sauce. Side will be salad.

MinusTwo

My late afternoon meal was asparagus. I think I wrote about the Red Hook Lemon Herb Asparagus Skillet sauce w/garlic & olive oil before. It comes in a little 4 oz envelope & asparagus cooks in 10 minutes. Sometimes I make my own, but this is quite good - and definitely spicy enough for you Lacey. Says 4 servings & I always drain enough for one more saute. Package says good with "zucchini, yellow summer squash, blanched green beans". I think it will be good with chicken - probably poached with a little wine added. 70 calories and 260 sodium.

This was served over brown rice w/amaranth & garlic. And I had 1/2 of loaf of San Francisco Sour Dough bread in the freezer that I baked.

Reader425

Yummy Minus! I love asparagus.

Sandy happy news for you but sad for the friends you mentioned. Terrible disease!

Thanks again to all, new to the thread and not, for all the great meal ideas and inspiration. I married later in life and feeding us healthfully at this stage can be challenging so I love the input.

ChiSandy

Chico's Size 2 = 12/14, aka M.

Dinner tonight was pistachio-crusted pan-seared sea bass. (Was fun venting my frustrations by whacking away with a cast-iron skillet at a freezer Baggie full of pistachios & sesame seeds. Because my bariatric NP wants me to eat more veggies, I grilled asparagus (with lemon, olive oil, and Aleppo pepper) and blistered a few shishito peppers. They were all mild, whew!

carolehalston

Lunch yesterday, following 18 holes of golf with two long-time golfing friends, was a lovely salad of pretty salad greens with a lemon and olive oil dressing and topped with grilled shrimp. I've had it before and it's delicious. Afterwards we went to Carolyn's house for coffee and dessert. I had a sliver of cheese cake.

Dinner for dh was leftover linguine with red sauce: Rao's with added veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini). Also a big garden salad. My dinner was warmed up mustard greens cooked with diced pickled pork. A heavy sprinkle of pepper vinegar. I seem to hunger for mustard greens these days and they are available at a farm stand a few minutes from my house. $2 for a large bunch. I cook two bunches at a time.

This morning dh asked if I had a menu in mind for dinner tonight. Then suggested chicken fajitas using some colored peppers he bought yesterday. I welcome this input and told him as much. I will either cook some beans today or buy a can of black beans and thaw a chicken breast.

It's a rainy day outside.

auntienance

Carole, I envy you your greens. Growing up with southern cooks, they were a staple at my grandmother's house. Sadly, I've never been able to replicate them. How do you cook yours? The closest I've come to my grandmother's is at a bbq restaurant a couple of towns away from me. The bbq is good but I go for the greens.

Beaverntx

Last night was blackened tilapia, potato crisps, and roasted vegs (zucchini, yellow squash, red and green bell pepper and carrots). Pleasing to the eye and palate. Tonight will be my "world famous" chili as a cold front moved through last night and it is in the forties, feels like thirties, today. Probably have cornbread with it, comfort food!

Lacey12

I am relieved to report that my mammogram was okay after several additional images. While I was a bit nervous this time about the call backs (I get them read the same day), the woman sitting next to me practically became apoplectic with my return calls, so I was busy reassuring her! That was probably a good distraction.

I have a love/worry relationship with greens....have them daily but have to be careful about things like dandelions, and any related kind since I would break out in hives were I to ingest them. So my selection can be a bit repetitive. Isn’t it fortunate that I can eat kale?!

The chicken baked with the caponata sauce was really good, and we were going to have leftovers tonight but decided to switch out the Celtics tickets we can’t use next week (day after DH’s surger) to go to the first home game tonight, so will eat at a TD Garden restaurant....hopefully one that has some decent food. The food on the concourse is generally all fats and grease.

Sending along some salad eye candy....

Lacey12

In honor of our first home game, I must share the pic DDIL2 sent us....and she’s not even from Boston and DS2 is away for work. Very sweet gesture...

My two passions beyond food....

auntienance

Why does salad always look and taste so much better when someone else makes it? I would definitely eat that. And good news on the test Lacey. The call backs are nerve wracking

MinusTwo

Carole - I love that your DH is willing to make suggestions for dinner - not to mention his buying the ingredients.

Lacey - adorable picture. Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately I don't care for kale, so I sub spinach. Salad looks delicious. Just got home from a quick grocery run & realized when I saw your picture that I forgot to buy mushrooms. Darn.

Beaver - oh yes for the cold front. I think you're a little further north than I am. We got to 53 last night and it's hanging in at 56 today. Supposed to be 49 tonight. I bought a pork loin on sale since I'm willing to turn on the oven with those temperatures. Of course I probably have pork in the freezer, but the price was unbelievable - $0.99/lb instead of $3.99/lb - so $3.50 for a $15 dollar roast. May go back the first of the week & buy more once I check the freezer status.

Beaverntx

Minus, currently we are at 60 with wind chill in the 50s. Without the wind it would be a lovely day!

Great deal on the pork loin!

M0mmyof3

Had originally planned for soup and sandwich dinner. Even made a huge pot of soup, but after picking up a few groceries and putting everything away, we decided on a pizza as we are both tired. Put the soup in a couple of containers, one went into the fridge for Sunday night when we are supposed to have rain all dayand the other in the freezer for a later date.

MinusTwo

Pork roast w/leftover mini new Rosemary potatoes tossed in the pan towards the end. That will likely be all. I love pork roast, so that will take the place of a salad & a green vegetable & a desert & a roll.

ChiSandy

Last night we went out to an Irish pub next door to the Old Town School of Folk Music (which isn't in "Old Town") after seeing Tom Paxton & the Don Juans in concert. I stayed low-carb, with a grilled-shrimp & avocado salad; but Bob went whole-hog with the Irish breakfast (2 fried eggs, fried ham, white & black "puddings," bacon, pork sausage, toast & fries. (My long-absent gallbladder is aching as I type this). Made truffled soft-scrambled eggs this morning with half an heirloom tomato; late lunch was leftover sea bass with three shishito peppers. Dinner will be cast-iron-seared grass-fed ribeye with roasted Brussels sprouts. (No grilling, alas--too rainy & windy out).

Beaverntx

Tonight granddaughter is visiting so we had a fave of hers, sweet chili chicken fajitas with the fixins.

WorryThePooh

Chorizo sausages and Beef sausages, served with Sweet Potato mash, and Spinach/Beetroot/Feta salad, plus some chargrilled asparagus.

carolehalston

All the meals are appetizing. Beautiful salad, Lacey, and adorable baby picture. I like "watch me dribble." How do people come up with such clever sayings?

Minus, how do you season your pork roast?

Nance, I think the secret to delicious cooked greens is the quality of the fresh greens. I'm lucky enough to buy some not long out of the garden. I wash the greens two of three times, first filling one sink with water, submerge the greens and wash them leaf by leaf, transfer to the other sink. Refill the sink with water and do over. If there isn't sand or dirt at the bottom of the water, washing twice is probably enough.

Then I tear the veins out of the leaves. You could chop the veins and cook them along with the greens but I don't. Next I stack piles of leaves and cut them into strips. Heat some water in a pot or substitute chicken broth for water. Add diced pickled pork. Add greens and season with s & p. Simmer for about an hour. Or more or less! Just until the greens are tender. Serve and sprinkle on pepper vinegar. Butter a piece of cornbread!

That's how I like my mustard greens cooked. Many people cook with diced onion. And some people add a spoon of sugar.

We are having ribeye steak and potatoes, maybe baked potatoes, for dinner. I will cook the steak inside using a cast iron skillet. I'm toying with giving the reverse sear a try. I don't mind cooking a steak inside when the temperature is cool as it is now. DH informs me that the grill is too dirty to use. I'll have to check for myself and see if cleaning is a possibility. It's not the right time of year to buy a grill.

MinusTwo

Carole - this was lazy, traditional loin like my Mother used to make. My dad liked everything extra PLAIN - no spices, no gravy - and eventually Mother stopped using even salt due to her high BP. I only seasoned this one with minced dill weed. Unfortunately the roast was cooked a bit more than I wanted because of a phone call, but I still managed to eat 6 pieces. And that was before I remembered the applesauce.

auntienance

Try the reverse sear Carole, you'll like it. Perfect most every time!

I don't think I've seen pickled pork around here. I'll have to pay more attention.

Vegetable soup and yesst rolls tonight.

MinusTwo

Nance - makes me think of pickled pigs feet?

auntienance

I don't think it's necessarily the same thing Minus (Carole can tell us), I think it's used in cajun cooking a lot. Might have to do it myself. Carole, do you use hocks or another part?