So...whats for dinner?

MinusTwo

nance - sorry about your DH's cold. I know that means you are exhausted too.

Special - thanks for the TJ's reference. I usually make a journey down there before Christmas so I'll look for the crackers.

Dunch was the last of the meatloaf on dark pumpernickel toasted bread. Tomorrow's garbage day so I had to sort out the fridge. I had a spaghetti squash waiting. I cooked & 'shredded' it so the rind could go away. Now I can re-heat on demand. Also had probably 20 Meyer lemons. I squeezed about 1/2 and am freezing the juice. The other half I'm freezing in slices. Trying something new but Dr. Google says it works. Has anyone else done this before? It says you can freeze them whole too.

Reader425

Tonight was Scottish Salmon baked with salt, white pepper, onion, and a Penzey's mixed spice blend I forget the name of. That and Trader Joe's asparagus risotto and fresh asparagus with hollandaise. My DH does not love vegetables so I was going for a two-fer with the asparagus.

Hope the gynecologist appointment went well. The discussion was interesting as I am nearing the end of that also assuming all continues to go well.

ChiSandy

Gonna make sockeye salmon & asparagus tomorrow night. No wine, though. I have maybe 1/2 c. left of cauliflower rice--toying with getting some more this weekend and making fake jambalaya or paella. Risotto wouldn't work because the cauliflower doesn't release starch as it cooks the way arborio rice does, but if I use enough oil in the bottom of the paella pan it'd crisp up and make a reasonable facsimile of soccarat.

godisone

I am too tired already and dinner tonight would be simple chicken wings along with some pasta and a few boiled eggs. Do come if you wanna join in:-)

carolehalston

The gynecologist appointment turned out to be a good idea. The itching and burning that I associated with UTI symptoms was being caused by a vaginal skin abnormality whose name I can't remember. The NP prescribed a steroid cream and instructed me to return in a month for an exam with the dr. herself. If there isn't improvement, the dr. will take a sample for biopsy. I actually enjoyed the interaction with the NP and other staff members. I also had blood drawn for a cancer markers test associated with ovarian cancer (family history) and an ultrasound of the ovaries.

After a stop at Toyota to have my Prius serviced and a stop at the bank, I ordered roast beef poboys from Bears and detoured through the town of Covington, where Bears is located, on my way home. All my activities went amazingly well with absolutely no stress and then dh and I feasted on the "famous" Bears poboys for lunch. Actually dh had a Ferdie, which is roast beef and ham. Both sandwiches were "dressed" with mayo, lettuce and tomato.

Having had such a satisfying and heavy lunch, I changed the dinner menu to large salads topped with strips of chicken. DH had the "kitchen sink" variety of salad. He can't have too many additions to his lettuce. My salad was leaf lettuce, compari tomatoes, avocado and grated asiago cheese. DH opted for blue cheese. I enjoyed this meal much more than the skillet dish the previous night.

Off to the gym this morning. No idea what dinner will be.

SpecialK

carole - my DD comes to Covington periodically as that is where her company headquarters is located. I will have to ask her if she has had a Bears poboy!

carolehalston

Hard to believe your DD comes to Covington, SpecialK! What is the company?

On the way home from the gym, I drove to the small produce stand outside Madisonville. Ta Da! A dinner menu took shape. I bought two bunches of mustard greens, some turnip roots, and a package of frozen shelled fresh red beans. The fresh red beans taste different from the dry kidney beans. My father raised them in our home garden. But I will save them for another meal. Tonight we'll have the mustard greens and the turnip roots. And, of course, corn bread. A country meal, for sure. And except for the pickled pork in the greens, vegetarian.

The NP at my gynecologist's office called to say the blood work on ovarian cancer markers was good. I realize there is skepticism about the markers but my insurance pays for it.

SpecialK

carole - Globalstar is the company, she’s the southeastern US rep for their line of personal GPS devices.

ChiSandy

Carole, one of the things I miss most on low-carb is a fried oyster po'boy, one of my absolute favorites when in NOLA. Folk Alliance Int'l will be there this coming January, and my Southern friends are urging me to go. But NOLA without Hurricanes, gumbo (it has a flour roux), po'boys, jambalaya, etouffee (roux again) and beignets? Just not the same.

auntienance

Couldn't agree with you more Sandy.

Tonight is ending up being carryout - pizza for DH, probably Chinese for me.

MinusTwo

Special - somehow I thought your daughter worked with boats & dolphins & diving, etc. Am I nuts or did she start something new? Or maybe you have two daughters & I missed one? Boy I really feel dumb.

MinusTwo

Lacey - how are you managing? We know you are exhausted and tired of your DH's recovery (he's a man after all), but hoping you are getting some sleep and drinking wine when possible. Are you able to get out of the house at all? Or are you totally stuck? Apologizing in advance to Eric, but really men as a species don't do well when they are sick or temporarily disabled. Wonder if that's the female's fault for coddling them & jumping whenever they want something? OR is that too philosophical a question for a dinner thread?

Beaverntx

update on my first experience with Laurie's salsa chicken: used a full package of chicken thighs so had plenty of leftovers. After they were refrigerated overnight the sauce had thickened nicely. Had enough for two more meals, one of which was lunch yesterday. After that big lunch dinner last evening was lighter--scrambled eggs, bagel, and spiced cooked apples.

Tonight is homemade pizza, it's Friday after all!

SpecialK

minus - no, you are not mistaken! Just one daughter, but you're right, she absolutely was a dolphin trainer, at Clearwater Marine Aquarium with the dolphins in the Dolphin Tale movies, at Theater of the Sea in the FL Keys, and then for the US Navy where they are used, along with sea lions, for port and submarine security. Unfortunately, this is an underpaid profession - many of the trainers hold second jobs - so she decided to pursue a more lucrative line of work a couple of years ago. Marine mammals are her first love though! She is also a US Coast Guard certified charter Captain and takes people inshore fishing here in Tampa, and just recently qualified to be part of the Sheriff's Mounted Posse with her horse, helping with crowd security, parades, etc. She is a busy girl!

On the subject of convalescing men - I am a waaayyy better (low maintenance) patient than my DH, but I've also had waaayyy more practice, lol!

MinusTwo

Thanks Special. Talented & interesting young lady. Sounds like she'd be lots of fun to hang with - if she ever had time.

carolehalston

I don't remember if I have mentioned that the supply of Gulf oysters is severely limited thanks to damage to the oyster beds by river flooding. Even Drago's restaurant, renowned for its grilled oysters, has stopped serving oysters other than the grilled oysters. I especially liked the oysters and pasta at Drago's. Of course, I love the grilled oysters, too. They were pricey at about $18 a dozen before the oyster shortage. No telling what the price is now.

Sandy, I admire your adherence to your diet and the resulting lost weight.

eric95us

I baked some more sourdough last night.

We have been eating a late "dunch" and dinners have been kind of ignored, so there isn't much on that front.

Today and the next few days, we're doing a kitchen "very very deep clean" in preparation for Thanksgiving....anything that doesn't move is getting cleaned...tops of cabinets, cabinet shelves, refrigerator shelves, dishes, silverware, cookware and so on.

DD may have to work on Thanksgiving, so we will work around her schedule.

My problem with being sick/hurt is that I'm easily bored and the daytime TV programs only make it worse! :-)

My mom died three years ago today. I have no idea where the time went.

MinusTwo

Eric - it really doesn't seem like 3 years. She was such an amazing lady & I know you have many good memories to ponder. I'll keep you in my thoughts today.

M0mmyof3

Sloppy Joes and onion rings!

auntienance

Last night ended up being linguini with clams for me, carryout pizza for DH.

Tonight will be a reverse seared bone in ribeye with a baked potato - russet for dh, sweet for me - and a simple salad. I have a pork roast in the fridge that is destined for souvlaki, but not tonight.

CeliaC

Hi to all. Just reading through and catching up. About the cataracts - agree with observations about liking the more blurred vision of my face pre-cataracts. My sister cautioned me that I would be surprised about the "clarity". Yup, did not know I had some of those wrinkles. Also chiming in about the GYN. My first appointment since seeing my old GYN to receive news of cancer diagnosis in 2016 was yesterday. New GYN was great. Of course she asked about things like vaginal dryness & I told her since "my kitchen is no longer cooking" I would have no idea. She used a warmed instrument, so was in & out in no time & did not feel anything when she did the pap smear. She advised this is the last one of those, as after 65 they are no longer standardly done. (Apologies to Eric for the "female" discussion.) Will probably have a salad of chopped tomatoes, cucumber, shrooms, avocado, with roast chicken for dinner. Need those veggies.

MinusTwo

My grocery store has a sushi bar and often has samples. I liked the one so much yesterday that I bought a roll. Double Crab Roll. It's spicy with cream cheese, avocado, crab & pollock, seaweed, Shircha, eel sauce - rice of course - and fried onions around the outside.

Half of the roll was tonight's dunch. I may have popcorn for desert around 9pm.

Oops - I forgot that I have fresh raspberries ($0.99) so those will be desert, drenched in heavy cream. No calories though.

Beaverntx

Made turkey sausage and Italian seasoned turkey to make meat sauce as needed tonight; kept enough ground turkey out for dinner of cheeseburgers, finger potatoes and a mixed green salad with tomatoes and oil and vinegar dressing. Finger potatoes are what my mother called them-- nuke potato(es) to about half done, cut in wedges of desired size, season and brown in a lightly greased skillet. Easy to pick up with your fingers!!

ChiSandy

Carole, Gordy & his girlfriend had the grilled oysters at Drago's last week, but went to a little hole-in-the-wall in the Marigny for fried oyster po'boys. I really miss that, but it's raw oyster season in Chicago seafood joints & steakhouses--I love being able to get all kinds of East & West Coast oysters. (My faves are Naked Cowboy & Island Creek for Eastern, and Fanny Bay and Kumamoto for Pacific). Long Island bluepoints are so yesterday.

My Whole Foods' sushi bar isn't custom--so I can't get sashimi except in a combo "bowl" with edamame & rice. And it's just salmon...ho-hum. Tonight I went to the hot bar for a dark roast chicken quarter, Italian veg. mix, and sauteed kale. Dessert was a small square of 85% dark chocolate and a decaf breve cappuccino (my machine is down, so I kicked it old-school with boiling water and a pour-over manual ROK espresso maker and electric frother). Not bad for relatively primitive equipment. Still waiting for Cora Italian Specialties to pick up my machine (needs at least a new water sensor, thermostat, gaskets, and deep cleaning). I'd take it out there (to the west suburbs) myself, but it weighs more than I can handle.

After watching America's Test Kitchen today, I ordered a sous vide circulator, which is coming tomorrow. Gonna try sockeye salmon in it--then reverse-sear in the skillet. I like the fact that I can set the water temp and know that the food will never exceed it. Wild Pacific salmon is unforgiving temp-wise--when it's too rare it's raw and when it's the slightest bit overdone it's dry. Farmed Atlantic is easier, with greater leeway, but not as healthful (fewer Omega-3 and more Omega-6).

Mon. night I might try sous-viding & reverse-searing a bison filet, with roasted Brussels sprouts and a Caesar salad.

carolehalston

Last night was a "hot dish" with cabbage, potatoes and carrots providing the bulk of the dish. I seasoned 8 oz. of ground turkey with Italian sausage additions (fennel, pepper flakes, onion and garlic power, a grind of Italian herbs). I sautéed the meat in olive olive and then created the sauce in the same pot, a can of cream of celery soup and equal amount of chicken broth. Next added the veggies and stirred all together. Another ingredient was grated bagged cheese mixture, not too much.

I transferred the mixture to a baking dish and cooked at 350 for an hour plus. The finished casserole looked appetizing and tasted good. The last 10 minutes in the oven was uncovered.

eric95us

Tell "Happy Birthday" to any US Marines that you may know. :-)

ChiSandy

My sous vide circulator (Anova) arrived today---now waiting for the plastic container. In the meantime, it's clamped to my 7-qt. pasta pot. Downloaded the app, but will likely go manual first to get used to the controls. The ATK winner, Joule, had some dicey reviews on Amazon--a high rate of defective units; it also is app-only, a dealbreaker for me. Gonna try doing the salmon in an hour or two; will microwave-steam the asparagus (kickin' it old-school).

Happy Birthday, Marines!

auntienance

Hope you like the sous vide Sandy, I love mine.

HappyHammer

So, I am baaack. Have enjoyed reading a few months of your discussions, family news and food over the past week or two! We are keeping on keeping on after my bone marrow transplant mid-August. I am doing really well. Home, cooking, painting, some household chores, walking about 1.5 miles a day in the neighborhood, enjoying my family and trying to make each day count! Our youngest, a chef, has been home since returning from his internship at NOMA in Copenhagen in June. He was a huge help us while I was hospitalized and then he has been schlepping me back and forth to Winston Salem (Baptist Hospital- 2 hours away from home) to see the doc/PA/labs/electrolyte infusions, etc. twice weekly. Thank goodness for this so that DH hasn't had to take even more time off from work than he has.

DS is working in Charlotte helping out The Indigo Road Group as they open another restaurant there while he is here with us. It has been a JOY to have him here. Adult children are just wonderful- or at least this one is- he is precious, so so funny, caring/giving and there is none of the parent/child tension. We will miss him terrriby when he heads to Nashville in January to work with Sean Brock at his new venture, Audrey. Very exciting for him and we are planning on being able to go and see him and try out the new place next spring!!! It has been a very stressful time but made so sweet with this unexpected time with him.

For about 6 weeks I was in Hickory at my sister's as it was an hour away from the hospital and that was as far as they would let me be away. Now, I am home and we go once a week and soon it should be every other week if things continue as they have been. Still have lots of restrictions- just close family and a few very close friends are around and I do go places- just can't get out of the car, haha. It gets me out of the house and neighborhood.

Sooo, tonight for supper, we/they had Mississipi roast with added carrots, parsnips and onions, and fresh collards that our friend grew at his farm which Robert cooked with smoked bacon, a ham hock, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, a little onion and fresh lemon juice, s & p. They are good and DH has had 2 helpings! (I still cannot taste things exactly as they are- the big chemos and now the meds I am on are the culprits but that should continue to improve. I am still drinking 2-3 Boosts a day and eating reg food as I can. I have lost a good bit of weight during all of this and have had to work on getting an entirely new wardrobe. Not as easy when doing it all online but DH helps with taking things back and that is great!

Looking forward to trying to keep up with all of you!

ChiSandy

Oh, HH, I had no I idea that's why we hadn't heard from you in ages. BC seems to be "the gift that keeps on giving" (thanks but no thanks), but glad to hear you're on the upswing. May your immune system continue to strengthen to the point where you can socialize once again without a second thought. Miss you!!!!