So...whats for dinner?

Lacey12

Nance, I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of Thousand Island dressing first, since my mother served that often when I was growing up. One of my faves until I steered clear of creamy dressings. I think it might need to be resurrected.

At DH's PCP visit yesterday morning, he didn't seem as rigid about DH eliminating all acidic foods from his diet at this point, but we'll see what the GI doc has to say after findings of his scope today. Ironically, the GI doc performing the scope is the same one I had to cancel my colonoscopy with last week, (and have to wait until Feb for next soonest appt!). But I'm glad he fit him in today so we can learn what is going on since the bleeding symptoms and anemia are very much present.

Back to topic..... my food choices yesterday reflected my current “disordered" state. Since we were up at the break of dawn to race to DH's PCP appt, I suggested we stop for “coffee" on the way home. We went to a little mom and pop restaurant DH knew from when he worked nearby. While he thoughtfully ordered whole wheat pancakes, I ordered french toast with cinnamon and walnuts!! Can't even think of the last time I had such a carby breakfast....and I drenched it in their syrup that didn't even have the faintest hint of real maple. In a few hours that carb loading resulted in my seeking more sweet and savory food, and I snacked on peanut brittle while making meatballs, (a dinner request by DH to help fight his anemia!;) We'd stopped on the way home to buy ground beef, which usually never enters our kitchen. I hunted up my mother's meatball recipe, and made enough to freeze in various sizes (are we really going to eat our 1950's style meal again?!) and two really big ones to top his bowl of linguini with Rao's sauce. He's been losing weight significantly these past few weeks. We also had salad and pieces of a baguette I'd picked up. When (if?) I do the spaghetti and meatballs menu again, I will make my own sauce with my mother's recipe...a staple when my boys were growing up.

Tonight I will finally cook up the turkey cutlets since their “date" is nearing expiration. I think turkey tetrazzini might be good...haven't made that for ages, and “creamy" should work well for DH.

Special, I hope that cough abates. I'm sure you are ready to enjoy good health again!

Carole, envying your described good weather. We've ad a number of cold, raw, wet days, forecasted to continue for much of this week.

HappyHammer

Lacey- Hope DH gets a helpful report and that he is on the mend soon!

Special- strep is a bear. Glad you are regaining normalcy but sorry about that cough! Hope it is better soon as well.

We used to have homemade 1000 Island dressing every once in awhile growing up. Haven't thought about it is ages.

I think my family enjoys the "after" the holiday menus as much or better than the actual holiday meal. Turkey sandwiches with homemade cranberry sauce, mayo, lettuce and s & p first. The, turkey tettrazini a few days later. We actually get a bigger turkey for Thanksgiving than needed so we can accomplish this.

I am at my sister's for a round of chemo. Yesterday was the first day which is usually a good one so....dinner was homemade nachos with all of the toppings. Some folks had more than others. While I didn't ever do it- they sure were good! I am trying to stay at current weight and have added walking about 1.5 miles most days- so need the calories. I cannot really EVER think of a time in the last 30 years that I have "needed" calories. LOL!!!

Finally getting back up into the 50's and clear here after a week of rain and low 40's. Looking forward to it.

M0mmyof3

Omelettes, salad and toast.

ChiSandy

Special, sorry about the strep. Don't push yourself once your abx is done--it can take 3-6 wks to regain your strength. Rest & hydrate--lather, rinse, repeat.

Long exhausting rehearsal last night; long late. train ride home (made longer & later due to unexplained random signal-clearance stops--at one station where we sat forever, we saw a bunch of guys running down the platform with brooms & vacs)--then the train ran express all the way to one stop past mine, a mile north of mine (which is 1/4 mi. n. of me), too far to walk home. It's a weird station with separate NB-SB platforms a block apart that require going down to the mezzanine & back up because of a barrier between them. And while waiting for the SB train back to my stop, I heard a mugging going on in the alley below. Ah, city life! Good times...

Of course, all the restaurants on my walk back from my station were closed so I couldn't get takeout. Got home and was going to heat up some faux-phô but saw half an avocado in the fridge, along with half a mini-tomato in the countertop "keeper." So I made lo-carb guacamole toast instead. Tonight will either do the phô, keto pizza or nuke some kosher BBQ brisket and make a salad. (Unless Bob brings home leftovers I can eat or wants to go out).

WorryThePooh

MinusTwo I can relate, I had an MRI the same day that you did! I found it very stressful because I am still recovering from bronchitis/tracheitis, and didn't realise how long it would go for, so I started to feel the urge to cough, boy was it hard to suppress, and I did actually cough a number of times in the end, plus my muscles twitched involuntarily once. I haven't heard back that it needs to be redone, so hopefully it was OK as it was my ankle they were doing images of.

Oh yes just remembered I am in the dinner thread, haha. Last night I made a green chicken curry in the electric wok, and we all nearly passed out from the fumes the curry paste gave off when I was heating it, think I had it turned up too high! Despite that, it turned out really well, quite delicious and very simple to make, just chicken thigh fillets, green curry paste, coconut cream and water, that's it. Served with rice.

Tonight going to make some pork meatballs in a tomato based sauce.

eric95us

Special, take it easy until the strep is truly gone and the "battle damage" has been repaired.

Lacey, I hope your husband mends quickly.

Tonight it's been raining and neither of us are that hungry, so we had left overs.

WC3

Sunday night, capellini with marinara sauce. I added finely chopped lightly sauteed red peppers, mushrooms and olives, and some ground turkey as well.

MinusTwo

I bought a dozen Artisan Rolls at Costco today. I couldn't get past the haunting smell. Tonight was open face tuna sandwiches on one roll. Tomorrow morning will be another split roll slathered in butter with either raspberry or boysenberry preserves. Tomorrow night will be yet another split roll with cheese toasted & melted in the oven. These are truly wonderful. I gave 4 to a neighbor and froze 4, so hopefully I won't gain 5 lbs.

MRI came back clear. No swelling. No inflammation. No fluid pooling. Implants are in place and in good shape. Hooray. I do have the Allergan 410's that are on alert, so I'm pleased to be vindicated in my decision to leave them installed exactly where they are and go on with my life.

SpecialK

Thanks all for the strep wishes/advice - I am not good at going slow, it’s good to be reminded that I need to. I did a lot today and I’m tired tonight.

worry - I went to the dentist today - a two hour appt, with a filling, an implant placement, prep of the two teeth in front and behind the implant tooth (molars), and a re-scan of whole mouth to make new Invisalign retainers to accommodate the new implant. Through the whole thing I had to fight the urge to cough with two people’s hands in my mouth, along with an assortment of instruments. At one point I received this instruction - “because we are working with small parts, if you feel something fall toward your throat turn you’re head to the side immediately “ and I thought, if that happens I will start choking and cough and inhale my new expensive tooth! Lol!

When I got home I made chili and cornbread. Got the “on my way home” text from DH. He didn’t eat lunch until 4pm, so not hungry for dinner. Figures...

minus - yay for a good MRI! I will do the same in about six months, I have textured Inspiras.

chisandy - that was quite an adventurous trip! Be careful out there!

happy - I wish I could cook a bigger turkey. I have a single 27” wall oven and I can only go so big. My solution is to cook extra breasts the day before. We pretty much end up using those for leftovers and sandwiches and consuming the entire whole turkey on the day itself. Trying to put the meal together is a choreographed rotation of side dishes after the turkey is done, but the dang oven is so small I have to plan which pans and casserole dishes to use. I don’t know who the builder thought would live in the four bedrooms of this house - the oven, pantry, and laundry room are ridiculously small, lol!

carolehalston

DH had a woodworkers guild meeting last night and had to eat early. He warmed up leftover linguini and I made a small bowl of pimento cheese and ate it with whole grain crackers.

Tonight will be fish. I bought nice Drum fillets yesterday. Not sure about veggie side yet. I have options.

HappyHammer

My sister, Meg, made spaghetti and a big salad last night for supper. I had a little of both- so good. Tonight will probably be leftovers. Spaghetti is usually better " the next day" anyway. Weather to be sunny and high 50's today. SO glad about that!

What is everyone planning for Thanksgiving this year? Any favorite sides or other dishes you are making or looking forward to making/having? I always like to hear what other families/folks do!

Beaverntx

Happy, our thanksgiving meal is pretty much the traditional. The one exception is that DH requests a pumpkin walnut pie-- he says it is like having two pies at once but saves in the calories. The recipe is from a Diamond walnuts ad years ago.

eric95us

A mixture of traditional and vegan dishes are on the menu here.

The garlic mashed potatoes, squash, pumpkin soup, glazed carrots, sourdough dinner rolls and pumpkin pie are vegan. For those that would rather not eat turkey, I also make a squash filled with rice-cranberry-nuts "sort of rolled up like a roast" that is vegan. I make a slowly caramelized onion gravy that is vegan. Somewhere in here is a salad as well.

The non-vegan food is the turkey and turkey gravy, my mom's sour cream-range slices-crushed pineapple-shredded coconut dish and the cheesecake.

I've gone to more of the vegan stuff because when I tried making vegan and non vegan versions of the same dish, the vegan ones were preferred even by the non-vegan folks.

M0mmyof3

French bread pizzas.

Lacey12

Minus, yay for your good MRI results....a nice “gift” for the start of the holiday season!

Happy, it is fun to hear what is on other families’ T-giv menus. This year we are joining our friends who usually have us over for Christmas dinner. My “assignment” is to bring a cheese tray to be the only appetizer (so I’m trying to come up with an interesting one...Pinterest has my head spinning!) ) and a casserole of stuffing. But, of course, I need to bring a colorful salad and a butternut squash casserole since no one else is.

Fortunately, DH’s health drama has resolved. The new hip is coming along fine, and the dx for the internal bleeding and anemia was made yesterday after an endoscopy, which was fortunately scheduled within a day. It is a duodenal ulcer, which the GI doc believes should resolve over the next month with just Prilosec treatment. Hopefully that will also resolve the anemia. DH’s PCP is a wonderful guy who is totally on top of all this so I will cease to worry. Phew!

My turkey tetrazzini dinner plan evaporated when I picked DH up from the hospital and he requested a big ol steak dinner (required for anemia, you know:). So we stopped at the grocery store (again to buy beef!:) and I bought him a giant rib eye with bone in, and a small filet for me. I also came across some butter and sugar corn, which sported a full frequent flyer card, but was delicious. Other sides were brussells sprouts and a bibb lettuce salad.

This evening at dinnertime I will be returning home from a friend’s fundraising tea for a local Haitian food pantry, and since there are always lots of good apps there, I won’t need dinner. Lots of beef leftovers are here for DH to enjoy, so I’ll fix some for him so he won’t have to overwork the hip.

Special, your dental chair experience had me shuddering. Kudos for your ability to control that cough!! I suspect you will be a happy camper to get that implant process completed. I was sad to learn that our wonderful dentist is retiring. I had some awful dental experiences as a young adult, so was really happy thirty years ago to be referred to our now retiring dentist. Fortunately, my dental hygienist will remain with the practice, but I’llbe keeping my fingers crossed that my teeth won’t need a lot of help.....but unlikely! Hoping the new dentist options are gentle ones!

eric95us

I missed your post Minus....I'm glad to hear the good news with the MRI.

MinusTwo

I haven't finalized Thanksgiving yet. My BFF Pat is coming down from Dallas to Conroe - but depending on the weather it could be next Tuesday or a week Sunday. Looks like her son will drive up by himself and eat with her in Conroe. She will be in Houston that next week for various doc & dentist appointments - unless the weather is horrible and then she'll cancel. So will I drive there? Not if her son decides to drive north. Will she drive the extra 1-1/2 hours here? Again, not if her son decides to eat with her. Likely no one is cooking.

Both of us have sons with long time spouses and no children. Their wives (what do you call a girl who has been w/your son for 19 years but not married???) pretty much do their own thing - and have other plans. If her son comes, I won't go for sure since she could use some one-on-one time with him.

My alternate plan is to eat with my nephew's family. His wife is Chinese and her parents are flying in for the weekend. I've been invited to join them as long as I don't mind eating in Chinatown. (of course not - I love 'real' Chinese food ordered by natives in the language of their birth - even if I have no idea what we're eating) The big 'out of town' family dinner is postponed to later in the weekend and I don't feel obligated to make that drive now that my SIL has been dead a year.

It's hard to see traditions die, but I'm sort of used to it by now. If I'm home alone, I'll likely cook a pork loin and (horrors) a box of Stove Top Stuffing. (My mother is turning over in her grave)

Eric - I'd like to see the 'squash, rice, cranberry, nut roll if you don't mind sharing.
Lacey - DH must be feeling better if he wanted a big steak.

HappyHammer

Minus- so glad about your MRI news!

carolehalston

Yesterday dh and I both played golf, he with a men's group and I with the women's golf league. My group had a luncheon and meeting following the golf event. I had the planned lunch, grillades and grits with a small side salad. The grillades and dark gravy were delicious, the grits cold, but I was hungry. The little side salad was rather pitiful. The golf luncheons have become more and more expensive, so I may just skip them in the future.

I saw dh after his round of golf and suggested he have lunch with the guys. He did, so lunch was our main meal yesterday. Last night we had crackers and cheese with a dollop of home-made chokecherry jelly brought home from MN.

Maybe tonight will feature a real meal even though I have a lunch date today. I will try to eat "light."

carolehalston

Forgot to mention our Thanksgiving plans. Once again we journey north to share the holiday with dh's family. A nephew and his wife are hosting the dinner. They are hiring a chef to prepare and serve the meal and then clean up afterwards. Needless to say, this nephew, a retired cop, is doing well in his business involving security. He is quite the entrepreneur for a boy who wasn't a good student.

I am not a fan of holidays, an admission made in past years. I have always thought holidays are over-rated and occur too often!!

Magari

Minus - Hooray for the good news from your MRI!

Tonight our seafood CSA is giving us mussels. I'll probably do them in white wine broth.

We're heading to Napa for Thanksgiving this year. Unlike the past several years where we have done "Friendsgiving" here in SF and I've cooked almost the entire meal, this year I only need to bring a couple of items. Fresh green beans with gremolata (an Ina Garten recipe) and an apple pie.

Since we will not have leftovers, I may make stuffing and a chicken or small turkey at home over the weekend.

carolehalston

How wonderful to have mussels for dinner! I ate them for the first time on Prince Edward Island. Our "neighbor" at a campground was a mussel farmer and he brought a big bowl of cooked mussels over for us to eat. A nice memory.

Dinner last night was baked drum fillets, steamed broccoli and a garden salad. The fillets were large and we ate only half of the fish. I'm thinking I will use the leftover fish in fish tacos tonight.

My lunch yesterday at a restaurant was delicious. I ordered artichoke patties that were served with a small amount of spinach, diced tomato and alfredo sauce. I plan to make artichoke patties in the future. Such a good idea. The meal looked very pretty on the plate and the serving size was perfect, not too large.

eric95us

Minus, I've done two stuffed squash recipes that have been adapted from the following.

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/stuffed-roasted-butternut-squash/

is the one that I mentioned. When I tasted the stuffing, I ended up adding more spice--about 1/4 to 1/3 more--than the recipe says to use.

This is another one that I tried and I liked it "as-is".

https://veganhuggs.com/stuffed-acorn-squash/

auntienance

This is the best stuffed squash I've ever had:

https://www.cookingindex.com/recipes/50386/acorn-squash-stuffed-with-love-zucca-al-forno.htm

Homemade pizza tonight.

M0mmyof3

Hubby took me out to a Chinese buffet for my birthday dinner even though it actually isn't my birthday until Monday

MinusTwo

Thanks for the squash recipes Eric & Nance. Judging by what I have on hand, I'll likely try Eric's 2nd recipe with the Quinoa first.

Supposed to get a little cold again. If that happens, I've got laurie's Mexican chicken in the queue.

eric95us

And since we're to the grocery store today, I'll probably get what I need to try Nance's recipe.

It's 1/2 mile/0.8km to the store, each way, which is a nice easy walk. We bought a wagon that we use to bring the stuff home from the store. We asked the store manager about bringing it into the store and she "OK" with that, so everyone looks at us with an odd look as we walk up and down the isles with a wagon instead of a shopping cart. :-)

It's been cold for us desert dwellers, about 60F/15C for high temperatures, and it rained Tuesday through Thursday....so it's been soup and bread weather. Sharon made a 1/2 gallon of pumpkin soup and I have three loaves of sourdough bread baking in the oven and this means lots of leftovers.

Happy early birthday M0mmyof2

auntienance

I like the sound of artichoke patties.

Wednesday we spent the day (and night) in the city, incorporating a trip to The Hill. I got several of my knives sharpened, visited my favorite Italian market, my favorite Italian bakery and had dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant. DH has the rigatoni with their homemade sausage and I had pasta primavera. We both had wedge salads with blue cheese, pancetta, bits of tomato and house Italian dressing. It was all wonderful.

Thanksgiving will again be at DH's sister's home with about 2/3 of the fam in attendance. Our contribution will be baked corn and homemade butter rolls. Saturday, the kids and the grand dog will come. I'll spatchcock and cook a small turkey and a couple of simple sides (DDIL will bring the dressing and a dessert.) There will be leftovers.

I'm never buying romaine lettuce again.

eric95us

Wasn't there an e coli outbreak last year around this time?

Beaverntx

Nance, I went to the grocery store this afternoon with two bags of salad with romaine included in my shopping. Came home, put groceries away, and turned on the news... Oh, well, will check tomorrow to see if I can get a refund or exchange for something else green. Both bags are marked "Salinas". I do have some romaine on hand, bought a week or so ago, which we have been using with no problems so likely will finish it.

Yes, Eric, there was a similar recall last year. Looks like I may go back to head lettuce to provide some crunch to my spring greens and spinach!