So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Love Savannah and the Olde Pink House!

Last night was turkey pot pie using the very last of the turkey from the freezer. Well I shouldn't say that, the carcass is also in the freezer and will no doubt be used at some future date.

Today is a Costco run so dinner will be something acquired from there.

HappyHammer

Special- love Savannah. That Pink House meal sounded delish. Gotta' love a god "kitchen sink" salad.

Minus- hope post op goes well and you heal well! So nice to hear of ex's that are friends. Don't think it happens very often even when both intend for it to be that way. Hats of to you both!

Eric- my mouth literally watered reading about the homemade kraut. Love it but am afraid to make it myself. Chef son says to go for it but just haven't trusted myself. Of course, your bread sounds great too. Bet your DD really appreciated the food you made- working and going to school is hard!

Carole- sounds like you and your DH were eating well- all that crab. My DH would LOVE that.

Nance- what a good neighbor/friend you were to take the first night home supper. People don't seem to do that as much anymore but it is usually so appreciated. Made me think of the first day (weeks) after bringing our babies home years ago. It does take a village!

It has been chilly and breezy here for over a week so I have made white chicken chili and taco soup for us to eat and to put in freezer. Today is much milder- so we are grilling some rib-eyes with roasted broccoli and baked potatoes, I think. Last night, no one was here for supper so I had yogurt.

ChiSandy

Hi, all--sorry for being M.I.A. so long, but lots going on around here: medical/dental appts., home repair suupervision, Bar Show rehearsals & performances, London trip (and having to deal with various account hackings), cat health crisis (temporary) and now this nasty adenovirus that's stolen most of my voice (which held out just long enough to do the show, and do it well if I must say so). Had to cancel an upcoming slot in a songwriter showcase coming up Thurs.--need to be on vocal rest to make sure my voice is back in action for the live radio spot my WI singing partner & I (Andina & Rich) are doing a week from tonight: WDCB "Holiday Hoot," 12/17, 8-11pm CST. 90.9FM in Chicago/northeast IL, www.wdcb.org worldwide. We're on mid-show--9:51-10pm, precisely, plus the group finale at 10:45pm.

On the dinner front, highlights were: Tues. 11/26, Rovi--Yotam Ottolenghi's newest restaurant, which is Israeli-centric. Grilling is the modus operandi--both meat/fish and vegan. Highlights were spicy curry mussels, wild pheasant (with the menu warning us to look out for buckshot), celeriac "sliders" and Jerusalem mixed grill of chicken thighs/hearts/livers with wild onions.

Wed. 11/27--"nose to tail" cooking at St. John (my fave in London). Had their signature bone marrow-parsley salad on house-baked pan de mie crostini (yeah, I ate the toast); pan-fried sprats (somewhere between smelts & herring) with garlic aioli; gently steamed mâche greens, and roast guinea fowl with pottted sweet&sour cabbage, beetroot and mini prunes (I let Bob polish off the mashed potatoes). Too stuffed to even consider dessert.

Thurs. 11/28--a turkey-free Thanksgiving. (We had advance T-Day dinner in the British Airways lounge at O'Hare waiting for our delayed flight on Mon. 11/25). After touring St. Paul's Cathedral (which neither of us had ever visited), we had "dunch" at Artigiano, a little cafe/wine bar/tapas bar next door. The tapas menu was limited but very good: pickled olives, jamòn Serrano skewers (the skewers were balsamic-drizzled breadsticks, which I gave Bob), grilled prawns with chorizo on arugula, and lamb albondigas (mini-meatballs, without filler, in tomato confit). After we saw Sir Ian McKellen's fantastic (and very funny) one-man show (sipping Veuve Clicquot out of actual glass flutes at our seats, unlike the domestic swill in plastic airline tumblers in Chicago theaters), the only place still open was another tapas bar, Andalucia, a few doors down, with the kitchen open for another half-hour. We knew it'd be good because all the other patrons were speaking Spanish. Huge spinach salad with tomatoes, mushrooms, red onion & avocado; jamòn Iberico (huge portion about 1/3 its Chicago and even 1/2 its Seville price), and grilled baby octopus on patatas bravas. (Bob got the spuds again).

Fri. 11/29 we tossed a coin and chose to see Parliament/Westminster Abbey instead of the Tate Modern. Got off the Tube at Parliament Sq., only to find ourselves in the midst of a huge anti-Tory, anti-Brexit, pro-environment demonstration that sorta made us nostalgic for our Sixties university days. So obviously, seeing the houses of Parliament was out. We snaked our way around its perimeter and got to the entrance to Westminster Abbey. We used the multimedia guide devices (included in the admission ticket) for a fascinating and thorough tour at our own pace--much more intensive than the scant half-hour we spent there on a city tour back in 1991. As we made our way back to the train, I got a panicked text from my cousin up in Westchester County, NY, asking if we were okay because she'd heard of a major incident in the area. I texted back that we were fine, it was just a demonstration and nobody got hurt or even busted. Got off the Tube and had a late lunch at Grand Cafe of champagne and a prawn/crayfish "cocktail" that was actually a full-blown and yummy seafood salad on gem lettuces. Pulled out my phone, brought up my BBC app, and was aghast to learn of the London Bridge terrorist stabbing attack. Had we chosen to visit the Tate instead, we'd have been on a city bus crossing that bridge at the exact time of the attack!

So our final dinner in London was a tasting menu, with wine pairings (less expensive than its Stateside counterparts) at Galvin, the restaurant in the Athenaeum Hotel (where we were staying). We had full breakfast there every morning, and they'd gone the extra mile to indulge my low-carb idiosyncrasies, subbing out various veggies for the breadstuffs in my eggs Benedict & Royale and making my cappuccinos with cream rather than milk. But it was a different restaurant at night: soft music, candelight, etc. The menu was fantastic: four-color beetroot salad, mousselines of pike & salmon, pan-seared Channel bass on salsify puree, seared duck breast and grass-fed rack of lamb. Dessert was bittersweet yet milk-chocolate mousse with hazelnut gelato. Very generous & thoughtfully-chosen wine pours, too--it was a joy geeking out with the sommelier. Yes, I cheated. YOLO, after all. Did cheat slightly on the flight home too.

Gained 2 lbs despite getting 10K steps a day, but lost it back once I got home, resumed choreography rehearsals, and no longer had to share a bathroom (TMI). This past Fri. night, after the second of three Bar Show performances, we hosted a table for 12 at Mercat a la Planxa tapas restaurant in the hotel next door to the theater. I tried to stay as low-carb as I could, but had a couple of slip-ups. Alas, no longer any morçilla (blood sausage) on the menu, to Bob's consternation. Frisee/orange/lardon/almond salad (avoided the croutons); bacon-wrapped dates (dates have iron & fiber, that's my story & I'm sticking with it); jamòn Serrano; patatas bravas (took a pass); tomato-topped sourdough bruschetta (gnawed off the tomatoes, but also ate the crust of a piece of bread which was too good to pass up); and paella mixta (clams, mussels, chicken, shrimp, pork & rabbit). Did a pretty good job of eating the proteins & veggies and shaking off most of the rice. (Leftovers went home with guests and for Gordy, who gallantly gave up his show ticket to babysit our sick kitty Heidi; his GF Leslie was home with their puppy who just got spayed). Desserts came: cinnamon gelato and flan. Yeah, I was weak.

Heidi has recovered (she was likely just constipated). But I got sick on the way home from the cast after-party following Sat.'s closing performance--felt that sore throat come on suddenly as I drove up Lake Shore Drive. Caused me to have to blow off my bariatric clinic weigh-in yesterday (NP says adenovirus is going around like wildfire, and gave me permission to put honey in my tea till my voice comes back). Took away most of my appetite Sun. & yesterday too. Mostly nibbling, drinking bone broth & chicken broth. Bob brought home some very mediocre quasi-Chinese food from around the corner ("pan-Asian" restaurant that either underseasons everything or drowns it in sweet brown glop that I suspect is bottled teriyaki sauce; also uses only American veggies despite a plethora of Asian groceries in the area, and not only grossly undercooks them but leaves them in pieces way too big to eat with chopsticks) and I had some--after rinsing it off in a colander, dosing it with five-spice, ginger juice, shoyu, garlic & sesame oil, and having to use a sharpened steak knife to cut each broccoli chunk into quarters.

(Minus, I was drooling reading your description of your real Chinese meal. We have Cantonese, Taiwanese, Hunan and a few generic Mandarin places here--besides all the wonderful Vietnamese phô & pastry joints--in nearby "Asia on Argyle," formerly known as Chinatown North; but I've yet to find a real Szechuan restaurant of the caliber I've had in NYC or the NoVA suburbs of DC. Oh, for that tingly spicy/numbing peppercorn sensation...my kingdom for a soup dumpling).

Have defrosted both a Bristol Bay (AK) sockeye filet and a grass-fed strip loin from Butcher Box. The salmon's been in the fridge longer, so I'll sear it tonight (not thick enough to need to be sous-vided first) and have it with the last of a packet of snap peas in the crisper. Maybe cauliflower rice, too but I doubt I'll be that hungry. It's all I can do to choke down all the water I'm supposed to.

There--think I've caught up.

MinusTwo

Sandy - I gained 10 lbs just reading about all your food. Oh my.

2nd eye cataract surgery was definitely an A+ experience. And it looks like the 1st eye is trying to catch up and still getting better & better. I drove home today w/no correction. Amazing. I can see the computer w/o correction. I looked up phone numbers in my address book w/no correction. I know I will have a small distance correction but it looks like I can use 2.0 cheaters for reading "real" books. I was reading last night after getting out of surgery at 4pm. Hooray.

Dinner last night was at the Black Lab - traditional English Pub fare. Ex-DH had Fish & Chips. (they also have Bangers & Mash and Bubble & Squeak, Ploughman's Lunch, etc). I had Crepes Elise - thin crepes stuffed with tender chunks of chicken & fresh broccoli covered with a delicious cream sauce, served with wild rice.

Special - sounds like you had a great time. Food sounds delicious & I love the name "kitchen sink" salad. I agree with Hammer about all the crab in Carole's meals - crab is always good.

ChiSandy

I chose distance rather than near-vision correction---from 20/40 beforehand to 20/20 after. The lenses could correct only some of my astigmatism, and Medicare would pay only for single-vision lens implants. Though I can afford multifocals, I heard that some patients get halos & flares with them; and close-up correction doesn't arrest the progress of presbyopia, the real reason we need readers as we age. It has nothing to do with the lenses in the eyes, but rather that the muscles in the iris that focus the lenses stiffen as we get older, and surgery can't correct that. Because of my residual astigmatism cheap "drugstore" readers aren't an option (grids still look like distorted parallelograms), so I opted for progressive-lens glasses. (Though I am now "DMV-legal"* sans glasses I look better with frames anyway, as they're part of my "image" and hide the undereye bags better than concealer). My glasses have a +2.50 reading correction, with a slight correction of distance to 20/15 (makes night driving much easier). Still need progressives for sunglasses, to be able to read outdoors and clearly see the gauges & nav screen in the dash; and computer progressives for using the computer. (My prescription readers are too strong for middle-distance, and with my regular progressives I find myself squinting or closing one eye--will mention that to my ophthalmologist next time I get refracted).

*Just looked at my driver's license--yikes! Has it really been four years since I last renewed it? Oy vey.

eric95us

Minus, I'm glad to hear your good news.

When I'm not wearing glasses, I can just make out the "E" at 8 feet. If my glasses get moved by Sharon or DD I usually need some help to find them. Every couple of years I stop at the ophthalmologist and each time they say I'm not a good candidate for the eye surgery...even if I would be happy with 20/40 or 20/60 vision....so I just wear glasses.

HappyHammer

Welcome home Sandy. Your trip sounded wonderful! Sorry you've gotten sick- hope your voice returns quickly with no other issues!

Eric- same here...I've just given up thinking the surgery will be for me. Glasses it is!

carolehalston

Minus, good (but not surprising) news on the success of your eye surgery. My cataract surgery 20 years ago was miraculous. I was in my 50's at the time.

Sandy, your trip was an ongoing feast. A gain of only 2 lbs was quite a weight maintenance victory!

Our dinner last night was prepared quickly and tasted good. Lamb patties cooked on the stove top in a cast iron grill pan. Creamed spinach made with frozen chopped spinach, Greek cream cheese and small amount of butter. Our own version of kitchen sink tossed salad with our favorite ingredients.

Today is the women's golf group's Christmas luncheon, which is seldom a culinary delight. No dinner menu has materialized yet.

Lacey12

Just catching up after a few crazy busy weeks...

Carole, I love that your DH makes tree ornaments. Would be so cool to see them, if he is comfortable with them being posted. Envying all your crab meals!

We are in a less than energetic holiday mood this year, mainly still feeling tired after dealing with DH’s hip replacement recovery and resulting medical complications. Fortunately, the anemia is improving and he is gradually getting back to some normal activities. But dealing with accumulating snow has been a challenge for us both, despite contracting with a landscaper to clear the driveway and walks. DH decided to sell his trusty old snowblower knowing we planned to contract out this work, but we’re thinking he may invest in a new one once he feels a bit stronger. Meanwhile, I’ve been out shoveling piles of snow that the contractors “didn't notice” blocked parts of the public walkway, which hundreds of kids use on their way to school. Sadly, my back has been screaming since then, and while I was thrilled at our 59 degree day with showers yesterday, melting almost all of the snow, today we are back to looking like a frozen tundra, with new inches of the wet messy stuff that I guess many of you have already had.

Last week I did lots of food and house prep in anticipation of DS1 and family visiting. They arrived on Friday night, joining us at the Celtics game, then stayed until mid-day Sunday. These grands are really lively, so our house was abuzz! DS2 brought their baby cousin over Saturday, and she was struggling with double ear infections, so we all spent lots of time trying to soothe her, poor dear.

Some foods we had for the vegans were butternut squash soup, wheat pasta salad with black beans and lots of veggies, spinach salad, rosemary bread, and vegan oatmeal cookies with added cherries and walnuts. For dinner we ordered vegan sushi items (and I had teriyaki chicken), and (some vegan) cupcakes for dessert to celebrate DGS’s 9th birthday, which is today! Baby DGD2 enjoyed her first experience having prunes! I wonder why baby food jars are so much smaller than years ago? Maybe the dangers of using leftover portions?

Monday night we had dinner at a new restaurant, Banners, in the TD Garden complex on the way to the game. It’s a huge trendy and popular sports bar with good food, (I had salmon with roasted broccolini) but we decided we’re just as happy with our salmon with veggies order at The (dated) Harp, where we will go tomorrow night before the game. We don’t need “new and grand” with 30+ monster TV screens, and blaring techno music to enjoy our pre-game dinner!

Christmas will be low-key here. We lamented that we didn’t have one of those ceramic trees to use in place of a bought tree. But luckily, when DS2 was here, he ventured up the attic ladder and found a silver tree that DS1 and DDIL1 had stored here years ago (they had used it in their NYC apt when first married). Well, DGD1 was delighted to have a tree to decorate, and did so before they left! Yay! So we have a fake silver tree trimmed in 7 year old decor. Perfect enough!

My focus now is to get some baking done if my back holds up. Today, getting pizzelle dough made, so the cookies will be ready for Sat night when we attend a party to which I always bring a platter of pizzelles.

Dinner will be a Greek style chicken with orzo take out meal from Trader’s and a spinach salad I’ll make.

Minus, yay for good outcome with your cataract surgeries!

Chi and Special, your food adventures sounded great!

Better get back to dough making....

MinusTwo

Lacey - so glad to hear from you and glad DH is healing well. Sounds like you had fun with the kiddos. Every year I want to fly back there to get some of your pizzeles.

Dunch yesterday was an egg salad sandwich I picked up on the way home from the med center. The side was Dot's Pretzels and the last of the corn candy from Halloween. A friend told me Dot's are now available at select Kroger's.

Dinner tonight will be a leftover 1/2 of baked potato. I'm considering a salad, but it's cold outside and cold salad doesn't sound good.

HappyHammer

Lacey- glad your DH is getting better! Never had Pizzelles but sound so good. It's great you can make the dough ahead of time.

My DH made supper last night and it was so good! He roasted a whole chicken and made basmati rice and crowder peas. I added a tossed salad. He picked the chicken that was left and I will make chicken noodle soup with it. Our weather is really chilly for the South right now so soup will be perfect for the weekend! Tonight will be beef stroganoff- a request from DH and DS. Haven't made it in awhile so we shall see how it goes.

ChiSandy

I sous-vided and then cast-iron-seared a grass-fed strip loin steak and sauteed broccolini in olive oil, sea salt, red pepper flakes and Penzey's "Sunny Paris" seasoning. I seasoned the steak with salt, pepper and herbes de Provence before putting it into the bag. It was neat to cut into the steak and have it be uniformly red all the way to the crust, with no gray. It was a half-pounder, so I only sliced and ate half. Was going to use the other half for steak & eggs today but I didn't feel like anything that heavy for brunch.

ChiSandy

So tonight I missed the songwriter showcase because of my laryngitis. Bob got home early. We could have gone to Cellars for its "20 for 20" holiday wine tasting (including Champagne with turkey and prime rib at the carving station), but this bug has me so wiped out I didn't have the energy to walk there, much less stand around a crowded noisy room for >2 hrs. (No way would I drive to these things, not even if I could find nearby parking). So Bob noted that since today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadelupe, Mexican food from Mas Alla del Sol would be appropriate. He had chicken Mole, and brought me home a nopales/jicama/avocado salad, ceviche (tomato, cod & shrimp) and a bag of fresh tortilla chips. (Two out of three ain't bad, though that bag is tempting me). The salad & ceviche was just spicy enough, with no starch or sugar. Yesterday a patient gave him a dozen kolačky (asst. fruits plus cheese). I remembered the old adage that 80% of taste is smell--everything is tasteless with a stuffy nose, and my nose was the first thing to recover from this virus--so I opened the bag of chips and the box of pastries and took a good deep sniff of both. Strangely satisfying.

With trepidation, I stepped on the scale today for the first time in over a week. 162.5 fully clad. Whew! Lost the weight I gained in London and then some. Hope to shed that pesky 1/2 lb. by Monday's official weigh-in. Wearing size 12/14 now (10-12 in pants), started as 18/20 or 2X. If I get to 161 that'll make 50 lbs. down! I'm beginning to think 150 might not be out of the question as a goal.

Reader425

Haven't posted a lot because I've been buying stuff instead of cooking to keep me on track with Christmas preparations. But good stuff I guess...honey baked ham with sides of stuffing and green bean casserole also from the ham store.

Sandy hope you feel better. That steak sounded delicious as did the Mexican food. I hate missing events due to not feeling well but sometimes it's just unavoidable.

I have a pizzelle maker of my mother's somewhere. One of the posts inspires me to consider making them this year.

ChiSandy

Hoping I get my voice (and stamina) back in time to do Tues. night's WDCB Holiday Hoot broadcast & party (sorry, folks, the party's for the performers & volunteers only). It'll be fun!

carolehalston

Last night's dinner was provided by the Woodworkers Guild at the annual Christmas dinner for members and spouses at an event place. I was hungry and the food (buffet) tasted good. The sides included a potato casserole, green beans, a pasta casserole and green salad. The mains were baked ham and a roast beef. I skipped dessert which is always bread pudding but I did indulge in a small chocolate pastry. I also took advantage of the open bar!

Wednesday was the ladies golf group's Christmas lunch. The meat was roast pork loin with gravy. Sides were green beans and a scoop of cornbread dressing. Salad was a good wedge salad with extra blue cheese dressing on the table. Dessert was chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and sliced fresh strawberries. Pre-lunch beverage was champagne with splash of cranberry juice.

I skipped dinner Wednesday night and snacked on peanuts. DH had a sandwich and chips.

Tonight I will be cooking.

HappyHammer

Sandy- sorry about the nasty bug you have had. Hope you are good to go for the event Tuesday. Congrats on the weight loss! It isn't easy but you have really stuck with it.

Carole- your club events for the holidays sound great- and no cooking needed.

Reader- nothing like a honey baked ham!

Well, I was going to make chicken noodle soup from the remains of the roasted chicken but had to wait until today to do it- not enough chicken broth from cooking and no veg stock. headed to pick up my grocery order in a bit and will make the soup then. It has poured rain all night and all day today- forecast to keep raining until sometime tomorrow with highs in low 40's. Soup weather it is!

MinusTwo

I think I've talked about my 1st BFF's son before? She died in 2005 of pancreatic cancer and since he had no other parents, he's sort of my 'other son'. They used to live in HI but retired at age 49 and moved to Panama 6 months ago. He's in town for a couple of days and we had lunch. Of course (like my 'real' son) he wanted TexMex - comfort food from their childhoods. His choice at El Tiempo was beef fajitas. I had an enchilada Suisa with no meat. Both of us enjoyed dos margaritas.

This afternoon I'm going with girl friend who lived next door when he was growing up to take him their Christmas presents so he can carry to Panama. He has a full schedule with friends & we'll just meet him for a quick drink. She and I are considering our options for dinner. Since she's playing hooky from her DH, I think I'll let her choose.

carolehalston

Last night was chicken fajitas with corn tortillas. We built our own with chicken strips, black beans, home-made guacamole, sour cream, a choice of two jarred salsas, and grated "Mexican" cheese. They were delicious and meal came together quickly.

If I can get to the Winn Dixie today, tonight's dinner will be fish.

auntienance

Nearly 60° yesterday and woke up to a half inch of snow this morning. More to come I fear. Ugh!

Last night was French bread pizzas. Tonight will be Senate bean soup with, of course, cornbread.

Today I'll be starting some harvest (fruit and nut) bread for gift giving and for us. The few cookies I'll bake will be done next weekend. In fact I have several cooking projects this weekend. I'm out of marinara and chicken stock, so the pressure cooker will be busy.

DH and I ventured out shopping yesterday for some things for the house (we're painting and redecorating the bedroom). It was crazy out there!

All this talk about tex-mex is giving me cravings.

Sandy, hope you're on the mend soon.

MinusTwo

A girl friend went with me to meet my "other son" and some of his friends - at a sports bar, on a Friday night no less. And the 13th too. Boy am I too old for that scene. At least I got him their Christmas presents before he headed back to Panama. Anyway, after two glasses of wine, the two of us decamped to Sweet Tomatoes. I can't imagine a more extreme juxtaposition. Guess I was tired after this week's excitement. I slept for more than 10 hours.

HappyHammer

Hmmm, now I am craving Tex-Mex as well!

Nance- what kind of cookies will you be making?

My DH usually makes the saltine cracker based candy for our neighbor gifts. We also usually can pepper jelly with both red and green pepper dice for the same reason. Something for now, something for later. We will be working on that this weekend and probably next weekend as well. He is also making stained glass Christmas tree ornaments for family this year.

Picking up my 81 year old mom to go look at Christmas lights and decorations tonight. She loves it! Our city is just beautiful as we have nationally recognized "Christmasville" here every year and people come from all over for it. That festival was last weekend but we then get to enjoy the decorations for the rest of the season. It might be worth looking up if you haven't heard about it.

Who knows what the elves will have for supper tonight.

Beaverntx

Baking cookies today for Christmas giving. So far have a 10 lb fruitcake soaking in sherry, my mother's filled cookie recipe, a recipe with bisquick and chocolate fudge and chewy cranberry oat drop cookies. On the list to do are date lebkuchen (from an old Fanny Farmer cookbook), lemon sandwich cookies, anise rounds, Bon bon cookies filled with either a candied cherry or chocolate kiss and dipped in icing and a marmalade spice cookie with fruitcake fruit (if it comes in time. Had to order on line as local groceries have not carried the fruitcake fruits this year, should have ordered all I needed when I got them for my fruitcake!). Also, since we lived in Ohio for many years, buckeyes, of course.

Our visiting family are off to see someone else this weekend. DH and I had dinner at a Christmas party Thursday evening so they cooked for themselves. Whoever prepared the rice made way too much so tonight's plan is to "fry"some of the rice in a wok, add stir fry veggies, some cut up leftover chicken, serve with a choice of bottled stir fry sauces and call it a meal!

MinusTwo

Wow Beaver - you are really ambitious.

My dinner was Organic Spinach & Cheese Ravioli from Costco. It was an impulse purchase when they were giving out samples, but they're really quite good. Tonight I boiled & just tossed with olive oil & butter. Later this week I'll do something with Rao's.

Beaverntx

Minus, it is not so much that I'm ambitious but that for the first time in three years I feel like doing Christmas baking. When the kids were at home we traditionally made as many as 2dozen different cookie recipes, for eating and giving. Have to give a lot away to decrease the temptation!

ChiSandy

Voice slowly returning but still bringing up stuff (which seems to occupy my throat), so I blew off a party tonight. Bob & I had leftovers (steak, Mexican food) which I supplemented with some rotisserie chicken and more veggies. Tonight we went to Cellars--slow night, people seem to be staying in. He had lentil soup and a turkey "pot pie" (the "crust" was triangles of puff pastry). I had grilled salmon atop julienne veggies and grilled slices of sweet potato. When we got home I made decaf cappuccino with unsweetened almond milk--the secret to getting good froth in an Aeroccino is to fill the container and let it chill in the fridge while grinding the beans and preparing the espresso-maker, then froth the milk while pulling the shot. (My "real" machine is still in the shop, so I'm using a manual ROK--doesn't make as thick a "crema" as the Nespresso capsule machine, but the espresso is thicker and syrup-ier). Oh, and to use the Almond Breeze in the refrigerator carton--not the shelf-stable stuff.

carolehalston

Last night's dinner wasn't the best. I had bought a fish fillet (sheepshead) and six scallops. I cooked them in small amount of butter and grape seed oil. The side was small boiled potatoes with butter and sour cream.

I had this same fish in a restaurant and liked it but I didn't particularly like the texture of the fillet I cooked. I won't be buying it again.

M0mmyof3

Very chilly day here, so tonight is chili night. Will make enough so we have leftovers to add some pasta to for another night’s meal.

auntienance

Happy, I used to make five or six varieties of cookies. Now I make three - a type of chocolate chip called Sweet Dreams (walnuts, chocolate chunks and spices, rolled in powdered sugar and baked. It's DH's fave) a thin and crispy/salty oatmeal and rugelach. The rugelach will be filled with sour cherry jam, fig jam or nutella. Or perhaps some of each. If I can find sesame seeds in bulk I might make benne wafers as well.

Snow snow and more snow today. My bread was disappointing in that it did not raise enough. It will still taste wonderful but it's not much to look at. So much for gift giving. I may try again using higher gluten flour.

Since I made tomato sauce yesterday, tonight's dinner will be canneloni and manicotti from the Italian market. Salad and bread on the side.

AnnC2019

My lunch/dinner was a mixed green salad with watercress, one garlic clove crushed, three small sweet peppers, cranberries, walnuts and hummus dressing accompanied with a matcha tea with rice milk and maple syrup. A few organic prunes for bones.