So...whats for dinner?

ChiSandy

We are lucky to be near the lake, which when the wind is from the east is about 10 degrees cooler than everywhere else. We ate in our dining room today because I'm getting tired of shooing away gnats & fruit flies (I know they're real and not my floater, because I can see 'em with the right eye).

Dinner was miso-marinated halibut filets over "zoodles" with pesto, and heirloom tomato-homegrown basil salad. (Brunch was keto pancakes and snack was tuna saled lettuce cups).

eric95us

Cherry, that food looks *WONDERFUL*!

Last night it was 108F degrees at 11pm. I'm not sure if F is for Fahrenheit or a more crude word. :-)

I just got a "be ready" email telling me that I *MAY* be sent out tomorrow. Whether I'm deployed or not depends on how many logistics/communications folks are needed and that depends on the deployment location, which is something I don't know yet. I'm guessing I'll know for sure in another hour or so.

My blood type is O+ and everyone says I have my dad's personality. When possible, he was quite "mellow". His idea was that if he wasn't likely to die in the next few minutes, then there was no sense in getting "all excited" (his words). When needed, however, he could, go from "mellow" to "intense" in an instant. I'm guessing that was learned during his 30 years active duty in the marine corps.

auntienance

Carryout pizza tonight from one of the many possible joints

Wonder how Carole is doing in MN - haven't heard from her in a while.

Love the food pics.

ChiSandy

Cherry, once again you are making me drool with all that gorgeous food!

Cellars was out of quiche today, so I had a sausage/red pepper/mozzarella frittata with a small Caesar salad (Bob had a pork chop & eggs with toast, potatoes and a small Caesar). Mine came with roast potatoes but I had them packed to take home. We have leftovers (he has more), so that'll be dinner as well (I will supplement the proteins & spuds with a fried duck egg for me, and a small Caprese for both of us). Then fresh berries for dessert. We are out of all fresh green veg. except lettuce & Brussels sprouts.

Watched Hamilton last night--took a long time, but Bob was delighted to be able to put it on "pause" to go to the loo or answer urgent pages. Wish our largest TV were Android OS, but the 46-incher has it and was okay. The close-ups & camera angles, and clearer sound, beat the heck out of the view and sound from the balcony at the theater where we saw it in the Loop in 2017. The Bar Show did a parody in Dec. 2016 called "(This case is a S)hamilton" and we parodied the title number as "Mayor Rahm Emanuel," "The World Turned Upside Down," "My Shot," and "The Room Where it Happens" (substituting "Womb" in one verse)--I got to play Rapping Mike Pence. (The theme of the parody, starring Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards, shouldn't be discussed in this apolitical thread). So I got some major Bar Show flashbacks.

I'm not big on the rest of the "Disney universe" (saw all the Star Wars stuff and am not a Marvel fan), but maybe there'll be more available on Disney+ to watch before we decide to ditch the subscription. (Might want to see Hamilton again, especially once--if--it's safe to have friends over again).

Speaking of the Bar Show, it will go on this Dec., only online. (Tentative title: "Peter Pan(demic)." Skits will be recorded either at home or the Bar Assn.'s studio (only one performer in the room at a time) at its Loop HQ. There's a reasonable (with SpotHero) self-park garage nearby, so I think it'll be safe. But I don't envy our tech director for the major job he'll have syncing and editing everything together.

carolehalston

Nance, I'm doing ok in MN. Call us Disappointed because the weather has been hotter than usual this July. We are thankful for two a/c units in our 5th wheel camper. Still it hasn't been as hot and humid as Louisiana.

Yesterday was our 51st anniversary. We had dinner at La Pasta and were unfortunate enough to be seated in a room with two other tables, each with a crying baby. The food was good as always. The tables were distanced apart and the servers wore masks but I wasn't entirely comfortable with inside dining. This large county has had 10 Covid-19 cases according to the state website. Otherwise I wouldn't have made the reservation.

We have been eating "uninspired" meals not really worthy of description. I keep up with reading posts.

auntienance

Happy anniversary to you and Monty Carole! I’m sure the heat wave is disappointing. We’ve had more than one trip north plagued with unseasonable heat. On one trip to Canada we experienced 100 degree temps that had the citizenry losing their minds lol.

I don’t know when I’ll be comfortable eating in a restaurant again. During the times we find ourselves out and about at lunch time we find ourselves eating fast food in the car more often than not. I detest eating in the car. My birthday is coming up and it’s a strange one with all of my favorite birthday activities - eating out, going to a movie, going to a casino, etc. - off limits. Can’t imagine what the holidays are going to be like.

No idea what’s for dinner but I’ll be digging in the tiny freezer to find something palatable. Possibly pasta of some sort. Clearly I’m lacking inspiration these days.

Beaverntx

Carole, Happy Anniversary!!

Sounds like we might have the beginnings of a new club for uninspired dinners! Haven't decided if it is the heat, a need to go to the grocery store, or pandemic fatigue but dinner ideas have been pretty much meh around here. Certainly have not been very creative of late.

ChiSandy

Bob went hunter-gathering last night and brought home chili and a salad (w/goat cheese) from Beard & Belly BBQ/Honey Butter Bakery. I used it to supplement our leftovers.

Just got a delivery of prev. frozen shell-on 16-20 shrimps (will slit open the back shell & devein them, then skewer & grill them). Supplement with whatever salad fixings or maybe stir-fried sugar snap peas for dinner. (Bob will have to eat his--and my--spuds or else I will freeze them). Had a duck egg & bacon for brunch today--the shells on duck eggs are brutally hard to break. But I fried it in olive oil and it was wonderful.

CeliaC

Finished off leftover creation made on Friday. Cauliflower/Spinach Gnocchi, Sauteed Baby Bellas, Chicken Sausage, a bit of Alfredo Sauce & some Basil. Must admit I am somewhat uninspired these days as well.

Sandy - Your meals always sound so good, especially since you are able to pick up such great items. Do duck eggs taste different? Have to admit I have never had or even seen them available around here.

ChiSandy

Duck eggs taste just like pasture-raised chicken eggs, only with a very large yolk.

MinusTwo

Carole - so glad you are both OK. Belated happy anniversary.

Nance - I'm with you about eating in a restaurant - nope - no pressing reason to take the chance.

So my uninspired yellow split peas turned out good. Well - not the first day. I found them boring and if I looked at the spoon while I was eating they looked like cracked corn - which didn't match with the taste. I had been given a 2 lb bag and was just going to toss the rest uncooked - and I NEVER throw away food. But I was so pleased in the long run that I'll definitely make again.

Soaked overnight. Simmered 2 hours with onion, celery, carrots and a ham hock. I forgot the garlic - which no doubt accounts for some of the 'blah'. But eaten luke-warm later and even a couple of spoons cold, and then left over the next day just barely warmed they were really delicious. Just the right amount of crunch.

My friend Pat's son cooks a lot of lentils and always eats them luke-warm. Go figure.

I thought the history of the word was interesting: Lukewarm actually comes from the Middle English word lukewarme. It was a combination of "luke" and "warm," and the "luke" part was an alteration of the Middle English word lew, which meant tepid. Tepid means neither hot nor cold…or about room temperature.

Tonight was a a large serving of Cole Slaw that I made ahead last night and two tuna sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls.

SpecialK

Happy Anniversary carole and Mr carole!

I had a chuck roast in the freezer so I thawed it, seared it after generously salting and peppering, and put it in the crockpot with some French onion soup, some tomato paste and Worcestershire, thyme, garlic, onion powder, and half a large onion that I sliced. When the meat was tender I added par cooked carrots and some roasted little potatoes. I thickened the gravy with a cornstarch slurry. Yummy and served with biscuits.

This whole production was interrupted by DD who, with her impeccable timing, arrived with an abandoned newborn opossum that a friend gave her to hand off to a wildlife rehabilitator.

DD used to bring duck eggs home when she worked with the wildlife at Busch Gardens. They are huge! DH loves them but I struggle with the viscous whites

ChiSandy

Mazel tov, Carole & Monty, on your "golden+1" anniversary!

Nancy, we have a winemaker dinner coming up in 2 weeks at Cellars, the only place I would trust eating indoors (but not yet, of course). Our preference is for a patio table (the winemaker's rep would come outside to give her spiel), but if the weather is stormy we will have to dine inside--socially-distanced two-tops (sadly, sharing a table with others is normally one of the best features of these dinners), no more than 25% capacity (which means 20 customers, tops, in the entire large 3-room space). There will be three nights (T,W,Th)--seriously considering reserving all three, and might sacrifice our reservation if indoor is the only alternative. We currently have our res. for the third night. If Bob can arrange his schedule so that he can make all three nights, we'd go on the first night it's not raining. If that turns out to be Tues., we will cancel the next two to free up space for braver oenophiles. Bob says that nothing is absolutely safe, of course--but that there might be a phased-reopening backtracking or even shutdown later on if IL or Chicago's daily new case and rolling positivity rates rise higher than it is now. Today saw 833 new cases (lowest since last Wed.) and 6 deaths.

But meanwhile, I want to minimize indoor interactions as much as possible. I've gone back to ordering my groceries, will let my roots grow way out again, and might rethink keeping up my manis & pedis (my nail tech actually does a better job on my ingrown toenails than does my podiatrist).

Bob's high school buddy (who, with his wife, visited us last summer) in Colorado Springs called last night to touch base. He says that his state gov't is strongly discouraging travel outside one's own city, even within CO. His kid brother set up a Zoom call so everyone across the country could wish his mom back in Queens a Happy Birthday...happy 105th, that is! (Armenians eating a Mediterranean diet are definitely on to something).

Didn't make the shrimps because Bob had office hours and ate dinner there. So I supplemented the leftover chili with peppers & onions, and the leftover salad with the dregs of a bag of cashew pieces. Will have his leftover pork chop with scrambled eggs tomorrow.

MinusTwo

Brunch was french toast made with old San Francisco sourdough. REALLY good.

Sandy - first thing I thought of was "I'll see your 833 and raise you." Of course it's not funny, but.... We had 1370 new cases yesterday.

And so, I cancelled/moved my heart doc annual March appointment again. It's comprised of 4 tests and then seeing the doc. Some of the chemo did minor damage that the doc is watching. I just don't feel comfortable spending 4-5 hours down in the med center right now - two different elevators, 5 different rooms, 4 different techs, at least two nurses & two receptionists - and that's before we consider the fellow patients. But I will go see the 'vampires' and give blood the end of the month so I can have my Prolia shot in August. Actually the doc who draws my blood is head of the hospital's blood donor & transplant center. He is the only one is willing to draw blood from my ankle.

I'm having my house painted. I've been waiting a month & supposedly they were starting yesterday but the foreman called in sick. The owner did bring all the ladders & power washer & caulk, etc. so I know I'm really on the schedule - whenever it happens. Sure glad that isn't my job when the heat index is 108.

ChiSandy

Today the state had 707 new cases and 25 more deaths. (Chicago had nearly half of both the new cases and new deaths). State's positivity rate remains at 3, but Chicago's on the high side of 5. I believe Mayor Lightfoot should roll us back to Phase 3, even if it means the wine dinners are off again. Once again, the bulk of the new cases are Gen-Zers and younger millennials milling around in bars and in lines to get in, sans masks, cheek by jowl. Stupid, selfish, impatient brats. Watching videos of that lake "sand bar" party in Rapid City, MI made me want to hurl.

Bob is working late again. Will just have to make the shrimp anyway, and have him reheat his half when he gets home. I had another duck egg for brunch, but could barely get through 1/3 of Bob's leftover pork chop (which itself is half of Sunday's chop). I decided to freeze his spuds & toast.

Seeing the ocular oncologist tomorrow. Was going to drop off an Amazon return at Kohl's tonight, but I'd rather stay home as much as I can.

CeliaC

Belated Happy Anniversary to Carole & Monty!

Cherry-sw - Looks like lots of good cooking (and then eating) going on in your kitchen.

SpecialK - Although I no longer eat beef, your crock pot dish sounds tasty. Kudos to your DD for saving the baby opossum. They are very beneficial creatures, but are much maligned. (And, in KY, people are known to eat them!)

Minus - Your french toast sounds delish! I think you made a wise choice by delaying your heart doc appointment.

Dinner was the remainder of a box of Trader Joe's Scallops Wrapped in Uncured Bacon w/Brown Sugar Glaze, Organic Haricots Verts & Baby Bellas sauteed in Herb Butter. Dessert will be a scoop of Raspberry Sorbet & a bit of Organic Chocolate Mousse Gelato. DOTD: Chambord White Wine Spritzer. Enjoyed tonight's dinner as not sure what dinner might be after root canal at 11:30 am.

Sandy - In your pocket for the ocular oncologist visit tomorrow.

ChiSandy

Celia, in your pocket for the root canal. Food-wise, I remember that after mine I was okay simply not chewing on that side (once the anesthesia had worn off).

CeliaC

ChiSandy - Guess we are pocket pals for each other tomorrow. Hope all goes well.

ChiSandy

May the injection be short but its effects last just long enough. You shouldn't feel anything during the procedure itself, nor its followup. If you haven't had root canal in a while (several years), you'll be surprised by the advances in technology--instant imaging, for example.

MinusTwo

Hope both of you do well.

BTW Sandy, that number was for just our City/County and not the entire state. I see no reason to watch TV, so I only read the news in the paper every day. Or sometimes check on line if I'm waiting for something. So I won't update for today's numbers.

Eric - were you mobilized? We apparently have a bunch of military medical groups coming in to set up more Covid beds.

Dinner was an cold veggie appetizer plate. Sliced cucumbers, radishes & celery stuffed with pimento cheese. I meant to add black olives but I forgot. The entree was 4 Triscuits with a small hunk of Monterrey Jack cheese. Too hot to eat.

auntienance

Our friends from our previous town visited us for lunch and brought with them some fresh corn just picked this morning. In spite of that, dinner was spaghetti with meat sauce. Tomorrow night will be a corn feast with I don’t know what else.

Celia, good luck with your root canal - they seem to be a piece of cake these days. I watched a movie during mine. Sandy, don’t know why you’re seeing an ocularoncologist but I’m wishing you the very best.

SpecialK

Florida now holds the record for cases in a single day - yesterday at 15,300, new cases in my county yesterday were at 800. My solution is to go nowhere, but sheesh it’s flippin’ scary. I fail to understand how people are not taking this seriously - it is indeed stupid and selfish.

In both pockets at root canal and ocular oncologist.

celia - the baby was super cute and teensy, fit in the palm of my hand. My house has been somewhat of a zoo over the years, we have rehabbed quite a few animals! I once caught my DH playing mockingbird songs on his iPad to a baby one DD was caring for. He was worried it wouldn’t know how to sing since it had no bird mom. DD taught it to forage and it was successfully released. She’s all about animals of all kinds.

Dinner was a big kale salad with apple, shredded turkey, Gorgonzola, and sliced almonds with creamy vinaigrette for DH, nothing for me, had a headache. I finished our taxes today - in an effort to simplify our finances we consolidated some accounts and sold a bunch of stock acquired over 15 years. Sadly, for me, these were purchased monthly in differing share amount depending on stock price and that meant each individual capital gain had to be reported. More than 400 transactions and each had to be reported as an individual entry. The 1099-B had microscopic writing and was NOT in date order. I deserve a trophy of some kind.

auntienance

Special - indeed you do!

SpecialK

auntie - lol! We have some stock based Roth IRAs and I wanted to convert them to CD based, but knowing what I know now........maybe not.

CeliaC

SpecialK - Yes, you deserve the Tax Preparer's Trophy for all those transactions! I completed ours on Sunday and DH sent off in the mail yesterday. This is the 1st year in a long time when we did not have to file an extension, since we had the extra 3 months. One silver lining to the COVID Cloud. Sharing your concerns about stock based Roth IRAs.

SpecialK

auntie and celia - I am thinking the tax preparer trophy should be a new piece of jewelry, lol! I am like a magpie or a barracuda (I kind of like barracuda - sounds more badass) with the shiny stuff, although I really should be getting rid of jewelry rather than getting more at this point in my life.

celia - our thoughts about the stock based stuff is that it is too volatile when we are so close to retirement - we are thinking that CD based is safer even though less profitable right now, is that yours as well?

MinusTwo

Special - I am clapping out loud for you. I used have hundreds of detailed spread sheets when I was younger. I like the barracuda image. Instead of jewelry, can you get a small, carved wooden replica to use as a paperweight for all this stuff?

My issue with CDs is that even the best choices are now earning 1.0%. That's not tenable. You might as well get cash & put it under your mattress. I've left my IRAs in the market - just changed the mix to be less volatile as the years go on - more bonds, fewer stocks. That said, I'm still a bit paranoid about running out of money. Could you split the IRA and put some in CDs?

SpecialK

minus - the tax process was a bear for sure, I don't want to repeat it, and also agree that the CD rates are a pittance right now. We sold our traditional IRAs in 2019, part of the tax reporting I just did concerned the sale of that stock, and they represented small amounts that were leftover from when we converted the majority of those IRA funds into Roth accounts years ago. We don't actively manage the stock mix in the Roth IRAs, they are mutual finds, but I am wondering if I should change that. I think if I do change how they are based I will still incur the reporting issues for my 2020 return. Argghhh. The good news for us is that my DH gets a military pension as long as he is alive, we both get SS (I am collecting mine now, DH is younger and still working), he will also get a regular pension when he retires from his current federal civil service job, and then we have investments on top of that. We are very fortunate to be in this position, and also that my prolonged breast cancer treatment didn't have very much financial impact - I know how lucky that is!

MinusTwo

Special - maybe you can change to index funds within the same group w/o incurring the reporting requirements? Nah, that would be too easy.

Eric - wondering if you were deployed. If so, thank you, even though we won't likely hear from you for awhile.

SpecialK

minus - you're prob right, too easy - I would still have to report the gain/loss on the shares because converting them would still be a sale. I am resigned to next years taxes being not fun, but I may elect to have them professionally done because we have the additional house purchased in the 2020 tax year. Not sure how we report two houses when neither of them is a rental property. So, I should probably not console myself with a prize but rather save money to pay for taxes to be done by someone else, lol!