So...whats for dinner?

eric95us

I'm glad to hear the good news about both you and Bob.

Hi, Lalbo.

Tonight is (music) jam night and dinner will be at there. We can't really have it here anymore as the house is starting to get *VERY* empty. I think we could seat one other guest and that's it. :-)

One of the "jammers" has a birthday tonight and his wife made chili. Mr. Birthday loves the sweet cornbread (I call it corn cake) with chili but his wife doesn't do well with white sugar. She can eat *some* honey, but even that is "don't eat too much". So, I've made a sweet cornbread with honey instead of sugar. I'll see how it turned out tonight. The garlic-cheese biscuits are also done and Sharon made a potato salad.

Tofu is one of those things that assumes the flavor of whatever it is around. Sharon makes an eggless omelet with crumbled extra firm tofu that even MIL, who hates even thinking about tofu, asked for a third helping. When we told her it was tofu, she was, "Well, you got me. This is good". It's time to leave for the jam, so I can post the recipe later

WC3

Dinner is...I don't know.

Originally I had planned to make some homemade soup for my father and myself but though we both recall him having a medium sauce pan, it is currently nowhere to be found. That's fine, I told him we would get a sauce pan tomorrow and I would make it then, so he had a juice drink he had bought at the market and I was going to have a salad I had bought at Trader Joe's but that plan fell through when I realized it had gone bad. No problem, I thought, I had an Amy's Vegetable Lasagna in the freezer for just the occasion. Only I realized I accidentally bought vegan instead of vegetarian and it has soy beans in it, which I'm not supposed to have. I have since found a ridiculously small sauce pan which I can cook about 1/4 a serving of soup in at a time. It might just be a bagel for dinner.

MinusTwo

Welcome Lalbo. GOod to see you WC3. Have fun tonight Eric and do report on the corn Bread (cake).

I'm going to see if I can get Lacey to post.

illimae

I’ve been back in Houston for a few days but haven’t cooked until now. DH deboned a turkey, rolled, spiced and roasted it, it was really good. I cooked broccoli, green beans for DH and roasted sweet potato, carrots and red onions.

ChiSandy

My MO told me that occasional soy foods (tofu, edamame, soy protein) will not produce an estrogenic effect.

When we lived in Seattle in the '70s and belonged to a food co-op, we got a recipe for "bear candy:" tofu, peanut butter & honey mixed together and formed into truffle-like balls, which we'd roll in shredded coconut, cocoa powder, or crushed nuts. IIRC, it was pretty tasty.

Trying to decide whether to make the sable & veggies tonight,

MinusTwo

Mae - Dinner looks good. Did you get your Herceptin shot? Sorry the cold weather is going to follow you here by tomorrow.

serendipity09

illimae - that loos delicious! Hope you enjoyed yourself.

I had back to back to back appointments today. The last appt was an emotional one so I did not want to go eat Mexican. My son ordered himself a huge sub and I had a salad.

Going to make some salsa verde tomorrow, so I may just make some chicken enchiladas.

illimae

Minus, MDA was very accommodating and got me in yesterday. The localish oncologist in El Paso now has 3 weeks to get it together, although I’m having to instruct them and follow much more than I should. Hopefully an established routine solves the many problems I’m having out there. Especially considering “local” is a 3 hour drive each way an I have little tolerance for wasting my time.

ChiSandy

Illimae, your meal looks delicious! I had to forgo dinner because of a massive GERD eruption, thanks to a cup of Tazo Sweet Blood Orange tea so loaded with lemongrass that honey couldn't make a dent in the acidity. Then a tuna sandwich with tomato & onion, chased with a can of cherry Bubly. All I could handle--and it was at 10pm--was a little leftover oatmeal with maple syrup (the real stuff).That's one of the things recommended to soothe acid reflux. Hopefully the Pepcid and Dexilant (and a crapload of pillows to prop myself up) will let me sleep.

It's started to snow--2 hrs. earlier than predicted. We here by the lake are expected to get 4-8" by 2 pm tomorrow. (No melting--it's going down to the Big Donut again tomorrow night. Hopefully, it all gets cleared before it starts up again next Wed. (Tues. will be rain) and gives us up to nearly TWO FEET by the end of Thursday. Nature is getting even with us for not getting any snow till just after Christmas and then having manageable amounts while the Eastern seaboard keeps getting slammed. The only upside? No carjackers. Bob is a bit bummed out that the weather will have him quarantining now that he's recovered. Hopefully, the garage will be dug out and the alley passable by Monday, when he's set to go back to work and we're expecting our HK.

WC3

Hi MinusTwo! Good to see you too!

ChiSandy:

I hope you are right because I caved to hunger and ate half of the vegan lasagna. The taste was ok but the texture was slimey, I think from the coconut oil they put in it, and so I don't recommend.

I'm glad to hear Bob has recovered!

I've never smoked and can't stand the smell but both of my mother's parents and all of her three siblings were smokers. My grandmother quit in her early 70s after smoking for decades and never relapsed but I think she did occasionally miss it, and one of my aunts also successfully quit. My brother is a smoker though and I will never understand why he started. My paternal grandfather had also smoked when it was common to do so but quit the day he heard on the radio that smoking causes cancer. One of my cousins has been trying to quit forever though and just can't seem to do it even though she saw her mother go through lung cancer. Her mother survived that but was left with only about half a lung and COPD which left her tethered to oxygen tanks for the remainder of her life.

illimae

I quit smoking a few times, the last being about 4 years ago but I missed it a lot, especially when drinking or gathering with friends, most of which smoke themselves. I was a light smoker and I became a light vaper after a while. I know vaping isn’t good either but there’s no “smoke”, no stink and no ash, actual cigarettes are not at all tempting anymore. At stage IV, I am solidly in the “I’ll do what I want” place in life.

Tonight will be boca burgers and roasted potato wedges, easy and delicious.

carolehalston

I have poblano peppers in the refrigerator, bought with the thought of making a chilis relleno casserole. I will probably make that for tonight. It's an ugly day outside and a good day for prep in the kitchen.

CeliaC

Uninspired chopped salad for dinner last night - tomatoes, cukes, avocado, shrooms, chicken breast w/a few dabs of ranch dressing.

My dear departed Dad was a heavy smoker and it was literally, the death of him. In my college years, I used to puff on (no inhaling) Virginia Slims Menthol when out drinking. Kept me from overindulging in adult beverages. Very easily gave it up once I graduated college. When I met hubs, he was a smoker. On our 2nd date, we began talking about a serious relationship, and I told him this would only happen if he stopped smoking. Well, he quit cold turkey. Just did not want to see another person in my life go through what my Dad did.

We got about 2" of snow overnight here. DD in NYC, Sister in CT look to be in for some Noreaster effects.

ChiSandy

Illimae, you are definitely in the "whatever floats your boat" category. Enjoy a big sundae on my behalf.

Not very hungry--definitely having that telltale "throat cold" feeling I get every year or two around this time. Eyes & teeth hurt a little until I remove my retainer. Oral thermometers said 98.5, forehead 98.9, but ear (new Thermoscan) read 100. Uh-oh. Bob said to put my mind at ease and try that second test in the OnGo kit (it's been 24 hrs. since yesterday's). Followed every step to the letter. NEGATIVE again (this time confirmed by the app).

So I officially have some kind of cold, maybe adenovirus. I asked Bob how the heck I could have caught a cold, considering I haven't been around anybody but him since Sunday. He replied, "I probably had a cold on top of COVID." (Heck, people can even get flu and COVID at the same time). The 24-72 hr incubation period for the common cold fits precisely when I began noticing feeling crummy (colds are "3 days coming, 3 days with ya, and 3 days going.". Gordy dined with us (I sat closer to him than to Bob) Sat. night, and he hasn't reported any symptoms. Anyway, I'm gonna semi-quarantine for awhile--anything that would prevent spreading COVID would prevent spreading a cold. Not leaving the house or having the plumber over till at least the weekend is over. Bob walked to the Greek joint to bring me some broiled chicken & salad (bet he will have a gooey greasy gyros & fries plate).

My breakfast (after feeding the cats at 11) was a Whole Foods egg-white/spinach/chêvre mini-souffle. If I do cook, Bob is getting the lions' share of the fish & veg (broccoiini) and all the leftover turmeric rice. I may have just the tip of the filet; and lots of chicken soup. (Might treat myself to some of those little "mandlen"--tiny balls of choux paste--atop them). Too lazy & cruddy-feeling to dig out noodles or make matzo balls.

Landscaper came by and cleared our walks, deck, porch & garage apron. Fingers crossed that's all the snow we get till Wed.

auntienance

Beautiful plate illimae!

I love golden tile almost more than any other fish, but rarely eat it because of high mercury levels plus I rarely find it available even in fresh fish markets.

Oh Sandy, I feel bad wishing you a cold but I hope that's what you're coming down with. I was hoping you'd escape unscathed. I'm glad Bob is doing better.

My DSIL and DBIL who are moving to Texas just left us after a four day visit - the last we'll see them until after they move. Lots of cooking was done and consumed -- lemon chicken roasted in a cast iron skillet, another choucroute garnie with smoked pork chops, knackwurst, polish sausage, country ribs and cornbread (no sugar), fire roasted tomato vegetable soup with whole grain bread and a simple salad, a couple of frittatas for breakfasts with biscuits and a wild blackberry crisp for dessert. We even went out a couple of times. I was sad to see them leave. Of all of DH's siblings, we are closest to them.

I love Cornish hens too and unlike DH, can eat a whole one by myself. I really only fix them for special occasions but I don't know why that is. Probably because like your DH Carole, mine is lukewarm about chicken unless it's in strips and fried. Like Popeye's chicken strips. Those he loves.

I just came across a recipe for pressure cooker garlicky Cuban pork. It calls for a pork shoulder which happen to be on sale this week. I think I might make it this weekend.

Special - I trust you are healing well from all of your slicing and stitching.

I'm missing Lacey too and trust that all is well. I'd be pleased if you can get her to post, even briefly, Minus. I also hope the coming storm causes little disruption.

Tonight's fare is lasagna from the freezer, a salad and some warm rosemary olive bread.

eric95us

The corn bread ("cake") turned out quite well for a first time and I got a "request" for more. :-)

As with a lot of recipes, there is a couple of "next time, try".

I will use only 1 tablespoon of butter the next time. There was so much butter that it floated atop the batter and made the bread look strange.

Also, the recipe says to preheat the pan in the oven. I think I'll not preheat the pan and instead just coat the warm skillet with melted butter. I thought the crust of the bread was a bit too crispy and the time it takes for the heavy cast iron skillet to heat up should help slow down the cooking of the crust.

The recipe is

http://sweetdashofsass.com/2015/01/skillet-honey-cornbread/

MinusTwo

Nance - I look at lobster tail like Cornish game hens - special occasion. Lately I've started buying them more often. OK - this is not Boston or Maine, but they 'previously frozen' at better grocery meat counters. Two for $12 is reasonable for a facsimile of the real thing.

I had a can of Bar Harbor brand Crab Bisque today for lunch. Very disappointing

Tonight was leftover pasta with a few spoons of Raos and a few spoons of sour cream and a can of sliced mushroom. Not bad for a quick meal on a cold day. Then of course I was "forced" to eat another couple pieces of my chocolate pie. It really is an excellent flavor, but I think I'll make it in individual pudding cups next time.

Thanks for the cornbread (cake) update Eric. Somehow even living in the South all this time I rarely make it.

wallycat

Eric, you are correct; tofu is a chameleon. It makes to-die-for chocolate pudding, easily. Eric, the horror of a sweetened and FLOUR-laden "cornbread."

Illimae, I'm so happy to see your photos again! Lovely.

Sandy, I hope you will be on the mend...as to where you could catch a cold...even wearing a mask, but dining out and having to chew, puts you at risk for "stuff..." and there's the fact your DH works in a hospital setting. Happy it is "just" a cold. The new Omicron variant is supposed to be detected by the rapid tests, so you should be good to go.

AuntieNance, your meals sound wonderful. You and your family sound like wonderful cooks.

Had the last of the tofu sweet potato coconut curry and "fleshed" it out with some fried eggs.

Tomorrow will be refried bean nachos.

Editing to add: QFC is having a sale on Raos sauce for 5.47...is there a specific one to try?

ChiSandy

Waiting to hear from my PCP as to whether I should get a rapid flu test in case I need Tamiflu. But my fever isn't high enough and I'm not getting muscle or joint aches. This is one of those "throat colds," without nasal congestion. Sucks that I'm getting laryngitis, but glad I can breathe and I'm not burning up. Dinner (early) was a broiled chicken leg & wing; later, a big mug of chicken broth with a Greek pita (first one I've had in forever). Then a late snack of provolone melted on matzo. I'm giving myself a dispensation from keto, as I'm not taking in a lot of calories.

Not looking forward to taking out garbage, cat litter & recycling (all 3 of my kitchen baskets are full, and they have to be dumped directly into the blue bin in the alley--no bags allowed).

serendipity09

Took a road trip with my bff to Chicago to visit some family in the Humboldt Park area had some awesome Puerto Rican food at Ponce Restaurant, but nothing I can't/don't make at home. It was just nice to have PR food that I didn't have to cook.

I really wanted to go to Fogo de Chao, but was having great time where we were. Next month my son and I will be down there for St.Patrick Day so maybe then.

ChiSandy

Glad you had a great time in Humboldt Park, Serendipity! When I was recording my first CD (24 years ago) at a studio on Division St., I used to stop across the street at Cafe Boricua for cappuccino & pastries. Never did get to try a jibarito (flattened fried plantains instead of bread) sandwich--which was supposedly invented in Chicago. Not sure if the cafe is still there. Where is Ponce? (The restaurant, not the city).

We're finally having the St. Pat's Day parade for the first time since 2019, dyeing the river green and all that. Should be fun!

eric95us

Chi....stay well, or get better fast. Flu or COVID, neither is good.

Wallycat, my Aunt Hattie, born in southern Kentucky in the late 1800s, taught me how to make cornbread. I'm sure she would be giving me "the look" if she were to see me adding that much flour and sweetener to cornbread. She taught school full time from age 17 through age 78 and then as a substitute teacher until age 88, so I'm sure "the look" was well practiced. -)

illimae

serendipity, DH and I love Fogo. It’s difficult for me to imagine going back post Covid though, maybe someday.

I’m thinking pork tenderloin, not sure about the sides but I’ve got all day to come up with it.

carolehalston

Nance, you will have to visit the relatives in Texas. I know you will miss having them close enough for frequent visits. Your meals all sound appetizing as they usually do.

My chilis relleno casserole was not a "looker." The slices of tomato created a lot of liquid. If I had bothered to check the progress, I would have removed the casserole lid. The taste was good. But I'm always disappointed not to achieve the "looker."

Tonight will probably be a root vegetable main dish. I am in a "blah" stage of choosing a menu.

DH likes a sweet cornbread. I'm not a fan. Since he's perfectly happy with Jiffy and I have a small pan that is the perfect size, I stopped making the "from scratch" in search of a recipe that would suit both of us. I do like the golden crust from a preheated cast iron skillet. I'm thinking of buying a small skillet for the Jiffy.

auntienance

I l enjoy the crispy buttery cornbread crust too. I have a small 8” skillet that’s the perfect size for two. I use a modified Southern Living recipe. Modified to decrease the white flour and increase the cornmeal. No sugar, although it could be added. I use Bob’s whole grain cornmeal medium grind. (I like the crunchy). Eric, Ilike your Aunt Hattie.

serendipity09

ChiSandy - Ponce is at 4313 W Fulllerton. Jibarito's are so good. I make them at home, my son loves them. They are very easy to make. I'd be more than willing to tell you how if you'd like.

There's a food truck in Humboldt Park that has been there since I was a kid (probably not the same truck, but the same family lol) and I look forward to going down there during the summer. Although things have gotten a bit crazy in the area. I have so many good memories with my dad

We went down last year and saw them dying the river. Looking forward to it this year, of course, with precautions. 4th of July at Navy Pier is very fun too.

Illimae - I haven't been to Fogo since the pandemic started. The Brazilian restaurants here have everything spaced out and if going up to the buffet you have to use gloves, at least that's what my son and others have told me. Now that I'm fully vaccinated I think (key word) I would feel comfortable going.

Tonight is going to be sweet plantain lasagna and a salad, of course my son has to have his rice.

illimae

serendipity, sounds like good precautions. I’d like to go back myself eventually but for now, the image of my potential food being walked around to multiple tables before reaching mine, isn’t very appealing. Things are just so different now, especially for us unvaccinated (not anti-vax), fortunately the cabin is free of nearly all city life problems.

serendipity09

illimae - I def get it. Vaccinated or not, WE still need to be careful.

I will say, I love food and miss going out to eat on a regular basis. For now, I'll just keep experimenting with new meals and my own delicious meals at home and make the best of it.

ChiSandy

Well, after 4 negative rapid antigen tests (2 days between each, 3 different brands) I still had low-grade fever & a scratchy throat, so I got PCR (and flu) tested this morning. Flu-neg, but COVID+! Waiting for hospital pharmacy to call me back as to how & where to pull up to get my Paxlovid (assuming they have it) at curbside. Getting nervous bec. it's an hour drive and it closes at 3pm. Holding and they're not picking back up. Gulp. Think I'll head out anyway and hope they call me back before I get there.

illimae

Sandy, Wow, 4 negative tests is disappointing. I considered ordering some but decided to wait since I really don’t go out in public and thought others might need them more but I’m hearing more stories of them being unreliable, honestly, I probably won’t bother. I do hope you feel better soon, you might be nearly over it by now.

Serendipity, I’m learning some of my favorites meals now, not due to Covid and dining out but because the cabin is so far from anywhere. So, I have a pizza stone and dough recipe, a few Asian dishes I like and some Mediterranean meals to get better at. DH has Mexican, curry and fried chicken perfected. We won’t miss out on much.