So...whats for dinner?

Kay_G

Great pictures Deborye!  I am sorry your dad's dementia is getting worse.  My mom has it as well.  She is pretty bad now, hardly talks.  It is a horrible disease.  Much worse than cancer IMO.  (((hugs)))

Bedo, those sound like good rules. That is pretty much what I am trying to do, but I will have an alcoholic drink once in a while and a sugary dessert now and then, but try to keep the portion small.  I tried to give them up completely, but felt so deprived I'd end up eating more when the craving overcame me than if I give in earlier.  I wish I had the willpower to give them up completely.

bedo

Deb, I'm afraid of ittt!!!! I threw it a blanket and it said it would be home shortly!! I gave it money for a cab!!

Your Mom and Dad look super cool when they were younger.   I like their shoes!  You have the same look in your eyes, though. 

I'm sorry about your Dad, I read a book called The Thousand Mile Stare recently about a family with many members with early onset Alzheimer's.  The thirty six hour day I read a long time ago.  It is sad.  I bet you both brought each other a lot of joy in your lives.  I am sorry that at this point in time there is no cure.  (Gentle hugs to you)

deborye

He will be 84 Jan 22.  My Mom died of BC when she was 64 didn't even get a chance to enjoy retirement with my Dad.

Kay_G

That is sad.  My dad died at 70.  I was glad he retired early and got to enjoy some years of retirement with my mother.  My mother turned 85 in October. 

bedo

That is sad.  It makes you wonder about all the financial planner's ideas about working for so long. My dad died at 51, my Mom at 61.  I want to be poor but retire "without enough money to retire" at 62. Hugs, girl, going to sleep. I have something a virus, cold, flu, a present from my friends. Thank you julie and robin. We'll all be sniffling in bed this weekend. Stay warm, will be 20 here on Sunday.

deborye

Momine

Deborye, I love that baby, lol

Momine

Bedo, that is kinda how I eat. The more veggies and fibre you eat, the more you can eat without adding calories. My basic idea was always to maximize nutrition density and minimize calorie density. I don't go crazy over it, but it is a pretty good rule of thumb.

carberry

Deb  those pictures are priceless.  It is so hard to see our parents failing.  My mother in law had alzheimers and never got to enjoy retirement with her husband.  they had sooo much money and all he wanted to do was travel when they retired, and it never happened.

Bedo  sorry about the virus...tis the season!!!  Drink, drink, drink....and snuggle up with your blankie and a good book.

Last night was open faced grilled cheese and tomato on multi grain bread, done under the broiler so no butter. Had a side of sauteed yellow squash.   My DH had leftover pizza but did have some squash.

Tonight is a post Holiday party...there will be tons of food I am sure...AHHHH

LuvRVing

My mom is 82 and also has Alzheimer's. She's pretty much holding steady, and physically she is in perfect health.

We went to dinner with our daughter, son-in-law, his parents and grandmother who was celebrating her 90th birthday.  She is totally with it, has a little COPD but is otherwise in amazing health.  She lives in Florida and travels back north on her own for the holidays, then can't wait to get back to Florida and play golf!  Must be the Jamison's...LOL!!!  I had onion soup and salad, the soup was just OK.  I need to make some real soon!

Speaking of soup, my split pea soup turned out very yummy yesterday.  I also made some cornbread from Bob's Red Mill whole grain cornbread mix.  It was not so good...dry and just not a good mix.  I had tried it before and had the same opinion.  I tried to doctor the mix with an extra egg and a little honey, but to no avail.  DH likes the cheap little mixes that come in a plastic bag...Martha White, I think.  But those mixes are highly processed and loaded with sugar.  I'll be looking for an alternative.

Tomorrow we are babysitting the grandkids because my DD and SIL are going to CT to attend a funeral for a high school friend's mom who just died of breast cancer.  So sad because we don't think the friend knew how bad his mom's condition was.  He had told my DD that she was stage IV, so we sort of knew. 

My sister JoyceK is traveling to the warmer climes of Florida today.  Safe travels, Joyce!!!

Momine

Luv, I make cornbread from scratch from the recipe for "northern cornbread" in Joy of Cooking. It is really easy, really no harder than a mix, and really good, in my opinion. I leave out the sugar, and you can add things like chopped jalapenos or sundried tomato.

LuvRVing

Momine - would you mind posting it?  The first one I found insists that you use bacon grease for the oil in the recipe..LOL!  Pretty sure that is not necessary!

apple

mandalala - your feeding the crew (feel free to explain).. sounds fascinating

I am soooooooooo not cooking tonite.  looking forward to a stressful, demanding day of 2 organ jobs and i seriously won't be hungry.. maybe hungry for a beer and a nap.

When my husband decides to cook with my daughter.. (and i think that's what will happen tonite) we'll have some ungodly combo like Chinese noodles with Italian sausage and saurkraut.  seriously .. i guess i am picky.

I must become a food writer.. Went to a restaurant last nite Bucca da Beppo's  (something like that.. family style Italian cooking in an adorable restaurant with wonderful decor..) any way, the enclosed the silverware in a napkin folded in half. At least a third of the silverware hit the floor when people picked up their napkins.. On the way out of the restaurant I saw a sign that said "only one napkin per customer.. no exceptions"  granted they had nice, large napkins but under neath it the sign said.. only one set of silverware per customer.  sigh.  also, the bread was so cold it hurt my teeth.

i love cornbread.. with chilis, cheese, with butter and syrup (rarely) or just plain old.

Momine

Here you go:

1.25 cups coarse cornmeal

0.75 cups flour [I have used cornmeal instead of the flour with no bad consequences]

1-4 tablespoons sugar [I never put in sugar]

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

---

2 large eggs

two-thirds cup buttermilk

two-thirds cup milk [I have substituted buttermilk, i.e. used only buttermilk, and it was good]

2-3 tablespoons oil [use olive oil] or melted butter.

---

Whisk together dry stuff.

Whisk together wet stuff.

Fold wet stuff into dry stuff.

Pour into a tin that you have greased and dusted with cornmeal.

Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes till toothpick comes out clean. 

Momine

So the short, my, version, is:

Whisk together 2 cups cornmeal, 2 teaspoons baking poder, 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and salt.

In separate bowl or cup, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 and one-third cups buttermilk, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil.

Fold wet into dry and bake etc. 

LuvRVing

Thanks, Momine!  Sounds simple enough!  My DH likes his cornbread with butter and honey.

Apple - we went to Buca di Beppo a couple of times.  I don't remember the silverware, napkin thing.  What I remember is that they serve family-sized portions of foods so that DH and I were stuck with a single entree for the two of us.  And we like different things.  Maybe it's changed, it's been at least ten years since we went to the one that used to be in Olathe.  Anyways, not my favorite place.  If you want to try a nice little Italian place, go to Independence Square and check out Cafe Verona.  It was our favorite "go to" Italian restaurant - reasonable prices and a nice patio area for when the weather was nice.

Made my DH's favorite this morning - baked apple pancake.  He said it was my "best ever."  Hmmm....didn't do anything different so who knows?  Maybe he was just so happy I made it for him!!!

Momine

if ou want to bake it without butter and honey, beat butter and honey together and he can spread it with that.

Mandalala

I found red bananas in a shop and bought some out of curiosity. Outside the shop I peeled it and took a bite ... and it made my tongue dry up and cringe! When I looked at my receipt, it said "cooking banana" so I guess you have to cook them. Does anyone know how to?

Momine

mandalala, the ones I used to get were plantains, which are bright green and a bit larger than regular bananas.  But with plantains you just slice them, about a centimeter or less thick, on the bias (på skrå), then fry in very hot oil on both sides. You might try it.

Mandalala

Thanks Momine, I'll try that!

LuvRVing

Mandalala - I wonder if you got some bad ones...did they look like these?

http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Red_banana

One other site said they have a slight raspberry flavor...maybe yours weren't quite ripe enough.

Mandalala

LuvRVing – thanks for the link! It seems like they aren't ripe ... it was just like chalk, like some people said in the comments. Raspberry flavor sounds nice!

deborye

Going to try and make:

SAUSAGE CACCIATORE
1 lb. Italian sweet or hot sausage links
2 med. green peppers
2 med. onions
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans of stewed tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 tsp. oregano and Italian seasoning each
1 tsp. fennel seed
Slice and brown sausages, drain if necessary. Slice peeled onions, drain mushrooms, chunk green peppers and add to sausages. Add mushrooms, tomatoes and spices. Cover and simmer 25 minutes stirring regularly or until everything is tender. Serve with French bread or rolls. 

SeasideMemories

Mmmmmm! Sounds really good Deborye!



Tonight we're taking a stab at making the deep dish Chicago pizza that Apple posted a link to awhile back.... The only thing I'm not sure of is it called for canned whole tomatoes, drained and squished... I drained them and now that I've squished them (which was great fun, by the way), I have more liquid.... Not sure if I am supposed to drain that, too.... I think I'm going to keep it... We'll see!!



Can't wait to try it!! DH and I are going to get it in the oven and after we rented a movie.... Soooooo cold here tonight, staying in sounds about right!

LuvRVing

Deb - that recipe looks fairly easy!  I wonder why they want the liquid removed from the tomatoes...I would think it would help make the sauce.  Interesting.

We are going to our younger DD's tonight to watch the Patriots - Broncos playoff game.  There will be foods for grazing and alcohol for a little drinking.  I think she's making some Prosecco cocktail with blackberries and basil.  Sounds very yummy!  I'm bringing veggies, homemade shrimp dip and chips, and partially homemade guacamole.  We had bought the guac but I told DH it looked too smooth, almost soupy in the package.  So I added a mashed avocado and some chopped radish (don't like raw onion).  Well, it's a good thing I doctored it because it was too darn spicy-hot.  It's almost too hot with the extra avocado.

deborye

I just dumped the whole can in.  Did not drain the tomatoes, good thing I didn't because the Romano cheese made it thick, I should have added more sausage.  But it still taste good. 

I just looked over the recipe, it says to drain the mushrooms, my DH hates mushrooms so I omitted them. 

Kay_G

I made the Thai chicken pizza tonight exactly the way seaside posted. It was delish! And so easy, I will definitely make it again. I used low carb whole wheat tortillas. My DD even liked it! We like spicy in our house. That guacamole would have probably been just fine for me as it was, Michelle. My DD said it reminded her of the Thai chicken pizza they have at California Pizza Kitchen. I think I might try to make a barbecue chicken one next time too with barbecue sauce. I think you could slice them and them as appetizers too. Thanks for the recipe Seaside! I will be thinking of other ones to make now, but they probably won't come out as well as that. Maybe one with ham and pineapple? Mmmmmm... I think I got myself hungry again.

SeasideMemories

Kay,



So glad you liked it! And it seriously is 'fast food' without the guilt! The possibilities are bounded only by your imagination.... We have also done one with a remoulade sauce as the base, then topped with cut up cooked shrimp, topped with shredded cabbage and a bit of mozzarella... So good!



We just devoured our Chicago deep dish pizza and.... WOW, was it good! Definitely would do again! Thanks Apple!

deborye

Found this recipe in the Feb 2012 Family Circle Magazine.This has twice the fiber and protein of modern grains
It's a Salad
In a medium bowl, stir together:
 2 c cooked farro
 1 c cooked butternut squash cut into ¾-inch cubes
 ½ c golden raisins
 ½ c crumbled goat cheese
 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
 2 tbsp olive oil
 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Season with salt and pepper

deborye

Good Chili Recipes.