So...whats for dinner?

Laurie08

special K- I made my first veggie lasagna this past weekend, I always do meat lasagna.  I went on line looking for tips to keep it from being watery.  I cubed the eggplant and cooked it in the micro wave for 10 minutes.  I put a bunch of paper towels under it to absorb all the water.  I also sauteed the zucchini and squash to get most of the water out.  It seemed to help alot.

I did laundry and cleaned a bit this morning and then headed to the park for a few hours and met some friends with their kids.  The boys are exhausted from the weekend.  I am going to have to go wake one of them up from nap soon as DS#2 seems to not be getting up on his own!  I am thinking a quiet afternoon swimming and playing in the back yard will be good.

Dinner tonight is going to be grilled steak tips, left over lasagna and salad. 

Laurie08

Luv- I missed your post as I was typing.  I am so sorry your mom is having a hard time.  I hope they figure out her meds so she feels better...happier.  Have fun in AC!!  I know you will!  I hope you get some good sleep before you go because I doubt you will stop for a second once you are out there!

Jo-5 welcome back!

Carrie- try going to allrecipes.com and putting in the ingredient eggplant.  My only other option is the one I posted here once before, grill it with fresh tomato and basil and top with fresh mozzarella cheese.  Love eggplant!

I hope everyone down south stays safe from the storm.  Weather can be such a scary thing

kidsandlabs

Jo-5, bean soup sound so delicious. I think I need to add that to my shopping list for next week with some cornbread.

carberry

Thanks everyone for the eggplant tips...I sauteed it with onion and then added to my fresh tomatos (peeled and chopped) and cooked all day...lots of garlic and herbs and ready for some pasta.

Today was 12 quarts of bread and butter pickles...the pickle factory is officially closed!

Laurie  I love 'allrecipes'  thats where I saw that people were making sauce with the eggplant  I like the vege lasagna idea...may do that and freeze it for when the kids are here.

Jo-5  My son is in east ohio and was supposed to break ground today for his new house....maybe the rain postponed that?  We are finally getting a few drops of rain, but not much.

LuvRVing

I'll try to behave in AC!  And oh, Kay and I are meeting for dinner tomorrow night!  Woohoo, I get to meet another BC sister!  I am excited, can you tell?

Speaking of meeting for dinner, it's time for us to plan our Pickity Place lunch.  Last weekend in September - would that work?  And is Saturday better than Sunday?  Let's take a poll and see who can make it.  We'll need to check with JoyceK and Deborye.  And I'll send a Facebook message to Hauntie to see if she'd be up for it.  And oh, don't be shy.  If someone has a different restaurant in mind, I'm game. 

Isabelle2

I like Allrecipes site too....I find they have great ideas although  most of their recipes need tweaking...but then I never could leave a recipe alone.

Okay so now, I hope no one minds (in case you see this on another discussion board) but I have to brag:   this is my 8 year old grandaughter Lacey who donated 13`of her beautiful hair to Kids with Cancer.

LuvRVing

Isabelle - adorable pictures and what a sweet thing for your granddaughter to do!!!

Hi Joyce!!!

I am going to not post a whole bunch over the next few days, so don't anyone panic when you don't hear from me!  I might check in earlier in the morning and then I'll be off enjoying the sand, surf and slots!!!

carolehalston

Thanks for all the concern.  It looks like Isaac may head straight to my area of Louisiana, near New Orleans.  I talked to my mother and two sisters today.  Everybody is planning to stay home at this point.  Isaac isn't a powerful storm but it's very large in area and slow-moving, which can mean it could go ashore and stick around for more than 24 hours.  Even though we're not there, we're experiencing quite a bit of anxiety.

Laurie08

Isabelle- Amazing someone so young can do something so selfless!  You must be so proud, thank you for sharing with us.

Pickety Place sounds good to me.  I am so excited for Michelle and Kay to get together, awesome.

DH got home and had his own plans for dinner.  It seems his mind had been thinking about the left over pot roast in the fridge.  We had open faced pot roast sandwiches for dinner and he made it.  I will admit, I was reluctant and they were very yummy.

chabba

Laurie, one of my favorites, love it!

Isabelle2

 Laurie: Just like the old "hot beef sandwich" in the restaurants...we love them too...with peas.

chabba

Peas and a nice pile of carmalized onions.

Lacey12

Isabelle, She is lovely and her gift is wonderful! I'm glad you shared her photos with us.



Chabba, how are you doing? Caring thoughts as always.



Michelle, I do hope the staff can get your mom on a regimen that helps her feel more settled. Poor thing....and the worry for you. You are smart to remind yourself that she is in the best place for her. Enjoy a little distraction in AC, and have a great time with Kay!



Am home trying to figure out what I want to do with boneless chicken breasts, which I will buy tomorrow, cut in smaller pieces, and freeze, then take to NH to use in some form of casserole for a main dish for our beach party. I'd probably like to do something different than a tomato based sauce dish just because everyone uses tomatoes for this party dinner...and everyone's banner crop this year assures that! Any easy, not terribly expensive ideas but reasonably healthy ideas.



Speaking of recipes, my neighbor in NH told me about a healthy finger food her DD gives her DGS....cooked quinoa mixed with cottage cheese, an egg, and spinach, baked in a pan and sliced for him to eat. It is super healthy and tasty with a fun texture. I scouted around and found a Martha Stewart adult version of this with interesting spices in it...almost decided to use this for my beach entree, but not sure most of the people there have even heard of quinoa, so we'd be eating it ourselves for weeks.



After the dinner, my DH will DJ a dance party for the whole association on the beach. It was a great time last year, and the kids (we have many on our beach these days) are giddy with anticipation of his playing their favorite songs so they can dance the night away...including the very hotly requested chicken dance!! Hysterical!

Lacey12

And Carole, positive thoughts for your family and you that Isaac decides not to stall in your home area. Such a worry after all that New Orleans has been through.

debbie6122

Isabelle- That is so sweet and she is such a darling girl I would brag too!

Welcome back Jo- Your dinner made me drool! 

Michelle- Have fun, fun fun in AC and glad you get to meet Kay there too! Sorry your mom has not adapted to her new place yet hopefully soon she will.

Joyce- Hi good to see you check in hope you are feeling well. How is your puppy doing?

Lacey I love the chicken dance song. One of the bartenders at a place we go to plays it on her bottles with special instuments and everyone in the place stands up and does the chicken dance while she plays. Have fun tomorrow.

Chabba- Thinking of you!

I like to make eggplant with hoisin sauce I use (kem lee sun) it is the best out of all i have tried. I just simmer it until the eggplant is tender. Yummm!

debbie6122

Just went to look at the hoisin sauce in my cupboard it is actually call Lee kum kee- well it was kind of close ha!

chabba

debbie - hoisin sauce is one of my favorites.  Back in the 70's and early 80's before authentic Chinese ingredients were commonly available in our stores I searched and searched for that flavor.  On a trip to San Francisco in 1969 I bought a Johnny Kan Cookbook at his restaurant.  Many of the recipes had been modified to use available American ingredients.  I made the BBQ pork and the texture was wonderful but it lacked the distinctive flavor.  The recipe called for catsup and I figured it probably was the closest thing in texture to the traditional ingredient they could come up with.  I tried to find the right ingredient for nearly 20 years.

One day I went to lunch in Seattle's Chinatown with a group of guys, including one who came from China.  When I tasted one of the dishes I got so excited I literally screamed, "That's it, that's the flavor!" Ben went back to the kitchen and found out what it was -- in Mandarin.  He actually had to go to a couple of stores to find someone who could tell him how it would be labeled on a product in our stores.

And my BBQ Pork?  We worked in on office that was 1/3 foreign born Asian.  When I started bringing it to office pot lucks they all claimed it was the best they had in America and some even said it was just like what they got at home.

debbie6122

Chabba- I was first introduced to it in Hawaii a lot of years ago at a party they had different dishes with Hoisin and even tofu and moo shoo pork omg it was so delicious. I tried the sun luck but did not like it at all, your right there is a distinctive flavor that is missing if it is not made right. Is that the same brand you use too or do you make your own now?

chabba

debbie, I honestly don't remember what I last had.  Right now I'm out so I can't go look.  Unfortunately our local store only  carries Sun Luck so I usually try to get it in town.

debbie6122

Chabba- If you want I will send you some of the one I use. Just let me know it is really good.

carberry

Debbie  Thanks for that info.  MY son and I had some of the best eggplant in a chinese restaurant in a (sauce?) that we could not identify....I bet thats what it was.  I am going to check the stores.

Isabelle   Your grandaughter was so gracious to give up her hair, what a sweetheart.

Michelle  win big in AC.  We will be going in Sept for the usual convention/trade show for our business, I do not usually gamble though.  We stay at Trump tower and I feel that Mr. Trump probably doesnt need any of my money!

LuvRVing

Thanks, Carrie!  I'm sure I'll be leaving a buck or two behind in AC...unless lightning strikes and I get lucky!  We are staying at Caesar's.  At least the room is "free"...lol

We are on our way - we hit the highway about 9:00.  I love using my phone to provide internet service to my laptop.  Makes sitting in the car for six hours much more tolerable!

Lacey12

Michelle, you remind me of DH who keeps busy entertaining us both with his phone while I drive. Last night since we drove home separately and I missed the "on the road entertainment", so actually started "shazaming" tunes on the radio with my phone (to help DHDJ of course ) until after a few minutes I realized what a major distracted danger I was on the highway!

Have a great trip and let us know if you find good places to eat en route since that is our route to DS1's and BIL's. I used to NEVER stop, but don't mind so much now.....

apple

I love the granddaughter pic and the hair.  My niece sent me her hair in a zip lock baggie. gorgeous auburn hair, shiny and straight but not enough for locks of love.  I still have it in my drawer.

tonite i am slowcooking beef shanks.  I'll either make a gravy and have mashed potatoes or turn it into stroganoff.  I am eating my favorite breakfast of 2 scrambled eggs with a sharp cheddar on top over rather burnt whole wheat toast with butter and tons of Prego tomato sauce with bacon and Provolone cheese in it.  It's a fantastic sauce.. i could eat two cups of it.

bedo

Have fun in AC Michelle  I went to the Playboy club there a million years ago and laughed myself silly at the "Bunny Dips" they did  They had to keep their torsos ramrod straight while swiveling their knees to the side while holding them together when they bent  only with the knees to serve us drinks  I was in my 20's and had an odd sense of humor. Win Big!!

Last night I ate 5 ice cream bars for dinner  The kind on a stick with chocolate in the middle, then vanilla ice cream then covered with nuts.  They were very good.

Tonight I am having Bantry Bay frozen mussels in butter and white wine sauce over whole wheat spagetti for dinner.  They're good and only cost $3.99  I will microwave them for 5 1/2 minutes

For lunch my usual yogurt parfait with fruit and granola in a mason jar

Some has to be the worst/laziest  cook but I do enjoy looking and salivating over your recipes!

I bought walnuts and goat cheese to make a cold pasta bow tie recipe and now I'm wondering if goat cheese=feta cheese.  Oh well, it will in my house 

Went to SO for one year visit today and fell asleep on the table and was awakened to be told tht she had cancelled all her afternoon appointments.  I could have slept better at home BUT I did get out of work 4 hours early, not that I would have chosen to do that sleeping on an exam table.

I have decided that sleep is the new sex  Someone may have said that before

Sorry for those I missed.  Hello everyone!

debbie6122

Bedo- Sleep the new sex? Well in that case I get a lot of sex LOLOL! NOT!  Sucks they cancelled on you but like you said you got out of work early so what ya gonna do now have sex? hehe!

bedo

Debbie I have an "admirer" my violin teacher's boyfriend's Dad.  He lives in Illinois. We met 2 weeks ago before he went home  We are "pen pals" but I'm sure will meet again, so no "sleep" here!  Hehe

Tazzy

sleep the new sex ?  Then where is my Gold Medal ???

Hugs to all xxx

Isabelle2

Lacey12 Boneless chicken would make great kabobs with pineapple,peppers & mushrooms etc......could barbecue at home & wrap in foil.  Love the Chicken Dance & the Macarana..another fun song.

apple...maybe you could make pretty "bangs" with your niece's hair...I have such a high forehead...I would love them. Haven't had beef shanks for a long time...used to love them.

lee kum kee  is the name of my hoisin sauce..use it for barbecue chicken wings w. garlic, honey, vinegar & oil...delicious.

 bedo..I have subbed blue cheese for feta, don't see why goat cheese wouldn't work...love them all.  5 ice cream bars???I love those but never had 5 at one time.  and sleep the new sex...that is a good one...think I have it...lol   Life sure isn't what it used to be.

chabba, i want to hear about your barbque pork..did I miss it somewhere?

Thanks to all of you for enjoying my grandaughter's pictures.

Moonflwr912

Sleep the new sex? I'm in trouble, sleepless and sexless! Guess I better buy new batteries and wake up! LOL