So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Kay, we are soup people too, and when the weather is cool we have it often. But the weather here has been crazy -- 86 today so I think something grilled is in order.



Yesterday I experimented with English muffins in cinnamon raisin which turned out really good. Next try will be blueberry.

apple

Tazzy - peanut butter on toast with butter on top is pretty darn good.  fattening, but hay.

apple

peanut butter (natural) with tomato and lettuce, spinach or parsley makes a pretty darn good sandwich too. I am definitely not a fan of jelly.

Lacey12

Yes, Kay, I mostly post from my Ipad and it can have an annoying mind of its own.



So, as I was saying......



Sorry to hear about your MIL, Moon. Have a safe and peaceful trip.

Lots of sadness on our thread this week.....((((HUGS))))



Eric, congrats to Sharon!!



Carole, congrats to you! You strike me as a disciplined gal (completing all those manuscripts!), so you will succeed easily on the WW plan.



My college friends left for Cooperstown yesterday and the house felt empty. We had so many laughs and great memories...and fortunately DH is a great host and connector so even tho these friends were new to him, we all had a wonderful time.



Then last night DH and I went to Rosa Mexicana with our Parisian friend who was in town. We had their "signature" guacamole, and I had the special of tornadoes of beef (came with a really spicy sausage I wasn't expecting, but was so tasty). I really enjoyed being with our friend during this visit since I was not pre-occupied with work issues which was most always the case whenever we would meet for a weeknight dinner. I felt so free and "present" last evening.



My weekly consultations to the person who is taking over my caseload are going well, and I am very relieved that the kids and families are in the hands of an intelligent, caring person. Phew!



Tonight two of my teacher friends are coming over for a light dinner. I'm making squash/ leek soup topped with sauteed portabello mushrooms, quick french bread, and salad. They are bringing dessert....tho I need to get back on the weight loss wagon after this long weekend of eating more than usual!



Hope everyone has a good day!

auntienance

Had my first "Elvis special" the other day (peanut butter banana sandwich). Meh. It tasted good, but I had a hard time keeping the bananas on the sandwich even with the "glue" of peanut butter. I think I'll stick with it plain or on toast with the banana on the side. But the peanut butter is REALLY fine on the cinnamon raisin English muffins.

LuvRVing

I admit I love peanut butter on any english muffin but especially a Thomas's cinnamon raisin muffin.  And the same is true of cinnamon raisin bagels.

We are going to Dana Farber for my 5 p.m. doctor appointment, then we are going to an Ethiopian restaurant(Addis Red Sea) for dinner.  It's another of my "dine around the world" adventures.  Groupon coupons make it extremely worthwhile to check out unique cuisines at a very reasonable price.

Eric, congratulations to Sharon.  I am sure she's thrilled to be getting back to normal, whatever that is!

Laurie08

Lacey- It sounds like you had a won!derful time with your friends!  Your dinner tonight sounds wonderful!

Michelle- Good luck with your appointment tonight and enjoy your dinner.  You are always trying new food I am impressed!  In fact all of you ladies try and make all sorts of ethnic food that I wouldn't go near!  It makes me jealous kind of, I don't like really spicey food though and I hate curry : /

My best friend is in town and coming for dinner tonight.  I am making spaghetti and meatballs with some garlic bread and a Caesar salad.  She lives in St John and doesn't get to each much meat or dinners such as this one very often.  When I asked her what she wanted for dinner she said something a mom would make

Lacey12

Michelle, hope you have a good news doc appt. and a great meal at Addis Red Sea! I may have missed that Groupon, but they usually come around again.



Laurie, that is so sweet that your friend wants something a mom would make. My mother's go to menu was her Amelia's spaghetti and meatballs. Reminded me of that.



My teacher friends will show up any minute.

The food is prepped, and I am happy that the quick french bread rose nicely even tho I took a risk and used two month past expiration date yeast. The soup with the portabello topping seems very tasty. Hope my one teacher friend isn't too much of a plain eater. Guess she could always fill up on salad amd bread. I should have checked the menu with them first, but was dying to make this soup.

Lacey12

Carole, this is the site I receive emails from about smoothies and healthy eating:



website@incrediblesmoothies.com

Tazzy

Good luck with the appt. Michelle.

I am cooking spaghetti bolognese tonight.  Garlic bread and salad - bit like yours Laurie.

auntienance

Michelle, I would love to try Ethiopian, but DH is limited in his ethnic culinary adventurousness. It's mainly Mexican and Italian (some Greek) for him, although last year he did embrace Asian, at least Chinese and Japanese, we're still working on Thai (which I know he would like because he loves spicy.) I did get him to admit that he liked the pho I make, but he probably wouldn't order it anywhere. My ability to try new cuisines is mostly limited to outings with my more adventurous SIL.

susan_02143

I am still unable to do much with my right hand so my husband pulled out some frozen meatloaf portions, mashed some potatoes, and warmed up frozen peas. Absolutely delicious! This is why I freeze extra portions. There are days when cooking just isn't possible.

*susan*

carolehalston

Susan, what is wrong with your right hand?  Is it the Faslodex? 

Michelle, hope your apptment at Dana Farber went well.

Leftovers tonight.  Red beans with sausage and brown rice and tossed salad.

Sad news in an e-mail from one of my brothers tonight.  His son is separated from his wife and is quite devastated.  They have a delightful 3-yr.-old daughter.   Feel really bad for my nephew.

susan_02143

Carole,

No. My carpal tunnel is a side effect of the aromasin I was on for 6 1/2 years. In fact, this is why I dropped the aromasin and only kept the Faslodex. For some reason, the cortisone injection in the right hand has partially paralyzed my ring finger on the right hand. I certainly hope that the pain is gone by Friday.

*susan*

p.s. Devastating about this young couple.

deborye

My DH is as useful as tits on a bull.

deborye

Never helped cook anything what so ever.  Misses the waste basket with a used tissue and does not pick it up, does not put the seat down, I have to nag him to get anything done so I do it myself.  Then he gets mad and makes is seem that it is my fault.  I have just about had it

Tazzy

deborye... sorry about your DH.  Maybe you should go on strike.  Live like he does.  I know that's hard for us women but desperate measures eh?   Let him come home to no dinner, snotty tissues on the floor.   May not cure it, but may give you a smile in the meantime.

auntienance

Susan, that sounds dreadful. Hope you get some relief soon.

chabba

I never encountered a toilet lid that hadn't been put down until I was married.  My Dad taught DB to always put it down as soon as he learned to stand up to pee and he must have had words with his brother when he came to spend the winters with us--Uncle didn't have seats in his outhouse.  It was an old-fashioned two holer.  At first DH paid no attention to my requests.  Since he was not handy with tools I adjusted the lid so the seat had to be held up or it would fall.  By the time one of his buddies pointed out to him that the seat could be adjusted and fixed it for him he was so used to holding it and putting down that he just kept doing it.  That was 46 years ago.  I never have told him I adjusted it in the first place. 

Moonflwr912

Chabba sheer genius.

My MIL has been into the hospice program, no physical move involved, thank goodnesss. Comfort only. She is resting comfortably. My DD and I took the night shift sitting with her. She us not really aware of her surroundings. Although she just randomly broke into a song, Springtime in the rockies, she has only said about two other words all day. She is otherwise doing ok so far. My kids, except the one in PA, have all been to see her today. Is it bad we had McDonalds for supper? And a sub for lunch.

carolehalston

Joyce, our weather forecasts show the storm going over the Bahamas.

My DH is pretty well trained.  From Day 1 of marriage 40 some years ago, I never checked pockets and didn't pick up after him.  He's an adult and can put his soiled clothes in the hamper in the laundry room.  Same with putting his shoes where they belong.  I do laundry and fold clothes because he doesn't have any patience with separating light and dark clothes.  He puts away his folded clothes into his closet.  He makes his own breakfast and lunch now that he is retired and I almost always cook dinner.  He cooks certain big pot dishes like beans (dry) and chicken gumbo and chili.  Life is pretty harmonious.  He does thoughtful little things like putting my golf bag in the trunk when I'm playing golf.  He's a great nurse when I'm the patient.  I would certainly miss him if he weren't around.

Hm.  Wondering what dinner will be tonight.  Yesterday's CSA veggies included tatsoi and pak choy (?), both greens.  I'll  probably cook them together with a little EVOO and garlic.  Also included some small sweet potatoes.  Maybe I'll cook them and thaw out a chunk of pork loin and slice into pork medallions.  Sounds like a meal!

Best wishes to all.

apple

Scotch broth tonite.. a lamb and barley soup/stew with veggies.. it used to taste wonderful in a can from campbells.

Scotch broth recipe

Ingredients: Half cup pearl barley, two pounds neck of mutton, two quarts cold water, one-quarter cup each of carrots, turnips, onions and celery; six level teaspoons lard or butter, one tablespoon flour, two teaspoons salt, one saltspoon white pepper, one tablespoon chopped parsley.

Directions: Pick over and soak the barley over night or several hours in cold water. Wipe meat with a clean, wet cloth. Remove fat and skin. Scrape the meat from the bones and cut it into half-inch dice. Put bones on to boil in one pint cold water. Let latter boil quickly and skim carefully just when it begins to boil. When scum comes up white, add barley and skim again.

Cut vegetables into quarter-inch dice and fry them five minutes in one-half of the lard or butter, then add them to the meat. Simmer three or four hours or until the meat and barley are tender.

Strain water in which bones have simmered. Cook remainder of the lard or butter in a saucepan with one tablespoon flour. When smooth, add strained water gradually and stir into broth. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Simmer 10 minutes and serve without straining.

Many people have a prejudice against mutton in stews or broths. The strong, disagreeable flavor lies mostly in the skim. If this be removed, together with the fat, it will repay one for the time and trouble. As this broth is not to be strained, it is always well to boil the bones separately. Care must be taken not to let the water boil away.

This is a favorite dish among the Scots. They often serve it with a large proportion of vegetables. The carrots are sometimes grated, giving the broth a fine color, and sometimes the dice of meat are first browned in lard. Rice may be used instead of barley.

this is kind of an old-timey recipe

I'll make it with browned shoulder lambchops, diced veggies and barley.

Lacey12

Chabba, hilarious!! And your secret is safe here....



Joyce, glad you finished your trip and are getting settled, and I do hope you escape the wrath of Susan. Sounds like the Northeast may have a significant visit from her, including snow. Hope not!



Moon, it sounds like your MIL is in good hands. Sustain yourself however you need to!

Sending caring thoughts......

Laurie08

Deb- Sorry you are so frustrated.  You had me laughing though!  It's my kids who drive me nuts with thoughtless stuff- DH tries to not rock the boat

Chabba= Hysterical!!

Joyce Glad you made it there ok, stay safe!!

Apple- I love a barley soup.

Tonight will be left overs.  It is something I almost never do, I hated Wednesdays aka left over night when I was growing up.  But as I looked through the fridge to figure out what to make I realized two things 1. I don't have a whole lot to make anything good. 2. I have left over pork chops, home made chicken tenders, chili and sauce and meatballs- why am I going to cook?  So for once I am not.  Everyone can pick a dish thats in the fridge and eat it   I am thinking of taking the left over tenders, using the sauce and making a left over chicken parm for myself

LuvRVing

Chabba - very genius of you!!!

Moonflwr - so sorry about your MIL.  The brain works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?

I am eating my leftover prime rib dinner from Tuesday night.  DH is going to have whatever...he may make himself some pancakes.  We are both exhausted and while he was willing to run to the store to get ground beef for a quick spaghetti sauce, we both decided that not leaving the house was a more appealing option.  Tomorrow I am having our family from Rochester, NH, my daughter and family, my son and his SO all over for dinner.  I'm making beef stew - it will be an easy dish, daughter is bringing good bread and other daughter is bringing dessert.  And wine - there will be wine!

We got everything out of my mom's apartment today except for her furniture, which we'll deal with next weekend. 

And speaking of weather, they are talking about a "frankenstorm" for Monday and Tuesday.  We were hoping for a day of rest, but with 80 mph winds being predicted, we have to put away the patio furniture and batten down the hatches.  Another Halloween storm...must we, really?

susan_02143

Tonight 'we' made Fish Stew, one of my favorite soups in the world. Once again, I mostly directed the cutting and chopping since my hand still doesn't like playing with knives yet. Poor man had forgotton how to get an even mince with the shallots, but a quick lesson brought the flood of memories back. I had some homemade fish fumée in the freezer, and we picked up some cod from my Portuguese fishmonger. Another stop at my Italian market to grab some bread. So very delicious.

I have a nice chunk of fish leftover, so tomorrow we will have fish tacos! I have some beans soaking, and some cream fermenting with a bit of buttermilk. Will make that into Mexican crema tommorow.

Not sure I need a storm next week. In fact, I am really sure I don't. Do we get to vote on this storm?

*susan*

auntienance

For those of you on the east coast, please be safe! Gettin' a little late for hurricanes. The weather here has been a little crazy, from 75 today down to 31 tonight.



Dinner tonight is chicken cacciatore with some Dreamfields pasta on the side and more garlic bread sticks.



Apple, your soup sounds delicious. I admire your ambition!

deborye

I stuffed a Mrs. Paul's Chicken Pot Pie in the oven when I got home from work around 6. He said, "didn't we have that B4?"  I said, "I don't know, WHY!"  He said, "Nothin just asking." Then a jeesh came after that. I gave him THE LOOK.  I must be in pissy mood cuz he always leaves the light on in the bathroom and I said, "I PAY THE ELECTRICITY, it would be nice if you would learn to shut off lights!!!"  nothin said by him. 

carolehalston

Garlic and rosemary pork loin.  A WW recipe that turned out really good.  Sauteed greens with garlic and grated nutmeg.  Small roasted sweet potatoes.  The secret with pork loin is not overcooking it.

auntienance

Carole, agree about the pork loin. Brining it helps a lot too.