So...whats for dinner?

Lacey12

Thanks Michelle!

The irony of DGS having such thick hair is that he also has the bald gene from both sides, (I gave it to my boys , DDIL passed hers on to him.....so maybe he might want to make a "piece" for the future from all his currently shorn locks.

So I guess pooches and little kids are at the mercy of the "adults" who raise them.

Don't let the pooch see herself in the mirror! Poor baby....



Great idea about the cat, Eric, but I'd have to move out! I think DH would too. I am allergic, and he is opposed to the feline idea. The cat would have a spacious home with an occasional mouse meal. This event does make me miss our little Lacey dog, who obviously intimidated any critters looking for shelter by her mere presence!

luvmygoats

Bet its a way to make haircuts less fearful for the wee ones.

I have my mother's BH&G red plaid cb I learned to cook out of and my own one I bought (or was given by her) almost 37 years ago when we were married. I treasure them both. I made many cookies out of hers along the way. Think I need to find something fitting to cook out of one of them for tomorrow. Tonight is easy Ragu spaghetti. I'll never finish this paperwork and it is beautiful outside; calling me.

auntienance

Awww Bedo, poor baby!



Eric, how clever of you!

What is the name of this miracle chemical?



My dog-eared cookbook is Joy of Cooking. In fact, I actually wore my first one out, which was ultimately replaced by DS.



Does anyone have How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman? I'm considering asking Santa for it.



Got the tree up and decorated in record time. We decided to put up just the top two sections instead of the whole thing (9 ft. tree) and set it on a low table, which worked just great. Just as I knew he would though, DH couldn't resist putting a couple of sentimental favorite ornaments on there which means when he takes it down, he'll have to dig out a whole separate storage box to put them away. The big ole softy :-)

LuvRVing

Santa Claus and Santa Paws - my smarty daughter's dog.  Her vet did pictures with Santa today for a donation to Toys for Tots.

susan_02143

Auntie, I think you are a too advanced cook for that book. It isn't a bad book, but lacks complex flavors. Some books just get some of a cuisine's flavor and others, the author really knows their own cuisine well. I would take the book out of the library before giving a book that much shelf space. It is huge and heavy! If you make it to Boston, you can have my copy. For a comprehensive, all cuisine, consider the Gourmet green book or the Essential New York Times Cookbook. Having cooked a lot from all three, I think those two are so much better.

Tonight I will make Pasta e Fagioli soup with some of the Thanksgiving turkey stock. Then I go into baking mode. I have two friends coming to "brunch" for a lamb dividing party. So tonight I will make the brioche so it can chill overnight. And some lovely scones. Not tell you what kind because she is probably reading this.

*susan*

auntienance

Thanks again Susan. I really don't need any more cookbooks but I read a review of his book and wondered about it. I will check out the other two though. I made pasta e fagioli last week too -- so satisfying.

I bet your scones are fabulous (not to mention brioche)!



Michelle, so cute! I so miss dogs . . .

debbie6122

Bedo- He still looks cute ;-))

Lacey- What an adorable GS you have is that your DD? she is very pretty!

Michelle- LOL what a cute picture you should make post cards out of them. Did you sit on Santa's lap yet? hehe! Congrats on your DD passing her test!

deborye

There is a Wilson's Farm in Lexington also.

deborye

Poor dog, LOLOL

carolehalston

I love my cookbooks.  If I were moving, they would go with me.  

Lacie, I have a mouse resident, too.  Or some critter than stole the cashew nut I left on the counter last night, behind the toaster oven.  I've been seeing droppings in that area.  I've set a trap in the same spot where the cashew was placed.  Nearby is a wicker tray with a loaf of bread, package of Engllish muffins.  I didn't see any evidence of a the mouse chewing through the plastic wrappers.  We had a mouse in the 5th wheel camper one summer, and the nervy little fellow got into our loaf of bread one night while we were still up and the lights were all on!  He must have been hungry.  We set a trap and caught him/her.

Eric, I have a large cookbook by America's Test Kitchen devoted entirely to cooking chicken.  Chicken is one of my favorite meats.

I planted two satsuma orange trees and 1 meyer lemon tree this afternoon.  My next planting will be some blueberry bushes.

Dinner tonight is warmed-up beef veggie noodle soup and salad. 

susan_02143

Wilson Farms is located in Lexington, MA and they also own land in Litchfield, NH. I try to go once a week to stock up on vegetables. They are so much better than the vegetables in regular supermarkets and a ton cheaper than Whole Foods. In the perfect world, I could go to Russo's in Watertown weekly, but it actually takes me longer to get there.

Soup was delicious. Threw in some parmesan rinds which adds such a nice underflavor.

*susan*

Lacey12

Nance, I do have that Bittman book and really like it a lot....however two issues....it does take up a lot of real estate, ...and it is not the most efficient cookbook for me to go to when I just want a quick recipe....(and this probably says more about me and my distractibility than it does about his book!) he has so much interesting info about every food topic, that I get sidetracked reading, and take forever getting to the recipe I was originally looking for! I find it really enjoyable reading the book....written in a very conversational style which I like. He also has a 3 page list at the end of the book about cookbooks he could not live without....really interesting!

I think Santa would find a good deal on this from amazon if you decide to get it....;) I don't recall that mine was very expensive.

I would like to be able to part with many of my cookbooks.....maybe when I can part with Xmas ornaments!

Lacey12

Susan, agreed....Russo's is a major pain to get to....but the crowds would defy that notion! They also don't have much organic produce there.....but lord is it fun shopping there, and the prices are good.



I never thought that Wilson Farms was that inexpensive in the olden days when I lived in Cambridge and Arlington and went there....of course I had no $$$$ then so probably everything seemed expensive..... and I am sure it is really fresh. We have a farm stand like that in our town that one of DS2's friends took over from his family. It is delightful and he and his sibs have made it a great place to shop......until you get to the cash register. I love this family, but have this penurious part of me that can't allow me to buy produce that is even more expensive than Whole Food's.They seem to be doing a booming business, so I suspect the younger affluents from surrounding suburbs are keeping them afloat, while I pay a rare visit for an unusual item Roche Bros doesn't have. I decided yesterday at Russo's that produce shopping is my drug of choice!

Kay_G

Hi everyone! Hope all is well. Just got back from the first high school basketball game of the season. DD is on the dance team and they dance at half time. I was very impressed with how well those kids played. Maybe I am easily impressed, but they looked professional to me.



I was impressed with myself too, I managed to cook salmon over spinach, mushrooms and garlic with roasted Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. All came out well.



Congrats to your DD Michelle. As a fellow CPA, I know the stress of that exam. I also passed on my first try. I think I was the only person in my firm to do that. Do they not allow you to take all the parts at one time any more?



Lacey, I understand the fear of mice. I am scared to death of them. I have to tell you a funny story. My son was ten and played ice hockey. The equipment bag smelled terrible with the sweat and everything, so he kept it in the garage. I was always after him to keep the garage shut, but they were always leaving th door open. He went to a game and was putting his skates on. He couldn't get his foot in the skate, so he turned it over and gave it a hard shake. Out fell a mouse. The kids were trying to get it with their hockey sticks. He was mortified. If they have mice at that rink, I guess it's all my fault.



I don't know how well they work, but Home Depot sells something you plug into an outlet that supposedly gives out a sound that people can't hear, but keeps mice and things away.

Kaara

All the stories about mice reminds me that when we bought the home we are in, we discovered it had a rat infestation in the attic.  The rats had been trapped but their mess was still there, so we threw a fit and the Seller had to pay to have it cleaned and sanitized.  I had difficulty going to sleep the first couple of nights after we moved in:(  Since we're in Fl we also get lizards in our house and sometimes it hard to tell the difference in the droppings...their's are pointed if anyone is interested (TMI)

Tonight we had a coupon 2 for one so we went to Smashburger for a hamburger and fries.  We first discovered this place in Denver on our way to skiing and I was thrilled when they opened up a franchise in our local area.  We commented that somehow it doesn't taste quite as good as the one we have on the way to our ski town...probably the altitude makes it better...LOL!

LuvRVing

We have a farmstand here in Salem that not only had beautiful veggies, flowers, fantastic corn on the cob, but it was far less expensive than the grocery store.  I was amazed by their low prices.  I can't say if it was organic, but it certainly was fresh.  I think their crops were planted in fields behind and across the street from the farmstand and I often saw them hauling a huge container across the street that was full of fresh produce.

It was hard to part with some of my cookbooks, but the reality is that unless I'm baking, I use Chef Google for recipe ideas.  My first look is usually foodnetwork.com.  And I have less than half the space I had - my kitchen has NO space for books.  I have a buffet in my dining space and I have some on the bottom shelf.  If you've been here, you know what I am saying! 

We had mice here last winter and I've seen signs in one of my storage areas.  They were here before we moved in - the landlord had set traps before we moved in.  They don't freak me out, they're just nasty.  When we moved into our MO house, we had mice the very first night!  And every winter afterwards, we had families.  One year we trapped the mom and eight babies!!!  Yucky! 

Blessings2011

I love Whole Foods, but any store that displays their produce like Tiffany's jewels, you know has to be expensive! 

We're lucky that we have so many Farmers Markets year-round here. Always something healthy and fresh to get.

We haven't had mice here, but a few years after we built our house we had rats in the back yard. BIG rats. Big HONKIN' rats.

Turns out the developer had built our fences up against the fences of the next development over (with a few inches in between), so there was this rat freeway that stretched all the way down the block.

Initially, they came into our yard to climb up the bird feeders to get to the food, but DH started setting those massive traps with peanut butter.

That year we caught 22 rats!!!!! 

Kay_G - I think they'd have to call 911 if I tried to put my foot in a shoe and there was a mouse in it......

chabba

We bought our first house from my in-laws.  It had an unfinished, partially daylight basement.  Once, before we bought it they had a rat get in through the open door when Pop had gone outside and left it open.  He tried trapping it but she was too smart.  One day he was soaking some things in the laundry tub and forgot to take it out when he did a load of clothing.  When he went down after they finished washing he found five baby rats, eyes still closed laid out on the bottem step.  Mom was gone.  It was as though she had said "This is no place for me to live, you killed my babies!"

When we lived there DH used the garage for his mail order aviation book business.  Sometimes we would get mice out there.  Our 7 lb. part Manchester Terrier would hunt them down and leave the bodies beside the waste basket.  Once a mouse got in and delivered her family under one of the shelving units.  She would not let anyone near the nest while the babies were still in it.  Once they were grown she caught and killed the whole family.  But then she was the consumate mother and would try to protect and care for the young of any species she encountered.  When a friends infant fussed while we were eating dinner she insisted the Mother take care of it.  Once she even tried to nurse some newly hatched chicks. 

Lacey12

Hopefully the last mouse post from me.....I'm not really fearful of them (I guess....not having seen one since I was a child) just grossed out by their "residue"... and in my kitchen where I cook!! The school I recently left was an old building with intermittent mice families taking up residence, and I used one of those sonar devices....had the only office where the mice did not keep showing up, and I have had one plugged in in the kitchen in our lake house, with the same good result... so I'm a believer, or at least a magical thinker! I left the one in my school office for the next person, (not anticipating our fate here)and hope it is still there to benefit my current replacement. I recently learned that the totally incompetent first replacement who was let go after two weeks of creating chaos, helped herself to several of the expensive curricular resources I'd left as well as a hand crafted one of a kind dollhouse a parent gave me to use with the kids. I would not be surprised if she took the mouse repeller also since I told her how it could be useful....leaving the current gal more likely to have a parade of Mickeys and Minnies. Hope not. I am still furious about the theft of the dollhouse, which I understand the kids really miss using.



I also use Chef Google for many new recipes I try these days....especially easy with the Ipad...so simple to have it right there on the counter...and no paper to print! So maybe I will be able to say goodbye to some cookbooks!

debbie6122

I have lots of cookbooks but havn't looked at them in a couple of years, not sure what to do with them, hate to just thow them away any suggestions? Being able to get recipes on line including betty crocker reecipes it is so much easier.

Laurie- How did your day go with your son's BD party? Hope you all had fun and you and your sons feel better!

Going to a friends house at 11 am for brunch tomorrow she asked me to bring bloody mary mix and the vodka since she loves my mix. (its spicy)  I put lots of horsradish, worcheshire, hot sauce, celery salt, lemon juice S&P garnish is, pickled green beans, olives, celery and peppadews. We just will have to go easy on the vodka. haha!

LuvRVing

Debbie - that's quite a bloody mary concoction!  I'll bet it's delicious!  If you want, you can donate the cookbooks to the Goodwill - they take almost anything and sell it to recyclers by the pound.  I was surprised when I talked to one of the workers - they said they would take "unwearable" clothing (think underwear) and "rags" because of how they sell stuff. 

Chabba - your terrier sounds like quite a dog!!!  I never really thought about dogs being "mousers" but I guess terriers are hunters so it makes sense. 

Lacey - it makes you wonder how that first replacement passed the backround check???

This afternoon I am going with my smarty-pants daughter to a "marshmallow rally" which will take us to the New Hampshire Speedway in Loudon to see their Christmas lights display.  Apparently there will be a "marshmallow social" at the dealership before we head out.  This should be fun - I wonder how many kinds of marshmallow treats they'll have!  DD bought a mini-cooper convertible a few months ago, a two-seater convertible, so DH will stay home and watch football while we head north.  And it's going to be a nice day for driving. 

bedo

ewww ewww ewww!  Love your Santa doggie Michelle

Last night I took some frozen whiting and dipped it in milk then bread crumbs, dill, red pepper flakes salt and pepper and baked it.  It was yummy!  I had it with baby carrots boiled then seasoned with salt and pepper, butter parsely and thyme.  Not much of a challenge for most of you, but I rarely cook real meals and now eat fish, so I felt like I was back in the 60's in Momma's kitchen.  Actually, she couldn't have done that.

the way I remember what to put on carrots is the Simon and Garfunkle song Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme. But I didn't have all of that

It was so good I think I'll have it again tonight!

carolehalston

Kay, love the mouse in the shoe story!  I can imagine that scene and it brings a big smile.  I caught our little intruder last night.  He/she will intrude no more.

Michelle, the mini-coopers are so cute.  We have quite a few around here.

Lacey, I'm appalled that a so-called professional would steal items that were there for the children's benefit.  I guess it would be too involved for the school to press charges and try to get the items back.

Debbie, I like bloody mary's but they go down so easily.  I find it challenging to sip them.  We used to make them with tomato juice with clam juice.  Then add some tomato hot sauce and celery salt. 

We'll be eating an early dinner at a restaurant tonight after a Christmas concert at 3pm. 

I bought some nice hardback recipe books at a Goodwill in SD this summer.  I think they were $2 each.  I didn't need them but I have a cookbook addiction.  I read them from front to back.  I print out or type and print my favorite recipes and have them in a big notebook.  I bought a 2nd notebook because the first one is about at capacity.

Recently I discovered we have Create channel.  Yesterday I watched Lidia prepare three pasta dishes and learned something from her.  She transfers her pasta into the big saute pan of sauce and finishes cooking the pasta in the sauce with additions of pasta water if the dish needs more liquid.  She doesn't drain the pasta, just grabs it with tongs.  If I didn't have to watch carb consumption, I could eat pasta once or twice a week and so could dh.  It isn't easy to eat a small portion because it tastes so good! 

auntienance

We had a terrier next door who would come into our yard and catch our moles. Good dog! Now we have a mastiff with the head the size of a basketball. As far as I can tell, he doesn't do anything but intimidate strangers (even though he's a sweetie pie). Good dog!



Debbie, that's my kind of bloody Mary. I feel that that particular drink should be an appetizer in a glass.

carberry

Debbie  Yum on the gourmet bloody mary...goes great with a brunch.

Funny stories on the mice and the doggies

Laurie Cant wait to hear how the birthday weekend went.  Hope you are all feeling better

Michelle  Cant imagine what fun they will cook up at that marshmellow festival.  was at bed bath and beyond yesterday and saw a marshmellow shooter... like a plastic water gun only for marshmellows.

Bedo  the fish sounds light and good...wish my DH would like it as much as I do, I would have it a couple times a week.Your DD dog is adorable no matter the haircut.

Lacey12

Michelle, nice day for the trip north. Have a great day! Love the Mini Coopers, especially the convertibles.
Hope Santa's Village weekend happened and was fun, Laurie.



Mini Schnauzers were used as "ratters" in Germany...I think that's why they were bred to be small and quick. Ours (we had three over 39 years) were jets running after squirrels in the backyard. Tho not so great for having the kindergarten hamster visit us for the weekend, many years ago!



The dirty little secret about the bad hire is that the person hiring was so smitten with something about the interviewee, who was full of pizzazz (and serious pathology in my clinical opinion which was ignored) that she irresponsibly never checked her references!! I learned that at the time she was being let go...from someone the hirer admitted it to. Now the "hirer" is supposed to be going after her for the stolen items, but she has yet to follow up with me about the outcome, after expressing initial outrage when I told her about the expensive missing items. I know she dislikes confrontation so she may avoid doing anything. I see this "hirer" at a holiday dinner later this week, so she will either update me or make something up to look like she's followed through if she dropped it. I have to get over it since I have no power to do anything effective about this...but it makes me so enraged. If people would just do their jobs responsibly! Guess it's good I'm no longer there.... Now the good news is that I am so pleased with the eventual good hire whose work I now supervise weekly. She is devoted to the kids and families, works well with staff, and is doing a wonderful job with compassion and integrity.



Now that the sun is back out, we'll go a tree hunting today.....

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends!

susan_02143

Brunch was fun, and mostly delicious. My husband pulled the brioche out of the fridge at 5am, but didn't wake me. He didn't know that it needed to be shaped so it sat in the plastic bucket for a couple of hours before I shaped. The results were a smidgen gummy, but somehow everyone was able to choke it down with one of the jams. It will be great for the next few mornings toasted since there is a bunch left. The lemon-ginger scones were perfect. I made a fruit salad and a yogurt-honey "thing." The eggs were baked in small ramekins rubbed with butter and parmesan cheese. Not perfect. I baked these and then turned on the broiler. In the past I have done this in a water bath on the stove top which gives a firm white and runny yolk. Again, I couldn't eat my eggs fast enough so they were delicious enough. Some sausage and bacon finished the offerings.

And yes, my guests did read last night's post so I was able to surprise her with the type.  [~~~~~ waving]

Dinner is my husband's 60th b-day celebration at Rendezvous. He and the kid are going to the Bond movie before we head to dinner.

*susan*

susan_02143

Rodents!!! Yuck. We have had rotating mice in the house for a number of years. The last bunch were sick. They lost all fear of humans. The even ran around the second and third floor of the house! Our cat caught those last two, and was dead within a week. This was the first time he had killed any of the mice. Since then, we have plugged all the holes in the foundation and we seem to be, at least for the moment, mouse free.

My dad was raised in the inner city core of Cleveland. His family didn't flee to the suburbs as part of the depression white flight. To this day, he likes his sandwiches cut into "Hobo Sandwiches." When they gave sandwiches to the men who came to the kitchen door, they were always cut into triangles. Anyhow, he had a terrier that was locked into his bedroom every night to kill the rats. That just makes me shudder.

*susan*

p.s. Lacey, that woman disgusts me, as does the hiring person.

Frapp

I have to BRAG that I was the guest at Susan's this morning. Her description does not begin to showcase her cooking talents which brought all these elements together into the most perfect brunch. And the delightful company enhanced it even more.........can we come back next Sunday?

auntienance

OMG Susan, the mice killed your cat??! Think they had been poisoned?



Happy birthday to Mr. 02143!