So...whats for dinner?

carolehalston

Monica, it speaks to your level of pain that you're celebrating having knee surgery!  Sure hope the surgery is successful and that you get relief.

Nance, what an interesting recipe.  Did you put all that together with uncooked linguine?  Or was it cooked in advance?

Bedo, hope your meal tasted good.  You had enough good ingredients to work with.  Playing an instrument must be very enjoyable and rewarding.  I'll bet you're better than you claim. 

Tonight I'm starting with Easter dinner preparations.  The first stage of home-made baked beans is cooking in the slow cooker:  2 lbs of navy beans, 2 large onions finely chopped, 3 garlic cloves, crushed, 3 smoked ham hocks, s & p, and paprika.  Tomorrow I'll add some other ingredients, including brown sugar, and bake the beans in the oven.  On Sunday I'll warm up the beans in the slow cooker. 

I'm boiling two smoked shoulder hams on Sunday morning and making a mac and cheese with wheat macaroni.  I'm thinking I'll break down and buy some velveeta to add creaminess. 

Tonight dh and I will forage.  We're enjoying being "home alone" after a houseguest for several days.  I may make myself some popcorn. 

auntienance

Here are the proportions:

15 oz. diced tomatoes  with juice

4 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

12 oz linguini (dry)

1medium onion julienned   

1small green pepper julienned 

4 cloves garlic  thinly sliced

1/4tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tbs evoo

1  bunch basil (about 10-12 leaves) chiffonade

Salt to taste

Grated parmesan

Note: I doubled the tomatoes and reduced the broth to 3 cups.

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic and peppers in a large pot. Pour in broth. Sprinkle pepper flakes, oregano and half the basil on top. Drizzle with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low simmer and cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated (or however juicy you like it). I had more liquid because of the extra tomatoes, which I liked.  Adjust seasonings. Top with remaining basil and parm.

And that's it!

auntienance

It looks like this

carolehalston

That's very pretty!  I'll save that recipe.

Moonflwr912

sounds good. Looks pretty too. 

Much love to all. 

bedo

Oh my Goodness, Yum!

I winged it

It was OK with a lot of doctoring

I must do it the right way!

Thanks!!

Lacey12

Nance, interesting dish! Do you suppose when I make one of my repetitive vegetable bean soups that if I add the parmesan rind, I am breaking my dairy elimination?! ;/. At every corner I find this dairy elimination thing soooo frustrating. Deciding if I should pack up a vial of almond milk to bring to the neighborhood coffee tomorrow morning. That feels so absolutely weird!

The banana/date/walnut bread I made w/o milk last night was delicious.....but....it had a whole stick of margarine in it....certainly not good for one's health!! Next time I'll use a recipe that calls for milk and just sub with the almond milk.

Still unclear about Easter dinner menu here...too little pressure with just feeding us and DS2. Will hit the store tomorrow to get inspired....have to, they are closed Easter Sunday!

Nite all......

eric95us

They had frozen turkeys on sale today for 49 cents per pound, so I bought one "just because" and I cooked it this afternoon.  We didn't eat any of it.  Instead I am freezing it in plastic bags so there is stuff to eat if none of us feel like cooking.  The bones are being boiled to make soup and tomorrow I'll get the pressure canner out so I can save the soup without taking up freezer space.

Moon, I agree that your knee must be hurting if you're looking forward to *MORE* surgery. 

Deb, those are great pictures!   I'm glad you're feeling better.   Quilts are awesome gifts.

Lacey, those food avoidance "tests" are no fun.  I did allergy testing and the food avoidance stuff...the allergy tests were much easier.

Bedo, what did you come up with for a soup?  That used to be a common thing of mine...."what can I make with...."   When I was in college.  Some of the stuff was pretty good, some was, well..... I still smile when I think about Mickey (Denice) scrunching up her nose and making a face, while...with an indescribable tone of voice, "When we have company over, let's not make this."  And then we'd both laugh.  

Nance, that looks good.. Thank you for posting the recipe.

I know I forgot some folks. I get so far behind that it's hard to catch up.  My apologies.  I know someone (Special?) asked about the Jasmine rice recipe.  In a minute, I'll get the recipe out and pass it along.....

Eric

eric95us

Jasmine Rice and Chicken Salad

I toast a 1/2 cup of pine nuts in a small skillet with a little bit olive oil.  I basically heat the skillet until the oil is shimmering and then toss in the nuts and keep stirring until they look like toasted bread.  I dump the nuts out on a paper towel and let them set.  I've never been able to do anything else while toasting the pine nuts...even stopping stirring for 10 seconds ends up burning the pine nuts. 

I slowly cook a couple of pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a dutch oven.  I used to poach the chicken, but the dutch oven seems to do a good job as well and the dutch oven is easier to clean.  After the chicken is cooked, it gets shredded...I aim for a quart of shredded chicken.  For what it's worth, I've tried using chicken thighs, but I don't like the taste as much as I do with the chicken breasts.

I finely chop two large onions and saute them, in a pot with a couple of
tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of sugar, until they are soft.
I constantly stir this so it doesn't get scorched.

Once the onions are soft, I add 1-1/2 cups of chicken broth, 1-1/2 cups of water, and 2 cups of Jasmine rice.  The instructions on the rice bag...bring to boil and simmer covered until some...work for me...so far this has always taken about 20 minutes.

I put a 1/2 cup of olive oil, a 1/2 cup of rice vinegar and a teaspoon or so of salt in a large bowl and stir until the salt is dissolved..  I then add the rice, shredded chicken and toasted pine nuts and mix it all together with the oil and vinegar.  I then stir in some grapes and *finely* chopped cilantro.  When there are grapes on the vine outside, I use them, otherwise I use whatever (red or green) is cheapest.

The day after I made the chicken rice salad, I got a phone call while I was on the way home.

"Dad, are you going to cook tonight?"

"No.  The plan was to eat the left over rice and chicken salad."

"I ate it all."

"There was a couple of pounds left."

"I had some at lunch too."

"There's a couple of pounds of pork.

"I ate that too."

"The meatloaf?"

"It's gone and I ate the hot dogs too.  There were only 5 left."

"!???!!!!?????"  :-)

"I'm too tired to cook and mom says she's that way too."

"Dad,  P l e a s e ! ! ! !    I'm starved." 

carolehalston

Eric, funny conversation with your DD!  She sounds like a teenaged boy!  I had asked for the recipe.  It sounds very good.  I recently bought a small sack of brown jasmine rice that is grown in Louisiana.  Haven't cooked any yet.

eric95us

Since DD started swim practice again, she eats a ton of food.  

Sorry Carole....I remembered the request, I just couldn't find or remember the who part.

I left the turkey bones simmering all through the night.  I've strained out the "chunks" and now I'm letting it cool so I can skim off the fat..and later today I'll get the canner out.   I have almost a gallon of stock, so it will make up quite a few pint jars.  

Today my mom is 96.  She likes to watch and help where she can, so I'll probably take the stock, canner and a portable stove to her place and do it there while I work around her house. The canner has the jiggle weight so I can just listen while I do other stuff.  We'll have her over tomorrow for dinner.

Eric

auntienance

Happy birthday to your mom Eric! Question, how did you thaw a turkey and cook it in one day?

auntienance

Grilled brats, oven frIes and a salad with feta dressing for dinner. 

It's beautiful here for the next several days, highs in the 70s, lows in the 50s. I'm afraid to hope that this might truly be spring. The birds sure seem to think so!

eric95us

I pit it, frozen, into the oven at 325 F and after about an hour, I can do a spice/butter rub.  In another hour it's thawed enough to remove the neck and giblets...and in another hour or so, I can place the meat thermometer.

I can't do stuffing, so this is just for when I want turkey.

It takes about a third longer to cook from frozen and I have to cover the wings and drum stick tips with foil.

luvmygoats

We're having the bean stuffed bell peppers finally. I cooked the "rice beans" forever last night. They had been in the pantry forever so no doubt extremely dry. The recipe called for 1 c dry beans to stuff 8 med to large tomatoes (DH won't eat tomatoes like that so peppers is the alternate). No way is that going to stretch for even the 6 peppers I have even with onions added to it. So I will cook some Rose brown rice to add to it. I have 1 large bag and a portion of another. I stock up when I go to a little health food store north of us - only bad thing is when I get there means my car has gone into the Chevy dealer shop there - boohoo.

So last night ended up spaghetti/sauce since the beans were still softening/softening. I have never made real sauce, just bottled Ragu/Classico/Prego. Seems the Ragus I liked I can't find. Had a Prego that sounded good but very bland. There's a Classico in pantry with basil. I don't have good luck with herbs except mint or I would grow my own. Overwintered a pot that is slowly coming back. Have east facing back porch with plenty of sun on southern edge. I did buy sage seeds yesterday. Not sure what that urge came from. My lilliput zinnias in a pot are sprouting. Haven't checked the fruit trees but the tender vege. on shrubs did get frosted last week. Looks like it also got some flowering weeds, not a bad thing.

I have a ham steak and new potatoes for tomorrow with sugar snap peas. Just DH and me. Our grocery closed also.

Eric - I noticed one grocery with turkeys on sale. Is it getting a little warm there to cook something that long? I think the end of next week predicting near 90 here.

luvmygoats

Laurie - I have forgotten to tell your how sorry I am about your MIL. I think by now you've left for FL. I hope you and kids have recovered from illness and though a sad time hope you and your DH are able to reconnect with family. Hoping the boys are on their best behavior but know that is exactly when behaviors are challenging. My prayers are with you that this week goes smoothly as possible in the circumstances.

Happy BD to your MIL Eric. How is she doing these days?

Lacey - I fear I would not do well on dairy elimination. I would be careful with the parmesan rind. Just wouldn't want you to have to restart or repeat if that bit compromises it. Is cheese itself allowed? And then I don't really know what the goal of the elimination is - symptom reduction? - which I think you said as far as gastric you had none. Not sure what gen. symptoms dairy allergy causes (except those with extreme which of course you don't have).

Moonflwr912

LMG, the classic is what I use. I like it the best. It's 40 here today. Every now and then we get a day of 60 and everyone is outside with no coats! LOL

Nance that sounds good!  I think Spring is around the corner but I think she's walking backwards for a bit. LOL

Eric I sometimes just get a turkey breast and drumsticks and don't bother with the whole bird. Oh, and when daughters were spending 20 or more hours a week in dance teaching and practicing,  they ate very well too. 

Carole that brown jasmine rice sounds interesting. I like brown rice. Hmmmm

Lacey, hope inspiration struck! LOL

Bedo hope the soup you made was great!

Minus, I didn't know Coldwater Creek was closing. I loved the styles but there wasn't a store anywhere close and I shop sparingly on the internet. 

Much love and either Have a good Passover or New Moon or Easter! 

Lacey12

Moon, really got a kick out of your Spring walking back wards comment!  

Also appreciate your inclusive wishes for this holiday weekend.

Yes, Moon, I got inspired...sometimes work best under pressure. Decided lamb w/o having to do a roast, so we will be having Greek inspired lamb and veggie kabobs grilled (in at least 55 degree weather) by DH, yay!  Accompanied by asparagus, roasted, mashed squash, and rice pilaf. Bought some shrimp for appetizer, and picked up eclairs for dessert....before remembering I can't eat them. At least dH and DS2 will enjoy them, and I'll have some fruit.  

LMG, yes this dairy free life is for the birds....especially for a foodie! Today at the neighborhood gathering, got to eat a few strawberries, grapes, and black coffee since I forgot to bring my vial of almond milk,  LOL (it was actually really good coffee, so I didn't even mind it black). I will clearly mind living like this for very long, since my itching has not stopped, and I have no other symptoms related to dairy ingestion. DH is actually more fed up with it than I....methinks he is worried that he will become dairy free by proxy. Haha!

Eric, got a kick out of the father/DD dialogue.   Happy BD to your mom. She sounds hardy as a 96 year old!

auntienance

I used to like Barilla when I use bottled sauce. I try to keep a jar on hand for pasta emergencies lol. I find that I have to spice it up quite a bit to suit me. Since I got the giant cans of San Marzano tomatoes at Costco, I've had lots of sauce on hand. It's so easy to make and tastes so much better, I may never be able to be satisfied with the already made stuff. Not  judging though, I've used plenty of it in my time, especially when I was working.

I was plenty busy today planting some herbs and cleaning up around the house. I even managed to watch a ballgame some. I got all the fixings together for tomorrow's brisket with onions that I'll start in the slow cooker before church. Tomorrow I'll make deviled eggs, scalloped potatoes and asparagus for our dinner.  Just the two of us, so there will be lots of brisket leftover. That's a good thing. I've been wanting beef potpies, which I'll probably do via the handpie thing.

Happy holidays to everyone and don't eat the heads off too many chocolate bunnies.

bedo

Eric I made Nancy's dinner, but now I have the proportions right and will make it again

Today put in one hour of community time at the garden, then finished weeding my plot and went to Home Depot to buy organic topsoil, and beet, spinach, kale, sugar snap peas and catnip seeds to put in tomorrow.

Will have Sunday dinner with a friend and friends and their families.

I LOVE not working.

There are so many things that I want to learn. Spanish, more things for my work, and fiddle tunes including more theory to name a few. I joined the Appalachian Club and plan on doing a lot of hiking, kayaking and biking this summer.

There is never enough time.

Will have to learn to make low fat trail mix.  The store bought is so expensive and filled with sugar. Anyone have any suggestions?

(Or I'll just bring fruit)

Everyone have a great day tomorrow and if you have Monday off too, all the better.

eric95us

Bedo, when I hike rim to rim, and back, of the Grand Canyon, I eat beef jerky and dried banana chips...and drink tons of half strength Gatorade.

Full strength Gatorade for that long seems to be a bit "harsh" on my stomach...but 1/2 strength, plus the other stuff, works well.  No hypothermia nor "stomach bouncing".

luvmygoats

The bean/rice stuffed peppers turned out great. I had more than enough stuffing for 2 giant red and 2 giant orange ones. The green ones don't agree with me too much and I think the red/orange ones are higher in vit. C. Parboiled 1/2s for 3 minutes, stuffed, baked covered 350 about 40 minutes, sprinkle with a little Mex. cheese. I used 1 c dry beans (cooked), 1 c brown rice (cooked). Sauteed in good amt of olive/grapeseed oil 1 huge sweet onion, 4 cloves garlic (cheat, use bottled stuff), Szeged chick. seasoning, salt, 3 tsp of sofrito which I couldn't even find in there, a hunky squeeze of cilantro in a tube. Added beans/rice back in and let simmer just a bit mostly to get beans hot again. These were a little smaller than navy beans but that would work fine. DH said per his usual that I could add hamburger and I said no it was meatless on purpose. Hint-Hint he may see more meatless stuff.

I almost wish I could go 1/3s of a CSA but none are convenient this far out. And with our drought prob. not local food but actually North Texas is a bit better, not West Tex. though. There is a food co-op that comes about 10 miles away called "Bountiful Baskets". They are not just in Texas. Anyone ever used them? I do have a church friend that does but she has 3 kids + DH to eat it up. It appears you do not have to participate every week. I'll have to ask her more next week. We do need to eat more produce but I have the very bad habit of letting it go bad in refrig.

Moonflwr912

HOPPY SPRING!

eric95us

Spring was last week.

Had a ham for Mom's birthday and Easter. Now I can't drink enough water... :-)

Sharon is playing the guitar until we have room for some cake.

I am freezing the bone for beans.....

carolehalston

Happy Birthday to your mom, Eric! 

Your stuffed peppers sound good, LMG.  I've done a similar stuffing with the brown rice and beans, but black beans, and seasoning.  Your dh has a point.  LOL.  Some ground beef or Italian sausage is pretty good in that stuffing. 

Today was a beautiful day.  Just about perfect as far as the weather was concerned.  We had 12 assorted family members at my mother's house for noon dinner.  Enough carbs for the rest of the year along with ham.  I have a ham bone in the freezer, too, Eric! 

Tomorrow's dinner will include asparagus.  I have 2 lbs in the veggie drawer.  I keep seeing it on sale and buy more! 

Nance, hope that Spring has arrived in your neighborhood.  We'll be in the 80's this next week.

Hi to Carrie and Debbie and Deb and Chabba and other folks who haven't checked in lately. 

lexi4

Happy Easter to all. I haven't posted too much, but think of you all and keep my bc sisters in my prayers.

I had a nice Easter with family and am now relaxing with my feet up (in heels most of the day) and it feels great

Hugs,

Lexi

MinusTwo

Dinner was roasted - big chunks of chicken breast, fingerling potatoes, carrots & onions tossed in olive oil, white wine & spices.  I tripled the carrots this time but can't ever seem to get enough - so left over chicken & potatoes only.  It was 84 today & I'm trying to delay turning on the A/C so this may be my last oven dinner for awhile.  

Eric - I agree about the thirst after ham.  I had a can of "Senate Bean Soup" the other day that someone gave me from the US Capitol.  It was over 1000 mg of sodium and boy was I swollen the next day.

Moonflwr912

LMG o use almost the same stuffing for squash both summer and winter. When the kids when  through the veggie phase I used the veggie ground bits in there. Maybe your DH would be happy with that? Don't tell him the first time. I used them in spaghetti too. Also chili. LOL

It was a beautiful day today. It got to 60! Yay! Sun was shining. I just had a sweater on. So nice not to drag out the big coat.  Typical April for us. Probably snow tomorrow. LOL that pretty typical too. 

Went out to eat brunch today. No kids were able to come today. That's life. But yesterday my oldest and his wife painted the Family room. So had a big mess but got most of it put back together. That's 2 rooms done. It hadn't been painted in over 10 years. New wall sconces too. The big one will be dining and living room. Not looking forward to that. It's been over 15 years for that one..... LOL 

Eric I love ham and will have to buy one on sale to cook just for my DH and me.  I love bean soup from the bone. 

Minus, I love the veg in pot roast. I will eat the carrots and potatos. You can keep the roast!! 

Hi Lexi!

Carole I wish I liked asparagus but no. LOL

Much love to all. 

eric95us

Senate Bean Soup.  I wonder if that is the source of the senators' hot air.  

Lacey12

Hahaha, Eric!

Our dinner for three was shrimp cocktail, then lamb kebabs with tons of veggies, rice pilaf, a big salad and eclairs for dessert for those able to eat dairy! I snuck some chocolate later.....dairy be damned!

Carole, I've been doing the same stockpiling of asparagus.

So this morning we are venturing down to Copley Square to meet DS2 at the building his firm owns at the Marathon finish line. They are having an event to celebrate the renewed spirit and pride in the event and view the runners finishing their race. Last year the windows were blown out of the first four floors, but fortunately and amazingly, everyone eventually got out unharmed. Obviously security in the area is extremely tight. I hope we can make it to our destination! It's a beautiful day here.