So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Fettuccini Alfredo with some leftover asparagus thrown in for contrast. Also some cheese garlic bread.

Lacey12

Wow, Monica, what a strikingly handsome cat! Not into cats at all, (allergy doesn't help)but can appreciate their beauty. We seem to have a ton of neighborhood cats who frequent our yard since we have a lot of birdbaths, thus birds.

Yes, Special, the kindergarteners' lack of filter (I decided not to use that term...tho it is exactly what I meant;) just makes them so very interesting, genuine, and amusing!

Tonight I made a chicken vegetable ragu of sorts and had it over microwaved spaghetti squash...along with a persian cuke salad.  It was yummy and I think, low calorie. I defeated any virtue that I was feeling, however, when I downed a big bar of chocolate afterwards. Oh well!

Special, I love that your DD is restoring/reusing some of her DGF's furniture. I still have some pieces with special meaning from my family and extended family homes....nothing of great value other than sentiment and function. My sons have not taken a thing given their penchants for "modern". Goodwill will be a very full store when we depart!

eric95us

I'm not sure what will happen with all the stuff at my mom's house.  Everything, and I mean everything, in the house is a several generations old family heirloom.  Being that mom is 96, several generations goes back to older than the US Civil War.  I would love to save everything, but neither my brother nor I have room for an entire house full of stuff and there really aren't any relatives to "help out".

What I would like to have would be the "shadow box" of my dad's military decorations, insignia and the folded flag that covered his coffin...and a ship's bell that my mom got from somewhere.  

That bell, when struck "with feeling", could be heard for over a mile in the quiet countryside where I grew up and was used to call my brother and I home for dinner.

Lacey12

Sweet family memory, Eric. Loved those free play times as children, being rounded up for dinner.

M0mmyof3

no more leftovers in the fridge, so its time to dive in the freezer to see what i'm in the mood for

Redheaded1

Eric, if you have paper memorabilia (letters, diaries, etc) or other Civil war era and earlier, please please contact your State Archives before disposing of it.  I am a genealogist and anything like that where family doesn't want it should be preserved.  Also old bibles where dates are recorded, etc. 

Gals, the only mashed potatoes I have frozen are Bob Evans ones from the refrigerator case.  They do pretty good if you use them within a month or two.

What a beautiful kitty and how lucky you found each other.  I'd love for my next cat to be a great big tomcat.   We have a feral black one in the neighborhood hat lets me sometimes rub his tummy, but rarely.  He surfaces on occasion and isn't neutered, which is something I"d like to be able to correct.   If he'd come in, I'd certainly let him  and we could take it from there.  Last winter, the neighbor and I made "cat houses" (no pun intended,) hoping he would find shelter.  Somehow he survived the winter, but we don't really think he ever went in either one of them. 

 

Redheaded1

Luvmygoats--- I forgot.  I have made twice baked potatoes and frozen them successfully.

 

M0mmyof3

Decided to make meatloaf for tonight.

eric95us

My mom had a clandistine diary from a POW (relative) at Andersonville (Civil War).  We stopped there and mom gave it to one of the park service folks and told them it was there's if they wanted it.  The lady's hands started shaking as she read it.

They wrote to mom and said that the information contained in the diary agreed with their records and that there was no doubt that it was "the real thing".

So yes, that kind of stuff will be preserved...

I've always said that when someone really old dies...that it's like a library burning down.

Lacey12

I recently saw something on a food segment where Martha Stewart was making creamy mashed potatoes that could be saved....but not remembering if it was just in the fridge or also in the freezer. Anyway, the basic thing she emphasized was to make them creamy with heavy cream or sour cream to maintain the texture. I wonder if that would also help them hold up in the freezer?

auntienance

Well Crap. I'm sitting here at the x Ray department waiting to pick up the films of my little toe that I apparently fractured a couple of days ago. Then it's off to the ortho doc to get fitted with a boot. Not the way I had planned to spend my day.

I had planned to make lamb shanks with white beans today, but instead, I'm sitting here waiting. Crap.

For what it's worth, I've had better luck freezing mashed potato if they were made with baked potatoes (less moisture I suppose) and lots of cream and butter.

eric95us

With DD around, I've never had any need to freeze mashed potatoes.  :-)

SpecialK

eric - OMG - my DH just brought the dinner bell back from his parents - it was mounted outside the back door at the house they grew up in - DD was planning to ask if she could take it!!!  What a prophetic post!  We had a hand bell (I have it now) that my mom used to ring to call us to dinner, she also would put it by our beds when we were sick and we could ring it to summon her.  Does your DD have any sentimental attachment for her grand's things?  Might be worth storing some of them.  I now wish I had kept more of my folk's things - but they were in California and I was in Virginia, so it was problematic - I did crate the desk and dining set and bring them east, and the usual suspects - china, crystal, etc.

moon - love the gorgeous cat!  Thanks for stepping in for the daily critter!

lacey - my kids still have no filter, lol!

auntie - oh no!  I broke my toe within an hour of arriving in Italy in '09, broke another right after chemo when I dropped a wrought iron plant stand on them, I feel for you! 

 

luvmygoats

Turns out I didn't need to freeze any mashed potatoes. The pot I used held 5 med. potatoes, enough for last night and tonight. That's about all my hand could peel anyway. I need to get another ergonomic peeler, seems one is always in the dishwasher. I guess DH will get leftover frozen turkey from that breast I cooked late in the summer. I need to decide on a recipe for the squash saute. I have acorn, yellow and zucchini and just about anything to go in them. I'll probably just dice up (though I think you have to precook the acorn just a tad in the micro - it has a sticky tag) in large chunkys and add in some jarred roasted red peppers. I'll like it but DH prob. not so much.

Mmmm - meatloaf. Ground beef has gotten so high. Remember when it was a cheap dinner? My grocery always has had a day old meat bin. I'm really choosy about what I buy and either it gets cooked that night or promptly frozen. Been about 3 weeks I could not find the bin and I was too embarrassed to ask about it. Finally found it again earlier this week. That's usually where I get large pkgs of ground beef and split them up. Albertsons here also has a bin though has not been as fruitful as my local grocer. But is where I picked up the pork cutlets we had last night.

Sorry about your toe Nancy. I thought the only help for toe fx was strapping it to neighbor. You say toe, do you mean a little farther up in the foot? My anatomy fails me but I think that is still technically "toe". Hoping you boot keeps your foot warm.

Eric - I have antiques but certainly nothing to compare to your mom's diary. Mine are mostly glassware and household things. I do have a platform rocker that was my GGM's and a very old carved cedar chest that was her's as well.

MinusTwo

Eric - I lived in a CA suburb but my Mom had a big, old, hand school bell the she would ring when we had to come home in the evenings or for dinner.  I have the bell now.

And Special - we also got a bell by our bed to ring when we were sick.  Not the school bell since it's too heavy for kiddos to lift easily, but a special bell.  Everyone I ever told about this thought it was horrible that we would ring a bell to summon our Mom like a maid, but it really wasn't that way.  We had a two story house and it was impossible to call that distance.  I didn't mind being sick occasionally.  We got ginger-ale and could listen to the stories on the radio (we didn't have a TV until I was 12 - and then only one in the den).  I played with my paper dolls and Mother always made home-made clay with flour & salt & water.  I spent hours cutting out fake cookies & making fake animals.

lacey - my 44 year old son has no filter either.  Usually that's good & I'm proud of him calling it like it is, but sometimes it can be annoying.

Nance - Ouch.  Good luck w/the boot.  Do you even remember how you broke the toe?  I sprained my ankle one time turning off the alarm clock.  Really embarassing. 

Dinner will be something with sour dough mini-baguettes.  They are so good I've just eaten them w/butter the last two days.

carolehalston

Nance, sorry about the broken toe.  Lamb shanks and white beans sounds so-o-o good! 

Dinner tonight will be shrimp scampi (olive oil, butter, grated lemon peel, lemon juice, fresh garlic) and linguini.   Sprinkle of Italian cheese, romano, asiago, or parm reg.  The side will be microwaved  broccoli and cheese sauce from a bag.  I had a taste for sautéed greens but didn't make it to Fresh Market.

Just told dh he would have to peel the shrimp.  I had a manicure today!  AND a pedicure.  Fortunately, no broken toe on either foot! 

M0mmyof3

Meatloaf was wonderful. Enough leftover for another night's dinner! Made the meatloaf a bit different than I usually do. I had two packages of the Lipton's dry soup mix (veggie and onion mushroom), so I threw them in with the meatloaf mix.

eric95us

..it is a decent sized (a foot across the big end) bell....

auntienance

I broke it ramming it into an immovable object. Stupidly clumsy.  Luv, apparently where the break is and how displaced the toe is determines whether you get the boot or not. If it's too displaced I think it can impact blood flow or something. Anyway, as it turns out, mine is only mildly displaced and the ortho guy thought I could get by with the tape. So that's what I got. Yay for no boot!  Unfortunately, I can't get a pedicure for 4-6 weeks. And I really need one. I'm envious Carole!

Lacey12

Yes, Eric, I'd say that qualifies as a VERY decent sized bell indeed!  Speaking of bells....in my last job, I had outside duty before classes started in the AM and our school yard had a huge field behind it where the kids would run around before the school bell rang. My job was to corral them and place them in orderly lines to enter the building. Well, getting the kids who were out in the field was quite a challenge, so I found a large brass bell in my hutch and used that each morning to summon the little buggers while saving my voice.......worked like a charm! I always thought that I was bringing a bit of 50's nostalgia with the introduction of that bell. What is funny is the town I worked in was culturally kind of stuck in the 50s in many ways, so no one ever minded my bell a bit!

Nance, I hope your toe heals quickly! Drat!  And hope you got to make your lamb dinner, albeit rather late.

We had lamb burgers tonight and instead of using feta on them, I used some ricotta salata whichI bought  yesterday for the first time. I think feta has a more distinct flavor, which I prefer.

Today I enjoyed meeting the K classes I will be "working" in. And the teacher is a riot! She says and does many humorous/novel things to keep the kids' attention....and clearly enjoys them a lot. They are active groups...and so academically skilled...but my piece (social/ emotional skill development) is clearly needed. The teacher is thrilled about my being there, especially with her morning class which she has solo, with a lot of high needs.

That "filter" business is such a tight rope walk between being authentic, socially aware, and able to use "restraint". Some of my most delightful and gratifying lessons with 4th graders was teaching them the concept of and ways to practice restraint ( in the context of a bullying program I developed for them, 'cause they needed it!!). My only hope is that at least some of them remember to use it! 

Lacey12

Do people get pedicures in the winter in cold climates? Am totally ignorant about this. I don't get them at all (it's a "skeeve" thing) ever, but strip my feet polish for the winter since my socks do not mind that look a bit!

Nance, that sounds like a good Dx for you...and hopefully it will heal quickly!

auntienance

Lacey, I get them in the winter. I have a pair of pedi socks that are toeless. My feet are "high maintenance" (more like hooves really) and I need someone to take care of them, especially in the winter.

carolehalston

Lacey, we never put away our sandals here in the south.  It might be socks and shoes for a week or two and then back to sandals.  My main purpose in getting a pedicure is having my toe nails trimmed evenly and painted with nail polish.  It's not easy to apply the polish myself any more and I don't do a great job.  I get a manicure occasionally to have an expert trim the cuticles and shape the nails.  The polish never lasts since I use my hands a lot.  It's rather indulgent.  I enjoy the hot wax treatment.  And we have nail salons staffed by Vietnamese with very reasonable prices.  The salons do more pedicures than manicures. 

I don't think our schools have a professional who does what you do with classes of children.  It sounds like a marvelous thing for children to have someone work with them on social skills. 

Redheaded1

This is my favorite weekend of the year-  The first Saturday in November, our Local Hungarian Club (you have to Hungarian Descent to be a member) has a Hungarian Sausage Dinner.  I snagged tickets on Tues and the guy told me if I came by the club tonight, I could buy some for the freezer--- I said, I thought I had to wait until Sat. since I am not a member---he said, come around 4pm cause I don't know if there will be any left by Sat.  So my Dad and I went and got some.  I was dumb--I bought mine in big packages. My dad (87) was smart, he bought two smaller packages.  His could go straight into his freezer and will be enough for one with leftovers.   Mne has to be broken into smaller packages to be sized right...... (note to self for next year).

There is tons of garlic and paprika in it.  Its really an acquired taste and you either love it or your intensely dislike it.   On Tuesday, I said, I can smell it already and guy told me, HOney I just got done grinding up all the garlic, that's what you smell.....I love GARLIC....

So Sat dinner will be Hungarian Sausage, Wheat Bread, mashed potatoes with brown gravy greenbeans and applesauce.  And leftovers that I eat cold for breakfast..... 

eric95us

I love it.

The place I bought it (made in the back room of the shop) closed after 55 years in business.

I have been looking for another similar place, but have had no luck.

Lacey12

That sausage sounds great, Red! Love all the ethnic regional offerings we learn about on our humble little thread!

Nancy, you made me guffaw....sort of a hee haw! I have yet to need my feet care to be "outsourced" except for a collapsed arch that requires very expensive orthotics and check ups with a podiatrist. When it first collapsed after a bad surgery, I had to wear a big high plastic custom foot brace for 8 months in some very ugly black sneakers. I hated it but was desperate. At the end when the doc saw the correction he was shocked/pleased.....told me he never saw anyone be that compliant wearing the darn brace. Ha! Glad I did. So my feet get care with expensive, supportive shoes and self-done pedicures..... So far. ;/

Carole, you just reminded me, I purchased a wax bath machine for my hands when I was being treated for terrible carpal/metacarpal pain. Two weeks after I got it, I got my BC Dx, and the focus totally shifted to surviving a full-time work schedule and BC treatment! I had forgotten how nice that felt when the OT used it. I seem to recall using plastic gloves before dipping....or am I mistaken? I must heat that thing up, and relieve some of this constant hand pain.  I do admire a nice manicure on others' hands, but mine would last about five minutes! 

As I write this I am getting flooded with reminders of spa and mani/pedi gift certificates that are going to waste.....probably expired. Next time I get one, I should just give it to someone uses those services. 

carolehalston

Lacey, you dip your bare hands and feet in the hot wax 3 or 4 times and wait a few minutes before removing the waxy glove that forms.  I admire you for being supple enough to give yourself pedicures.  You should try using those gift certificates yourself. 

Last night I cooked a whole lb. of fettucini and used about half or less for dinner.  So tonight I'll make a different sauce, this one with Italian sausage, leek, and mushroom and combine it with the leftover pasta and grated cheese.  I have colored bell peppers so could use some sliced peppers, too.  Would be pretty and dh would like it.  He's big on the colored bell peppers. 

The Hungarian sausage sounds good.  I would definitely try it if given the opportunity.  What is the Hungarian name?

Does anyone else have a tendency to buy a food item impulsively MORE THAN ONCE!  I checked my pantry recently and found 3 little packets of sesame seeds!  And 2 packets of star anise!  I obviously had watched cooking shows using these ingredients prior to buying them.  I have never used either one in a dish.  Obviously I plan to do so!  I'll have to search one of those cooking sites where you plug in ingredients to get recipes using those ingredients. 

Susan, are you back home?  We're Susan's-Cooking deprived!

Off to lunch today with my 91-yr-old mother.  Nance, you would love to join us because we'll be eating seafood.  Crab cakes or thin catfish filets or shrimp or oysters.  Maybe some combination!

auntienance

Carole, here's a recipe for colored peppers that's really quick and delish:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Parme...

As far as lunch, take me!

auntienance

I put some of the pickled peppers I made with our colored garden peppers on a salad last night. Wow, were they good. They're in a combo of olive oil and vinegar and tons of garlic. Next year I plan to purchase a pressure canner to preserve them. The few jars I made this year are refrigerated.

Lamb shanks today!

carolehalston

Nance, that recipe looks really good.  I'll have to make it.

Lunch was delish.  My mother and I shared a seafood platter with crispy thin catfish, oysters, shrimp and a crab cake.  Cole slaw, garlic fries, buttered and toasted French bread, and hush puppies.  Dessert was a "help yourself"  small cone of soft-serve vanilla  ice cream.  We left the restaurant with a Styrofoam box. 

Understandably, I'm not hungry tonight but I made a pretty sautéed medley of shitake mushrooms, orange bell pepper, green onions, garlic, halved grape tomatoes, and garlic to spoon over warmed-up linguine.  Dh will be in heaven.