So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Susan, I'm sorry about the markers, but hell no, don't cancel the trip. If you feel well enough to do it, go for it! The cooking day sounds delightful.

Tonight was steak and soba noodle stir fry, although I over cooked the skirt steak enough to make it fairly chewy. Tasty, nonetheless.

MinusTwo

Bedo - love the little trailer. That will be a great trial before you decide whether to buy. When do you head out for these adventures?

carolehalston

Susan, we feel privileged that you share the down as well as the up.  You must make the trip for yourself and all of us. 

Bedo, the camper is cute.  And Minus is right about your getting an idea of what it would be like to take up residence in a small camper.

We had a rib eye for dinner, cooked to perfection on the outside grill.  Baby russet potatoes, boiled, and steamed asparagus dressed with the last of a bottle of home-made vinaigrette and a sprinkling of mozzarella and romano.  So satisfying.  So easy! 

Moonflwr912

susan, sorry about your markers. But I'm sure you'll enjoy that trip. Cooking with cousins sounds like a sweet thing.

Bedo, my in laws have a camper like that. We camped in it for a couple of weeks. Just don't try to bring too much. LOL

Supper was fried shrimp from Culvers. They are really quite large and very good. Surprisingly good. It was my first driving trip. So I drive 2 blocks. LOL. Didn't see my DGD because I didn't want o drive almost n hour yet. I'll practice a bit more first. Using a pair of glasses with only one lens. It works, sort of. LOL

Much love to all

eric95us

Susan, those marker numbers stink.......

I don't know what else to say. I'm sorry just doesn't seem to cut it.....

SpecialK

susan - the numbers, ugh. I hate cancer, and I hate what it does to people I care about. Hoping there is no physical impact before your trip - I want total awesomeness for you the whole time.

bedo - love the trailer! 

moon - they just opened a Culvers locally a few weeks ago - haven't been but there is always a line there, so I am thinking it is good!

carolehalston

Any advice on making lamb meatballs?  I took out a package of American ground lamb, not from the recent order from Indiana.  I had bought it prior to discovering the farm in IN. 

Pioneer Woman on the food network made Italian meatballs for party food this morning with beef and pork.  She put ricotta cheese and grated parm in the mixture.  That caught my attention since I have ricotta in the refrigerator.  I also have a cabinet full of spices for Indian and middle eastern flavor profiles.  I also have feta cheese.  I could pop a little chunk into the middle of the meatballs. 

I have seen Culver's somewhere in our travels.  Don't they serve frozen custards?  They're not around here or at least I haven't noticed one. 

auntienance

Lithuanian bacon buns. Wowza.

carolehalston

Those bacon rolls look good!

The lamb meatballs were delicious.  The ingredients were 1 lb. ground lamb, 1/4 cup very finely chopped onion, 1 finely diced garlic clove, 1 T. chopped fresh mint, 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 T. ground coriander, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, s & p.  I added fresh bread crumbs and a couple of T. egg beaters.  Made golf-ball size meatballs and cooked them in the toaster oven until they were browned.  Then transferred them to a baking dish and poured chunky tomato sauce over them and cooked covered in toaster oven at 325 for 45 min. to an hour. 

The tomato sauce was a combination of small container of frozen roasted cherry tomatoes and another small container of home-made tomato sauce mixed with leftover Rao puttanesca.  It turned out really good and can never be repeated!  Dh commented on how good it was.

Sides were the rest of the whole wheat orzo dish warmed up with extra olive oil and some goat cheese that melted and added creaminess.  And a fruit salad of naval orange, apple, toasted pecans and walnut pieces with mayo dressing. 

A really tasty meal.  I think lamb meatballs will be added to the rotation of meat dishes. 

Tonight I'll take a giant-sized package of chicken thighs out of the freezer to cook tomorrow for noon dinner at my mother's house.  I'll pour barbecue sauce on them and cook them in the slow cooker or in the oven.  My sister will make a dish or two for sides, and I'll make a veggie side dish. 

Very quiet here. 

eric95us

I went to Tucson today for the medical team meeting. 2-1/2 hours there, 6 hours back...a wreck closed the freeway in an area where there are no near freeway exits and no way to turn around.

I've been looking at old slide photographs taken (mostly) by my grandfather. There are 257 boxes of Kodachrome slides (all seem to be 36 slides per box), about 50 boxes of Ektachrome slides (mostly 24 slides per box) and one box of Fujichrome slides.

There are still two more "10 reams of paper size" boxes *full* of slides at mom's house.

Does anyone know of a *GOOD* automated slide scanner. So far, even the mid1950s vintage slides (based on post marks on the mailing boxes) have been in flawless condition. I don't think I want to scan that many slides one at a time and I don't want to have a disk full of inferior copies of the slides.

Lacey12

Susan, I'm so sorry to learn about those damn markers. I also hope you will take and enjoy the amazing trip you have planned. And while you may not know those Istanbul cousins well, they clearly know enough about you to offer the wonderful cooking session. Yes....fun!!! I wish I were feeling better...I'd come visit you given that you are having to deal with worrisome news with family away. Am fighting some virus with body aches, stomach distress and chills...none of which I would want to share.

I have put off any eating while in bed with this bug for the last two days, until tonight. Made oatmeal with nuts, dried fruits, chia seeds and apple. I figured I needed something healthy to fight it off. DH's offer to drive uptown (he can manage short trips already!) to get some PIe was tempting, but not so practical for whatever I'm dealing with. We were supposed to attend a Pi party tonight....makes me kind of sick to think about it. Blah....

Been watching a lot of tournament basketball when awake.

By the way, Special, I decided to stop in our local hospital's gift shop, on our way to an appt for DH, and asked about their interest in stocking/selling "crutch aprons" (DH is still using his even tho he is getting ready to use a cane). The woman loved the idea, but said that since they mark items up by twice the wholesale price I would need to think about whether it would be worth it for me to make them and have the price point be attractive. Well, that doesn't phase me much since I'm not really looking to go into business (the social worker lives on), so if I decide I want to make a bunch, I'll call the shop manager. Another idea is to make some to donate to our local community council which loans people walkers, crutches, etc., and they could loan them out with the crutches. That would serve the same purpose!

Oh, Yay....ND won the ACC tournament!

Lacey12

Oh, Nance your bacon rolls look exactly like the ones in the Penzys catalog. You are the bread champ!!

And Carole, those lamb meatballs sound delish!! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

MinusTwo

Eric - I had 25+ boxes of slide carrousels, each with 180 slides minimum. In a huge marathon I looked at all of them in the slide projector and pulled out some of the best. My grown son was here so it was a ruthless culling. Tossed like 25 views of the same mountain every summer or 15 pictures of the cat in almost the same pose. I ended up with something under 200 and purchased an Ion Film 2 SD Plus, Ultra-high-resolution slide & negative scanner from Best Buy. It transfers slides & negatives onto an enclosed SD card and has a USB port connection to my computer. Since I have 100 times more negatives than slides, I was hoping to kill two birds w/one stone. The slides are fairly easy to transfer although the project has stalled. I haven't even started on the negatives. Putting groups of slides in the holders and then deciding on labels for all of them for future generations is labor intensive but the device was fairly economical - around $99. There may be something faster for more money. I took some old movie film to Costco and had them put it on DVDs. They do the same w/slides but it isn't cheap.

Lacey - sorry to hear you're under the weather. Hope it doesn't last much longer. Carole - the meatball concoction sounds great. Moon - I've had several friends who took one lens out of their glasses & found driving a chore. Will you have the other eye done too?

Supposedly LA Fitness is now a Silver Sneakers partner. I heard they're planning classes for seniors.

bedo

Carol that sauce and the sides sound great. I love puttanesca sauce. Wasn't it rumored to give working girls of old, energy for their evening? Hope your foot is doing better

Minus Uggg exercise. I keep pretending that I will go back to normal after the AI. Ha ha. That's a good one. I booked the tin can! I'm bringing very little so

Moon that's a good suggestion. I put another litter box in the bathroom to make life easier for the friend who is staying here. I hope they aren't ticked off at the cats' weirdness... slapping the litter box around, howling, dragging items like the bathmat and tissues into it when it is not up to their "standards" or abandoning it and peeing in the tub if it's not cleaned twice a day .

Lying around in my black fleece pajamas, looks like three lazy cats in here.

Lacy Sorry you're feeling poorly and hope you are better soon.

Red how's your wrist? I had an idea the other day. How about asking the butcher to cut things up for you. I think they do that and with your cast he should take pity.

For dinner I defrosted the soup with green beans that Susan suggested making awhile ago. I'm trying to eat up anything fresh. I'll be cooking in my tin can. Ha that should be a trip. Hope I don't blow it up. Hope I get some boiled peanuts. If I do I'll put them in a bottle of coke...it's a Southern thing.

Goats where is goats?

Hi SpecialK and Eric and sorry for anyone I missed. I have to get going. I emailed a picture of the trailer to my daughter and so far dead silence.. She has warned so far this year against bike riding in the city-too dangerous, being a beekeeper-too dangerous, getting an RV-"that takes a lot of planning Mom" (Ha she doesn't know how we got around in our 20s) I think she thinks I'm 100.

bedo

Forgot, went to hear an Irish band last evening, wore a hideous green top and beads and drank beer, not green. Beer Bedo behaved herself. I was shocked when a 'patron' looked me up and down on the way to the ladies room and asked "where are you going?" lol it's been a while.

Where are all the corned beef and cabbage recipes and the Irish soda bread?

A blessing

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer

eric95us

I found another Irish Soda Bread recipe that I'm going to try. A couple of years ago I tried a Coddle. In this case, salt pork, sausage and potatoes, along with a soda bread. I liked it...Sharon was "so-so" with it....mostly due to the probable calorie count.......

I know when I mentioned the meal to Sister Raphael (principal of the school DD attended), a Loreto sister from Ireland, I got a huge smile. :-)

Bedo, what's wrong with exercise? I like it...usually.... I tend to do more "cardio" stuff and prefer it outside over a treadmill or stationary bike....although exercising on those two things get me used to work....bust my tail and not get anywhere. :-)

susan_02143

I don't have even one drop of Irish blood, and I look horrible in green. Needless to say, I pass on all the St. Patrick's Day festivities, which are generally very alcohol based with boiled meats.

To answer the questions, I love having the house to myself. I played music loudly in the kitchen. I didn't eat olives though that was a great idea! Next month, I will be sitting on the Mediterranean Sea and I will eat olives right where they are grown, and octopus, squid, rice, and of course, hams. This morning, with no French toast to make, I skipped making the English muffin bread and went straight to braising some lamb shanks. They were done at 1pm, and I let them cool for a bit. Then I pulled the meat off of the bone and put it all into the fridge. Made dinner pretty easy. The kids made it home. The husband made it home [though with a weather delay.] We ate some braised lamb shanks before I sat down with poor Mr. 02143 to tell him about the markers.

My practical side is rearing its head. I am pondering, once again, how to make sure that my husband is taken care of going forward..... when my thoughts are more organized, may I use this group as a sounding board?

Sorry that I am being selfish and not retaining each of your posts... All I remember is that Lacey is sick! Darn darn darn! Tomorrow, I get back to my life. And in 27 days I leave for Paris!

*susan*

auntienance

Oh Susan, please don't hesitate to use us as a sounding board or just to bitch, curse, cry -- whatever. We are here for you, publicly or privately -- whatever you need.

Tonight was grilled pork chops with a chimchurri sauce and roasted asparagus. The bacon buns are wonderful, a meal in itself really. They'd be great as a breakfast on the run.

Today I baked my baguettes and cleaned house. Oh how I hate that chore. It's a good thing I have guests regularly or I would probably never clean. Oh and I planted lettuce today. It's spring!

auntienance

Lacey, hope you are better soon!

MinusTwo

Take a look at this site. What a wonderful idea for those of us cooking for one or two. I'm not good at improvising on recipes but this might give me inspiration to try to figure out the ingredients & portions and freeze ahead some dinners.

http://www.themeatloafbakery.com/everyday-favorite...

Susan - glad you enjoyed your days alone. I always treasure 'lone' time. We're here for whatever you choose to post.

auntienance

Minus - I usually bake meatloaf in jumbo muffin tins. They turn out great and much more quickly.

bedo

Eric In the summer I hike, ride horses when I can and bike and garden. This winter has been bad on the joints with the AI and I find that even doing errands my knees and feet ache as well as other assorted joints so with the cold and snow, not much exercising this winter. Thought about swimming but something about public pools grosses me out. Last summer was OK, so when it warms up things should get better.

Had to shorten my stay to one volunteer site due to certain factors. Good bye my little trailer will be staying in a hotel for that one then visiting a friend in Atlanta and getting things from storage.

Haven't decided on dinner. Probably more of the minestrone soup that Susan suggested weeks ago.

Send pics Susan. I will try to come up with ideas, if needed.

Going to work.

carolehalston

Susan, I'm glad you enjoyed your time alone.  And just as glad that your family are back to lend support.  Did your dh have fun watching the basketball?  I watch sports on tv but not basketball.  Not since the Larry Bird era when we were Boston fans.  That was a long time ago.  I have lamb shanks in the freezer.  What did you serve with them?  Veggies cooked with the shanks? 

Aw, Bedo, I had you staying in the little trailer. 

Nance, if we lived closer, we could share a house cleaner.  I dislike cleaning, too.  I grumble and vow to hire cleaning help.  Do you heat the bacon rolls before eating them?  I have munched on leftover cold bacon. 

Lacey, what a bummer that you're not feeling good.  I hope you're better by today.  The PI day just happens once a century?  I had never heard of it.  We didn't have pie! 

Minus, I cooked for one during dh's working years when he was away 14 days and home 14 days.  The solo period had the advantage of allowing me to have my major meal either at lunch or dinner.  Weight control was easy in those days but I was younger and physically active with a lot of gardening and tennis instead of golf.  Fast walking for exercise.

I may get in 3 days of golf this week!!!!  Our highs will be in the 70's with much lower rain chance than the last two weeks.  I just hope we don't go directly into summer and skip spring. 

Leftover meat dishes in the refrigerator.  Lamb meatballs and oven barbecued chicken thighs from yesterday's noon dinner at my mother's house.  Dinner will be warm-ups.  Who called leftovers jump ups? 

 

 

Lacey12

Thanks for well wishes....getting back to feeling "normal". I think I had an abbreviated flu (had the shot in October) since it came on quickly in the middle of the night...I wanted to get out of my sweaty/chilly skin and throbbing head. Then total aches and nausea. Yuck! My joints are feeling better today and I am going to try to get back to the world of the living. I am convinced that I am frequenting too many medical facilities for DH and "catching" things!

Today I need to drive him to Quincy to get a temporary handicap parking sticker so that he can make it to his downtown meetings without a chauffeur. He has tried driving and has no problem, but walking any distance is still a challenge. He is determined to get back to his schedule, and knowing him, he will soon.

More importantly, Susan.....I do hope that you will feel completely comfortable to share, vent, ask, worry, rage, with us. That is exactly what this "table" is here for, and you are such a valued member of our group. And if I can be helpful on a personal/professional level with consultant referrals for the planning you mentioned, I am more than happy to try to help in that way, too. My heart is with you......but first hope the joy of the trip becomes paramount and singular in your thoughts! We are all so looking forward to that with you! Do you chronicle your trips?

Better get ready to go to the DMV....hoping no germs await there!!

Oh...last night I pulled myself together to make an easy meal...DH was starving for a real meal after being on his own for two nights.....made frozen spinach ravs with Rao's marinara sauce accompanied by the meatballs I had frozen when we made the timpano. A lovely fresh arugula salad with oil and the balsamic my DDIL gave me at Christmas rounded things out. I did try a bit of each....very good, and held it in!

Have not exercised in four days, and may go to gym if I feel up to it later today. No way my joints will feel better w/o some "work". . I guess......

Lacey12

Just saw your post, Carole...I thought of you last night when I saw some interesting lamb meatballs on Yummly. Must try them!

I saw how warm your temps are....have fun outdoors! We are still stuck freezing here today, and yesterday set the record for most snowfall ever in Boston! Now....NO.MORE.SNOW.PRETTY PLEASE!?

I am loving all the college basketball playoffs, and am also excited that the struggling newbie Boston Celtic team and their young coach are finally coming together. They have worked soooo hard, and it is starting to pay off.

SpecialK

susan - I think we all want to support you in any way you need, here in our kitchen.  I too am hoping you can focus on your trip and enjoying it to the fullest, and of course allowing us to live vicariously with you!

moon - I like the ide of the one sided glasses - kind of like a sideways bi-focal, lol!  My dad had the surgery and did great with it, MIL had it a while ago and loves the result - vision super improved, and FIL just did it - at 89. 

carole - the meatballs sound delish.  I hate it when I can't duplicate a dish - that has been happening lately - I have a relatively short list of ingredients I use - in differing combinations.  Sometimes I do some inspired combination that both DH and I enjoy and then when I want to do it again I can't remember what I combined, lol!  I need to start writing this stuff down.

lacey - glad you are feeling better, but I also think too much exposure to medical places and people, and burning the candle at both ends - you have been so busy.

I might do corned beef and cabbage - my mom made it a lot - and I am feeling nostalgic and missing her for the last couple of days. Tomorrow I am going to a MO appt and first chemo with my friend  - the one that we thought had sarcoma.  Turns out he has mesothelioma - still a bad diagnosis, and still stage IV, but with a slightly better prognosis than the sarcoma.  He has been having rads to control coughing and bleeding, and is now hopefully ready for chemo.  He had an infection, then some heart palps and had to be hospitalized for both - still got daily rads - so made some progress in controlling symptoms.  I went to see him at the hospital and he was more energetic and lively than I had seen for a while, so I am gently encouraged.

bedo - I was looking forward to hearing about the trailer adventure - maybe another time.  Good idea for red on using the butcher.  I do that sometimes even in my regular grocery store.  Several times a year I buy a whole beef tenderloin that comes in cryovac.  I ask the meat department guys to take it out and trim it for me while I do the rest of the grocery shopping - works out great.  Also, you are correct about puttanesca - I looked it up because I was intrigued - means "spaghetti of the whore" in Italian.  Those crazy Italians! 

minus and eric - my many slides (from the parents house) and my converter still sit - untouched.  A pending project.

eric95us

Susan...I'll chime in with the others.....YES......

You're considering us worthy enough to be a sounding board is...I'm not sure how to say it....thank you....

Redheaded1

Putanesca sauce was 'harlot sauce"   It was quick to make, which meant the girls could get right back to work....LOL

BEDO--Great idea about having  the butcher cut the meat for me....I didn't hesitate at the restaurant to ask my food be cut in the kitchen before being served, but never thought of this at all.  Little trailer looks like fun!  Love Mussels on Spaghetti

Love the Irish blessing.

Susan-- SHIT SHIT SHIT--I hate numbers.  Always have.  Don't let them control you---do what you feel like doing and imagine it away.   Vent all you want here. We are here for the FIGHT!!!! ((HARDEST OF HUGS))

Just saw on Facebook that one of our Convenient Care offices was shut down because of Measles contamination.. Started a couple months ago in Chicago and has now made its way to Central IL.  AGHHHHHHH

 

MinusTwo

Nance - how long do you cook the meatballs in muffin tins? My Mom cooked everything at 325-350 degrees, but I've seen several things lately that say 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees on a jelly roll pan. Is there a time & temperature difference between meatballs on a cookie sheet or in a muffin tin?

auntienance

Minus, I cook them at 350 for about 25 minutes, more or less. They don't take long at all. I use a jumbo muffin tin.

Carole, I do heat the bacon buns, although you could eat them cold I imagine. I froze most of them and have taken them out and heated them as needed, usually in the oven, but today I heated a thawed one briefly in the microwave.