So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Quick dad update: he LOVED it! We are officially on the waiting list. We're so happy!

WenchLori

I have a picture of the carp my 10 yo granddaughter Kourtney caught last summer while they were here. I'll have to find it as we ate it also. It was 42" long and weighed 36 pounds! It was bigger than she was! When it broke the water she tossed her pole at me and said "NO WAY!!" We all laughed at her as she ran for her Dad! lol

I'm wondering where my DH is going to get a pan big enough to fry that size catfish whole?

bedo, I love your shack! I bet you had a lot of great times there!

Lacey, I'm sore just reading about your workout marathon!

Carol, it was a lot of fun catching the catfish. I was after a snapping turtle but caught the fish instead. I'm like you before a trip and itwill be here before you know it!

bedo

Akk! Lori, a carp! What does one do with those? I gave some to the cats, and it took a week of scrubbing and Ajax to get the oil out of my sink. A pretty fish but, can you eat them?

OK that lasted a week. It's official. I can't retire. I am bored. I'm going to have to work some to keep my sanity. I've been reading The Girl on the Train all day which is what I resort to when I have spare time, reading.

Hoping Special is OK

Yay Nance, that is such good news

Red, hoping everything goes smoothly tomorrow

ChiSandy

Yesterday was a whirlwind--by the time I was ready to do my final packing I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Too late to order out, so I made panini with low-carb bread, prosciutto, parmesan & mozzarella (grated--hey, they were in the fridge), bell pepper, red onion and fresh rosemary. Made a Caprese to go with it (Campari tomato, mozz. pearls, basil, EVOO and good balsamic) and drank about a pint of seltzer. (Decided to leave Gordy the rest of the cooked chicken--he can nuke it or put BBQ sauce on it).

Tonight at the conference was real NC BBQ--pulled pork, baked beans, vinegar slaw, and cornbread (passed up the potato salad). Gonna burp happy tonight!

susan_02143

Today I made dinner early for the entire family. Marinate the lamb which was dry-aging in the fridge. Make some hummus. Roast some eggplant for a dip. Then I made a tomato-red onion-feta salad. We headed to the condo to deliver dinner around 4:30 after grilling the lamb kabobs and onions. Olivia was fussy. But, here is the cool thing! When I held her, she clearly recognized my voice. I rubbed her head and cheek and she calmed down. Strange that I have a gift for calming babies. Olivia had another pediatrician visit today. She is back to her discharge weight! This is good news. They are supplementing with formula less and less. They are happy parents! My son-in-law has stepped up. I am so happy for them I can hardly stand it!

After leaving them, we went to the farm to buy our tomato plants. Dinner was a full meze.... hummus, tomato salad, green salad, eggplant dip, pita, grilled onions and lamb. There is enough for another meal. How exciting is that?

Nance, Yea for Dad liking this place!!!!! What attracted him?

I searched for fish fry pans, and the biggest one I found simply isn't big enough for 42" of fish. I fear you will always be reduced to cutting your fillets into 2 bits.

Was a hard day..... god chemo is rough isn't it?

*susan*

Lacey12

Rough chemo or not, Susan you had a beautifully productive day! And the baby whisperer part is just too sweet! Hope you feel better tomorrow.

Nance, soooo happy and relieved for you! Hope a spot opens up fast!

I spent much of today making our dinner which was not so special, albeit tasty, but required tons of chopping.

After dinner I used some really rotting bananas to make a few loaves of bread. I am glad to be living in an era when you can google "black banana" and get wonderful opions for using them. The bread is great. Tomorrow DH is out for dinner, so no cooking here.

Carole, eagerly awaiting a report on your dinner. Crabby Shack sounds like my kind of place.

Loved the colors on my plate tonight, so here's a share....

Gotta get some sleep so I can be alert for the kiddies tomorrow AM

auntienance

Pretty plate Lacey! I rarely buy bananas, although I love them, because they get too ripe so fast. There's only so much banana bread I can make even though it's always good to have a loaf in the freezer.

Susan, I think dad talked to some people who lived there or knew someone who did, and found out that he knows a few people there already. He also really liked the setting (surrounded by woods). Oh, and the food and coffee was good lol! Dad has a few more weeks of physical therapy because he has to able to go from sit to stand with minimal assistance. I talked to his therapist yesterday who said dad's making good progress. So we are hopeful a place will open up to coincide with his discharge date. I will will start packing up his apartment in the meantime. Today we will go to his bank to get my name on his account so I can pay his bills for him on line. We had intended to do that when my mom died but somehow never got around to it. I've been signing his checks but I'll be happier when my name is actually on the account. Today we will take him to get new glasses then out for Chinese food (his choice). Then it's back home. I will be exhausted.

Last night was dinner at Charlie Gitto's where I had pasta primavera and the house wedge salad. The pasta dish had a little too much olive oil and the proportion of veggies to pasta was wrong, so a little disappointing. It's usually excellent. I suppose everyone is entitled to an off night.

auntienance

Oh, great news about Olivia and happy everyone is settling in to parenthood. Chemo definitely sucks Susan, but if it does it's job, then we'll say "yay chemo"!

WenchLori

I love coming here to see all the yummy pictures and to get ideas for dinner! I love it! lol

We had meatloaf baked in a pool of freshly chopped vegtables last night, it was better than I thought it would be! I used 1 lb of sliced mushrooms, a full cubed eggplant, carrots, celery and sweet pepper surrounding a 2.5 lb meatloaf with onions and garlic. It was yummy!

bedo, I soak the carp overnight in salt water to draw all the water out as they are very mushy. My DH will cut it into steak size portions like you do with salmon and I'll batter/coat with breading and fry just like the catfish. It has a ton of bones so I eat very little carp myself. I had a fish bone get caught crosswise in my throat when I was little so when I get a bone in my mouth that's it, I'M DONE!

Susan,I'm happy to hear the family is doing great! My kids tell me I have Grammy Juice on my shoulders! All of my grandchildren calm right down and fall asleep when I hold them. Number 8 is on the way and will be here mid October! Yay! A trip to Austin Texas in my near future! I hope your chemo session went like a charm, if you can call chemo a charm?!

Nancy, I'm thrilled your Dad loves his soon to be new home! My Mom has fallen twice in the past 6 months. I told her my dealing with BC and all that is yet to come either she listens to her doctors and not move without her walker or she defies everyone and falls for the 3rd time. Three strikes your out, if she does fall again she'll have to stay at the Living Care Center as I can't handle the stress of finding her on the floor! We have a battery operated doorbell, we keep the main unit in the kitchen. She has the doorbell toggle and if she needs anything she just rings the doorbell. IF she has the toggle on her she can push the button! Another thing she won't do to help herself. This second childhood of hers is for the birds!

eric95us

DD is graduating high school today.

M0mmyof3

TV dinners tonight. Too tired to cook after mowing my lawn for the first time.

MinusTwo

Eric - congrats to your DD. I was thinking the other day about her senior prom, but that must have passed already. Is she going to take the summer off or get a part time job?

Susan - Agreed - it is sooooo neat when we older folks are able to comfort the new babies. Love hearing your stories about the new parents & Olivia. Sorry about the chemo SEs. I can't imagine how you get so much done while doing chemo.

Nance - how lucky that your Dad likes the place. Here's hoping the timing works out for the move. I know you'll be busy until he's settled again.

Bedo - good to be hearing from you. Will you have internet access at summer camp?

Lacey - sounds like all the chopping was a success.

Carole - It should be an easier trip this year with the trailer already there. Are you going to visit family on the way? We'll be thinking about you.

Redheaded1

Colonoscopy done- No polyps, but he took some biopsies and tissue samples to check forr microscopic inflammation and something else----he saw a small bit of diverticulosis but he didn't think that was causing the problem. They gave me that damn drug Michael Jackson OD"D on, and I don't know how the little twerp stood it. It felt like a match was lit in my vein and it went clear up to t he shoulder before I conked out, with me telling them it hurt.

I think my doctor didn't know what to do when he came in recovery and I said we are never using this again. He said it is what is used on all procedures now, and I said then we aren't going to be doing any more. The nurse anesthetist came apologizing and saying some people feel a sting...in they kept trying to explain it to me and I just kept saying never again. Sting my Aunt Fanny.

susan_02143

Red!!! Stand up for yourself! I admit that I have refused anymore colonoscopy and woe to the doctor that pushes. When he did I simply asked them which would kill me sooner the breast cancer I already have or a colon cancer that I don't. Let us say, that ended the conversation. All the other doctors have asked exactly once, and let it go after that. At least you get 5 years of a probe-free life. Why aren't they using Versad? I love versad.

Minus, I have never been a baby whisperer or anything. I was not born with overwhelming maternal-to-all-children feelings, but this kid [and mine before] just seem to respond well. I like it.

Nance, I am just so delighted that Dad has agreed to a new plan. Clearing out the apartment is going to be a ton of work. How will you decide what stays with him in his new home and what goes away?

Hsant, The amount of potatoes that you are mashing on a weekly basis is astonishing. Any chance you could get him to enjoy celeriac or sweet potatoes? Just for a change of pace? You must really miss your own home. How long have you been staying with him now? Is there any chance you can move him near your own home?

Eric, go DD!!!!!! What a wonderful, wonderful day for your family. Congratulations to everyone!

Tonight I am making a baked pasta dish. The ricotta is hanging now. Soon I will start cooking up some Italian sausages and making a sauce. The cheeses are all grated and ready. I will take a bunch over the the kids for their dinner tomorrow night. I have a PET in the morning and am not allowed to be near children for at least 24 hrs. Tomorrow night, we will have the leftover lamb since my day will be so chopped up with the scan prep and actual scan. I will be gone during the lunch time, so Mr. 02143 can have some leftover pasta for his lunch. It all works out. I have replenished the granola and made the season's first iced tea. Oh yea, and I actually billed out quite a few hours today!

*susan*

carberry

Lots of great news on this thread this week. Susan, maybe miss Olivia has a way of calming your soul as well.....you two will be great friends.

Eric You have reached the finish line! Such a great feeling to see them graduate and go out into the world...you did a good job!

Helped the parents today get the outdoors organized, canopy up on deck so they can sit outside out of the sun, patio chairs scrubbed, and various pieces of stuff taken to the curb. My mom made lunch...egg salad sandwich and a cold corn vege mix salad with a sweet dressing (very good). Dad not doing well, his back and ribs are hurting him pretty badly, this is new. He says he probably pulled something mowing the lawn, but I am thinking it is more. He gets scanned next week.

Then came home and did my own yard work Whew..shower now and early bed. No dinner plans

Lacey12

Carrie, you get to wear the devoted daughter crown today (there are many on this thread!), and I do hope that you had a bite to eat before crashing. What an exhausting day, but it will be so nice to see your parents enjoying their outdoor space. I do hope your dad's pains might be weather related? But I bet he was so happy to have your help today.

Red, glad to hear your colonoscopy good news. Most folks, as they age, have diverticuli and can survive quite nicely without incident. I'm sorry to learn of your anesthesia pain.

Susan, you always amaze with your level of productivity! Good luck tomorrow!

Eric, Congratulations on DD's graduation. How far away will she be attending college? Proud, exciting, bittersweet times.... She has been nurtured well, so will be ready to move on.

I've been dragging all day, except for my energy boost times spent with the kindergarten kids (read each class a great book focused on dealing with bullying to/by which they were riveted), so thought I would forget dinner tonight and crash. However, I needed to stop at the store to get milk and was drawn to the shrimp in the fish case, so got some and enjoyed shrimp cocktail for dinner. Then DH came home from his dinner with former colleagues and we chatted about their news and watched basketball, and I will finally crash after I do my NYT mini crossword puzzle.

Big news here is that DS2 asked us to join DGF and him next Friday for dinner with her parents who will be here for the weekend. Typically, we would be leaving for the lake on Thursday, but not now! This will be a first meet up. We first thought that there might be "news" about some future plans from the young couple, but we will not do any prognosticating! To be continued.....

hsant

Lacey, beautiful presentation! I absolutely suck at plating. It's a talent. Ok, so I'm reading this as your younger son and his girlfriend are getting both parents together for the first time. Exciting! At the very least your son is serious about his girlfriend. I look forward to hearing the details of the first meet between the "folks"

Bedo, "The Shack" looks awfully nice. How wonderful that it's right on a lake! Austin is a cutie. Gorton fish sticks remind me of my childhood in the best possible way. The fish tacos look good! But I would use a soft flour tortilla instead of a hard corn shell.

Eric, congratulations to you and your wife on your daughter's graduation.

Susan, I'm sure it's a huge relief that Olivia has put on weight. Your son in law sounds very sweet. I bet it does your heart good watching you DD and SIL dote on their new daughter.

If I were mashing potatoes on a daily basis, I would be writing this from a padded cell. I make enough for about 3 days, and if I do say so myself, I think I've perfected the art of reheating mashed potatoes with out getting that gummy, gluey consistency. Funny you should mention sweet potatoes. I just found a recipe for for sweet potato salad in a maple dressing that I want to try. I make pasta once a month for a change from the usual, and risotto every couple of months or so. I find the process of making risotto to be oddly therapeutic.

I've been with my dad since August. He has no desire to move to the west coast. He's quite content living with his brother. Plus he has an amazing physician, who not only knows his medical history, but was a colleague when my father was practicing medicine.

I hope you're feeling better today. The SEs from Xeloda can be a bitch.

Dinner last night for my dad was fresh Chilean sea bass. It was especially thick, so I seared it on my cast iron grill pan and finished it in the oven. I made a sauce of mustard, lemon juice and a touch of sugar, whisked in a couple Tbsp of olive oil and added a healthy amount of dill. And (of course) the side was mashed potatoes. I had leftover turkey sausage with the onion pepper sauce on a low carb wrap.

Paxton29

What IS the trick to reheating mashed potatoes? I rarely fix them and usually only in small quantities but it would be nice to know for Thanksgiving.

There is a lot of cheerful news in this thread! Nice to read.

Redheaded1

I don't know a thing about mashing potatoes. I stopped doing it as soon as the Bob Evans ones hit the refrigerator case. Seems like a lot of money, but OH THE CONVENIENCE. Even my penny pinching Dad got hooked on them before he moved to retirement home......

eric95us

I stir some milk into the potatoes before reheating them.

carolehalston

Eric, congratulations to your DD! Where is she going to college?

I love mashed potatoes but don't have them often. I don't usually make enough for leftovers. My younger sister makes the mashed potatoes for family pot luck dinners and hers are always delicious. She puts a block of cream cheese in them.

We're invited next door to a reception tonight for our neighbor, Belinda, who is Teacher of the Year at her school. We'll either not eat dinner and just satisfy ourselves with party food or I might get us a Subway sandwich. No plans for cooking.

This afternoon I'll go through the pantry and check for items we might want to take to MN with us. We have a cargo trailer with plenty of room. I'm taking my embroidery and crochet stuff and my small sewing machine. DH is taking his small woodturning lathe. I'm betting he'll make more use of his lathe than I do of my crafts supplies. I've been seeing elderly ladies in the nursing home with their old-fashioned afghans. I think I'll make some to give away.

Lacey, the relationship before your DS and his GF is sounding serious.

Nance, that's great that your dad is positive about the assisted living place. I don't envy you the job of moving him out of his apartment.

Carrie, you are a wonderful daughter to do all that work for your parents.

M0mmyof3

Broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breasts, veggie and cranberry

bedo

Minus, I know that there's internet, but I think that I will be competing for it. And the phone service is iffy. I'm kind of looking forward to a media disconnect.

Paxton, I don't know about the potatoes, but I think you could add more milk and heat them up and then put butter and pepper on top to make it look new?

Hsant a soft taco sounds good. I've been reading the labels of fish lately and have been horrified. A lot say they are made or processed in the USA but if you look more closely it'll say caught in China or Indonesia or vice versa. I was horrified. Think Swai. I was soundly scolded for buying that by this thread at one time and I've never forgotten. At least good old Gorton's in caught and processed in the US and not farm raised. Now I'm addicted to fish sticks. And

Hsant gets the dedicated daughter crown for tomorrow

MOmmy that sounds like hard work mowing the lawn. I would be tired too.

Sorry for anyone I forgot. For dinner making clams with whole wheat spaghetti, shallots wine, parsely hot pepper and a few other things for DD and DSIL, I can't wait to start digging them Free dinner!

M0mmyof3

I was beat last night. Not used to doing yard work. Palms of my hands are still hurting.

MinusTwo

Just saying "HI" since I've been meaning to write all week and the days have gotten away from me. I'm pretty much the only one working to get the subdivision pool open this summer. One guy had quad tendon surgery & the other got a new job. There are people who will help with things like registration, but I'm the lucky one to get it all set up & schedule those people. Along with getting new keys made, making sure the algae is cleaned off the steps, changing the battery in the clock, calling the plumber to fix a sink, buying TP & paper towels, & etc. & etc. & so forth. (Anybody going to see the King & I revival?)

Saw a new play by Lauren Gunderson called "I & You". If you get a chance to see it, don't let it pass by. And don't let anyone tell you what happens in the play. She won all sorts of awards for this play. It will probably only be in little theaters.

Food sounds great. I'd love Bedo's spaghetti if it wasn't wheat. Lacey - what fun to meet the "in laws". Mommy - I spent 4 hours Thursday trimming bushes & pulling weeds. I agree that my winter muscles didn't know what to do that night. Oh gee, sorry to miss everyone of the previous page but I read your posts voraciously.

eric95us

Today, I think I've vacuumed up enough dog and cat hair to make another very large dog.

SpecialK

Have not been cooking or eating much - never do after surgery, but I'm doing ok. Doing the lunch for DH's secretary provided lots of stuff for DH and DD to snack on for the last few days.

eric - congrats to your DD on her graduation! It doesn't happen in a vacuum, good parenting is always in the mix, so congrats to the both of you too!

Waiting for my post-op on Mon. And hoping that the PS has the results from the biopsies during surgery - not really nervous about it based on comments by the PS about physical appearance, but it will be nice to have definitive word. Last minute decision to leave my port between the MO and PS, which I'm ok with. Not sure if the MO will still do MRI if the biopsy shows nothing. Hurry up and wait.

Loving all of the Olivia updates - I'm totally jealous

WenchLori

After a busy day with getting the pool opened I'm to tired to cook. I did put some pork loin in the pressure cooker with carrots and mushrooms for my DH...

MinusTwo

Special - glad to hear you're doing OK. We'll be with you Monday too!!!

susan_02143

Been in a bit of a funk the past few days. But, we have eaten in spite of my punkiness. Tonight, he grilled a 3oz tenderloin that was threatening to have too much freezer burn. I made some zucchini "fritters" with feta, a fresh salad, and a baked potato. My half tater and the leftover steak will probably become part of my breakfast... steak, hash browns and eggs. Mr. 02143 went to the store tonight to replenish the buttermilk cause he wants pancakes. The man LOVES his pancakes. Lunch was the leftover baked pasta. Last night was leftover meze. Lots of vegetables with a bit of meat. We had the first local asparagus of the season. Oh so good. It is getting to be summer! Can't wait until things are truly in season.

No Oliva for me today since I still had radioactive waste coursing through my body. Instead, she was taken to a northern suburb to meet her great-grandmother, a great-grandfather [separate lineages] and a bunch of great aunt and uncles. I haven't had a full report yet, but I assume they too were all smitten. I don't think I will see her until Monday. I have agreed to go in the afternoons to give Lauren a bit of breathing room. Give her a bit of time to nap, shower, or whatever.

After a bunch of coding today, I investigated airbnb. Talked with one of my closets friends from college about his six year hosting in San Antonio. Now that our third floor is vacant, this could be a way to start a new income stream, allowing us to stay in the house even after I can't work any longer. Are any of you considering this as an option? Our house is less than 2 miles from MIT, Harvard, Tufts, and only 2.5 miles from Copley Square in Boston. This is a prime location! I am thinking through the unintended consequences, and trying to imagine how I would market this space. I would need to buy some stuff, much of which I would buy anyhow in order for us to use the space. Thoughts?

Special, I am so relieved to hear that you are okay. This surgery stuff always makes me nervous. You always seem so cool and collected. Me? When you are once again, going under the knife, I am not calm or collected. Will eagerly look forward to hearing about your post-op appointment.

*susan*

p.s. I was all about doing airbnb 5 years ago, but Mr. 02143 was not interested at all. For some reason, he likes the idea now.