So...whats for dinner?

eric95us

Bedo, your cat stories make me smile.

My first cat (a stray) enslaved me about 2 months after I moved into the college house. She ended up with the name of Pest. 3am would roll around and she would do the, "I am Cat. I am mighty. Hear me meow". I was amazed that a cat could be so loud. Mickey laughingly thought it was a terrible name...until she got to experience the 3am announcement.

I guess the funniest (to us humans) story about Pest involved my large shop vacuum. I had set the hose down on the floor to move something and left the thing running. Pest went up to sniff at the hose and it jumped onto her face. "All Engines Back Full -- Emergency. Sound the collision alarm." Pest never trusted that vacuum again.

Dinner last night was fish tacos. Tonight I pulled some flank steak from the freezer and used the rest of the "fixin's" for beef tacos. Basically he "fixen's" are about 1/2 cup of sour cream mixed with 3-4 tablespoons of lime juice, 4-5 scallions, 4 or so cups of shredded lettuce (I substituted the 1/4 head of red cabbage I had on hand), a diced Jalapeno and salt plus black pepper.

All of those measurements were "estimated and/or to taste".

Yesterday was 6-1/2 hours of working on mom's bank stuff and 4 hours of today was spent working on the power windows on mom's car. It's not even Monday and I'm tired. ;-)

HI HappyHammer, DaraB and Valstim.

As a kid, I spent many summers in (very) rural Kentucky. I remember people joking about zucchini being left on the front seat, instead of car theft, as being the reason people locked their car's doors. If people were successful in keeping the squash bugs and vine borers away, there would be mountains of zucchini.

Dara, if you've heard of 29 Palms...that's where I grew up. It's on the north side of the Joshua Tree National Park.

I love shrimp, as does Sharon, but DD gets hives if she eats/handles it, so we don't eat it unless she's going to be gone. I have a recipe, maybe posted way back when on this thread, involving bacon, a Habanero pepper, garlic,beer and pouring atop a rice/shrimp mixture.

Lacey12

Yikes, Bedo! I do not envy your kiddie petri dish existence with the flu as main germ. And if the kids are feeling awful, homesickness must abound! Are you moving as soon as you return home? Or maybe you already have....

Minus, I meant to mention that I saw Shear Madness circa 1970 here in Boston. It was fun then, and I'm sure it still is, especially with the inventive way they keep changing it. Of course my memory of a play that long ago (even pre-DH!) may not be too detailed. Sounds like you enjoyed your dinner!

Special, I empathize with your post chemo foot issues. It is so easy to take our feet for granted until they make themselves known in untoward ways. This new blister business is not at all welcome! However, I can hardly complain when I know I can find some remedies (got the mole skin), different shoes, etc, when I think of what our Susan goes through daily.

I did get a suitcase, tho not nearly as good a deal as you described, Sandy. And I'm ambivalent about the size, not exactly "carry on small", but not "serious suitcase large". Does the fact that I like the two tone silver color count for something?? It will do.....and my friend at the Vineyard won't think I'm moving in for a month!

So for dinner, DH grilled chicken breasts that I'd pounded and marinated in a doctored up teriyaki sauce. Also grilled balsamic marinated zucchini rounds and vidalia onion quarters. I made a salad with our paltry lettuce supply and the pink tomatoes we bought today at FM, and completed the meal with local corn on the cob which was not as tasty as the ears we've been getting from Florida.

Tomorrow I will engage inmy onerous packing task....again!! I am clearly not cut out to be "on the move" like we've been this month.....six "places" in less than four weeks. I am more of a homebody...and my recent tendency towards poor organization is really showing. Among other things (like losing a pair of glasses!!), tonight I went to do a wash, and could not find the bag of laundry I "knew" I'd dragged home from NH. Fortunately, I found it stashed in a corner of my car trunk....DH had packed it there then forgot about it. Maybe we are both getting too old to run around like this.

ChiSandy

If I had a cat named Pest, I’d have to get it a companion named Buddha.

M0mmyof3

lol Sandy!

I always joked that my precious angel kitty Charcoal had the body of a god, but unfortunately it was Buddha's. Now I joke that my kitty Princess has the body of a goddess and thankfully it's not Buddha

M0mmyof3

Not much better here Joyce as far as the heat goes.

Have to make search of the freezer to see what to do for dinner

auntienance

Heat and humidity here too. We're under a heat advisory until Friday. Tomorrow we take dad to the heart doc. That should be fun in 95 degrees with the same percentage humidity.

I already had foot neuropathy from diabetes which chemo exacerbated. And I too have shoes that I can no longer wear. I was especially saddened about a pair of Clark's sandals that were my walking sandals that suddenly started making blisters. Not a good thing when you have numb feet. I now wear easy spirit sneakers that come in a variety of colors, that I put gel soles in. I have about six pairs in different colors. A fashion statement I am not but comfortable feet I have.

I'm sitting here drinking coffee and I can see red tomatoes in my garden. I'd better pick them before the critters see them too. The squirrels seem to be stuffed and sated with the apples and there are still some on the tree. Maybe we'll get applesauce after all.

Lacy, my suitcase is larger than it need be because my pillow goes everywhere with me. Unfortunately, it's a kidney shaped dense memory foam that weighs about 5 pounds (dh swears it's more.) I've looked for a similar one in a more travel friendly size but I'm reluctant to buy one sight unseen. As inconvenient as it is, it's made a world of difference in sleeping while traveling.

I don't know what's for dinner. Perhaps fish sandwiches on rye bread. Mac and cheese and sliced tomatoes sound doable. Or there's a flat iron steak to be had in the freezer. I envy everyone's meals and I'm missing the gulf and it's seafood bounty.

SpecialK

I sympathize with all in heat and humidity - it is before 11:00 am right now and 87 F, but with the heat index it feels like 98 F, and it will get worse before the day is out. We have had rain every day for the last week, which is great for the grass but not so much for me! The ground is so wet that the heat makes it positively steamy! This kind of weather exhausts me and makes my lymphedema flare - both of which make me cranky, lol! I am a California girl but have lived on the east coast in humid summers since the 90's and have never acclimated! Eeesh! Stay cool everyone, however you can!

Don't know what dinner will be tonight - I really need to go to the produce stand or grocery store, but I don't want to go outside. When it is hot like this I tend to favor main dish salads for dinner, but that circles back around to needing to go out and shop, lol!

Valstim52

Has anyone heard about the 'heat dome' forming over the Midwest due to corn sweating? Ok so I'm a news junkie.

So tonite is chicken salad with grapes and walnuts.

ChiSandy

Dinner tonight will be clean-out-the-crisper-and-deli-drawer. (Probably chicken-feta-spinach sausages and broccolini). We’re off to Rome on Wed., so trying to get rid of everything that needs to be eaten that our son won’t touch (or can’t figure out how to prepare). Our five tomato plants are bearing like crazy, but seem to be starting to ripen all at once. (We have a few small ones already on the sill--have to pick them before the squirrels do). Our nightmare will be if they’ve all managed to ripen (and possibly rot) before we get home on the 31st. Our son hates tomatoes. So I may invite friends who live in apts. to come & pick them as needed. Usually, we get about 5-10 tomatoes per year due to lack of sun in the patch of garden where we used to plant them. By the time the last green one ripens on the sill it’s well into Oct. But this year we have them in containers on our sunny deck, and they’re going nuts. (We bought only one Early Girl, hoping to stagger ripening, but the heirloom clusters started first and the Big Boy is already starting).

HappyHammer

Quiche with eggs from our neighbors chickens...they have chickens and a lovely garden as well and are on vacay so we are picking up the eggs and the veggies...and had  a lovely tossed salad with tomatoes and cukes they also grew- feeling pretty good about farm to table approach tonight

SpecialK

I didn't eat dinner tonight - just not hungry. Made a grilled cheese and tomato basil soup for DH. That is DD's fave meal, along with an artichoke, lol!

bedo

oh valstim my Mom used to make that when I was young. I remember going back 5-6 times and eating almost an entire bowl

Happy, love that pic. Ha" eggs from our neighbor's garden" I will have to make that when I go home.

One of the other 120 organic gardeners is watching and reaping the produce from the plot that I started before I left. She emailed me today saying that it is getting big and beautiful. I think she means tomatoes, zucchini and what ever else I planted before I left. I hope that she and her little ones are enjoying it.

For dinner. Spaghetti and a cheese sandwich

I've lost about 5 -6 pounds. Not sure if that is good or not. I guess it is.

The Cat and I slept together in the bed last night. I know that you are all relieved to hear that. I gave him some of the cheese ie Processed Cheese Food.

HappyHammer

Haha...Bedo- did go back and edit my earlier dinner post...wish we could plant chickens for eggs...haha....however, we really ARE enjoying the fresh eggs and veggies....lovely.

eric95us

DD called. She was over at Arizona State University and found a loose puppy. She spent more than an hour (successfully) looking for it's owner. I was a bit "worried" that she'd not be successful and.... :-)

That quiche looks good HappyHammer. Are there any special things to making the quiche?

I've heard of corn smut (supposedly it makes the corn a delicacy), but never corn sweat. The heat dome is something I've seen in Phoenix, so I know it's real.

Tonight is the remainder of the tacos...beef in this case as we finished the fish last night. Tonight I'm cooking a pork roast, loosely following

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/pork-roast-with-apple-mustard-glaze-recipe.html

It won't be done until too late for tonight, hence the tacos, but it'll be good for tomorrrow.

MinusTwo

Eric - Yum to the pork roast - but how could you stand to turn the oven on?

Happy - I like the thought of "eggs from the garden". Great image.

Special - I rarely remember grilled cheese sangys, and I really like them. Maybe I should put a note on on the fridge.

Bedo - glad you're feeling well enough to eat. Are you out of quarentine this week?

MinusTwo

Forgot to mention my daily meal. My ex-DH called around 11am. He was in this part of town and offered to buy my lunch. Who would turn that down? He wanted a salad and not to drive more than 5 minutes from my house. That severely limits the choices. We ended up at Pappadeaux (fish & cajun) and both of us had a Cobb Salad with Applewood bacon, avocados, cukes, hard boiled eggs, etc & boiled shrimp & lump crab meat on top. I had a delicious remoulade dressing (thinking of Carole). This chain restaurant is way too noisy, but the salad was good.

ChiSandy

The closest Pappadeaux to us is way out in the w. suburbs (Lemont? Lisle?), so for Cajun food around here we either go DIY, or go to Big Jones (but except during Carnival season is more Carolina Low Country cuisine). or Davis St. Fishmarket in Evanston.

Tonight I grilled a couple of chicken-feta-spinach sausages, sauteed zucchini noodles (from Whole Foods, rather sloppily spiralized) with pesto, and the remaining half yellow tomato with basil. (I used a garlic scape this morning in a frittata).

eric95us

It was stormy, so the temperature was only in the upper 90F degree range. Had it been the normal hot (110F degrees or hotter) I would have used the outside grill as an oven.

HappyHammer

Eric- my go to quiche base is:

3-4 large eggs

2 1/2 cups milk (I use skim but have also used plain unsw almond)

Whisk together the above with abt 1/2t salt, fresh ground pepper and generous teaspoon or so of dry mustard

Then, add whatever else you have on hand that goes together. 

I use ready made crust.  Place crust in baking dish/deep dish pie plate

Layer ingredients onto crust.  Then add egg/milk mixture.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake at 400 for about 45 mins or so. Check at 30 mins or so to see if it is getting too brown.  If so, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pie.

Last night,  I used 4 slices of ham, 1/2 box of frozen chopped broccoli (thawed it first in microwave).  Added the milk mixture and cheese.  Placed thinly sliced tomatoes and onions on top.  It really was good!

MinusTwo

Joyce - how was your evening with Rick and his new partner. I think of Michelle often. She was truly a bright soul.

SpecialK

It poured earlier today and the temp went from high 80's to low 70's, and I must have had a crazy moment because I decided to make chili and have it over corn chips with cheese and scallions on top! That is usually a cooler weather dish for me, but it was quick and easy, so that is what we had!

susan_02143

The last few days have been not only hot but filled with on-site client visits. Yes, I have overdone! Tonight, Mr. 02143 suggested that perhaps, just maybe, I shouldn't be responsible for dinner. I agreed. We headed to the Mexican spot. I had some chicken tortilla soup and a side of black beans. Our waitress, who is getting used to us, can not believe that our small orders are sufficient for a meal, but I was full when we left.

Sandy, have a safe journey to Rome. If I remember correctly, you head there tomorrow.

Our current guests are, well, not my cup of tea. Entitled 20 something.... three guys who use tons of product and smelly stuff. There is nothing "wrong" with them, but they are "bros" and I am not a "bro" person. They are at the Red Sox - Giants game tonight... huge Giants fans they are, and they are getting beaten!!!! They leave Thursday, fading into memory and the next guest moves in.

Humans are fascinating!

*susan*

SpecialK

susan - "I am not a bro person" OMG that made me laugh! I am not one either, and the Navy Seal that DD dated for a couple of years was very much a bro - drove me nuts. On occasion DD mistakenly addressed me as "bro" - clearly, she had lost her bearings momentarily, and I was not amused! Thank goodness she left him in the dust (he is still not over it) and left the "bro" chapter behind her!

Lacey12

Have a wonderful trip, ChiSandy!

For all the oppressive heat we've been having at home, the Vineyard was actually chilly last night...blanket sleeping temps. I'm sure as soon as I get out for our morning walk, it will be wonderfully warm enough in the bright sunshine. Last evening we attended a delightful performance by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at The Old Whaling Church in Edgartown. They got everybody in the place up dancing. We ate a very late, very delicious light dinner here after the concert. My friend made a shrimp mix in a creamy Greek dressing which we had over wedges of romaine. Side was a bulghur tabouleh, minus the parsley in deference to one of my food allergies. Really tasty dinner!

Plans are for the beach today, then out to dinner, then to a play....the rest of the week is unstructured.

Susan, AirBnB guests are like a "box of chocolates", I 'spose......even with screening. I hope you are getting some of this cool air!

HH thanks for posting the recipe. I so rarely stray from my original NYT Cookbook quiche recipe, that I never try "other" milk forms than presented in that one, but it's about time I do so.

auntienance

Last night was a pre-birthday dinner at a local Italian restaurant. We both had a prime sirloin filet, grilled to perfection, sauteed broccolini and a roasted tomato. Salad was a medley of different colored cherry tomatoes and mesclun with a balsamic dressing. Minus, you would have loved the bread basket -- an Italian potato bread, foccacia and some kind of crispy flatbread, with housemade butter and roasted garlic spread. I could have been satisfied with the salad and bread basket, but of course persevered all the way to a giant slice of carrot cake. It was all delicious.

Today, we spent my birthday at the movies (free popcorn for me!) and tonight, I'm enjoying cold water lobster tails, boiled potatoes and corn on the cob, freshly picked. Oh yes, more cake (courtesy of Costco), a white cake with vanilla mousse topped with mixed berries. I don't know how it tastes, but it certainly is pretty.

I will no doubt pay a price for these indulgences, but they certainly have been fun!

susan_02143

Happy Birthday Nance!!! Sounds like you did an excellent job at the whole celebration thing. Well done!

I finally went back into the kitchen today. Did two batches of cranberry-walnut bread for the AirBNB, two batches of Balance Bread with pecans for Mr. 02143, the for dinner, cole slaw, smoked-grilled chicken, and corn bread. I tried a new recipe, and finally, we have a house-favorite! Joy! I will freeze the remaining corn bread since it does get stale so very fast.

*susan*

MinusTwo

Nance - Happy B-day. Sounds like two great celebrations. And yes to the bread. Be still my heart.

Susan - hope this next guest (s) is better than the last. Hoard your energy girl!!!

Lacey - I'm sure you're ready to stay home, but all the traveling sounds like fun.

Special - I'm not a 'bro' fan either. Glad your DD ditched that dude.

Carole posted on another thread that she's back home to be with her Mother for two weeks. Her Mother seems to be adapting well to the nursing home. Carole - we miss you even if you don't have time to cook!!!

SpecialK

auntie - Happy Birthday - all the celebration and food (and cake!) sounds yum!

minus - I was happy to see him go too - Navy Seals are good at what they do but they, by nature of the type of work they engage in, make lousy boyfriends and husbands! Bro no more!

Tonight was French dip sammies - I put a rump roast in the slow cooker with French onion soup, beef consommé, and a beer. Shredded the meat and put it on Cuban bread that was buttered and warmed in the oven. I spread some horseradish mayo on and served the sandwich with the au jus. Made a shredded kale salad with cara cara oranges (kind of like a blood orange) and goat cheese, with a citrus vinaigrette.

eric95us

Happy Birthday Nance!

HappyHammer, thanks for posting the recipe. I'll have to try that--maybe this weekend if I'm not "fried" from all the bank stuff. I make a baked apple pancake that is very similar--uses baked-in-cinnamon apples as a filling.

Susan, I love cornbread, but I only make it in a small 6 inch skillet instead of the big 10 inch one. No one else in the family likes cornbread--neither the traditional "from back in the holler" nor the sweet "corn cake"

Special....I, too, think it would be difficult to be married to a SEAL....

Lacey12

So glad you had such a fun food birthday, Nance! You were certainly a trooper to manage that meal at the restaurant! LOL And your at home lobster tail fest sounds wonderful. I'm kinda drooling over the sound of your cake!

Special, that sammie/salad dinner sounds scrumptious!

Today we beached for a while, then tonight had dinner in the most lovely spot, Lambert Cove Inn. The dining room was just beautiful, and the waitress, a lovely young, well-informed girl who also works at a farm and really understands the chef's preparations. The downside was that the menu choices were limited, and peppered with my allergy foods....damn allergies, which have surfaced more here. So, I had gazpacho and then a chicken dish with fresh steamed whole baby veggies. The chicken was totally unspectacular, which I expected....and tough....maybe the bird'sfree ranging it helped him develop very muscular breasts and thighs! I had my eye on a key lime pie with fresh berries special, but we realized that we needed to skip dessert to get to our play, so we had ice cream after the show.

Tomorrow night off to Chilmark Tavern....