So...whats for dinner?

auntienance

Lacey, pretty table! Dh did good!

Today is our t-day. I have a small turkey and breast all spatchcocked, brined and ready to pop in the oven. Only takes 90 minutes so I have time to drink a cup of coffee. I did most of my kitchen work yesterday and I completely sympathize with your aching back Lacey.

The most interesting dish today in the midst of the traditional fare is an onion fennel gratin. Wonder of wonders, my grocery store has started carrying fennel bulbs. Imagine my delight! I made a mini pecan pie (not many fans, mostly me), a pumpkin pie and a small carrot cake. It's only four of us and the grand-dog Olivia today. The kids will take home plenty of leftovers. Some friends may come for dessert later. Looking forward to spending puppy time with Olivia. I miss dogs.

Time to get to work. Have a great weekend!

Redheaded1

oh Nance, you fennel gratin sounds tasty. I love fennel. I usually just toss it in olive oil and roast it with other veggies. I tried growing it one time. DO NOT EVER PLANT THE STUFF NEAR YOUR TOMATOES. We had horrendous tomatoes that year, and when I looked at a companion planting guide, that was a NO NO. I never did tell my dad what was wrong with the tomatoes that year. .

Still dealing with the upper respiratory crud. I started a 250 mg z-pak yesterday. Doubt if it will do much good, think the dose is too small, but the MD's in my medical group are too busy to see patients unless the yare really ill. and I guess it never even occurred to me to ask what strength dose she was giving me.

Trying to decide between the Red, Pepper Gouda soup or the Hungarian Mushroom. My taste buds are dead right now.

I did get my quilt going- I have made it 6 blocks wide and ll rows long and am in the middle of sewing the strips together. It is a "mentoring" class project--pattern in Rail Fence. Today I am pretty tired, so it may not get any attention till evening. Once I put the borders on it , it will be a nice size for the sofa or my Dad at the nursing home. Today I shot in to check on him and take a sweater I had mended. The therapy lady was just leaving when I arrived. I changed the wax trap on his hearing aid and He immediately wanted me to help him get in bed so he could sit and watch TV and read his newspaper and a magazine I took him, His lunch was in 30 minutes so I told him since I felt bad, I wasn't staying.

M0mmyof3

Going to boil up some more spaghetti noodles and use up the leftover sauce

bedo

Eric, my condolences. It is so hard to lose a parent. I still feel that my Mom is with me.

My temp to perm job will be up Dec 23d, Not sure if I want to extend. I will be the Grandma of a baby boy in May. I'm feeling that maybe this might be my last time to travel. We'll see. I've connected with many high school friends.

I'm thinking of making this Perfection Salad for the in-laws for Christmas.

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Perfection Salad

May 24, 2011 tags: bad food photography, McCalls Great American Recipe Card Collection, perfection salad, vintage recipe cards, yes this is perfectly awful

2 envelopes unflavored gelatine
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (12 oz) apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (4 oz) chopped pimiento

1. In small saucepan, combine gelatine, sugar, and salt; mix well.

2. Add 1 cup water. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar and gelatine are dissolved. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in apple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, and 1/4 cup cold water. Pour into medium bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until mixture is consistency of unbeaten egg white.

4. Add carrot, celery, cabbage, green pepper, and pimiento; stir until well combined.

5. Turn into decorative, 1 1/2-quart mold. Refrigerate 4 hours,or until firm.

6. To unmold: Run small spatula around edge of mold; invert onto serving plate. Place hot dishcloth over mold; shake gently to release. Repeat, if necessary. Lift off mold. refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 8 servings.

©Copyright 1973 by The McCall Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

What do you think? No idea if you can see it!

eric95us

Red, I hope the Z-pac works quickly for you....maybe if you watch Z-nation, it will work better. I noticed that one of the TV cable networks was running episodes of that show back to back, which somehow doesn't seem like decent Thanksgiving programming. :-) I never did see anything worthwhile in those zombie apocalypse shows.

I'm swimming in quilts, both finished and partially finished. My dad was the youngest of six and his three sisters were ardent quilters from southeast Kentucky. As the sisters died, the projects were passed along until they got to my dad--mom and her mom were also ardent quilters. So there are quilts from both sides of the Mason Dixon Line (Ohio and southern KY). My MIL is helping me pass along the partially finished one.

I love fennel on cubed and baked potatoes..that and an egg and some cherry tomatoes.

Lacey, that does look good. Since it was just Sharon, DD, MIL and a friend of MIL, I didn't go crazy with the real china and silverware.

I'm glad the plunger worked, Jelson. I learned the hard way too, to use the disposer for just the stuff that accidentally ended up in the sink.

Chi, my college cat, a probable Main Coon Cat, would watch nature shows on TV. It was fun to watch her watch...

Minus, everytime I make that salad, I seem to be the only one that eats it, but that's OK by me. I've never put marshmallows in it, but I've certainly done the cherries.

I better post this before I do something to make it disappear and I need to get to mom's house to install some security stuff....I don't want anyone getting in there without me knowing about it.

HI to those I didn't mention. And thank you for the notes about my mom. I got letter today from the brain study program coordinator thanking me and my mom for all she did for them....I was glad that she had one last chance to make a difference.

ChiSandy

Bob & I went to Cellars (formerly B’way Cellars) tonight for a late dinner—house mesclun salad and short-rib pot roast with green beans and mashed potatoes. I swapped out Brussels sprouts for the spuds on mine. Barely got through half of it, so Gordy will eat well tonight. Hope the sea scallops I bought yesterday will hold up till tomorrow night. Tomorrow will be a long day—run-through of all numbers with the band, and then running the show twice in the afternoon. Fortunately, no costuming to deal with till Mon., so no suitcase to wrestle on the L. (Bears game at Soldier Field, so parking, normally difficult, will be nonexistent).

M0mmyof3

Lasagna is prepped and ready just to pop in the oven

carberry

Dinner out with friends and the kids last night, had a crusted fish with side of "earth grains" as the menu called it. quinoa ,and other "stuff" Very good and light after the heavy Thanksgiving stuff.

Tonight, the kids have gone back to ohio, so I am doing something Italian. Saw a recipe for chicken parm done a little differently...ground chicken mixed with bread crumbs and seasonings, kind of like a meatloaf, made into patties cooked in fry pan with a little oil and then add your sauce and cheese. Side of linguini.

april485

Making cube steaks with onions, mushrooms and gravy over egg noodles. Wanted beef after all that turkey! Back to work tomorrow...wah, wah, wah!!

ChiSandy

Feeling pretty punk tonight, but I bought some sea scallops Fri. night that need to get cooked before the 30th—if I don't cook them tonight, I'll have to freeze them because I won't have a free evening till next Sun. night (in Bar Show dress & tech rehearsals tomorrow, Tues, & Wed. and we run Thurs-Sun). Could freeze them, but they're a pain to defrost and never taste the same when thawed. Besides, no room in the freezer.

And wouldn't you know it—I caught my manicurist's cold and am trying desperately not to get laryngitis. I will pan-sear the scallops in grapeseed oil and Old Bay (deglazing the pan with dry sherry & butter) with some sauteed sugar snap peas. I'll nuke some “ready rice" (please, no sneering—I don't eat starch at dinner) for the menfolk. But I just had a bagel & lox 90 min. ago and have no appetite right now.

Redheaded1

Oh Chisandy--I hope it isn't this crud I have---I got sick a week ago on Friday nightand I am still dragging and coughing....Day 3 of Antibiotic.....Dayquill helps.

Dinner tonight was Ham, sweet potatoes, lima beans, cranberry sauce and pecan pie. The ham steak is all gone now, I am going to toss the fresh market sweet potatoes... they had cinnamon and something else that made them taste not good to my cold affected taste buds.

Hopefully I will remember in the a.m. to start some crockpot cheeseburgers in the crockpot. Otherwise, I still have 1/2 container of Hungarian mushroom soup and a full container of Roasted Red Pepper w/Gouda soup. Stopped at grocery for a couple of staples and came home with $60.00 worth of goodies... Gorgeous pomegranates, navel oranges and grapefruit.

Lacey12

Still chipping away at T-giv leftovers....glad not to cook....but so boring and the scale is giving out bad news.

So while DH chowed down on a big turkey leg, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin soup, cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole, I finished up,the crudite and hummus and the last of the pumpkin soup. I ended up pepping it up with chili lime seasoning that I bought at Trader's last week. I liked it, despite the fact that the Trader's shelf stocker thought it would not be a good match.

Red and Chi, I do hope you don't have the annoying virus that has plagued me for over six weeks now. The terrible cough continues, and a neighbor doc mentioned today that I should really be on an antibiotic to knock this out of my lungs. The first one did nothing as it was purely in the viral stage.

Eric, how really meaningful to receive that letter of appreciation from the Brain Study Group.

My next door neighbor gave us some of that dessert I so love that reminds me of the Greek dessert that starts with a G and has a custard in it with kind of a shredded wheat topping. Just what I needed after this high calorie weekend. Of course I scarfed mine right down. Glad there are no more good desserts around.

That said, I made the dough for my anise pizzelles tonight. I need to finish making them all before the weekend and have a busy week, so at least they are ready for the iron.

I think I need to get back on my stringent menu of smoothies and kale soup so I can comfortably fit into clothes for holiday events.

ChiSandy

I’m managing to keep the cough at bay thus far with some MucinexDM and my inhaler. When my throat feels dry, I’ve been popping sugar-free Thayer’s Slippery Elm lozenges. It’s not in my lungs yet, and I can still breathe through at least a nostril at a time. If I didn’t have this show, I would just cocoon, sleeping whenever I need to, even taking a Norco for the cough-suppressant effect. But I can’t—need to be able to drive, at least tomorrow to get my stuff to dress rehearsal and then to the theater. (I’ll Uber or cab it the other nights). The director says that if need be, I can simply mouth the lyrics to all the ensemble numbers and if I feel too rotten I can rest in the green room when not doing the four scenes in which I’m featured (and in one, the aerobic dance scene set in a gym, sit that one out too). But I can’t drop out of the scene in which I’m the lead—if I drop out, the scene will be cut since we don’t have understudies. (I’ve seen it happen one year when we had a blizzard and some of the leads were stuck on commuter trains).

april485

Lacey, do you mean Galactobouriko? One of my favorites but since my Grandmother died in 1992, have not had any that are nearly as good. She made the best..sigh. I miss her and her cooking soooo much! I miss her stories and her mischievous blue eyes (yes, Greeks from the part of Greece she came from are light skinned, fair haired and often blue eyed or green (me) but my Dad's side are dark haired with olive skin and brown eyes) Holidays really bring out the "missing family" blues the most. Enjoy the dessert and I hope you feel better Sandy!

Lacey12

Yes, April, that's the dessert....and how wonderful it must have been to enjoy your grandmother's! You are right. The holidays sure remind us of those we miss....and the nurturance we received from them physically, emotionally, spiritually. We carry them with us....

Believe it or not...turkey sandwiches tonight, with lots of lettuce for me, and brussels sprouts. DH plowed through more stuffing and the rest. Oy! Fortunately we did go to our stretching class, and our zumba class before returning to leftover gobble land. Felt good to move around a lot. My body thanks me, save for the never endingcough.

SpecialK

Posting may be spotty - got a call in the middle of the night that my FIL had passed away. Not sure about when services may be in SC, should know more by the end of the day. My FIL had a long and wonderful life, and mercifully, a short acute illness that didn't impact him too much until the last couple of months. He served his country during WWII, had a blissful 62 year marriage to my MIL. He put himself through medical school and had a very successful career caring for many patients. Together my in-laws had five children, all are happily married, seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren. Can't ask for more than that.

auntienance

Oh Special, I'm so sorry. But you're right it sounds like he had a wonderful life. We should all be so fortunate. Hugs to you and your family.

Redheaded1

Special, I am so sorry for your loss. He sounds like a treasure of a man.

Lacey12

Condolences to you, your DH, and his family, Special. It sounds like your FIL did have a fulfilling life to celebrate. I hope your MIL is coping well, and am sure she has a lot of family support as she grieves losing the love of her life.

eric95us

Special, I am so sorry to hear the news.

((Hugs)))

Eric

MinusTwo

Special - our thoughts will be with you in the days ahead.

ChiSandy

Special, so sorry to hear of your FIL’s passing. Sounds like he had a long & wonderful life that touched so many others. May his memory be for a blessing.

SpecialK

Thanks everyone - I appreciate the kind thoughts

M0mmyof3

having the last of the lasagn

april485

Special, condolences to you and your family. May your wonderful FIL RIP.

SpecialK

Thanks all - heading up to SC tomorrow, service and military honors burial on Friday. Had turkey sammies for dinner last night, I did a couple of turkey breasts for sandwich meat over the weekend - froze a bunch and that was the last of it. Trying not to grocery shop since we will be out of town for a few days, so since DH and I both have haircuts scheduled for this afternoon, we will go out for a quick bite. My poor DH - a gentleman that was in his area of supervision (he has 160 people under him - all with immediate supervisors) was diagnosed with a gliablastoma a number of months ago. DH visited him in the hospital and at home several times despite not knowing him beyond a casual acquaintance at work, and definitely did not know him outside of work. This man passed away a few days prior to my FIL and the wife unfortunately expected my DH to help her handle the funeral arrangements and hold her hand throughout, and even speak at the visitation. This man had siblings and children, DH had to gently tell her it was not his role to do this. The service and burial are today, and because the military cemetery are an hour north of here, this will be an all day event. Because DH is a good man he will attend, but I know he will be tired tonight and has to get up at O dark thirty and drive 6 hours to SC for his own dad's witness cremation.

M0mmyof3

A friend of ours from hubby's job is sending him home with some chili

Anonymous

SpecialK - I'm so sorry for your loss. Sounds like he had a well-lived, well-loved life.

Lacey12

Special, hugs to you and DH as you go through this difficult time. We know DH will be well nurtured by you as he navigates work personnel expectations in addition to family needs. He sounds like a solidly caring boss (of so many) and devoted family guy. Caring thoughts to you as younsupport him through this period

SpecialK

serenity - thanks!

lacey - DH is a good supervisor - definitely an open-door, how can I help kind of guy. He said today's service and military burial was very well done, and the widow was very appreciative of his presence in light of his dad's so recent passing. I am thankful that DH seems mostly relieved that his dad is no longer sick, and he feels he is resting in peace. His thoughts seem to be more of his childhood and growing up in a tight knit and loving family - at least that is what he has verbalized to me so far. I think he is more worried about his mom, she seems pretty fragile. We will see her tomorrow evening, and can better gauge how she is doing - it is hard to know over the phone.