So...whats for dinner?

PontiacPeggy

Susan, you look great with your shaved head! I get that about earrings being so enticing for the little rugrats.

HUGS!

MinusTwo

Susan - thanks for posting the great picture. As for earrings, I never had pierced ears. I gave some thought to it when I lost my hair, but discovered that my ears are not level at the bottom so 'drop' earrings looked funny. Probably no one else noticed, but I'd always had hair at least shoulder length so it was a revelation to me. On the other hand, maybe my ears used to be level? I understand ears are one of the few things that keep growing as we age so maybe mine grew out of sync.

Great Bento box lunch: Miso soup, green salad, tempura shrimp & tempura vegetables, interesting cucumber 'condiment', fried rice, and a slice of pudding like tofu. The meal used to included two slices of California Roll and I thought the tofu was a disagreeable substitution. The group ordered salted, garlic edamame in the pods for appetizers.

Dinner was some of the potato salad I made the night before to use up the leftover boiled potatoes & eggs. I'm not a fan of mustard potato salad & I'd forgotten how much I like potato salad with just mayo & sour cream, eggs, celery, green onions, dill weed & S&P. That will likely be brunch today too.

april485

Susan, you look really good in that photo! Not everyone can pull that off. You very much can. Hugs for the stress you are under.

Daughter is coming up and taking me to dinner at this place tonight. Despite it being in the city I live in and 10 minutes from my home, I have not been here. It is rated 6th of all restaurants in my city according to Yelp! Anyway, it has a nice wine list and a small but nice menu. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g33837-d1551505-Reviews-Luce-Middletown_Connecticut.html

MinusTwo

Wow April - that looks spectacular. Hope the food is as good as the ambiance. So glad you're getting this treat. We'll be looking forward to your review.

carolehalston

Mm, potato salad sounds good. I like some mustard in mine along with mayo.

We're having catfish fillets, maybe oven "fried" with spicy corn meal breading. Boiled small red potatoes, the kind that are sold in large numbers around here to throw into the pot with crawfish. And a salad, either romaine or bagged with kale and crunchy stuff.

Yellow bell peppers were on sale today so I bought four and made stuffed peppers for the freezer. Stuffing was ground pork, ground beef, cooked brown rice, black beans, and Rotel tomatoes. It is very good.

ChiSandy

Breakfast was the leftover hanger steak, green beans & chorizo hash (corn & black beans) with a fried egg on top. Just had a late lunch of tuna salad on low-carb whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato and onion. Gordy’s going out tonight and Bob’s working late, so I will pan-sear a petite bison flank steak and saute some peppers, and season the meat & veg with some s&p, cumin, oregano, olive oil and a touch of chili powder for fajitas w/o tortillas.

MinusTwo

One of the local church youth groups put a bag at our doors today requesting non-perishable food for a children's home. What a good reminder to clean out my cupboards. Unfortunately due to the mis-information about what the "best by" date means on foods, they won't take anything that is past that date. It is sooooo sad that people are going hungry because the food industry doesn't explain that yes, the food is still absolutely fine. Just not at the peak of freshness. Most canned or bottled goods would never expire, and many boxed goods with sealed packs inside are just as tasty. But of course they want us to toss stuff & buy more. So wasteful.

Anyway, I've found enough "good" things to fill the big bag. There were still lots of items in my cupboards that I bought specifically to eat or drink during treatments. Just looking the products now makes me want to kick something. Nice to get rid of those things.

I'm going to make a concerted effort to eat out of my stuffed freezer. T-bone steak tonight. Rotisserie Chicken breasts tomorrow. Or maybe Costco's quiche tomorrow? That will give me quick leftovers for the week.

M0mmyof3

making lasagna for tonight

HappyHammer

Had a delicious black bean burger at a fun place in Charlotte today- Mac's Speed Shop.  It opened in 2005 and quickly became famous for BBQ.  They have a nice menu but the bean burger really hit the spot!  Walked 3 miles at the Greenway before enjoying the lunch- hot but great walk except for the slithering "friends" along the way.  Stopped once to catch this pic but we saw about 6 of these...will not be walking this spot until COLD weather returns!

Just me at home still so super was a turkey sandwich with tomato, red onion and avocado.  That would never fly with DH. 

auntienance

Happy, yike! That's a big 'un! It's snake season here too. DH has spotted two ring snakes, a largish black and a very pretty milk snake. I have yet to see any, probably only because I haven't looked hard enough. So far no copperheads, thankfully. And no snakes of any kind in the garage.

Tonight was supposed to be stuffed peppers but it's a chilly windy day here so we decided on one last batch of chili for the season. It will include beans because we like them.

ChiSandy

Last night, Bob stopped off at Calo (neighborhood Italian restaurant) to pick up dinner, because he was afraid if he ate before leaving the hospital he might not make it to a bathroom in time due to horrendous traffic. He brought home a tossed salad with vinaigrette, and pennine (skinny penne) with tomatoes, shrimp, tuna, garlic and olives. So I put away the bison flank steak till this morning, and made steak & eggs with broiled tomatoes. Tonight we’re going out to Oyster Bah.

eric95us

Susan, you look fine all fuzzz....what I don't like is what the fuzzy look represents.

Sharon did the cooking for today and most of the following week. Jambalaya, chicken & dumplings, and a minestrone soup.

I was my mom's house today getting the house "bare". I need to move one more bed/frame/mattress into the garage as well as bring the glass front bookcase and mom's wedding dress to home. That is it. The house echoes when I talk. SIL shows up on Tuesday, the thrift store folks show up on Wednesday and the contractor crews will likely show up the following Monday.

Last night we went to the movies...and saw Gifted. A predictable movie for the most part, but it does raise the question as to what is "best for the child" when the child is a prodigy in some area.

ChiSandy

We went to Oyster Bah (sic) for dinner, but weren’t as impressed as we were the first time. We arrived on time for our res, but due to overcrowding had to wait >15 min. and settle for a table in the basement bar. Service was glacial, even though it was much quieter downstairs. Our drinks took 10 min. to arrive (and the waiter came over and asked “what was your order again?”). We had to ask twice for bread, and it arrived with the food—which all arrived at once: the salad, the seafood tower and the asparagus on the side. The seafood tower was disappointing—only two small oysters and shrimp for each of us, a dish of tuna poke over guacamole, one small stone crab claw each (the shells pre-smashed so every bite had a little bit of shell) and one small lobster tail split down the middle. Not much for fifty bucks, compared to the seafood towers at other Lettuce Entertain You restaurants. The seafood salad I had the last time—for half the price—was a huge crab Louis that also had lobster claw and plenty of shrimp. But the coconut cake? To kill for. Unlike authentic Southern-style, it had custard instead of frosting between the layers, and it took all the discipline I had to box up half of it to bring home. (No help from Bob, who hates coconut nearly as much as he does beets).

carolehalston

Stuffed peppers tonight with carrots and salad.

It's actually cool enough today that chili would be good. We like chili with beans, too.

susan_02143

I would probably prefer no beans, but since Mr. SMT wants beans in his chili, that is how we eat it. To be honest, if he didn't love chili, I probably would never make and/or eat it.

I made ciabatta today which took a fairly large chunk of time. Already made our Sunday brunch. The kitchen is a disaster. Time for Mr. SMT to get it cleaned up so I can start the NEXT meal. I am making a buttermilk dressing with blue cheese for a composed salad, steaming and otherwise cooking some other veggies for the salad and brining up the steak. And that is dinner.... steak and a large salad with some bread. Down another 3 pounds. When I was pregnant Mr. SMT as he ate all the brownies and cole slaw that I made. Same is happening now. I serve a normal serving, can't finish, and he finishes my plate. I have been told that he has found my missing 3 lbs!

Snakes. :: shudder ::

*susan*

MinusTwo

Pork tenderloin with Seeds of Change rice/quinoa mix.

I actually cooked both long pieces of the tenderloin. The one I ate today was basted with Apricot Chipotle sauce. Yummy. I still have 1/2 left. The other piece was rubbed with sage. After cooling, I cut that in 1/2 and froze both pieces. What a bargain. I got the 2.7 lb loin on sale for $5.24. That four meals.

Lacey said to please extend her greetings. She will be on the way to the wedding in FL on Tuesday. She mentioned that a destination wedding has lots of extra issues. Just one for her was the definition of "beach formal". Her DIL who had open heart surgery has made a remarkable recovery and will be traveling to the wedding. And all of her grandkids will be there, in addition to all the young men who grew up with her son & their wives. Once she gets through May, she did say she will tackle "the mods" to find out why BCO keeps kicking her off - but in the meantime, a shout out to everyone at the kitchen table

lohoff

Hungarian potato soup and it was delicious!

HappyHammer

It was really chilly and rainy here today...high 58- so I made a nice Thai chicken soup tonight.  Maybe the last soup of the season but it was so nice!  Company tomorrow-Thursday- DH's cousin in town for a job.  DH is out of town so cousin and I will have fun making suppers DH wouldn't really like. 

Susan- snakes make me shudder, too....especially SO very early in the season...ugh!

Glad to get a shout from Lacey.

Said a blessing for all of you at my little dinner table tonight...so thankful for this thread!

ChiSandy

Fish & chips, with coleslaw.

eric95us

It is done. Mom's house is completely cleaned out except for the bare minimum needed for SIL to spend one night there. There is a mattress on the floor, a chair, bathroom supplies and the security system. Before the work crews descend on the place to repair picture frame nail holes, and tiny cracks in the walls, paint and install new carpet, I will remove the security system and put it in a box for the eventual new owner.

I feel good about how this went. My brother and I wanted very little of the stuff..family heirlooms mostly and a couple of things that meant a great deal to one of us. The rest of the stuff....95 per cent went to friends of mine that I know will appreciate the things they wanted.

The remaining 2-3% is in the garage for the thrift store to pick up. The stuff is nice, but neither my brother, nor I, nor any of my friends wanted the it....Everyone has enough bread pans, pie dishes, lamps and bed frames/headboards.....I guess it's the "garage of misfit toys". Hopefully the items will benefit someone I don't know.

HI to lohoff. I *think* Poland, OH is not too far from Akron...which is where my mom was born (in 1918) and raised. I love potato soup, but have not heard of the Hungarian variety. I'd be interested in the recipe if it's shareable.

Tonight's dinner was healthy albeit insufficient..a Pink Lady apple....which was better than the nothing I had for lunch. I did make plett for breakfast, so I didn't totally go without food. :-)

MinusTwo

Eric - I'm celebrating that you finished such a huge task. You were so organized and now everything is done. It must have been weird to stand in the empty house.

Welcome to the kitchen table lohoff. We look forward to getting to know you.

Susan - missed your post when I was trying to write about Lacey. Funny that Mr. SMT has found your missing pounds. Maybe he'd like some of mine too.

april485

Hi ladies (and Eric:)

My daughter and I had a wonderful dinner on Friday night. From start to finish, the meal met all of my expectations. We started out with a shared appetizer from the specials menu of caprese salad made with buffalo mozzarella. Incredible! My daughter had the porcini mushroom ravioli in a truffle cream sauce and I had the 10oz Filet Mignon served with a vegetable hash and roasted fingerling potatoes(yes, it was HUGE and I brought half home for my hubby). The steak was cooked perfectly and was a perfect piece of meat. I have had a lot of steak in my many years, but this one was exceptional. I also had the pleasure of the keeping the leftovers of my daughter's ravioli which were to die for! I will definitely order that next time if in the mood for a rich delicious pasta dish. We split dessert which was the ricotta cheesecake with a raspberry coulis. It had a fresh light lemony flavor and was much lighter than your standard NY style cheesecake I am used to. Fantastic! Is it a bit expensive? Yes, but worth it plus I was not paying..LOL We shared a bottle of montepulciano (similar to a chianti but I like it better) and enjoyed just being with my daughter where we were the only two people. Usually I share her with the rest of the family...LOL

Yesterday, I used my new pasta machine and made pappardelle with a Bolognese sauce that cooked all day. What a fattening and lovely weekend! Today, we are having chicken thighs, roasted root veggies and rice.

eric95us

I don't know if I have shared this here.... A "peeping Tom" on the back porch.

auntienance

Eric - eeek!

april485

YIKES Eric! Another reason I could not live in the dessert! Wow!

ChiSandy

YIKES, Eric! I don’t think I could handle knowing that rattlers could come that close to the house.

Will grill steak tonight (pre-salting in the fridge with espresso-infused salt), and roast carrots and green romanesco cauliflower. I know cast iron cooks it better, but every warmish clear night I can use the grill is a gift. Using cast iron means preheating the pan till the oven reaches 500F, and flipping the steak every 2 minutes as well as keeping the vent hood and ceiling fan on full blast with windows open. I could preheat the pan in the gas grill and cook the steak in it there, but it’s riskier and I’d still have to let the pan (and grill) cool and bring it in to clean.

carolehalston

April, your dinner with your daughter sounds perfect in every way. Ricotta cheesecake must have been delicious. Cheesecake is often too dense and heavy.

I lost another pound. A total of 8 lbs. I wear the same shorts to the WW meeting and they are getting loose!

Tonight is ribeye, boiled small red potatoes with butter and sour cream and romaine salad with avocado and blue cheese.

It will be great to have Lacey return

MinusTwo

Carole - congrats on the 8 lbs.

April - YUM. If I ever come you're direction I will ask for the name of that restaurant.

Eric - Just sort of normal, right? I live in the middle of the 3rd largest City in the US and it's not unheard of for us to have snakes (rattlers, cottonmouths or copperheads) in our yards or on our patios . I expect Special K sees a similar thing in Florida.

SpecialK

Tonight was spaghetti carbonara and a kale salad with strawberries, blackberries, avocado, sliced almonds and dressed with vinaigrette that I added smashed strawberries to. I am tired - had a lymphoscintography exam today at Moffitt. Tracer injected between each finger and then 75 minutes in the machine with my arms over my head. They have established a new protocol and have now added exam and static pic at 3 hours, then again at 6 hours - I was the first patient to do this extended exam. It will be interesting to see what the recommendation is from the microvascular surgeon in terms of my candidacy for bypass surgery to ease lymphedema. I am not sold on this and his case will need to be pretty compelling for me to attempt it - I am a bit over surgery right now, lol!

minus - funny that you mention snakes and me chiming in - the day before Easter I opened the armoire on our lanai and there was a corn snake curled up on the TV remote, and later in the day my husband was clearing the dead banana palm leaves away from the edge of the pool enclosure and encountered a pygmy rattler! Two snakes in the same day - although I got the non-venomous one. On a cute note a commercial fisherman friend of DD's found a baby duckling floating out in the bay - very far from momma - and scooped him up with a little net. He is currently under a heat lamp at my house and is convinced that DD is a really big duck! It is pretty adorable.

susan - you look awesome!

carole - congrats on the weight loss! I need to get busy and get back on track with mine!

april - yum!

eric - my snake buddy (and Happy, you too! Snakes in the water, what?), I am glad you are done with mom's house - and feeling good about how it went.

ChiSandy

Grilled the aforementioned grass-fed boneless ribeye—pre-salting it with the espresso sea salt and then refrigerating it for a couple of hours made all the difference. It was really tender & delicious. The honey-curry roasted rainbow carrots, and the pan-roasted romanesco cauliflower with olive oil & lemon turned out great too.