So...whats for dinner?

Debbie  Wahoo on the big win...treat yourself.

Apple We love you either way....so if you need to whine and complain we are here for you.  Thats why I love this thread too...all good positive stuff and whats more positive than good food!

Laurie   I had a dream last night that I met you.  You were living in a small apartment attached to a nursing home, and you were like the caregiver and went around boosting everyones spirits that were sitting in geri chairs around the room.  WTH?  I have the most bizarre dreams.

FYI - we have our reservation for Pickity Place on Saturday, September 29 at the 12:45 seating.  The menu:

Red Pepper Hummus

French Onion Soup with Thyme and Swiss Croutons

Tomato and Seedless Cucumber Salad with Cumin Sea Salt

Wild Maine Blueberry Scones

Sesame Encrusted Tuna over Napa Slaw

- or -

Oriental Vegetable Saute over Cellophane Noodles

Honey and Soy Glazed Mini Carrots

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

Looking forward to seeing Bedo (Sally), Lacey (Pat), Deb, Joyce, Hauntie (Lynda), and Laurie!  And the foliage should be spectacular by then...great views up there!

Michele, yum! I want to go!



All this talk about burnt ends has made me crave bbq, so tonights dinner is huli huli ribs (huli huli is a marinade and sauce made with pineapple juice, garlic and lime, among other things), salted potatoes (my first!) and a vinegar and oil coleslaw.

Oh,.I wanted to say I so enjoy this board in particular because of the honey feelings. Not that no one vents but that the care surrounding the venting make us feel at home. As does the gentle reminders to see a doc if we complain too frequently about something! LOL there are other boards that I am on, that are similar in feeling to this board. Then there are the ones that are so full of tension I don't bother with them. I try to only frequent those boards that are supportive to each other and treat each other with respect. Too much crap going on to enter into any of that stuff voluntarily. Ps, did I mention I love this board? LOL

CaroleH and auntienance - can you recommend any real good cook books for authentic southern cooking.  When I was in New Orleans I could've just eaten all day long as there were so many good foods to try.  I would love to try real Louisiana/Missouri cooking at home.  Sure it will never turn out as good, but I may get close.

Hugs to everyone out there who needs them - guess that would make us all.   Who turns down a hug.

Michelle, I am impressed with your knowledge of so many things relating to bc and cancer in general. 

Debbie, more positive and prayerful thoughts being sent to your father as he undergoes treatment.  I do hope he doesn't suffer with the chemo.  And congrats on winning at the penny slots!  On most of those penny machines, there are so many betting lines that you can spend more than a quarter on each spin.  For some reason, I prefer the slots with 7's.  DH and I have switched to video poker machines.  A few times each winter we drive over to Biloxi, MS, and play at a really nice casino, Beau Rivage.  I suspect it was flooded during Isaac.

Apple, I hope you will feel free to voice down feelings as well as "up" feelings. 

DH and I toured the WI state capitol bldg. in Madison yesterday.  The tour guide was really good, and the building is gorgeous.  It was built during a 10 year period beginning in 1907.  It was a pleasure to walk around and stare up at the beautiful stained glass ceilings which were all designed to admit natural light.  The variety of marble used in the construction was also awe-inspiring.  Interestingly, we were allowed to sit in the leather chairs of the Senate chamber but were not allowed to sit in the chairs of the House chamber.  The whole experience reminded me a little of walking around inside cathedrals in Spain and Portugal.

Today we drove to Milwaukee, or just outside the city, and are set up in an rv site at the State Fairgrounds rv park.  It's raining and is cool enough that we turned on heat.  Tonight's before dinner cocktail will probably be a cold weather drink--a bourbon old-fashioned.  Dinner will be chili made with ground beef, 1 can of black beans and a can of pinto beans and canned tomatoes.  I'm making do with what is in the freezer and the cupboards.

Tomorrow we'll take our bicycles to dh's niece's house, which is located, I believe, in a neighborhood that will make us a little nervous about parking our truck.  The niece and her dh insist that the best way to see Milwaukee is by bicycle.  So if I do not post again.... 

We're hoping Milwaukee is like Madison, which is very much a biking city.  There were young people on bikes all over the downtown.  On Saturday the plan is to take a boat tour of the lakefront, which should be fun for the niece's two children as well as for the adults.  The weather forecast is great for the next two days.  We have never spent time alone with Harmonie and her dh so this will be a good opportunity to get to know them better.

Thank you to the person (sorry, I forgot the name) who recommended going to the Art museum on the lakefront.  I'll definitely do that. 

Tazzy, one of the best recipe books for New Orleans food is Cooking Up a Storm or River Road Cookbook.  There are many others, too.  You can order both from Amazon, new or used.  What are some of the cookbooks you use?

I'm very curious about your "statement," Laurie, but you probably don't want to explain on this thread which anyone on the internet can access.

Carole, I love Biloxi and Gulfport too especially Beau Rivage and Island View in Gulfport.  Beau Rivage only had water in the garage, I think the casino and hotel were unscathed.  At least they opened up within hours of the storm passing.

Tazzy, about cookbooks, wow -- so many to choose from.  I used to be a cookbook collector, but have given that up for cooking magazines.  My best recipes these days come from Cuisine at Home, Cook's Illustrated and Food and Wine.  That being said, Southern Living Magazine puts out an annual cookbook that I used to get for a number of years.  Lots of good things in there.  As far as New Orleans style, Carole is right, there are many to choose from.  All the NOLA celebrity chefs have cookbook as well as many others.  However, for my money I've found that some of the best regional cookbooks are put out the the local Junior League.  These recipes are usually tried and true, lots of times family recipes prepared by "real" folks.  My niece who lives in Houston recently gave me theirs and I've loved and used it often.  I know that the NOLA Junior league has published several and you can probably purchase online. 

I'll take a hug anytime  Bon Appetit! 

Debbie, Michele is giving you good advice.  My mom underwent chemo last year for liver cancer.  I live in another state and and it was very difficult for me to get accurate information to know what was going on with it.  She had a very hard time with it (she was not strong to begin with) and I so regret not getting a release so that I could talk directly to her doc (she didn't want me to).  My parents were in their 80's and neither one had decent hearing, so it was hit and miss about whether she even knew what she was getting.   Best wishes that your dad gets the best treatment with the fewest side effects.

I think I'm going to have the rest of the ground beef from last night's dinner, plus I'm going to nuke some buttercup squash with chopped apples and cinnamon. 

Laurie - the weather here is beautiful and I have the windows open.  I'm sure if DH was here we'd be running the a/c.  Today was a perfect day, weather-wise!

I used to collect those regional cookbooks done by church groups or junior leagues - the recipes were always good.  Now I just look up recipes on the web.  I have a few dishes where I refer back to my old Pillsbury Family Cookbook, circa 1968...lol.  There's a great fried chicken recipe in there!

Hey all... Just doing a quick fly-by....



Laurie,



I was wondering what you were talking about since I couldn't find anything here that would have you worried.... Thanks for posting the link to your statement on the Making Strides site! Just read it and it was so beautifully worded that it had me crying.... Well said!



Picked a lot of tomatoes this afternoon and am trying a recipe similar to yours for sauce but, it's done in the crockpot. Sure could have used your little guy here to help with the squishing... lol.... Will let you know how it comes out.



Debbie,



Hope all went well today with your father's treatment.... As hard as it is for us to have to go through it, I think it is also very painful to have those we care about having to do the same. I pray that this treatment plan does it's thing and that the side-affects are minimal!



I do think that, if your Dad is willing, that getting a signed document where the doctors (each of them individually) can share information with you is a really good idea. I have one for both of my parents, my DH and each of my children. It is not permanent if they do not want it to be and can be terminated at anytime if they choose but, it makes things so much easier. Found that out the hard way when my children turned 18 and, while still covered under our health insurance, the insurance company would not share any information when I had a question on a bill because they did not have the permission to do so.



Michelle,



I wish that I lived closer and could join you all at Pickety Place. That menu sounds sooooo good! How are your treatments going?



Carole,



LaCrosse isn't far at all from Rochester, MN where I lived for 5 years!! Don't miss the winters there at all but, the biking and hiking trails they had were fantastic!!!!



Carrie,



That is really very good news for your sister! I know you are as relieved as she is!



Bedo,



Even though it was not meant for me, thanks for the pic of Geoge Clooney.... He is one fine looking man!!! Lol



Well, I guess this wasn't so quick at all...lol and I know I missed a ton of people but, please know I do thinnk of you all everyday....

Manicotti and salad.

Took advantage of my vegetable windfall from DH's trip to the farmer's market and made gazpacho with my friend Vita Mix...then tonight made ratatouille, which I just sort of tasted (after having a bowl of gazpacho) while cooking...and felt so healthy....until I ended up balancing it off with some brie and crackers. Oh well...at

least it was after a long walk. Obviously DH was not here for dinner.....or it might have looked more like a meal.

what am i doing on the computer ?  I need to be starting the sourdough bread.  I find that it doesn't matter when or where the sourness develops.... time is it's friend.   it smells pretty sour.  It's 6.38 in Kansas and i have been up almost an hour.

Carrie - I cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, scoop out the seeds then put it cut side down in a microwavable dish, add a bit of water, cover and nuke until it's tender.  How long depends on the size of the squash.  Once it's done, just scoop the strands out with a fork.   And dessert first, that's a great idea!