So...whats for dinner?

Tonight we grilled a whole chicken breast, supplementing with some cherry wood smoke. Served with leftover potato salad, a large green salad, and some steamed broccoli [local] with parmesan cheese. Perfect summertime meal. Since one half of the chicken breast is untouched, I suspect that we will eat that tomorrow. They say the heat is returning. This time I won't have so much stuff in the fridge so we can go eat in air conditioning!

*susan*

Oh? What page number? That sounds vaguely like our "house" stir-fry.

*susan*

The pasta dish tonight was delicious!  I loved it!  Fresh asparagus that I bought locally, some leftover steamed broccoli, and roma tomatoes.  Garlic, olive oil, penne rigate pasta and LOTS of romano pecarino cheese.  Simple is often the best way to go.

Bob the electrician was here at the campground this afternoon.  He is quite the raconteur.  We took our glasses of wine outside and he came over to chat.  And chat.  And chat.  I know a lot of his life story.  He is such a nice man.  He offered us the use of one of his boats.  When dh refused, Bob insisted that we come to his place, which is only about 7 miles and take his boat out from there.  I'm all for it!  I'm raring' to catch some fish.

We didn't come inside until about 7:45 so dinner was a little late. 

Those recipes sound good. 

Nance....that's why I like well seasoned cast iron....cleanup is easy.  A damp paper towel is usually all I need. 

Carole,...just curious..what was wrong with the texture of the pork chops?  The only time I've used a slow cooker (actually the dutch oven) for pork was when I shredded it and added BBQ sauce and beans.

I'd love to make the sticky buns, or doughnuts, but I doubt they are Weight Watchers friendly unless the portion size is 1/2 a crumb...

Cherry wood smoke....as in put some cherry wood chips to the side and get it to smoking while grilling covered?????

DD got her driving instruction permit today and she was anxious and anxious..anxious to get to it and anxious to not mess up....  I didn't get much time to eat more than the last remaining (small) piece of sourdough.  I guess I'll be making some more this weekend....unless I'm the "Person over 21 years of age with a valid class A, B, C or D driving license sitting in the front seat of the vehicle."

The driving thing is pretty good....As I left work I phoned home and mentioned that before we could go driving, I would need to get the stuff moved away from the house so the termite folks (tomorrow) can do their work.  I got home and everything had been moved! 

I was reading the termite inspection report and it said that the treatment was a preventative measure--subterranean termite activity was found in the nearby soil, but there were no signs of infestation to the house...

Eric,

Exactly. We collect blowdown trees at my parent's house, split them into small pieces, and soak before using in the grill box. The flavor is tremendous, even with a small piece of poultry. When we do the turkey at Tday this way, after a good brine, the flavor goes all the way to the bone. Absolutely delicious, and gives the turkey a beautiful mohogany color.

*susan*

Eric, the pork chops were dry even though they were doused liberally with barbecue sauce. They were probably too lean.



Moonflwr, I like sloppy joes, too. Just downed a chilly dog at A&W and am sipping ice cold mug of root beer.



Dinner tonight will have to be early because there's a street concert in town from 6 to 8. We may just opt for ice cream from Minnesoda, which has old-fashioned soda fountain.

Why yes... I do know a couple of good pickling recipes, and they use no special ingredients:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/kinda-sorta-sours-recipe/index.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/abs-b-and-bs-recipe/index.html

Don't bother with Alton's dill pickle recipe. It isn't worth wasting your cucumbers on. you might also consider a German cucumber salad. I can eat two cucumbers at any meal with this pickle. 1 cucumber thinly sliced, 30 ml vinegar, 20 ml vegetable oil, 20 grams sugar, and some salt. I always top with some dill, cause I love dill. Here is a cute young woman demonstrating the method. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUpi-qD8kqk

I use much less sugar, just cause I need much sugar in my life.

*susan*

Trying to get caught up - with this thread, with cooking, with life in general. Hopefully it will be soon. Meanwhile, I picked a pork loin roast of the freezer thinking it would be easy to fix and am out of ideas. Can someone suggest a quick, easy and delicious way to prepare? Too many pain meds have dulled my brain. Thanks!

Thanks, Laurie, was going to make it tonight but switched at the last moment because I had a hunch DD will be here tomorrow night and that will be something she will eat. So, will try tomorrow! Thanks!

Grilled pizza with grilled veggie toppings tonight. Also got some local peaches which I peeled and sliced. Wow, are they good. Small but extremely juicy and peachy. I'll finish what we didn't eat tonight with Greek yogurt for breakfast.



I picked another yellow squash today. I found a few tomatoes starting to blush, can't wait for those. I also have a large green pepper and two cukes that will be ready to pick in the next day or so. Eatin' good in the neighborhood!

Congrats Eric!.LOL. auntie, sounds yummy. Karra, if crab cakes didnt have mayo, id love them. Had a blick party today. DH got stuck working. I took a fruit bowl. Found a fruit I didn't see before, they called them Pluots. Plums and apricots. I got the yelliw ones, and the raspberry ones. So good. They look like plums, but inside the yellow one was gold, and the raspberry one was so sweet. Yum

Last night's dinner started with grilled bread, rubbed with garlic, and topped with an herbed goat cheese. I buy the cheese from the "goat" lady, but found it a bit plain, so tonight I whipped the goat cheese with a bit of buttermilk and added herbs from the garden. Delicious. Main course included smoked salmon, lentil salad, and local corn. I had expected raspberries for dessert, but yesterday's yield, six berries, somehow made their way from my husband's hand to his mouth, bypassing the collection bowl entirely.

I started some dill pickles yesterday. They are curing. Will taste in a few days to see if they are sour enough. Also did some B&B pickles. Good price on kirby cucumbers at the farmer's market. Tonight I am thinking flank steak, pico de gallo, an avocodo, with some beans. Not sure just yet. Will depend on if the kids want to have supper with us.

Welcome Peggy!

*susan*

I am loving hearing about the good stuff everyone is getting from the gardens and such.  I too should get ready to make some pickles.

Nance  How do you make the lime pickles? Sounds interesting.

Today we are grilling on the boat for my birthday. My friend the cook is doing a stuffed chicken breast...not sure how she is making these but I know they will be great and everyone else will just bring whatever.  LOVE cooking on the water...standing in the cool lake and eating with our hands, with lots of great friends.

Happy birthday Carrie.

This afternoon both moms/grandmothers are coming over for a late lunch (or early dinner).  We haven't decided if we're going to do somethng new or a tried and true thing.

Since the sourdough is gone, I'm going to make another batch.  I've always made round loaves.  This time will be somewhat of an experiment...I've got some *big* bread pans...so I'm going to try it that way as it makes it easier to use for sandwiches and such.

I've got a few pickeling crocks around here, but.....the paint tests positive for lead...so...they are for display purposes only.

Carole...with beef, I found that if I didn't sear it a lot....that it would come out dry and stringy...I wonder if pork is the same way......

I'm being called...bike problems....

Susan, I ran down to the garden after the rain and only saw 1,000,000 pickle blossoms! But I'm ready. From the one I've seen I have a question, do I have to scrub off the "spikes?" Can I use these recipes for spears? Your last recipe sounds yummy

I did bring in some crookneck yellow squash for the little boy next door.

The one flower I planted were giant zinnias they are coming in, I can't wait. and the beets!

I made pesto with walnuts

Happy Birthday Carrie!

Oh! and the mint and spearmint! Yummie in my Brita or plain ice water.