So...whats for dinner?

I love this thread...it's about so much more than dinner. Thanks for making me smile...tonight I had Stoffer's 5 cheese lasagna!

I'm so glad there is no Whole Foods within 70 miles of me (90, yes). I can barely control myself with a Costco. Whole Foods is like Disneyland to me.

I recently found out there are several participating CSA farms in my area. Unfortunately, I've missed the season for most of them, but one does offer free range chicken and eggs during the winter. The prices for the chickens are not bad, but the eggs are expensive. I'll have to decide what I want to do.

Laurie's talk of mushroom gravy inspired me to make chopped steak with a mushroom wine sauce. Also had garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed the last of the beans with a shallot and thyme.  Freeze warnings here tonight so it will be the last of everything I expect.

I second Susan on the Costco tires.

I went to market fresh today it is whole foods competitor. Tuesdays is special day. Their chicken breast organic raised without any junk in them are 2.99 lb and their chuck beef is also 2.99. Tuna was 4.99...But that is where inexpensive ends. I love the store and walked away with a hefty bill. The Sweet potatoe chips, granola you make,banana bread, veggies all delish I made pepper crusted tuna steakes served over a bed of baby spring greens salad with tomatoes and a hit of feta , Chicken breast with aparagus tips and broccoli for the young uns.

I bought an eggplant just because they looked so gorgeous. I have never cooked eggplant. I have only ever eaten it battered and fried. Any recipe ideas? Can it just be grilled?

Vivian

Welcome naiviv!

This is an eggplant recipe that I have made and really like!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/eggplant-parmigiana-recipe/index.html

Sometimes I make the sauce myself and other times I use jarred sauce. It's a lighter, non-fried version of the classic eggplant parm...

auntie - I agree on the Whole Foods as Disneyland! In VA I had one 5 mins down the road, and a Trader Joes 5 mins the other way - dangerous! Here I have two WF but they are both 30 minutes away. I just found out they are building a TJ's -so excited!

Minus - I have had more than 20 unfortunately, but this was the most extensive surgery because it is a recurrence. I have two more to go at two week intervals. I had three treated just before chemo, they all scarred badly and took a long time to heal. I can't imagine today's experience on my face though - that had to be so scary!

SpecialK what a day. Surgery or cop car ride. Hmmm so she did both. Then super woman got the car fixed too. LOL

All you ladies with DH recovering. Ug. Heres hoping they heal FAST! LOL

This thread is important to me too. We have met so many wonderful people, read so many recipes, shared smiles and tears and we just made ourselves at home.

Ok enough schmaltz! LOL. Just saw a new Food Network show. Heartland table. This looked real good but its a bit weird. Sourdough bread sliced and put in a pan with melted butter and maple syrup. Cooked til it was crispy and a dark golden brown. Cooled a bit and served with a soft cheese like brie or goat. It really sounds like it will be good. Kinda going with the breakfast food talk! Maybe its a recipe for healing! LOL

Much love.

are those cherries? I love anything with cherries! I grew up in the cherry capital of the world!!!

Hey all! All the food sounds so yummy! We had leftover beef stew last night, I made enough so that I would not have to cook last night, which was a good thing. I do need to grocery shop though - where I am going later today is right by Whole Foods and the Fresh Market, so that will be a treat! I did not sleep well because the surgical area is right at the inside of the shoulder blade in the middle of my back. I can't sleep on my back, can't sleep on the left side due to the incision, and sleeping on the right side kept squishing the left side. Consequently, I watched a lot of stuff recorded on my DVR and slept in 15 minute increments. I need a caffeine IV right now! Today I am getting four new tires (in about an hour) and my hair done later this afternoon. The good news is that I don't have to raise my arms to wash my hair for a couple of days, which I think would be a bit uncomfortable, the bad news can't take any pain meds because I have to drive. Life seems to be full of these trade-offs! Just made my appointments for my clinical trial vaccine booster in Washington, D.C. for December and January - it will be cold by then! Very exciting!

moon - I like your Corelle - it has a bit of a vintage vibe, yet modern! Plus, you have to love the durability. My everyday bowls and dinner plates are doing some kind of weird scratching thing - I think from the flatware contact. I may be in the market for new everyday stuff sooner than I thought.

laurie - I'm good, don't worry! Today was mostly sitting - tire place is 5 minutes from home, sat there, drove to hairdresser (sitting in the car), sat and got hair colored/cut, stopped at Whole Foods and it was not crowded and just grabbed a small cart of things, it was quiet so the sweet bagger came to my car and put the bags in for me. Drove home - sitting, lol! I got chimichurri steak and smoked gouda pasta salad for DH so I did not cook. DH is watching the WS right now - and I am getting ready to go lay down! Sorry to hear your DH is sick - boo! Hope he is feeling better quickly!

I need a kale pesto recipe!

Special, there are a lot of kale pesto recipes on various internet sites, so just google it and select the one you like best. I found that the only DIFFERENCE (note, I am not listing all the ingredients for pesto here....just the variations...hope that isn't too confusing) from my basil pesto was that I toasted the walnuts (I use them in favor of pine nuts), blanched (for a minute) about 8 large leaves of kale, stripped of their ribs, and added only a minimal amount of basil (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup). I also add the juice of one lemon which I never did with regular basil pesto. The color is bright green and tends not to turn which I like. To me kale pesto tastes like basil pesto in a milder form....and is cheaper to make...those kale leaves go far! I can use just one bunch of kale for pesto, soup, and several smoothies. And it is not so easy to find nice fresh basil here through the winter.

Also, Special, I was dying at your account of all that sitting...did that not hurt your back? You must have a high pain tolerance! I would be much more debilitated!

Laurie, so sorry to learn your DH is sick. He obviously listened to his body by heading to the sack!

My DH is struggling with a cold, which kept him up all last night. It does seem odd to see our guys get sick.

So no report on the rollatine, since I stopped at Marshall's in search of a dress and ended up spending more time there than planned (could I be turning into a suburban shopper....hope not!!). DH decided to go to a business program he was going to skip....so I got out of making any dinner...and spent my time doing "clothes management". Tomorrow I do have to cook!

So for my spontaneous dinner, I made a mashed avocado (with some garlic) sandwich on whole wheat bread, with tomato, red onion, green leaf lettuce, and kalamata olives. It did the trick!

Back to watching the game......glad I am seeing it from the warmth of my family room. I like to attend baseball games on balmy summer nites.

lacey - the surgical spot is up pretty high so I just leaned forward a bit. The biggest problem was getting my hair washed because I had to lean back, but my hairdresser went fast! My car has heated seats (yes, ridiculous in Fl, but the car came from VA - I love them though for Femara related joint pain - I just blast the AC to balance it out, lol!) so I was comfortable for the car rides to various places. I do have a high pain tolerance - I took pain meds for only a few days after the previous surgeries - even the BMX. I think I will like kale pesto - I am not that into basil, although I do like basil pesto. Thanks for the handy hints on how to do the kale pesto - the fact that it is milder is what I will like.

I don't know Michelle, but still I am so very sorry.

Her words that Nancy posted, from when she was by her mom's side, struck home a bit for me, having been with my own mother while she was in hospice earlier this year. I can't help but have that experience in the back of my mind now here at home, and it shades and influences every moment I spend with my love. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes with melancholy, but it's brought a higher octave of awareness to me, and the sharpened perception that every moment really is precious.