So...whats for dinner?

MinusTwo · December 2014

Lacey - I think I'll try the drunken raisins for my neuropathy - numb & tingling fingers & numb feet. What can it hurt?

I may live in Texas but I'm not a native & wasn't 'raised up' eating black-eyed peas. Never the less, a Texas friend made the following recipe and I loved it. Came out like a thick stew. Don't know why you couldn't add kale - or for those of us fighting off that veggie - Spinach.

Mexican Black-Eyed Peas

1 16 oz package dried black eyed peas

2 lbs bulk pork sausage

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 18 ounce can whole tomatoes undrained (I used a can of petite diced tomatoes.)

½ cup water

2 tbsp sugar

2 ½tablespoons chili powder (I use 1 1/2)

2 teasp garlic salt

¼ teas. Pepper

2 ½tbsp chopped celery

Place sorted washed peas in large dutch oven. Cover with water

2 inches above peas.Let soak overnight.

Brown sausage in a heavy skillet stirring to crumble.

Add onion, cook until tender and drain.

Drain peas well.Stir in sausage and remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil.Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1/1/2 hrs.

Add water, if necessary.Serves 10

auntienance · December 2014

Lacey, I tried the drunken raisins, didn't do much for me. That was before my hands were so numb. Might be worth another try.

Minus, that recipe looks good. Rather like a blackeyed pea riff on chili.

I'm heading to town soon to stock up on lotion tissues and sundry cold potions. But first, more hot liquids. Blech!

carolehalston · December 2014

Nance, I looked at tagines on the Sur la Table web site. They're such interesting looking cooking vessels! Sorry you're feeling so crummy. If your problem is carpal tunnel, there are exercises that you can do that really help. I had carpal tunnel symptoms after surgery 5 yrs. ago. I looked up the exercises and did them regularly. Also purchased some rubber balls designed for exercises (they have rubber bands attached). Happy to say the symptoms eased and I no longer wear a brace at night. What kind of tortilla press did you own? The iron one?

I like almost all dried legumes but black-eyed peas is not a favorite. DH always cooks up a pot of them for New Year's Day, and, of course, we have cabbage. In our supermarkets there will be big tables of cabbages and displays of dried black eyed peas when it gets close to New Year's.

Lacey, does your home insurance or the mailman's insurance cover the window? What an unfortunate incident! I read in the recent issue of Nutrition Action (pub. by CSPI) that you can now buy organic chopped frozen kale. Maybe it will become widely available like chopped frozen spinach. I don't see fresh kale in our supermarkets that looks "fresh"! It usually looks like it has been there a while.

SpecialK · December 2014

carole - I also buy a frozen spinach/kale combo, I believe I got it at Whole Foods.

For anyone looking at Sur La Table - I just got a catalog with a $10 off $50 offer - the online code is SPRITZ14

auntienance · December 2014

This is the tagine I got: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003IWU0V6/ref=s9_topr_hm_bFgFX_g79_i7

The ones from Sur la Table didn't get very good reviews.

MinusTwo · December 2014

Back to the raisins - thought you all would love this quote from a letter to the old Paul Harvey radio show: I couldn't remember whether you said drink seven pints of gin and nine raisins or nine pints of gin and seven raisins, so I did both. Now I can't find the raisins ... BUT NO PAIN!

susan_02143 · December 2014

Very finny Minus!

Tonight's dinner is one of Mr. 02143's annual favorites..... The smoked turkey stock turns into Pasta e Fagiole soup. He wanted Goya Small Red Beans, not from dried, so that is what we used. We harvested the last of the parsley from the garden [why was it still flourishing?] and I used some frozen tagliatelle from the freezer [not the perfect size.] The perfect base for any soup is the stock, after being simmered with those precious parmesan rinds. I must say, this was one delicious soup! There is one serving leftover which Mr. 02143 will get that for lunch tomorrow since I will be at a client's office.

Tomorrow night we are going out. Mr. 02143 has a birthday. He is turning 62! Our favorite restaurants have not have any openings. I started searching 7 weeks ago and have not been successful, so we are trying a restaurant right in our neighborhood. It is too expensive for a "don't want to cook night" but not special enough for special nights. But, we have really wanted to try it, and so this is the night that we are doing it.

I need to find a card, maybe even a gift. I am not a great wife.... and I am too busy to work on that right now.

*susan*

Lacey12 · December 2014

Ha Ha Ha, Minus! Lots of folks remember Paul Harvey endorsing the actual folk remedy. I do hope the raisins work for you! And for you too, Nancy! Would that the little drunken bits could cure colds too!

Love that tagine! Guess I would not know what makes one better than another. I'll have to read more about them and look to see if any look different than that.

Thanks for the black bean soup idea, Luv. Maybe I'll do that next time, since I loaded up on mushrooms for this week's soup donation. Looks like I can make the wild rice mushroom soup gluten free easily enough.

I can see the reason for buying frozen kale, especially if you had to face yucky looking shriveled stalks. I rarely have enuf room in my freezer for bulky bags, but am lucky enough to have several good resources for buying three different kinds of fresh kale....even organic! Obviously I'm not the only kale queen in these parts! And now the stores carry packaged fresh baby kale, which is more delicate so I like it for salads as well as for sautéing, and in smoothies. That would also be good for kale pesto!

Tonight, after shopping the freezer and thawing some discovered chicken thighs, I made a sort of stir fry with those and veggies we had in fridge, and flavored it with a teriyaki and orange sauce combo. Had it over leftover wild rice and with a cuke salad to which I added pomegranate seeds this time.

Carole, supposedly the PO ins should cover it, but we will probably use our homeowners first and let them fight it out. I do think tho that they will both be outraged at the sticker shock and it could get ugly. Ugh....

Did any one watch The Taste tonight? I am amazed at the variety of food the contestants produce.

Lacey12 · December 2014

Susan....HB to Mr. 02143, and I hope you enjoy the restaurant. Do fill us in. Your area seems to be turning into a restaurant mecca.

My DH decided to register his concern about the stale cookies we had to endure last evening , and TK got back to him immediately, and (of course) insisted on sending him a gift coupon to assuage him. How about just some fresh almond macarooncookies!

SpecialK · December 2014

susan - anyone who cooks with as much love as you do is a great wife - don't think otherwise! HB to Mr. 02143 and I hope you both enjoy your night out.

M0mmyof3 · December 2014

Dinner tonight is most likely going to be leftovers from last night!

auntienance · December 2014

Susan, happy birthday to Mr. 02143! I can't imagine any restaurant meal being as good as he gets at home but hope the new restaurant makes the grade.

Cold is in full swing today. This calls for soup -- vegetable beef in fact. Beef bones are cooking now.

Lacey, the window saga sounds like a nightmare! And please send me some almond cookies. Stale or otherwise.

eric95us · December 2014

I'll add my happy birthday wishes to Mr. 02143.

Yesterday, MIL moved from the hospital to a rehab-continuing care place...still no idea what happened.

carolehalston · December 2014

I agree with SpecialK, Susan. You're a good wife and you show your love to your dh and your daughter when you cook for them. Happy Birthday to your dh! He's a young man from my vantage point.

Nance, that tagine definitely looks authentic and it's more affordable than the ones I saw on the Sur la Table web site. I might have to buy one since I've figured out a place to put it.

Not sure what I will cook for dinner. I have fresh catfish fillets and a whole chicken in the refrigerator. I had planned to cook the catfish last night but was reminded when I arrived home that we were going to the woodworkers' guild's Christmas dinner. The preserved lemons are preserved so if I decide to cook the chicken, I'll try a recipe with the lemons.

Eric, hope your MIL continues to improve.

Lacey12 · December 2014

Ditto to the comment about a young Mr. 02143! I think we're looking from the same vantage point, Carole. I love that you find a place for the tagine before ordering it! A good planner! I take it you may not have a basement. I was just thinking today that I should go on a hunt for the hand pasta maker my sister gave me some time ago....it is hidden somewhere downstairs! I'm afraid a tagine would suffer the same fate. I think it is very cool that your hobby is moving towards authentic international cooking.

I had a lot of errands to do today at five stores...and completed most all of them, except for buying the "Frozen" fleece fabric that I plan to use to make a "throw" for my grandaughter. The fabric store was out so the gal helping me called around to different stores and put an order on hold for me in another town. Sadly it means going out in the rain tomorrow in the direction of one of our most mobbed malls. I had hoped to hunker down and cook all day. Hope I earn nana points for this effort! LOL

Since I knew I'd be home late, I had asked DH to be in charge of dinner, (translation:Greek take out) but while at a produce market, I saw a loaf of the most delicious looking tuscan bread. So I bought that and some salsa turkey (WHATTT!!), some potato salad for DH, and some squash soup in a box, and called it dinner!

A final happy note....I was struck today by noticing that everyone with whom I interacted in the five stores inwhich I shopped, was especially pleasant and helpful to me and to others. For all the unrest, hostility and division in our country, and in the world, these days, it was wonderful to experience not just civility but thoughtfulness between generations, genders and races, as I waded through my long list of errands. How we treat each other really makes a difference!

carolehalston · December 2014

No basements in south Louisiana, Lacey. The water table is too high. We do have attics that are usually accessible by a drop-down ladder. The attics usually contain items that should be discarded. We have an attic and also have "out buildings" that house "stuff." I was given a pasta maker (a re-gifter) years ago and used it once. It had multiple parts that had to be soaked and cleaned. I gave it to a SIL who used it at least once. She just moved so she may have tossed it. It was a cumbersome creation. The little hand-cranked Italian pasta rollers with cutting attachments work well. I think the attachments to the Kitchen Aid are the way to go.

Last night's dinner was pan-seared small catfish filets, creamed spinach and a delicious salad with romaine, cucumber, grape tomatoes, avocado and blue cheese. My dressing was white balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of lemon olive oil. The spinach dish was simple and yummy: a package of chopped spinach cooked and drained and 1/3 of a block of Greek yogurt cream cheese.

Nance, I like that tagine you bought for SIL. The reviews are positive but there are several comments about it being small, just big enough for 2 or 3 servings. I frequently cook enough for another meal when the dish involves a number of ingredients and prep time. So I'm undecided. I would like one big enough for 4 or 5 servings. I own a Pampered Chef clay combo that is similar with the bottom dish and a domed bowl that fits on top but it's strictly oven cooking. No stove top. I've used it mainly for baking a whole chicken. The chicken comes out very flavorful and tender but not with crispy skin like a regular baked chicken. The stove-top tagine would be handy when it's too hot to light the oven. Like this week has been!

Happy Saturday to all.

auntienance · December 2014

Carole, the one I bought is 10.5 inches. I doubt that you could get a whole chicken in it but you could probably get 3 servings to fit. My dsil cooks mostly for two, like I do. It did come a size larger, 13.5 (for twice the $$.) There are many other places on the internet to buy tagines. It's quite heavy, so shipping was a factor for me (hence Amazon .) I hope you get one. After gathering all the recipes, I'm going to have to. If I can find a space.

carolehalston · December 2014

I went to a World Market store today in search of a tagine. They had one made in Portugal for $20 but I was pretty sure it was oven only. There were no printed instructions. It was also rather small. I did buy a nice braising pot (4 qt) for a good price. Enamel over iron but not as heavy as the pricey brands. The glass lid has a vent, a feature I like. I used the pot tonight to cook Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Green Olives. It was delicious. Love the sauce. We had bulgur pilaf as side and a slaw with cabbage, cucumber and avocado. Onion in dh's portion.

SpecialK, I saw the Knorr mix you described. I would never have noticed it except for the discussion between you and Susan recently.

I have finished up the home-made tortilla's. I'll have to make another batch. They're so good warmed up and spread with a little butter.

Nance, would you consider sharing the tagine recipes you're including with you dsil's tagine?

SpecialK · December 2014

carole - I miss World Market - when I lived in Northern Virginia there was one near my house (and a Whole Foods, and a Trader Joe's...) and I enjoyed wandering around in there. I am flying up to Washington, D.C. in about a week for my final trial vaccine booster and will have a couple of days to shop - the World Market is right off the subway, and there is a Sur LaTable right next to it - yay! Funny that you saw the Knorr mix! After the conversation about it I wanted to use it but had no cucumbers!

eric95us · December 2014

Lasagna tonight.

Last night DD and Sharon went to the Arizona Coyotes (ice hockey) "game" last night. I stayed home and canned the turkey broth/stock. Eleven pint jars. That should be enough for a few months of cooking.

Lacey12 · December 2014

Eric, you certainly are well supplied with turkey stock! impressive!

Never heard of World Market, but it sounds like a place I would love to wander through!

Last night we ordered Greek take-out since I was mired in making soup. Instead of getting our usual chicken and lamb kebabs, we got a shrimp kebab and a broiled cod dinner. Both were excellent with their Greek salad, and a side order of their delicious buttenut squash mash. Yum!

So I made the wild rice/mushroom soup which was pretty tasty, tho really expensive. It practically flew out of the crock pot during coffee hour. The gluten free folks were very happy. I think I may do the black bean next time. Thanks for that idea, Luv. There were lots of varieties today...mostly tomato base soups. The kids made over $400 in a very short time. I think they have raised almost 1,000 so far. Their annual trip to New Orleans (still helping families there) is in the Spring, so they should be in pretty good financial shape by trip time!

Tonight we have a neighborhood pot luck, to which I am contributing a spinach salad and maybe an appetizer of melon wrapped in prosciutto...a tribute to the lost summer! If I get ambitious, I may also make my faux french bread...but better get moving.....

luvmygoats · December 2014

We have been in the "eating it up" phase. I thawed some turkey leftover from this summer and made some rice/grain mix from World Market that had been languishing 1/2 used up in the cupboard. We went thru major plumbing disaster on Wed night into Thur. Can't remember if I posted here. Had to have the main drain to septic rebuilt. Hedge roots had invaded it. Plumber said poor PVC pipe used (have had that same comment from another plumber on the water intake line when he replaced it) and glued together poorly. So Wed night was toast etc. I hate to waste food but the acorn squash and the bit of pork cutlets (all 95 cents on clearance) went in the trash. No way could I face cooking. Thur. was I think leftover spaghetti. The turkey/rice was Fri/Sat. Tonight we're going to a friend's BD party in Ft. Worth. Daughter is culinary graduate (local school but she is good esp. pastry stuff) and she's making lasagna. I've made the proverbial Texas Trash Chex mix but this used Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Also made a pkg. dip that had only dried spinach, dill, onion, parsley and garlic put into mayo/sour cream. It is very green but tastes good - the vegies have to soften a bit. Both to take.

Oh my I love World Market. It was for a good while one of the few "gourmet" stores around until next door opened Central Mkt and TJs not far away. Never been in a Sur la Table and probably a good thing for my poor depleted pocketbook. I looked at all the different things Knorr makes on their website. We never know what good stuff we might be missing out on.

For many years during the 90s west Ft. Worth suffered from the downturn in the aerospace industry. We lost a ton of stores, real estate plummeted. Only say in the last 8-9 years has it really (and I mean really) rebounded. There is a huge development going in just S of interstate 30 - land that most people didn't even realize was there until Google maps came along. I thought it was railroad yard - there was no public access but no it was open land. Neiman Marcus is even moving their store which has been in the same place since 1976. My DH and I used to live in Garland, north of Dallas 1977-1979. Saw just the beginning of the boom of Northern Dallas Co, Collin Co, Rockwall. All solid rooftops now. We both remark that the west side better get their ducks in a row and look to their eastern neighbor on the wrong way to grow. They are still having growing pains. Roads are not in place here nor I think even much planned to handle this.

http://www.onceuponachef.com/2014/02/smoky-chickpe...

This was from something in my inbox. Looks like she has a bunch of other yummy soups.

Carole - I did find Cento crushed tomatoes at Brookshires. I didn't have your recipe with me but knew that was one of the basics to spaghetti sauce. It was a giant can but I guess more is better. I can always freeze it.

auntienance · December 2014

Love World Market. Carole -- i bought a couple of those porcelain pots for gifts in past years,

Here are a couple of the recipes I chose:

http://spiceamecooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/s...

http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-with-potato-tagine...

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/be...

http://ruhlman.com/2013/10/chicken-tagine-recipe-r...

I chose these because with the tagine, I've included harissa paste and ras el hanout.

I'm also throwing in a Moroccan bread recipe: http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/breadandrice/r/sm...

There are lots and lots of recipes out there. Many of them are called "tagine" but have no mention of such in the recipe.

The cold is better but still can't focus well, so dinner is the easy route -- sausage and cheese raviolis from costco and sauce I had made and frozen. I might muster up enough energy for a salad, but I wouldn't count on it.

carolehalston · December 2014

Thanks, Nance, for going to the trouble of posting the links. I looked at all of them and was able to save a couple as Word documents.

A cool front finally managed to dip far enough south to clear out the muggies. It's more like Dec. weather and we're enjoying our little fireplace tonight.

My sister who lives down in Cajun country is here this weekend, staying with my mother. She cooked a delicious chicken gumbo for today's dinner and also potato salad.

bedo · December 2014

Those acorn squash recipes look mighty good. I am going to stuff mine with wild rice, dried cranberries and walnuts. Eating up the leftover white lasagna and want to make some bean and cheese enchiladas. I am into making Huge quantities of food right now for each recipe to freeze

Speaking of freezing, it is freezing in here. I bought some on-sale fleece PJs from Wal-Mart today, They are mighty comfy.

Speaking Wal-Mart I went and paid off an anonymous person's lay-away today. No it was not much -about $28 but I figured if you don't have $28 to by a toddler toy and some clothes, Santa needs to step in. I remember those days. Gone now Thank God

I am having garbanzo bean and vegetable soup tonight. Daughter got me hooked on Pho so I've been eating that too. .

I was interviewed and photographed for a local paper today on "Creative Retirement" ie "Crazy people who do crazy things and still scape buy" I am not retired but only take temporary jobs now lasting 3-4 months then take a break. This job ends 12/23-haven't planned what I'll do next. It was at a plant. God I'll miss those 3000 men walking around in jeans and hard hats!

Love to all and so glad to see you, Eric, I hope your MIL is getting better

I heard from Debbie, she is RVing and is in California.

auntienance · December 2014

You're a good woman Bedo.

auntienance · December 2014

Well, saw the hand doc today and no surprise, found out that I have carpal tunnel on the right and trigger finger (thumb) on the left. Because my thumb and first finger on my right is constantly numb, she's recommending going straight to surgery. We could try the steroid shot first but she was not optimistic that it would help. She did think a shot would help the left thumb but with diabetics, the results can be hit and miss. I asked about the letrozole causing problems and she told me the trigger finger is very common in those with diabetes. I also have a bone spur at the base of my right thumb from arthritis. Not wonderful news, but truthfully, i just want my hand back. I did like her very much. I told dh that surgery would definitely put a crimp in my cooking and he said, "what -- you can't cook with your left hand?" He was joking of course, but it will be interesting to see how that plays out. At any rate, nothing will happen until I get back from the gulf coast.

Tonight is a quiche with broccoli, Gruyere, bacon and anything else I can find in the fridge, with a wedge salad.

Where is everybody?

carolehalston · December 2014

Good question, Nance. I guess everybody is busy with Christmas shopping or decorating. My mother had carpal tunnel surgery a few years back when she was in her 80's and it was no big deal. The surgery was successful. You wouldn't want to try therapy first? Just a thought.

I was out and about today with my mother and two sisters. We had a good time. And we had a substantial lunch. Dinner tonight will be leftovers.

I may have a glass of wine (!) to celebrate dh's good numbers on his blood work. His liver function numbers are improved after 5 weeks of no alcohol and some weight loss.

auntienance · December 2014

Hey congratulations to your dh Carole! As far as therapy is concerned, she seemed to think I was to far gone for it to be effective. Also the fact that splints haven't helped much. If I had gone to the doc months ago it might have been different. On the other hand (pardon the pun), she is a surgeon and that's what they do so I don't know. Truthfully, at this point I'm anxious for a quicker fix, although with recovery time, i'm not sure how quick anything will be.

MinusTwo · December 2014

Nance; I also have a left trigger thumb. I had a couple of cortisone shots and was considering surgery when my BC came back. The orthopedic surgeon has been very gracious about giving me the shots every couple of months all through treatment - and they work for me for 4-6 months. I won't do surgery yet as my RBCs are still a little low, so maybe another shot this month.

So...whats for dinner?

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