So...whats for dinner?

Susan I order it at the Cambodian restaurant. Have I been mislead? It doesn't taste like meat, which tastes funny to me

Thanks Susan. I wonder why they list things under. Beef, chicken, seafood and vegetable. Oh well it was good! I will try your recipe!

Got the urge to make that faux french bread today, so made it for dinner and used it for sandwiches. Used leftover chicken, arugula, red onion, tomatoes with whole grain mustard blended with a bit of mayo. They were so delicious....possibly because the bread was so fresh, but also because I find arugula to dress up a sandwich like nothing else. We had kale soup on the side.

Last evening I got all my pizzelle dough made, and also made a few dozen choc chips since I wanted to have something concrete (hope they weren't!) to give to an elderly neighbor. I had not planned to make anything but pizzelles this year, but as usual I keep seeing favorite recipes I want to make.

Need to get off this damn machine.....doing a Pac Man thing after I type....grrrrrrrr

As I mentioned before, I offered to cook a celebration dinner for my daughter on the occasion of her last day of the Fall Semester. I gave her a choice of fried chicken with biscuits or chicken fingers with fries. Silly girl stated that biscuits are for breakfast and opted for the fries. Clearly I moved her out of the South too young. Anyhow, that is what I made, along with a cole slaw since I wanted a vegetable. Today was a hospital day. My new nurse was great, and I might request her as my permanent nurse.

We ordered a ton of pizza for dinner and used the family time to dress up our tree. There are twinkly white lights, and lots of ornaments. This summer, we took all my parent's ornaments that had been ruined by the raccoons out of the barn. Rather sweet to have so many things on our tree that represent my childhood, and Lauren's.

Even though I don't cook on treatment day, there were four chicken thighs that just had to be trimmed. I made up a satay marinade paste, cleaned up the chicken and they are now in the freezer ready for grilling. Even when I feel like crap, I can't stand the idea of wasted food.

When do I start to hear about Christmas menus? Still working on mine.

*susan*

Hello all - just back from DC - had a nice dinner with my son - we ordered the same thing at the restaurant we went to - steak frites.  Very good, done with hanger steak and skin-on fries.  Had a nice field greens salad with champagne vinaigrette.  The rest of what I ate was unremarkable while there other than a nice carry-out box of assorted fresh fruit and salads from Whole Foods that I ate while at the vaccine booster appt.  I have to sit for an hour and have vitals taken every 15 minutes, and had flown up that morning, so I was famished!  I met a lovely person also having her booster, so we chatted between vital sign taking.

Last night I threw together a shrimp, broccoli and carrot stir fry over brown rice for DH, but didn't have any - I was really tired after flying home.  I went to bed early and slept in late this morning.  I had my every six month MO appt this afternoon - took everyone at the office (about 20 people) a bag of caramel corn with smoked almonds and cashews that I made this morning, and gave that - plus a tin of BBQ rub that I concocted to my MO - he is a BBQ fan.  I have been having some hip pain, so they ordered a lumbar and bi-lat hip MRI and a DEXA.  I do have degenerated disks, that I have had for years, so they want to look at that, plus I get Prolia injections so they want to look also at the density and for vascular irregularities that can be caused by Prolia, that can cause hip pain.  Tonight I sautéed some salmon patties and made whiskey and brown sugar glazed carrots.  Also made DH a salad with romaine, parmesan and some peppered salami slices, dressed with olive oil and vinegar.  I didn't eat much though - not much of an appetite.  After dinner I made some pecan bars and small loaves of pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and walnuts for the folks in DH's front office.  Tomorrow morning I am going to try a recipe for citrus and dried cranberry cookies that uses brown rice flour and coconut flour and no sugar, honey instead.  I am curious about them, but also want to make them and give them (if they are good!) to a friend who is doing the same eating plan that I am.  I am making her a tea related basket and wanted to include some cookies, so this will be experimental.

susan - my tree has some ornaments that were on my tree when I was little and also from DH's - I love those ornaments and their history!  I am glad you had a nice pizza/tree decorating time!  Glad you have a good new nurse too!

eric - you sound like you have some things to do - will you have a chance to relax a bit while you are off work?

Oh minus, that's a crappy present. Hope you can get them fixed asap.

Geez SK, you certainly hit the home ground running!

Tomorrow is my relaxing day.

At least it's more relaxing than your day, Minus. Yikes. I'd be eating the good stuff too. Yellow Jello and such...blahhh :-) I had a molar pulled out a few years back and within a couple of days I could (carefully) eat whatever I wanted. Are they doing tooth implants?

There is no Christmas menu here either. My brother is getting in from China on Christmas Eve. His in-laws are about 45 minutes from here and we (mom and MIL too) are going over there for Christmas. He hasn't been here in quite awhile and it will be good to have the family together again, if only for a few days--he heads back the morning of 27 Dec.

Special...glad things went well up in DC. Question though. Your making whiskey and brown sugar glazed carrots..... Is that one thing with two ingredients or two different things? :-)

Sharon and I both have childhood ornaments on the Christmas tree. DD also has some that she made in kindergarten, so she can have some memory ornaments too. There are a few from when Sharon and I were dating/engaged and one that Mickey gave me.

Susan, it sure does sound like you left the South too soon...biscuits go well with all meals and are much preferred to fries......silly girl, indeed. :-)

I will be working on a biscuit recipe that is entitled "Aunt Hattie's biscuits". She was my aunt...born in 1898 in rural Kentucky, so these should be relatively authentic. It is more of a reminder note than a recipe, which is why I say "working on". Fortunately biscuits aren't that complicated, so it shouldn't take years to figure out. The paper was found in a cook book of my mom's.

Chicken and biscuits for me, too, Susan.  PLEASE!  Just remembered a can of Grand biscuits in the deli drawer.   Temptation....

Nance, have a safe flight to the Gulf Coast.  Looking forward to our lunch get-together on Monday at the Beau Rivage. 

SpecialK, you put me to shame with your 4 Christmas trees.  And all your home-made food gifts.  Love your Christmas dinner menu.  Sounds delicious!

Eric, what a Christmas present to have your brother home for Christmas!  Hope you get to enjoy his company and also hope you enjoy some time off from all that work travel.  I'm reading the Middle Eastern food book you recommended and I love it.  The pictures are great and the instructions very clear.  The emphasis is on three countries, Syria, Lebanon and Jordon.

Minus, sorry about the dental problems and the expense.  Two years ago I had two implants and a bone graft so I empathize.  You will get through this, too! 

I'm finally starting to feel a little better.  Wish I had a video of my first attempt last night to use a Neti Pot!!!  It would be a hit on U-Tube, for sure. 

Susan, what was that brand of tablet (computer, not OC!) you recommend? 

Not much cooking of interest here, but last night I made a roasted butternut squash (peeled and cubed) and brussel sprouts combo that was delicious even to my dulled taste buds.  I did the usual, s & p and olive oil on the veggies.  After 25 min in 425 oven I dribbled some cane syrup and cooked for additional 20 min.  Yum.  Like veggie candy.  I don't have any maple syrup on hand.

If I continue to feel ok, I may try making flat bread today but I will use a mixture of whole wheat and white flour.  It is supposed to be flat!  I expected traditional Arab bread to be made of whole wheat flour. 

Meanwhile... biscuits...

carole - Lol!  I am a crazy woman with the four trees - every year my DH rolls his eyes and says lets just put up one and every year I put them all up and he says how much he loves it.  Anyone who doesn't want to decorate should just come over to my house - I have enough for all!  My DH and his family always had beef tenderloin and shrimp for dinner (my MIL still does that dinner, which is the shrimp, tenderloin, green beans and swiss potatoes with a buche de noel for dessert)  - when the kids were little the dinner was on Christmas night, but as they got older they started to have the dinner on Christmas Eve and they had champagne and opened gifts, but saved the stockings for Christmas morning.  Once grandchildren entered the mix this continued - with the adults opening gifts after the little ones went to sleep on Christmas Eve - that way we could all watch the youngsters open their gifts on Christmas morning and focus on that - which was so fun!  This year DH and I will be by ourselves on Christmas Eve, DD has to work Christmas morning and will be home by the afternoon so I will do the dinner then.  DS won't be home until the first week of Jan, so I can't decide whether or not to leave the big tree up for him and do a special dinner - DD will come home again while he is visiting.

luv - I have long periods of busy punctuated by periods of nothing, lol!  I need to learn to pace myself I think.  I think the bourbon would be perfect - anything amber that can reduce and get syrupy will work.  I am not all that knowledgeable on spirits - there is scotch whiskey and bourbon whiskey - I prefer the bourbon for cooking.  I have a few bourbon recipes - another favorite is a bourbon, mustard with peach or apricot preserve sauce for pork.  I will find the recipe if you want it - super easy and so good.  I served it when I catered a friend's holiday work party last year and it was the most asked for recipe.  You sound like you will be busy cooking too!  Your menu sounds delish!  Everyone in my family loves enchiladas - really what is not to love about them - delicious cheesy goodness!  Yum!

luv - OMG - I am so glad you said something about tamales - I know how to make them but I am not going to - the local "authentic" Mexican restaurant does orders of them for Christmas - I am glad you mentioned it because that would be a good treat for DH and I to have on Christmas Eve since it will just be the two of us!  Yay!  Sounds like a scrumptious bash you will be cooking for and attending!

Here is the sauce recipe:  Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a skillet and cook a minced shallot (or onion if that is what is handy - just mince it finely) until tender.  Stir in 1/2 c. peach or apricot preserves, 1/3 c. bourbon (off the flame or heat), 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, 1/4 teas. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicier).  Cook over medium heat until of the desired consistency - I cooked mine until pretty thick since it was for a heavy hors d'oeuvres party and people would be walking around - the pork was sliced and placed on toasted baguette rounds and I didn't want the sauce too runny.  You can definitely multiply the ingredients to make any quantity of this sauce.

Getting hungry reading about all of the delicious recipes you are all making!

I'm about to get the pizzelles cooked in the iron...long process. Last evening we had store bought fresh ravs with eggplant filling, jarred tomato basil sauce, and a garden salad. I must have been really hungry since it seemed delectable! Not sure what we'll do tonight since when I get on a roll with the cookies, I hate to stop. So maybe DH will cook (ie, take out) or heat up our leftover chicken and some remaining kale soup. Would love some refrige room that that would create.

For Christmas Day we will be heading to our friends who usually have a large sit down dinner. This year she is changing it a bit, somwe will all bring appetizers and a main dish for a buffet, and it will be later in the day. I may make twomdifferent types of bruschetta and something else for apps, and most likely a festive looking salad, unless I hear she needs something different. To be determined.

At home, Dh, .dD2

Thanks to everyone for the dental wishes. Not pleasant but it's done & I'm home. The current plan is one implant for one broken tooth. If/when the next one breaks, we'll hope it's on the other side. That way I could get a 2nd implant and those two implants could eventually anchor a bridge when the middle teeth go. Radiation - the gift that keeps on giving.

Oh all the food sounds wonderful. Special - thanks for the bourbon pork sauce recipe. I can hardly wait to try it. And shimp & pasta, and Carole's squash concoction. Eric - looking forward to hearing more about Aunt Hattie's biscuits.

Mailed my Christmas cards on the way home from the dentist so now everything done but the baking.

Yay for passing these parts Eric. How are you DM and MIL these days?

What can I do with the upper portions of the cherished leek? And I also have the outer tough leaves of the bottom. I would guess I could certainly freeze those for some future stock. Think I will do that with the bottom parts for sure. Maybe add a few of the well washed upper ones. I can always throw them away if I thaw them later and decide they are not useful.

The black eyed pea stew from Nancy smells good. I chickened out and did not put in as much kale as it appeared to need. Mine came in a plastic box, already shredded. I had to reshred and de-stem. Nancy be forewarned - that 30 min prep time is laughable. I bet I worked at least 1.5 hours. Skinning the andouille, cutting up salt pork which was terrible, chopping couple slices of thick cut bacon plus all the vegies. I have it on one big burner and the chicken for the chicken enchiladas on the other and a glass of sangria at my side. Going to plant myself for a bit and rest. House does smell divine. DH will be impressed but not so much with mess. Thank goodness dishwasher is empty and most can go in there.

Still have to wrap presents for Christmas exchange tomorrow night. I found the cutest felt Christmas tree coasters at B,B and Beyond - $1.99. Adding them into one package. Other one is more manly type DH picked out. Our group usually has a good mix of gag gifts, pure trash and some treasures. I think last year DH or I traded and traded and I got a cheese tray. These are old friends the ones we go to Oklahoma with 2x/year. Our kids grew up together but we were the crazy ones to move to the country.

Just sneaked a taste. Sausage a bit spicy but tolerable for me. Kale is actually good - 1st time I think I've had it. It was a multicolored mix beautiful with red streaks. All I could think was healthy, healthy, healthy.

Wow, everyone is cooking up a delicious storm! I can just about smell all the wonderful aromas. Makes me wish I was doing some cooking too. This may be the only year I escape that.

Luv, thanks for the warning about the peas. I'm very eager to try it.

Carole, hope you feel better soon. I'm really looking forward to Monday!

Thanks Susan for the tip on the leeks. I will go wash the tops and freeze them. I now have enough boned chicken for probably 3 pans of chicken enchiladas. That extra will go back in freezer.

I think at the rate I am fading there will be no dessert from me at least certainly not tonight.

So Nancy when are you due to leave? If for some reason I have missed you leaving please have a safe and very enjoyable trip.