So...whats for dinner?

Lacey, your husband looks cute in that apron!  I never had any doubt that you would measure up to the challenge of caregiver. 

Nance, lots of room in our golf group.  I felt sorry for myself all day--and envious of dh--because I wasn't out playing on this nice day.  There was nothing keeping me from going to the driving range but I didn't.  Your chicken dinner sounds good. 

Odd that there was a run on sugar.  I remember a few years ago the rice supply got short.  Americans do seem to buy a lot of milk.  I see people with multiple gallons of it in their carts. 

The weather map shows 70's on Mon., Tues., and Wed. but also chance of rain.   Then a cold front swoops down and the high on Thurs. is in the 40's.  I don't remember a Feb. like this one. 

I have some aprons somewhere but never use an apron.  SK is an all-around smart lady, always coming up with good ideas. 

I talked to my mother on the phone this afternoon.  She was exhausted from making the cornbread dressing for tomorrow and declared it was her last time to make it.  LOL.  Now she's worrying about whether it is good.  I had planned to skip the carbs tomorrow but I'll have to eat some dressing.  My sister will probably bring her mashed potatoes made with cream cheese.  In addition to the turkey and gravy, I'll probably cook some green beans and make a cabbage slaw with pineapple.  Then there won't be much room on the plate for mashed potatoes and dressing.  Good plan, right?  Formulated as I sip a rye old-fashioned. 

Susan, it sounds like your daughter is following in your footsteps with an interest in cooking.  That must be gratifying. 

I'd like the pineapple slaw recipe too - written as I sip a Gin & Tonic. Nope, no calories there just like your old fashioned Carole. I don't like the taste of diet tonic, so....

Week 6 of English muffin bread. It is rising on my desk right next to the client notes that I should be working on. I must enter Nancy's recipe into my Pepperplate account so that I can try it next week. I was simply too lazy last night to go back up the stairs to search for it, so I measured out my dry ingredients using what I knew. Mr 02143 wants French toast so I will start some eggs in the sous vide machine when I start soaking his bread. I rather like this routine for right now. And then I won't. :-)

*susan*

What a riot, Eric!  A robotic baby annoying people at a restaurant. 

Minus and Nance, I don't actually have a recipe for the slaw with pineapple.  I got the idea from Ina Garten and tried to find her recipe this morning.  No success.  In that tv episode she used fresh pineapple and cabbage and a mayo dressing.  Today I used red cabbage, Savoy cabbage and grated carrot and a small can of pineapple pieces.  The dressing was red vinegar, light mayo and a little of the pineapple juice.  I think an addition of jalapeno pepper would have been good.

Today was my second time to cook a butterflied and dry-brined turkey.  Once again it was juicy and quite good.  Tomorrow I'll make stock with the bones.  My mother was quite pleased that her dressing got compliments. 

SK, you are an amazing woman and take such good care of your family.  I'm sure your dh realizes how lucky he is. 

Lacey and Moon hugs to you and Special and Carol you are better Women than I!

Went to Swedish Massage today with my friend and took a picture of her in her green Queen for a day Crown that I made her. It looks like a 2 year old did it and I used sparkle glue, thinking it was sparkle markers with the stickers and marker drawings so it is still drying in her back seat. "Don't touch it! Don't touch it! It's not dry!"

Then we went for brunch. I cannot tell you what Trish ate as I ate 6? 7? plates of food, including the clam chowder, a bloody mary and OJ. I am a pig. I am usually frugal. So I went for the expensive things that I love but don't usually get... mixed spring greens, smoked salmon (lots) cream cheese, capers, shallots, mushroom omelet made just for me, fresh cut up fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, watermelon, roasted vegetable medley, Dijon herb incrusted cod with white wine reduction, olives, yogurt with granola and dried berries, three potato hash with herbs and caramelized onions (with ketchup)

Trish had more of the prime rib with pan jus, eggs benedict with lobster, Belgium waffles, a lemon square, tiramisu, a mimosa, bread pudding, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, chocolate torte, Portuguese sweet bread and some of the things I had.

We rolled out of the restaurant. She said, "It would have been enough just to get away from the house for awhile" And we kept saying "because we're worth it" and laughing.

And you are all worth whatever you want too.

Bedo, what a pig-out feast!  I would not go near that restaurant!  It must have been a buffet? 

Susan, your small meal sounds good.  What duck parts does one use to make a duck ragout?  The whole duck?  There must be a lot of fat to deal with?  I'm impressed with how you don't waste food.  I'm guilty of putting leftovers in the refrigerator and discovering them after they've been there too long to risk eating them.  Leftovers from a restaurant are especially subject to not being eaten.

Not sure what dinner will be tonight.  We have leftover turkey and gravy.  And green beans. 

Nance, the lamb has not yet arrived.  I would expect it to be shipped this week if the weather conditions between here and IN are favorable.  The owners of the farm don't want to risk the box being held up somewhere. 

Bedo, I have eaten at two buffets that stand out in my memory.  Actually three.  Just remembered another.  The first was the Royal Sonesta in the French Quarter in New Orleans.  It was a brunch buffet.  DH and I won a gift certificate for brunch for four people many years ago.  We took his mom and dad when they came to visit us.  It was a wonderful experience, partly because we shared it with dh's parents.  In those days we wouldn't have taken them there because of the cost.   

The 2nd buffet was/is in New Orleans at the Westin on Canal St.  Top floor with a fabulous view of the MS River.  We went there for the Jazz Sunday Brunch.  The price includes all the orange blossoms, bloody Mary's or champagne you want to drink.  And the food selection is incredible.  Our guests, dh's niece and her dh when they visited NO, didn't drink any alcohol and bypassed all the New Orleans specialty seafood dishes.  I think they had eggs and potatoes and bacon or sausage.  The niece did get her money's worth at the dessert buffet.  All in all it was wasted $$ taking them there but we enjoyed it. 

The 3rd buffet was at the Hotel Chateau Frontenac in Quebec.  We splurged along with another couple who were rv'ers, too.  The food was outstanding and the setting elegant.  Afterward, I felt like I wouldn't need to eat again for a week. 

Great buffets are especially frustrating because all the beautiful selections are there to be savored with the eyes and you can't possibly even sample everything.  I much prefer ordering off a menu or chalk board and having a moderate amt. of food served to me. 

I worked between 2 and 3 hours this morning cleaning my stove and exhaust hood.  It is so clean and shiny that I hate the thought of cooking and messing it up. 

Lunch was good.  Half a home-made pita stuffed with home-made white bean hummus, turkey breast and tomato with a dribbling of olive oil and some crumbled feta.

Dinner will be catfish, probably seasoned and seared (there goes the clean exhaust hood), creamed spinach, cucumber and beet salad.  The spinach will be frozen--cooked and well-drained and made creamy with Greek yogurt cream cheese.  Hmm.  Just remembered the big bag of kale in the freezer.  I could blanch it and use as a spinach substitute. 

Way back in the day, I played every Sunday for the Anatole's Sunday brunch in Dallas Texas. It was THE brunch in Dallas back then. So extravagant, and upscale. I mean, they hired a string trio for four hours every single week. With a four hour gig, there were three breaks. Break one was breakfast... I would grab some salmon, a bit of egg. Break two was lunch where I would move into a bit of prime rib, or perhaps I would enjoy a sandwich, or who knows. Break three I was generally full, but found that a small breakfast pastry made me happy with some fruit. The only other brunch I have ever been to was at the Banff Springs Hotel. We were studying at the Banff Centre and did this one huge splurge one weekend. What a complete and total treat. I can't eat enough anymore to match the sheer cost of such a splurge anymore. Like Carole, I would rather order from a menu and get exactly what I want, made to order.

Mr 02143 decided he needed to grill tonight, and then offered to make the whole dinner. This was MAN-FOOD... grill lamb chop, mashed potatoes, and green beans. He did not skimp on the butter and milk in the potatoes, and they were absolutely delicious!

Having lunch with my mother an hour and a half north of here tomorrow. I am picking up a camera for her at Costco for the trip. She wants some time with it before we leave.

*susan*

Carole, I call Mr 02143 the "meat-whisperer." He can sense what the meat is telling him when it is on a grill. Put him in front of a stovetop with meat, and his skills fall flat, I am sad to say. It wasn't always this way. For many years, he was the primary cook in the house while I was off making the money. To be honest, it breaks my heart to see him loosing so much of his natural smarts in all kinds of ways, as this damn Alzheimer's take more and more from him.

Special, I just wanted to say that I am so impressed by your Apron idea. So brilliant! hope you enjoy your time with DD.

Trip planning update. I have bought a camera [gosh I hope I like it] and a bag to hold my passport, cash and credit cards. The last time I bought a small cross body bag was 1995 for another trip and the bag no longer closes properly. Too tempting for pick pockets so I have ordered something, sight unseen. Again, hope I like it. I have emailed my apartment owners in Barcelona to ask about arrival times. Then i will work on buying train tickets. Vacations are a lot of work!

*susan*

Red Don't worry about your blunt friend, she likely is not an orthopedic surgeon. I have 10 pins and a plate in ankle and my ankle works fine.

Had a gamekeeper's thumb with more titanium in thumb and although weaker, looks fine.

Scars don't reach their final appearance for a year. Keep sunscreen on it (high number) for a year and minimize sun exposure to minimize scarring, and ask if you can keep it moist with antibiotic or other ointment, as this results in a flatter scar. Your arm and hand likely look different due to atrophy from not using them. It is still very early in the healing. Take heart and wait for the final result way down the road to know the true outcome.

Take care.

Doing the post in 2 parts. So I don't lose a long ibe. LOL

Lacey your DH looks great! Cute apron.

Auntie, you've made a lot of morroccan food lately. Any favorites?

Bedo sounds like our and your friend really enjoyed and got your money s worth at he buffet. I used o love buffets. Now I can't eat enough to justify the cost. Sigh.

Minus, the food Costco makes is awesome. I love shrimp but it with mayo. Same with lobster so no lobster rolls for me. Although they always look to good.

Joyce, I bet it is a shock to get back up there! Stay warm and walk carefully. LOL

Mommy, your meals look at lot like mine. LOL

Sorry you all have such bad weather this year. It's been cold here but that's normal for ys. It's been cold below 0 but when it goes above 20 so many people are out walking. No hats and coats open. LOL we just got a bit of snow today maybe 2 inches.

Supper yesterday and today was sloppy Joe cottage pie. I Froze the rest of the sloppy Joe still have 2 servings. I have a small casserole that's about 5 X 7 . It makes enough for 2 meals. I use it for a small lasagne pan too.

Know I missed people. Hope it wasn't the same ones I missed before. LOL

Everyone take care of yourselves. Much love.

I am probably making a great big mess, but I am attempting "nonna's chicken" that my friend made.  

I cook for one, so I downsized it, but here is the recipe:

6 boneless chicken breasts (medium size)

6 green onions, 3 clove garlic 1 packet of McCormick Spaghetti sauce, 1 cup flour 3 tablesppons butter, 3 tablesppons olive oil 4 cups water, chopped sweet basil, salt, pepper, parsley, mushrooms and white wine (optional wine/mushrooms)

Cut chicken into bite size cubes Dredge in flour set aside.  Chop green onions, crush garlic, set aside.  Heat butter and olive oil in larage skilliet, add floured chicken cubes saute until golden brown. Remove from skillet.  Add parsley, basil, onions, garlic, salt and pepper and chopped mushrooms to skillet, Saute .  Return chicken to skillet.  Sprinkle the dry spaghetti mix over the chicken and add 4 cups of water. Partilaly cover and reduce heat simmer until gravy thickens stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Add white wine if desired.

Serve with white rice and/or Italian bread and green salad.  Serves six at one breast per person.

I don't go on Facebook, but if anyone does - how's Laurie and her young family doing? And how are Debbie & Chuck up in Oregon? Miss both of them and hope they are well. Tell them 'hi' from all of us.

The last two days have been "odd" food days here at the susan_02143 house. Last night, I began a large software upgrade at 6pm which meant, someone else needed to cook for us. The husband chose Chinese food from Zoe's. We over ordered.. soup, beef, lamb, vegetables, and rice. Last night we made a small dent in the goodies. Lunch today was more of the same, and now we have enough left for lunch tomorrow as well. Three meals!!! And it was all so delicious.

Tonight, I warmed the leftover chicken "schnitzel", made a tomato, feta, onion salad, and a lettuce salad, and I made some arancini from our leftover risotto. It was actually a lovely meal. I thought we wouldn't have enough food, and instead, had two leftover arancinis which the son in law was happy to eat when he got home from work as his snack.

Joyce, it is a mess isn't it? The snowbanks at intersections is just awful. Be safe.

*susan*