So...whats for dinner?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2015

    Yup - BCO is having issues bumping all of us back to page 1 post 1. Several folks have reported the problem.

    Susan - the pictures are great. LOVE the color. And a basement pantry - be still my heart. I have no pantry at all so I even keep some things in the garage if they can stand the 100+ degree Houston heat & humidity.

    RE: your DH, I like the idea of a specialized "elder care" attorney. Do you have access to a 'geriatric' doc group? They start working w/early onset patients at 55. Even in Houston those docs make house calls. Someone mentioned getting your kids more involved. That's an important issue since you will need their support rather than the normal "super mom does it all". I'm assuming you have a list of every day things that would be warning triggers, like leaving the stove on, but I agree about predators and the need to protect check books & limit credit card access. I do think you should "freeze" your files at all 3 credit bureaus so no one can open new bogus accounts. The 'trigger' that Alice created in "Still Alice" was a heart breaker. Oh, I hurt for you. Dreaming about your wonderful trip & glad it's soon.

    Nance - I'm sure your Dad's furious. Hope he can be patient so you don't spend the weekend running back & forth. How dumb to send an elderly man home alone w/a foley.

    Went to a "senior expo" yesterday w/seminars and lots of booths and every kind of information & service set up to give advice & pens & koozies. Last year they served BBQ plates w/all the trimmings. This year it was a sack w/a turkey or ham sandwich on plain white bread (not even potato bread or sourdough), a bag of Fritos and a rock hard brownie. I ate my sandwich for dinner tonight. Ugh.

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2015

    San Diego Style Fish Tacos

    Ingredients

    ========

    • for the cabbage salad

    cabbage, not savoy, not Napa, just the old fashioned green kind

    salt

    lime

    cilantro [a little bit optional]

    • For the taco

    a firm white fish like haddock or cod, I eat about 3-4oz, the other person closer to 8oz

    neutral high heat oil like safflower oil or peanut even

    corn tortillas

    a bit of flour

    • Garnishes

    avocado

    crema, optional to me -or-

    sour cream

    lime

    cilantro

    Tomatillo Sauce [see photo of what you can buy at Whole Foods]

    • Sides

    Amy's Vegetarian Refried Beans or some Goya black beans, rinsed warmed with some sautéed onions

    • Pans and such

    1 large bowl

    1 small bowl

    2 fry pans

    1 pot

    1 colander

    1 knife

    1 plate

    1. Shred cabbage very thinly, place in a colander and toss with about 1 tsp salt. Leave to drain. I use 1/2 cup per taco.

    1a. Throw the beans into a pot and warm.

    2. Cut the fish into rectangle portions about 2 oz a piece. Place paper towel under and over to soak up any extra liquid. Let them sit there for a bit.

    3. Prepare your crema. Spoon about 1/4 cup of crema into a small bowl or 1/4 cup of sour cream into a bowl. If using sour cream, juice half the lime into the cream, and a pinch of salt. If you have any yogurt, I like to add about a tablespoon to get a bit of tang. Stir to combine.

    4. Split the avocado in half, and slice one half juicing a bit of lime on top to keep it from turning brown.

    5. Chop the cilantro. Maybe a tablespoon or so?

    6. Squeeze the drained cabbage to encourage all the water to go away. Place into a large bowl and spritz with one half of a lime and the cilantro. Toss to cover the cabbage and set aside.

    7. If you have a friend in the kitchen, now is the time to do some parallel play. If you are cooking alone, next up is the fish. In a fry pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a 1/8" slick of the oil. Heat over medium heat. Place the flour on a plate. Salt the fish on both sides, and then dredge through the flour. When the oil is hot, cook the fish on one side for 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for another 2 minutes. Cook longer if it isn't done, but I bet it will be.

    8. Heat a second fry pan without any oil over medium heat. When you can only hold your hand over the pan for about 10 second, drop in a tortilla. After 15 seconds, flip and let it hang there for about 10 seconds. Repeat for as many tortillas as you need.

    9. To assemble the tacos, place the fish off center of the taco. Please an avocado slice on top, and drizzle with the tomatillo sauce and crema if you are using. Top with cabbage salad. Repeat as needed.

    10. Serve with warmed beans. Some people like rice too but the tortilla is enough for me.


    Tomatillo sauce that is worth buying:

    image

    Amy's Beans:

    http://www.amys.com/products/product-detail/beans-and-chili/000550

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  • Redheaded1
    Redheaded1 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2015

    Susan, What Eric suggested and did with his mom is exactly what the estate attorney wanted to se t up for my Dad and me when My mom died, although I am an  only child--of course, Dad refused to do it, but you are dealing with a better mind set.  Surely there are a couple of t rusted friends and his doctor who will step in if you want a consensus.  Also, you need to do what is necessary, in both of your best interests, regardless of promises made.  If it is better for him to be somewhere else from a care prospective, so be it....dear girl, you can only do so much.  Does he understand what is happening?  My heart just hurts. 

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  • Redheaded1
    Redheaded1 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2015

    My kitchen is a hallway 10 feet long. Fridge sink and two base cabinets on one side and stove and two base cabinets and door to basement/back door landing on the other.  Like an idiot, believing that light colors make a room seem larger, when I redid the kitchen at 33 years of age, I put in white cabinets and a white and tiny blue dutch looking flooring.  Every single thing I cook spashes on the floor or the cabinets.  ONE OF THE TIMES I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO MOM....  I am not posting pic's either.... even so, it beats the way it looked when I bough it.  mint green walls, dark green tiles and drawers instead of cabinets on one side......UGHHHHH  (yes, it was a fixer upper that cost me 47,000 in 1989) 

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  • Redheaded1
    Redheaded1 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2015

    Dinner was a Rueben with fries at the local greasy spoon with a pal who wanted to eat fried chicken.  She takes the skin off it, and it is all I can do to keep from reaching across the table and taking it....LOL.   I am loving my dad from a distance today, as I was at his house and did about 5 things in an hour erday when he got nasty about something I had nothing to do with, and I just had to leave. I spend 1.45 hour on a bus to get to him when I can't find a ride.  Missed first bus, so walked to where I can catch the second one to get there...Then when I left his house, I  Missed the first bus, so started walking, but it was cold so I caved and called the friend I ate with and she picked me up at the Catholic Church 3 blocks from his house and brought me home.  Tomorrow is our Mennonite Relief Sale, and I am going.  Hate to go with this damn cast, cause I always stock up on baked goods, and crafts, etc. But I might take my "old lady" cart with me.....The have Pineapple Pie....... Another friend is picking me up at 4pm.  We will have fried fish (me it's lent) or BBQ chicken (other friend isn't catholic)  Will take a fish dinner to my Dad and see how he is then. 

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  • Redheaded1
    Redheaded1 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2015

    Nance, not to laugh about your dad and his catheter, but here is a funny story.  My dad wasi n the hospital after having urological surgery and my mom was sitting with him at night and in the silence, she hears the desk ask a man over his call button Can I  help you and he asks to see his nurse.  AND SHE Says what do you need? and He yells at the top of his lungs:

    "I NEED HER TO.COME GET THIS GREAT BIG CATHETER OUT OF MY LITTLE TINY PENIS" 

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    Red, ROFLMAO! Thanks, I needed that!

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2015

    Oh my! That is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time Redheaded!

    *susan*

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  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Member Posts: 6,887
    edited March 2015

    Just read your anecdote to my dh and we both got a good laugh, Redheaded!  I so admire you for your persistence in being a caregiver for your hard-headed cantankerous dad when you need a caregiver yourself.  I'm not Catholic but I would go with the fish, too.  We have lots of Catholics in this parish and not eating meat isn't a hardship with all the seafood available.  Our Catholic churches sell fish dinners on Fridays, either drive through and pick them up or dine in. 

    Love your kitchen, Susan.  Would love to sit on a stool out of the way at the island and watch you cook.   But cannot imagine living without cabinets.  I will take some pictures of my kitchen with cabinets all the way to the ceiling.  DH built them and a pretty pie safe and a buffet both with storage.  I don't have enough, though, and am using the top of the refrigerator.  Also have my big stock pot and some other items in the laundry room, which has some pantry shelves and houses the freezer.

    A friend had a wonderful rack for hanging pots over her llarge island.  She has since moved.  It was a new house with a gorgeous kitchen and big walk-in pantry.  I always thought I would like to have the rack with hanging pots.  My ceilings are only 8 ft.  This is a 1970's ranch house that we renovated but you can do just so much. 

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Hello again! Thanks for the warm welcome! I may be organized, but it doesn't always mean I'm going to cook something remotely fabulous. With hubby out of town and radiation and needing to visit lonely mom and...you get the picture--today was (gag) frozen pizza. Can't believe I just admitted to it on the net. LOL

    Susan, your kitchen looks amazing and that's quite a food storage. I am still learning where everything is in my kitchen. I got diagnosed the week we were moving into a very dirty fixer-upper house. My kind sister came to stay with me through chemo and she is the one who set up my kitchen and pantry. Now that I'm back on my feet I'm like a dog chasing it's own tail trying to cook in there!! hahaha

    Me too--I adore fish tacos! Love San Diego style. My sister lives in San Diego and she introduced me to Rubios--famous for fish tacos. I especially like them with ling cod or halibut. My husband fishes every year, so we have a whole freezer full of yummy fish. I haven't tried to make them at home yet, but I've been meaning to for years. This year it's going into my menu planner.

    I'll just let you know how nuts I am right off the bat. I plan dinners into a calendar (with planned leftovers) up to three months in advance. I hate deciding what to cook from day to day and I don't like finding out I'm missing an ingredient after I've already started cooking something spur of the moment. So I have a master list of everything I've ever cooked. A chicken page, a beef page, a veggie page, etc. I only cook four times a week. The days I cook deliberately have enough to serve leftovers the next day or to freeze for a future date. This calendar tells me what I'm cooking so I don't have to think about it too much. I know what to pull from the freezer the night before and I know what to buy at the store every two weeks. I never cook something twice in a four to six week period. All my friends think I'm nuts, but they love me anyway! :)

    Some funny and interesting stories going on in this thread. I think I'm going to like it. Looking forward to getting to know all of you. I hope I can add some good flavor to the great mix here. :)

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  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,951
    edited March 2015

    Wow! I'm AWOL for a couple of days catching up on long overdue friend meet ups and errands....and return to a frenzy! First off, welcome Mombie! I like fish tacos as long as no tilapia sneaks into them.

    Susan, I concur with so much of the wisdom already presented here regarding DH and protecting him, his assests and rights. My guess, knowing your level of organization, is that you probably are already connected with an elder care lawyer. If not, I have a friend who may know a good one as she worked for many years for one in our general area. Also, DH is good friends with a woman from Concord who has made care of the elderly (especially including those with Alzheimer's) her life priority. She has started a not for profit group called, Circle of Life Partners, which you can access through this link: circleoflifepartners.org, and you can certainly use Bob's name if you choose to call her for a consult. I also agree with Bedo that DD needs to be involved in this planning if she is not already. But painfully poignant for sure. I'm hoping that she has a really good support network within her graduate psych program. ((((SUSAN, ET AL.))))

    Meanwhile....I love your "Cambridge kitchen" Susan!!! I enjoyed cooking in a kitchen like that of a friend when living in Cambridge many moons ago. Makes me nostalgic. Love all those photos! I actually love when our group members share any photos....I tend to be visual in orientation. But these are particularly sweet! And chicken tandoori....be still my rumbling tummy!

    Met some former colleagues for lunch at Cheesecake Factory and had a very nice salad of greens with beets, asparagus and goat cheese. Their salads are so large that I had the leftover portion for my dinner tonight. DH had a dinner meeting after spending a large part of his afternoon with DS2 and cohorts at a sports bar watching basketball games....tough life! I can't complain...I Was very happy getting my things done today. This was DH's first serious trek into town, then into Cambridge, and successfully done with the exception of finding no open handicapped parking spaces.

    Nancy, I am sorry to learn about what you and your father are dealing with. I do hope the infection resolves soon. And Red....or was it Minus, (unable to get this damn screen to scroll back) that vignette about the catheter was hysterical!

    Hi to everyone I didn't address....and hope to see a pic of your "new" hair Carole. :)

    Not trying tomcorrect any typos...sorry.

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2015

    Thank you all for your thoughts.... some of them make sense for our circumstances, some not as much. Right now, I am focusing on the legal and financial parts of making sure that my affairs are in order. Already have the wills, power of attorney, health care proxy, and living will. Those have been done, and updated for years. My goal is to figure out some way for my husband, who is fully functional now, to be protected in a respectful way when the next decline occurs. Since he is unwilling to work with a neurologist [long story, don't judge], it is up to me, with his help, to navigate this without assistance from the medical community. Of course, our daughter or her husband will bear the brunt of the care taking. That is not what I am trying to solve just yet.

    I am with you Lacey. Can't stand tilapia.

    We were supposed to head to the market basket this morning, but turns out Mr. 02143 has clients every hour between 8 and 1pm. Guess we are not going to beat the crowds!

    *susan*

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  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Member Posts: 6,887
    edited March 2015

    MombieZ, the only thing on my calendar 2 months in advance is dr. visits!  Or major happenings like departure for the summer!  I'm in awe.  Our thread founder, Laurie, made out weekly menus and did her shopping for ingredients.  She has two small boys and is very busy so we seldom hear from her lately.  I think she had a basic rotation of tried and true recipes.

    I have gone so far as to stick a calendar in a kitchen drawer to facilitate making a daily notation about our dinner menu.  "Menu" is a stretch some nights when we fend for ourselves with warming up leftovers of choice.  My inspirations for dinner vary:  (1) what's on sale or looks good at the supermarket on frequent trips for this or that needed item (2) what people on this thread are cooking (3) articles in the three cooking magazines I receive (4) what's in the freezer (5) high numbers on the bathroom scale (6) how tired, lazy, ambitious I feel.  Oh, the calendar project was never successful.

    With all that said, dinner tonight is at the very nice restaurant at our country club.  I have a birthday coupon for a complimentary meal that I need to use in March.  We're meeting another couple for cocktails at the adjoining bar.  Chef Hosie is a good chef, if a bit heavy with the salt in his soups.  I'm looking forward to not cooking.

    Lacey, hair color is just one degree lighter than the color base my hair lady was using.  Her reason for going a bit lighter was the hope that I could skip the highlighting step.  My gray hair was nicely steaked rather than a solid color so the artificial color is a bit streaky too and more natural looking.  Natural hair is never a solid color which is why it is so much prettier than artificial color.  Black is the worst dyed color.  But then desiring "natural" color these days is archaic.  Younger women go for the purple, green, red.  And it looks good on some of them!   My hair is a bit shorter than my former avatar but similar in color.  Sorta beige!  I'll put up a new avatar.  Must say, though, for all the popularity of selfies, I don't do well with them.

    Susan, do you not have cabinets because that is the norm for "Cambridge kitchens"?  I learn so much on this thread!  Will have to look up Guy.

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  • bedo
    bedo Member Posts: 1,866
    edited March 2015

    What an interesting bunch of stories and ideas.

    Susan I'm going to try those tacos when I get back. I guess it makes sense to have fish with cabbage since we always had it with coleslaw. Cleaning up for house-sitter.

    See you in about a week. Or if I can access internet I'll keep up.

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  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,951
    edited March 2015

    Safe and satisfying trip, Bedo! Maybe when you return, everything won't be "white/grey". Good point about the tradition of fish with cabbage (coleslaw)!

    So, Susan, after reading what you wrote this morning, I think Janet, the person I mentioned, might be a very helpful, non-medical, resource for you to at least consult with. She is all about the respect factor.

    Very little sleep last night. If I can get up the energy, might make some pizza for dinner. Want to compare crusts made from Bob's Red Mill artisan flour and the 00 flour.

    Next two days no cooking....yay....meeting friends for dinner and local concert tomorrow; Sunday, meeting DS2 and DGF for early dinner before attending the Celtics game. This re-formed young team is so exciting to watch after they have struggled all season. Looking forward to it....yet worried about DH's slow limping gate with his cane, on the way in and out of the sports venue, given the usual swarm of exuberant, fast moving fans.

    Carole, you might have to channel some inner narcissism to get that selfie done. ;) The color sounds lovely.

    Susan, I totally envy your kitchen island. We don't have one and it would be sooo much easier to accept help that was stationed there!

    Mombie, I am awestruck at your level of organization! It actually makes me look like a "free spirit"...read, really disorganized

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  • Redheaded1
    Redheaded1 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2015

    Just put one of the TIDE Washing machine cleaner packets in my machine and the fragrance from it (its n my basement) is overpowering, so I have opened kitchen window and back door.....Good grief, yes, there will be no funky oders in the washer or anywhere else within shouting distance!!!!!!!!

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  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Member Posts: 6,887
    edited March 2015

    Redheaded, my washing machine manufacturer recommends a product called Affresh to be used after a certain number of rounds of laundry.  30 or 40.  I forget.  There's even a setting on the machine for Affresh!  It's a big tablet.  I haven't noticed any objectionable odor.  Nor any benefit from using it.  It's supposed to clean the machine of soap residue, I guess.  Being a gullible type, I follow the instructions.

    Susan, I'm glad your daughter figures into care for Mr. Numbers down the line when he's less functional.  Planning ahead is good and necessary but we can never see into the future.  I have already experienced some surprise happenings that I never thought would happen.  All in other people's lives, I should add.  I wouldn't mind having something unforeseen like winning the lottery happen to me.

    Lacey, I was a Celtics fan eons ago in the Larry Bird era. 

    Dinner plans have changed.  We are not eating out tonight but staying home.  Our friends had to cancel because of illness so I decided to cancel, too.  Luckily I stopped off at a new seafood market on the way home from the golf course and bought a couple of pretty red snapper fillets.  The idea just hit me--hey, why not make fish tacos?!!!  I'll make some tortillas with my handy dandy iron press.  I guess I should go to the supermarket and buy some avocados.  The one I split open to tuck into a pita at lunch wasn't edible. 

    So, MombieZ, you see how my short-termed my meal planning is!  I have made a new resolve, though, to keep a dinner diary on a calendar.  Now, find a calendar....

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    CRAP just lost a long post!

    Fish here tonight too, fresh mahi mahi that I picked up at a seafood market Wednesday. It was going to be fish tacos but dh requested sandwiches instead so that's what it will be.

    Here is a pic of a portion of my pantry.

    image

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  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Member Posts: 6,887
    edited March 2015

    Nice, Nance.  Very neat and organized.

    The red snapper was delicious.  I followed Susan's method and lightly dusted the pieces with flour.  And there was a jar of the Frontera green salsa in my pantry.  I had forgotten about it until I saw the picture.  I made a slaw of red cabbage and Savoy cabbage with lime juice and small amt. of mayo.  It was very good.  I forget that lime juice is good and almost always use lemon.  Love the home-made tortillas.  The masa has such a good corn taste.  And there are leftover tortillas.  I may have a scrambled egg burrito for breakfast tomorrow with the tomatillo sauce.

    The little seafood market had mahi mahi, too, but the red snapper looked better.  It's a very pretty fish. 

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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2015

    Carole, That sounds just fabulous! Red snapper is such a delicious fish. Did you buy fillets or the whole fish?

    nancy, thank you for posting your pantry pictures! Love the stripes... seems so "friendly" and cheerful. What is stored so high in the off-white canvass bags? Height is a challenge to me. We have a step stool on each floor so I have the possibility of actually getting to things.

    Red, I hate things that smell but are marketed as things that clean. YUCK! I hope that your machine doesn't smell for months to come.

    Lacey, I think when we are drinking a bit of wine, while the Mediterranean is close by, I will have some of these talks with Mr. 02143. He knows that we need to do this, but it is really hard for him. It might be easier after we have my next scan results. A bigger sense of urgency. Then I will be ready to get the name of this woman. Thank you so much for your generosity.

    Bedo, safe travels! My daughter's best friend has moved to West Virginia and is not happy. She had a romantic image of living in the country. The realities are much less glamorous. She feels so isolated and alone in a state with such low expectations of itself.

    Dinner tonight was the leftover tandoori chicken. Lunch was a lovely omelette. Oh do I love eggs and my local poultry store has the best ones at a great price. I have a turkey breast dry-brining and we will smoke it on Sunday. Tomorrow I think it is a Chinese dinner. I bought some pork bits at the supermarket and a bunch of greens. I am especially excited about the mustard greens which looked so fresh today.

    I don't plan meals on a calendar. Instead, I buy core items, and then develop meals around them based on the amount of time available, and the cravings of my husband and I. It does help to have a good pantry and only two mouths to feed.

    *susan*

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    The bins on top hold various odd serving dishes such as olive boats, divided dishes and platters or containers mostly used for entertaining. One holds a chinois and an apple peeler/corer/slicer. I have a rolling step stool that lets me reach the upper shelves. I'll show you some pictures of my kitchen tomorrow and you'll see why I need one.

    The mahi mahi was delicious. I had a chance to get snapper Wednesday but it was $25 a pound! The price I pay for fresh fish here . .


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  • susan_02143
    susan_02143 Member Posts: 7,209
    edited March 2015

    Be still my heart... OLIVE BOATS!!! I own one, but as you know, Mr. 02143's requirement that he be within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea to eat an olive precludes using it often. But in 4 weeks, he will have to eat olives!!!! And, maybe a few grilled anchovies.

    *susan*

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    I'm embarrassed to say that I have 3 lol! (Two were given to me)

    Mr. 02143 will be a better man for it ;-)

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  • Moonflwr912
    Moonflwr912 Member Posts: 6,856
    edited March 2015

    Hello all. Welcome mombiez.

    Poked a lens out of one pair of old glasses so I could drive to my daughter's house to sit for my DGD. She's going so big! Can't believe it's 3 and a half months.

    Susan hugs. What they all said. And I love your kitchen

    Nance I love your pantry.

    Bedo I hope your move back when TN is over goes better than you seem o thing. LOL

    I too love fish tacos. Applebee's has a pretty good onr. But it was much better when they cooked things fresh..Our Highland House, a neat restaurant around here makes the absolute best ones. I don't bother making them because they are so our I'd there and not expensive.

    I made a pork roast with a Hawaii sauce. Turned out pretty good but not really hawaiian. Still took it to my DD and ate that for dinner yesterday.

    Today went to another restaurant nearby and got the Friday special but not the fish fry. This was the 5 shrimp grilled and nd 5 shrimp fried. Got my German potato salad too. Yum. Will have o cook chicken tomorrow to use it up. No DH not coming home again. Asked him why he doesn't spend more time here. He reminded me he spent the whole night here 2 weeks ago Sunday right before my surgery. LOL. Sigh.

    To all on this biard, you really help me with our big kitchen table. Now if course if I want to post a pic of my Lil pantry- I'll have to clean it up first. LOL! !!!

    Ok gotta show off my DGD at least once a month. image

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    Cutie patootie!

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  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,951
    edited March 2015

    Okay, I also own three olive boats....one is beautiful crystal...the other two "fake" crystal. Can barely recall who gave them to me....but they get pulled out every T-giv.

    Your fish dinners sound great. And loved seeing your pantry, Nance. What would we do w/o bins?!

    I did actually make the two different crust recipes for pizza tonight, and made some interesting toppings.....lots of sauteed veggies....vidalia onions, mushrooms, red peppers, tiny sliced zucchini, and one with diced sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts sauteed with garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar. I did not use any sauce on that one, but drizzled balsamic on the pre-cooked pie. It turned out well...as did the other veggie pie. I could not tell much difference between the crusts and we liked them both. I would like to establish a " go to " favorite crust recipe that I can rely on. Also need to do better with pans that brown crust bottom more readily. I end up using a variety of baking trays with random results....probably appropriate for this random cook! But it could be easier.....any suggestions? Oh, and we had a lovely garden salad with a nice fresh red leaf lettuce, carrots, red onion and grape tomatoes, lightly dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar that DDIL sent me from the "O" company. Delicious products that really enhance any salad. I need to order more balsamic....tres cher, but worth it used sparingly

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  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 4,216
    edited March 2015

    Lacey, a baking stone will give you a nice brown crust.

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  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,951
    edited March 2015

    So glad to hear from you, Moon! And to see your sweetie pie granddaughter! Adorable! And I am so glad that you have her to bring joy into your life, especially right now.

    More snow here tonight....we are solidly sitting on that all time record!! :)

    Tonight I saw on Facebook that DDIL was complaining about it snowing in NJ on this first day of Spring (and they have had less than three feet this winter!). I boldly reminded her that we East Coast folks will have water in our reservoirs this summer with which she will be able to fill their pool. Some others might not be so lucky on the West Coast an area she tends to idealize.

    I do hope we don't get enough snow for me to shovel tomorrow....and I would imagine that our little chipmunks will not be amused with their little "hatch doors" being filled with more snow.

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  • Lacey12
    Lacey12 Member Posts: 2,951
    edited March 2015

    Thanks, Nance, I do have one I have yet to use....partially due to weight. Also I used one many years ago and found that it got a stale oil smell on it. I threw it out. Is there a way to avoid that happening? Do you keep yours in the oven? Thanks!

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Carolehalston--Sounds like you have a system that works. I will admit that I still leave room for spontaneity. If I don't want to make what's on my calendar I swap it with something that's on a different day. And I'm always open to cancelling a menu item if I get to go out or something. It's still pretty flexible. I have to be ready for random huge family dinners that crop up too. Thus, my cooking things ahead of time for the freezer. My dh has a huge family and they are always dropping in. When they drop in, things turn into a mini family reunion at the dinner table. Sorry you didn't get to go out today. Red snapper sounds good. I haven't had that in years. What do you season it with?

    Speaking of washing machines--mine has a cleaning cycle on it too, but I just have to put in bleach or vinegar and turn it on.

    I'm super exhausted today. Dh is out of town still. So I skipped making the lasagna I had planned and we just had this and that tonite. Kiddos did what they pleased. I will make the lasagna tomorrow. I am going to experiment with noodle made from quinoa. Has anyone tried very many types of noodles made from alternative ingredients? Which ones did you like or not like?

    Spent the evening helping my brainy kiddo with an English assignment. He has to invent and create an original game, complete with rules and instructions, that revolves around the themes of the book, The Odyssey. It's turned into a family event. My daughter is using her wood burning tool to burn all the pictures and symbols onto the painted wooden tiles.

    I'm so impressed with all of the great pantries. I thought keeping a big pantry was kind of a dying thing. I'm glad to see that I'm wrong. Seeing all these great pics makes me itch to redesign ours. We haven't lived here very long and my pantry needs a make over.

    Lacey--I can tell that no one here is the disorganized type. I'm just nuts. LOL Thanks for being impressed though.

    Susan--I'm still catching up on various things. May I ask about your dh? You mentioned "when the next decline occurs". Sounds like heavy things. Since I don't know much, I will just say that I'm sorry there have been rough times and I hope everything can smooth itself out for you soon.


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