So...whats for dinner?

I only like grits with lots of cheese. Same with polenta. What about malt-o-meal, what was that? My southern great grandmother used to make cream of wheat or a soupy sugary rice concoction for me for breakfast when I was a kid. I can still taste them.

Susan, I pretty much use the pressure cooker for meats but I plan to make beans in it the next time I make them. I've been really pleased with the meat dishes.

Bedo, now I have lobster envy! The blue stuff is actually nepeta (catmint). I wish it was lavender. If I cut the nepeta back, it will rebloom which is nice. The bees love it. I used to grow catnip but the neighbor's cat would come over and eat the plants to the ground as soon as it came up!

We saw the doe and her fawn again this evening, we were a little worried because we hadn't seen them for a while. Baby's getting bigger but he's still nursing. Awwww.

Nance I love the picket fence in your garden plots!  So cool!  Maybe the bunny is just cutting teeth on your hubby's shoes, is he a little bunny?

Nance, what a great garden...tho you seem to have a kinder attitude towards your chomping animal neighbors than I would.

We had a ton of work done on our property today, and sadly had a huge, very very old rhody removed, since it was being strangled by several vines. So now there is a really large bare spit to be dealt with...a garden would be nice, but aside from the animals, we will hardly be here in July to care for it, so a fast prep and planting job would be wasted effort...even the animals would probably be disappointed by dried up plantlings.

No moths in my little traps so far...hmmmmm. I think the ones here are clothes moths, which might not be AS gross, but are certainly annoying, and worrisome to find little holes in sweaters.

My DH (a former New Yorker) loves Katz's Deli, and last year ordered salami for holiday gifts for anyone he thought felt the same. I'm not really a big fan of such food.....tho I will be making my sweet and sour red cabbage soup, which I didn't get to last week.. Maybe tomorrow.....I did actually cook for this evening. Bet I can do it again!

Made eggplant parm, spaghetti squash with a nice maranara sauce, and an arugula salad with lots of other stuff in it. After stretching class we were both pretty starved, so it hit the spot.

Special, glad your friend has your support during this time. I also hope you are taking good care of yourself, despite your devoted caring and energy for others.

Eric - I looked up Bluff, UT. You are exactly in the middle of nowhere. I kept having to zoom out to even find another city. When will you turn East? Are you going to visit friends or is this just a road trip? Hope the weather gods are with you.

Nance - my thought will be with you & your family today.

http://www.thecolorsofindiancooking.com/2012/02/dal-makhani-2-dals-8-hours-one-slow.html?m=1

Susan, up above is a link to a Dal Makhani recipe from my blog made in a slow cooker

Lacey,

It appears that we ordered many of the "right" items, according to Ms. First.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2...

*susan*

Nance sorry for your family health situation. So sad, but there is comfort in togetherness. (HUGS).

Suladog, thanks for the pic of food.  I am up 9 lbs and I keep seeing food....AGHHHHHHHHH

Kidding- I love pics, especially of food that is new to me.

Off the see the Orthopedist at 2:30.  I am 80% better but want to go once or twice a week until I get even better.  PT shows me still progressing, b ut worried Dr. is going to be a shit about  it..

Thanks for the link, Susan. Your earlier research did not lead us astray! I was especially happy to see that dessert photo since I was trying to describe the visual to DH today....am obviously still enjoying that delicious memory!! And I am not a super sausage fan, but that one you ordered was exceptional! Glad we skipped the described gnocchi, and the seafood offerings that we inquired about.

DH and I ventured to my favorite bargain store today since they were giving 25% discount to seniors, and he really wanted to buy a new deck umbrella. Well, we did not find one that was the right size, but managed to find a zillion other things that we stock up on. While waiting in the long line (with all the seniors:), the woman behind me started asking me where I lived, was I a social worker, etc. I thought it odd. In South Jersey people chat like that in check out lines....but usually not here.Turned out she is someone I worked with forty years ago, not resembling that self one bit, so I would never had guessed her identity. She clearly knew I was someone from her past. She was a character and still is, and it made the line go much faster to catch up with her. Then she was thrilled to learn from me that she could get a discount on her purchases, since she is not a "regular" shopper there.

Afterwards, I dragged DH to the nearby food store and we managed to do a quick shopping trip purely so he could have an actual dinner. We bought a roasted chicken (I do get nervous about all the additives in those tasty things), which we had with corn on the cob....pretty good, from Georgia, a large romaine salad and butternut squash mash with real maple syrup. I will count that as cooking since the bird was the only cheat! We loaded up on fruits and vegetables, (I have been so derelict about going to the store I had not been aware of all the new seasonal produce available) so that is what we will be having the rest of this week. And OMG....wonderfully tasing cherries!!

Thinking of howcexhausted you must be feeling by now, Nance.

Glenwood, CO. Chicken and mac and cheese

eric - I'm so excited that you're posting your campsites. This will be a great cross country trip. Thanks for sharing.

Nance. I am also sorry to hear about DH's sister. I hope all went as well as possible.

Carole, I hope the biopsies are "nothing".

I'm typing on a virtual keyboard,which isn't the fastest.

I need to home by the 28th, so we have a fair amount of time. We're going to visit Sharon's family and she's hoping we'll get there by Saturday.

thebriver in the background is the Colorado River.

DD is asking about the Internet. I fixed up a mobile hotspot so she can work on her summer school class. So I guess I better see what she needs. The thing works great even when there isn't much cell service. Leave it to a cell company engineer 😀

Oh that's a different Dutch oven from the one Mickey bought. I thought about bringing it, but I'd be upset if somethitng happened to it. As could be guessed, it's got a lot of sentimental value and is irreplaceable.

I'm being called again.

Beautiful location, Eric.  When dh and I were doing a lot of travel with our rv, favorite camp sites were beside rivers, lakes, oceans, even creeks. 

Susan, I agree with Lacey.  What a lot of trouble for dinner!  But it does sound light and appetizing. 

Nance, all the supportive family vibes are a good thing.  Wishing the best for your SIL and her family. 

My boneless skinless chicken breast was good.  Even dh said so and he's a chicken thigh man.  I marinated it in a seasoned substitute buttermilk.  Tried the tip on adding vinegar to milk.  Also added LA hot sauce, granulated onion and garlic and salt.  Sprinkled the chicken with ground sage before cooking on a cast iron griddle on stove top.  Was careful not to overcook.  Let it rest and then sliced cross grain.  The meat was juicy and tasty.  I probably had 3 oz and dh had the rest, probably 5 oz. 

The cauliflower mash was roughly 2/3 cauliflower and 1/3 russet potato.  Whipped in the food processor with splash of milk (no half & half on hand) and about 1 1/2 T of butter.  Delicious.  Silky on the tongue.

The baked tomatoes would have been better if the tomatoes were a better quality but tasted good to me, nonetheless, because I was HUNGRY!  I'm on a mission to drop some lbs. before heading north for the summer.  My fat clothes are fitting these days and even feeling snug.  WILL NOT WILL NOT BUY A LARGER SIZE!!!!!!!

Headed to the supermarket and to Sam's Club this am with a list.  Time to buy Community dark roast coffee supply for the summer and Luzianne tea bags for our iced tea that we brew daily during hot weather.  Neither brand is available in MN.  Both decaf because of dh's reaction to caffeine. 

Dinner isn't decided yet.  I may buy some fish on my grocery shopping trip. 

good day all from rainy Sonoma!!! It's not a downpour but it's been rainy steadily since last night and here in droughty California we'll take what we can get! I'll be picking some fresh purslane from my garden this morning and cooking it Indian style for lunch.

SpecialK, you're entitled to "fall down on the job" in the kitchen.  You're recovering from surgery.  Such distressing news about your friend.  My mind and imagination just don't want to go there.

Sula, I've never eaten or even seen purslane, to my knowledge.  How is it cooked Indian style?  And how did you become so fond of Indian food?  I had a conversation with a young Indian woman in India some months ago when I called customer service for some company.  I don't recall the company.  Her English was quite good and we started chatting.  She told me where she was located and I told her I was reading a book about classic Indian cooking.  She declared with certainty that I wouldn't like Indian food because it was too heavy and greasy.  I found this comment interesting because I had already noticed that the recipes in the book I was reading called for large amounts of either ghee or Indian cooking oil. 

I went to Walmart instead of the nearby supermarket and $164 later I've lugged all the bags inside and put things away.  If a Walmart can be "upscale," this one is.  To my delight I found Rao marinara on the shelf and bought the only two jars left of the plain marinara.  Winn Dixie doesn't carry it.  If not for Susan's recommendation, I never would have tried it.  Thank you, Susan!  I like to keep a jarred tomato sauce on hand for those times when I'm opting for quick and easy.  And I'm positive I won't find Rao's in Park Rapids, MN! 

I also stopped at two produce stands and have tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash and eggplants.  I find the prices very high but I just take out the money and pay.  The farmers from an adjacent parish (county) bring their produce to this parish, where prices of everything is high, and charge accordingly.  As the young woman tending one of the stands said today, "People are willing to pay for convenience."