So...whats for dinner?

Going to B'way Cellars tonight (our favorite neighborhood restaurant) for a special wine-pairing dinner with Bouchaine Winery from the Carneros region between Napa & Sonoma Valleys. The restaurant knows about my breast cancer (the proprietors are good friends of ours and the owner's sister has been guiding me through as a "civilian navigator," as she's been through this in almost the same way as me--only her radiation tx was at another hospital and twice as long). So they'll be pouring me only an ounce per course. I've been saving up my wine allotment for more than a week for this. Amazing, considering I always would decide what I wanted to cook based on what wine I wanted to drink that night; and when going out, would sometimes have a different wine for appetizer and entree. Since my diagnosis, I've ratcheted back to 5-10 oz. per week!

Will report back on the menu tomorrow. Last night was veggie: insalata Caprese with the last of my backyard tomatoes; baked butternut squash; and grilled asparagus marinated in blood orange olive oil, lemon white balsamic, and crushed garlic. Wed. night I pan-seared Chilean sea bass brushed with equal parts mango-sriracha and teriyaki marinade, and served it with garlic green beans and saffron basmati rice. Drank it with seltzer (with a squeeze of lime and a tablespoon of cranberry juice). Tomorrow I might grill a steak.

lacey - for females in military uniform the hair must be off the collar, so if their hair is long it has to be pinned up.  Some put it in a bun, others French braid it, etc., it just has to be up.

susan - glad your DD liked the fish, we never stop mothering them, do we?  And now you are pre-grandmothering too!  Awesome!  I sympathize on the contractor thing - our outdoor area is finally done, DH painted the pool deck on Veteran's Day - it looks great and complete.  I picked up our two swivel rockers that were newly powder coated and re-slung with new fabric yesterday.  On Tuesday my outdoor kitchen contractor installed granite countertops in the master bath, and while DH was painting the pool deck the gentleman who did the carpentry on the lanai deck tiles hooked up the sinks and applied silicone to the granite joints!  All the while I am planning for the party this Saturday for DH's comptroller's retirement.  Minimum of 50 guests, some did not RSVP (what is up with that - no manners!), so there will be some that just show up.  My good friend came over last night and helped me start cooking and then we were done we sat outside watching football on the new lanai with our groovy under-counter lighting providing ambiance and had some Greek salads!

chisandy - love the pairing of the blood orange olive oil and lemon white balsamic!  There is a local olive oil company that makes flavored and paired oils and vinegars.  A couple of years ago they had a booth at the Junior League Holiday Market, which is tomorrow, so I am looking forward to seeing if they are there.  I am making a visit tomorrow in spite of the party prep because I need a couple of hours of fun shopping!  I am having surgery on Dec. 10 and want to be done with my holiday gift shopping and I usually find good stuff there!

Susan's tacos reminded me that I have some shredded pork in the freezer designated for tacos. So I pulled it out and put some black beans with Spanish chorizo in the pressure cooker. My freezer isn't as magical as Susan's but it has it's moments :-) I will probably have to add some spice to the beans since this particular chorizo doesn't pack much heat. I have enough garden tomatoes and jalapenos left to make some pico de gallo, and an avocado which I'll slice up with some lime juice and a little salt. DH won't knowingly eat an avocado so that is all for me. Yay!

Eric - to answer your question, this particular recipe does not require soaking but it still takes about an hour from start to finish.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/10/how-to-make-quick-pressure-cooker-black-beans.html

Nance, I always have, but thought I would follow the instructions in the cookbook. Won't do that again!!!!!

*susan*

We are excited to have the party tomorrow night and break in the new outdoor area.  We are fortunate to have retracting sliding glass doors from the whole back side of the house to the lanai/pool so when we entertain it becomes one big space.  I will take some photos tomorrow in the daylight of the whole thing set up.  I have been so busy running around that I was shocked today when I went to get a port flush and my BP was 110/68!  Clearly I need to run around like a nut on fire more often - it must have some kind of focusing/weirdly relaxing effect, lol!  I have no earthly idea what is for dinner tonight and it is after 7 - DH is rounding up the beer/wine/soda situation and is not home yet, and DD is at work until 10.  I have to party cook so I don't want to "us" cook too!  Maybe sandwiches will have to do!

chisandy-that sounds fabulous......glad you got to enjoy your pairings.

So sad about the unfolding drama in Paris---it is like their 911.....

ChiSandy, I admire your discipline. I would have sipped more ounces! And probably have eaten all the food, too.

I finally got around to the turkey carcass. It simmered in the giant stock pot most of the day yesterday and became soup for last night's dinner with the addition of some fresh veggies, a bag of frozen mixed veggies and wheat noodles out of a package. There was also some turkey meat scooped out early in the broth-making process.

Special, I know your party will be much enjoyed by your guests. The idea of entertaining 50 people is overwhelming for me. I would have to rent a space and hire a caterer.

Today I'll stuff a pork butt roast with the usual seasonings, chopped green onions and fresh garlic. I'll cook it in a slow cooker overnight for tomorrow's Sunday dinner. I also have sweet potatoes to bake tomorrow. I'll have to close my bedroom door because I don't like to smell food cooking during the night. I like the pork cooked in the oven better but the cooker is easier.

Dinner tonight will probably be more soup and salad. There is also a container of leftover linguine with tomato sauce.

Our weather is beautiful. Cool and sunny. I should work outside in the neglected yard today.

Same here Carole - cool & sunny. It's one of our 5 really nice days per year.

Unfortunately I finally had to take down my 40-50 ft pecan tree in my front yard last week that provided shade to the entire house on that blistering SW side. A fungus just kept attacking more major trunk limbs & they broke off in storms. I moved to the house in 1974 & the tree was already well established. Very sad thing. So today I had a new tree planted - a San Felipe Red Maple. I wanted one that was fast growing so I'd have some shade before they move me to a nursing home down the road. I'm told this one grows 3-4 ft per year.

I ignored both the meat sauce & the cooked chicken from the freezer last night and had tuna sandwiches on Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

Glad your family’s okay, Susan. Still trying to process the extent of the atrocity (can’t call it “tragedy” because the classic definition of “tragedy” is being brought to ruin by one’s own shortcomings--and those victims were innocent).

Well, I did let my discipline down a little last night--had 2 oz. of Kendall Jackson 2011 “The Jackson” Pinot Noir with dinner (and made it last). I pan-grilled a grass-fed Niman Ranch “bistro steak” (hanger steak, I think) and nuked some leftover winter squash with butter & brown sugar from Whole Foods and asparagus I’d grilled a couple of nights before--but grated a little Parm. Reg. over them.

I find that 2 oz. of wine in a small cheap wineglass looks and seems like a lot more--but if a wine is good enough for me to drink (now that I must limit my intake) it deserves the right glass to showcase its attributes; and 2 oz. looks rather pathetic in a classic Burgundy Riedel crystal stem--but boy, does it smell and taste better! (I love to play with my food, so I like to swirl and sniff before each sip--I find myself absentmindedly doing that now with seltzer)! I think I am going to invest in a Coravin wine preservation system, despite the cost: it’s a crime to open a really good bottle and let it go bad because I don’t dare pour from it more than a couple of times a week; and it’s dangerous to think “I’d better drink this before it goes bad.” Best not to let it go bad--the Coravin pierces the cork, injects nitrogen, and the cork reseals itself when the Coravin’s needle is removed. Tests have shown a bottle thus preserved can last for months.

Susan - so glad your relatives are safe. To say how very awful seems woefully inadequate.

It's a beautiful warm(ish) day here too. Much like yours Minus. I will take every one of these days that we can get. The longer we can stave off winter, the happier I am.

In baking mode today -- started out making the dough for a fruit and nut yeast bread then went on to make a half dozen or so cider donuts to give to friends (ok, I'm keeping two.) Tonight's dinner is an oldie but goodie -- Swiss steak, mashed potatoes and green beans. It's been quite some time since I've fixed that. I got some really good meat deals today on chuck roast and pork butt so I'll be doing more grinding and sausage making soon.

Here's this year's Reveillion menu:

Tujague's_{Reveillon Menu}

FIRST COURSE (CHOICE OF)

•Apple & Bleu Cheese Salad with Pecans, Baby Greens, Cranberry Vinaigrette & Black-Eyed Pea Croutons
•Crispy Pork Belly, Oyster & Andouille Cream with Cracklins, Corn Chow-Chow & Root Beer Glaze
•Oyster Brochette with Garlic Croustade topped with Meunière Sauce

SECOND COURSE

•Soup du Jour

THIRD COURSE (CHOICE OF)

•Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Foie Gras Dirty Rice, Squash & Zucchini Medley with Pepper Jelly Sauce
•6 oz. Filet Mignon
•Redfish on the Half Shell: Pan-Seared Local Redfish topped with Roasted Pecan Butter, Squash & Zucchini Medley
•Seafood Court-Bouillon with Gulf Fish, Oysters, Shrimp & Tomato Sauce

FOURTH COURSE (CHOICE OF)

•Banana Bread Pudding
•Chocolate Pecan Pie

Hmmmmm . . . . . redfish or courtbouillon? Decisions, decisions.

Red, my sentiments exactly. My experiences with pork belly in restaurants have been less than satisfactory. No matter what they advertise, it seems to rarely be crispy. I'd like to see it done right, so you're right, it's tempting.

of course you are starving if you only ate two meals........although many days I do the same thing, then I snack like I am on a grazing field........I wish your freezer meals were in my freezer........

I interviewed a friend's house cleaner on Friday. She looked at my modest-sized ranch style house, which should require no more than three hours cleaning time, and said the least she could charge was $100. That's her basic starting price. My jaw dropped. All this talk about raising minimum wage from less than $8 an hour and house cleaners are charging over $30 an hour!!! I got a clue in talking to her that she probably didn't want the job. She has a one-year-old that she sometimes brings with her and she must have known from looking around my house that it's not a child proof décor. I liked her a lot but not that much.

Susan, it sounds like you could hire a pick up and delivery handy man and still come out ahead, buying your own supplies and appliances. I'm glad your relatives in Paris are safe.

Minus, I empathize with your emotions about taking down a large old tree.

Nance, that's an appetizing menu. Too bad you can't have a small plate of all the choices!

Another lovely day here with a forecast for storms next week.

The call went out this morning... no bread, buttermilk pancakes! And so that is what we had for our Sunday "brunch." Dinner will be cooked by someone else. After almost no discussion, the choice is Chef José at Rincon Mexicano. He can get his favorite burrito or maybe the carnitas plate and I can have chicken tortilla soup. Win-Win.

Carole, I am always astonished by the cost of house cleaning, hence why it doesn't happen unless it is one of us. And, I really don't want someone who isn't professionally insured working in my house with their child in tow. Too much liability for a sue-eager world.

Hate cutting down trees but we too will have to do this soon. The tree that is growing very close to our house is getting too big for its place. It is on the side of the house that gets clobbered in storms and we are worried that it will fall over into the roof. I would love to have a Japanese maple there, though I don't t think that will give me the same amount of shade in the summer. It would look pretty from the street though.

Funny. I have never eaten more than two meals a day, but on this Ibrance, I found I can't eat as much at each sitting so need a snack.

No chicken? To be honest, I find leftover turkey more appealing. I do love a good turkey sandwich.

*susan*

totally off the subject----my aunt (my dad's brother's wife) was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. She says she is having a test Monday (I presume a pet scan) to see if it is spread anywhere) and they are placing a port on Wed. and she says her chemo will be 5 days a week for six weeks and then in Feb she will have a mastectomy with lymph node removal.

I've always thought chemo was done in cycles. I guess they could count the weekends as her off time, bu t I' am curious if anyone else has ever heard of this type of schedule? I've never met her, she is a second wife and as my Dad's family scattered to the four corners of the earth once they came of age and I guess I am not really close to any of them.