So...whats for dinner?

Mr. 02143 informed me that there is a side effect of my appetite suppressing drugs for him too. His weight as of today is a number he has not seen since 1983. He is actually quite pleased since he has felt that he was carrying a few extra [sometimes more than a few] pounds for some time now.

I have some split green peas soaking. This should turn into soup tomorrow. The peas are odd..... if they suck when I wake tomorrow the manager of the local Whole Foods will get a piece of my mind. It took me 30 minutes to pick out the rocks, hulls, defective peas, and the unknown yellow things.

Bedo, cats can be troublesome that way, but I don't think I have ever heard of a computer dying from cat love. Do you have some compressed air to remove the residual hair?

Eric, for fun, we should both photograph our family pieces. The cast iron pieces I have bought were all crap. I was young and poor and bought the cheapest hardware items. And they were worth less than I paid for them! The kid has adopted one of these pieces, created a lovely patina, and she is so proud of her heirloom.

Daisy, I can't wait to hear what other creations you are inspired to create. How many kids do you have home during snow?

Nance, talk to me about pressure cooker stock. I think I have too many bones for the size of my pot, but would love to hear how you prepare this. Veggies? Roast the bones? How long in the cooker?

*susan*

auntienance, I would love to know your technic for carmelizing onions in the oven. It takes me HOURS in a Dutch oven

hsant, did you mean the oven or slow cooker?

Here's the oven:

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/980094-Caramelized-Onions,

And the slow cooker:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-caramelize-onions-in-the-slow-cooker-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193413

Susan, you can brown the bones or roast them. Mine were too large to brown So I roasted them. Some say you don't need to do either and I was going to try it that way, but changed my mind. I used a proportion of about 1:2 bones to water. Additions are no different than you would do normally. I used aromatics, a little salt, peppercorns, a small amount of tomato paste and a splash of vinegar. I cooked mine for 55 minutes with a natural release, but next time I will do 80 or so because the bones I have are large and not cut into small enough pieces, so it didn't gel much. (Maybe I can get dh to take a hack saw to them.) It really is some of the best beef stock I've made. I've already used most of what I made so I'll be doing it again this weekend. I'll experiment a little more.

susan - it has been a month and about a week since the surgery.  I am healing well, but had drains longer than I usually do (mostly from chasing the kitten, lol!)  This surgery was placement of a new expander and the plastic surgeon did not add any fill at the time of surgery.  I just had the fourth small fill yesterday so things are starting to take some shape and match up to the other already reconstructed side.  It is a welcome sight after 18 months with a mismatched situation, and some doubt on the part of all whether this would even work!  Thank you so much for asking - it is sweet of you to remember!

Tonight I cooked some sandwich steak (like for Philly cheesesteaks) with some peppers and onions and added some beef gravy and served it to DH over the leftover buttered egg noodles from last night.  He is having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, along with a soft brioche roll and some boysenberry jam and a banana for breakfast.  DD has requested a combo of torn chicken breast, baby cucumbers, tomatoes, goat cheese with some balsamic vinaigrette for lunch tomorrow.  I am going to put that together in a minute - she has a 6am show time for work tomorrow!  We had a moment of scurrying earlier - she appeared on a fishing show on NBC Sports this afternoon and one of our DVRs won't power on - we recorded it on the other one at the last minute but I have to go do a swap of cable boxes tomorrow! At least I don't have to brave the snow to do it!  Stay warm everyone!

Special...we crossposted. I'm glad things are looking up for you..

eric - thanks! It has been a winding road, but I think this will finally work out!

Thank you, auntienance! I will definitely try the oven technique

I think I am the only one here that does not own a cast iron pan (skillet) I do have a dutch oven in cast iron. I have put a bug in my sons ear about this so maybe for my birthday.

Susan I always thought of chemo as like being pregnant...some days I was nauseous and others had mad cravings like dill pickles (I think I needed the salt) and steak or beef (probably low iron) My DH and friends were always so gracious and tried to accommodate my wishes.

tonight will be a quiche with peppers, onions, tomatos and cheese with sausage patties on the side Breakfast!

Carole going back to a former post about your creations and buttons...My daughter is in NYC and her job is production and development of buttons and trim for major retailers. Everyone calls her the button girl. we have the most fun looking at and talking about buttons Haha something probably no one else can understand her office has walls filled with little card catalogue drawers filled with buttons...sooo much fun to play with.

Wow I didn't realize I was as far behind. Just reread my last post about this week being warmer. HaHa - not happening. Been mostly cold all week. Just hauled warm water out to the goats.

Not been too much cooking going on. Trying to use stuff up. Had bean burritos for 2 nights and I just finished the last 2 tortillas with some spready cheese and a bit of ranch dip and a ton of spinach. Tonight is non-exciting spaghetti but DH sounded pleased with it. The tortillas were interesting. A TX brand you had to heat in skillet, puffed up and browned. I like them, much much better than plain store bought. I had had some from WallyWorld from the refrig. section. These are much better and are in with the reg. pkg. tortillas.

Welcome Paxton. Yes we love our food thread. I'm from NW of Ft Worth.

Welcome DaisyQ. I've been lax about catching up but determined to do it today.

Yes Susan sounds like marvelous house progress. Oh that soup sounds so yummy. Oh and I absolutely agree not sappy at all. Connections are what keep us human.

Funny about the hack saw Nancy. DH has hack sawed a large turkey carcass. I did have a dedicated blade for it.

Carrie - I don't own any cast iron either. I have a smooth cook top and too afraid of scratching it. I never really learned to cook in one anyway so I'm not so much missing it.

No idea what dinner will be. Since I started writing this a couple of hours ago. We might just snack thru and not make the spaghetti. DH just had a chicken salad sammie when he came in so he won't be hungry for a while. Might be canned soup - I know not exciting.

Welcome hsant. We love new people, new ideas, new food.

All the cast iron talk has made me want cornbread so I pulled a hambone from the freezer and made navy bean soup. It's cold, dreary and snow covered here so soup will be good.

Everyone's meals sound good. I'm glad the roast turned out Carole, I don't have much luck with rump roast, although my MIL made one every Sunday of her married life.

Tomorrow, an outing! DH has an eye doc appointment and we'll make a Costco run. Good for cabin fever!

Hsant, lol, I think you'll find on here that a lot of us have an assortment of bones, carcasses of various kinds, and other animal or vegetable parts in our freezers. Susan's freezer is particularly magical.

Susan I have split pea soup on the stove right now. Never made it before but when I went to the Hill with my friend Maria, we got Prosciutto bones at Volpi's and I had a lb of split peas, so I put the peas, the bones, the carrots, the onion, the garlic, the oregano, the pepper, a bullion cube and water in and it is on the stove.....I hope that is how you do this. And I hope I like it

hsant - Hello fellow California girl - I am a native although live in Florida now - I grew up in Manhattan Beach and then Northridge, went to college in San Luis Obispo, and then moved to Sacramento and met my military husband.  In the red potato salad dressing I do equal parts of sour cream and mayo (I use Just Mayo), salt and pepper, and dill.  I toss the cooked red potatoes in the dressing and then add thinly sliced scallions.  I also make a baked potato salad with russets - baked and diced, also with the half mayo half sour cream, with S&P, then add scallions and crumbled bacon.  I like that recipe because the potatoes don't have any additional moisture to make the dressing watery and the potatoes seem to cool off faster.  In a pinch you can do the potatoes in the microwave if pressed for time.

Joyce - that beef stew would make a good potpie for a 2nd night dinner. I agree with lasagna being too much for 2 people but I have no trouble freezing stuff.

Those magical freezers - mine did a not so nutritious but quick no mess TaiPei beef with broccoli. Just enough for the 2 of us. Think I will have a pear later and more tea for the chill.

Susan - I bet lots of people were betting on the storm of the century hitting Boston which I don't think it is, right? Forgot to say how much I loved the stories of C's visit.

Red - what in the heck are Prosciutto bones? I barely know what Prosciutto is. Which reminds me I think that is what I have frozen. BTW the frozen "velveeta" like cheese "Dutch Garden" brand made great mac/cheese. I chunked it it the white sauce, would never know it had been frozen.

Sandy - I'm going to have to get some of those special salts. I know there is a Penzey's In Arlington but not really where I go and not even close to DD's place. There is a specialty spice store in Ft Worth but it concentrates on chile stuff though I've been surprised at some of the things they have. Hmm maybe Central Market? Unfortunately I don't have anything in town until Feb when I have yearly mammo. I am really trying to save money though am shopping some tomorrow. But the county seat where I'm going is OK but not stupendous. Having never had truffles what does that taste like?

Tonight was large green salad w/whatever happened to be left in the fridge, which turned out to be a winter theme - red leaf lettuce, cauliflower, mushrooms, celery, radishes, Brussels sprouts. Also some left over Uncle Ben's Long grain & wild rice. Desert will probably be 1/2 cup of Brookside Dark Chocolate Acai & Blueberry candies.

Well, edited to say I posted after the earlier page, so missed an entire page of posts & now it's another page!! Yum for the lemon pudding cake. I don't use cast iron either. Special - hope things are still healing well. Susan - did you start meds again on Tuesday? How's it going? Sorry to miss an entire day.