So...whats for dinner?

Yikes, bone infection sounds very serious for a diabetic or for anyone. I'm glad it was detected and is being treated.

The Endymion parade measured up to past years. The floats get bigger and longer and more gaudy with all sorts of light effects. There were lots of college and high school bands and the Budweiser horses were as impressive as ever. I think dh's brother enjoyed himself. He got into the spirit of catching beads and throws.

I, too, am looking forwards to pictures of the transformed condo.

Nance, I make a thin slurry with the dry roux and whisk it into the liquid of the gumbo or meat drippings. I don't find any difference between the bought dry roux and the toasted flour I make using all purpose white flour. To make the dry roux, I use my iron skillet but I have to stir constantly for as long as it takes the flour to turn a light brown color. DH has made the dry roux in the oven, spreading the flour on a big pan. You have to be careful not to burn the flour. I test my progress by mixing a tiny bit of dry roux with water to see how dark the color is. Of course, you can make the oil roux but I don't like adding that much oil to my gumbo or meat gravy.

Tonight's dinner will be stuffed cabbage out of the freezer. That's the last of the frozen cooked casserole-style dishes that can be popped into the oven. I'll have to replenish the supply.

Thanks Red, I think about you every time some new dad thing comes up. I know how much you get it. My dad was supposed to start with compression stocking just before he went into the hospital. I'm not sure he could get them on by himself though so not sure how that would have worked. He did see the cardiologist yesterday who told him they were going to try to increase his circulation. Didn't say how - - magic wand? Sheesh.

Thanks for the roux advice Carole. I will try it that way the next time. The gumbo is good, if thinner than I like it.

Must be comfort food day. While making Italian meatballs for dinner on Monday, I made up some mini meatloaves as well. So that's dinner along with the ubiquitous mashed potatoes and baby peas.

Starting some baguettes today and I just remembered, it's time for hot cross buns. They're too good to have only on good Friday.

Sending healing thoughts to all of the elderly dads and moms....and especially to you caretakers! ((HUGS))

Oh my, Nance, hot cross buns are one of those things that I adored in my childhood...and I probably ate way more than my share! I think I'd better head down to the treadmill after just thinking about them.

When making the pizza dough last weekend, DH was troubled by the fact that we had no digital food scale....so he ordered one. Now I feel compelled to start using it...which means baking, right?....just when I was getting more serious about shedding the most recently gained lbs. Oy!

Some of you may get a kick out of the fact that I have been regularly giving DGF's pooch, who we are dogsitting this week, any bits of veggies that I can while making smoothies or cooking. Of course he loves them! Now that he sees that someone actually does tasty things when standing in front of the kitchen counter, he is a regular customer there. We think that this is a new experience for him given his owner's eating (non-cooking) style. We always fed our dogs fresh veggie scraps. Soon this guy will be next to my ankle (he is a VERY short Scottie) as soon as he hears me pick up a knife.

Tonight we are going to a restaurant in Newton (I forget which one) with DH's volunteer group from the B school. I actually wouldhavenpreferred to attend the Celtic's game since Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers are in town with their Clippers, but ...oh well, small sacrifice, and better food.

Lacey, you will use the scale lots more than you think. I love mine and have given then as gifts to cooking friends and family. And all the things Susan said.

And glad for yet another credible endorsement for our newest kitchen toy! Thanks, Nance

Mine slips into a drawer, and gets pulled out at least once a day. I don't have enough counter space to keep it out. *susan*

En route home from LE therapy yesterday morning, I stopped off at Bennison’s Bakery in Evanston because I was told they had pazcki. Little did I know that “Time Out Chicago” had listed them as the #2 of the top 10 spots in the Chicago area to buy them. I was lucky to have been able to park a block away. Inside (and it’s not a large shop) they set up a rope line like at the TSA, that snaked up & back three times. People in line were asking “what does it mean if you get the baby doll in the cake?” The correct answer is “you have to buy the next one,” but I couldn’t resist answering “you have to go to the dentist.”* They were quite efficient, though: they also had stacked boxes of king cakes to pick up while waiting in line for paczki and other stuff (to avoid earning the eternal enmity of those in line behind me whose parking meters were about to expire, I skipped said “other stuff”). Got a half dozen plus the king cake. Had a custard-filled (like a Drunken Donuts Boston Creme on steroids) one for breakfast.

Went to Fireside for Mardi Gras dinner because its kitchen was still open by the time Bob got home from work at 10 pm. Had a Hurricane that had me reeling for hours, as well as gumbo (more like a stew, and I left most of the rice over) and shrimp/crawfish etouffee (inexplicably topped with very good puff pastry). Had to put a considerable amt. of Tabasco on it. Ate the pastry and some of the etouffee, and brought the rest home for Gordy. No wine--the Hurricane was actually the recommended pairing. We cut into the king cake when we got home, and I got the baby! (Guess I’m buying next year’s cake).

This morning I figured it was still my farewell-to-sugar celebration, so I cut myself a slice of cake to go with breakfast. (Only one paczki left, and I wasn’t about to eat it--one a year is quite enough). Couldn’t understand why Happy, my 8-yr-old 15-lb. perma-kitten, was purring and nuzzling the box, until I opened it--he grabbed the strand of beads decorating the cake and proceeded to have a grand time chasing and batting it around.

Tonight, after picking up my “pet” Martin guitar and attending my first support group, I will grill a pastured ribeye and serve it with sauteed broccolini and cauliflower “faux-tatoes” (whipped with butter and asiago cheese). One steak will easily feed two.

*Which I did that aft. but only for a routine cleaning.

Sooo cold here. Leaving Saturday morning for NC...getting outta Dodge as they say. Sat. the predicted high is 3 deg here in NY. We are taking along 3 friends on this trip...should be fun, and will stay for a week instead of our usual 3 day weekend.

So much for the diet, as I know we will be visiting a lot of great restaurants, but my trainer at the gym told me to just make sure I try to get in 30 min of walking or biking everyday and I should be fine till I get back into the routine. I will do my best.

Tonight will try to use up the vegetable bin in the fridge, Caesar salad with chicken I also have a lot of cheese chunks from the superbowl party, will pack them for snacking on the road

Greetings from the Hampton Inn in Texarkana, TX.  Lunch was an Artisan Chicken sandwich on bun at McD's.  Dinner will probably be Outback since there is one near enough to walk to it.  

Minus, welcome back.  I enjoyed hearing a little about your trip.  How exciting that you were a surfer!  

Moon - I hate dentists. Don't know why, but I'd rather have my arm cut off than go to the dentist.

Loved all your discussions about scales. This is a picture like the scale I have & use - but usually only when I'm dividing meat for the freezer. (sorry I don't know how to make the picture smaller) Mine has a 4 point "claw" that holds the scooper instead of a flat disc or flat bottomed scoop. Stamped - American Family Scale Patented October 25, 1896 & Manufactured by the American Cutlery Company in Chicago, IL. I haven't done any research but my guess is it was used in old time country stores to scoop out beans or flour or jelly beans. Yes, I do put wax paper or saran wrap in the scoop before placing food.

Three? Really? About the only place I see three around here is within the freezer section of the refrigerator. Yikes.

Welcome back Minus.

If anyone is needing warmth...It was nice here today in the Phoenix Metro area. I won't otherwise brag about it. :-)

Yikes, Eric & Susan--that’s terrifying. Glad she’s fine.

Eric, what is going on out there? So many needless deaths. Glad that your "almost" daughter is alright. Weep for the two that aren't.

The cabinets arrived. Mr. 02143 was at the truck, I was just inside the house. No cabinets were damaged transferring them from one place to the other. OMG!!!!! They are gorgeous! There is a little less contrast between the grey and white than I had imagined, and it doesn't matter. I have a bunch of photos which I will parse and post in a bit. Tile Guy is working on the walls now and it was clear that he is doing the math before he starts. Electrician man has fixed a ton of stupid overhead lights and finished all three bedroom outlets. Had a real heart to heart with the Great Sergio today, and he is completely embarrassed by some of the errors that are being made. A door that swings the wrong way. A floor replaced with the floor outlet still in place. A niche drywalled and plastered when it should have been left open. He then called again later to apologize again. I am like his business guru confessor. Unusual relationship.

Pictures have uploaded.... sorry if this pisses anyone off.

one of three pantries that go in this corner.

and the cabinets with just one drawer and pullout shelves.

Very happy tonight about our progress.

Oh, but we also ate. I made some fresh pasta with King Arthur's Perfect Pasta Blend. It had a really nice texture, and held up well. I made some 5 inch rectangles and filled with my homemade ricotta plus goodie, including zucchini, filling. Baked with some Rao's Roasted Garlic Sauce and served with some grilled/braised Italian sausages. The Rao's sauce was good with this, but it won't be on my must buy list. These little suckers were good! I know that I have two women that I will need to take some supper soon. They are both vegetarian. This would be a great deliver-to-the-new-mom meal. Making a mental note.

Tomorrow should get down to about 1º. Maybe a braise or stew.....

*susan*

p.s. By "out there" I don't mean any particular place, but instead out in our culture.

Susan, those cabinets look great, as does the penny tile in your new shower. Makes me want to call a contractor and finally get our 108-yr-old inside staircase replaced (paramedics who took Bob to St. Francis after his botched-colonoscopy chewed me out about it) and our much newer but still decrepit front porch railings, balusters & finials repaired after a few rough winters. When we moved in we had a concrete stoop with black wrought iron railings, which had been the fashion in the ‘50s but definitely did not gibe with a 1908 American Foursquare. We also need new windows all around! We’re in our mid-60s and might not have long to stay in that house (will retire to something lower-maintenance--i.e., no lawn to mow or sidewalk to shovel--closer to downtown, or even to the PNW), but patching it up (basically continuing to undo the previous owners’ ill-conceived budget DIY mistakes) will make it either easier to sell or more pleasant for our son to take over if he wants it.