Made an old family favorite, Hot Dish

carole - I have no idea if the cornstarch thing is specifically Asian - I do it because I had a package of thin chops (like the breakfast kind?) and googled for ideas and that came up. I like it because it is not a heavily breaded way to go with a thinner cut. I think susan is just busy and doing ok, but I miss her - maybe lacey has talked to her? It looks like luvmygoats has not signed on since last November, hope she is ok

So fun to read about how you have all modified or changed recipes or how you cook/cooked.  DH is a carnivore but not me so much so a few chicken thighs, or breasts, or pork chops usually make 2 or 3 meals for us now. 

Tonight- grilled marinated butterflied pork chops, split a baked sweet potato and a nice tossed salad with lots of veggies. I make dressing with canola oil/apple cider vinegar and whatever herbs with a bit of S&P...no sugar....added some blue cheese crumbles in this last batch...YUM!

minus - the cornstarch makes a very light coating that gets crispy with a short cooking time too!

carole - I usually use the thick cut ones as DH loves pork chops, but occasionally see the thin ones and think they would be a good quick dinner. DH got home at about 6, did some planting in the pots out by the pool, and then took a 5 mile walk, so it was late by the time he got done and was ready to shower and eat! There were 8 chops in the package, for just over $6. DH had 3, I had 2, and the rest are lunch for him. The texture of the cornstarch breading is a little like tempura, and the chops cook super fast as they are only about 1/2 thick at the most. The short marinade is soy, garlic and sesame oil. Also the chops can cook in just a little oil since they aren't tall.

also for all - has anyone tried oven baked rice? I made some for the first time last night. Rinsed the 1c. rice and put it into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray (I used organic olive oil), sautéed some celery, onion, garlic, and shredded carrot. When they were about 3/4 cooked I added 2 c. of chicken stock, then spooned that over the rice, covered with foil and put it in a 350 F oven. After 20 mins took off the foil, cooked 20 mins more. Had not cooked the rest of the dinner yet so turned the oven off and re-covered with foil. Came out perfect and I had no starchy mess in a pan or all over my stove - which seems to always happen to me. Rinsed the pan off and put it in the dishwasher! Yay! Do most of you use rice cookers, regular stovetop prep, or another way?

Nance, I would love to know how you do your rice in the pressure cooker, I have never thought to use it for rice.

SpecialK, your baked rice dish sounded lovely, something else for me to try.

DH has requested schnitzels for dinner. I know he would like spatzle as a side, but he will have to settle for potato salad.

April - be still my heart. Any mention of pasta makes me excited. I was going to have several different steamed veggies for dinner that are approaching the end of their usefulness. Now I might have to saute & pour them over pasta. Hmmm, wonder how turnips will be with pasta? Sounds weird. I can probably get away with cauliflower, spinach & bok choy. And I think I still have some carrots lurking.

Leftover Hot Dish from last night.

Need to grocery-shop, so will either pick up a rotisserie chicken, salmon or pork chops. Probably bake a sweet potato and saute some kale (or make a pot of caldo gallego if I have enough chicken stock).

Eric - I went to a Silver Sneakers exercise class today for an hour and then walked a 20 minute mile on the tread mill. You are much faster than I am. But I undid it all with dinner.

So here's the pasta & turnips. I used more butter & less oil and added all of it at the saute step. I cut the turnips in ribbon spirals and I added the garlic & red pepper flakes while simmering/sauteing the turnips. I used 1/2 a bag spinach instead of kale. Would have been better with the whole bag. To top it off I used Farfalle pasta because that's what I had, but I think orecchiette might be better. Next time I'll add some onion. Another recipe called for anchovies, but: a) I didn't have any, and b) I don't care for them. And April is right, I could easily add cooked chicken breast. (Oh yes, and in my mind I see April carefully hand making all those "little ears".

Orecchiette with Caramelized Turnips, Tuscan Kale, and Cracked Pepper from 'The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook'

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound orecchiette
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 pound Tuscan kale, stems and center ribs removed, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish

Directions

1. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the turnips and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until the turnips are tender and golden, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the kale and cook, stirring often, until the kale is very tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta water as needed and season with cracked pepper to taste. Add the butter and stir gently until melted.
4. Add the pasta to the kale mixture and toss with tongs until the pasta is well coated. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and additional cracked pepper to taste.
5. Divide the pasta into warm bowls, sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired, and serve.

Freya, I pretty much only make brown rices. In mine (Instant Pot}, I like the formula of 1 cup rice to 1 1/3 cups liquid. High pressure for 16 minutes with a full natural release. It produces a chewy grain with nutty flavor. White rice is a ratio of 1:1.5, high for 8 minutes.

So, we had white rice 3-4 times a week prior to dx...now maybe once a week or 2...but, have always used this process.  Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1.5 cups rice, stir and turn burner to low- cook for 25 minutes...should be nice and fluffy. I usually leave pot on burner after turning it off so rice continues to stay warm prior to plating. Never thought of cooking it in a pressure cooker.  Think that might not be "Southern".  We always cook red rice in a rice cooker.  That is VERY southern 

Our house had a built-in Kitchen Aid when we moved in; not sure how old it was then, but it broke down after 4 years. Bought a GE that broke down w/in a couple of years; its free replacement just made it past warranty, then a Maytag (wanted a Bosch but it wouldn’t fit under the counter due to the previous owners putting the water inlet in the floor rather than on the wall). 6 years ago I bought a Miele, and I love it.

Dinner tonight was from the Whole Foods hot bar: jerk chicken and balsamic-roasted veggies (summer squashes, peppers, onions, mushrooms). Cherry pie for dessert. (Achatz, baked in MI by the family of the chef-owner of Alinea).

auntienance,, I too had the samsung applicances. They came with the house. One by one, except the fridge have broken down. As a retiree from Whirlpool Corp, I have all kitchenaid in my home for now. I get a deep discount. My sister has a bosch dishwasher. She loves it. I was so disappointed with the longevity of the Samsung appliances.

Dinner last night was chicken cutlets, with a mushroom gravy. Jasmine rice and roasted broccoli.

Sandy, I love my gas range too. When we bought this house it had an old electric cooker and a wood stove. The original plan was to live with things for a year to get a feel for what we wanted. I only lasted 3 months before gutting the whole kitchen and starting from scratch.

Val, I have always wanted a kitchen stand mixer. They are so expensive here though, and my old mixer just wont die.