So...whats for dinner?

Special, it doesn't take more than one or two minor cheats to reverse my loss too.

lentil, sausage vegetable soup/stew (tweaked recipe from Real Simple).

Last night's menu was large shrimp sauteed in garlicky EVOO and ghee, cabbage steamed in chicken broth and tossed salad.

Tonight will be salmon with a yogurt dill topping and creamed spinach and salad. The salmon was on special at Winn Dixie.

I can now access BC.org from Chrome and Edge. Edge keeps me logged in and Chrome doesn't.

Love these ideas! Specialk, the green beans with dill and lemon pepper sounds like something I shouldtry. Carolehalston, putting yogurt dill on salmon would be a good way to use leftover dill from Specialk’s green beans. Chrisandy, the Mediterranean fish sounds like it looks and tastes great. Wallycat, any lentil dish is a winner for me.

Last night was leftover chicken and pasta with a tossed salad. This weekend I think I’ll use my remaining roasted mushrooms to make tomato gin soup. I found several recipes online after we had this at The White Chocolate Grill in Phoenix on vacation several years ago. So good!

Yeah--4 days of "BCO radio silence" seems like an eternity, because my first impulse to vent, share and seek advice (and see how all of you are doing) is to come here & post!

I first had the Mediterranean fish filets at a Greek seafood restaurant, Pisces II (long since closed, after Bob's dad moved here) near the Queens-Nassau County line in the neighborhood where Bob grew up. It was also the first time I'd even heard of branzino. The waiter made a ceremony of cutting open the parchment packet and serving the portions. Gordy was only 2-1/2 at the time, and after his first bite proclaimed "Mmmm. Gordy like dis. Fresh & delicious." He was a huge Frugal Gourmet fan even as a baby--I have an audio tape of him saying "Fwoogourmet say 'I bid doo peace'." ("I bid you peace, his signoff line). Gordy even met him at a cookbook signing here. Jeff Smith was my law school's chaplain in Tacoma. He taught me how to hold a knife. I taught his counter people at The Chaplain's Pantry deli that butter & mayo do not belong on a pastrami sandwich. He was the keynote speaker at the Chicago Food & Wine Festival in `90 (IIRC, might have been '91 or '92), and asked me to recite the hamotzi blessing before lunch was served! (We debated why butter in chicken liver mousse was not kosher, per "Thou shalt not seethe a calf in its mother's milk"--and agreed we'd never encountered a bird that gave milk). That festival was the only time I ever met Julia Child. She railed against the "food enjoyment police," and I agreed until she remarked that free-range veal isn't really veal; I simply changed the subject to butter & wine.

Had my booster-to-the-booster yesterday. Only side effect is a (slightly) sore arm.

OK, back to food. Was supposed to go for a cheat meal at Regalia last night after my weigh-in, but Bob got stuck at the hospital with 3 new consults; he advised me to walk there alone, but there was a Noah's Ark-worthy downpour out there and I was not gonna walk even 3 blocks in it with nobody to talk to. (I actually valet-parked at Skokie Hospital, because it was storming too hard to walk from the far end of the self-park lot). Speaking of that, I met with the (depressingly young) cardiologist Dr. D. instead of the NP. Turns out I'd gained only 5 lbs since Sept. (and actually lost 2 since a couple weeks ago--maybe even more, as this was a clothed weigh-in but 2 weeks ago I was buck naked. Same medical-grade balance-beam scale). He said my BMI is on the borderline between "mildly overweight" and "normal," and to enjoy myself in NOLA but just watch portions and walk as much as possible. He thinks the GFR of 57 is just below normal and probably reflected not having drunk enough water during my pre-bloodwork fast. He agreed to order a TSH, but thinks that my symptoms might actually be due to lifelong borderline anemia--and may abate when I stop Letrozole after 6.5 yrs., which he strongly advises I suggest to my bc MO next month. I might be able to drop or halve the statin, too.

Last night, since I wasn't going out, my "cheat" was reheating the leftover 2 slices of NY-style pizza for dinner. It was divine. (It was from Jimmy's NY Pizza Cafe--Jimmy Kang the pizzaiolo/owner had trained in Brooklyn with DiFara's Dom DeMarco, who passed away this week, so I ordered out from Jimmy's. We always got our pizza from DiFara when visiting my mom--before moving to FL, she lived down the street from there). We ordered a plain cheese pizza and added our own tricolor peppers, mushrooms, anchovies and fresh basil. No point in paying extra for them. The crust makes it worthwhile: with Chi. deep-dish or "party-cut" tavern-style, I eat only the toppings, as those crusts are, IMHO, definitely not carb-cheat-worthy. Don't even get me stsrted on St. Louis-style.

Had contemplated getting a cannoli or slice of pie en route home--but instead made a keto Italian pastry: 2 toasted slices of keto (0 net carb, 35 cal.) "Hawaiian" bread, filled with a scant 2 tsp. of Lakanto "Suntella" dark chocolate/sunflower butter spread on one slice and 1 T. monkfruit-sweetened hand-dipped ricotta cut with 1 tsp. heavy cream and 2 drops fiori di sicilia extract, then put the two slices together. Taste & texture was just like a chocolate-dipped cannoli. That "Hawaiian" bread is cloying when eaten plain & untoasted, BTW, but makes a great base for faux-Danish or Italian pastry.

This aft. for brunch I'm making lemon-ricotta pancakes: 1/3 c. Birch Benders keto mix, freeze-dried unsweetened blueberries (the fresh ones turn the batter purple), 2 T, fresh lemon juice, almond milk instead of water (together making 1/4. liquid), one egg, separated (folding in the whipped egg white separately). Panfry in a little coconut + grapeseed oil, garnish with granulated monkfruit sweetener. Syrup would make the pancakes "deflate" too fast. Not sure about dinner--maybe salmon burgers & asparagus Hollandaise. Will walk to Regalia tomorrow night, since the precip. will have stopped before noon. (Next weekend we'll be treating the couple who ran Cellars--they've been to Regalia once and loved it).

Here's something weird: when Gordy came over at 1:30, he brought in a shopping bag containing a Big Mac meal with a Coke & Shamrock shake, delivered by Uber Eats. Thing is, he never ordered it and neither did we. The bag listed neither a name nor an address, just a bar code (which I tried to scan but couldn't) and order number. None of my neighbors ordered it. I called both the closest McDonald's and Uber Eats--and they're both stumped. They have no record of it. Uber Eats said to reheat the food or just discard it. The only part of the meal I can eat are the cheeseburgers--which I'd have to put on a keto bun. I can't eat the fries or drink the Coke or shake.

We are packing as quickly as possible and the realtor is coming over on Saturday to see the place, as well as make recommendations for "what else should be done" before putting the house on the market. On the other side, we found a nice place near Snowflake, Arizona and as soon as the current house is on the market, we'll be making an offer on the "new" place. The new place is a new build about a month from completion, 2,100 square feet in size, on a bit more than 18 acres of land and 11 miles from town.

Dinner tonight was more freezer shopping--chicken and rice with salsa.

We're just letting you know that we are offering a new Virtual Meetup TODAY (and every Friday) at 3pm, ET (bonded by the breast cancer experience) in case you are interested. It's primarily for those finished with active treatment, but who may be on longer term hormonal or other treatment, and could use the support

Recovering from the flu, not much of an appetite so I have homemade chicken noodle soup in the crockpot. I have an eggplant that was going to be used for eggplant parmesan or lasagna, one of those will hopefully be tomorrow's dinner, if not I'll give the eggplant to a neighbor so it does not go to waste.

Where's Minus? Did she stop posting because of all the glitches with this update?

Wish I could find the right kind of round bread for muffalettas--I have both the hot & mild olive salads and can get every kind of cheese & meat for them. One year just before Super Bowl they were selling the olive salads--and the guy demoing them had brought in loaves for sale too. I had one terrific Super Bowl party. And two weeks from tonight we'll be walking Gordy down the aisle at Napoleon House!

Eric, mazel tov on the new digs.

Feel better, Serendipity. Saw an eggplant pilaf this aft. on WTTW's "My Greek Table." Maybe you could do a riff on that with your eggplant?

Thurs. night we did walk to Regalia. The rain had stopped, there was no wind, and Bob made it home at a decent hour. We shared a large crab cake with mango remoulade on baby arugula; house Mediterranean salad; spaghetti cacio e pepe (my 1/3 portion was my planned "cheat"); and sea bass (instead of the branzino of which they ran out) atop Brussels sprouts & cherry tomatoes & garlic mashed potatoes. (Gave Bob the spuds). We were about to leave after getting the check when the owner came by with dessert: hazlenut-chocolate dacquoise topped with ganache with berries on the side. It was part of the birthday cake for a woman one table over--and it turns out her daughter, a pastry chef, had made it! (We have learned that diet or not, never p**s off the owner if he offers a comp. It was a small portion anyway). Last night we had the leftover veg. (spuds for Bob again), vegan kale salad from WF, and smoked sable from Calumet Fisheries.

Bob brought home sashimi for lunch. I had 1/4 portion of mine. Will make a nice breakfast tomorrow.

We're going to Chez Joel again for Restaurant Week--a late res., as Bob wants to watch at least one March Madness game. I'm thinking coq au vin--but I wish they had cassoulet, since it's already in the 20s with snow showers. Looks like we're gonna have cold-wind-rain-snow cycles all the way through, right up to the day we leave for NOLA. (And maybe upon our return too).

Chez Joel was my Waterloo tonight. They had the $39 three-course Restaurant Week special. I was famished, so had a crust and a half of the excellent sourdough--first moment of weakness. I wanted the steamed Manila clams appetizer special, but it wasn't on the list, so I had the soupe du jour, truffled cream of cauliflower, instead--which given the price I'd thought would be a cupful but instead was a bowl the size of a bucket. (Yeah, I finished it). Also wanted the duck breast & confit of leg, but it wasn't one of the listed entrees, so I went for the coq au vin and subbed out the spuds (mashed or frites) for green beans. Came with half a chicken, so I ate the leg & thigh and brought home the split breast pieces and most of the green beans. It was delicious, but I've never been able to eat more than 1/4 chicken at one sitting. Alas, dessert was included: chocolate mousse torte. Packed 2/3 of it, becays the third I did eat was not only yummy & filling but profoundly guilt-inducing.

Bob had the house salad--which had apples & candied nuts; NY strip, only 1/3" thick and thus medium-well instead of the mid-rare he'd ordered, with frites and veg.; and creme brulee. He leaned over and whispered "Dining-out maxim #2: never order steak anywhere but a steakhouse." (Thurs. night's was "Never pi** off the owner if he offers you a freebie"). I would have sent it back, but even at 9:30pm the place was jammed and I'm sure "corners had to be cut" for a restaurant full of everyone ordering the low-cost prix fixe. We'll be back, of course, but ordering off the regular menu and on a weeknight when it'd be quieter and the kitchen won't have to worry about cranking out volume.

Got home, tried on the dress for the wedding and it was snug (not visibly--it looks great--but palpably). Granted, I was wearing a push-up bra instead of the minimizer, no Spanx camisole, and plain bikini briefs instead of the hi-waist control panties--but I wonder just how much those'll help, given that it's a sheath rather than A-line. Hoping the local David's Bridal can exchange it for the next size up (had I read the reviews I'd have ordered it in that size); if not, fingers crossed that either Nordstrom or Dillard's can ship it expedited. We pack a week from Wed, and leave for the airport at 0-dark-30 the next day, so we're cutting it really close. The Holy Clothing alternates I bought over a month ago still haven't shipped, despite the company promising to put a rush on them. Back in the day, they never listed dresses that weren't in stock--now they have them all made to order in India. They used to ship within the week. Sigh.

Back to strict "dead animals & leaves" fare till we get to NOLA.

Thank for asking about me. Carole emailed that the site was working. BCO was part of my daily routine, but now I will probably be more sporadic like Lacey.

Wally - you are definitely in the right place if you like fog. I was raised in Northern CA, but after living in NM & TX I'm not sure I could move back to the Pacific Coast. I love daylight savings time, but I sure don't want to get up to extreme dark in the winter if we switch. Oh - well - I'm retired so WTH - I guess I just won't get up.

Eric - my favorite cousin lives in Taylor & her DIL is from Snowflake, so I guess I will still get to see you when I come to AZ again.

Friday night was fried rice with turkey & everything else left in the fridge. Ever had radishes in fried rice??? Last night was meatloaf & sauteed carrots w/Dill. Since I make the small loaf pan, I have just enough left over for a sandwich tomorrow. Tonight was a large salad w/avocado & English cucumber.

Takumi has a new teriyaki sauce - Gochujang Spicy Miso. And I haven't even yet tried their Korean BBQ. One or the other may help with my quest to reproduce the Korean Brussels Sprouts at Eddie Vs. Anybody tried it yet?

Good to see you Minus!!

ChiSandy - thank you, I'm feeling better. Thanks for the suggestion of the pilaf recipe, will take a look at it as the eggplant has to be cooked today.

Last night was leftover chicken breast and green beans (giving up sugar & starch entirely till we leave for NOLA). Brunch today was egg foo yung, sans cornstarch. (Bean sprouts, 2 eggs, red peppers, mushrooms, cilantro, scallions, red onion; sauce was wheat-free tamari, sesame oil, grated garlic & ginger, five-spice powder and white pepper). Tonight will be a salmon-burger on keto bun with lettuce, tomato and aioli. Asparagus on the side--probably pan-girlled.

I agree about the 'wretched' screen. Sigh. I couldn't even find "my favorites" today and had to access 'what's for dinner' from 'active topics'.

Nothing exciting here. Leftover turkey fried rice and the last of the See's Victoria Toffee. All accompanied by 2 glasses of Yellowtail Shiraz from the cashe my ex-DH brought over. Dessert was 2 Girl Scout Lemonade cookies. (yeah I know - the toffee was the vegetable - or maybe the extra protein since it's covered in crushed almonds?)