So...whats for dinner?

Minus, my all-time fave pies are Nesselrode, sour-cream raisin, dark chocolate meringue and butterscotch meringue. Haven't seen Nesselrode (except from my kitchen) in almost 40 years. Bakers Square used to have sour-cream raisin, but the chain is kaput here. The best chocolate meringue I've had was at the old Turkey Inn (later O'Brien Manor) in Bellevue, WA 44 years ago. Close second, along with the butterscotch, was at King's Cafe in Dearing, KS (near Coffeyville). Only espresso bar for miles and miles. Discovered it when I did weeklong artist residencies (2003, 2010) for the Coffeyville Humanities Project. It had Christian-themed decor (including a mural of Jesus loving the little children of the world that at the time I found creepily Michael Jackson-esque), but when you're jonesing for pie & cappuccino there are things this Brooklyn native Jewish kid can easily overlook. Alas, pie--except for crustless quiche--is but a memory for me now.

Brunch at 3pm was a 2-oz heel of leftover filet mignon, with the remainder of the tomato/green bean/feta salad and a dry-fried egg. For dinner, I decided to give in to Bob's wishes (we usually limit ourselves to places I can stay low-carb) and so we walked around the corner to Ethiopian Diamond. (For some reason, if I cheat in a restaurant I have no desire to eat carbs at home later that evening). We started by splitting four different sambusas, fried filled fillo-dough triangles resembling a cross between mini spanakopitas and flatter & more delicate Indian samosas. (One each chicken, beef, lentil & spinach, each torn roughly in half--except unevenly, so I took the smaller pieces). Then the "Tibs sampler:" mild yellow & spicy red lentils, assorted lamb/beef/chicken tibs with onions & peppers (a mild stir-fry), chopped collard greens, braised cabbage, and a small lettuce-tomato salad--all on a bed of injera, which is a large pancake made with teff (like buckwheat) flour. It serves as plate liner as well as utensils--the platter rotates and you scoop stuff up using pieces of more injera. We skipped dessert and instead had delicious Ethiopian coffee--Sidamo beans roasted, ground & steeped to order. I'd forgotten how good it is.

Tomorrow's brunch will be the leftovers...with a fork replacing the injera with which they were rolled up like a burrito (When Bob comes downstairs for his late-night food raid, he can have all the injera he wants). Did enough dietary damage tonight!

Thanks Goldie. I left the hotel in Indianapolis at 2:15am Arizona time and got into the house at 2pm Arizona time. By 4pm, I had all the travel expense paperwork done so the government credit card would get paid. It was another long day. :-)

It was downtown and, yes, there were a HUGE number of restaurants...and...I still don't like to eat out that often. I guess it's better than 3 weeks of the actual military MREs. I keep a huge bottle of Tabasco sauce in my bag for the MREs as they are quite bland.

Cheerios and a banana for brunch. Dinner was 1/2 of the California Club sandwich I was too full to finish yesterday - but I transferred it from the stale bread it came with onto some lovely pumpernickel.

Tomorrow with one of my $0.99 avocados - I'll either mash up some guacamole or I'll whip up some tuna & serve that on top.

Brunch yesterday was an "everything" flavor Better Bagel (5gm net carbs) with cream cheese, lox, tomato & red onion slices, dill sprigs & capers. The tomato was 1/3 of a huge tri-lobe tomato--had lobe #2 today, broiled with herbes de Provence & grated Parm-Regg, a nuked sausage patty, sm. slice of low-carb hi-fiber buttered toast, and a dry-fried egg. Dinner last night was Ethiopian leftovers--found out that injera is even more fermented than regular sourdough bread, and the teff flour in it has relatively high fiber. Sourdough, even white, is considered low-glycemic--though it keeps me out of ketosis, I'm simply trying not to regain any more; any actual loss would be gravy (mmmm....gravy.....).

Have till 9/30 to get in my 30 hrs. of CLE, so gonna suck it up and start watching the videos. Bo-ring! But if I don't, I will be on the ARDC's provisional list, in danger of being stricken from the rolls. Even though I'm retired and haven't set foot in a courtroom since a Zoom traffic court hearing 18 months ago, I'm still reluctant to give up my law licens.

Dinner was a Barramundi filet seasoned with smoked paprika and scallions in browned butter. I made mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli for sides.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with a doctor who specializes in allergies and autoimmune diseases. (Hoping to find the reason behind my health issues that doesn’t include progression.)

Eric - I've been meaning to ask, how is the sourdough starter doing in the new location?

Today's meal was left over maccaroni with leftover Brussels Sprouts tossed in butter. I'm so glad I learned how to freeze leftover pasta. Really a great thing when cooking for one. Can't remember if the tip was from Carole or Special - but thanks.

The sourdough is "happy" with the well water and works as well as ever. I had been worried about this, but the worry was misplaced. If you make it out here and want some starter, your are welcome to it. It's liquid, but I can put some in a container small enough to satisfy the TSA airport security folks.

We ate at The Lotus Garden in Lakeside. This is the place that was vandalized by an ex employee. They have put it all back together--except for the aquarium.

Sunday night was another late night for Bob, so I nuked chicken wings and made sticks out of three ribs of celery. This morning was a guacamole BLT on low-carb hi-fiber 7-grain toast (for those in the Chicago area, it's sold at Whole Foods under the "ZBest" kosher bakery label; and at Jewel, Mariano's, Fresh Farms & Cermak Market, "Today's Temptations"). 4gm. net carbs per slice. Slowly plowing through my tomatoes--started the tri-lobed one on Sat. morning's bagel, second lobe Sun. morning halved & broiled with Parm-Regg., and this morning about half of the third lobe for the BLT. Each.lobe was the size of a small ("Campari"-sized) tomato. Will chop up the "heel" for tomorrow's avocado toast.

Tonight we went to Big Jones (SC low-country) and had their "Chef's Southern Tour" tasting menu. I knew I'd carb-cheat, but do so wisely. Started with pimento cheese topped with smoked duck breast & a marinated shrimp on a benne cracker (gave my cracker to Bob). Next was andouille sausage & seared grits (a small disk, definitely "carb-worthy"). Then chicken gumbo ya-ya "Hoosier style," over mashed potatoes rather than rice. Skipped the spuds--not a big potato fan anyway. Next was an heirloom (tri-color) tomato salad with dollops of chêvre, followed by crawfish/shrimp etouffé with rice. Ditched the rice. Saved my carbs for dessert: hummingbird cake (dense, with warm sweet spices, banana & pineapple purees, sorghum, and benne flour--couldn't taste the banana component) topped with cream cheese flavor ice cream (tastes like fior di latte gelato) and napped with spiced honey.

I've noticed that when I cheat judiciously at a restaurant I don't feel deprived, nor do I feel compelled once I get home to eat some more before my 8-hr. "window" closes. I was done by 9pm; it's 2:30am now and all I had after getting home was a decaf espresso and ice water. Not at all hungry.

Oh Mae - I'm so sorry to hear the new meds are kicking butt. If you care to share, I can't remember what you're on now? Hope this didn't force a delay of the beach bar construction. Or maybe you're able to sit in a lounge chair and just direct the work (LOL)

Illimae, I'm so sorry on the reaction. Please keep us updated on yourself, food or not.

Goldie, I made a batch of beans--pintos with celery, onion, carrots and cabbage. I used it as a side. The leftovers, I served with the eggs.

Cyathea, I hope your doc appointment goes well.

Sandy, maybe allowing yourself regular food prevents the feeling of being deprived so less cravings. I'm glad this new plan is working.

I made enchilada sauce this morning and am marinating a venison neck in that; I will crockpot that with corn, pinto beans and zucchini for tomorrow. Our garden is finally producing zucchini and we harvested our first 2 green beans.

Stay safe and cool for those experiencing another heatwave. Seattle will hit 90 again. blech.

Somewhat unexciting food at my house lately - the other night had grilled goat cheese sammies and finally found a DF tomato basil soup (Pacific Foods) yay! Salad with chicken and other additions, and homemade GF croutons, on another night, pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes and carrots with thyme, last night was Caulipower pizza crust with pesto as the sauce, hot italian sausage, red onion, artichoke hearts, DF mozzarella, red pepper flakes and basil. DH had multiple pieces, but I had none. Still trying to get a handle on what is causing GI issues and trying to stay bland, for the most part. Seems to be calming down, but I am not 100% yet. We are going to Colorado in a couple of weeks, so a flight (non-stop) and hiking once we are there, means that I need to figure this out.

Wally - I think the jargon is regional. I'm sure 'sammie' is sandwich except my family called is 'sangy'.

Special - I too missed the gut issue story. I sure hope you can get it under control before your trip. I can't imagine hiking in the gorgeous mountains with that going on. Let alone a cross country plane trip. Where will you be staying in Colorado?

Nance - are you OK? May have to resort to email.

Yesterday was guacamole with chopped tomatoes on HEB rosemary crackers. My snack was the leftover 1/2 of a Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtlet (about the size of a very large muffin). I had their August special - lemon & raspberry - with the traditional cream cheese icing. Pricey but oh so delicious.

Eric yes, I know of the vandalizing at Lotus Garden. Haven't been there in a long time, haven't eaten out in over 2 years. Did you have the buffet, which wasn't bad, or off the menu. The place was way outdated, but not important and they always had ice cream! They used to make a sticky shrimp with coconut, very sticky, but sooo yummy!

Illimae, how many treatments have you had. Have you seen ANY improvements?

Wallycat, I just can't imagine beans with eggs. I like both, so who knows, I may have to try it!

SpecialK, don't know if you've ever been to CO, it's GORGEOUS! The charcoal is some good advice.

Sandy, the omelette sounds yummy and good luck with your report.

Nothing fancy to report her on the food subject, limit to my cooking appliances!

Dinner will probably be salad. Lunch was beef and barley soup that I made from leftovers of a recent crock pot roast, it was my best batch so far. I made it weeks ago and stored it in a big soup ice cube tray, I love that thing! It’s so easy to just pop out a single 1 cup cube to reheat.

Illimae, great idea to freeze soup in giant cubes (are they the 4-cube Tovolo silicone ones?).

26.5 hours of CLE remaining (I did 2.5 hrs yesterday). Saving grace is that almost all shows I'd normally watch are in reruns, so time is not an issue. I should have stayed on top of this and done it all by July 31, but I'm a huge procrastinator.

Calumet didn't have shrimp yesterday, so we did a cold supper of salmon & whitefish roes with creme fraiche (blini for Bob, cucumber slices for me), a Bibb lettuce/tomato/bell pepper salad with lemon vinaigrette, and crab claws with dipping sauces (cocktail & remoulade). Brunch today was a "pizza" made with a frozen individual cauliflower crust, cherry tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, provolone (base cheese) and mozzarella di bufala (atop the tomatoes). Seasoned with EVOO, Penzey's Tuscan Sunset blend, and a grating of Parm-Regg. Delicious, but despite the edges being nearly burnt, the most of the crust was mushy like mashed cauliflower held together with cheese.

Speaking of tomatoes, a squirrel took our best one overnight--left the entire bottom 2/3 on the deck. Grrrr!!!! We took thoee little plastic wine bottle nets and wrapped our best remaining tomatoes. Hope it works. The basil is flowering faster than I can pinch it back. Hope I can keep it from bolting.