What's For Dinner? Part LIV

[Cherylptw]

Fall is definately in the air (at least where I live), which means changes in ingredient availability in the markets. This time of year, my tastes turn to casseroles, soups, braises; things which cook slow & heat up the kitchen and warm the soul. Those of you who are still having warm weather, I almost envy you right about now, then I remember the horrible heat we had this summer on the east coast and think yeah, not so much (lol).. So whether you're still eating based on the warm weather or inspired by the fall chill, we want to know...what's for dinner?

[LindaWhit]

....deleted....

[GertieHound]

Tonight we're gonna try Italian Beef Poorboy sammiches. Loading the crock pot up with chopped onion, red bell pepper, celery, little garlic, my last three -ish cups of homemade stock, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, pepper, pinch of tarragon, and a little squeeze of fresh ginger and let it cook all day. Thought I would serve it with some sweet potato fries but wondering how well it would work to just fry cut a couple of sweet potatoes and spread them out on a sheet of foil for that, maybe a green salad. Also wondering how well it would work to put sandwiched-shaped piles of the leftover beef on wax paper on a cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze it to put in a zippy in the deep freeze for later sandwiches. Any opinions? Was thinking could then just pull out enough for one sandwich, microwave, and voila! Husband's lunch.

[onceadaylily]

You can find plenty of recipes for sweet potato fries online, Gertie. Usually the recipe calls for tossing them with a bit of oil or melted butter, and a few seasonings. Just don't expect them to crisp up like white potatoes do.

As for freezing the meat in piles, I'm not certain, but I think doing it that way would maybe leave too much room for air pockets in the piles, which would hasten freezer burn. I freeze raw vegetables on cookie sheets all the time, but have never tried to do that with meat. I would be more likely to wrap the meat (in portions) *very* tightly in the wax paper, tape it shut, and then wrap each portion in foil, and tuck those into a ziplock bag to put in the freezer.

The sandwiches sound delicious, by the way.

[buttertart]

Got thinking about my pork shoulder leftovers because of nomadchowwoman's pork loin quandary discussed in another thread, so went with mango pickle pork last night - cubed pork cooked with a lot of sautéed onions to which some turmeric and a few cloves of minced garlic have been added, a couple of tb of paprika, water and white vinegar to taste added (we like it fairly tart) to cover, simmer, add a dash of fish sauce and/or soy sauce, then a couple of tb (or more) of minced hot mango pickle. A Burmese pork curry - delicious especially if you let it simmer for an hour or so before adding the pickle.
Thinly-shredded onion and cabbage dressed with light rice vinegar, s&p, chili flakes, a drop of veg oil (wanted to add a sliced tomato to it on the Thai papaya salad principle but was voted down by the principal salad-eater and non-tomato-fancier of the ménage, ate it quartered and salted on the side) and leftover Chinese restaurant rice as accompaniments. Nothing for dessert.

[nomadchowwoman]

Buttertart--do you use both soy sauce and fs, or use them interchangeably? I ask b/c I often see recipes call for either/or, and I always wonder about it. Fish sauce seems so different--FTM, no two fish sauces seem alike to me.

[buttertart]

I use either or both, depending on whim. They are indeed very different. I've been using Thai Tiparos brand fish sauce lately, rather more subtle than Squid brand. Soy is always Kimlan.

[mariacarmen]

If i can find some hot mango pickle, i'm going to copy you. sounds great!

[buttertart]

Any decent Indian market would have it. Not chutney, pickle.

[mariacarmen]

good to know. I'm thinking Berkeley. thx!

[buttertart]

The one on University is still there, I think? That was "ours" when we lived there.

[mariacarmen]

Yes, and i think there is more than one now.

[DoobieWah]

Beef Rendang, white rice and pan fried green beans.

And flour tortillas. ;-)

I garnished with some pickled sweet pepper rings for crunch.

[eight_inch_pestle]

[deleted and moved to the right thread by eight inches of chagrin.]

[mariacarmen]

all i had to make for dinner for the oldsters tonight were mashed potatoes, but i used a ricer, which i never do, and a combo of buttery yellow potatoes and russets, AND i added mayo, per another thread. also had garlic in the boiling water and then added milk, butter and chicken stock to the riced taters. Very good and creamy, i liked the ricer effect, tho mine still had teensy little potato bits, which i like (i usually hand-mash with skins on - never use russets). We had purchased Costco potroast which the oldsters like, so just added a tomato/avocado salad.

As for me, i've got reservations for a late (9:30 p.m.) dinner for a friend's bday. this was the first thing i saw on the online menu: "Salted cod fritters with green and yellow bean salad, and walnut vinaigrette" - that's the first thing i'm putting into my gaping maw!

[nomadchowwoman]

Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing evening, MC. Those fritters sound divine (though I assume the vinaigrette's for the beans?).

[eight_inch_pestle]

What do you usually use for mashed potatoes, MC?

[mariacarmen]

Same, usually - butter, chicken broth, milk, garlic boiled in water and mashed with potatoes - just no mayo. and hand mashed, not with a ricer. occasionally i'll do "fancy-pants" mashed potatoes - add goat cheese, or chives, or a ton of minced mint/cilantro/parsley and/or spinach.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Yum. Am I weird for not knowing chicken broth? Always just milk and (if necessary) a splash of cream here.

[mariacarmen]

you are a purist!

[mariacarmen]

oh, and i usually use fingerlings or red potatoes, never idahos.

[Cherylptw]

Spinach & feta stuffed turkey burgers; spinach mixture was sprinkled with a dry artichoke & red pepper dip mix. On the side, I skillet roasted some cherry tomatoes in olive oil & added to some chopped cukes with a bit of balsamic. Fresh pears for dessert.

Since we're over 250 posts, I've started the new thread here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/741875

[JungMann]

For mains: spaghetti with morcilla and pan roasted red peppers, all dressed in a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic, scallions, parsley and Aleppo pepper. There was just a touch of Sriracha for some sweetness and a little more heat. On the side: adobo-style water spinach.

[ChristinaMason]

We're having Greek pitas of sort. I brined and then marinated some bone-in pork loin chops in lemon, garlic, olive oil, oregano, s&p, and a little rosemary. Those'll get grilled and then cut into strips, stuffed into toasted pita pockets with some romaine, hummus, pitted Kalamatas, and feta. I forgot to save some lemon juice for a dressing, so not sure whether there will be one.

Maybe some rice simmered in chicken broth on the side?

[mariacarmen]

yum.

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks. Our stupid recently-bought pitas had already molded, so we had these in flour tortillas instead. And I ended up making barley instead of rice, browned then simmered with chicken broth, bay leaf, and parsley.

DH liked it. I thought everything was alright.

[relizabeth]

It is so cold in London these days. Often my goal is to turn the oven on and use it. Tonight was paella with mushrooms and some fresh cabbage and eggs. The cabbage was almost caramelized in the hot oven. Soon, I'll turn it back on to cook the apple and pear molasses crumble.

[nomadchowwoman]

Last night, someone brought (re-gifted) me a couple of soft shell crabs. Since I had to cook them, my Thai curry plans got jettisoned. So I dusted the crabs w/ground sichuan peppers and salt, grilled them stovetop, and squeezed lime over it when cooked . They were ok, could've used more seasoning. As sides, we had Cold Chinese Eggplant (from Molly O'Neill's old NY Cookbook) made with Japanese eggplants I bought at the FM last weekend and Cold Sesame Noodles (I tossed some multi-grain spaghetti with sliced carrot, julienned carrot and cucumber, and a quick peanut sauce). Sides were definitely the better part of the repast. Tossed remaining sesame noodles w/leftover roast chicken and DH took that w/him to his office today.

I also spent much of yesterday cooking foodt o take to the home of a longtime colleague who died suddenly a couple of days ago. I baked bread and cookies and braised cabbage (Molly Stevens's recipe) and made Will Owen's pork (shoulder) roast, which I've been reading about on these boards for a long time and which is worth mentioning b/c it really was delicious (I tested a piece before packing it up, of course) even though I scorched some of the garlic despite the recipe's admonitions. I'll definitely make it again.

I haven't yet thought about tonight's dinner. I'm behind on everything.

[onceadaylily]

'Re-gifted' crab? My re-gifts are usually funky-smelling soaps and lotions. Lucky you!

And you just confirmed my dinner plans. I have been craving a spicy peanut sauce over rice noodles. I think I'll grate a carrot into the sauce for a touch of sweet. I have some edamame I could boil up, but I might do salted chickpeas instead, and knock two recent cravings out in one night.

[nomadchowwoman]

Thank goodness the softshells didn't sit as long as some things that get re-gifted do!
It is hard to believe, but some folks don't like ss crabs; in fact, my husband's not crazy about them--and if he "has" to eat them, he always reminds me, he prefers them fried.

[mamachef]

Chicken Gumbo soup, bananas, orange juice, Vernor's gingerale, saltines...........guess who has the flu?

[buttertart]

Poor lady, take care of yourself - I wish Vernor's were available near me, I grew up on it.

[LindaWhit]

Awww, mamachef! I do hope you're feeling better soon!

[nomadchowwoman]

Oh no; hope you feel better soon. Let others pamper you.

[onceadaylily]

Aw, feel better. It's making the rounds early this year. The boyfriend had it last week. Let the Vernor's work its magic. Peppermint is also very good for nausea.

[ers_jean]

Well I just had my lunch, which I made last night, so it kinda counts as dinner.

Chicken curry with ground cashews and yogurt
Stewed indian style chickpeas with fresh jalapeno

oh and my frined at work gave me some Plof.

YUM

[nomadchowwoman]

What's Plof?

[onceadaylily]

I was curious too. I had to do a search for that one. The more common spelling if plov, and it's Uzbek pilaf dish consisting of rice and lamb. It looks delicious. Confession: I've never cooked lamb, but some of the recipes I've seen on this board is bringing me closer to it.

[buttertart]

What???

[LindaWhit]

Seriously - What?????

I adore lamb. But I do know it can be an acquired taste/smell, as to some, it seems very "gamey". Not for me - bring it on. :-)

[Harters]

Lamb's wonderful if you want a sweet mild-tasting meat. And so versatile - chops, roasts, stews, meatballs. And suited to so many different national cuisines. It appears at Casa Harters at least weekly - and more often if I have my way.

But even better is hogget or mutton - the older animals bringing much more flavour with them. Roast mutton in winter, along with a classic onion white sauce, is one of life's very greedy delights.

[onceadaylily]

I knew as I was typing there would be widened eyes. I grew up in the Midwest, and my mother's family is almost exclusively of French descent, and my father's side is a stoic mix of English and Cherokee, only recently come up from the south. Lamb just never made it on the menu. My childhood meals were a steady rotation of beef, fish, and chicken. I can't even recall a single restaurant in that town that served lamb.

I've *eaten* lamb, and I liked it well enough, but have always balked at buying it. I seem to remember hearing how easily it could dry out. Is that right? My little market has a decent lamb section though, giving it equal shelf space to chicken, beef and pork. It'll make the menu soon.

[buttertart]

Just get as much of the fat as you possibly can off whatever cut you're using and you'll be golden. Seriously.

[Harters]

As buttertart says, and as with any meat, you want fat if you don't want dry.

Most lamb I buy has a decent fat covering - but I'm buying stuff that spend its days running up and down hills in north west England. Some cuts, say a fillet, can be butchered very lean - you need to watch these like a hawk when cooking.

My advice for a first attempt might be to think how you've enjoyed eating lamb and try to create something similar. If this is going to be a quick cook cut of meat - a steak or chop, perhaps, bear in mind that lamb does not take well to being overcooked. That said, it does not take to being cooked rare, as say beef or venison - even the best cuts can be a tad stringy to eat if too rare. I'd go for medium rare - and on the medium side of that. In the UK, we'd call it "pink" - blood just gone but still very juicy.

[nomadchowwoman]

OADL: I think if you were going to try lamb and were at all worried you won't like it, a dish like pilaf, w/rice, would be a good way. (But from everything you write about cooking and eating, I can't believe you won't like it.) I've also been known to ease a person or two into the lamblubberdom (sorry) w/an Indian lamb curry.

[mariacarmen]

I too am agog at this confession, OADL, but i know you can do it, and excel!! As NMCW says, tho, curry is a good way to start, because the lamb gets so nice and soft very easily, doesn't dry out.

And, curiously, my experience has been opposite that of Harters', and maybe it's the difference of the lamb we get here (mostly from New Zealand, i believe?) and what he gets, but the very first "grown-up" dish I ever made was a roast leg of lamb with garlic cloves stuffed throughout, and rosemary strewn all over, cooked medium rare, to a nice rosy pink, and even at that time, with barely any experience, it came out meltingly tender and juicy. Also, ground lamb is very forgiving, and you can do lamb burgers with oregano and/or mint, or meatballs with some feta, or a take on shepherd's pie.

[rabaja]

Ground lamb is an excellent recommendation to introduce oneself to the wonders of lamb.
I keep a pound of ground lamb in the freezer at all times to prepare a specific lamb ragu at an hour or twos notice.
I was lucky enough to roast a freshly butchered leg of lamb last year all by myself as well. It was a first for me and I was nervous about the whole thing, but add copious amounts of herbs, garlic and olive oil and this meat will really do the rest for you.
Just don't over cook it! I kept telling myself...

[gembellina]

agreed, a roast leg of lamb is super-easy, as long as you watch it closely as everyone else has said. It looks impressive and indeed "grown up"! I like to roast the lamb on a rack above a roasting pan, while on the stove frying up some chopped onion in olive oil, garlic, flageolet beans, tin of tomatoes, black pepper and parsley, then about halway thru the lamb's cooking time pouring the mixture into the bottom of the roasting tin, and letting all the lamb's juices drip down into the beam mixture and make it all thick and delicious.

[buttertart]

Re ground lamb - I was the pickiest eater in world history (seriously, I lived largely on air and candy) when I was little and completely astonished my mother by raving about the lambburgers I had had at a friend's birthday party (her parents were English, nothing of the sort was served at "regular Canadian" birthday parties). I normally would turn my nose up at anything the least bit unfamiliar, especially at friends' houses. (They weren't quite the same when my mother cooked them.) Ground lamb - yum!

[Harters]

One of our upmarket burger chains (OK, our ONLY upmarket burger chain) does two lamb burgers.

First comes with mayo, mint relish & salad.

Second comes with hummus, cucumber raita, chilli sauce and salad.

Not had the former, but the latter's fab (although not as good as the beef Kiwiburger)

[nomadchowwoman]

I'd have to switch back and forth. Both sound delicious to me.

[buttertart]

Same here!

[LindaWhit]

Ditto the two of you on the switching back and forth!

Now I've got a MAJOR hankering for lamb. Ground lamb patties. Roasted leg o' lamb. Lamb steak.

Yeah, I'm SO going to be shopping at Whole Foods this weekend. :-)

[LindaWhit]

I'm on a chicken kick, I guess....just finished up the Hungarian chicken last night; tonight's dinner will be Cashew Chicken. http://www.suebee.com/recipes/show/9866 This is the recipe I use, omitting the green onions (as I rarely have them) and the garlic salt and adding more ginger. I usually don't use the celery, but since I have some in my vegetable drawer, I will.

Oh - and I always add more cashews. :-) This will make enough for several work lunches as well and that'll get me through the week.

[ChristinaMason]

Interesting recipe. Is it extremely sweet?

[LindaWhit]

Perhaps for some, and definitely sweeter than you'd get from Chinese takeout (I don't recall adding the whole 1/3 cup however). But that's one reason I add extra ground ginger...it has a back-bite of ginger that I enjoy.

[Harters]

Upcoming......a possible contender for "When Dinners Go Bad".

I'll be breaking up some pre-cooked and cooled polenta into smallish chunks. They're going to get a little drizzle of olive oil (a micro-slosh of oil - although I dont know what the American equivalent measure is). And a coating of finely grated Parmesan. They go in a roasting tin. A couple of chicken breasts and a 250g pack of cherry tomatoes go on top. And a scattering of herbes de Provence, sliced garlic and another drizzle of oil (probably two sloshes). It cooks in the oven for 20 minutes or so. With a green salad.

An apple for afters.

[buttertart]

What kind of apple?

[Harters]

Cox's Orange Pippin.

[buttertart]

Ahh, love those. Haven't seen them in NJ.

[Harters]

We're just getting into the homegrowns round here. A friend gave us several kilos of Bramleys a couple of weeks back (a very tart apple that fully collapses - what we'd call a "cooker" as opposed to an "eater" (that you'd eat raw). They're now either in the freezer as sauce or in chutney.

There should be Egremont Russets any day. Possibly the finest English apple to eat with cheese.

[buttertart]

I love a russet apple - they're not as popular here because perceived as not as attractive. I think quite the contrary.

[Harters]

We had a recent TV programme highlighting the very high percentage of apples (and many other fruits & veg) that have to be scrapped by farmers simply because they dont meet supermarkets' "attractiveness" criteria. Scandalous, IMO.

[ChristinaMason]

That sounds good. What could go wrong?

[ZenSojourner]

Pasta e fagiole. Came out pretty well. I was afraid it wasn't going to taste right, but it came out just fine.

Now if I could just stir myself to go put the leftovers away. And next time I won't put the pasta in until I'm ready to eat it - I cooked the whole batch at once to have left-overs on purpose, and the ditalini has sucked up all the juices and gotten sort of soggy. Oh well. Next time I'll remember, cook up the soup part, freeze the majority, then add the ditalini just to the portion I'm eating now.

[ChristinaMason]

Could you share the recipe you used? I've never had this, so wouldn't know what "right" is supposed to taste like :)

[ZenSojourner]

OK, but it's nothing special. Not particularly "authentic". I can't afford "authentic" ingredients like prosciutto or fresh herbs. Plus it's one of my cooking-on-the-fly recipes which means it changes depending on what I have on hand.

The recipe I used last night is up on my blog at:

http://barbariansatthekitchengate.blo...

Some things to consider: You could substitute Navy or Great White Northern beans for the cannelini, it's cheaper. I ended up with canned cannelini beans because they didn't have any dried at the grocery store and I didn't think to just pick up some dried Navy beans instead.

"Officially" this recipe often includes prosciutto and fresh herbs such as rosemary, fresh basil, thyme. At $2 a pop I skip the fresh herbs, except for basil when I have a garden, I usually have tons of basil on hand. It's REALLY easy to grow. If I had a sunny window I'd try growing it indoors (with supplemental light). Can't afford the prosciutto either. If I want meat in it - and it's just as good without - I usually use ground beef, browned and drained. You could also substitute bacon, lightly cooked (so its still limp), about 1/2 lb, chopped into 2" pieces and drained. Again, not authentic, but still tasty.

I actually prefer a LOT more of the crushed red peppers. I like my Pasta e Fagiole to have some bite! You could zap it with some Sriracha sauce to get the heat up too - I was tempted to try that last night but forbore.

Hope it's helpful. There are probably better, more "authentic" recipes out there.

[rabaja]

Scored a piece of chicken pot pie from the casserole I made for my sister.
It was nice to get home after dark and be able to simply heat up dinner. No fuss, no muss.
Looking forward to sleeping through the night.

[Cherylptw]

So I really didn't feel like cooking as I have a huge family dinner coming up this weekend out of town which I'm doing a few dishes for; saving my strength :-) . I halved & pan cooked a couple of hot links and made a sammy on a toasted Italian sub roll slathered with mustard & pickled onions from last week piled on top.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Chipped beef on toast (thanks, Christina) or breakfast for dinner, which would probably be omelets since we have a variety of cheeses and fresh herbs in the fridge. Leaving it up to the gf when she gets home. Either way, a salad and ice cream. White wine if omelets, beer if chipped beef.

[onceadaylily]

I'd go with the chipped beef. It's good stuff. I go the really cheap route and get the Budig (it's kept in the refrigerated section, right next to the fancypants bologna). I have some in the fridge that I bought at least seven months ago. I don't think that stuff even has an expiration date. I'm pretty sure it's made from hooves.

FYI: A packet of softened cream cheese, a ton of chipped beef, a little onion, some parsley, and whatever salt suits your fancy, all mixed and formed into a ball using plastic wrap, chilled, unwrapped and served with crackers was de rigueur at every Super Bowl party my family went to as a kid.

[eight_inch_pestle]

You won me over. Went with Mason's recipe, altho I wimped out and bought real corned beef from the meat market. Seasoned with nutmeg, cayenne, and a touch of Hungarian paprika (mostly for the color). Stirred in some minced chives toward the very end, also as much for color as anything, although the flavor was nice as well. Next time I might stir in some peas or grated carrot. And would a splash of sherry be too uptown? Probably.

Anyhow, thanks to the crew for reminding me of childhood comfort food I had completely forgotten about.

[boyzoma]

Hey, if you want to "beef" something up, by all means do. If it suits your tastebuds, then go uptown! As long as you enjoy it, anything goes. It's just a new and improved version.

[JerryMe]

Not quite autumn here but I'm making chicken pot pie. Have leftover roasted chicken in the frig and I want to use up some leftover veggies as well. Nothing gourmet - Just quick and easy.

85 degrees here but believe me, that's 'cool' from what we've been thru.

[mariacarmen]

I made two pork tenderloins yesterday, seared and then braised with chicken stock, cumin, garlic powder, and rosemary. froze one, the other is dinner for oldsters and sister & gf and me. caramelizing onions with craisin melange and brown sugar and balsamic, for a sort of onion jam to go with the tenderloin. Maybe rice, maybe potatoes. salad of some sort.

I had a very angelic serving of steamed broccoli after running this morning, which i just chased with 4 Trader Joe's madeleines (SO GOOD!) and now i'm not even hungry. when will i learn?

[roxlet]

Tonight I am making the chicken with zataar from the Otolenghi book. Probably will serve it with rice and a nice green salad.

[weezycom]

Had a dental appt. this morning so I didn't have to leave for work right away and decided to get a chuck roast going in the crock pot. Grabbed the sack of onions and realized I only had one left, but at least it was a big one, so I chopped that and started sauteeing it (hate raw onion plunked into a pot roast) and put in the crock along with a generous shake of minced dried onions. Cut the roast into a few big chunks to start searing, and went into the veg drawer to grab a carrot or celery...and nada. Nothing in there but broccoli. So I started searching the pantry shelves and came up with a a baby food jar of prunes and a jar of celery seed. Added all the prunes and a few hearty shakes of seed to the crock and decided I needed an acidic balance to the sweetness of the prunes. Grabbed the dijon mustard and put in a great big splort of that. Then threw in a couple of bay leaves for luck, and a small can of tomato sauce. Then in went the seared chuck and about a tablespoon of leftover roasted garlic, a generous pinch of sea salt and a lot of freshly ground black pepper.

I'm hoping for the best tonight when I come home -- tender beef with a thick, slightly sweet/sour sauce. I plan to make some mashed potatoes and steam that broccoli for the sides.

And if turns out to be horrid, I'll poach an egg and serve that on the mashed instead.

[boyzoma]

"splort "? That's a new one. Do you also edit/submit for Websters? Gave me a good chuckle for the day! LOL. Thanks!

[ChristinaMason]

sounds great to me. fingers crossed!

[LindaWhit]

By weezy, I do think that's going to work!

And I do believe your "splort" is triple the amount of my mother's "blup". :-)

[boyzoma]

Now blup, I understand! That was my mother's term. So now I get the splort! But with mom, it was usually something that came out of a squeeze jar (kind of like that last blup of mustard)!

[LindaWhit]

My "recipe" for foolproof for Thanksgiving gravy (Mom's method, not a real recipe) uses the "blup" term when you're adding the Gravy Master to darken the thickened pan gravy. When I asked Mom how much she put in, she always said "oh, just add a blup!" And when she showed the short pour, I got it immediately. :-)

And yes - the last squirt of ketchup or mustard is definitely a blup! :-)

[boyzoma]

Thanks for that. At least I'm not a dinosaur yet! Blup, blup, blup :-)

[Harters]

I believe a splort is usually considered to be about half a splodge. But then, American splodges are larger than the European metric version which I'm more familiar with.

Or "with which I'm more familiar" in case any pedants from my military history forum have followed me here and wish to continue correcting my grammar at every opportunity. .

I can't wait to find out just how horrid this dish turned out. I rather suspect it's going to be Olympic Gold.

[LindaWhit]

I'm not on your military forum, but I will say I *do* appreciate the "with which I'm more familiar" self-correction, dear Harters. ;-)

[weezycom]

Oh, a splodge, either metric or American, would have been far too much.

It came out very tasty, as a matter of fact. Needed some fresh herbs stirred in at the very end, and I wish I had had another onion. But pruney pot roast with a splort is a good, comfort food recipe.

[onceadaylily]

I make a roast with prunes. It makes the most wonderful sauce. The mustard did give me pause, but when I think about it, I can see it balancing the sweetness of the prunes, and giving it a bit of a kick. But I'm not a huge fan of dijon, and my beloved Plochman's would not have suited the dish at all. Besides, I'm getting low, and I don't know how many wee-oh wee-ohs it takes to equal a splort. Is there a conversion table for that?

[weezycom]

Well, a regular splort is about 3 blups, but I don't know how many wee-ohs to a blup. But if you have to measure in wee-ohs and not blups, I don't think you've got nearly enough.

[LindaWhit]

I swear, we're all whacked.

And I'm loving it. ;-D

[onceadaylily]

I think 'down to the wee-ohs' is going to be my new term for bare pantry.

[eclecticsynergy]

oh-wee-ohs... Am thinking the guardsmen at the wicked witch's castle were all mighty hungry.

[ZenSojourner]

OK. It's gonna take a whole flock of flying monkeys to get THAT out of my head today!

[onceadaylily]

So far, it's stayed with me through feeding the cat, waking the boyfriend, drinking two cups of coffee, and watering the plants.

[Phurstluv]

Tonight will be turkey burgers, frozen fries or I may get super motivated and make onion rings. I am also trying Cheryl's spiced cauliflower. I bought two bags of pork rinds, so they are definitely getting made tonight, I don't need that crack hanging around, if you know what I'm sayin'!!

Will make a leek and potato soup to go along with the pot roast leftovers for tomorrow night. I am also contemplating chicken enchiladas, since I have thighs that are now thawed. Chef Chicklet, if you're reading this, can you shoot me yours?? I have to dig for it now!!

[Cherylptw]

I hope you like the cauliflower recipe; let us know...

[Phurstluv]

I did like the recipe, thanks Cheryl. The pork rinds really do add good flavor! I liked the flavor of the sauce as well, but I think I will use some mayo to give it a little more body. And I liked the shortcut for the onion, that worked well! I'm sending this to my Mom, I think she'd like it.

[Cherylptw]

I'll have to try the mayo addition for the sauce; it is a little thin but then that was my intent to sort of drizzle it over the cauliflower. Hope your mom likes it.

[JungMann]

You're *making* pork rinds??

[mariacarmen]

i think it's the cauliflower that's getting made, with the pork rinds.

[Phurstluv]

Hahahaha, though my dear husband would get tingly feeling in his leg if I did, no, they are used to coat the cauliflower pieces.

[krisrishere]

How do you flavor your turkey burgers? I have some ground turkey in the freezer that I want to use. ..Never made a turkey burger, so any advice would be fantastic :)

[mariacarmen]

you can saute some onions, cool, and mix with the meat, or add crushed fennel - which gives a very distinctive, sausage-like flavor....

[Phurstluv]

It took me a while to like turkey burgers, since I am a diehard beef fan, and I don't like ground meat that tastes like turkey, it has to be spiced up a bit!

After some trial and error, I found that I really like this combination: for one pound of turkey breast (I use the white meat for burgers, since I add moisture, and save the dark meat blend for tacos) I grate about one medium shallot, 1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce, tsp of garlic powder, salt & f.g. pepper, 2 tbsp yellow mustard and 2 tbsp honey. Now, the honey is key because it helps the meat brown better, and we really like the sweetness it adds.

I have also used a dijon vinaigrette in place of the honey mustard before. It is also very good with that and some sun dried tomatoes chopped up. And we always add cheese, either heaping on top, or mixed in. Mostly cheddar with the kids, I even like it grated right into the meat mixture. Bleu cheese is good too. Hope that helps!

[krisrishere]

That sounds delicious, thank you!

[linguafood]

Thai red curry with shrimp and Chinese eggplant, served over Basmati. Which most likely be better cooked than the crunchy morsels I found, much to my regret, in the stuffed peppers I baked in the oven for an hour (!) yesterday.

There will be spiciness...

[nomadchowwoman]

i think you just inspired me, LF, as I have the makings for all these things right now and have been wanting to make a Thai curry.

[linguafood]

I must've bought a different curry paste than the usual brand, as I didn't find it to be as complex in flavor.... I also had to add hot chili peppers (not a problem, really) and some more fish sauce, lime and lemon juice.

Veggies are Chinese eggplant cuz I love how creamy it gets, half a red pepper, and half a sweet onion. Shrimp go in last, of course.

Coconut milk = 750 cal per can. I used two cans. Holy crap. Not exactly diet food :-D

[nomadchowwoman]

Do you know what paste it was? I have some in the fridge (Thai Kitchen, I think, one of the few ready-made choices available here). I didn't get around to making the curry last night (though I had to --and did--cook the eggplants), but it will be coming up soon--and I appreciate teh spice heads-up.

[linguafood]

i think it was an actual thai brand (sorry, i threw out the can)... a very small, round can.

i find the curry paste in the big plastic pints tends to be more on par with my desire for hotness....

[buttertart]

The Maeploy (Maesri?) green curry paste in the the little cans we find "mad" hot. And we love hot.

[krisrishere]

Chicken Enchiladas Take 2 tonight. By the time my husband and I got home from work, walked the dog, worked out and showered we were exhausted, so we went out to eat. After I get home from work today I need to walk the dog, take dog to vet, work out and shower... The leftover chicken has a 50/50 shot of getting shoved in the freezer for a later date.

[operagirl]

Last night I had a couple friends over for dinner, so I decided to go all out and throw together a delicious southern-ish meal! We had:

Collards, simmered with ham hocks and aromatics,

corn bread muffins,

and a turkey meat loaf, nice and smoky from powdered chipotle and smoked paprika.

[ChristinaMason]

Nice. Do you have a good turkey meatloaf recipe? Mine calls for pancetta, which kind of defeats the point but is really tasty. Would love a healthier version.

[operagirl]

Yup, I make a chipotle turkey meatloaf -- I like mine quite dense and slice-able, so add a quarter cup or so of water or omit a slice of bread if you want yours a little moister!

Chipotle Turkey Meatloaf

1 1/4 lbs. lean ground turkey
1 C. cooked basmati rice
1 large egg
3 slices whole wheat bread, diced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chipotle powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a pyrex loaf pan with olive oil.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together evenly -- they are the best tool for this job.

3. Firmly pat the meatloaf mixture into the loaf pan, using your hands to round the edges.

4. Bake for an hour and 15 minutes, or until internal temperature registers at 175F. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks!

[Cherylptw]

I wish I'd have looked harder for my invitation (lol)..my kind of comfort food...

[operagirl]

=)

[boyzoma]

Tonight is breakfast for dinner. Will do some maple sausage patties, cheesy eggs and hashbrown potatoes with some cinnamon raisin toast on the side. And I can't forget to put out the ketchup for DH's potatoes!

[Harters]

Ohh, I like the sound of that (except the cinnamon)

[Harters]

Beef & mushroom rissoles.......minced beef * gets mixed with grated onion, chopped parsley, chopped mushrooms & egg. Shaped into rissoles, fried and then cooking finished off in a tomato sauce (inc. onion, garlic and lottsa chives). With some new potatoes & cabbage.

* Yes, I know rissoles are traditionally made with leftovers but the days of buying a big enough piece of roasting beef for leftovers are long gone. Mince does fine in this otherwise fairly traditional recipe.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Y'all are getting more impressive with each new thread. You would have to be illiterate to look at these pages and not knock people over as you run to the kitchen to share in the joy of cooking. Everything sounds so good I want to inhale it. It's inspiring. Kudos and thanks.

Hadn't cooked in forever for myriad reasons (mostly my body seeming to exist in dog years, but then maybe I confused it by howling at the moon too often) until a friend dropped off a basket of her last little golden orange garden tomatoes and a real nice pasta pretty much made itself. Whipped up a batch of fresh spaghettini and made a sauce of olive oil, slivered tomatoes, chorizo sliced on the bias, shaved garlic, parsley, Parmesan, and black pepper. Not to toot my own horn, but it was way effing better than not eating.

[ChristinaMason]

yum! i want a pasta maker. come over anytime ;)

[eight_inch_pestle]

Ha! Thanks. You should ask for a pasta maker for the holidays. I have the Atlas 180 and love it. Plus, they're idiot-proof (trust me, I know).

Also, I haven't forgotten your crisp recipe request: the gf has just been working absolutely horrid hours the last couple of weeks. I'll make her sit down this weekend, though.

[ChristinaMason]

danke!

[mariacarmen]

Went to Costco for the first time in years with my sister. Bought a pre-made mac-n-cheese (just needed to bake 45 mins), and two pre-cooked whole crabs, plus some honey-smoked salmon, among a myriad of other things. Served the oldsters the mac-n-cheese with Costco rosemary ham chopped into it., and then feasted on smokey salmon and tore up a crab each. with a butter, lemon & Louisiana hot sauce dip. And bites of mac-n-cheese in between. that's the cheesiest M&C i've ever had. really tasty, tho we didn't take the time to put toasted bread crumbs on top.

[buttertart]

Cold crab and no-ham mac and cheese would be one of my ideas of heaven. With a serious Chablis.

[silkenpaw]

I've been on a "new dish from the internet" streak lately. So yesterday I made these porkchops with fennel: http://www.chow.com/recipes/28905-braised-pork-chops-and-fennel?tag=main_body;recipe-28905 and they were totally delicious, definitely a keeper.

Today I made a butternut squash soup with apples and fresh ginger that was great and farfalle with golden beets from here: http://bit.ly/aeT5XI. That turned out well, though I'll probably tweak it for next time. Cut down on the beets and make the pieces of beets smaller so the dish can be eaten with a spoon.

After all that food desserts have been apples with or without cheese.

[nomadchowwoman]

It was roast chicken, brown lima beans ("stewed" w/onion, garlic, and speck) and brown rice, and a salad of mixed lettuces, a very tasty heirloom tomato, red onion, cucumber, feta, and vinaigrette.

[rabaja]

I'm at my sisters for a few days helping out with her four month old while her SO is at a trade show. So far it's been take-a-way sandwiches and Vietnamese to-go ( which I adore and miss in my new hometown).
I promised to leave her with a chicken pot pie tomorrow, when I go back to the sanctuary of my quiet, childless home. Really the least that I can do. And I know she'd do it for me.
Props to all you parents that find time to cook! I'd planned on cooking tonight but the little darlin' takes up so much time!

[linguafood]

Gemista - stuffed green peppers with ground beef, rice, oregano, mint, onion, garlic & tomato sauce. Greek salad on the side.

After last night's cheeburger and homemade fries frenzy, I need some veggies in my life...

[DoobieWah]

Seared and Roasted pork tenderloin, purple hull peas and fried okra.

[roxlet]

I was at Costco today and saw some fresh tortellini, so I am going to make a sauce with sauteed mushrooms, prosciutto, peas, cream and parmesan. I have some Italian sausages in the fridge and that will be the secundo with a green salad.

[LindaWhit]

Num. The pasta and its sauce sound wonderful! I'm having leftovers of Hungarian chicken over egg noodles with peas alongside.

[roxlet]

Paprikash?

[LindaWhit]

Of a sort - it was bone in/skin on chicken thighs instead of cut up chicken. The skin gets a bit crispy via pan-sautéing before the sauce gets poured over and they get baked. The recipe I used also called for red pepper flakes, but I cut way back on that (just a light sprinkle) and subbed Aleppo pepper for most of the flakes. A light bit of heat that adds a nice touch.

[onceadaylily]

People are doing paprikash-ish all over this week. I'm curious. I've never had it, but everyone seems so happy with it, I feel swayed away from the soy-braised chicken I was planning for Thursday. I do love researching a dish!

[ChristinaMason]

This recipe worked pretty well for me tonight. I'm about to enjoy leftovers!

If you try it, let me know how it goes. :)

-Turkey/Chicken Paprikas-

-3 turkey legs (or 2 1/2-3lbs. bone-in, skin-on dark meat chicken)
-salt and pepper
-1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
-1 Tbsp. butter
-1/2 giant yellow onion, diced (about 1 c.)
-2 bay leaves
-1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced (or Hungarian, if available)
-3-4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 tsp.)
-1 1/2 Tbsp. tomato paste
-4 c. chicken broth (low-sodium)
-5 Tbsp. sweet paprika
-1/2 tsp. of hot pepper flake or hot paprika
-pinch of tarragon or marjoram
-1 c. sour cream (full-fat highly preferred)
-2 Tbsp. half-and-half or cream
-1 Tbsp. flour

1. Season poultry with s&p and brown on all sides in hot fat in an enameled casserole. Remove to a dish.

2. Add onion to drippings and sautee until almost transluscent. Add chopped pepper and bay leaves and cook a few minutes more.

3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until they begin to color. Lower the heat and add the paprika, stirring to avoid burning.

4. Deglaze the pot with chicken broth. Return turkey/chicken and its juices to the pot. If necessary, add more water or broth to almost submerge the pieces. Add the hot pepper and tarragon, bring to a simmer, then cover.

5. Simmer 1hr. 10 min. or until meat is tender. Remove poultry from pot and let cool, then skin, debone, and shred into bite-sized pieces.

6. While you are preparing the poultry, raise the heat to reduce the sauce by about half. Skim off as much fat pooling along the perimeter as possible. Then add the half-and-half and lower to a simmer.

7. With a fork, mix the flour into the sour cream. Temper the sour cream with a few tablespoons of hot sauce before slowly stirring into the pot. Keep at a bare simmer and stir until thickened.

8. Add the poultry back to the pot. Heat through, check for seasoning, and serve over spaetzle or egg noodles. If the sauce seems a little dull (e.g., you used reduced-fat sour cream---bad chowhound!), you can perk it up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

This tastes best if you give it a few hours for the flavors to meld!

[gembellina]

this is bubbling away on the stove as i type, and it smells amazing! i know that i'll be thinking about it til tues when i serve it, maybe i should have a little bowlful now just to make sure it's ok...

[ChristinaMason]

Yum, hope it works out well for you! Please report back :)

[mariacarmen]

it's so good and easy and rich and satisfying... Mine, unlike Linda's, was all stove top.

[LindaWhit]

It's paprikash-y type weather, OADL. :-) Here's the recipe I used. Some notes:

1. I cut the recipe in half using 4 chicken thighs (this were Frankenchicken thighs, and one per serving worked).

2. I cut WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY back on the amount of sour cream - the recipe is just crazy talk asking to use a quart of sour cream! LOL I *maybe* used 2/3 or 3/4 of a cup.

3. Red pepper flakes - did just a "shake" - and subbed Aleppo pepper for the remaining 1/4 tsp. called for in the halved recipe.

4. I "reduced" the chicken stock/onions/mushrooms a bit so there wasn't too much liquid before adding the paprika, salt, Aleppo pepper and the sour cream. Pan was removed from the heat and sour cream whisked in, then poured over the chicken in the baking dish, then tucked into the oven.

~~~~~~~~~~~

* Exported from MasterCook *

Hungarian Chicken

Recipe By :Copyright (C) 1995 by Heidi Rabel
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:15
Categories : Poultry

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
16 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion -- peeled and chopped
4 ounces mushrooms -- sliced about 1/4" thick
2 cups chicken stock
1 quart sour cream (I'm cutting WAY WAY back on this amount! That's crazy talk! LOL)
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups cooked rice or fettuccine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in heavy skillet on medium high heat. Cook chicken until it is crisp and brown on both sides, about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium low, add the onion, and cook it until it is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining 5 ingredients, retaining 2 tsp. paprika, and mix thoroughly.

Transfer cooked chicken to the casserole dish and pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle the top with remaining paprika and bake, uncovered for 25 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Serving Ideas : Serve over steamed rice or wide egg fettuccine.

NOTES : You will need a heavy oven-proof casserole dish. The only thing Hungarian about this old-time recipe is the Hungarian paprika, which is mellow and lacks the bitterness of other paprikas.

[buttertart]

What is with the Frankenchicken these days? We got wings from a Chinese restaurant on Sunday (as overindulgence sopper-uppers) and they were each as big as a whole quail. Honestly. Not appealing.

[LindaWhit]

Mass-produced chickens seem to be all about the Frankensizing, buttertart. When you look at a whole roasting chicken in Trader Joe's, they're more the size I remember growing up (although Mom didn't like that size as it rarely fed 3 hungry kids and 2 adults!)

[buttertart]

My mom used to get what they called "meat birds" from the farm - 7 to 9 lb of CHICKEN chicken. Man they were good. The 3-4 lb ones are not that great for roasting - Stop and Shop has a very nice roaster that's usually $.99/lb abd approximates the meat birds...but for parts I want something more on the off a 3-4 lb bird size.

[LindaWhit]

Interesting. Haven't heard them called "meat birds" but it makes sense.

And I won't buy meat from S&S anymore after they sold me a spoiled turkey before a T'giving a few years back - and then I dealt with crappy C/S when I returned it the day after T'giving. Lost me as a consumer for meats.

[buttertart]

Hmm,we've had good luck except for a crappy livery top round London broil. It's a godsend (Peapod) in a town w/o a grocery store in NJ w/o a car (still trying to resist getting one).

[onceadaylily]

Thanks, everyone. I love being gifted with recipes with my morning coffee! Both of these look so good. The sauce sounds delicious, and I bet it goes really well with the egg noddles.

I wouldn't have used a whole pint of sour cream either, Linda. I only have cheap Spanish paprika . . . but another trip to the Spice House is never something I object to. A co-worker once brought back some gorgeous smoked Hungarian from a trip to SF, and it made such a difference in the restaurants hummus and soups. We would all sneak away from our duties, just to open the bag and inhale the aroma. We probably looked pretty weird doing that. It was an open kitchen.

[LindaWhit]

Penzey's sweet Hungarian paprika is SUPERB, OADL...the Spice House would probably also have a very good one. I love my visits to Penzey's. Although my spice cabinet does not, as they've now started taking over a corner next to the microwave as I have no more room! LOL

[onceadaylily]

I have a small wicker two-shelf unit perched on the back of my chopping block for my oils and vinegars, and a few knickknacks. A few months ago, I had to evict anything salt related from the spice cabinet and ditch some of the knickknacks from the shelf, so that the salt could be relocated there. After my last trip to the Spice House, I found myself holding two of the new bottles, looking from the bulging cabinet to the crammed-full shelves, and then back to the cabinet again. I had to ditch the last of the knickknacks, and make a non-ethnic spice *blend* section.

I swear their staff knows the exact moment to sidle up and sweetly offer to package something up for you. And then they put it away at the counter, so it doesn't feel quite real, and you keep shopping as the little bags and shiny bottle pile up out of sight.

[Phurstluv]

I am still saving up for a trip to one by me, what else should I get, LW? My list so far is:

hungarian pepper (do they have smoked spanish?)
Aleppo pepper
za 'atar

Any other must haves?

[nomadchowwoman]

I'm piping in here, PL; I was in DC recently and went to a Penzey's in one of the suburbs. If you use ground ginger (really fresh and pungent!) or cardamom, theirs are superb. So are the bay leaves, the Mexican and the Turkish oreganos, everything, really. And they have several kinds of paprika, as I recall.

[LindaWhit]

Agree with ncw - their Chinese ground ginger is great. So is the Turkish bay leaves, and cinnamon - Vietnamese cinnamon! So intensely strong, you could probably use a LOT less in baking. If you need dried thyme, their French thyme is very good. And yes, I believe they have smoked paprika as well. Their whole nutmeg and double-strength vanilla are wonderful. The Tuscan Sunset used to have Aleppo pepper in it, but they changed it because someone discovered the Aleppo pepper is dried with salt, and the Tuscan Sunset is supposed to be salt-free. So to one small jar of Tuscan Sunset herb blend, I'd had a heaping Tbsp. of Aleppo pepper as well.

A link that might help you:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/583462

[Phurstluv]

Great, thanks, good to know all. Unfortunately I already have a ton of Vietnamese cinnamon, but I will look at the other stuff as well.

[mebby]

Just thought I'd pipe in and say that I haven't been to Penzey's, but I really like The Spice Station in Silverlake and apparently they have one in Santa Monica now also. And because you can buy in varying quantities, you can get a bunch of stuff and still get out for $20. Even my kids like to go there and smell all the different things and help me pick out new spices. Plus, it's a local business, which I always like to support.

Re: specific spices, I like Aleppo, but the one we really love in these parts in Marash pepper -- my husband is addicted to it. Fruity and slightly oily with mild but noticeable heat.

[mariacarmen]

Mebby, i just looked at Spice Station's website, and their prices seemed high to me, but I have no frame of reference for high end spices. I have never had Penzey's - sent away for their catalog but havne't received it yet. I do want some sichuan peppercorns, though, as JM noted.....

[mebby]

I'm admittedly not much of a bargain shopper and I don't know how Spice Station compares to Penzey's on quality or price, but the fact that they are bulk means that I can buy an ounce rather than a whole jar, making it ideal to try out a new spice or buy a small amount of something I use infrequently (having, for instance, just thrown out the remains of a jar of cayenne that I realized was older than my son!). They're also really fresh and more potent, so they stretch a long way. The first time I went there I spent about $10 and came away with 3-4 new things. Another time I did more of a stock-up on favorites as well as trying some new things and I think it was $22.

Regardless of Penzey's or anywhere else, I have the feeling from your cooking that you're going to love it when you get your hands on some really great spices!

[mariacarmen]

thanks, that's good info! If i don't get my Penzey's catalog I may just try ordering online frmo SS. thanks again!

[JungMann]

You should try their Sichuan peppercorns. I find they're superior to the ones I used to buy in the Chinese market.

[DoobieWah]

Another "must have" from Penzey's is the Extra Bold Black Pepper.

Their Turkish Bay Leaves are a steal.

I source almost everything else elsewhere.

[nomadchowwoman]

Wow, DW< I've never noticed that pepper--how is it "extra bold'? Hotter?

[DoobieWah]

Yes exactly. It's very peppery.

It's not cheap but think: Tellicherry on steroids.

[ChristinaMason]

This will sound silly, but I think the shape of the pasta you serve paprikas on makes a huge difference. DH and I thought it was hard to get enough of the sauce in each bite with linguine (we ended up chopping it up into bite-sized pieces). Spaetzle is really the ideal here, but I can see elbow macaroni, mini shells, or broad egg noodles working in a pinch.

Also, the leftovers taste *way* better, so either try to make it in the morning or the day before!

[nomadchowwoman]

Not silly at all, makes perfect sense.

[ChristinaMason]

Mashed potatoes would also have been good.

[mariacarmen]

you know, the macaroni makes sense, but the wide egg noodles, while not a "scooping" pasta, went so well with the sauce, the silkiness of the noodles went really great with the richness of the sauce.

[LindaWhit]

Agree with mariacarmen - I do like the egg noodles with a paprikash-type dish.

[mariacarmen]

OADL, i used this recipe, if you want an alternate: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
and i used the whole cup of sour cream, and i only used THREE chicken leg/thighpieces, and only 1 can of tomato sauce (because we bought only one, didn't have any at home, and replaced the water with chicken broth. also added sauteed mushrooms.
and again, i used 1-1/2 tbls of paprika (just regular, not spicy, not smokey, so i guess that makes it sweet?) and then added about another tbls of smoked paprika (which does smell heavenly!). it was still really subtle but rich and delicious. Linda's version with the chili peppers sounds really good- next time i'm going to hot mine up!

[LindaWhit]

And reading mariacarmen's post re: hers using tomato sauce, I realized I forgot one other addition - 1 Tbsp. of tomato paste was added just before the sour cream.

[onceadaylily]

You ladies are selling this dish hard. So many good endorsements here.

[mariacarmen]

Get into that kitchen and make it!

(J/k!)

[LindaWhit]

We swear, it's not like it's crack or something. That's reserved for Trader Joe's Triple Gingersnaps. ;-)

[gembellina]

Sounds delicious, doesn't it? I think I'll make it next week when the bf's parents come to stay. Does it seem sensible to make it the night before but add the sour cream when reheating the following night? I'm thinking noodles and mayeb green beans or savoy cabbage on the side. Now I just have to think of a spectacular but quick and dairy-free dessert...

[ChristinaMason]

<Does it seem sensible to make it the night before but add the sour cream when reheating the following night?>

yep, that's how I'd do it. green beans or peas go really well. cabbage also sounds good. how about a fruit crisp for dessert?

[gembellina]

thanks. assuming a crisp is similar to a crumble, i may well go down that route. I'll see what's at the market at the weekend. I quite fancy plums. might also try my hand at making some non-dairy icecream as the bf's dad is supposedly lactose intolerant - though the bf swears "he's just fat". hmm.

[nomadchowwoman]

I'm signing up, too. Love chicken paprikas and so does DH (does he ever!). Thighs onto the grocery list. And broad egg noodles, since that's usually what I serve with CP, buttered (but of course) and maybe sprinkled w/some parsley. Unless I can recruit my Austrian BFF to come and make spaetzle for me--unlikely, I suspect ;-)

[roxlet]

The tortellini were such a big hit, that my son walked in from school this afternoon and said, "You know that pasta you made last night? You could make that anytime."

[LindaWhit]

A true vote of confidence!

[mariacarmen]

i love it, it means he was thinking about it throughout this day! sounds like a budding chowhound.....

[buttertart]

Tonight is yet another Monday night Mexican-ish at ours - will reheat some roast turkey breast in chile broth (an ancho, a couple of NMs, and a guajillo) and serve it with corn tortillas, pico de gallo, guac, chips, Greek yogurt (or sour cream).

[JungMann]

I'm interested in this chile broth. Do you just steep the chilies in the broth and then discard or do you puree the rehydrated peppers along with the steeping liquid? Are there any other seasonings?

[buttertart]

This is slob cooking of the first order - I grind the chiles and put the powder into water which has a Maggi or Knorr chicken broth cube or equivalent chicken powder. Sometimes I grind a little cumin and oregano with it, usually not.

[ChristinaMason]

I'm making turkey (leg) paprikas from a few online recipes I hybridized. Hopefully it will turn out well. No egg noodles in the house, and I'm too unmotivated to make nokeldy, so we'll probably have it over rice or linguine (leaning toward the latter). I'm a little worried about using the reduced-fat sour cream my DH picked up at the store, but hopefully if I mix it with a little flour and temper before adding it in, keeping the heat low, it won't break.

[Cherylptw]

Leftovers here tonight as well; fish & yellow squash from last night will be served with a basic salad of lettuce, tomato, cukes & creamy caesar dressing with a sprinkle of parmesan.

[krisrishere]

Roast chicken from last night turned into a chicken sandwich for my husband today. Guess what we're having for dinner tonight - chicken!! There will be groans, but tough cookies.

I'll season the leftover meat with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic and onion powder and heat it up on the stove. Next I'll deglaze the pan with a touch of chicken stock to make it nice and moist. The seasoned meat will get stuffed in between some corn tortillas and rolled up. I might have some canned enchilada sauce in the cabinet, but if not, I'll rehydrate a guajillo chile in some chicken stock and puree it with a can of Goya tomato sauce. Top it with some coughreducedfatcough cheddar cheese and be done!

[boyzoma]

Top it with some coughreducedfatcough cheddar cheese
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOL - some of that stuff can be nasty! I feel for you.

[krisrishere]

I have Cabot Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar at home and it's not bad at all - well, tolerable. Once it gets mixed into enchilada sauce, chicken etc., you don't notice ;)

[boyzoma]

Tonight will be leftovers. I still have some chicken scampi and DH has some of his lasagna from our Saturday night dinner out. I'll add a quick salad on the side and make some garlic toast to go with it.

[Harters]

We're going into the city this evening - meeting some friends for drinks and a quiz at the pub.

So, early and quick dinner. Brown gloop from the freezer is heating through - a pork & mustard for me; lamb for herself. With croquette potatoes (frozen). And peas & carrots (tinned)

[onceadaylily]

It's such a cool and dark morning, I've been thinking about soup since my first cup of coffee. I think it's time to make that first batch of French onion. I wound up using a different cheese last night, so I have plenty of smoked gouda to dress those red onions. Unless I leave the soup naked, and make grilled cheese to go with instead. The latter sounds more appealing at the moment. I might make a batch of manhattans tonight for us to have while we curl up on the couch and watch Northern Exposure (I found out that the boyfriend had *never* watched that show, and we are slowly worked our way through the DVDs).

I also have a bit of pork left, so I thought I would make a pork and pepper frittata to tuck away in the fridge. The boyfriend is going on his trip tomorrow, and that's something quick for him to eat as he rushes around after work getting his stuff together. I'll likely be having edamame and popcorn for dinner tomorrow.

[Cherylptw]

So tonight, I roasted a whole pompano (nearly 2 lb) seasoned with lemon pepper & jerk seasoning then wrapped in banana leaves; on the side, pan cooked yellow squash & onions and the remainder of the jambalaya from earlier in the week. Dessert was chocolate pound cake

[nomadchowwoman]

That sounds great. I wonder if one could just use any banana leaves? Banana trees grow everywhere around here--in fact, most consider them a nuisance--but the bananas they produce are never eaten (not the "right kind," I've always been told). The leaves, though, I wonder? I've never seen banana leaves in amy of the markets around here.

[Cherylptw]

I got my banana leaves frozen; Goya markets them.. What kind of bananas are in your area that can't be eaten? I'm curious...but I'm guessing that as long as the leaves are not poisonous, I don't see why they can't be used.

[nomadchowwoman]

I'm not sure what these local bananas are, but I've always been told they are the inedible kind, whatever that means. I know noone ever picks them, and one of my neighbors who seems to know about such things says they aren't plantains. At any rate, I just read today that it's better to cook w/banana leaves that have been frozen as they're more pliable. Next time I go to a Hispanic market, I'm going to check out the freezer case. It never occurred to me to look there.

[Cherylptw]

I imagine that one could blanch or steam fresh banana leaves prior to using; maybe even lay them briefly over a fire to soften them.

[JungMann]

Even when you use the frozen leaves I find I need to ripen them over a flame to use them.

[mariacarmen]

So i did end up copying LindaWhit - made hungarian chicken paprikas - so FRICKEN good! used regular paprika and some smokey too. still very subtle. Used leg/thigh pieces, and added mushrooms, and frozen peas tossed in at the end. Such an easy dish and so flavorful. I'm hoping the oldsters will like it too. Served over buttered dilled wide egg noodles - which I could have eaten all by themselves, they were so silken and tasty. Same salad as yesterday accompanied, with the addition of apple chunks. mmmm. Now, with a full tummy, I'm off to see Kathy Griffith! Yay!

[LindaWhit]

LOL! Mine was seriously SO fricken good as well! I used Hungarian sweet paprika, but rather than just the crushed red pepper flakes my recipe called for, I used a much smaller sprinkle of those, and added about 1/4 tsp. of Aleppo pepper as well. Gave it a nice bite without being overpowering.

[onceadaylily]

I have eaten buttered egg noddles by themselves many times. They are serious comfort food.

[Phurstluv]

I put a two day dry brined chuck roast in the crock pot this morning with carrots, onions, potatoes and the water from the pan I browned it in plus a packet of pot roast seasoning. Smells really good. Making some roast rosemary mushrooms and some bread heated up while they start carving their pumpkins. Mini apple & cherry pies from la brea bakery for dessert.

[JungMann]

I'm still trying to smoke out my chest cold. Tonight I made pork vindaloo, toasting 11 red chilies for my homemade masala. And even with 11 chilies and half a head of garlic, it did nothing for my congestion. I am letting the braise rest in the fridge before dinnertime -- I may douse it in sambal or otherwise stir fry a side of swamp cabbage with Thai chilies to get my tear ducts flowing.

For dessert I prepared for the burn by spending last night churning Jim Beam and Bacon ice cream. In any event, that should get my ducts flowing with tears of joy.

[Breadcrumbs]

JungMann, having just recovered from a nasty chest cold, may I suggest green tea steeped w fresh ginger (a quarter-sized slice) and honey. I have no idea why this works but, it really does.

I stop by a juice shop each morning on the way to work and the elderly lady there took pity on me. She had a cup of this ready for me the next morning, told me what to do and, for whatever reason, I seemed to be on the road to recovery ever since.

[JungMann]

I have ginger coming out my pores. I have consumed at least 6 cups of salabat in the past three days made from ginger, brown sugar (or piloncillo or palm sugar) water and a little bit of citrus juice. I've occasionally added a clove or two of garlic to make it more pungent. While it's comforting, I'm still sick.

[Phurstluv]

So, how was the ice cream??!

[mariacarmen]

oh i'm so full, buy that ice cream sounds so good! hope it doesn't phlegm you up again...

[JungMann]

Actually I've been eating the dairy to help my cough. And Phurstluv, I licked the beaters, the bowls, the spatula and pretty much anything that touched the custard before I put it away. Jim Beam makes for fantastic ice cream and the bacon is just gilding on top.

[Cherylptw]

I don't drink but I use liquor to cook with and that ice cream does sound good!

[JungMann]

I'm sure you could improve on my basic method. Because Jim Beam is such a sweet bourbon, I thought it would be an easy dessert (which was about right). I'd be interested to hear how other people could play up notes other than sweetness or even turn something smokier or woodier into a more intriguing ice cream.

[Phurstluv]

I bet!! Sounds awesome, I may have to try a dairy free version ;))

[ChristinaMason]

Phurstluv, have you tried Valio Real Goodness no-lactose milk? It's awesome...no strange sweet taste and so creamy. I'm hooked. Maybe their whole milk would work for ice cream?

http://www.realgoodness.com/

[Phurstluv]

No, we don't seem to have that brand at the store chains I shop at. That would be a good idea. I'll have to scout around, thanks for the tip!

[ChristinaMason]

I found it at Safeway on the East Coast. Sometimes you can ask the dairy manager of your store to start stocking particular products.

[nomadchowwoman]

Wow, does that sound good.

[nomadchowwoman]

Tonight we'll be having grilled NY strips w/a saute of chanterelles and porcini, garlic and parsley, balsamic glazed brussels sprouts. I'm also going to try a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's new book--onion "carbonara," in which sliced onion stands in for the pasta. We'll see. Just about to get things started, so it will be late dining.

[mariacarmen]

how did the onion carbonara turn out? i'm skeptical, as i hate thin, long strands of onion - remind me of worms. i'm sorry, i hope it turned out great for you!

that sauce sounds spectacular.

[nomadchowwoman]

I'd say your instincts are right on target, MC. The onions are just what I was not crazy about in this dish (and I love onion). I'll post about it on the Dorie Greenspan book thread.

[ChristinaMason]

Well, my friends are delayed, so I had time for actual dinner: half a pbj and some beef ramen with an egg poached in it. I doctor it up with some hot pepper, ginger, and other good stuff.

Admittedly, this was all pretty much hangover food. I'm getting too old for shots.

[LindaWhit]

Admittedly, this was all pretty much hangover food. I'm getting too old for shots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROFL! Christina, sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do - despite the resultant hangover the next day. ;-)

[ChristinaMason]

LOL. Call it the peer pressure of working in a bar.

[Phurstluv]

Oh man, I remember those days, can't do it anymore!! Feel better!

[mariacarmen]

was there a full moon out last night?? i'm still recovering too! body keeps trying to tell me, "that was SO 2000!" but somehow, i just keep on testing the limits. hope yours is well over for the day!

[GertieHound]

Everyone's food sounds so good. I'm especially jealous of the rabbit as I have no where to buy it around here.

I had heard it was supposed to get cooler so was planning chili. Of course the promised cool spell failed to appear, so instead I browned up the hamburger with onions, garlic, and the last really nice large peppers from my garden. Drained off the fat, added rice, some vegetable stock, and whatever Mexican herbs and spices came to hand. Cumin, chili powder, paprika, a little fresh cracked red pepper flake, pinch of cinnamon, this and that which I don't entirely recall. When the rice was tender, I added in rinsed and drained can of black beans and a can of Mexi-corn. Husband is trying to hide the leftover from daughter for his lunch tomorrow and I don't have the heart to tell him she already packed up half of it for her own lunch. Considering it was a make do and nothing fancy, I'm pleased.

re: bad livers, I always make a salt brine, drop them in it to 'wash out the bitter' then cook, I have no idea if this is 'proper' but it is how my grandmother taught me and I've never had them turn out bitter. I usually make it up in a glass bowl, clean the livers as needed trimming-wise, drop them in a plastic colander which I then plunk into the salt water while I wash up and get everything further ready. Makes them easy to retrieve, rinse lightly, then sit on a throw-away styro tray after they have drained a bit at my cooking station. My grandmother always soaked her fowl in a salt brine, most of it overnight in the fridge, she said it made it safe to eat but I never got further particulars. Her chicken was always spectacularly good, so I always just did that as well. Livers and heart were the only things she just brined for a short while.

Whomever mentioned chipped beef and cream gravy on toast, I have not had that since I can't even say when but now thanks to you, I want some!

[onceadaylily]

Thanks for the advice about brining the livers. I brine a lot of types of meat, but never thought to do it with offal. I'll give that a go when I make the pate. It's funny, when I was in the kitchen, I was thinking about my own grandmother, and I muttered to myself, "I'll bet she knew how to do this. Why why *why* didn't she ever show me how?" And now here you are with your grandmother's advice.

[hotoynoodle]

i always soak the livers for a few hours in milk.

[LaLa]

I do buttermilk! :)

[hotoynoodle]

tonight was roasted chicken thighs coated with thyme and grated parm. to accompany them i roasted two huge red peppers. while those were cooling and waiting to be peeled, i sauteed a big leek with some finely diced garlic, green pepper, and about 2 tablespoons of spicy sausage. when that was all golden and very soft, i added in a big spoonful of home-grown basil puree (frozen for winter), some feta and chopped almonds. stuffed the peppers and baked. also made some creamy mashed spuds. good stuff!

dessert will be peanut butter brownies frosted with chocolate ganache.

[eight_inch_pestle]

bravo.

[chef chicklet]

A request for Spaghetti with meatballs and sausages. Its simmering away and we'll eat in a couple hours. Garlic bread, and a salad filled with lots of fresh veggies, a dressing with red wine vinegar and oil and lemon. I still have time for a dessert and found a recipe for Carolina pound cake, think I'll make that and have give them a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's perfect for this rainy day.

[Breadcrumbs]

I got an amazing deal on a beautiful 6 lb first cut, black angus prime rib roast so.....
Roasted mushroom and arugula salad w sun-dried tomatoes and a pinot-noir vinaigrette. Roast prime rib of beef w roasted garlic mashed potatoes w chive cream, Yorkshire puddings, pan-seared brussel sprouts w pancetta finished in the oven w a tiny drizzle of truffle-infused olive oil.

Suffice to say we're waaaaay too stuffed for dessert which was going to be roasted pears w vanilla ice-cream and cider and honey glazed toasted walnuts. .... so much to eat, so little time!

I sure am glad my cold has gone!

[LindaWhit]

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

And your address is so I invite myself the next time you make a dinner like this? ;-)

[boyzoma]

I'm with LW on this one. Can I come too? I feel drool coming down my mouth as we speak! Yum. Prime rib is my most favorite dish. Especially if it is Medium Rare. Add that creamed horseradish and I am in heaven. And here's cheers to you with no cold!

[Breadcrumbs]

Thanks so much to both of you. I think the fact that I was actually feeling better really inspired my planning tonight and we were so fortunate that everything turned out just as I'd imagined. Nothing like a little deprivation to inspire!!

[ChristinaMason]

Creamed chipped beef over toast, torn into bite-sized pieces for maximum absorbency. Some friends are bringing dessert around 7pm, so I guess that qualified as dinner.

[boyzoma]

You know, Creamed Chipped Beef on toast has somehow gone off my radar. But now I've seen it on these boards twice today. I realize I miss it! Same thing with Chicken A La King. Some of the simplest things can be so comforting. I'm going to have to make these again soon.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Man, CM, that takes me back my mom's breakfast table, circa 1985. Hers had chopped hard-boiled eggs.

[JungMann]

How do you make chipped beef? My roommate confessed a love for it, but I've only ever tried it in a tv dinner.

[ChristinaMason]

It's really simple; basically a bechamel with dried beef. For one or two portions, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet (we always used cast iron). Add 3-4 slices of chopped air-dried beef (such as Esskay or Carl Budding---use the reduced-sodium variety, or you'll have to blanch it first to remove some of the salt) and cook until faintly crispy. Then sprinkle in 2 Tbsp. flour and stir until lightly golden. Off the heat, whisk in 1-1 1/2 c. cold milk. Return to the heat and continue whisking until thick, creamy, and the flour taste has cooked out.

Caution: check for seasoning before adding any salt. Season to taste with pepper, cayenne, or nutmeg if desired.

[buttertart]

Or hie thee to Iowa and get this kind of dried beef...and really chow down...

[JungMann]

I don't think I've ever seen dried beef in NYC other than jerky. I'll have to scout out a purveyor to try this out. Thanks!

[buttertart]

Look near the canned meats - corned beef et al - in a grocery. The usual stuff comes in clear glass jars (Hormel?). I've never seen the stuff in my pic except from my MIL's favorite grocery store in a little tiny town in Iowa.

[ChristinaMason]

Keep an eye out for this: http://www.esskaymeat.com/images/4_products/meats/high_res/Esskay_Chipped_Beef/chipped_low_sodium.jpg

or this: http://www.foodservicedirect.com/prod...

Yep, this is definitely comfort food, not gourmet.

[buttertart]

Beef in a jar: what a concept. I've never seen the packets.

[roxlet]

How about ground beef in a can? We'd see that all the time at the Fatiir shops in Cairo.. It was a product of Saudi Arabia, and for some reason it always grossed me out.

[JungMann]

I will keep an eye out. If it's just air dried beef, I wonder if I can make a Middle Eastern chipped beef out of pastirma. That's actually easier for me to find here.

[buttertart]

Pastirma is spiced, this dish is the antithesis of spice, more a celebration of salt. Bündnerfleisch or bresaola would be closer.

[LaLa]

Missing my hometown this week so I made spoonbread tonight along with barbque chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans(with pork ), and homemade mac and cheese.

[boyzoma]

Well last night, DH took me out for dinner at a great little Italian place. DH had Lasagna which he loves and I don't much care for as around here, most make it with ricotta and it's a texture thing for me not liking ricotta. But that is another thread on this board. I had a chicken scampi dish which was wonderful. They had these wonderful little garlic muffins that were scrumptious. I have lots of leftovers for later in the week!

Tonight, since we once again have nice weather, we are grilling and sharing a T-Bone steak, grilled baked potato and small salad with shrimp cocktails for a starter. Potato will have to have butter, sour cream, chives and bacon bits.

[LindaWhit]

My dinner on Saturday night was rather hurried - leftover pork tenderloin from Friday night, as I was meeting my sister and BIL at the Wang Center to see the first show of T. Bone Burnett's Speaking Clock Revue - oh my, what a lineup! (Elton John & Leon Russell, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, Gregg Allman, Ralph Stanley, Jeff Bridges, and many, many more - all T. Bone Burnett-produced artists.) An amazing night, all to benefit arts education in public schools via the Participant Foundation, the charitable arm of the film company releasing a new education documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman.’ ’’ (per T.Bone Burnett's website) We had blues, rockabilly, gospel, country, and just a fun time, all from artists who were truly happy to be donating their time and effort to help arts education!

Anyway - tonight I'm doing some cooking. I've got chicken thighs defrosting - I was debating a few recipes, but will be going with Hungarian Chicken (like a chicken paprikash but with bone-in/skin-on chicken), as I have some mushrooms to use up as well. I'll serve it on some egg noodles with either peas or steamed green beans alongside.

[mariacarmen]

sounds like your cold didn't interfere too much with your evening?
that chicken sounds yummy. may have to copy you.

[LindaWhit]

No, I was able to knock that sucker out of me with a couple of days' worth of OTC Nyquil and Oscillo. I'm glad, as I would have really been mad to have missed the Revue. If it wants to reappear sometime during the week, I'm OK with that...I'll take a few days off. :-) (No, I'm j/k - I'd just as soon NOT get sick again!)

[buttertart]

That was worth a rushed dinner for, I'm sure. T Bone Burnett put out a very good album of his own stuff in 1988 or so.

[Harters]

Upcoming.....sausages with red stuff.

Wedges of red onions and red peppers are mixed with olive oil and balsamic and get few minutes in the oven. Sausages get added (pork & leek in this case), along with some cherry tomatoes, thyme and a drizzle of honey. Another 25 minutes cooking.

Mrs H is having hers with crusty bread. I'm having mashed spuds (never my first choice of spud - but we need some leftovers for tomorrow's "bubble & squeak" lunch.

[mariacarmen]

Honey! that sounds wonderful. Going to try that.
What is it you don't like about mashed? texture?

[Harters]

Reporting back this is worth a try - but then almost anything involving sausages is worth a try in my book.

Yeah, it's a texture thing. Mash works with some things for me, but not often. I improved this with a hefty dollop of grain mustard. It's suddenly become a very popular way of serving spuds in UK restaurants - we were at a place a few months ago that, when you first read the menu, looked like there was a different potato serving with each dish.Then you re-read it and it was just different fancy words for mash. Pissed off Mrs H big time as she really dislikes it.

[mariacarmen]

Why would anyone want to piss off Mrs. H?? just wrong.

i'll have to try the mustard thing. i bet it went well with the sausages.

[onceadaylily]

Tonight, we'll have what's leftover from last night's carnitas, which the boyfriend *loved*, but I found underwhelming. The recipe wanted the pork to be seared fairly dark, and I think I'll stick to a mere golden brown the next time. I had two pans of pork going, and a few of the pieces got away from me. And there will be a next time, because I had to forcibly stop him from eating the pork straight from the pan. It's funny how two people can have the same meal, and have two different reactions, isn't it? I think this would have been much better with corn tortillas, but the boyfriend prefers flour always.

So, I'll likely let the boyfriend have his way with the leftovers. I have some chard that needs using, so I'll either make a small veggie gratin for myself, or a batch of quesadillas with chard and the smoked gouda I have tucked away. It'll likely be the latter, since we have sauces from last night to use up, and then I can use the corn tortillas, because there aren't enough flour ones left to go around.

[eight_inch_pestle]

Has he had corn tortillas still warm from the bakery?

[onceadaylily]

No, I don't think we have a bakery that does tortillas in Evanston. I bet I'd be able to find something in Roger's Park though.

[krisrishere]

In a few minutes I'm going to walk the hubby through making his own mozzarella. We'll have a nice caprese salad before dinner with his homemade cheese. For dinner I'm making a roast chicken with whole wheat stuffing and cauliflower mash.

[hotoynoodle]

last night's dinner was braised rabbit with a mustard cream sauce, broccoli cooked in brown butter with red pepper flakes and sprinkled with grated romano, and yukon golds cut in crescents and crisp-fried. yum.

[rabaja]

I wish that was my dinner last night. Well done!

[LindaWhit]

Oh my - that sounds wonderful!

[hotoynoodle]

thank you! we loved it too. :)

[eight_inch_pestle]

+1.

[chef chicklet]

am i dumb? How do you cut yukon golds into crescents. They sound delicious and I want to try this. I think they're my favorite potato now.

[LindaWhit]

I think hotoynoodle means thin wedges. So cut them in half lengthwise, then each half in half again, etc., etc. until they're thin wedge/spears? That's how I took it.

[hotoynoodle]

i suck at reading the sky, lol. 1/2 moons? cut in half, then half again, sorry, lol.

[mariacarmen]

Oops here's another pic. found these at our local latino grocery. they're indigenous to Mexico, Central and South America, but found in many parts of the world (they're also known as Dragon Fruit.) Aren't they breathtaking? I so wanted to find a combination of guava, passion fruit, kiwi, and loquat, but instead, i found a rather insipid faint sweetness. Yawn. Sad..... Maybe it wasn't ripe yet (although the flesh was soft and juicy).... oh well, I learned a lesson I should have learned a long time ago!

[buttertart]

They're never really that exciting - I think they look gorgeous peeled and cut up in fruit salads - and I like the texture with all of those little seeds, but...appearances really aren't everything, our moms were right.

[gembellina]

aren't they so disappointing? Once, when eating a fruit salad in Vietnam I tried my best to eat all of the dragonfruit but the combination of bland and gritty was very offputting. The Vietnamese grandmother-type who ran the guesthouse made me eat all of it, telling me that she made her daughter eat one every day to improve her skin and give her energy. Might be a bit like being told to eat your carrots to help you see in the dark...

[LindaWhit]

I got a dragonfruit half several years ago from a local market, and was as underwhelmed as you were, mariacarmen. Stunning to look at, but rather blah in taste.

[mariacarmen]

i love that you still have the pic!

[buttertart]

I was thinking how to describe the flavor and came up with "bland, inferior kiwi".

[mariacarmen]

perfect.

[mariacarmen]

beef "stew" was more like a soup, but still good. Not very lavendar-y at all. accompanied by salad made of napa cabbage, copious amounts of sliced scallions, dijon vinaigrette, and toasted pecans. salad may well have been better than the stew. apples would have been good in it.

and speaking of fruit.... Have you ever dated someone that was astoundingly gorgeous, sexy, and entrancing to look at, yet after that first shock of beauty overload, you were dismayed to find only a bland inanity beneath the captivating surface? Enter the pitaya.....

[rabaja]

After a completely gluttonous meal out last night (martinis, caviar, foie gras and white truffles,wine pairing = hello food hangover, how are you) I am in need of simple and easy.
I'm thinking about making a fish cake using a piece of halibut that was cooked up Thursday evening. I'm pretty sure I've seen some good ideas for fishcakes on these boards, think I'll search in a minute.
To go with, whole wheat pasta with Marcellas tomato sauce. Yes, it's full of butter, but I have some made already and it will comfort me better than tums at this point.
I know I'll need a veggie, but I may just eat crudite and call it a day.
Pretty boring for a Saturday night, but I'm getting old.

[roxlet]

With the DH and son unexpectedly home, we are having a frisee salad using up the remains of last winter's duck confit. I'll make a coarse mustard vinaigrette for that. DH ran and got some sea bass and we're still deciding how to make that, but it will be served with some variety of new potatoes. Dinner is still a work in progress...

[buttertart]

It's windy and cool here, so the end of the brisket got cubed up and is simmering in its broth with every cubed vegetable I could get my hands on (leeks, carrot, celery, garlic, shallot, yellow and red tomatoes, cabbage, Yukon gold potato, Italian peppers), a Maggi beef stock cube, a squirt of fish sauce, a drop of dark soy, some water. Stone soup.Rolls and old Canadian cheddar to go with.

[onceadaylily]

That's upper-middle class stone soup. It sounds delicious. Do you have a particular brand of dark soy you like? I have a market near me that has *shelves* of various soy sauce, and I thought I'd try a dark soy (never have before).

[buttertart]

I buy Pearl River Bridge from China. My regular soy sauce brand is Kimlan from Taiwan (I was told to use it and no other by my teacher's mother when we lived in Taipei), I love it, very nice taste.
PS the soup also had some Turkish oregano and a bay leaf in it, and I served it with a splash of Gold Plum black vinegar. It was a bit too sweet, think I'll doctor it up with some sour salt. (Or maybe it seemed sweeter than it was because of the two deep-dish Tanqueray martinis I fell into before it.)

The pork shoulder for tonight is already in the oven at 300 deg F - we had frozen it and it's a big one...I hope 8-10 hours will thaw and cook it...my mom cooked her roasts from frozen a lot of the time. Not sure of the accompaniments other than applesauce and spuds.

[JungMann]

I bought a bottle of Kimlan based on your recommendation. It is smooth and blends nicely into stir fries and dips. I'm looking forward to see how it does in the spotlight in adobo or jangjorim.

[LindaWhit]

buttertart, do tell - is Kimlan still very salty as many soy sauces are? I seem to have developed an aversion for "regular" soy sauce due to its extremely saltiness (at least to my palate) and tend to use ponzu or teriyaki sauce (yes, I know, it's sweeter than soy sauce) in place of it. Or I get the lowest sodium soy sauce I can find, but tend to cut way back on the quantity I use.

[buttertart]

It's not as salty in the regular version and they have a reduced-sodium one. Tastes great. Glad to hear you like it, JungMann. (I had Marion Woodman as a high school English teacher if that means anything to you...w/ref to your screen name.)

[buttertart]

Tested the roast at 6 and it was at 200 deg F - took the skin off and salted/peppered it, a little under the weather today and want "simples". Put it back in at 250. It basically boned itself - the bomes came out at a nudge. Presume all the connective tissue melted. red cabbage from last week, spuds and a Belgian endive and walnut salad for himself, sliced last of season tomato for me.

[Cherylptw]

I had breakfast for dinner tonight; scrambled eggs with sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, 12 grain toasted bread with ginger lime marmalade, fresh pears sliced.

[mariacarmen]

OH YUM. that makes me want to toss my beef stew out the window!

[eight_inch_pestle]

I'd eat that every night of my life.

[nomadchowwoman]

Last night we had our good friends over for a dinner with more misses than hits.

Started w/edamame "hummus"--mediocre at best. (I'd have done better to save the fuss and serve them in the pod, warm and salted.) At least the accompanying sweet potato chips were tasty ("Food Should Taste Good" brand--cumbersome moniker, but good products), and we had some marcona almonds for back-up.
The main, pan-fried black drum meuniere, served over a bed of arugula, was a winner.
Israeli cous cous (tossed w/grape tomatoes, oil-cured olives, parsley, toasted pine nuts, and sherry vinaigrette) was just ok.
Another side, Moroccan carrot salad, was pretty, perfumey--and practically inedible. I had high hopes for this recipe (recently clipped from the NYT) featuring golden raisins, lemon juice, parsley, cumin and coriander seed. But even after I cut by half the amount of rose water called for, it completely overwhelmed the dish.
At least we ended on a high note--with an ever reliable pear tart tatin w/a bit of vanilla ice cream.

Keeping it simple tonight: I'm thawing a container of corn-and-crab chowder, which we'll have with a green salad and some warm, crusty bread before heading out to hear a jazz trio at a nearby club.

[mariacarmen]

Sorry it wasn't a total success - hate when that happens. Too bad about the salad, i have been dying to make something with rose water, and am apparently properly leery of overwhelming a dish with it. Would you make it again with a lot less rose water? Your fish sounds awesome.

[Harters]

Rosewater's something that needs a really light touch - just a splash. It needs to be a little background hint that makes the eater think "Hmmm, that's nice. Wonder what they've put in it". It's not a flavouring I'd really think about using in a savoury dish.

[onceadaylily]

I made edamame hummus ('edamole') exactly once, thinking it would be a nice edition to our cafe menu. It lacked depth, and I could just envision the backlash it would have caused, because it does *sound* delicious. And I almost bought rosewater at the Spice House this week, but didn't think it would be welcomed in my house. It's one of those ingredients that leads the recipe-writer to caution the non-native public to cut the recommended amount in half, if not more.

But it sounds like you still had plenty to keep your crowd happy.

[hotoynoodle]

i have made edamame "as" mashed potatoes, with butter and cream, and that is awesome. as for rose-water i simply think the scent smells like grandmothers (please, mean no offense!) so i use orange blossom water instead. a little goes a loooooooong way, but everybody always asks what is that thing i'm tasting, lol.

[onceadaylily]

I often treat white beans the same way, with an oil mixed with sage or thyme drizzled over them. A nice, simple creamy dish. And I just remember that I *did* once have something with rosewater in it. A few years ago, an acquaintance brought me a rice pudding he had made with the stuff. It was really overpowering. I guess I blocked that memory.

[JungMann]

Rosewater can be very powerful if you're not used to it. I use it for rice pudding but add only 1/4 tsp. to 2 c. of basmati if I had to measure. When I add it to my lemonade, I add drops to my highball. I've only once had someone tell me something I gave them tasted like soap.

[LindaWhit]

I've had a bottle of rosewater in my pantry for I don't know how long - definitely an impulse buy after seeing a recipe that sounded intriguing (that I cannot recall nor have I ever made). This is good to know re: the overwhelming power of rosewater. Very similar to Herbes de Provence - some people don't like the flowery smell/taste of lavender in the same sense as rosewater.

[hotoynoodle]

re: mashed edamame. i buy them frozen and out of the shell at trader joe's or in chinatown. if i had to shell i would definitely never bother.

[mariacarmen]

Didn't get my late night happy hour pizza dinner last night, friend was sick. So on the way home today picked up half a very delicious thin crust pizza (ala Cheeseboard, for those who live around here - from the newest branch of Arizmendi) for lunch for me and the boy. Mushrooms, queso fresco and pesto, yummmmm. And a scone. Fantastic carby lunch!

Tonight, leftover beef stew with herbes de provence. oldsters didn't love it, so now boyfriend gets a crack at it (would someone please tell oldsters that beggars can't be choosers???). it has potatoes in it, so all we need is a salad. have to go check the fridge. i think we have cabbage but the BF - DRAT HIM - doesn't like gin (per inspiration by Harters in our last thread)!!

[onceadaylily]

Beef stew is a funny dish. It has quite a few variations, and people get attached to 'their' stew. If I made a stew with V-8, the boyfriend would love it. Someday, boyfriend, someday.

[mariacarmen]

yep. i think the lavendar in the herbes de provence did not please the oldsters. my BF isn't fond of it either; i'm hoping he won't notice it. fat chance.

[onceadaylily]

Thanks for starting the new thread, Cheryl. I can't link worth a damn, so I'd wind up saying, "The new thread is in Home Cooking, two more steps down and to your left, no, to your *left*!"

Last night was fried chicken livers, with gravy on toast. It was interesting (the prep, especially, and I'm certain I made a few critical errors during the trimming). I expected a different taste entirely. They had a bitterness, but that could have been simply because I cooked the ever-lovin' life out of them. I read that a longer cooking can do that. I'm going to try them again, but in a pate.

Tonight, inspired by recent posting on WFD, I am making pork carnitas. I've never made them before, so I've done a bit of research, and decided to go with David Lebovitz's recipe. I like that his recipe calls for ancho powder, cinnamon, and cumin. Some of the recipes I saw were a bit light on the seasoning.

For the sauce, I'm either going with a salsa verde (store-bought, Goya), or making another batch of the mole inspired enchilada sauce I made for last week's enchiladas. I might make a cheese sauce in addition to those, as we are out of sour cream, and I'm feeling a bit lazy for a walk. I know that's a lot of sauces, but I bought the really big flour tortillas, and we might do these burrito-style, so they'll need a bit more moisture. On the side, I'm making Spanish rice from the pico de gallo I have on hand. I really need to include a veggie, but nothing I have on hand seems complimentary. I might do lima beans in a milk and butter sauce, maybe with a little cayenne.

I'm picturing the lima beans and the carnitas meeting on my plate, and the lima beans, trying to fit in, saying, hestitantly, "Hola?" with the worst Spanish accent ever.

[rabaja]

Thank you for my morning chuckle.

To bad re; the livers. They are really delicious seared in a hot pan and eaten with a good amount of pink still in the middle.
I've read that the bitterness can come from not cleaning them properly too.

[mariacarmen]

Yeah, i think the bitterness is in the cleaning. You're making me want to make some, even though i would be the only one eating them.

Your carnitas sound great. I would personally go with a lighter sauce -eg, your salsa verde - so you don't overwhelm the delicious porky goodness. As a veggie side, how about a thinly sliced cabbage salad? lime dressing, sprinkled with oregano? But you did say you don't want ot go to the store....

you are too funny! your lima beans are saying "Yo no soy Mexicano!"

[onceadaylily]

You two are probably right. I drained them, then I rinsed them (though I don't recall reading anything that instructed me to do that), and then I patted them dry before I trimmed them. Maybe it was just my batch of livers. They were pretty mushy (*more so* after I rinsed them), are they supposed to be?

[milkyway4679]

Re: a lighter sauce:
My favorite version of carnitas has the pork on the side of the plate with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro, with some guacamole chunks of tops. You mix that right in with the meat, toss it into a tortilla with some radish slices, squeeze a little lime on top and yummmm. :)