What Did You Cook Today? Part 1

[jayt90]

Since photos are now easier to load on Chowhound (just browse your picture file, and upload),
I thought we could establish a photo forum of daily meals or entrees.

To start, I have my Canadian Thanksgiving maple smoked turkey, with dressing and zucchini.

Please feel free to add daily cooking photos, or verbal descriptions.

[jayt90]

My first meal of 2013 is beef brisket done in a tagine, with potatoes and creamed spinach.

This small piece of brisket, about 3 lb., was from a grass fed Red Poll and very tasty, not to mention succulent. I have another piece and will give it a similar treatment: marinate, then roast in a tagine at 400 F until it reaches 200 F. This takes 2-3 hours for a small roast, to break down the collagen before it becomes stringy.

[jayt90]

Breakfast today was a challenge. Fried eggs mimicking an e Bulli method, basting each yolk until creamy white. You do this by tilting the pan and spooning the bubbling fat over the ylolks.
In 3-4 minutes they are done, and dead easy to remove to the plate.
Almost as good as poached, but virtually no sticking, on SS!

[scubadoo97]

Nice!

[inaplasticcup]

Bumping this thread. :)

Yesterday, we had boohlgohgi cheesesteaks with Havarti on bollilos for lunch and half angel hair, half spaghetti squash with ragu and a lemon Caesar-ish salad for dinner.

Hope the new year's being kind to all.

[kattyeyes]

Your posts make me hungry! And backatcha!

[mariacarmen]

she's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! yay!

those sammies look divine.

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks, mc! :))))

[L.Nightshade]

I thought I recognized those popping photos! Lovely!
And welcome back!

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks, LN! Missed you! (Here, I mean. ;))

[steve h.]

Howdy ina,
It was a pleasure seeing your excellent photos.

[inaplasticcup]

Hey, stevarino!

Nice to see you again. You'll be happy to know my mums are still alive. :)))

[steve h.]

very cool.

[jayt90]

I've been away too long, too.
Moving to the country, putting in a garden, fishing, you know, what retired people do!

Tonight I had a stir fry of chicken, broccoli, and fresh Nissan noodles.

[kattyeyes]

Breakfast of champions, baby: warm almond cake topped with deep, dark chocolate gelato I spun up last night. Mm-mmm-mmmm!

[BabsW]

Oh my God does that look divine! What's your recipe for the almond cake?

[kattyeyes]

Thank you! It was a recipe from my calendar a couple of years ago that I misread (original recipe calls for 3/4 cup flour) and have since reduced the sugar! :) They're meant to be little individual cakes--and that works nicely, too, especially in little silicone baking cups--but I baked it in an 8 x 8" buttered pan as a cake. The recipe is here--just know that 2/3 cup powdered sugar is plenty and how I make it now.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/599415

Prettier version is on my blog as is the gelato recipe, should you need a serious choco-fix. >>^..^<<

[scubadoo97]

looks good Katty

[kattyeyes]

Thanks, scubadoo. :) So, what say, folks--jayt90 et al, shall we continue the fun and photos in a new thread, "What Did You Cook Today? Part 2"--I think so!

[kattyeyes]

Keep it comin' (love) ovah heah...part two is ready for YOU to jump in with more photos and tales of delicious bites all the livelong day:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/822689

Don't let your well run dry, don't stop it now! *Why are the ladies wearing Snuggies?!*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSuoR4...

[inaplasticcup]

Late to the party, but that looks and sounds so totally delicious, ke. :)

[kattyeyes]

Thank you and glad you're back! I started a part two, but it never took off:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/822689

[inaplasticcup]

Neato! Thanks for the pointer. :)

[scubadoo97]

Went for warm comfort food tonight.

An orzo risotto with porcini and mussels. The orzo was made with porcini mushrooms, onions and garlic. The cooking liquid for the risotto was the porcini soaking liquid, chicken stock and the liquor from the mussels

[linguafood]

Wow, what an interesting combo! I've never thought of mixing mussels and shrooms. Looks and sounds really neat.

[BabsW]

Yesterday I made Vanilla Bean Shortcakes with a Vanilla Bean Glaze, Bourboned-Up Eggnog Bread Pudding and Fried Goat Cheese on Roasted Golden Beets and Savory Crackers.

Today will be Cheese Grits Cakes and most likely a Cream of Jerusalem Artichoke Soup.

[kattyeyes]

Ooohs and ahhhs all around--that fried goat cheese is fancy appetizer-worthy, with a party dress on!

[BabsW]

Thanks! it was damned tasty, too :)

Yesterday, I cooked pan-fried cheese grits cakes with lemon and olive oil marinated shrimp and a cream of leek, potato and Jerusalem artichoke soup garnished with Jerusalem artichoke chips.

Today I am going out to finish the Christmas shopping, so most likely minimal cooking - lots of leftovers. :)

[scubadoo97]

Looks fantastic and I am a sucker for shrimp and grits

[BabsW]

I didn't grow up eating shrimp and grits, being from the northeast, but I have become a convert!

[Ikkeikea]

Babs, I can knock cheese grits out of the park but have always tanked on grit cakes. I am actually making cheese grits tonight to try again at cakes tomorrow. I know to spread the leftovers out to set but they are greasy/ fall apart. Yours looks perfect. Can you give me any tips for grit cake success?

[BabsW]

Thank you! :) Y'know, the same thing happened to me the first time I tried making them. Those were leftover cheese grits that had been LOADED with butter and cream lol And boy were they good, but they never set properly solid even when they were cold.

When I made the cheese grits for the cakes the other day, I didn't add any butter or cream - it was just water, stone ground corn grits and super-sharp white cheddar, plus the seasonings (Old Bay, s&p).

I also made them on the thick side, using a strict 1:4 ration of grits to water, then I out them in the fridge for several hours to really set up.

I lined the plastic container with waxed paper and left the ends long so when the grits had cooled, I could easily lift them out of the container. That way it was easy to cut out rounds and just slide them off the waxed paper instead of scooping them out of the container- another mistake I made that first time around.

Then I just dredged them in flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs.

Good luck!

[sandylc]

When I make fried polenta, I make it just bit thicker, bring it just to its volcano boil, then put it in a greased loaf pan a bake it in a low oven for a bit. Pop the loaf pan into the fridge overnight, then turn the loaf out onto a cutting board and cut it into whatever shapes I'd like to fry. This method would likely work for grits, as well.

[BabsW]

Oh definitely! I think I'll give that a try next time I make grits cakes. :)

[Ikkeikea]

Aww, I put a lot of butter and cream in this batch. We'll have to eat them left over and I'll try your method next time. My grits have to be shipped to me overseas by my family so I can't afford to have them not turn out everytime. Thank you for the tips. I can't wait to try them :-)

[jkling17]

Hi Babs,

Oh I'm in LOVE! :-) If you wouldn't mind, I'd love the bread pudding recipe. Also the Fried goat cheese etc - both look just amazing.

FYI - your shots will come out even better if you set your F-Stop to F8. I assume that you were already in macro mode for close-ups - but perhaps using the default f-stop or auto and so the depth of field can be quite shallow. Increase the f-stop to a higher number and you'll get a lot more of that yumminess into focus.

Jeff

[BabsW]

Thank you so much for the photography tip. I am a novice, and totally self-taught- as you can see hah. I am just now venturing into the manual modes of the camera and seeing which settings do what. :)

The bread pudding recipe is adapted from one on Epicurious for a Black and White Chocolate Bread Pudding, but I reduced the ingredients so that it would be small enough to fit into my 5 x 7 inch dish. If you have an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish/round casserole dish, double this recipe; if you want to go big and use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then I'd suggest quadrupling it. A little goes a long way though. :)

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
½ cup eggnog
splash of heavy cream - 2 or 3 tablespoons
generous 2 tablespoons bourbon - it may have been closer to 3 or even 4 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar
splash of vanilla
touch of nutmeg
½ teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon water
For the pudding:
3½ cups leftover French bread cut into 1 inch cubes, crusts cut off - stale is ok, moldy is not
1½ oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped - I used Scharffenberger's 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate
1 oz. good quality white chocolate, chopped
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup egg nog
1/8 cup milk
1/8 cup bourbon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Make the sauce by placing the eggnog, cream, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and bourbon in a saucepan and heat to a gentle boil.

Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water, whisking it well until it is smooth and then add it to the eggnog-cream mixture. Keep it bubbling gently over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Take it off the heat, stir in the nutmeg and cool. Refrigerate until needed.

For the bread pudding, I like to go beyond even day-old bread and use stale French bread. Very simply, I cut off the crusts and then cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Toss that into a large bowl.

I was feeling lazy, so I chopped the chocolates in the food processor. It made a hell of a racket, but it was great - I had chunks of chocolate as well as "chocolate dust." Add the grated/chopped/pulverized chocolate to the bread cubes.

Beat together the egg, sugar and vanilla until frothy, then add the cream, eggnog, milk, nutmeg and bourbon, whisking well. Pour the liquid over the bread and chocolate and stir well. Let it soak for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure that it all soaks evenly.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Find a smallish casserole dish. I used an oven-safe 5 x 7 inch stoneware dish for this amount of bread pudding. Give it a good spray with cooking spray and dump in the soaked bread pudding mixture. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over the top if you like, and then bake for 30 minutes or until the edges of the bread cubes are brown and the custard is set.

Take out and let cool 10 minutes, then serve warm with the eggnog sauce spooned over it.

Original inspiration here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[BabsW]

For the fried goat cheese rounds on golden beet - I really liked these, but I am a sucker for goat cheese and beets together:

Ingredients:
1 golden beet
olive oil
salt
pepper
log of herbed goat cheese
flour
egg
panko bread crumbs
fresh thyme, chopped
soft bread crumbs
peanut oil
savory cracker, wasa bread or some other thin and crisp flatbread or cracker

Directions:
Roast the beet: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour a thin layer of olive oil in a bowl.

Wash and scrub the beet carefully, then roll it in the oil until it is all coated. Sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt over it and then place it on a sheet of aluminum foil and seal it up into a packet.

Place into a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes. Take out and let cool. Slip off the skin and then slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Make the pan-fried goat cheese rounds: Grab four shallow bowls, pie tins or plates. Pour out about 3/4 cup of flour on one, the beaten egg on the middle plate, the panko bread crumbs mixed with fresh thyme leaves on the third, and unseasoned soft bread crumb on the fourth.

Slice the goat cheese into 3/4 inch rounds and then squish them down slightly until the diameter of the round almost matches the diameter of the beet slices.

Working one at a time, dredge the goat cheese rounds through the flour until it is all coated, then dip into the beaten egg, making sure to let the excess egg drip back into the plate. Then press into the panko and thyme on both sides, then dipping it into the soft breadcrumbs to cover what the panko missed.

Heat some peanut oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Once the oil starts to shimmer, carefully lower the goat cheese rounds into the oil and fry until both sides are golden brown, once per side is best. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Place a slice of the roasted beet on a cracker and top with a goat cheese round and serve.

[linguafood]

Totally stealing that!

[mariacarmen]

so drool-worthy, all of it.

[BabsW]

:) Thanks!

I'm glad that I have cooking and baking as a distraction strategy, and my kids are too. They're always curious what new things I've got planned.

[BabsW]

Today, a variety: a single apple turnover from leftover puff pastry scraps, and for lunch, Wienerschnitzel and Hasselback potato. :)

[mariacarmen]

that schnitzel looks divine. nice hasselback too!

[BabsW]

Thanks!

I don't know if I'll make the Hasselback potatoes again. It was good, but not transcendent. For that amount of work carefully slicing everything and sticking slivers of garlic in between the slices, I'd expect to be wowed by more than just the appearance.

Give me a nice fluffy baked potato. :9

[sandiasingh]

Yikes! Sounds like a good decision.

[mariacarmen]

i've made them and liked them a lot, but my sister's made them and i was totally wowed. so maybe the trick is to have someone else make them for you!

[BabsW]

That must be the missing ingredient, someone else's labor! ;-)

[mariacarmen]

but you inspired me, i'm going to make one for my BF tonight. i'm doing no carbs this weekend, so i'll just sit next to him and pout.

[BabsW]

Enjoy his enjoyment of it! :p

I should hop back on the no-carb wagon again. To say that it's been a carb-fest around here would be an understatement. More like a carb-orgy.

[mariacarmen]

i did! served it with Jamie Oliver's chicken with leeks in mustard cream, and an arugula salad.

[BabsW]

Gorgeous photo! I adore arugula. :9

How did you like the chicken with leeks?

[mariacarmen]

thanks! wonderful. a little heavy, but that's because i bought heavy whipping cream instead of just regular cream. and i used dijon because i had no stone ground. but i'd definitely make it again.

[linguafood]

I totally hear ya on the Hasselback. It's not a crazy amount of work, but the flavors don't match the presentation.

I think they'd be great for a dinner party -- just to make something different, but "just" for eating tasty stuff purposes, yes, a regular baked potato will do just fine. With butter, sea salt & creme fraiche, of course :-)

[BabsW]

Of course! I also love twice-baked stuffed potatoes stuffed with herbs and cheese and topped with creme fraiche. :9

[kattyeyes]

I was on a Monte Cristo kick last week. Quite delish with tart cherry preserves, I must say!

[inaplasticcup]

Mmmm. Monte Cristo.... and with cherry preserves to boot. That sounds LOVELY, katty...

[inaplasticcup]

Some of the meals cooked since I last posted...

- Spaghetti with an Italian sausage and fresh Roma tomato sauce accented with capers served with a bed of wilted spinach and arugula on top.

- DemonspewIMeanSplitPea soup with a little dollop of sour cream for a tangy, creamy finish.

- Cheese and sausage pizza made with the leftover pasta sauce.

- A Kyochon chicken inspired dinner.

- A ham, cheese and wiener croissant.

- A mostly raw fridge cleanout bibim bahp using some withering veg, leftover bahnchahn, and seasoned gochoojahng and dwenjahng accumulated over Korean meals of the past month or so.

Hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season. I'm doing my best by not going shopping. :P

[BabsW]

Those look really amazing.

[inaplasticcup]

Ffanks, dahlink. :)

[BabsW]

I'm making beef stock today. I got 2 lb. of marrow bones, 2 lb. of soup bones (beef shanks) and 4 lb. of oxtails. I made it this way last year and was really pleased with the result. A nice gelatinous and a deep rich dark brown. It's worth the 12+ hours. :)

[inaplasticcup]

I am jealous. Particularly of the marrow part.

[BabsW]

It's so good - the roasted marrow even smells amazing :)

Stage 1 is complete. Now the stock is simmering nicely.

[inaplasticcup]

OMG. <drools all over the roasted marrow bones...>

[cityhopper]

Breakfast: crescents and bacon
Dinner: Chicken, mushroom and wild rice

[kattyeyes]

Fancy kat French toast:
Made with cranberry-ginger bread from Whole Foods (mmmmm!)
Topped with ricotta and vanilla-infused maple syrup
One of my favorite kinds of bacon on the side
It's FANTASTIC having heat and power again!
♫ Sunshiiiiiiiiiiiiine...on my breakfast...makes me happy... ♫ La la laaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[inaplasticcup]

Love that French toast, love your happy post, katty! Good morning!!! :)

[kattyeyes]

Aww--thanks, lady--and good morning to you, too! So VERY grateful to be back and cookin' in my own kitchen. >>^..^<<

[steve h.]

Hi katt,
More power (CL&P?) to you. My buds in Ridgefield just got back on the grid. Stamford was spared (this time).

[kattyeyes]

Yes, thank you! You were spared entirely? You must have been busy cookin' for everyone else, then. Do tell!

[steve h.]

We got flat-out hammered during the last big storm. Power was out for four days, falling trees crunched the chimney and so on. That was almost two years ago. This go-around, we came out smelling like a rose. I had all trees and limbs that could pose a threat cut down/pruned/removed. I did this a few months ago. We were lucky. Folks further north were not as lucky.
Sailors know that weather happens :-)

[inaplasticcup]

Yesterday, I had a crap bag of organic oranges I bought on clearance that weren't very sweet, so I made marmalade of them.|

Then for dinner, because it was National Stout Day, I scrounged up some fixings for a beersuited meal - pork chops with soy-balsamic caramelized onions, applesauce, & potato carrot pancakes.

It's Friday. I get to go grocery shopping - *WOOT!!!*

[jayt90]

I have to try those onions! And roesti with pork, too.

I tried out a new toy, the Emile Henry tagine, a steal at $40 (Costco).I braised a pork shoulder with vegs and anchovies, and it was really succulent.The tagine retains all the flavor!

[inaplasticcup]

I can look at tagines all day. I can see that the base is black - was the lid also?

What liquid did you use to braise, jayt?

[jayt90]

The lid is the same color, a deep brown, you can see it in the first shot. The color is not true on my laptop, maybe because the lighting is fluorescent.

I continued in the same vane tonight. Beef spare ribs, carrots, onions, a pear, and potatoes braised in the tagine for 2.5 hours over the lowest possible flame. One cup brown stock included, with a sprinkling of rosemary and anchovies.

This second tagine meal has made me a convert, and I am glad Costco sells them, as the authentic Morrocan vessels are hard to find.

I think the secret of the tagine is the chimney effect. The cooking vapors are drawn to the top, and condense back onto the food. A dutch oven may not do as well, as vapor escapes at the edges.

[mariacarmen]

yes, i'd love more details on that pork dish too, sounds/looks amazing.

[jayt90]

The pork dish was an inexpensive shoulder roast, skin on, surrounded by potatoes carrots, onions and a pear in the tagine, cut up so they would cook in a 2 hour braise. I added 8 oz brown stock, but any good liquid would do, even water. Then I sprinkled everything with chopped rosemary and chopped anchovies. Lid on, and a 2 hour braise over a low flame.
A low oven would also work, maybe 2.5 hours.

[mariacarmen]

thanks!

[steve h.]

Howdy ina,
I don't know what's better, your food or your photography.

[inaplasticcup]

Hola, stevarino! What a lovely compliment to start my day. Thank you. :)))

The mums are still alive, if you can believe it. Since we eat mum greens in both Korean and Vietnamese cuisine, does this mean I'm technically growing something edible???

[steve h.]

You may be eligible for a farm subsidy. :-)

[Kelli2006]

I made chicken and andouille gumbo. It didn't simmer fdor as long as it should have but it tasted very good.

[KateBChi]

I made a roasted squash, fennel and apple soup using the brodo recipe from Lynne Rosetto Kasper "The Splendid Table" combined with the soup from Suzanne Goin's "Sunday Suppers at Luques" but I added cut up Gala apples (two, peeled and cored) and piment d'espelette instead of the chile de arbol. The apples were sauteed in unsalted butter with the sliced onions. This made a wickedly great soup. My butternut squash yielded less than expected squash nuts though (although it weighed in at over three pounds) and I like the idea of serving this with the spiced candied pumpkin seeds. Can I make the spiced pumpkin topping with pumpkin kernels instead? I have a ton of them as my SO is addicted to my mixture of soy nuts, sliced almonds, unsalted pumpkin seed kernals, and dried cranberry late night eating mixture rather than smoking a cigarette thingy? He won't eat the packaged nut/dried fruit varieties anymore as mine are "way better". This is one of the few times when his compliments completely tick me off. I am sick of making this stuff! Everything must be salt free which, for me, means home toasted... but I digress. Can I use the inside pumpkin kernels to make this dish? It is already outrageously good, actually sinfully good but the candied, spiced pumpkin/squash seeds sound wonderful and I don't want to buy another squash in order to make them. Maybe a source for raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds (not kernels) in the Chicago area would help.

Thoughts? The soup is now frozen and it might make a fine Thanksgiving starter.

Kate

[sandylc]

I roasted and braised some pork belly for pork buns this weekend. Now I just have to attempt the steamed buns!!!!!

[jayt90]

Lunch today was corned beef brisket steamed with potatoes.

[inaplasticcup]

Mmmmmm... BEER FOOD. :)))

[kattyeyes]

Oh, yum! Do you have enough leftover to make reuben soup? :)

[BabsW]

Today, I cooked butternut squash and crab bisque and mini crab cakes with my gold-medal, super-secret dipping sauce (really only mayo, hot sauce and Old Bay). :D

I also have some odds-n-ends veggie stock simmering, but sadly I have no photos of that. Yet.

[scubadoo97]

Fantastic Babs

[BabsW]

Thank you!

Lately I've been cooking based on what I can rotate out of the back of the freezer and from the depths of the pantry. I am sometimes surprised at what finds I come across wedged behind the ice bucket in the freezer. :)

[inaplasticcup]

AND crab cakes???? <drools>

[BabsW]

Yes, I had more crab thawed out than I could reasonably be expected to stuff in my soup bowl, without being a total glutton and eating like 3 bowls of it, so I did the next best thing and made crab cakes. :D

[BabsW]

Today it was a grilled ham, turkey and cheese sandwich, pumpkin bread and crab tartlets and a single crab cake from the leftover tartlet filling. I didn't photogarph the crab cake though.

[inaplasticcup]

What's in them crab tartlets except crab? Well, and cheese and flour - I can see those...

[BabsW]

I mixed the crab meat with a bit of diced celery, shallot, mayo, grainy mustard, shredded cheese (cheddar and pam/romano), a smidge of garlic and herb Boursin cheese, Old Bay, sriracha, and bread crumbs.

FTR, it also makes an excellent crab cake if you add more bread crumbs and pan fry it. It had that soft, slightly bready texture of baked stuffed clams.

[LindaWhit]

Just curious - how is this thread different from the ongoing WFD thread?

[scubadoo97]

More letters. WDYCT

[inaplasticcup]

You funny.

[LindaWhit]

LOL!

[jayt90]

Photos are encouraged, and the thread is oriented to cooking any time of day, including dinner.
So far 15% of the responses have photos, more than twice as much at WFD.
Another thread is geared more toward the cooking process,
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/807314

[LindaWhit]

Just seems like duplication, other than meals that aren't dinner. Photos aren't discouraged on the WFD thread (we went through that convo awhile back! LOL).

[inaplasticcup]

Catchup post. It's been a while! A few of the meals of the past week or so...

- guac burgers and fresh fries
- breakfast tacos with egg, chorizo, tomato, avo, cheese and stuff
- super kid-friendly cheese pizza with homemade marinara & Monterey Jack
- an improv'd pad thai using ketchup, Worcestershire & lime to mimic tamarind and crushed chili flakes instead of Thai chilies for the heat
- butternut squash soup and focaccia with balsamic & OO dip

Happy Humpday, all. :)

[BabsW]

I want to make your pad thai, but I'm afraid I will have to use ramen because I have no idea where to get the flat pad thai noodles!

[inaplasticcup]

You know, ramen would not be a bad substitute! I never thought of that...

[ChiliDude]

Surimi chowder for lunch.

[Rubee]

I skipped the mozzarella in carrozza I was planning for dinner (that will be tomorrow), but for brunch, and tonight's cocktails, used some goodies I picked up from the farmers market yesterday.

Cinnamon raisin bread became rum raisin French toast (eggs, heavy cream, spiced rum, vanilla, and cinnamon) with maple sausage. Movie night is going to be "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" so..hmmm..what to pair. No aquavit, punsch, or pear cider so, heh, we decided on Absolut. E ended up making a vodka cocktail with blueberry syrup from the farmers market (thinking along the lines of Swedish bilberry/blåbär). Really good! Now time for the movie. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

[inaplasticcup]

I love how you do the whole theme thing, Rubee. And the jewel color of that cocktail is so pretty!

[sunflwrsdh]

Crumb topped apple pie with cheddar crust. And I will be cooking slow roasted sirloin, mashed potatoes, gravy and baby carrots.

[inaplasticcup]

Oh, that apple pie dealie sounds perfect for today...

[eucalyptia]

Tonight: Thomas Keller's super amazing and easy roast chicken, roasted asparagus and maple & raisin stuffed baked apples.

[inaplasticcup]

What's the process for Thomas Keller's chicken, eucalyptia?

[mariacarmen]

this is it:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

i've posted a few times on CH because i love it so much!

[kattyeyes]

I didn't know TK did ANYTHING simple! ;) Interesting!

[mariacarmen]

very simple, very delicious.

i'm not enough of a connoisseur to tell the difference between a stock made from .... wait, i don't get it! you take a cut up bird but you debone it before you roast the meat? i'm too lazy for that!

[inaplasticcup]

I'm gonna assume that was for me, mc. :)

I don't debone, but I take basically remove the breasts and the quarters and roast them and have the raw meat and rib and back bones left for stock.

[mariacarmen]

oops yeah, it was. oh ok, i see.

[inaplasticcup]

Ahh. Ok. I do something similar, only with cut up bird. But that's because I'm cheap, and I want the raw carcass for stock. (I don't care so much for roasted stock.)

[BabsW]

Here I thought I was being cheap by using the roasted carcass for stock! ;-)

I've only ever made stock from the roasted carcass. Is there a big difference in taste? I may have to experiment with this. Hmm.

[inaplasticcup]

LOL. Well you are. Just not as cheap as I am! :P

To me the flavor difference between roasted and raw stock is that sort of smokiness the meat gets when it's roasted. I don't dislike it, but I much prefer stock from raw.

[chef chicklet]

I will be making sweet potato pie later, I just pulled the roasted sweet potatoes out of the oven, they are perfectly roasted. That time of year again, and it's one of the hubby's favorites.
Marinating boneless pork chops in a balsamic, red wine, garlic, onion, olive oil, oregano, bay leaf or two, and red pepper flakes. Later will be grilling them for Vinha D'Alhos and Portuguese potatoes, and salad.

[inaplasticcup]

Mmmm. I LOVE the smell of sweet potatoes roasting, chicklet! What is Vinha D'alhos?

[sandiasingh]

Freshly made carrot cake 100% organic. Yum!

[inaplasticcup]

That sounds lovely, sandiasingh. Did you frost it too?

[sandiasingh]

No, I was going to make an orangey sour cream icing, but didn't get that far. I think I'll make cupcakes with the frosting for gifts for friends. Would you have another recommendation?

[inaplasticcup]

That orange-sour cream thing sounds perfect, actually. I'm just so used to cream cheese frosting that it always comes to mind first. :)

[BananaBirkLarsen]

I made a creme fraiche caramel glaze for some cupcakes last week that I bet would be amazing on a carrot cake. I just caramelized 1/3 cup sugar in 1/3 cup water, mixed in 7oz of creme fraiche while it was still hot, then chilled it and added another 7oz of creme fraiche when it was cool. It had sort of a cream cheese frosting tang, but was lighter with a slight caramel taste.

[scubadoo97]

Breakfast today was baguette rounds some smeared with muhammarah and some with tomato jam. Both topped with French feta and a drizzle of fruity evoo.

[BabsW]

Breakfast was rösti with homemade chunky applesauce and crème fraîche. Not a bad start to the day. :)

[BabsW]

So far, I've roasted up and pureed 2 sugar pumpkins and used 2 cups of the puree to make pumpkin-apple butter, then I roasted up 4 lb. of roma tomatoes and made a roasted tomato sauce.

Not sure what to make next.

[inaplasticcup]

Damn, woman. You're on a roll.

A KAISER roll.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! :P

[BabsW]

Funny girl :p

The kaisers are all gone, and so is the pulled pork. :(

But I have plenty of butternut squash!

[Peg]

A stew of onions, celery, apples, pinto beans and barley, spiced with preserved lemon, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, cayenne, tumeric, ginger and garlic.
It was extremely yummy but as I didn't measure anything I doubt I can repeat it.

[inaplasticcup]

Out for dinner, but lunch was this 30 minute meal for one.

A Vietnamese-inspired noodle soup made with some chicken stock, tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger and fish sauce brought to a boil in about 10 minutes and then an active simmer for another 20, some al dente angel hair thrown in, a little bit of shredded boiled chicken, and a LOT of chopped cilantro and green onions, healthy squeeze of lime, and a fat dollop of chili garlic sauce.

Crunchy pickled jalapeños on the side...

[mariacarmen]

looks sooooooooo good. it could only be better.... with an egg on top!

[inaplasticcup]

LOL. You know I've eaten a whole coop's worth of eggs this month, mc... :P

[chef chicklet]

mmm.... beautifully done dinner as always. Sure wish we were neighbors!

[inaplasticcup]

Visit me if you're ever down here, chicklet!

Please. :)

[BabsW]

For breakfast, everyone had an egg & cheese on a bagel. Now, I've got another batch of King Arthur flour kaiser rolls rising - the kids LOVED them with their pulled pork sandwiches last night and asked for more.

I've also got some fingerlings roasting with onion, garlic cloves, grainy mustard, thyme and rosemary, and I'm drinking mulled cider. The house smells awesome. :)

[BabsW]

Here's how the kaiser rolls turned out :)

[scubadoo97]

They look great!

[BabsW]

Thank you. My kids tore through them pretty quickly, and they know good bread because I don't allow Wonder bread in the house. heh

[inaplasticcup]

Them rolls sure is purty... :)))

[BabsW]

Spanks, lady ;-)

[onceadaylily]

Is this the recipe, Babs? http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe...

Those look so good! We have sandwiches on the menu this week, and I'd love to try my hand at these.

[BabsW]

Yes, the King Arthur flour one, though I just realized that I made an inadvertent change. lol I made them yesterday too, but today I used milk instead of water. I was still thinking about my multi-grain bread recipe which uses milk instead of water, and instinctively grabbed for the milk. They came out really nice both ways.

If it were just me eating them, I'd top them with poppy seeds, but my kids told me to leave them plain.

[roxlet]

I have to check out that recipe. The one I have has you pull the sides to the middle and then set to rise upside down on a sheet pan withe poppy seeds on it. When it's time to bake, you flip the rolls and they are perfectly formed kaisers. I imagine you could do it without the poppy seeds.

[BabsW]

Oh, this reminds me, the OTHER thing I did differently was how I formed them.

Yesterday, I did as the recipe instructed and after the tops were cut, flipped them over and let them rise, cut side down, but they came out too flat for my taste, so this time, I cut the tops and let them rise as is, cut-side up.

Also, oddly enough I do NOT have a kaiser stamp, so I just made the cuts with my chef's knife. Worked great, I think.

I also rubbed the tops with butter as soon as they came out of the oven.

[kattyeyes]

<<I also rubbed the tops with butter as soon as they came out of the oven.>>
Mmmmm, we always did that with the bread baked at my uncle's restaurant. This recipe is officially stored in my "to bake someday" files. Really nice job, baker lady! I shouted out about your buns -- excuse me?! ;) -- on the preferred pulled pork bun thread, too.

[mariacarmen]

(hey OADL, you switched your matisse - recently, right?) that's one of my absolute faves.)

[onceadaylily]

The woman morosely contemplating the fishbowl was starting to depress me. It was washing my posts blue. The observer, clad in black there at the edge of that gorgeous riot of color, resonates with me a bit more. ;)

[chef chicklet]

gorgeous rolls babsW! Love KA recipes.

[BabsW]

Thanks! I love KAF recipes and products as well.

[sandylc]

Those look great!

[BabsW]

Thank you! They were easy to make and very popular. lol

[roxlet]

What recipe do you use for your kaisers, BabsW? I use the one from thefreshloaf.com, which are really good. Nothing like an egg sandwich on a kaiser roll!

[BabsW]

See above, it is the King Arthur flour recipe that onceadaylily linked. I love a good kaiser roll!

[Matahari22]

Made a version of some summer rolls today. Rice paper, rolled up with a mince of poached chicken mixed with cilantro, celery and green onions, yellow heiloom tomato, peppers, cabbage and carrot, and mint leaves. I made a peanut sauce to dip and a cup of homemade broth to drink along. I also had some fresh crisp apple, but forgot to put it on the plate for the photo.

Share this album with anyone by sending them this public link:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?se...

[inaplasticcup]

What did you put in the peanut sauce, Mata?

[Matahari22]

Just some peanut butter, coconut milk, water, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

[inaplasticcup]

I love the idea of the coconut milk! I'm going to try that next time I make goi cuon. Thanks, Mata.

[Matahari22]

Recipe also called for hot sauce (which I cannot do), and fish sauce, which I didn't have, and also more cilantro. Since I had the cilantro in the roll, I did not put additional, because I don't like a lot of cilantro. (I finally enjoy it in small amounts. Before, it was very soapy to me)

[sandylc]

How about a little toasted sesame oil?

[BabsW]

I baked a loaf of multi-grain bread and am now attempting to make a pectin-free mulled cider jelly by boiling down spiced cider. We shall see if that works.

[inaplasticcup]

DId it work, Babs?

[BabsW]

Ah, no. I ended up cooking t down to something like an apple cider TAFFY/CARAMEL.

Now, I've never made candy before, so I can never remember if it's always stir something liquidy with sugar in it or NEVER stir something liquidy with sugar in it to get it to crystallize and harden.

I'm thinking it's STIR. So next time, if there is a next time, I will boil this for less time, over lower heat and without stirring.

[inaplasticcup]

LOL. This sounds like my last week's strawberry guava jam experiment. :P

[raisa]

Spinach, mushroom and cheese quiche.

[kattyeyes]

Hey, check you out! Nice goin'! I really do want to try the cracker crumb crust. :) It's perfect weather for quiche.

[raisa]

The cracker crumb crust turned out so well that I don't think I'll be making a pie crust for quiche soon. It took me 10 minutes to prepare everything including the crust and 30 minutes in the oven. So happy!

[inaplasticcup]

Looks delicious, raisa. What kind of cheese did you use in it?

[raisa]

I used gruyere but i also had a little bit mozzarella sitting in my fridge. So, I scattered it on top of the egg. It created a pizza like feel.

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks! You've got quiche on my brain now...

[BananaBirkLarsen]

My boyfriend and I went fruit foraging yesterday and we brought back half a bag of very very ripe concord grapes. They're super sweet, but very seedy, so I'm attempting to turn them into a concord-vanilla jelly. It tastes good so far, although I'm a little worried it will cook down to nothing before it thickens -- there weren't very many grapes and I'm not using any additional pectin.

I'm also planning on baking some bread tonight. I've had the dough aging in the fridge for a few days now and we're having leftover lentil soup from the freezer for dinner tonight so it seems like a good match.

[inaplasticcup]

Koreans eat a lot of Concord grapes, but we rarely eat the skin, and we usually swallow the pulp (is that what it is - pulp?) whole. Let us know how the jelly turns out, BBL!

[BananaBirkLarsen]

I think the jelly has morphed into jam. It wasn't thickening up as I'd hoped and everything was boiling away, so I strained the juice, pureed the skins and mashed them through a sieve to get the seeds out, then mixed the puree back into the juice. It tastes great, but I only ended up with one small container. And we'll see how it thickens up. My grape jam may end up morphing into grape sauce before I'm through with it.

When you eat concords, do you usually peel them first and then eat the pulp or do you suck out the inside and throw away the peel? I don't usually mind the peel, and these were on the verge of fermenting on the vine when we picked them so they weren't even remotely sour. I couldn't get past the seeds though. I guess I'm squeamish about large seeds in my fruit. We got a pile of pomegranates, too, and my boyfriend won't stop teasing me because I spit out the seeds once I'm done eating the pulp.

[inaplasticcup]

We just suck out the inside and swallow the eyeball whole. And the crappy thing about eating Concord fresh is that pretty much all the goodness is found in the teeny tiny bit of juice between the pulp and the skin. :P

[ChiliDude]

Arrabbiata Minestrone Denso (Extremely Spicy Thick Minestrone) for 14 days of breakfast in a 8-quart stockpot. Helps keep my cholesterol and blood glucose numbers down.

[inaplasticcup]

I'm so behind on my posting, but the other day, I made a roast chicken sandwich with homemade lemon aioli.

A few more things to post later, but it's been a relatively slow week for cooking this week because the Man came down with what we think is a case of vibrio from some oysters we ate. Luckily, he is finally feeling much better now!

[kattyeyes]

Mmmmm...lemon aioli! I need to make that! And you made your own fancy avo fan, how about that? :) Lovely, as always, lady!

[inaplasticcup]

High five for the avo fan makers. :P

[mariacarmen]

another one with the beautiful avocados!
that aioli looks wonderful.

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks, mc. You are awesometacos. :)))

[kattyeyes]

Last night I baked chicken--nothing fancy, olive oil, rosemary, Penzey's California seasoned pepper and salt. But so nice to have leftovers because it's perfect for making chicken salad--I added golden raisins and chopped pecans, then attempted to top with a fancy avocado fan. I pulled this trick off ONCE and have the image to prove it (but not today!):

http://kattyskitchen.files.wordpress....

Today's avos were a bit less firm, thus not so picture perfect, smooshed somewhat when I tried to fan them and no pic to post; however, served with those little whole wheat toast crackers most folks use for cheese--NOM NOM NOM!

I'll hafta pick up a bag of broccoli slaw to put the rest of the dressing to good use. It's "Nanny's dressing for chicken salad" (she used it for cole slaw and potato salad, too). My only updates to her original recipe were to add rice vinegar instead of white vinegar and to add a bit of sesame oil.

[inaplasticcup]

That picture is really very droolworthy, katty... <drools...>

[mariacarmen]

that is beautiful. where are you again, KE? i can't find good avocados anymore, i swear. i'm in Bay Area. chicken salad with avocado is going to make an appearance at my home soon, tho...

[kattyeyes]

Thank you both! I'm in Connecticut.

[walker]

The best avocados I find are at Costco; I usually go to the El Camino one. There are 5 in a bag and I put them on the counter to ripen; since there are too many for all at once, when they are just ripe, I put them in the fridge and they last longer that way.

[letsindulge]

Quick & easy...tonkatsu.

[inaplasticcup]

Pretty. Is that Bulldog tonkatsu sauce on top?

[letsindulge]

Homemade with this recipe. I go light on the mustard powder, and use sweet dark soy.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes...

[inaplasticcup]

That is almost too simple to believe! I'm going to have to try that next week. Thanks, LI!

[scubadoo97]

Tonight was kinda of a last minute throw together. I had taken some top sirloin that I used to make kibbeh nayeh the other day and sliced it thin, marinaded it in some teriyaki and then seared it so my wife could use it for a beef salad last night while I was with the guys at our monthly cigar dinner. I had some broccoli that needed to be cooked and after cutting it up put some rice on. Not sure how the direction of this meal would go.

I ended up tossing in some sliced mini sweet peppers, onions, garlic and some crushed red pepper. Sauce made from an addition of more teriyaki sauce and a slurry of corn starch.

Broccoli and beef stir fry. Well it sounds better than last minute clean out the fridge dish.

[inaplasticcup]

What's kibbeh nayeh, scuba?

And what gets served at that cigar dinner? ^-

[scubadoo97]

Kibbeh is a ground meat and bulgur wheat combo that is served many different ways. It is a common Middle Easter food. Nayeh means raw so it is a type of steak tartare dish.

What is served at our cigar dinner depends on where we are. Restaurants that will have us are getting slim. Recently we were at a seafood restaurant with an extensive rum menu

[Doreen]

Dinner last night was Morocaan chickpea stew with a salad of boston lettuce, sliced golden delicious apples, walnuts, gorgonzola with a dressing of olive oil, moscato vinegar, mustard, mayo and honey. Really good combo.

[inaplasticcup]

That salad sounds lovely, Doreen. Great complement and contrast!

[ChloeLim]

Every Thursday, my boyfriend's dad coming to our place. So I made chicken skewers(red wine&garlic sauce) with Korean style fried rice and steamed egg for him. And home-made potato chips which is my boyfriends favorite. We had nice dinner together as always :-)
By the way, your turkey looks so tender. Must be yummm :-D

[inaplasticcup]

Looks delicious, Chloe! I love homemade potato chips... :)))

[letsindulge]

Mostly Korean with some Japanese.

[inaplasticcup]

Oooooooh. Uni. YUMS.

[mariacarmen]

o my goddddd LI, that's so fantastic looking!

[jmcarthur8]

Today I roasted some country style ribs for 3 hours under foil, then topped them with my favorite homemade Fanny Farmer cookbook barbecue sauce, then roasted them with the foil off for another half hour or so to crisp them up a little.
While the oven was on, I figured I may as well roast the fresh brussels sprouts, so I tossed them with a Lucini Roasted Hazelnut vinaigrette and left them in there for a little over a half hour, too.
Served with leftover garlic and sour cream mashed potatoes.
It's gloomy and windy and wet today in West Georgia. Feels like fall for a change. This was a perfect fall dinner.

[inaplasticcup]

Over the weekend, I made some slipper lobster tails with a cucumber/passion fruit melange and some simple buttered mashed potatoes.

Then on Monday, the Man had an office potluck, so fresh chips and blended pico de gallo.

Yesterday's breakfast was French toast with caramelized Strawberry Guavas.

This morning, breakfast tacos with egg, cheddar and avocado.

[invinotheresverde]

Love your photos. Both the food and the pictures themselves are lovely.

I'm having surgery tomorrow (nothing major), so I'm going through the pantry hard today. Steamed and pureed some lovely organic broccoli for my baby girl and made a quick noodle dish with rice wine vinegar, bird chiles, soy, egg, sesame oil and fermented soy beans for me. Spicy, carby goodness, which is perfect on this rainy day.

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks, ivtv. Sending good healing juju... :)

Those noodles would hit the spot for me about now. I'm hungry.

[scubadoo97]

My goodness, that looks fantastic. But then everything you post looks amazing.

Slipper lobsters are not so common here but are one of my favorite varieties when I can find them. I do see them when diving on occasion but they pale in number compared to the spiny lobster. Good eating for sure. One of those ingredients where your job is simply to not f**k it up. Looks like you did your job well :))

[inaplasticcup]

Thanks, scuba! That was your ceviche on WFD, right? That looked all kinds of delicious. :)))

[jayt90]

I felt like comfort food today, nothing elaborate, so I grilled a thick rib steak with smashed potatoes.

[inaplasticcup]

It's a good day for that meal in our parts.

Some beer for you to wash that down, if you're so inclined. :)

[jayt90]

If that's the Man's, it has tremendous head!

[inaplasticcup]

C.ackle O.ut L.oud... :P

This is actually Malheur Brut Reserve. I cracked open the special stuff for you. :)

[letsindulge]

Grilled NY strip & asparagus salad w/ hoisin-ginger vinaigrette.

[inaplasticcup]

Fantastic, letsindulge! Nice and pink too...

[letsindulge]

Thank you. Coming into asparagus season. This actually was my husband salad. I prefer mine more on the rare side. ;)

[scubadoo97]

No pics but last night's dinner was fish tacos with a side of seared scallops.

Mahi cut into cubes and seasoned, marinaded in line and tequila. Dried and dusted with Wondra then tossed in a hot pan till brown. The scallops were given a simple treatment of a light seasoning and then seared for color but still rare in the middle.

I had fresh corn tortillas and made a salsa from a tomatillo, tomato, serrano pepper and cilantro. Other garnish was thin sliced cabbage with matchstick red radish and a sliced avocado. Pickled red onions were also available for a topping.

[inaplasticcup]

How did you make that salsa, scuba? You know I'm always looking for ways to spruce up the tacos... :)

[scubadoo97]

Just a simple prep of fine diced tomatillos, tomatoes, red onion, serrano and cilantro. Dressed with a squeeze of lime and S&P. Only a touch of onion since my wife hates raw onions

[inaplasticcup]

Can't go wrong with a clean and elegant pico de gallo! :)

[beccydinosaur]

For some reason I can't upload photos from my phone but I'm home alone tonight (flatmates have gone away & my partner's out) so I'm in the middle of a big cooking spree. I made some cookies of my own creation with peanut butter, oatmeal and maple syrup for my partner to take to work tomorrow night earlier, and now I'm playing "let's experiment!" for dinner because I did a huge re-organization of my pantry earlier. I'm riffing on a miso-soup base (bonito, nori, miso, ginger, spring onions) by infusing a bit of green tea and changing up the spices/flavorings a bit. Once I've got the stock adjusted to my liking, I'll add udon noodles, smoked tofu, fresh snapper and spanner crab from the market, and a LOT of veggies to it. I'm the only one who cooks here at all so I'm making a huge pot: guessing my flatmates will be exhausted when they get back tomorrow so they'll have dinner ready :) (I like the system here: I love cooking for people and seeing my food appreciated, and they chip in on my grocery bill)

[inaplasticcup]

It's lovely that you cook for your flatmates, beccy. And I'm intrigued by the idea of green tea steeped in the miso soup. Very creative!

[beccydinosaur]

If I didn't, they'd live on Campbell's, ramen and cold cereal, so they're always appreciative :P

The green tea worked pretty well - I just used a tea bag tied to the pot handle (kind of like the bouquet garni with kitchen string trick I was shown very early on in culinary school!). It went nicely with the ginger. I took a photo but I have no Internet access except through my phone and Chowhound won't let me upload that way - though I sent the photo to my partner who was a little jealous! :P

I've been following a lot of your pictures in these sorts of threads for a little while - your food looks like art!

[MAH]

for dinner, pizza with spicy sausage and fresh mozzarella, basil and chopped tomatoes.

After our late dinner, I also made some things to take to various events we have tomorrow. Mini pumpkin cheesecakes with gingersnap crusts (made cupcake size) for the preschool Fall Festival. Spinach and artichoke gratin for a dinner party at a work colleague's place. Still need to whip up a hot crab dip for another event. that'll have to wait til tomorrow.

[inaplasticcup]

Hot crab dip. Share.

[MAH]

Sorry for the late response. My recipe for hot crab dip is basically as follows -- 1.5 lbs crab claw meat, 8 oz of reduced fat cream cheese (reg is fine too); 1 large or 2 reg finely minced shallots, dollop of sour cream; 1/3 c or so grated parmesan; 1 to 1.5 t Old Bay; 1/2 t or more Tabasco

Blend all ingredients except the crab meat. taste for seasoning and add more Tabasco and old Bay as needed. Gently fold in crab meat. Bake in greased baking dish at 375 for 30 mins or until bubbly. Also feel free to top with additional parmesan. I serve it with pita chips. It disappears quickly.

[inaplasticcup]

Picadillo empanadas with scratch pastry today. Lime, cilantro, jalapeno curtido on the side, and some homebrewed IPA to wash it down.

Sequential album here:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/10...

[DiningDiva]

Love, love, love picadillo empanadas. I usually serve them with a lime crema garnish

[inaplasticcup]

Agreed that that is a delicious idea, DD. :)

[Rubee]

Love them too. Now I'm starving and it's midnight here. Thanks a lot Ina!

[inaplasticcup]

LOL. You're always makin me hungry and thirsty. Turnabout is fair play. :P

[BananaBirkLarsen]

Made pancakes this morning. Oatmeal pancakes with cocoa nibs sprinkled on in the pan for an extra nutty crunch. Homemade fig preserves and honey to top it off, and an enormous cup of coffee.

The cocoa nibs made them, although they tasted a bit burnt. Maybe next time I'll mix them into the batter right before cooking. Even my pancake-hating boyfriend ate one and said it was "good... for a pancake."

[inaplasticcup]

Hey, what kind of a grinch hates pancakes? :P

[BananaBirkLarsen]

The same kind that hates crepes and doesn't really care for waffles! It's craziness. I don't understand it either.

[inaplasticcup]

The mind boggles... 8|

[iheartcooking]

I always thought I hated pancakes and them my mother in law taught me how to make them from scratch and now I'm just neutral on them. Would much rather have savory food for breakfast--- even with my raging sweet tooth!

[kattyeyes]

Last night's tacos become today's luncheon nachos!

[inaplasticcup]

I love a good repurpose!

[mariacarmen]

oh those look so delish! tacos deconstructed!

[kattyeyes]

Roasted hot cherry peppers! Some quality time in the oven with a combo of vinegars, oil and garlic brought 'em down to a more manageable heat level.

[inaplasticcup]

Those look really delicious, kattyeyes. Do you have measurements by any chance?

[kattyeyes]

Thank you--yes, I do. I had just a dozen peppers, so I used:
2 tablespoons balsamic
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

20 minutes at 425 degrees was PLENTY of time. :)

[inaplasticcup]

That sounds delicious and versatile. Thanks, katty!

[Kat]

Spicy chili in the crockpot. Turned colder outside tonite, so it was just right!

[inaplasticcup]

For lunch, a bacon, cheddar and caramelized onion omelette.

For dinner, arroz con pollo with a side of oven roasted broccoli and cauliflower accompanied by some homemade lemon aioli washed down with a really cheap but lovely bottle of semi-dry cava. :)

[jmcarthur8]

Tonight I made Italian sausage lasagna with some no-boil lasagna noodles that I got this week. The brand is DeLallo, it's from Italy, and it says "made with bronze plates". That intrigued me, so I bought a couple boxes and cooked it up today.
My son looked up the bronze plate thing online after dinner, and told me that it says the texture lets the sauce stay on better. I hadn't paid any attention, but the lasagna didn't slide apart like it often does. And the noodles weren't soggy like the boil ahead type are sometimes. I've been using Barilla no boil lasagna, but this one is a keeper, too.

[sunflwrsdh]

I just use regular lasagna noodles, with a little extra sauce added, and don't boil them. I cover the pan of lasagna with foil for the first, maybe 40 minutes, and then uncover it and let the cheese brown up a little. My sister taught me this trick and it works wonders. You can freeze it ahead of cooking it as well.

[scubadoo97]

No pics but today I made lamb shanks with braised lentils

[inaplasticcup]

Ohhhhh... Who got the marrow?

[bermudagourmetgoddess]

Started the morning off with some seared Fresh Bermuda Tuna (wasabi dusted) and some left over veggies from last night ...

[inaplasticcup]

That's my kind of breakfast. :)

[lafouchow]

French Pumpkin Soup. A local farm had this giant french pumpkin & was selling slices by the pound. I roasted a 1 lb slice. Separately, I boiled tiny pieces of red potato, sauteed an onion in olive oil. Then put all of this in a pot with chicken stock, fresh sage and parsley, dried thyme, nutmeg. After it cooled, I put it in a blender.

It's not bad, but could be thicker.

[inaplasticcup]

Perfectly seasonal!

[todao]

No images, but dinner tonight was country fried chicken, white asparagus, cherry tomatoes and brown rice. Not only was it colorful, it was very good.

[shaebones]

Last night. Cooked up what was left in my garden. Sauteed beet greens, swiss chard, roasted brussel sprouts w garlic and shallot. Topped w a good french feta and a splash of rice vinegar. Delightful.

[inaplasticcup]

That sounds lovely, todao. How did you prepare the asparagus?

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

No cooking, just preparing. Lunch was pears, and bananas, and dinner was a big bowl of guacamole, and chips. Too tired from the commute to cook. The Florida avocados weigh around 2#, and make about a quart of guacamole. Shoulda only used one jalapeño though. This last bunch I bought really have some heat in them.

Trying to think when the last time I actually cooked a full meal. The current work schedule has me pretty worn out by the time I get home.

[inaplasticcup]

Hi, jayt. I'll bet that turkey was tasty.

I didn't do much cooking today, but yesterday, I made angel hair with a fresh tomato and beef ragu with a romaine and sauteed mushroom salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. I also posted this on the What's For Dinner thread, which is another ongoing homecooking thread that focuses on dinner. (You might have already seen it.)

Oh, I did also make a ham and cheese croissant with a light smear of strawberry jam for breakfast today.

I like the idea of this thread because we can post whatever we make regardless of time of day, so thanks for starting it. :)

[inaplasticcup]

@jay, Saw your post on WFD. I think it's great that we have both options now. Count me in going forward. :)

[ukers]

For dinner tonight - baked salmon with buttery leeks on top, yellow bell peppers with smoked cayenne pepper and sushi rice.