What's for Dinner #185 - The Deep Freeze edition (for most of us!) [Old]

[LindaWhit]

Bitter, bitter cold in the Northeast and across the northern U.S. Warming stews, soups, and roasts abound. So what are you cooking?

[fldhkybnva]

It is a bit warmer here today but I just spent a lovely good time with a ginormous bowl of pasta - chicken fettuccine Alfredo with kielbasa and mushrooms...oh my such a great cold weather meal! I rarely eat pasta so the gargantuan amount that I piled onto my plate tonight has induced quite a great Sunday night serotonin surge.

[mariacarmen]

fldhkybnva - we're over here now... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/887978

[Bacardi1]

Sorry - didn't realize I'd already posted this on the new thread!! ;)

[foodieX2]

delete, wrong thread

[LindaWhit]

LOL! I read your thanks comment on WFD #184, and thought "Oh no, foodieX2 is going to hate me - we've already moved on to #186!" :-)

[foodieX2]

You are sweet to let me know! I feel like Dorothy sometimes! "People come and go so quickly here" :)

[LindaWhit]

One of my favorite movies. :-)

[Cherylptw]

Dinner tonight was hamburger steak, mashed potatoes with gravy and leftover kohlrabi greens from earlier this week.

[mariacarmen]

New thread here, dinner-cooking peeps: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/887978

[suzigirl]

I fell asleep last night so the bf had leftover BBQ chicken. Tonight I broke into the ham and i will be serving it with scalloped potatoes and broccoli. This week will be riddled with ham leftovers so if anyone here has some suggestions for leftovers, please feel free to post them..

[juliejulez]

I've been saving a few ham recipes, I haven't tried them and they're both casseroley, but here you go, I think your guy would like them since it sounds like he's a lot like mine based on your previous posts:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/asparagus-and-ham-casserole-10000000226485/

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes...

[suzigirl]

Those both look good to me but i got a thumbs up on the second from kevinandamanda from the bf. So i can wing that one for us. Thanks. If I try the other one I will let you know.

[mariacarmen]

ham soup with chard, beans....
how about that pan souffle egg thing EIP made, with some chopped ham?
mac-n-cheese with ham, ala LW?

[suzigirl]

Perfect suggestions. I will have plenty of ham since there is just us two. Thanks MC

[steve h.]

Thin sliced ham on warm, buttered biscuits.

[mariacarmen]

ooh yeah...

[suzigirl]

I didn't even think of those. And this is perfect for a Sunday brunch. I hope I don't lose my southern card for not thinking of those myself. I can't wait for brunch, or brekky if I can't wait. Thanx

[mariacarmen]

very welcome!

[Cherylptw]

Ham & sweet potato hash with a fried or poached egg on top; maybe even a citrus or herb hollandaise drizzled over all....great for breakfast/lunch/dinner

Grilled Pimento & Ham sandwiches; stuff them with arugula and some really nice slices of tomato (if you can find them) If you like spice,try spreading at least one side of the bread with a jalapeno mustard before adding the cheese. So good....

[suzigirl]

Mmm. A hash sounds good

[ChristinaMason]

Speaking of, try stirring some chopped ham into the sweet potato version of this Lydia recipe: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/de...

Don't be shy with adjusting the seasoning (I added rosemary, red pepper flake, lemon peel). And I found that each step needs about 5 minutes less of cooking time than called for. Or you'll end up with mush. This is really nice with a maple-mustard pan sauce made after browning the ham separately first.

[suzigirl]

I love Swiss Chard. Yum

[mariacarmen]

oh, YUM, CPTW!! that has sounds amazing.

[LindaWhit]

I had thought I might be going out, but it seems to have died on the vine, so I'm staying in. I had nothing taken out for dinner, so I guess leftover spaghetti and sauce and rolls will suffice.

I'll watch a movie as well tonight - on my list to watch are: The Iron Lady, Looper, Ted, Trouble With The Curve, Beasts of the Southern Wild, among others. Hmmm....

[juliejulez]

I watched The Iron Lady the other day. Meryl Streep is fab of course, but the rest of it was... odd.

Ted is hilarious, if you like really really dirty humor.

[LindaWhit]

Ted is what I went with - and I *did* laugh - a lot. Some crude but funny stuff! And considering it was set in Boston, even more fun to watch.

[fldhkybnva]

Non-traditional chicken cordon bleu AKA chicken roll-ups with cheese and ham. I plan to use black forest ham and usually use a combination of Munster and Provolone cheese but tonight I might switch it up - perhaps Pepper Jack or all Provolone.

[ChristinaMason]

It's so funny you write about these, because after another hound posted about their chicken cordon bleu, I immediately began thinking about how to make them low carb and thought about roll-ups. How'd they turn out? Could you explain your method?

[linguafood]

How is chicken cordon bleu not low-carb? Are you worried about the little breading on the outside? I wouldn't sweat it, Christina. Really :-)

And it's funny, I've had cordon bleu on the brain since that first episode of The Taste......

[ChristinaMason]

I'm not eating bread/gluten or grains at all...

[LindaWhit]

Would rice flour work?

[ChristinaMason]

Coconut flour is the only one really permitted according to this plan: http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.in...

Thanks, though!

[LindaWhit]

Ahh..

BTW, missing part of the link:

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.in...

[ChristinaMason]

Oops, my bad. Thanks.

[JungMann]

Well, there is always the old pork rinds as breading trick... but after a few too many years of that, I decided I would allow myself the luxury of a little bit of panko on occasion.

[fldhkybnva]

SO actually have noticed that we prefer most dishes which are generally breaded to be unbreaded. While I do quite enjoy a breaded chicken parm sub occasionally, at home we devour a delicious unbreaded version. As a pretty much low carber out of preference I have heard of the old pork rinds trick but never tried it and probably if I wanted a breaded texture would just go breaded.

[fldhkybnva]

I think my entire recipe for chicken cordon bleu has 8 grams carbs. Our method is chicken cutlets or chicken breasts sliced in half and pounded (I like to season with pepper, Greek seasoning and a sprinkle of Italian herbs) + 1 slice ham + 1/2 slice provolone and 1/2 slice Munster + roasted garlic paste + 1 tsp honey mustard (we really like Annie's Organic). Roll, secure with toothpicks, and bake. The only carbs are from the honey mustard and at less than 10 carbs for the whole recipe, it's a low carb winner!

[ChristinaMason]

Great, thanks!

[ChristinaMason]

I'm headed out for dinner, as I did last night, but I just wanted to say that your meals all sound so mouthwatering. Jealousy. Bon appetit!

[eperdu]

Last night was Chicken Bonne Femme---another fabulous hit from ATK Cooking for Two. I had a friend come over so there were three of us but I just added a few more potatoes and thighs and doubled the sauce and it was fantastic.

I'll def. make this again. Tonight, I will be eating out. After the day I've had I need someone else to cook for me.

[dkneesptoes]

Very cold here on the Maine coast - so down and dirty for suppah'! Kielbasa in slow cooker with kraut, brown sugar and Guinness, served on toasted rolls w/ swiss!

[steve h.]

Crab casserole is on the menu. The recipe comes from Sarah Leah Chase's, Cold-Weather Cooking. Deb will do all the heavy lifting, I'm in charge of cleanup.

This is a rich dish: lots of butter, cream, milk, egg, sherry, Dijon mustard and so on. Scallions and sun-dried tomatoes, albeit packed in olive oil, comprise the veg component. Dried tarragon, salt and pepper to spice things up. I'm not clear on the wine but I'll figure something out.

Stay warm.

[LindaWhit]

That seriously sounds heavenly! And I'm sure you'll find something to drink to go with it. :-)

[steve h.]

I'm smoking a virtual cigarette.
Yeah, it was that good. I went with a Sangiovese.

[fldhkybnva]

+1 that sounds divine.

[steve h.]

Thanks, it exceeded expectations.

[mariacarmen]

oh so rich and wonderful-sounding...

[steve h.]

We never get stuff right first crack out of the box. This recipe is a keeper and deserves noodling until we wring out all its potential.

[MAH]

tonight I am making a jambalaya (DH's faverite) with chicken, thighs, andouille and crawfish tails. it will be too spicy for the toddler, so she's having ricotta cavatelli with peas, roasted chicken, garlic and a light white sauce. She normally doesn't tolerate sauce other than garlic and oil with pasta, so hopefully this is a chance to branch out.

To start, I had planned to make a fromage forte, inspired by another thread here. But, the intended star a luscious truffle cheese, is moldy beyond belief. so sad. the fresh baguette we brought home needs a new accompaniment to go with the salami and olives we picked up. maybe i'll use the new gruyere and some shredded stuff I have around to still try the fromage forte?

[ChristinaMason]

my, everyone eats well in your home!

[mariacarmen]

fromage forte works with whatever you've got!

i would love to sit at your child's table!

[MAH]

i should have gone with my instincts and realized that the jambalya recipe's proportion of liquid to rice was off -- it was too soupy. i salvaged it -- uncovered at the end and turned up the heat to more quickly evaporate more liquid and scooped out some of the liquid just after I added it and realized the ratio was off. so the rice was a bit mushier than I'd have liked, but the flavor was good.

Little one's pasta was a hit. the light bechamel type sauce with garlic and parmesan was thinned with pasta water and the hot cavatellie tossed in with peas blanched in the pasta water at the end. this will go into the rotation, but maybe the green veg will fare better on the side. I should have known. she's a purist and wants foods to be separate.

[MAH]

I made the fromage forte after dinner with some aged gruyere, shredded ementaler/gruyere mix, crumbled blue cheese and crumbled feta, as well as some grated parm. a little bit of softened butter, chopped garlic and white wine.

a freshly baked baguette is waiting to be sliced and slathered.

[mariacarmen]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm jealous!

[Breadcrumbs]

Tonight we’re having some Parmesan crusted veal chops w a lemon caper sauce w a pasta on the side. (yet to be determined).

Tomorrow we’re having a roasted meat of some sort (we’ll see what mr bc brings back from the market) and a very LindaWhit-friendly side of A Medley of Roasted Potatoes with Homemade Za'atar & Aleppo Pepper.

Linda, just in case you read this, I’ve pasted the link to the recipe for those potatoes:

http://food52.com/recipes/7952_a_medley_of_roasted_potatoes_with_homemade_zaatar_aleppo_pepper#

ETA: and another recipe w Aleppo pepper that I LOVE is from Saveur...it's a Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and I always use more Aleppo than it calls for. The fruity peppery flavour of the Aleppo is heavenly w the sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes. The first time I made this we had it atop crostini but I used the leftovers on pasta and it was awesome. I've also spread it on chicken before roasting...mmmmmm:

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

[LindaWhit]

LOVE LOVE LOVE the sound of the potatoes, Breadcrumbs! The sundried tomato pesto also sounds good, but I'm not a fan of olives (love the oil, dislike them). But I like the idea of taking sundried tomatoes, adding Aleppo and a few other ingredients for a pasta toss - would be good in a cold salad.

[Breadcrumbs]

I just knew you'd love those potatoes Linda. I always think of you when I take my Aleppo pepper out!!

I love your idea of adding that pesto to pasta salad, I'll definitely do that. mr bc isn't a fan of olive tapanades though he does love olives. FWIW, I only use 10 olives and more SD Tomatoes when I make that pesto.

[juliejulez]

Up early this morning as we're dog sitting a very cute cocker spaniel that insists on getting up before 8am. He doesn't seem to understand it's Saturday. Today is a cleaning frenzy, SO's mom and stepdad show up tomorrow for 4 days. While cleaning I plan on roasting up 6 of the red peppers I got on sale this week. It's my first try at doing it, and I'm doing in the oven. I figure if I screw it up, I only wasted $2.

Tonight I will be making some braised chicken thighs (frankenchicken 8 ouncers) with bacon and mushrooms, with garlic mashed potatoes, and, hopefully, roasted asparagus. The asparagus at the store is always hit or miss, we like the big fat ones and sometimes they only have the weenie skinny ones. If they don't have it, well, I'll just figure something else out while I'm there.

[Frizzle]

It's Australia Day here (or 'straya day' as the locals say) - the equivalent to July 4th for the US. The streets are filled with people wearing flag splattered clothing heading to local pubs to take part in pie eating and thong throwing (thongs are what they call flip flops here) contests. For those not at the pub they're most likely in backyards, sparking up BBQs and tossing sausages, or 'snags' as they call them on and knocking back a cold beer or two.

Not wanting to do any dishonour to our home of the last couple of years we too sparked up the BBQ, although I'm afraid despite using lamb our meal was not very Australian. We tried a recipe of JungMan's from another thread for a lamb seekh kabab. Lamb mince with a generous amount of chilli, garlic, ginger and numerous other spices. These are shaped onto skewers and grilled. We served them with onion slivers, coriander leaves and limes to squeeze over them. Delicious. Also on the table was a simple grated carrot salad and the potato mix from a masala dosa recipe. We're now enjoying some cricket on TV and soon a mango will be consumed to complete our Australia Day meal.

[LindaWhit]

I had to go look up what Australia Day was - the establishment of the colony - hope you have/had a wonderful day today! "Firing up the BBQ" - we're such a long way away from that in cold New England! LOL

[Berheenia]

We used to call them thongs here too until the underwear took hold. Some of us older women still like to embarass our families by referring to our fondness for wearing just thongs in the summer. What do they throw them at? Sounds fun.

[Frizzle]

I've lived here for a couple of years and still snigger whenever anyone says thongs. I was in Singapore previously and over there they are called slippers. Workmates used to say they couldn't come and meet us at a bar because they were in their slippers. I had visions of pink fluffy footwear! I have no idea what they throw them at - I assume it's a distance based competition.

[mariacarmen]

Happy Belated Straya Day! funny, as kids (growing up on Los Angeles) we called flip-flops thongs too...

your lam sounds so wonderful...

[JungMann]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the kababs! Were it not the coldest mid-winter here in recent memory, I would've been out at the local Tuck Shop for a pie eating contest myself. I am genuinely disturbed by the number of mince and chook pies I can down in one sitting.

[Frizzle]

They really were very, very good JM. We'll be making them again for sure. Many thanks for sharing your recipe.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Today was quite gray, rainy and just plain dreary all day. Screamed out for some comfort food. Made meatloaf patty melts from last night's leftover loaf. Caramelized thick slices of red onion then browned both sides of a thick slice of meatloaf. Slathered the done side with a pile of mashed potatoes and butter slices. Flipped over and tried to brown the other side. The potatoes weren't stiff enough, but it came out very tasty. Made a side of bacon Mac and cheese, and boy #1 got a bowl of beef vegetable soup. That's a keeper.

[greygarious]

Recently I saw, made, and liked the ATK (or CC?) chicken parts and chunked winter vegetables all roasted together on a sheet pan for 45 min at 475F. Today was my second try at doing the same thing with chunks of pork shoulder. First time I pressure-cooked the chunked pork first, which I thought might be needed to melt the collagen. End result was tough.
Today I used smaller pieces, marinated first, not pre-cooked.
Did the pan at 400 because I was using sweet potatoes, and did chunks of plantain and apple quarters on a separate pan so I could remove them sooner. This one came out well, and I have enough for 3 more meals.

[LindaWhit]

Dinner is simple tonight - we had delivery Bertucci's pizza at work for lunch, and I had ordered about 6 large Caesar salads for everyone to pick at. There were 3 left over, so the CEO, CFO and I all got to take one home.

So dinner will be Caesar salad, spaghetti & meat sauce, and a Bertucci's roll. And some wine. :-)

[steve h.]

Sounds great.

[Breadcrumbs]

Sounds wonderful Linda. Spaghetti & Meatballs is mr bc's favourite. So much so that he pleaded w me for "Spaghetti Fridays". Though I couldn't stand repeating the same dish every week, I did agree to do this once a month. By coincidence, tonight's the night!! We didn't have a Caesar salad though and now you totally have me craving one. I haven't made one from scratch in years. Maybe that's in the cards this weekend! Thanks for the inspiration.

[Berheenia]

There's something about a Bertucci's roll ... so good and they are always happy to throw in a bag of them with your order!

[steve h.]

I picked up some good looking swordfish from my fishmonger today. Orzo with spinach will be on the side, maybe some cherry tomatoes sautéed in olive oil and garlic slivers to add a little color. A nice dolcetto to wash it all down (the acid of the dolcetto pairs well with the dense swordfish).

I'm getting pretty tired of this deep freeze stuff. After supper, I'll be loading up The Endless Summer (1966 version) on the DVD player, kicking back and sharing a few gin & tonics with Deb.

Edited to add: It's snowing.

Stay warm everyone.

[steve h.]

Swordfish photo

[suzigirl]

That looks delicious and light concidering the temps. I like the looks of that.

[steve h.]

Thanks. I was railing against winter.

[suzigirl]

I like how you rail. If you rail against the heat do you make your lovely bride short ribs? Hehe

[steve h.]

I take her to Northern California. :-)

[suzigirl]

Even better. Loving how you roll.

[mariacarmen]

lucky woman.

[LindaWhit]

That looks GOOD!

[steve h.]

Thanks, it was tasty stuff. The Endless Summer on the plasma last night really put a smile on my face. I refuse to take this deep freeze stuff lying down.

[mariacarmen]

yum steve, yum.

[steve h.]

Thanks, mc. I'm curious how the leftovers will hold up.

[rabaja]

You've all been busy, no matter the weather it seems!
We've had warmer temps (not warm, but not freezing), then some rain and now it's just a little strange. Grey, 60ish with pockets of sunshine.
If this keeps up I can see clam chowder on Sunday, after a blessed real weekend off, I'm so excited.

Tonight we are having cod. Not sure what Im doing with it, it may get simply baked with lemon and butter, maybe a sprinkle of chile.
I know there is a vote for cod fries a la Albany NY, but I'm not sure I am up for deep frying tonight. Does anyone have experience with this regional dish I've yet to taste?
I have torta rolls, and could certainly whip up some tartar sauce, but it won't do a thing for our waistlines.
How do you like to do cod? I found it today at Whole Foods (which I almost want to stop shopping at after listening to their CEO on the radio) for $8.99/lb., very nice and fresh.

[linguafood]

I usually just pan-fry cod filets (lightly dusted w/seasoned flour) with oil & butter, then make a pan sauce with a little white wine, maybe mustard, def some light cream or crème fraîche. Herb of your choice.

[rabaja]

That sounds more my speed for tonight, thank you.
I'm thinking of making steamed cauliflower and boiled potatoes on the side, just to complete the friday night-white plate of my childhood. With chopped parsley, of course.

[rabaja]

The cod was delicious, and the pan sauce really made my husband happy on a Friday night after a rough work day. -even if my cast iron skillet turned it slightly grey. Oops.
I hope to be able to find more of this lovely cod. It was unbelievably fresh. A very light, non-fishy smelling fish too, for all of you out there with picky fish eaters.

[linguafood]

Love cod.

[Jeanne]

I know this is too late but for further ideas - oven roasted "fries" are great. Toss in oil, salt and pepper (olive oil or veg oil) - bake at 425 - they are great and a lot less mess!

[Musie]

Got a pork loin slow cooking in a plum glaze, going to serve it up with green beans and a little bit of last nights garlic mash.

[suzigirl]

Do you make the plum glaze? Care to share?

[alliegator]

Grrr, not my best week. Despite our lovely weather the last few days, I think I hab a code. But it's far better than some weeks I've been hearing about around here.
Since I'm in couch sittin' with fleecy blanket mode, I'm asking the mr. to grab some pho on the way home for me and whatever else he wants. Soothing soup + junk tv. Winning combo.

[suzigirl]

Sorry about you code. What a nice Mr bringing you some pho. That sounds just right for battling the beasties. My ex husband would have thrown me a can of chicken noodle and locked himself in the den across the house from me

[LindaWhit]

Ahh, feel better, allie! Hope the pho and junk TV work!

[linguafood]

Argh. The crud's going around everywhere these days, it seems. Feel pho'ing better soon, allie '-)

[iowagirl]

Ugh - weekend colds stink! Hope the pho chases the stuffy stuff away! And junk tv always makes me feel better too! Tell the mr to take good care of you! Chowhound's orders!

[alliegator]

Thanks, iowagirl! He knows his role: bring me the food, take out the dogs, do not fight me about what to watch. He's a good caretaker ;)

[alliegator]

Thank you for the well wishes, fine ladies. I thought it was just an air pressure change thing as we're chilly here now, but it's become clear it's da code. I'll knock it's azz out soon.
Suzigirl, would love to hear about your jambalaya. Lingua, have fun at your party, and LW, pho and the idiot box cure it all!

[suzigirl]

Yours looked so good and i never got any leftovers so I want to try my hand at my own. I haven't made any in years. Hope the bf likes it. He and I are very lucky. With a dish like this he gets the lions share of the meat and i indulge in the carbs. It works out great

[alliegator]

Haha, it does have something for everyone! I hope you have enjoyed or are enjoying.
My pho did perk me up, our favorite Vietnamese joint does a very nice gingery one. I go with the all sirloin, the tendons kind of freak me out (I know, not very 'houndish). And they're kind enough to put all the cilantro, sauce, etc. in little side containers. The high point of my day!
Now in my 'jammies and flipping between a hockey game and Gold Rush, the ultimate junk tv!!
Hope you all are eating well tonight.

[mariacarmen]

ok, you actually made me miss being sick!

but hope you feel better!

[suzigirl]

I went a bit nuts at the store today so i will probably have to make room in the freezer. I got an eight lb ham shank portion for 5.97. Couldn't pass on that. I got the fixings for Jambalaya with shrimp and sausage.i was inspired here to make it.I got ribs that i have decided on making cheriyaki style with broccoli and jasmine rice. I also got beer brats and peppers and buns. So you can see my dilemma. Now to decide who goes on the menu tonight and who won't make the weekend cut....

[juliejulez]

Yum, it all sounds delightful :) I would save the brats and peppers for a weeknight since it sounds like it's faster to cook than the others.

[suzigirl]

Good idea. Brats on Monday.

[linguafood]

We got invited to a birthday dinner party at a friend's house tonight, and my caesar salad was requested. No clue what else is on the menu, but I like to be surprised. Both our friend and her hubster are good cooks, so it will likely be a pleasant surprise :-)

First time back to kicking boxes later today -- hopefully, my stupid back will play nice.

[iowagirl]

SO excited for my food plans this weekend! Tomorrow is my bday, so tonight it's dinner out with hubby at our favorite tapas place. MMMMM datiles, cheese, short ribs, may be some piquillo peppers and definitely red wine. Then tomorrow we're having some friends over to celebrate, and I decided on Iowa comfort food - with a bit of a twist. Chef Paul's meatloaf ("it's NOT your mama's meatloaf") with the spicy cajun sauce for beef, garlic mashed and roasted green beans. Will just buy dessert. Sunday - salad!

[mariacarmen]

happy birthday iowagirl! sounds like a yummy weekend ahead of you - enjoy!

[LindaWhit]

A very happy birthday to you, and enjoy your weekend eats!

[suzigirl]

Happy birthday iowagirl. It sounds like some yummy eats on the horizion

[juliejulez]

Happy Birthday! That does sound like a very delicious weekend :)

[alliegator]

Happy birthday! Enjoy all those tasty goodies to the fullest :)

[PHREDDY]

IG...
Many Happy Returns! :-)

OHHHHH those garlic mashed and meat loaf!

[iowagirl]

It was SO good! Such a classic combo, and the unique flavors of that meatloaf are soooooooo tasty. Birthday bliss!

[Bacardi1]

Market had lovely U.S. wild-caught jumbo shrimp on sale, so a pound of those went into a Greek-style saute with tomatoes & barrel-aged Feta cheese, served with a side of Orzo pasta tossed with extra-virgin-olive-oil sauteed spinach & fresh lemon juice.

[roxlet]

Last night I made Piquant Chicken from Serious Eats. It's essentially a riff putanesca made with chicken, capers, oil cured olives, white wine, and I added a bodacious amount of mushrooms. Served with rice, it was a really tasty and warming dish for a cold night.

[boyzoma]

Last night's dinner was a huge pot of minestrone soup. So warm and comforting. I made enough to freeze some in individual tubs for later. Will probably have that again for dinner tonight too! Think I'll have DH pick up a subway sandwich that we can share on his way home to go with it! (But I'll be sure to measure it and see if it is 11" or 12") LOL

[Cherylptw]

Pan seared pork steaks covered in Campbells tomato soup, bell peppers and onions then finished in the oven. Extra sharp cheddar mac & cheese and corn on the cob from the deep freezer (saved from summer). We are expecting a bit of snow tomorrow afternoon; dinner tomorrow may be a pot of soup.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Do you blanch your ears before freezing them? And do they take up a lot of space?

[Cherylptw]

I dipped them in boiling water, then into cold water to stop the cooking and that's all (no leaving them to boil). Broke the ears in half and into a freezer bag, they didn't take up much space.

[rmarisco]

tonight was definitely from the deep freeze! trader joes "diner" style frozen mac and cheese, with the addition of fresh pico di gallo and shredded (leftover) rotisserie chicken.

(don't judge me - the teens love it)

[mariacarmen]

no one will judge you here! mac & cheese and pico de gallo is a great idea - the acidity cutting thru the richness? like it.

[Berheenia]

We love that TJ diner style mac and cheese....mmmmm.

[PHREDDY]

Did it work? If yes then we will judge you

[iowagirl]

So after spending the day booking hubby's next solo trip to Jamaica, working and hot yoga, it's leftover papaya mustard with freshly sautéed chicken sausages and a big green salad. Eating of the earth and all that! With red wine. Hubby is at poker, so it was leftover General Tso's for him!

[roxlet]

So, wait. He goes to Jamaica without you, and all you get is yoga and chicken sausages? What's wrong with that picture?

[linguafood]

For realz!

[iowagirl]

I know, right? But I do eat VERY well when he's away. All the things he doesn't like and I love - namely, pork! And potatoes. And ice cream. He has TONS more vacation time than I do, and it only makes sense for him to use it. I stay home with the pups and cook. :)

[alliegator]

My husband goes surfing in Costa Rica with his boys every year. It doesn't bug me in the least. Like you, I'll hang out with my dogs and eat well! I'd rather do that than board the dogs and sit on the same beach day after day watching a bunch of 40 year old guys bobbing around on their boards.

[Dirtywextraolives]

I wanna know how he can be with an iowagirl and not like pork.....

[iowagirl]

Ha! No kidding! He's a transplant from Chicago and is also Jewish, so he plays that card for most pork products. But he LOVES sausage, bacon, ribs ... he's very funny! :)

[fldhkybnva]

I think tomorrow night will be Zatarain's jambalaya. I love the stuff and it's prefect for these cold nights and I have no energy to bother making it from scratch. We have always used Zatarain's but any other favorite jambalaya spice packets?

[Berheenia]

We love Zatarain's red beans and rice mix. Just cook up some sausage to make it a meal- kielbasi is big here in New England.

[Dirtywextraolives]

I'm thinking the same thing for tomorrow night..... ;)

[steve h.]

Veal parm and spaghetti will make a return appearance (not leftovers). House red will be on the table. It's single digits outside and I'm building a fight-back attitude.

[ChristinaMason]

Nice, that's a meal I can get behind.

[Dirtywextraolives]

You guys gots a stash of cutlets ;0)

[prima]

Jenga Ribs from this month's Bon Appetit's RSVP, which I served dry, without the glaze/commercial BBQ sauce, and cooked at 275 degrees F for 3 h,
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/02/jenga-ribs
and Sweet Potato & Barley Stew http://www.marcussamuelsson.com/recip... . I was heavy-handed with the pepper, and doubled the red wine vinegar and sugar in the Sweet Potato and Barley Stew, but still found the flavours a little too delicate/subtle for my taste. Added some Tabasco at the table, which completely took over the delicate flavours of the vegetables, but at least it was too my taste!

Will make the Jenga Ribs again.

[mariacarmen]

those ribs look great.

[prima]

I liked them. ;-) I increased the brown sugar a little.

[LindaWhit]

Both dishes look great!

[fldhkybnva]

Oh wow my leftover coffee froze in the car from this morning until now...not sure how long I can exist in this cold :) I am the kind of person who is cold when it's 70 degrees outside so this is extreme for me. We had a lovely weekend planned with SO of great meals including seared tuna and scallops, steak, etc however none of it sound any good now and all I want is comfort food - bring on the macaroni and cheese and chili

[Musie]

It is my husbands turn to cook tonight. Each week he tried a new recipe. Tonight he is making peppercorn crusted steaks with a peppercorn sauce, served with garlic mash and peas.

[suzigirl]

Lucky you. It sounds very tasty

[hawkeyeui93]

Lucky you!

[juliejulez]

Yum!

[suzigirl]

Its actually chilly here which is rare so the oven is getting used. BBQ chicken leg quarters are going in. Cant decide if I want to go picnic and do baked beans and slaw or if I want mashed potatoes and garlicy spinach. I am leaving the sauce off one for me but frankly its just to be safe. I feel fine but i don't want a relapse so I will resume my regular diet of eating like a stoned teenager tomorrow.

[mariacarmen]

ahahaha stoned teenager! i like your idea of potatoes and garlicky spinach, myself.

[GretchenS]

what mc said -- all of it!

[juliejulez]

Me too, I think potatoes and spinach is better sounding for cooler weather. And I literally LOL'd at the stoned teenager comment.

[suzigirl]

I think our all are right. I am going with taters and spinach.

[hawkeyeui93]

Whip up some brownies and you will recapture your teen days!

[suzigirl]

I was vetoed. Ended up with 4 bean salad and slaw per my bf request. The bean salad was Reads canned drained of all the liquid and replaced with red wine vinegar and various herbs. He and I like it tart and herby. He was a happy guy. And it will taste even better in his lunchbox after it marries overnight. He always gets a lunchbox.

[Dirtywextraolives]

BWA-HAHAHAHA!! Love it, I have similar tendencies....

[Uncle Bob]

Dirty Martini.....
Chicken Sauce Piquant.......
Rice....
An Iceberg plus Romain Salad with my favorite toppings (See the Iceberg Salad Toppings thread......
Caper Dressing.....
French bread......
Blue Bell Chocolate Cream....

[Cherylptw]

Tell me about your Chicken Sauce Piquant, please sir.

[Uncle Bob]

No formal recipe for things like this. ~~ I use 6-8 skinless chicken thighs browned well. Remove the chicken, and saute 1 large chopped onion, 1 large bell pepper, 2 ribs of celery on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add 1 quart of tomatoes, and 1 can of diced tomato and chilies. Stir. Add 3-4 toes of garlic chopped and 2 bay leaves. ~~ I"m guessing.. 3 t. Thyme, and 2 t. Oregano?? ~ Salt and black pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasonings. Want it hotter? Add cayenne pepper, or dried red pepper. Make it taste good!!! ~~ Then add back the chicken to simmer until the meat is almost coming off the bone. ~~ You can make your roux after you brown the chicken..or you can make the roux separately and add towards the end for desired thickness. The roux needs to be dark brown. I use twice the amount of flour to oil to make this roux. About 1/4 cup oil to 1/2 cup flour. ~~ Sorry if all of this is confusing...I don't measure a lot.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Care to elaborate on your caper dressing, s'il vous plait?

[Uncle Bob]

2 Cups good quality Olive Oil......
1-11/2 cup Capers with juice....
4-6 large toes of garlic.....
2-3-4 Anchovy filets with a little oil.....
Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice..
Pinch of course ground black pepper.....
Use an immersion blender to blend.....

This is a goof place to start. Change any amounts to suit your taste! I sometimes use a whole tin of Anchovies.

Have Fun and Enjoy1

[Dirtywextraolives]

Sounds delish, mercí!

[Cherylptw]

Not confusing at all and I don't always measure either. It sounds perfect! It will be on my dinner list this coming week; thanks Uncle Bob!

[linguafood]

Funny, but for some reason, I've had fish sticks on my brain. I honestly can't remember the last time I had them (30 yrs maybe? whoa!), but the idea of crunchy crispy fish with a good squeeze of lemon & tartar sauce sounds mighty appealing today.

I think I'll give TJ's fish sticks a go, or search around on CH -- I do remember a recent (?) thread on The Best Fish Sticks.

Sides will be garlicky spinach, maybe a cuke salad, maybe TJ's oven fries.

[mariacarmen]

that sounds really really good. there's a place near my dad's that serves their own homemade fish sticks for breakfast, with eggs. it's pretty good.

[alliegator]

I love fish sticks! I make my own with tilapia and seasoned panko. I need to do that soon...

[linguafood]

I briefly considered making my own. But I think I really do want the store-bought "goodness" :-)

I might make my own tartar sauce, tho.....

[fldhkybnva]

Any favorite brands? I have had a hankering for fish sticks recently too

[hawkeyeui93]

My four year old daughter likes Mrs. Paul's .... They get nice and crispy.

[linguafood]

I honestly couldn't tell ya, since I haven't had them in a gazillion years. The brand I bought today is Gorton's haddock fish sticks. I almost bought a different brand at Trader Joe's -- just for the sake of comparing their taste....but those only come in a pack of 24 which I found a bit excessive, as the gods only know when my next fish stick craving rears its crunchy head.

For all I know, that won't be until 2050 :-)

[fldhkybnva]

Yea, we used to have them all the time as a kid but I have no idea what kind they were. Please do report back on your Gorton's

[alliegator]

Nobody can deny that certain "goodness", hehehe...
And you certainly deserve a minimal effort night after last evening's events.

[mariacarmen]

store bought goodness is good when it comes to certain things...

[mariacarmen]

so is the fish flaked and then bound with something, before you panko?

[alliegator]

A very abnormal 75 expected here today. Jeezus, I could lay in the sun!
I started this pan pizza crust project yesterday:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/20...
Tonight, I'll see how it turns out. Canadian bacon and pineapple for topping on one half, pepperoni on the the other. And spinach salad for the mandatory nutritional part of the meal.

[fldhkybnva]

I have the pan pizza recipe on my to do soon list, would love to hear how it turns out. Also I have more than envious as I shiver to death and feel like an icicle 24/7 in our 10 degree weather. Want any visitors? I'd hop on the first plane for warmth and pizza :)

[alliegator]

Everyone is welcome at La Casa Gator. But I will warn you that by the time your plane hits the ground, it may be sleeting--Texas weather is funny. So funny that it just hit 80 according to the teevee.
I'll definitely report back. This is my first pan crust, so cross your fingers for me!

[fldhkybnva]

Fingers crossed - I'm sure you will do better than Pizza Hut

[alliegator]

Thx, and I hope so! Or I'll end up calling the Hut :/

[alliegator]

Well, I followed the directions exactly because crust making makes me nervous, and it turned out to be very tasty!!! I totally recommend this recipe if you want to give it a go. I didn't do ham and pineapple because I was worried about the water content of the fruit, so it was an all pepperoni. But overall, a thumbs up!

[Pwmfan]

Thanks for the report! I was eyeing this recipe but wondered if it was worth the hassle (I have advanced crustaphobia). Now I'll have to give it a try.

[mariacarmen]

"advanced crustaphobia" - hah - love it! i suffer from the same malady.

[mariacarmen]

going to the oldster's tonight. dinner for both of us will be probably be liver and onions. it's one thing he absolutely loves, and i like it too.

[steve h.]

Liver and onions are the best. Some folk claim that you can test a chef by asking him/her to prepare chicken, others say eggs. My take is that the best test of a chef is liver and onions.

[mariacarmen]

put the pressure on, whydon'tcha!

i think i make a decent one - still tender in the middle, crispy on the outside....

tell me, do you think if i make 3 or 4 slices he can heat them up tomorrow? i've never saved liver before. i'm sure they won't be as good, but they'll still be "ok" to eat, right?

[steve h.]

That's a tough one, I have no first-hand experience with leftover liver.

Edited to add: Keller's Bouchon up in Yountville makes a killer liver and onions. Check it out before the crowds return in the Spring.

[mariacarmen]

mmmmm... Bouchon.....

[Cherylptw]

It's probably a little late for this post but just for future reference, you can reheat liver the next day. I do it all the time....I simmer a little beef stock with the meat for a few minutes in a skillet or add a little stock to a dish of liver, wrap in plastic and microwave a 1 1/2-2 minutes. I also reheat in gravy if I make it that way.

[mariacarmen]

good to know, cheryl, thanks. i cooked 4 pieces, he ate half of one, i froze the rest. he didn't think he'd want liver two days in a row. they may not be that great after freezing, but we'll see.

[PHREDDY]

Yo tambien! and some ketchup as a dipping sauce (mashed spuds?) :-)))

[mariacarmen]

yes on the spuds! that's what he requested. no ketchup for him, just a squeeze of lemon.

[PHREDDY]

MC....ketchup is my vice. But I can see the limon.

[mariacarmen]

i ended up eating something else (takeout sandwiches with my sister) but if i had been eating it, i would have used ketchup too.

[Sal Vanilla]

Only in the 30's tonight - which is about normal for these parts. We are having chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and mustard greens... that I am harvesting from the deep freeze! and milk gravy with crispy bits. Dessert: We call it refrigerator crumble. All the fruit that needs to go. Yeah, that last part sounded not so yumbly as it will be.

Oink.

[LindaWhit]

Dinner will be OUT tonight - meeting up with a friend to celebrate Christmas and her recent birthday. I suspect, based on the menu, it'll be chicken carbonara or short ribs stroganoff as my choice.

[hawkeyeui93]

Woke up to -4F in Ames, Iowa this morning, so I am now driven to make enchiladas this evening. I wish I had a nice pork roast as it would be my go to on a frigid day. Stay warm everybody!

[ChristinaMason]

Tonight I'm making Cuban picadillo, which I'll serve in red leaf lettuce wraps with some buttery avocado. There will be mango on the side, and I'm not sure what else yet.

I'm looking at a couple different recipes:

http://icuban.com/food/picadillo.html
http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/3473/Picadillo-De-Carne.html
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/03/pi...

I think the last one is probably too tomato-y, as one commenter mentioned; I am not going for Sloppy Joes here. Anyone have a go-to recipe or tips for making great picadillo?

[JungMann]

I've made the first one in your list and thought it tasted too much like my regular qeema with raisins. I'd be inclined to try the NYT recipe. Capers with picadillo sounds really good, if not a little more Puerto Rican than Cuban.

[ChristinaMason]

After much googling, this is what I put together:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (not too lean)
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 serrano pepper, minced (seeded if desired)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Adobo con sazon seasoning, to taste
1 tsp. Mexican oregano, crumbled
a few pinches of ground allspice (~1/4 tsp.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup raisins/currants
3 heaping Tbsp. alcaparrado, plus a splash of the brine (or use equivalent amount of pimento-stuffed green olives and capers)
3 Roma tomatoes, diced (including skin and seeds/"guts")
1/4-1/3 c. tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the peppers and onion, breaking up the ground beef as it cooks. Add the garlic and bay leaves, tomato paste, spices and seasonings, alcaparrado, raisins, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Cook down until thick and saucy. Stir in the chopped cilantro in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with hot sauce if desired.

Having never had this dish (except maybe as a filling in empanadas?), I'm not sure it was 100% legit, but it sure was tasty. Because the olives in my alcaparrado were not pitted, we just heaped the picadillo over salad leaves, rather than rolling up in lettuce wraps.

Wikipedia has lots of fun info on variations on the dish: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picadillo

[JungMann]

Maybe this should be the next DOTM. I know mariacarmen and I both have well-worn family recipes for picadillo! It would be interesting to learn about others.

[mariacarmen]

ooh i love picadillo. mine is pretty much a wing-it-use-what-you-have, but similar to the one CM used. and i too love the idea of capers!

[MAH]

I returned from a business trip late last night oddly craving chicken pot pie (perhaps having reviewed the COTM thread earlier). I stopped at Trader Joe's on the way home and picked up one of their frozen ones. But as I put it in the basket, I realized that I really wanted a homemade one instead, even if it meant eating even later...

Sauteed onions, shallots and a bit of garlic, Added diced carrots, celery and sliced button mushrooms. Added a bit of flour to make a light roux and then added chicken stock and some whole milk to make a light but somewhat creamy sauce. Added a good glug of marsala, then a bunch of leftover shredded roast chicken and some frozen peas. I piled the delicious mixture into two oven safe bowls and crowned each with squares of TJ's puff pastry (which is awesome, by the way). Baked at 400 for about 20 min. Really comforting on a frigid winter night. Nice welcome home dinner, even if it was 10pm.

[Sal Vanilla]

I like a good glunk of marsala in mine too. Good idea to top it with the puff pastry, A nice concession indeed.

[suzigirl]

That sounds hearty and comfortin

[suzigirl]

That sounds hearty and comforting, I meant

[MAH]

it was even better the second day. I had one reheated today and it was even better. The flavors had melded and became more unified. The next time I make it, I'll try to make the filling a day in advance and then bake with the pastry the following night.

I loved that it was much lighter than any commercially prepared version I've had -- the broth/milk combo was ever slow slightly thickened with just a tiny bit of roux, I'm going to play around with this and experiment.

[Sal Vanilla]

Wait. Your pot pie makes it overnight? We have a dog who mysteriously can open the fridge, sniff out the pot pie and devour it. I see evidence of it in the sink the next morning. Hubs sez it was not him so... And she uses a fork. Hmmm.

[mariacarmen]

dogs can be very sneaky that way...

[suzigirl]

Wow. My boyfriend says my cats do that with popcicles and ice cream. I have never seen them but i find the carton and wrappers the next day. They are talented, our pets.

[Bacardi1]

Market yesterday had some of the nicest, freshest (not previously frozen & thawed), pristine-looking skinless Haddock filets I'd seen in a long long time. Thus couldn't resist. Picked out two nice-size ones & baked them for 25 minutes @ 350 with just a sprinkling of lemon-pepper, thinly-sliced lemon, & a few butter dots. Talk about flavorful melt-in-your-mouth!!!

Served with one of my favorite quality frozen veg combos - Hanover brand's mix of whole green beans, whole yellow wax beans, & whole "baby" carrots. Just lightly dressed them with butter & a bit of salt & pepper.

It was a truly lovely meal - if not exactly a rib-sticker for the snowy night - lol!!

[Berheenia]

This single digit weather is getting really old. Yesterday there were two major breakdowns on the Transit system and we all realized how restricting this kind of cold weather is. Nobody in her right mind walks anywhere unless she has to. On days like this I'm glad I don't have a dog!
Hunkering down with some ratatouille and a ham steak tonight. There will be ham salad for lunch on onion rolls Friday.

[Klary]

It 's so cold here, I needed somethng warm and spicy yesterday instead of the salad I was thinking about..
made a quick stir-fry with red bell peppers, zucchini and green beans, a bit of chicken breast. Chinese black beans, rinsed and chopped, sambal, hoisin sauce, Shao xing rice wine. It doesn't happen often that I manage to get the spice level exactly right, but that's what happened: just spicy enough to tingle on your tongue and warm you up, not so hot it makes your nose run,
Served with rice, eaten on the couch, watching Enlightened. A great combo!

[meatn3]

We've been in the 30's for the past few days - which is pretty chilly for this area. I had some leftover duck and duck stock and used it for quick lentil dish (shallots, mushroom, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, fig balsamic vinegar). The roasted tomatoes had a bit of garlic and thyme so just needed some salt. I was short on goat cheese so added a tiny bit of cream. Served over polenta it made for a hearty one dish.

I roasted Jerusalem artichokes, Japanese eggplant and zucchini while making the lentil dish. I think some of the roasted vegetables will be used for a soup using the rest of the duck stock.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Well, a bit of a mash up, but I reheated the leftover pork tenderloin and made some baked stuffed potatoes for the kids while we did our after school appointment, on the oven's cook delay feature (God I love that feature! Note to self, if I DO get new ovens, this is a non-negotiable feature....). Then when we got home made a simple salad (and I mean simple, as in no dressing, just salt!) of baby spinach & pickled carrot sticks and plated the sliced pork, jus, potato & salad for the kids. Then i heated up leftover fingerlings (don't even remember when I made these, eek!) mashed up a bit, with some crumbled bacon & mixed cheeses for a potato skin type melt. Served it hot over the same spinach-carrot salad, with sliced avocado & a liberal dose of Texas Pete's hot sauce over it all. Yup, it was yummy

[fldhkybnva]

Chicken cordon bleu with black forest ham and a mix of Muenster and Provolone cheese.

[ChristinaMason]

Yum!!

[Bacardi1]

Last night was a nice Turkey Chili, using Tabasco brand's jarred "Chile Starter".

This is a really nice quality product, but unfortunately it's hit or miss as to what supermarkets will have it on a regular basis. Used to be able to find it at our local Walmart; then it disappeared. Then it appeared at our local Martins; then it disappeared. Good stuff. Good grief.

Anyway - nice turkey chili topped with crushed tortilla chips, shredded sharp cheddar, chopped baby lettuce, & sour cream. Good meal for a cold night.

[alliegator]

Can't say I'm deep freezing, it was well over 70 here today, and now at my computer perch, I'm enjoying the breeze from an open terrace door.
Tonight's menu has faux chicken cordon bleu as the main dish. I butterfly and marinate chicken breasts then bake them to about half way done, then put some honey ham and swiss inside and finish up. Mashed potatoes and haricots verts on the side.
In fact, I'd better get off me bum and get on it!

[mariacarmen]

mmmmmm faux or not, that sounds really good!

[DonShirer]

Roast beef sandwiches with Henry Bain Sauce and Pico de Lettuce inspired by NYTimes Magazine article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/mag...

Unusual way of cooking the beef, but it worked, although the center came out on the rare side. Much better than diner style RB sandwiches with gravy!

[LindaWhit]

I've heard of that brief high heat/turn oven off method before. Glad to hear it works!

And the Henry Bain sauce sounds great!

[linguafood]

Still bloody freaking cold out. If I didn't feel like I've been going a bit meat-crazy lately, this evening just *begs* for a hearty beef stew, or a nice bowl of meat sauce over pasta....

instead, I decided to make this cauli gratin from the NYT I found on their FB food page:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/hea...

'cept that I subbed butter for the oil, added a bit of light cream seasoned with garlic, cayenne & aleppo pepper, and also added some chopped up sun-dried tomatoes & toasted pine nuts.

It's currently baking away in the oven. Side will be an arugula mix with lemon zest vinaigrette.

[linguafood]

Huh. Guess we're ordering pizza out instead.

My gratin dish just decided to shatter into tons of pieces after I took it out of the oven. The stove top wasn't even hot anymore.

Oh well. All that work for nothing. Fuck.

[LindaWhit]

Oh NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Awww, sorry lingua! That sucks. :-( Perhaps because it's so cold out, the stove cooled down way too much.

[mariacarmen]

suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks!!! was it just sitting on the counter? such a pain in the ass to get all the glass up!

[suzigirl]

Fuck indeed. I have had that happen to me too. What a sad waste of food and a nice cooking vessel. I guess you know what to ask for for valentines day, unless your birthday comes first. Sorry about your dinner. :-(

[linguafood]

Thanks, ladies. I am so disappointed right now. I was really looking forward to trying this dish, especially with the additions I thought it sounded perfect.

We even made an extra trip to Wegmans during rush hour to get those stupid oil-cured olives.

Well, looks like that box of mac n cheese will finally be used up.

Wah.

[alliegator]

Omfg, so sorry. That must've startled the crap out out of you!
The dish sounded great, hopefully you try again sometime.
Treat yourself to the pizza, the box of mac and cheese sounds sort of sad :(
And LW may be right about the chilly surface thing. I know where you live *gives a shifty look* and it is no friggin' joke cold right now.

[Dirtywextraolives]

OMG - that happened to me once before too! What a huge nosebleed, huh? Sorry, friend.... Console yourself with something strong & stiff, and know you will get a new piece of cookware!

[juliejulez]

Ugh that sucks linguafood. I'm always scared of that happening! Eventually I want to switch to all ceramic or stoneware baking dishes to avoid it!

[Dirtywextraolives]

Mine was stoneware, I believe, so they are not immune, either!

[juliejulez]

Ugh, dashes my hopes of having a good excuse to spend the money on stoneware! :)

[PHREDDY]

careful with your F>>>>>>

[linguafood]

Food? Feet? Fate?

It'th a mythtery.

[Breadcrumbs]

So sorry that happened to you lingua, I can only imagine how disappointing and frustrating that must be. ...and then having to clean up the mess to boot. I hope there's a little wine around to help wash down that pizza or mac & cheese. Here's to tomorrow!

[LindaWhit]

Didn't really know what to do with a piece of chicken, so I split it in half lengthwise. Seasoned it with salt, pepper, and dried thyme, and pan-seared in some hot oil on both sides. Removed them to a baking pan and added a hefty tsp. of minced garlic to the remaining oil, and then added a half cup of orange juice and about a Tbsp. of champagne vinegar and reduced it. Poured it over the chicken and into the convection oven to finish cooking.

Sides will be leftover mashed sweet potatoes and a pea and roasted corn mix.

[mariacarmen]

i would never have thought i'd read the words "Didn't really know what to do with a piece of chicken..." from LindaWhit! you are the go-to for a piece of chicken!

sounds like you found your way, tho....

[LindaWhit]

LOL! Well, what I guess I mean is that I had no preset idea what I was going to do. I opened the fridge when I got home, saw the OJ, saw the mashed sweets, and then just opened the spice cabinet and went to town. I knew I'd need a bit of "oomph" so I added the vinegar. It's not bad - not stellar, but not bad. It fills the tum-tum. :-)

[mariacarmen]

and that's what it needed to do.

[Uncle Bob]

Bloody Mary......
Shrimp Stew.......
Boudin Casserole......
Salad........
French Bread......
2 Maybe 3 Hersey's Kisses.....

[suzigirl]

Boudin casserole. You have my interest. What is in that? Can I assume it has rice and sausage?

[Uncle Bob]

Probably want find that one on the internet or in a cook book. :)

Here's what I did; I had about 3+ lbs of boudin that I removed from the casing, added some black pepper, and cayenne, placed it in a casserole dish and heated it in the oven. Ta daaaaa... Boudin Casserole.

Rice, pork and seasonings....but not sausage.

[suzigirl]

okay. It sounded like it would be complicated but sometimes its the simple applications that work best. Thanks

[JungMann]

That sounds awesome! Any other great ideas for boudin? Besides balls, casserole and just eating them out of hand of course... And if you don't have any market boudin on hand, would you recommend making your own with some sausage meat, cooked rice and seasoning for any of these items?

[Uncle Bob]

Boudin is good on the grill as a snack while cooking other foods. ~~ I take it out of the casing, make patties, and heat thoroughly on a hot griddle. It will form a crust of sorts. Serve on the side at breakfast. Top with a poached/fried egg(s) ~~ All on an English muffin.~~ Hmmmm I'm thinking a boudin omelet in the morning made out of the left over "casserole" :)

Have Fun & Enjoy!

[Uncle Bob]

{{And if you don't have any market boudin on hand, would you recommend making your own with some sausage meat, cooked rice and seasoning for any of these items?}}

Sorry I missed this part last night. ~~ I would recommend you first look for boudin recipes, make up a batch and don't worry about stuffing it. ~~~ HTH

[steve h.]

Escarole and bean soup is on the menu tonight. Crusty bread will be on the side. A slice of duck pâté to kick things off, house red to wash things down.

Temperatures are quite low. The deep-freeze is expected to last through Sunday. We'll finish watching le Carre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - the BBC version.

Cold weather demands comfort food. Maybe lasagna tomorrow. We'll see.

[steve h.]

Simple soup.

[JungMann]

Winter greens soup was my inspiration as well, but I used brussels sprouts instead. I didn't want to open a can of beans and have more leftovers to contend with, so I bulked it up with a harissa-thyme chicken breast I pan roasted while the soup bubbled away. And since I've always equated a colorful plate with good nutrition, I balanced out all the green and beige with a hearty scoop of purple yam ice cream for dessert. Because purple is full of folic acid... Or something like that.

[eperdu]

Tonight will be chicken fricassee with a side of egg noodles... the first I've ever made. It'll be another meal from ATK Cooking for Two 2012 book. I'm really loving these books. It's nice to have a meal but not a fridge full of leftovers.

[juliejulez]

I just added that book to my Amazon wishlist, as I will now be cooking for one during the week (and like to have at least one serving left to take for lunch the next day) and two on weekends :) I cut down recipes often, but sometimes the results aren't stellar and/or I end up with a lot of waste (like I only need half a tomato or something like that), so this sounds nice to have it already cut down with correct proportions.

[eperdu]

The entire series is good (I have them all right now). One thing I really like is the "one big roast" section where you make one large meal and then choose 2 other meals to make which use up the leftovers. Last week I made a french pot roast, then a beef ragu and shepherds pie from the remains. It was great.

They also have a page in the front of each book which tells you what recipes you can make from leftovers. For example, if you have to use ricotta for one meal it'l show the other meals in the book which use ricotta so you can use it up.

They also have desserts which are cut down to size. You might check your local library for copies, that's where I grabbed mine but I will end up buying them all. :)

[juliejulez]

That sounds totally great. I will definitely check the library out, after buying the COTM for February my cookbook allowance is used up for a bit :)

[Dirtywextraolives]

I think I *must* order that book for my Mom, she loves to cook but hates having to eat it for four days afterward! It's just her and my Dad, whom she needs to look after. Are the recipes terribly involved?

[eperdu]

I don't think so. I get off work at 9pm and most of the recipes I can be finished with by 945 or 10 at the latest. Most of the steps can be done while the other is progressing. The fricassee, for example, you get the chicken browning which takes about 8 minutes or so and while that is going you can chop the onion and mushrooms. While those are browning, again, you can prep the other ingredients. It's a pretty relaxed pace overall.

Many of the recipes do call for browning the meat, pulling it out of the pan, building the rest of the recipe and adding the rest back and simmering it.

There are vegetarian selections, slow cooker recipes, one skillet, grill, and a dessert section which includes muffins (4 muffins at once) and scone/bread things.

I love it. It's got the great solid backing of ATK but smaller portions. :)

BTW, the fricassee was fantastic. I loved it. I served it with egg noodles which was a nice accompaniment. :)

[suzigirl]

The pesto chicken from juliejulez was great last night. Came out looking like the picture. I will make it again for sure. I am making brats and sauerkraut with boiled red potatoes for the bf. Still not sure about my tummy and kraut so I will have scrambled eggs and toast or a grilled cheese. Maybe chicken noodle, who knows? Something tummy friendly and simple.

[juliejulez]

Yay I'm glad you liked it. It's so easy, and I bet it'll be great in the summer w/ fresh pesto (I use the jarred stuff from Costco)

[suzigirl]

I used Amore from the tube. It was the perfect amount. I didn't spread it in the pan, I put it right on the breasts. I am interested in trying it with Classico sun dried tomato pesto. Its in a jar near the pasta sauces. I'm betting that would be good. I will post when I try it. I'm sure it will be soon as i have two jars in the pantry.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Me too,thanks for inspiring me to use them creatively!

[suzigirl]

If you meant the Classico(which i love) try adding a few heavy handed spoonfuls in your rice when cooking. I also love to spread it on talapia or other mild fish and broil it and serve with lots of lemon. It is really nice both ways

[Dirtywextraolives]

I love the fish idea, thanks!

[iowagirl]

Last night was a surprising success! Crab cakes (store bought) and papaya mustard for dipping. It was serendipity, because hubby and I were debating mango salsa or papaya mustard (which he had with his crab cakes on our December trip to Jamaica and was dying for) and when I went to the store, they actually had pre-cut cubes of fresh papaya! Came out SOOOO good - perfect combo of heat and sweet. Big green salad on the side.

Tonight hubby wants to go listen to our local bluegrass band so it's bar food for us. Debating between a pepperoni, mushroom and green pepper calzone or the Reuben. Or maybe the shrimp po'boy.

[Dirtywextraolives]

That papaya mustard sounds delightful! I think I need more papaya in my life! Can I ask you what type of mustard you made it with? And did you just chunk the papaya and toss with mustard, or blend it all together into oblivion? TIA!

[iowagirl]

It WAS really good! The recipe came from epicurious and you basically combine a good amount of mustard powder, dijon mustard and rice vinegar and whisk til the powder is dissolved. Then heat honey in a small saucepan til thick and a little darker and add your chunked papaya. That cooks down until the papaya juice is mostly evaporated (and the papaya starts to mush up) then you add the mustard to the papaya mixture. A squirt or two of lime juice and you're good to go! I used a rubber spatula to kind of mush the papaya while it was cooking, so it was a little smoother, per hubby's request. It was really spicy alone, but really perfect as a complement to the crab cakes. The recipe paired it with grilled shrimp, and i think it would also be great with pork!

[LindaWhit]

It sounds perfect for pork!

[juliejulez]

Our Deep Freeze here in CO was a bit over a week ago, so I think everyone on the east coast is getting it now. Today is supposed to be a high of 64, although it's kind of dreary out right now.

Tonight I'm making a pasta dish with spicy italian sausage, baby spinach, and a butternut sauce. I'm taking advantage of the SO not being home, he dislikes anything with butternut squash.

[LindaWhit]

Wait. Sixty-four degrees in Colorado in mid-January????

[juliejulez]

I know, right? It's been like this all week. The skiers are not happy, but I am not minding it :) I like the cold and snow and all, but only on weekends when I can hole up in my house!

[LindaWhit]

The Boston area had our 60+ degree weather a few weeks ago. Very weird.

[ChristinaMason]

Tonight's plan is CI's Broccoli-Cheddar soup: http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011...

I like that it doesn't call for either cream or potatoes.

[ChristinaMason]

The soup was very good. I recommend reserving a cup of cooked broccoli to add back in the end to give it some texture.

[RedTop]

Last night: My homemade Baked Potato Soup, tonight, a reprise.

[Breadcrumbs]

Leftovers tonight. I made a Mexican (using the characterization loosely!) chicken casserole on Sunday and we ate it as is at that time.

Tonight we'll heat up the leftovers and use it as a filling for tortillas. I'm picking up some freshly made corn tortillas, avocado and some crema en route home. If I don't freeze first!! sheesh!

[Musie]

We're in for a cold one today and especially tonight when the temp drops to -37 in the wind, so I'm thinking of making cod Veracruz and rice, something to make us think of summer!

[Klary]

I was in Paris this weekend and ate so much in the relatively brief time span of 22 hours, it's embarassing. Came home yesterday and made a nice and light coconut curry soup, spicy with sambal, fresh and zesty with lime lime juice. Some chopped green beans, cubed zucchini and a little bit of some non-descript white fish fillet I found in the freezer. Very simple but it hit the spot after all the rich food and the very many glases of wine...

Tonight I need something really quick, healthy and low-fat... but I'm also craving fried eggs, so I think a big salad topped with a fried egg is what it's going to be.

[ChristinaMason]

I enjoyed reading your trip report yesterday! Your welcome-home meal also sounded good.

[LindaWhit]

A weekend trip to Paris - lovely!

[mariacarmen]

remember, ne regrettez pas whatever you eat in Paris - it has no calories!

so jealous. i want to see your trip report... will go check that out. ETA - great report! how fun...

salad with egg sounds delish.

[Klary]

aahh... if only that were true.. my hips don't agree :)

[Cherylptw]

Because of the cold weather, last night's dinner was a pot of chicken & rice stew (stock, carrots, onions, scallions, celery, thyme) and a side of butter basted corn kernels. Rib sticking and really good.

The bf has requested salmon cakes so that'll be what's for dinner tonight. Pan cooked potatoes & onions until falling apart, and some kohlrabi greens braised with veggie stock, bacon and lemon zest (I'll pick the greens this afternoon from my garden) will be the sides.

[Berheenia]

This cold is Siberian! We have heat but no hot water so am keeping the cooking to a minimum to avoid dish washing. Last night it was red glop from the freezer, a Memphis rice with hamburger and tomatoes, leftover corn bread and some TJ's green beans which can be nuked right in their wrapper. I made hubby some chicken soup in one pot using an Ina Garten recipe from my latest Barefoot cookbook, Family Style, so he is in a better mood. Bathing and shaving in ice cold water can make for a bad start to a zero degree day but he will have a really good lunch! (Turns out the boiler is leaking- old buildings have their charms but ...) I hope to make a big messy pasta dish with homemade bread and greens for dinner tonight. I have a recipe from this board using Trader Joe's spinach Artichoke dip and prociutto over penne. I think it was a Weezie post.
But if the hot water issue persists there is always more glop in the freezer!

[LindaWhit]

YUCK on the no water issue, Berheenia! Hope the boiler can be repaired quickly!

[mariacarmen]

yikes! poor guy! poor all of you.... your warming meals sound totally comforting. i hear you on the old buildings....i would hate having to bathe in ice cold water!

[PHREDDY]

BH.... I know about the hot water stuff. Had a leak in my heating system too! ( but I am a plumber!)
Inlight of that, a good comparison would be a meal ruined by a chef! Or the shoemaker's shoes have holes!
Hang in there this weather can' last forever!

[eight_inch_pestle]

Last night was tuna steaks marinated in tarragon, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, then quickly seared. Served on top of mesclun with a side of rosemary and garlic roasted fingerlings.

Tonight the lady made a healthy thing from Sunset mag. Sauteed chard with red quinoa and carrots and onion and portobella. Topped with poached eggs made by yours truly, since poaching eggs scares her.

[MidwesternerTT]

I made a quarter-recipe of the pulled pork from the Month of Make-Ahead Meals edition. Fell in love with this the first time we made it. We enjoyed it tonight and it's also wonderful to have a couple meals worth now stashed in the freezer. Tonight we had it with roast acorn squash.

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-how...

[Jeanne]

I have a recipe for achiote pulled pork that would blow this out of the water. The only thing that makes this pulled pork (Mexican or American) is the fact that it's shredded/pulled apart from one piece.

[ChristinaMason]

<I have a recipe for achiote pulled pork that would blow this out of the water. >

Alright, so let's have it :)

[Jeanne]

Achiote Pulled Pork

2 T achiote paste
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lime juice
2 T orange juice
2 lb lean boneless pork shoulder

Cilantro-- Garnish
16 to 18 warm tortillas
2 large banana leaves

Directions:

Rough chop garlic and smoosh garlic and salt together until a paste results. Combine garlic and achiote paste with enough water to form a thick, spreadable paste. Combine above mixtures with citrus juices in large bowl. Coat meat with new mixture. Rub the mixture into every part of the meat. Cover the meat.--refrigerate over night.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap pork in banana leaves--add any excess spice paste. Place pork in roasting pan with 1 cup water. Cover. Cook approximately 3 hours or until pork falls apart. You may want to add water occasionally during roasting. I like to let the meat cool and skim the fat from resulting liquid. Shred pork. Serve warm with remaining liquid from roasting. Reduce liquid if needed.

When I make this I normally put pork in a soft tortilla and make into a taco - adding all the fixings. Eat it however you prefer.

[Jeanne]

Comment - I always cook a larger pork shoulder - at least twice as large - and multiply the marinade per the weight. The cooking time will be at least 1 hr more - keep an eye on it after that. It has to be very, very tender.

Leftovers are excellent.

[ChristinaMason]

Interesting, thanks for sharing. I'm not 100% positive what achiote paste is. I have this product, to which you just add water or oil: http://www.yollieorientalonline.com/m...

Would that work for the paste, or what do you use?

Also, no source for banana leaves. Can they be omitted, or are they integral to the dish? Thanks again.

[JungMann]

You hit the nail on the head. Achiote paste is ground annatto (or achuete/atsuete in Tagalog) reconstituted with spices and an acid. While both Filipinos and Mexicans use annatto regularly for coloring, in the Yucatan (where the above recipe for cochinita pibil originates), the locals use annatto as a key ingredient for spice pastes to rub onto meat.

Mexican stores and some well-stocked grocers have prepared achiote paste for sale, but if you want to make your own, you can reconstitute the Mama Sita's powder with a little vinegar or bitter orange juice and season with ground coriander, cumin, pepper, allspice, oregano and garlic.

[ChristinaMason]

Great, thanks for the info! Any suggestions on applying the achiote paste without staining my hands forever? Plastic baggies?

[LindaWhit]

Christina, you can usually find these at supermarkets:

http://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Plas...

[ChristinaMason]

Good point, thanks!

[JungMann]

What Linda said. Truth be told, I don't remember achuete being all that stainy. Not compared to turmeric anyway.

[Jeanne]

The banana leaves aren't integral - but they do help keep the pork moist in my opinion.

I first bought the achiote paste in Mexico after I had Tix n Chix and wanted to make it here. When I ran out I looked for sources where I live and couldn't find any so went on line - since then I've been ordering from this place:

www.mexgrocer.com/achiote.html

If the page comes up the same it should show several different shots of choices - any would be good - I always order the 5th one and order enough to give to 2 of my nieces. As far as your Achuete Annatto Powder - I don't know. Go with what JungMann said.

And yes - it will definitely stain your fingernails/hands so put plastic bags over them when working with it.

Anyway enjoy!!! Give it a try - you'll like it.

[LindaWhit]

I'm not sure why you say that the shredding alone makes it "pulled pork." It's got a rub, a marinade, adding BBQ sauce to it. Is it made in the traditional sense? No, because it's specifically done as a OAMC make-ahead meal that can then be doctored to suit various tastes.

And as long as MidwesternerTT and her family enjoys it as pulled pork, that's all that matters, yes?

[eight_inch_pestle]

This.

[Lillipop]

:) Thank you!!!!!!

[eight_inch_pestle]

Funny timing, was just thinking about doing a shoulder roast wrapped in banana leaves, but rubbed with a mixture of bird chiles, lime leaves, shallot, garlic, tamarind, lemongrass, and coconut milk. Thought I would shred it and toss with fish sauce and shallot and mint for either dumpling filling or as a salad with some rice and lettuce leaves, scallions, etc.

[mariacarmen]

that sounds fantastic.

[ChristinaMason]

I wanted a break from all the meaty menus and decided my eggplant marinara bake would be just the ticket. I brown sliced eggplant, zucchini, button mushrooms with garlic and Italian seasonings until golden, then combine with good quality jarred marinara, Italian blend cheese, crumbly aged provolone, and Parm. Regg. and bake until bubbly. Pretty low calorie and comforting in this cold weather.

[cheesecake17]

Do you broil the veggies or pan fry? This sounds really really really good!

[ChristinaMason]

I use the stovetop, but either would work. Since it's so basic, I really want to make sure every ingredient has some good browning and seasoning going on. Here's roughly what I do: Preheat oven to 375F. Slice 10-15 large button mushrooms thickly and brown them in a large, very hot skillet, adding some seasoning and Italian herbs when they release their juices. Push the mushrooms to the side, turn down the heat and saute 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic in a drizzle of oil in the same pan. When the garlic is just golden, pour in the marinara sauce, let it cook down just a bit, and and adjust seasoning as needed. Meanwhile, quarter a good-sized eggplant lengthwise and cut into 1/2-in. slices, then steam in either the microwave or on the stovetop). Brown the eggplant in a skillet with a little oil, adding the zucchini toward the end (sometimes I skip the zukes). Layer the mushroom marinara and the eggplant/zukes with your favorite Italian soft and hard cheeses in a 13X9-in. pan and bake uncovered 20 min. Let cool slightly and serve.

It sounds more complicated than it is. :)

[JungMann]

I love the Middle Eastern version of eggplant marinara bake, but I am at a loss of what protein to serve with or add with a dish as bold as yours. My musaqq'a is usually a side to kebabs or roast chicken and salad, though if I include chickpeas and bechamel, it can be a complete meal. How might you pair your dish?

And for the record, your microwave/steaming technique has really improved my eggplant dishes. One of the best tips I picked up on CH -- now I can fry without fear!

[ChristinaMason]

Nice, glad it works out so well for you. Great for avoiding grease-sponges!

I usually serve it as a vegetarian main, maybe with just a salad, but I don't see why you couldn't make breaded chicken cutlets (with a bit of Italian seasoning in the breadcrumbs) or fry up an Italian sausage for a heartier meal. Giant meatballs could also be fun.

[JungMann]

Looks like I might have a new side to schnitzel then. Thanks!

[cheesecake17]

Thanks! Sounds simple enough for a weeknight, and I could probably prepare the dish in the morning and bake before we eat.

[Dce88]

Made Angel Hair with Shrimp tonight...Threw this one together at the last minute. I just love angel hair pasta, but it requires a delicate sauce. And be careful not to overcook the pasta! I simply sautéed some shrimp with garlic and shallot, then deglazed the pan with white wine. After reducing for a few minutes, mounted with butter then tossed in the cooked angel hair. Also includes garlic crostini made with my wife’s homemade French loaves.

Dan
http://foodobs.wordpress.com

[ChristinaMason]

Yum! Sounds and looks great.

[alliegator]

That looks wonderful!

[cheesecake17]

Tonight- had company, wanted something that kiddo would eat and easy to prepare in the morning. So..meatloaf, mashed potatoes, okra and tomatoes.

Tomorrow night- supposed to be super cold in NYC. Soup? Something veg, but filling. Any ideas?
DD has a cold, so no running out to the store, but fridge/freezer/pantry are stocked

[Dirtywextraolives]

Minestrone? Creamy tomato bisque? French onion? Chowder?

[MidwesternerTT]

Not sure if you meant that the soup needed to be vegetarian, or just contain veg. Try Chicken white bean chili, if you have a lime in stock - that last squeeze of lime juice is an essential ingredient. For our small family, I make 1/2 or even 1/4 recipe.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/white...

[Jeanne]

That looks good midwesterner - and a good starting point if someone wants to make it spicier. Would like to try it.

[cheesecake17]

I do have a lime, and the recipe looks fantastic. I'd definitely consider making 1/4 of the recipe...we're 2 adults and a toddler.

Ended up having company and I wanted to cook while kiddo napped. We had
- chicken with artichokes, lemon, rosemary
- baked brown rice (with mushrooms On part of it)
- sautéed broccoli and snow peas
- green salad (pomegranate Dijon dressing)

Now for tomorrow night...
Definitively something vegetarian! Too much company and meat/chicken this week

[steve h.]

Veal parm with a side of spaghetti is tonight's meal. Beer for me, wine for Deb. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy will be on the plasma. This is the five-hour BBC version from 1979 starring Alec Guinness as George Smiley, maybe his best performance. Tennessee sipping whiskey goes with Cold War (cold weather) angst.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Back to school and routines today after the long weekend. Made a crockpot full of the beef vegetable soup yesterday that the fam raves about, so we have that for dinner, along with the last of the skillet lasagne a/k/a American chop suey to finish as well. Tried to thaw and proof some parker house rolls in my oven like the pioneer woman, but they never rose. They weren't expired or anything, it was a new package, I just don't know. Guess my kitchen is just not warm enough and my oven is just not airtight enough, a broken hinge has been a problem for months. Hubby said I can price out new double ovens, but I hate spending that much, but the repair bill would not be much cheaper.

And though I was able to make myself a pork báhn mi for lunch with the lefotver tenderloin, the rest of the take & bake baguettes had mold spots on it, so the remainder of the tenderloin will have to wait another day.

[Will Owen]

I am NOT gloating here, but although I still don't much like palm trees I'm not missing Tennessee ice storms, either. SoCal itself has been uncharacteristically chilly until a few days ago, but who can you impress by saying, "It was SO COLD in the kitchen that I couldn't spread butter for a week!"? I will admit to having put on an apron as much for the added warmth as to keep my shirts clean … but only our upstairs has central heat.

We've been leaning heavily on beans and winter greens through that "cold snap," and last night's iteration was so good I'm repeating it for company tonight: Pictsweet frozen crowder peas (fresh ones are never available here), a cheesy polenta of stoneground white corn grits, and quick-braised Tuscan kale, which Trader Joe's has started carrying all cut up and washed in big bags. Greens, beans and polenta are about as good as vegetarian comfort food gets, I think, maybe even better than the same with cornbread, though heaven knows that's good too.

[JungMann]

Experiments abound today. For the main course I made a crockpot of rabaja's lamb stew, which turned out to be a wonderful change of pace. Totally different from the lamb stews I typically make and a good excuse to pick up some oranges that can later become Negronis! On the side I had pan-roasted brussels sprouts with pomegranate tahini sauce and for dessert a slice of the chai cake I made over the weekend.

Link to rabaja's stew here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8848...

[mariacarmen]

wow, pomegranate tahini sauce? yum!

[Klary]

Oh, pomegranate tahini sounds so good. Fresh pomegranate or pom molasses?

[JungMann]

Pomegranate molasses. I want the sauce to be very smooth with just a little hint of sweetness from the molasses. It plays off the bitterness of the brussels sprouts quite nicely.

[LJS]

Not only cold but we are snowed in here on the coast of Nova Scotia. Broke out the frozen meatballs, whipped up some hoagie dough, slow cooked some onions, opened a jar of "put up" tomato sauce, sliced the mozzarella: it is MEATBALL SUB NIGHT! Green salad on the side...

Then we were going to be very good and broil half-grapefruits (a drizzle of brandy and the requisite cherry). But got naughty instead and polished up the last of the Christmas Cake.

[roxlet]

How do you make your hoagie dough? Is it basically a French bread?

[LJS]

Yes: roxlet...it is from a Canadian cookbook and it is called a submarine sandwich bun...but I double-checked and it is identical (bar the shaping-shorter and fatter than a sub) to your standard french stick.

[nlgardener]

In the teens tonight here on Cape Cod. Blustery winds off the bay and snow on the ground. Made roasted Italian sausages with grapes/balsamic vinegar glaze and garlic/rosemary mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese.

A good tasty layer of fat to get us through the cold spell! Bourbon, red wine and chocolate on hand just in case...

[LindaWhit]

Bourbon, red wine, AND chocolate? You're all set. :-)

[mariacarmen]

here's what i really want. after both of us being sickos for the last millenia, after eating pork (albeit yummy) roast for the same span of time, i'd really like to go to the Argentinian-ish steakhouse around the corner from our house, sit at the bar, have a glass of kick-ass red wine, and split a gigantor bloody rare ribeye steak and a salad. that's what i really want. i suggested that 2 nights ago, and the BF, in all his sensibleness, said "don't you think we should wait until we're both well and have all our taste buds back and can appreciate that?" well, ok, grumble grumble ....YES. but that was 2 days ago!

so, it's probably going to be tacos. pork tacos.

[LindaWhit]

Awww, mc. Unfortunately, the BF is right. But it still stinks you can't have your bloody rare ribeye!

[mariacarmen]

HAHA! the boyfriend caved almost immediately! seems he was tired of pork, so we went. perfect dinner.

[boyzoma]

Well, good for you. So glad to hear you enjoyed it. And really happy to hear you are both better.

[LindaWhit]

:-D Glad you got your steak. Protein will help fight the buggies!

[chefathome]

It is cold here in northern Alberta at -26 but this is normal. I am making a luscious mole and white rice and a side of spicy corn with green onions. The mole sauce smells intoxicating. It is so delicious I could drink it! ETA: Also made extremely hot escabeche for my husband.

[LindaWhit]

That is just insanely cold. My subject line of The Deep Freeze edition certainly applies to your area!

[boyzoma]

+1. That cold is just nuts! I thought we are having it bad and it's only 21 here. Please stay warm (and full)!

[Musie]

How do you make your mole sauce?

[Allegra_K]

I feel your pain about the cold, chefathome.....we've had -30 with windchill values of -45 all week in Manitoba, and I am terribly tired of peering out at the world through tiny slits between my toque and scarf. A mole sounds like the perfect solution for the icy January blues.....
Would love details on your mole! Also curious to know how your Guatemalan Pepian turned out....and are you loving Gran Cocina Latina as much as I am? Any hits I should know about?

[geminigirl]

Good winter meal, spaghetti and meatballs with bread and homemade pesto oil for dipping. Frooze some beets this summer so had those with goat cheese , and btw, beets freeze very well! For dessert, white chocolate raspberry bars:)

[eperdu]

Tonight will be a pan fried steak with parsley sauce and baked potatoes. I can't wait to eat.

[suzigirl]

What do you make the parsley sauce with? It sounds fresh and tasty.

[eperdu]

It was parsley, shallot, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and some red pepper flakes. It was from ATK Cooking for Two 2012 book. It was good. I need to figure out a way to blend it better though as I didn't have a small enough food processor to get it to a consistent/fine texture.

I'd make it again though .. I liked it. It was a nice tough to the steak, a chimichurri style sauce.

[suzigirl]

It does sound kind of chimichurri style. Thank you. I will check it out

[roxlet]

I'm solo for dinner tonight -- my husband and son are flying home from a tournament in San Francisco later, and my one remaining Egyptian is out at the matches in Grand Central Station. I think I'm permanently done with being a hotel for itinerant Egyptian squash players. My house is never my own. One will be my max unless it's particular friends from Cairo. I had to go to the store this afternoon to get some orange juice -- they went through an entire case, and my husband would be very grumpy to not have his glassful in the morning. They drink juice like it's water. Anyway, I saw a cute little single filet mignon, and decided to treat myself. So it will be seared in a cast iron skillet, and with it I will have a salad with lettuce, hearts of palm, and these very nice little beets that come cooked and packaged. Then, I will watch The Taste and see how much my husband is on it, and if they made him look like a jerk, lol!

[mariacarmen]

i cannot wait to see that show tonight! how fun! enjoy your meaty treat, and your solitude.

[suzigirl]

Maybe it has been spoken of and i missed it but can you tell me who your husband is so i can cheer in his corner? If it is to personal I understand. Thanks. Good luck to him.

[roxlet]

I think I'll wait until I see the show! Who knows what kind of edit he got!

[suzigirl]

I totally get that. Enjoy the show. From your food posts he'll do well I'm sure. You both are serious food fans

[LindaWhit]

A very nice solo dinner, and so far, I'm *LOVING* "The Taste"! Can't wait to see your hubster! I hope you've turned on the DVR so he can see it when he gets home as well. :-)

[roxlet]

Who knows if he'll even make it on air! He was in the promos, but they are going so slowly! The DVR is set!

[alliegator]

Can't wait to see it! It's recorded, I think I'll watch in the morning.

[LindaWhit]

Well, geez, no Mr. roxlet yet! I wonder if there's going to be several weeks of tryouts? YES, there are more auditions NEXT week as well, according to TV Guide - so maybe he'll be on that episode. Just one hour next week.

[roxlet]

The only shot of him was at the very beginning, but he said that the second round of auditions are supposed to take place next week, so we'll have to see. It was a little disappointing.

[mariacarmen]

haven't seen it here on this coast yet - 8 mins! but this way we'll know how the show works and be ready for Mr. Roxlet.

[boyzoma]

Sounds like a great dinner to me! I love a good filet! And Good luck to Mr. Roxlet.

[alliegator]

I'm really hoping I can work my baby browns and get the mr. to take me out to a one of my favorite places. They have tempura shrimp and truffled popcorn, which should not constitute a meal, but they sure would be good.
I'm a little tired and cranky after a dentist and doc appt today (just routine stuff--I'm one of the healthy few) but doctors tire me out just they same. I hope I get my wish!!

[suzigirl]

Work it girl. Bat those lashes.

[roxlet]

I hope you do too! I know some people just love to go to the doctor. Not me, so I think I know what you mean!

[alliegator]

Thank you both, and I have success!! Dentist doesn't bug me so much, he's my neighbor. But, then he sends me to the doctor who botoxes the crap out of some muscle in my jaw to keep me from grinding my teeth. I need to move it around, and nibbling on tasty goodies is the best way to accomplish this.
Be gone, thoughts of creepy needles, junk food is coming :D

[suzigirl]

Good for you. Enjoy your junk food. Now how can I get the thoughts of needles out of my poor head?

[alliegator]

The mr. was happy to supply me with my shrimp and popcorn, and it was heavenly. And Suzi, forget the needles, you'll probably never need them. My better half knows that those injections make me tense and give me headaches, so he was more than happy to supply my junk food and a few adult beverages. I'm a lucky girl somedays.

[mariacarmen]

glad your flirting helped!

[mariacarmen]

i would love to make truffled popcorn my dinner...

good that you're healthy! you're probably young, damn you....
: )

[LindaWhit]

Hey! A meal is whatever you choose it to be, allie! Hope you got the tempura shrimp and truffled popcorn. :-)

[alliegator]

The popcorn. Crunchin' it down helps all that lovely butolinium toxin spread 'round my jaw. I can't believe people do this voluntarily.
If anyone has made truffle butter popcorn at home, I'd love to hear about your method!

[LindaWhit]

allie, I grind my teeth as well and wear a bite guard at night. Granted, it's not the sexiest thing to be wearing if you're in a relationship. :-)

[PHREDDY]

LW... But if the noise from grinding teeth ceases, and the other person gets a good night sleep, you never know how frisky they might be. Maybe breakfast in bed!
For me tonight fish out of the deep freeze , will make a pot of a minestrone to counter the deep freeze outside.

[wyogal]

Looks good, I just pour a little bit of truffle oil in the melted butter, then pour it over the top. I pop corn in a white paper lunch bag, about 1/3 cup.
I wore a guard for awhile, haven't lately. If I find that I am grinding again, I wear it for a time. My dentist explained that it is a learned behavior, so the guard helps to retrain the jaw while sleeping.
As for the relationship, it may not be sexy, but it is preferred to hearing one's partner grinding their teeth!

[alliegator]

Thanks for the jaw grinding sympathy, ladies. I did the bite guard thing for a bit, but I found it hard to fall asleep with something in my mouth. The botox works really well, but actually getting it is unpleasant.
And the truffle butter popcorn seems easy at home! I'll try it because I just love, love, love it! At my corner bar they serve up that pile with parmesan and finely chopped parsely for 4 skins, so that's tough to resist :)

[juliejulez]

No cooking for me tonight... it's the Avalanche home opener (hockey)! Yee haw... Some beer and maybe a hot dog is in my future.

[cookinggurl]

Making your roasted chicken recipe! Side - french green lentis with carrots and red peppers. Keeping it simple - and warm!

[suzigirl]

Tonight I am feeling much better. The sausage and cheese stuffed shells got great reviews from the bf. Tonight is going to be b/s chicken breasts split and pounded thin and seared and served with pesto. Jasmine rice and sugar snap peas to go with. Light and simple. Avoiding fat and acids for a few days

[juliejulez]

Sounds delicious, putting pesto on chicken like that is one of my favorites, so easy! I made a baked version of that last week... put some pesto in the bottom of the baking dish, lay in strips of chicken, then put more pesto on top, and bake it and then top with cheese and melt under the broiler for a minute. So easy!

[suzigirl]

Baking would save some time. Hmmmm.... I may try that, thanks

[juliejulez]

You're welcome.. this is the recipe I used, although one isn't really needed. I found cutting the chicken into strips meant there was more pesto-ey flavor in each bite. http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/09/...

[suzigirl]

That looks awesome. I am so trying that tonight. I will report back tomorrow. Thanks again

[juliejulez]

You're welcome. I made it last Thursday with a side of broccoli and orzo, so pretty similar to what you've got going on over there. The leftovers were good the next day too.

[suzigirl]

Trying to get my sweetie to show me how to post a pic. It looks amazing and smells as good. Thank you for the link.

[suzigirl]

I loved how simple and juicy the chicken was. That is going in the recipe vault. Thanks a bunch again. :-)

[gingershelley]

Looks easy and delish' JulieZ,

Great idea for a simple weeknight meal...

[Musie]

I have some left over picnic ham my mother in law gave me that I want to use up, so I'm thinking tonight is a good night for hash, especially with it being so cold.

[weezieduzzit]

Well, it's 81 degrees so I'd love to barbeque but I have a container of Trader Joes fondue in the frige that needs to be used so I guess its fondue... after a ride on the new bike the man is buying for me tonight. :)

(not NEW new since we don't do NEW... it's a 1964 Spaceliner. I can't wait!!)

[LindaWhit]

What a *fun* looking bicycle, weezie! Enjoy the spin around the neighborhood! (And enjoy that warm weather!)

[steve h.]

I googled the image of your "new" bike. That is so cool.
Congratulations.

[suzigirl]

How cool are you going to be riding around the neighborhood on that cutie? I want one. :-)

[mariacarmen]

ooh yeah, fun!

[GretchenS]

CUTE BIKE!!!

[weezieduzzit]

Thanks everyone... it should be good to ride off some of these big winter meals we've been having. :) We live in a historic neighborhood with tree lined streets and bike lanes so I will be able to get a lot of use out of it.

[suzigirl]

I hope you enjoy yourself. It sounds like a nice neighborhood for a ride.

[gingershelley]

I googled it too - that is SO awesome Weezie!

It makes me miss my beloved'63 Mercury Meteor... same age as me (:). Fins rule!

[LindaWhit]

Meanwhile, soup for lunch (vegetable-beef-barley), but lobster cakes (store-bought) for dinner tonight with some leftover rice pilaf and I'll also make a spinach-pear salad. A remoulade of sorts to top the lobster cakes - mayo, ketchup, pickle relish, sriracha sauce.