WHAT'S FOR DINNER #200!!!! the Whooooooooooo-Hoooo!! Edition [OLD]

[mariacarmen]

wow, we did it! 200 posts! we've made it, and we're still all talking to each other and eating dinner together. more than a lot of families can say.

what's cooking chez vous this weekend? something green for that spirit of Eire? Something springy? or is it still frosty where you are, and you're thinking up something warm and cozy?

What's for dinner, people?

[GulaSocordia]

I'm being ridiculously lazy. Chicken breasts, thin, with a light layer of garlic spreadable cheese and a little bacon, then rolled up. Serving it with some leftover broccoli and a nice salad. The plan was to make chicken marsala, but that can wait another day. :P

[LindaWhit]

Ridiculously lazy sounds ridiculously good! Just an FYI - we've moved on to a new thread here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894732

[LindaWhit]

I've started a new thread here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894732

[suzigirl]

i was planning on stuffing my face on corned beef but mine shrank more this year than ever. So i have leftovers but not much. Those will be rotated into this weeks menu.
Tonight the Mr is working late again. So tonight is pepper and onion brats from the butcher. Toasted buns and peppers and cheddar.ketchup,mustard and dill relish for Mr and naked for me. I am just doing oven fries to make it simple. And a quick salad. Tomorrow I will decide how to repurpose corned beef to make dinner for us and a lunchbox for him

[sunangelmb]

It's supposed to snow, yuck, and is freezing tonight. Red lentil soup is stewing away as I type

[ChristinaMason]

I'm meeting an old boss for drinks and tapas. Assuming I don't fill up, dinner will be leftover coddle, which we passed on last night in favor of stuffed peppers. I think a cabbage slaw in vinaigrette would be a nice accompaniment.

[ChristinaMason]

Eh, enough boiled food. I had an over-easy egg over leftover tomatoey rice instead, with plenty of Tapatio.

[gingershelley]

Yesterday's last minute buffalo chicken thighs and roasted broccoli were a hit, tyvm:)

Today is going to be the split pea n' ham potage, with a nice toasted BLT with avocado to go with it. Simple, and lot's o' fiber to boot.

[linguafood]

I need a BLT in my near future!

[Njchicaa]

Grilled filet mignon with some kind of Stilton-horseradish sauce and smoked bell peppers stuffed with sautéed vegs and quinoa is WFD tonight.

[linguafood]

Yesterday took a while to recover. Breakfast consisted of Sichuan delivery food leftovers, namely dry lamb hot pot, cumin beef, and a few dry-fried beans, all of which I threw on top of a bit of rice, nuked, then topped with a fried egg.

"Brunch" was housemade potato chips with a nice creamy dill dip at the brewpub where my bandmate was playing. We almost had dinner there, but decided to take our hunger home.

After 3 beers at the pub, my cooking was perhaps a bit sloppy, but I still managed to crank out a nice plate of pasketti with tomato sauce (olive oil, melted anchovies, red onion, lots of oregano, squooshed marzanos) and a side of romaine in mustard vinaigrette, both dishes topped with generous amounts of grated parm.

Tonight, for zombie watching, my sweetie's whipping up another Flammkuchen aka Alsatian tarte flambée -- part of which will be meat (as in pancetta)less, b/c our buddy's a vegetarian. His loss '-)

[juliejulez]

Well, tonight was supposed to be my first attempt at chicken tikka masala for DOTM, but we didn't end up getting back from Wyoming til 9pm, and I still had to go grocery shopping. So, no time to start the marinade... and I was pretty exhausted anyway. So I'll save it for some other time.

Instead, I am going to make a chicken and corn chowder, that is heavy on the chicken and topped with some bacon. The recipe looks pretty easy to do, which is what I need tonight... still very tired and I haven't even unpacked or anything... I could have used another day off! If SO wants something more substantial I'll make him a grilled cheese to go with it

[gingershelley]

That sounds great too - chicken corn chowder with bacon - pass me a bowl!

[sedimental]

Since we will be out of town off and on this week, I made a small corned beef and cabbage dinner already. So, I wanted to be creative and a bit lighter and healthier with the leftovers (no repeats or sandwiches). Give this a whirl if it appeals to anyone :)

I put diced corned beef with some shredded cheese in an egg roll wrapper. Brushed with oil and baked them on a rack on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Let them sit and cool off before eating. the wrappers soften a bit and have a better texture at almost room temp (not like deep frying). I made a mustard sauce to dip them in.

would definately do this again. They are fabulous. 2 of them with a salad makes a great lighter dinner.

I call them Irish egg rolls, lol.

[ChristinaMason]

More inspiration :) http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/be...

[sedimental]

Wow, and I thought I was the only one that was that weird!

They were tasty!

[iowagirl]

So even though part of the state is under a blizzard warning, and the snow is falling like crazy, I am making an "island" dinner tonight! Jerk fish (hopefully grilled!) sauteed asparagus for me, green beans for hubby, and roasted new potatoes. I am willing it to be spring!!!!

[fldhkybnva]

Do you have a preferred Jerk seasoning or mix that you throw together? I love Jerk seasoning but only am familiar with some processed marinade my mom always uses so I'd love a good at spice mixture.

[ChristinaMason]

We luuuuuuuuurve the jerk recipe from Cook's Country. It's simple but tastes amazing. There's a copy of it on this page if you scroll down: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

[iowagirl]

We actually really like the Walkerswood rub - we add some soy sauce to thin to use it as a marinade, which is what I'll do with the fish tonight. It has the most authentic taste (and some nice heat) that we've found. I've not had much success putting my own blend together - our friend in Jamaica chalk it up to differences in the spices and peppers.

[ChristinaMason]

I do, too. It's a little bit on the saltier and hotter side compared to the above paste recipe, depending on how many habaneros you use.

[Harters]

Upcoming.....chilli & rice.

Minced beef, onion, red pepper, tin of tomatoes, tin of red kidney beans, chilli powder.

Please don't shout at me that THIS IS NOT AUTHENTIC CHILLI as I will shout back "IT'S AUTHENTICALLY HOW WE MAKE IT IN THE UK" :-0

[LindaWhit]

LOL!

Hey - I use ground beef and kidney beans in my chili as well - so IT'S AUTHENTIC TO ME!

[gingershelley]

"What she said".... me too!

[fldhkybnva]

Bring on the beans! I love beans in chili, authentic or not! It sounds great and I would love a bowl as it's gotten colder here again.

[mariacarmen]

the only thing inauthentic about your CHILI IS HOW YOU SPELL IT!!!
: 0
Just kidding, Mr. H! enjoy your chilllllli in your chillllly weather.

[Berheenia]

It's the same chili my mid-western born and bred mother made us and all our friends were amazed at how good it was.The New England moms opened a can.

[alliegator]

Whoooooo-Hoooo for me indeed---I finally cooked a meal after about two weeks of restaurants and take out. I wanted something hearty but healthy, so I did rotini with chicken, yellow squash, green beans, lots of fresh herbs and light lemon sauce. It felt so good to eat something from my own kitchen after a long move.

[LindaWhit]

YAY!

1) Glad you're all moved in.
2) Glad your kitchen is up and running - that dinner looks GREAT!

[suzigirl]

Glad you are settled enough to cook(and that means find stuff) . Your meal looks so light and tasty

[alliegator]

Thanks, ladies! The kitchen is completely unpacked---rest of the place, not so much...
Tonight will be grilled pizza. Toppings TBD, but hoping to keep it light. Temps near 90 (all of the sudden) definitely change your appetite.
I've always been curious about putting shrimp on a pizza, may seek out some recipes like that.

[juliejulez]

alliegator, one of the food blogs I read posted a shrimp pizza last week. She has it done on naan which could be interesting, but I'm sure it would be fine on regular pizza dough too: http://bevcooks.com/2013/03/shrimp-na...

[alliegator]

Oh my... that looks fantastic! Thank you so, so much, all my favorite flavors! You just saved a weary girl from a search, I'm going to use that. I have just a refrigerated dough ball, so I can make smaller pies. Pics tomorrow :)

[suzigirl]

Jj finds all the good recipes. My bf is a huge fan of a pesto chicken she linked me to

[gingershelley]

Wow - does that ever look DELICIOUS! I bookmarked that to make later this week. Nice creative 'Thai Pesto' on that pizza.... I think I may attempt that with dandelion greens, as they are coming along great now, and have similar flavor to Arugula.

Thanks JJ!

[juliejulez]

Y'all are welcome....I actually didn't even save that one for myself as shrimp is not my favorite, but I just remembered looking at it! The advantages of having a boring as hell desk job, is that I get to spend lots of time reading blogs and perusing recipes, and of course reading Chowhound :)

[alliegator]

I'll keep that in mind if I can't quite find what I'm looking for in the future, hehe...

[gingershelley]

Glad your getting settled in Alliegator, and that dinner does indeed look fresh and tasty.

'Welcome home":)

[Cherylptw]

So, my daughter is here visiting from Phoenix and plenty of good eating going on around here...the recap includes Thursday: chicken and andouille jambalaya and garden salad. Friday, we went to my son's house for Brunch and he made crunchy deep fried french bread french toast, crispy bacon and scrambled eggs w/ oj and espresso; later daughter, son & cousin hung out so I was home alone and didn't make dinner but I did spend about five hours partially smoking three pork shoulders for pulled pork and three racks of ribs on the grill for Saturday.

Saturday, I finished the shoulders in the oven on low then pulled them and simmered in the last of my cousin's famous BBQ sauce I had stashed in the freezer. I also cut the ribs into single portions and slathered with another kind of BBQ sauce before slowly reheating in the oven. A huge pan of homemade mac & cheese and a pot of mixed green and yellow wax beans were sides I prepared to go with. I made homemade soft dinner rolls and german chocolate whoopie pies (daughter loves german chocolate cake) also. I packed all of it up and took it over to my mom's for the dinner with family. Mom made a roast beef with onion gravy, glazed carrots, steamed asparagus with butter and parmesan cheese. Her dessert contributions were pecan pie (daughter's favorite pie) lemon pound cake dusted with powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream.

We had so much food, OMG!! Everyone had a good time and leftovers were taken home by all. My plan was to cook chicken for Sunday but everyone got up late this morning so daughter and cousin had a brunch of waffles and bacon at 1:00 pm then we went souviner shopping and had lunch at about 4 pm that no one was interested in dinner. We had the leftovers from Saturday.

My little girl (she's 25) is leaving very early Tuesday morning so tomorrow is the last dinner. She had a request list of foods she wanted to eat while here. Breakfast Monday includes homemade cinnamon rolls with walnuts. Dinner will be smoked gouda stuffed fried chicken breasts, pan fried potatoes and fried okra. Maybe some cornbread. I'm gonna cry...

[mariacarmen]

awww, sweet, cheryptw! your daughter must just love coming home to her mama and her mama's cooking...

[Cherylptw]

I haven't seen her in a long time but we talk by phone daily...it's not the same as in person, though...

[mariacarmen]

i know. i'm not a mom, but my mom hated us living far away from her too. i wish now i'd spent more time with her. sounds like your daughter loves her mama. and her cooking!

[Cherylptw]

We're like best friends; I HATE her living far away but there are no opportunities where I live and she is thriving in Phoenix so I don't blame her for leaving...when she gets a craving, she calls me for how to's...

[boyzoma]

Wow, that sounds just like my daughter and I. She is an amazing woman and I miss her so much. Glad you got your visit. Thank heavens for phones! I share recipes with my daughter a lot. Enjoy your visit while you can.

[ChristinaMason]

You both are making me choke up. No wonder they love coming home for meals made by mama.

[ChristinaMason]

<german chocolate whoopie pies>

Brilliant idea! Everything sounds delicious. No wonder she made a list.

[littleflower]

It turned cold here again today and just wasn't in the mood for a classic Irish supper so instead we opted for a good 'ol southern classic - smothered pork chops over rice. Made a delicious pan gravy with a basic roux, chicken stock, several dashes of worcestershire sauce, white wine, thyme, salt, and pepper. Luckily we have enough for leftovers for tomorrow night's dinner as well!

[fldhkybnva]

Delicious! Pork chops are on my list of dishes to battle with.

[littleflower]

Thanks for your kind comments - I have been reading these WFD threads for quite some time now, and while I do enjoy cooking a variety of dishes I must admit that my skills are nowhere nearly as developed as the majority of those who post here. I am super impressed with the quality of food that you all cook here - it puts many restaurant chef's dishes to shame!

I used Tyler Florence's recipe for Smothered Pork Chops as a guideline and made a few tweaks to it (most notably omitting the cayenne and buttermilk). I have received many rave reviews on this one and it is pretty easy to make.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ty...

[mariacarmen]

don't even try that, littleflower - that dinner sounds like you know your way around a kitchen! welcome!

[LindaWhit]

If you're tweaking recipes, you're all good, littleflower!

[gingershelley]

Nice job, LittleFlower, and glad your joining in:)

[littleflower]

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome, and mariacarmen believe me when I say this smothered pork chop dinner just happens to be the most "advanced" dish that I can cook so I definitely have a lot of room for growth! I am looking forward to trying some more adventurous recipes as often as time permits - will keep you all posted.

[suzigirl]

To bad I bought a bunch of meat that i didn't use this weekend that i have to cook. My freezer is groaning like I do after thanksgiving it is so full. If i dont forget, I am making smothered pork chops when i weed through what is in my fridge

[fldhkybnva]

I feel your pain about the freezer, mine is busting at the seams and I don't even think I've put that much in there but I think it's mostly meat which I buy and then end up not using in a day or so. Also, we only have once a week trash pick up and I avoid any food which might smell in the trash can so any scraps and what not get stashed in there.

[suzigirl]

I hear you. Last year much like mariacarmen my fridge did the slow painful death,taking in its wake a whole host of freezer and fridge items. Maddening. Now I have a pretty whirlpool side by side. Sorry MC. Not trying to rub it in, I know your pain. My bf kept trying to fix the limping s.o.b. a while before he gave up(try years).

[ChristinaMason]

My kind of meal. I loooove country cooking. I've won my DH over to the pleasures of milk gravy, despite his initial skepticism. We don't eat much roux these days though, sadly!

[MAH]

Pepper jack burgers on wheat challah rolls with onion rings, green beans and corn on the cob. Delish.

[mariacarmen]

Lebanese dinner a success. i loved loved loved the lemony chicken with the thyme, cumin and cayenne - a great unique combo of flavors and yet you could taste everything separately. i was a little leery of the amount of lemon, given the recent too-lemony pasta syndrome, but the herbs sort of reined the lemony taste in a bit.

recipe here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lebanese-Chicken-1204

as for the rice, it's always been a favorite at middle eastern deli counters for me, but i'd never made it myself. i used brown rice which gave it even more of a hearty flavor, and the cinnamon was nice and subtle. i cheated by using TJs' pre-steamed lentils, mixing them in about 5 minutes before the rice was completely cooked, and it turned out perfect. the best were the blackened onions strewn across the top. next time i make this, i'd double the caramelized onions.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

i just realized that the recipe actually calls for double the sliced onions i used. d'oh!

plenty of that lentil rice for lunches, too.... i poured some of the cooked chicken juices and marinade into my tupperware of rice. yummers.

[Frizzle]

I completely forgot about St Pat's day here. Last night we did a couple of dishes from Jerusalem. The fried cauliflower with tahini which is a favourite. We also have quinces in the shops here at present so I did a lamb meatballs in a quince sauce. The original recipe calls for stuffing the quince with the lamb mince mixture but in the recipe description they also talk about an easier meatball variant so we went with that. Hollowing out quinces is not my idea of a good time! I loved the fruity, tangy sauce with the meatballs and will keep an eye out for quinces next season to repeat it.

Tonight there are oodles of leftovers so I'm taking a night away from the kitchen and planning a few quality hours in front of tacky reality cooking shows.

[Bacardi1]

Tonight's meal was absolutely PERFECT!

My crockpot corned beef in Guinness was fork-tender without falling apart, & oh-so-flavorful! A complete repeat of last year. Can't see myself ever making corned beef any other way again.

Hubby had Turkey Kielbasa, which I braised in an obscene amount of butter & a dash of chicken broth, along with some chopped cabbage.

Oven-roasted multicolored fingerling potatoes & organic baby-cut boiled & buttered carrots spiked with fresh dill completed our entrees.

For dessert? I'm just about to cut into my homemade frozen "Grasshopper Pie", which we'll enjoy while watching that St. Pat's Day classic "The Quiet Man" on the Turner Classic Movies channel.

[ChristinaMason]

Grasshopper pie sounds very delicious tonight! Could you share your corned beef recipe?

[mariacarmen]

yes please, corned beef recipe here too?

[JungMann]

Corned beef tips please! This was my first time braising it in stout (along with pickling spice) and though the taste is phenomenal, it still came out in shreds.

[Bacardi1]

It almost isn't much of a "recipe", but I just put one large chopped yellow onion & a few chunks of carrot in the bottom of my crockpot, then nestled the corned beef fat-side up on top of them. Poured in 1 cup of water & one bottle of Guinness Stout. Added the spice packet that came with the meat, along with 3 bay leaves. Started on high for about an hour just to get things going, then turned to low for 5 more hours.

Came out tender, juicy, very flavorful, & sliced like a dream. Plan on having a couple of slices with an egg for breakfast in a minute, as well as Reuben Sandwiches for lunch this week.

[boyzoma]

Sounds heavenly, Bacardi1.

[Bacardi1]

Oh - & never worry if your corned beef piece initially looks too big to fit in your crockpot (unless you have a really teeny tiny one). Just smush it in. Corned beef shrinks to as much as 1/2 it's precooked size as it cooks.

I once bought a really small piece since I only make it for myself - hubby doesn't eat it - & ended up with practically nothing left over for yummy Reuben sandwiches - oh the humanity!! So now I err on a larger piece than I think I'll need. Nothing ends up going to waste. :)

[fldhkybnva]

This sounds fantastic! This is not related to this post but Bacardi1 I just wanted to thank you for the sherry wine recommendation. I loved your marinade on swordfish this weekend and last night couldn't' figure out what to do with shrimp and decided on a splash of sherry wine and it was spectacular. I think I will definitely be using this quite a bit.

[Bacardi1]

Welcome to the club!!! Dry Sherry is so inexpensive (Taylor brand runs between $5-$10/bottle depending on size) & is such a boon to the pantry cupboard (where it lasts forever) that I'm never without it. Even just a tablespoon or so can add just the right little "oomph" to a previously lackluster sauce, etc., etc.

[LindaWhit]

Dry sherry, marsala, and madeira are the Triad of fortified wines that I have and use for cooking.

[Bacardi1]

True, but out of those three (& I'll add Port as a fourth), Dry Sherry has the most versatility. I can live without the others, but must ALWAYS have a bottle of Dry Sherry on hand.

[LindaWhit]

Yup, me as well. If only to ensure I have liquid in which to store my grated ginger root. :-)

[Bacardi1]

Yup - that's a great use for it as well. When I remember to do it - lol!! Usually my ginger roots end up their days shriveled up the back of my crisper - lol!!

This year I'm thinking of buying a few plump ones with buds at the market & planting them.

[LindaWhit]

I grate it all when I get it and store it in 1/2 cup containers in the freezer. Just pulled one out a few days ago to defrost in the fridge and put into the sherry already in the jar with the last few teaspoons of grated ginger.

[ChristinaMason]

I peel and freeze mine whole, then grate as needed. It works pretty well.

[fldhkybnva]

I know the feeling of rogue ginger roots. They are scattered in the fridge and the freezer, little nubbins of all over.

[fldhkybnva]

Oh wow, great idea. I have been freezing ginger, but this sounds great.

[LindaWhit]

No cold fingers. :)

[fldhkybnva]

Uh oh, I better not buy any madeira. In just this past week, I had sherry for the first time and loved it, whipped up my first Marsala and loved it (although I already knew I liked Marsala wine), and had to come up with another use for Sherry on Sunday. I'm sure I'd love madeira as well.

[suzigirl]

i guess I am jumping on the bandwagon and serving corned beef also. Already pulled the corned beef and it is resting under foil. I am boiling potatoes, carrots, celery and onions in the broth. I put the cabbage on in quarters to steam in the veggies close to the end. I am going to slice the beef here in a minute. And put it on the table with peppered vinegar from chilies I grew last year and a loaf of bread with butter. Once a year treat that i look forward to. I would have gotten two but my freezer is so full I need to use stuff, not buy more. Especially of something that shrinks by half like corned beef.

[gingershelley]

Well, I did get the loaf of bread made in the midst of much spring cleaning in the yard; but now I have a powerful hunger for something 'stronger' than a bowl of soup to go with the bread!

Too late for corned beef, so it shall be the famous 'crispy chicken thighs' (which I believe originated with either LW, or Lingua? - please correct me if my provenance is wrong - ) gussied up with a smoked paprika/garlic rub, and when they come out, get a drench on their crispy skins with my buffalo sauce and served up with (of course) house blue cheese dressing & crisp celery + some roasted broccoli for more green. If I want a carb, a slice of bread.

Take that spicy very-American sauce, St. Pat!

[LindaWhit]

Twasn't me, gingershel, but I think several have made the crispy chicken thighs. Enjoy your dinner!

[mariacarmen]

oh, i could have sworn it was mamachef, but i've never claimed to have many functioning brain cells left (as she takes another sip of her wine ....)

[linguafood]

yes. the unparalleled mamachef deserves all the credit for this one.

[ChristinaMason]

If I'm not mistaken, this was the original: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/qui...

mamachef suggested breasts instead.

[mariacarmen]

that's the one. and yeah, i remember her saying she doesn't eat thighs.

[gingershelley]

Thanks for remembering for me CM. To the great MamaChef!!!

[gini]

As part of a belated birthday present, we went to a cooking class this evening. There were supposed to be 12 students, but only 6 showed up (too much fun at the parade?), so we had much more fun in the kitchen than usual.

Dishes:
Marinated and grilled shrimp with a chipolte pepper sauce
Chicken Mole
Grilled flank steak with ancho chili cream sauce
Green Rice
Chicken Fajitas
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Guacamole
Salsa Verde
Refried Beans
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a peach and macadamia nut salsa
Spicy Bittersweet chocolate cake

[LindaWhit]

gini, sounds like a WONDERFUL feast you all had! A belated happy birthday!

[gini]

Thanks! It wasn't actually my celebration - it was my man's. Yes, I buy him cooking classes for birthday presents!

[suzigirl]

It still sounded wonderful

[JungMann]

My third try at making corned beef. Hopefully this one's a charm. The brisket itself is bubbling away in the crockpot. Separately, turnips are cooking in duck fat, cabbage and carrots in bacon fat. To serve: sliced corned beef beside vegetables glazed in a Guinness reduction along with a bit of horseradish cream.

[roxlet]

My son and husband returned earlier from the tournament in New Haven, and I just got back from taking my son to the airport for his crew team training trip. Hey, how come he gets to enjoy warm weather? But they'll be up at 6:30 every morning, so it won't be all beer and skittles. So just my husband and me for dinner, and he is currently outside with a humongous T-Bone steak cooking it on the grill. There will be a Caesar salad to start and a large baked potato for him, and that will be it tonight. Tete a Tete, and a harbinger of things to come...

[Dirtywextraolives]

Big Brooklyn style meatballs and marinara. A pound of Italian bucatini will be boiled. Lots of fresh grated Parm Reg will be passed at the table. Two small loaves of garlic bread will go under the broiler, and a Caesar salad will be tossed. The rest of the apple & cherry pies for dessert. A nice Montepulciano d'Abruzzo will be poured. Salud!

[weezieduzzit]

At about 3 this afternoon I changed my mind and decided that I DO want corned beef so I went to the store. Fortunately for us, we eat late anyhow so whenever it's done is fine by us. Sauerkraut and kale as sides.

[fldhkybnva]

You reminded me I have saurekraut intended to be eaten today. I'll just have to find a use for that - perhaps a bowl and fork.

[wyogal]

jeez.........
So, we go to the gig (our Irish session agreed to play for a sober celebration), where we kindly waived our fee, it's a nonprofit, and they promised us corned beef and cabbage.
It was an event from 1:30-5. We started playing at 2. Played until 3;20-ish.
and guess what?
They ran out of corned beef and cabbage. and they ran out at about 2:15.
So, we stopped at the store, I got the smallest I could find, along with some cabbage and potatoes. I just put it in the oven with some beer. Will do the potatoes and cabbage separately.
Husband doesn't like it, so he'll have leftover pizza. I leave for Virginia for our grandson's birthday on Wednesday, which is why I got a small one. I guess I'll be having leftovers until I go.
It was weird. The guy that "hired" us barely spoke to us. I guess I won't be doing him any more favors.

[LindaWhit]

Oh, now that stinks. How VERY disappointing. :-(

[gingershelley]

Now that's just WRONG to not save any food for the musicians.... and well, it was wrong for them not to make enough either.

Sorry you have to cook your own, but I am sure it will taste great after that smell got in your nose earlier.

And no, no more favors for the un-careful non-profit favor-asker.

[mariacarmen]

bizarre behavior! sorry for your disappointing day...

[tonifi]

No idea. I have no idea. It's too cold in here, everyone is home for spring break, already whining about how bored they are. They've been eating garbage all day (I never SEE them raiding the chips and snack cakes, but the trash can is full of wrappers), and I am completely uninspired. Someone please come feed these people for me, I don't want to today.

[LindaWhit]

Might I suggest takeout Chinese? :-)

[ChristinaMason]

If they're bored, they have time to help cook :)

[steve h.]

Corned beef (Nathan's!) is on the menu tonight. I'll make some peas and tiny white potatoes (from a can) as a side. Deb will chunk up some carrots and toss them in the simmering liquid since she's not fond of my peas or potatoes.

Leftover corned beef will find its way into sammiches this week. We keep clearing out the coolerator.

[ChristinaMason]

Nathan's makes a nice corned beef.

[PHREDDY]

Steveh...How about some Green Giant LeSur peas, that just happen to visit some homemade mashed spuds on your plate, and you intercede and scoop some up and put them in your mouth?( my version of peas and mashed..)

Enjoy your corned beef!

[steve h.]

Le Sueur Very Young Small Sweet Peas.

Good stuff.

[ChristinaMason]

It's been a lazy day of non-stop grazing as we went to a late St. Patty's brunch at our friends' place. Took it easy on the beer, but I did attack the crudite and dip with unusual gusto. And I had a green cupcake (bad Christina! bad!). Not to mention the green mashed potatoes. They actually ran out of food coloring (shudder, LOL).

My DH and his friends played sad Irish songs and we all cried into our beer about Sam Hall.

Tonight's dinner will probably be leftover coddle (whatever's left after our 1AM snack post concert last night). I will also be making those damned stuffed peppers I never get around to, as the cochinita pibil has been thawed for 4(?) days now and it's use it or lose it at this point. Those'll be work lunches, yay!

[steve h.]

Sounds like my kind of day.

[ChristinaMason]

Pushed the coddle to tomorrow's dinner/lunch; I think we're about potato'd out. The stuffed peppers turned out well, although I think I prefer a mojo marinade (sour orange and garlic, etc.) to the achiote paste w/ the pibil. I stuffed the peppers with rice cooked with garlic and fire-roasted tomatoes, mixed with the shredded pork, Mexican-blend cheeses, browned mushrooms and sauteed onion and covered them in creamy tomatillo sauce and more cheese. Hit the spot, although I could have left them in a little longer so the peppers were less al dente.

[ItalianNana]

Corned beef and cabbage with new potatoes tonite. We like it with a cup of sauerkraut in the cooking water and a couple of tsps of caraway seeds.

Hey, what's EYB? I'm guessing its not the Eli Young Band or Escondido Youth Baseball. :-D

[ChristinaMason]

Eat Your Books :)

[Berheenia]

The freezer has coughed up some meatballs so spaghetti and meatballs is WFD. The local is an Irish Pub so we may have to pass again as the students are swarming all the usually quiet pubs in Boston ... sigh. They are calling St Patricks weekend.

[LindaWhit]

One place to avoid on St. Patrick's Day in Boston is an Irish bar. Insanity rules. It'll be back to normal tomorrow. :-)

[Berheenia]

For some odd reason all the good bars in Brookline (IMHO) are Irish or very Irish ale and stout centric.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Naaaah, now Southy is the place to avoid..... ;)

[LindaWhit]

I'm talking the entirety of Boston - including Southie, East Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville......anywhere where there's an Irish bar. Which is everywhere. :-) Perhaps the North End is the place to be today to avoid the insanity.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Oh, you just evoked some very sweet memories of the holiday in Boston & Brookline, where I lived for about eight years..... Yes, we tended to take over many a bar downtown, Fanueil Hall, Newbury Street, Kenmore Square, the Fenway.....we even closed some down, being at the bar for 12 hours straight..... Aaah, good times...thanks for that little trip down memory lane.

[gingershelley]

I remember good times like that in my 20's here in SEA on St. Pat's - and that was only a little on the heels of Fat Tuesday; back then, it wasn't fun until someone spilled a beer on you, or a fight broke out over (lill' ol me?") Ahhh, young and a redhead - it was pretty great on St. Pat's!

[mariacarmen]

not feeling the Eire, myself, nor am i feeling the tikka masala. instead, lebanese chicken with lentils, rice and browned onions. chicken thighs are now marinating in 8 minced garlic cloves, lemon juice, cumin, thyme, paprika, and cayenne. yogurt/cuke/mint salad will go alongside

going out into the beautiful day now - it's sunny and 63 degrees in the little City by the Bay. enjoy your Sundays!

[linguafood]

Still a bit hungover from last night's shenanigans... LATE night, I think I broke even or lost a little bit, but thankfully my man won around $50.

That means I can continue this Week Of Utter Laziness and perhaps convince him to go out for dinner. Again. Tonight.

One of my bandmates is playing at a new venue late afternoon today for St. Paddy's along with a fiddler and who knows what else. Since we're booked there in early April, I want to scope out the layout, etc.

And hopefully eat something. I am starvated.

[fldhkybnva]

SO and I are hungry folks today so it's a double mini-lunch/dinner combo action.

#1 - Turkey Marsala

#2 - Rib eye with sauteed shrimp and mussels. I'm not Irish and we don't have any plans for today, but dinner was between salmon and steak and steak won mostly because it's St. Patrick's Day and it's a nice spin on the corned beef theme.

Breakfast was a quite delicious Asian Sesame Chicken Salad. If anyone is a fan of the salad at Panera, I found a great recipe which nails the dressing.

A great day of eats if you ask me...and my stomach!

[suzigirl]

Lots and lots of protein. Yum. I for one would love the dressing recipe please

[fldhkybnva]

I specialize in protein. The rest of the world thinks I'm crazy, but I crave meat in any which, way or form that it may come - beef, fish, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, you name it I'm there. I very rarely ever really want a carb except for a few veggies which I can eat loads of and potatoes in any form.

[fldhkybnva]

Copycat Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Here's the dressing recipe:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

For the chicken, I marinated in soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and sauteed in coconut oil.

My variations on the original were cashews, toasted slivered almonds and cabbage.

This salad is delicious! It tastes just like Panera but better.

[suzigirl]

That sounds great. Thanks

[gingershelley]

Let's have that recipe, please!

[fldhkybnva]

Well just call me a a glutton but I stand proudly. I made poultry (turkey instead of chicken) Marsala for the first time tonight and I'm salivating and thinking about when I can do it again. Easy and delicious = my kind of meal.

[Bacardi1]

Wait a minute. Didn't you just post on another thread you started that you just made "Chicken Marsala", with heavy cream in the sauce, etc., etc.? Did you change to turkey & leave out the cream?

[fldhkybnva]

I planned to use the cream but forgot about it in the fridge. I was just going to add a few oz and afterwards realized I forgot it. It was likely a mistype the turkey/chicken mix-up but yes it was turkey marsala without cream. Do you like to use cream?

[Bacardi1]

Nope - no cream here. I like my Chicken (or Turkey) Marsala closer to the original. Really am not a huge fan of adding heavy cream to most wine sauces.

[fldhkybnva]

I have actually never had it with cream and after reading a few recipes planned to use it since it was included in some but after last night I agree with you. I didn't follow a recipe per se but just got ideas and tinkered it to my liking which is probably why I forgot about the cream. I have never had it with cream and it was so good last night that I would not add anything to it so I guess I'm in the more traditional camp as well.

[ChristinaMason]

Please share the recipe if you have a chance :)

[Bacardi1]

This isn't Fldhkybnva's recipe, but here's mine in case you want to try it:

Bacardi1 Chicken Marsala

1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets**. (If using chicken breasts, pound them to between 1/4"-1/2” thickness)
Approx. 1 cup of flour seasoned to taste with salt, granulated garlic, & freshly ground black pepper
Approx. 8 ounces (or 16 ounces if you love mushrooms as much as I do) of Cremini mushrooms, sliced, or ½ Cremini & ½ Shitake mushrooms, stemmed & sliced (White Button mushrooms can be substituted as well)
Extra-virgin olive oil & unsalted butter
One large wine glass of Marsala wine (approx. 1 cup)
Dash of chicken stock (homemade or bought – I like Swanson’s cartons)
Approx. ½ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to lowest (warm) setting.

Place seasoned flour & chicken in a Ziploc bag & turn gently until chicken is completely coated.

Heat some extra-virgin olive oil & a few pats of butter in a non-stick pan until hot, but not smoking. Cook chicken (in batches if necessary) approx. 3-4 minutes on each side - depending on thickness - until cooked thru & lightly browned. Transfer to plate/platter & place in oven to keep warm.

Add additional butter to pan, if necessary, & add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have given up their liquid & are “just” starting to brown a bit. Stir in Marsala wine, dash of chicken stock, & a little more butter.

Plate chicken & pour mushroom/wine sauce over. Top with chopped parsley & serve.

Normally I accompany this dish with sliced sautéed potatoes or egg noodles, a green vegetable like plain boiled or steamed broccoli &/or a large green salad.

**Turkey cutlets can be substituted.

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks :)

[fldhkybnva]

Mine is very similar but I love to find recipes on these threads so I'll post mine as well for variety's sake of a lower carb version

1 lb chicken
1 tbsp butter
2 oz pancetta
16 oz mushrooms (I love mushrooms, you could use much less)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp shallots (approx 1 shallot)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sage
2 tbsp parsley
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp corn starch, dissolved in a few tbsps of water or stock

Heat oven with ovenproof plate on middle rack to 200F

Pound meat to 1/4 inch thickness

Pat chicken cutlets dry and season both sides

Heat 1 tbsp butter in heavy bottomed saute pan over medium high heat until shimmering

Pan fry cutlets 2-3 minutes per side, then transfer to the heated platter in the oven (I covered with foil but if you use flour it might make the breading soggy)

Add pancetta to pan and saute while scraping the pan

Add mushrooms, lay in a single layer and saute until they release liquid and it evaporates and they start to brown (I like to hear them sizzle the whole time)

Add garlic, tomato paste, and shallot and stir constantly scraping the pan and until the tomato paste browns (1-2 minutes)

Remove the pan from the heat, and add the marsala wine.

Return pan to heat and simmer (1 minute or so)

Add chicken stock + cornstarch slurry, bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes

Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally

Stir in parsley and sage; add salt and pepper if needed

Add chicken cutlets and simmer to coat with sauce

Eat up! I didn't feel like I needed anything additional, but I'm sure this would be great on pasta. If you do serve it with pasta, I might double the wine and stock to make additional sauce.

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks! I'm going to try this swapping in cold butter for the corn starch.

[GulaSocordia]

Both chicken marsala recipes posted look MUCH healthier than what I throw together(I am a heavy cream person). I'm just going to set these aside in my evernote. Thanks for sharing, you guys!

[fldhkybnva]

The last of the onslaught today -

Boneless Rib Eye with Garlic Butter Paprika shrimp finished a dash of sherry wine.

My waistline and I very grateful for my two competing passions - weightlifting and eating! I imagine dinner will be on the lighter side the rest of the week, my flavor receptors are overloaded.

[mariacarmen]

both those look scrumptious!

[fldhkybnva]

Thanks, the shrimp were a throw together so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. But I've noticed that a wonderful thing about growing as a cook and learning about ingredients is that you often can throw together something that sounds good and it turns out great.

[gini]

Thanks for reminding me that I have been meaning to cook more shrimp at home.

[fldhkybnva]

Love, love shrimp...well, once I figured out how to not overcook them into chewy c-shaped monsters.

[suzigirl]

Lol. Been there and still accidentlt end up there. C shaped monsters-hehe

[wyogal]

Here are some pics of last night's pizza. Made two, the smaller one had more peppers, onions, and lots of mushrooms, and less cheese. The larger one had pepperoni in addition to the meatballs and salami. The smaller one had a sauce that was half pureed roasted red pepper and pizza sauce, the big one, not so much red pepper puree. and those are orange peppers, not carrots!

[PHREDDY]

Did you make the crust yourself?...NY or Chicago style?

[wyogal]

Yes, I made it myself. As for style, not sure, but more like Wyoming style! Not super thin, nor thick. I par-baked the crusts.

[LindaWhit]

Those are definitely NOT a pick-up-a-slice of NY-style pizza. :-)

[Dirtywextraolives]

They look wonderful, wyogal! Mind if I ask how you did the sauce? I'm always on the look out for a great pizza sauce.....thanks.

[ChristinaMason]

Your mention of the red pepper and tomato sauce reminds me of one of my favorite local pizza places that makes a "Fire and Smoke" pizza with chipotle-red pepper-tomato sauce, smoked gouda, roasted red pepper strips, and onion. It's quite delicious! Wish I were eating pizza right now---maybe I'll finally get around to trying a cauliflower-crust pizza!

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/be...

And don't believe the recipe, they use thinly sliced onion, not diced.

[wyogal]

Our Irish session group is playing a sober celebration (for a local AA-type club) this afternoon. They are having corned beef and cabbage, and green milk shakes. Then, leftover pizza later tonight. I'll download my pics of the pizza soon.

[Christina D]

Since the hubs hates corned beef, we'll be having beef and Guinness pies, sauteed cabbage, roasted carrots and brown soda bread with honey butter.

[roxlet]

I'd rather have beef and Guinness pie any day!

[gingershelley]

Friday was a blue cheese and caramelized-onion stuffed burger with avocado, bacon, mayo and dijon. Sweet potato fries on the side. YUM.

Yesterday, I made something green in honor of today's holiday - split pea soup with a nice smoked ham hock. Inspired by a post on David Leibovitz blog. I wished I had had my act together and had made homemade bread, but a bought roll had to suffice with the soup.

That shal be fixed today, as I now have a vat of Bin5 dough ( some WW and Rye flours in there as well as KA bread) aging in the fridge made late yesterday, so tonight there will be more soup AND bread:)

Happy St. Pat's to all who celebrate it! I am one tiny sliver Irish, so I try....

[Frizzle]

That burger meal sounds wonderful GS.

[gingershelley]

The caramelized onions really brought home the blue cheese. Hit the spot!

[DelishDi]

Last night, I had a veerrrryyyyyyy spicy homemade chili, made by a wonderful friend who thinks if it doesn't set the house on fire, or at least his entire head, it's not hot enough! It was fantastic. Today, I am making an Irish Lamb Stew in the dutch oven, with New Zealand tips, which has been marinated and seasoned for a couple of days with burgundy and pepper, and I have Irish Skillet Soda Bread in the oven. Both are smelling heavenly. Guiness Milkshake for dessert.

[LindaWhit]

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I don't do the green beer, green clothes, fake Irish accent (there's enough real ones in the Boston area!), but I *DO* do Irish types of food!

So today is boneless leg of lamb. It's from New Zealand, grass-fed, according to the little sign at Whole Foods. So hopefully it's got the lamby oomph I like. The meat cutter behind the counter ever-so-nicely cut the 5-1/2 lb. roast down to 3 lbs. for me.

The netted roast will be rubbed with a mixture of minced fresh rosemary, minced garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and a bit of lemon juice. That'll sit in the fridge most of the day until it goes into the oven for roasting to medium-rare. I'll make a pan gravy to drizzle over the slices of lamb. And yes, I'll have mint jelly alongside the lamb. I know it's an American thing (I think the Brits use a mint sauce, which is pourably thin), but I like the Raffetto's mint jelly the few times a year I have lamb. :-)

Sides? Steamed baby Yukon Gold potatoes and carrots tossed with butter, salt and pepper, chives and parsley.

[Harters]

Lovely, so it is. To be sure, to be sure :-)

And, yes, traditonal spring/summer sauce is mint. I grow it near the back door and there's usually enough for sauce at Easter, if its a late Easter. It is the simplest of things - just chopped mint, sugar and malt vinegar. It needs the vinegar's acidity to come through but tempered by the sugar.

In the winter, the sauce would be onion - again easy-peasy. Just the softened onions turned into a basic white sauce.

[gingershelley]

I serve that British mint sauce with my grilled Easter lamb Harters, but use red wine vinegar in place of malt. Such a nice sweet-tart balance with the mint. Most of my guests rave about it, and comment how much they dislike most mint 'jelly' with lamb.

[Harters]

I bet wine vinegar is even nicer. Smoother round the edges.

Can you get cider vinegar where you are? I think that might work even better - I'll be giving it a try soon. Although my Mum will be turning in her grave thinking I'm using something non-traditional. I'm sure that she wouldnt have had "fancy" vinegar when she was starting to cook in the 1940s.

[gingershelley]

Harters, oh yes, we have wonderful apple cider vinegar here - both big national brands, and at least here, I have access to a great local one made on the lee's of a small cider houses leavings. It make a wonderful salad dressing. The cheap stuff I use it for many culinary tasks like pickling certain things and even cleaning chores of some types.

Good malt vinegar is much harder to find:)

[suzigirl]

I agree. Good malt vinegar is hard to find. Some are so harsh or chemical.
I have never tried to make my own mint sauce. I never cared much for lamb until my bf's mom(or should i say mum? They are from Essex) had me try it with Cross and Blackwell bottled but it is sweet for my taste. If you or Harters can give me an idea of how much mint, vinegar and sugar or should i just mix until it tastes good? I would like an idea where to start

[Harters]

Handful of mint leaves, chopped fairly finely but leaving some texture. Start with three tablespoons of vinegar and one of sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust with more vinegar or sugar till it suits you.

[suzigirl]

Sounds like viniagrette proportions. I think that sounds good for my lamb leg for the first day of spring on the 21st. Thanks alot

[PHREDDY]

LW.....Lamby....so much talk of it here...might have to go out today and buy some..

[steve h.]

Sounds like a perfect Sunday meal. Wine?

[LindaWhit]

But of course. :-) I'm not sure if I want red or white, however. We'll see when it's time to open a bottle.

[steve h.]

I'd go with the red.
On a different tack, lamb from Colorado can be very good. Pricier than the New Zealand import but well worth exploring.

[LindaWhit]

Have had Colorado spring lamb, but can't recall when. And so I can't recall if I liked it or not.

And how funny/bizarre is it that "local" Colorado lamb is more expensive than lamb from allllllllllllllll the way over there in New Zealand!
<---------------------------------

[steve h.]

I think it's a volume thing. I googled "New Zealand lamb exports" and came up with a number north of 280,000 tonnes (sic) for 2012.

[Frizzle]

NZ's claim to fame for a long time was having more sheep than people.
I hope the NZ lamb delivers for you LW.

[Harters]

Same in the UK, LInda. NZ lamb is often cheaper.

By the by, the NZ lamb producers association (?) claims that it is also "greener" to raise lamb there and ship it to the UK, than for our farmers to produce here. Well, they would say that, wouldnt they?

[gingershelley]

Now THAT is a marketer talking, for sure - :(? I think "locally sourced" ALWAYS will have less 'inputs' if you account for miles shipped, etc.

Pardon me; currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal Vegetable, Miracle"; has me right back on the Omnivore's Dilemma bandwagon (but with better prose).....

[Dirtywextraolives]

Yes Colorado lamb is what the caterer I worked for always bought. Great stuff.

[juliejulez]

Seeing as I live in Colorado, I will have to seek out this Colorado lamb you speak of :) I will have to inquire at the meat shop I go to occasionally. Sadly, I've never had lamb but I'm sure i'd like it.

[roxlet]

Wow! Never? Really?

[juliejulez]

Nope... sad huh? My mom doesn't care for it so we never had it growing up, and I guess I just never got around to having it later on. It's on the list to try sometime though. I was planning on buying one of those small racks at Costco next time I go.

[suzigirl]

I didn't grow up on it either. My mom was allergic. But i really like it. I was planning on having it on the first day of spring/my birthday but got sick this weekend and my meals got backed up and I didn't end up buying one. I want to try some soon with the homemade mint sauce Harters gave me the other day

[LindaWhit]

Julie, before you spend the money on a rack of lamb, perhaps just get a few small lamb chops to see if you like it.

[steve h.]

To LW's point, maybe go to a good local restauant and order the chops. See where it takes you.

[mariacarmen]

i can't remember if you have a Trader Joe's near you or not, but they have a teensy little rack of lamb that is pre-herbed and all you need to do is cook them up in a grill pan for a few mins. each side until they're medium rare, when they'll be like juicy, savory lamb lollipops. SO GOOD!

whatever you do, if you make your own, don't overcook them, unless of course you're doing a slow long roast (but i wouldn't recommend that for a first time either.) but steve's idea is a good one - go somewhere where they know what they're doing and taste it first.

[juliejulez]

Not one here yet, but it's coming sometime this year, so I'll definitely keep the "lamb pops" in mind :)

Going to eat some in a restaurant is a very good idea.

[gingershelley]

I need me some 'lamb lollies"!

[roxlet]

Back in the day, I used to go to all these upfront cocktail parties, and they used to have incredible hors d'oeuvres, including lamb lollipop stations. We'd park our fannies near the station, and chow down on those amazing mouthfuls!

[fldhkybnva]

I'd love to hear your opinion on dinner tonight. I roasted a Whole Foods New Zealand leg a few weeks ago and to my surprise there was minimal lamby oomph. Here's to your better luck with lamb oomphness. Either way, I'll take a few slices.

[LindaWhit]

I'll let you know.

[Berheenia]

We had lamb in NZ and it was surprisingly unlamby- even lamb hater hubby ate it. I would go heavy on the garlic and olive oil if I were lucky enough to be making it for dinner.

[LindaWhit]

Huh. New Zealand lamb *used* to be the go-to for lamby-tasting lamb! Ok, I think I used about 1 Tbsp. of minced garlic, and about 1/3 cup of olive oil. Maybe 1/2 Tbsp. of minced fresh rosemary, so I'm probably covered. I guess I'll know when the aroma of garlic fills the house. :-)

[Berheenia]

I'm getting in the car right now....

[LindaWhit]

Let's just say that my house will smell like garlic until at least tomorrow. ;-)

[fldhkybnva]

Sounds like heaven!

[fldhkybnva]

Yea, I remember it being quite lamby

[Lillipop]

My daughter is here for a month with me from Christchurch NZ. Right before she moved there last summer (to get married) she bought imported grass fed NZ lamb and made a spicy dish with it. She said that the lamb in NZ is nothing like that *crud* she bought here. She said NZ lamb is luscious tender fragrant etc. She is thinking that there might be some mislabeling or possibly some outright dishonesty going on about the actual products being sold in the USA as *grass fed NZ lamb*.

[Dirtywextraolives]

How interesting! And you know, it wouldn't surprise me. New Zealand lamb used to be prized around the world, why would it suddenly taste bland and indifferent?

[Lillipop]

My daughter seems to think that the lamb she purchased here (N.California near Lodi) was perhaps *old* or mislabeled as in maybe it was not grass fed NZ.lamb. I tasted her dish when she prepared it. I do not care for lamb but the lamb she prepared was very tender but to me it was rank tasting...so gamey and strong. The same as venison or goat.Just overpowering to me.They dine on lamb frequently there and she said it is other worldly in terms of the satiation factor.....lusciousness etc.

[fldhkybnva]

My question exactly! It really saddened me when my NZ lamb had very little lamb flavor. I wanted to prepare it for Easter but very hesitant.

[LindaWhit]

HEY! They're keep all the good lamb for themselves! LOL

I'd be very disappointed if the labeling was false. But that would mean that many stores are doing so, as it seems I'm not the only one around the country finding that lamb doesn't taste like what we remember growing up.

[Lillipop]

The lamb my daughter purchased was at Safeway and it was very strong and musky flavored. She just believes that maybe it was perhaps *old* and maybe labeled in a misleading manner. At any rate when she landed In Christchurch her Kiwi man fed her real grass fed NZ lamb and she instructed me to put having some on my bucket list:) Right now I am *on strike* against meats until I can find some decent humanely locally raised proteins to purchase.IF anyone here has any suggestions about how or where I can buy grass fed beef...pork....chickens that are not factory farmed please share. I have a Costco card but use it primarily for prescriptions for my son. There is a Trader Joe's in my area and there is a Whole Foods in Sacramento. I have read references from people on here about Whole Foods having many selections. I have been eating plant based x almost three months and I am getting grouchier and more surly each day:) I do not want to purchase a 1/4 of a beef:) I just want to find a decent source for meats.Any experiences or suggestions would be welcomed. I am located in N California 35 miles south of Sacramento.

[juliejulez]

Lillipop, I would suggest you check out this website: http://www.localharvest.org/ It basically is listings of many farms, food co-ops, CSAs etc in your desired area.

[Lillipop]

Thanks JJ:)

[Terrie H.]

Great resource! Thanks, Julie!

[LindaWhit]

Lillipop, that thread is probably best on a General Topics thread (I think that's where it should go). OR your local board, as that would be allowed seeing as you're looking to buy retail at a brick and mortar store in your immediate area.

I know I've seen the same type of thread(s) on the Boston board, and I know there are local purveyors of local-to-me grass-fed lamb, so I'm going to have to search and see if I can buy some without buying a whole lamb. :-)

[Lillipop]

Thanks LW...that makes sense...I posted here because I know there are several California posters on here.

[LindaWhit]

OK, fldh - I'm pretty disappointed. There is pretty much NO lamb flavor. I mean, it was good, but.....just nowhere near the lamb flavor it *should* have. I'm going to have to try buying local. There are several farms near me in central MA that sell locally grown lamb. I'll have to research them and see what's available and where it's sold.

[fldhkybnva]

Argg, I'm sorry it wasn't the lamb explosion you were looking for but it seems our experiences are similar. Yea, I spoke with my butcher and he recommended the local lamb as well for more flavor which astonishes me as I for sure thought the lamb from down under had a stronger flavor from the grass diet. Hopefully it works out and you'll report a success story.

[Berheenia]

If there is a "Meat House" near you, I got some flavorful lamb stew meat from them last March. Don't know the source.

[LindaWhit]

Ahhh, there *is*! Their website says "The Meat House carries a delicious selection of lamb from both the lush green islands of New Zealand and the fertile plains of the American Midwest." Thanks - I'll have to try them - they're just up the street from my workplace.

I've also got Butcher Boy a few more minutes away from my workplace, as well as J&B Butchers near my home. I've just asked J&B via Email of their sourcing. No way to ask Butcher Boy except by calling them.

[Berheenia]

If you facebook them now they may have a 5 dollar coupon you can use.

[LindaWhit]

Believe it or not, the one near me doesn't have a FB presence. Unless you're supposed to choose the "main one"...which it seems you are. Thanks!

[gini]

I'm trying to clean out the pantry, freezer, and condiment pandemonium that is going on in our house. We're converting our pantry to a 1/2 bath this spring, so I need to make room.

Brown rice macaroni with arugula pesto (arugula, olive oil, asiago, sesame seeds) and spicy Italian sausage. I'm not a huge wheat person and am attempting to convert the household to the same ideas - this pasta held up surprisingly well.

Marinated goat cheese with fresh herbs and olive oil - this was delicious!

Seared local scallops over asparagus risotto - it's not quite asparagus season where we live, but I was itching for something to remind me that the crocuses will come out soon.

Homemade peanut butter ice cream with chocolate chip cookies. Sorry the picture is so brown.

[LindaWhit]

Those scallops look luscious!

[ChristinaMason]

Great sear on those! I totally want that now.

[gini]

Thanks!

[Breadcrumbs]

Well, last night's Ziti (w fennel, shallots, onions and wild mushrooms) worked out beautifully. It came together very quickly and made for a terrific, no-fuss meal to serve to our guests. This was a very quick and casual get-together w neighbours and the dish definitely exceeded my expectations. I served it with a simple salad of mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette and of course, some crusty bread alongside.

Tonight is still a mystery. I'm pulling my Irish cookbooks off the shelf to see if something sings to me...or does a jig! On hand and not yet frozen I have lobster, lamb chops, chicken and a filet...kind of an odd assortment but all these items were well-priced at the market yesterday.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Blue cheese stuffed bacon burgers on the grill, (Colby-jack stuffed for the kids) and seasoned Mexican steak fries. Slices of apple or cherry pie for dessert.

[ChristinaMason]

I initially read that as "apple-cherry pie"---also sounds delicious!

Do you have a favorite crust recipe?

[Dirtywextraolives]

These were store bought :) But yes, my favorite crust recipe is my Mom's. Always tender and flaky. Which reminds me, I should make some soon, it's just too easy, and I don't know why I don't make it more often.

[sunangelmb]

My big boy is officially 13 today, so we invited his whole soccer team to sleep over (yes 14 boys, I'm crazy) So dinner is pizza, and homemade Whoopie pies. ( pain to make, due to dog scarfing down first batch, but it's his yearly request.) I got a delicious chicken sandwich stuffed with homemade mozzarella, basil, garlic, roasted peppers, and tomatoes, served on a huge fresh perfect roll, and husband got the margherita, so we were both happy campers

[PHREDDY]

SB.....Congrats...14 boys , I hoped they slept last night,,,,,,what did they eat for breakfast?

[sunangelmb]

no sleep at all. I wanted to make pancakes, or pick up some bagels, but they begged for dunkin donuts. It was easy, and a big birthday, so I agreed. Normally donuts are on the no list, they make me nauseous.

[Bacardi1]

Tonight we enjoyed some Swordfish steaks baked with an Asian-style topping. Served with some sauteed veggies (sliced baby bok choy, bean sprouts, broccoli slaw mix, snow peas, sliced fresh red Thai chilies) & Jasmine rice.

[weezieduzzit]

Well, I didn't have all of the ingredients I wanted to make a quiche with the fresh eggs so I bumped that idea to tomorrow and figured the carne asada in the freezer would do the trick for tonight so I thawed it, lit the grill and waited for the charcoal to be just right, cooked it and made lettuce wraps with it, took a bite..... hmmm.... another bite... It's all in the garbage now. It was awful (not spoiled, just lousy.)

So.... back to the drawing board (and I'm hungry.)

Dontcha hate when that happens?

[nlgardener]

That's funny. I hate it when meals suck. "Keep us alive until tomorrow" is my husband's response when things go wrong, but for me the missed opportunity of enjoyable gustation is mournful. Especially since I'm the cook.....

[weezieduzzit]

I like his attitude. :)

A pound of shrimp in the freezer saved the day, I deveined and peeled while the broiler heated up since the charcoal was already too cool. It did the trick.

[juster]

I'm at my parents' house tonight. We were experimenting with trying to make non-crumbly Jiffy cornbread (any ideas on that?), so have an extra batch (with green chile in it). To use it up and stick with the theme, Mama and I are making Southern-cooked kale and creamed chicken (with peas and pimientos) from Miss Mary's Down-home Cooking, from a boarding house kitchen in Lynchburg, Tennessee (1984).

[ChristinaMason]

That sounds really good. I love that you're using a vintage regional cookbook! (I hope it's vintage and not antique, as it dates back precariously close to my birth year).

[Breadcrumbs]

Tonight's meal was inspired by an abundance of fennel.

We're having Ziti baked with finely chopped fennel, shallots, onions, mushrooms, cream, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

It's in the oven now for its final browning and it smells sensational. There's fresh marjoram, fennel fronds, thyme in there too. mr bc picked out a nice wine (a surprise for me evidently) to accompany it.

I picked up some incredible lobster claws and tails today at the supermarket. They had an overbuy situation and had put together 3lb bags for $11. So WFD tomorrow will be fun to plan...

[gingershelley]

Wow, they were giving away that lobster - how nice!

[fldhkybnva]

It's chicken cordon bleu Saturday which might have to be renamed stuffed chicken boobs Saturday because tonight it will be crab and cheese stuffed chicken. I am thinking lump crab with Muenster and smoked mozzarella although might add some ham or bacon and go with provolone instead of the smoked mozz but we'll see. Either way, it seems like a good variation on a favorite.

Wonderful story - I emailed SO to ask if he wanted chicken boobs or steak and he responded chicken boobs with much exclamation but responded to the wrong person who so happened to be the organizer for a charity that he's working with. He now refuses to call them chicken boobs although he was the first to throw the term around.

[boyzoma]

Love that! How funny. Your poor hubby. Do you butterfly your chicken or do you just make a "pocket" and stuff them? I've seen it done both ways. Also, do you roll them in bread crumbs, panko, or something else? Do you make a sauce, and if so, what kind? I am all about learning new recipes. TYIA.

[fldhkybnva]

I butterfly and then pound with my fist which is a great way to let off some aggression. I then roll and "secure" with toothpicks. I have pondered the pocket technique but never tried it. I think it might work better but the struggle is part of the fun. We actually do them without a bread coating. Season with sprinkle of Greek seasoning, pepper and salt, rub with roasted garlic and then roll and bake. I have never made a sauce but tonight I really wanted to. I think a nice white wine sauce would be perfect but we love them not only unbreaded but without sauce. It's a great dish and so many variations. Tonight's variation officially is crab, Muenster and Provolone.

[fldhkybnva]

Wow, great rendition of Chicken Cordon Bleu...but not. Chicken stuffed with crab, Muenster and Provolone.

[gini]

I'm fascinated by the crab! Thanks for sharing.

[boyzoma]

Wow, those look great. Save me one! I love that you use your fist. Never thought about that. My luck, though, would be to bruise my hand (I bruise so easy).

[fldhkybnva]

Thanks. I used to use everything from a wine bottle to a saucepan to a rolling pin but the fist works well and you can feel the pressure applied much better as I was notorious for putting holes in meat using other objects.

[PHREDDY]

Looks yuumy for the tummy....don't look like boobs at all..

Did you make any sauce with them?

[fldhkybnva]

Nope, no sauce this time but next time I think it'll be the usual ham and cheese and a sauce. Do you have any good recipes?

[PHREDDY]

F.....Actually my favorite is a good domestic ham, not too salty, cheddar, and some Gouda....I dip them in flour first, then egg wash then crushed canned, yes canned onion rings....
the sauce is butter, lemon, some white wine and cappers...

[gingershelley]

Now is it going to be THAT, or Tikka Masala for dinner tomorrow? Hmmm.....

[mariacarmen]

hilarious!

[LaLa]

Today we took the new baby out for his first beach trip....it's in the 70s here. When we came home the almost nine year old and his daddy made us delicious pizza. Caramelized onions and bacon!

[boyzoma]

Thursday was my creamy-chunky tomato soup, made with diced tomatoes, cream cheese and basil. To go with was grilled ham/cheese/tomato sandwiches.

Friday was leftovers.

Tonight is my favorite Pizza takeout (salami, pepperoni, canadian bacon, mushrooms & olives)

Sunday will be pot roast in the dutch oven with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Fresh baked rolls (gotta love the smell of fresh baked breads). My nod to St. Paddy's day will be some home made Irish Cream (much better than you can buy in the liquor store).

[linguafood]

I like the sound of that soup! Gotta make some turmator soup soon.... while it's still snowing outside >sigh<

[roxlet]

Well, it's snowing here, which is majorly bumming me out. I think that I am going to do something with shrimp. I saw a cilantro lime shrimp that appealed to me, so maybe that with some rice and an added finely sliced serrano. That with shrimp, and something green like broccoli.

[gingershelley]

At least your getting your green on, Roxlet:)

[linguafood]

I haven't been cooking a lot this week -- Wednesday is our Sichuan jour fixe, Thursday it was a late dinner out: sashimi, lion's head meatballs & mezcalitos, and yesterday was a snacky eve of bar-hopping (cheeseburger club sandwich FTW!!)... and it's looking like the trend will continue at least for tonight - we're hosting a poker game (hey, a gal's gotta make some money :-)), and that usually means take-out. I'm kinda burnt out on our usual Thai place, so I'm hoping to be able to convince folks to go for Sichuan delivery!

[PHREDDY]

LF.....
Remember you have to know how to fold em'......and I don't mean egg whites!!

[juliejulez]

I am surviving the Wyoming hockey tournament, although my stomach isn't super pleased. Yesterday involved a Wendy's lunch, and a dinner consisting of a mini frozen deep dish pizza heated in in a microwave at the concession stand at the arena, and then half of my SO's Arby's curly fries and a peanut butter and honey sandwich at 12:30am. Oh, and I had 5 beers earlier in the evening, which for me is, well, a lot. I sobered up in time to drive us home though. SO already had a game this morning (at 7am!) but I didn't go, he's napping now and then we're going to go to out to lunch in a bit. I'm hoping we'll go to the local brewery that has decent food. Another game at 6:15 and I'll probably end up with another one of those pizzas followed by going out to the local bars til 2 or 3am. SO's mom is making chicken and dumpling soup so we'll have something to eat when we get home, she's great :)

I know you all are jealous of my epicurean delights.

[steve h.]

We are in awe of your fortitude.

Edited to add: I was a hockey dad for a bunch of years.

[weezieduzzit]

One piece of advice, Julie... big purse. I take a bunch of my own stuff when I know the only choices are going to be crap. Caprese sandwiches on french rolls pack extremely well (the man refers to them as "car show sandwiches.")

[juliejulez]

Ha well I do have a little cooler bag of snacks (trail mix, beef jerky, crackers etc) that I've been keeping in the truck, but I wish I had thought to bring more substantial foods... like more of those peanut butter sandwiches! Last year I brought nothing, so I'm learning at least... next year there will definitely be more "meal" type foods in my cooler bag.

[gingershelley]

Hang in there JJ those mini pizza's are especially brutal!

[linguafood]

Sadly, the food selections at sport venues leave quite a bit to desire....

[juliejulez]

Oh yes, and this one is a small community arena... youth hockey players man the concessions and the options are these microwaved pizzas, soft pretzel, nachos, and breakfast burritos. But, at least it's cheap. My pizza is $2 :)

We go to NHL games back in Denver and while they don't have the best options, at least they have a variety....and of course charge an arm and a leg.

[linguafood]

Yeah, the prices are *staggering*. At the "Cadillac Lounge" @Wells Fargo Center, you can have a burger for $22. I saw it.

I wouldn't pay more than a buck for it :-)

[Bacardi1]

Last night, after enjoying a free film screening at the local Library of Congress theatre (double Woody Allen feature - "Broadway Danny Rose" & "Stardust Memories"), we hit our local little Italian place for a late meal.

Hubby had a "Chicken Calzone", while I enjoyed "Shrimp Parmesan". Brought enough home for a nice lunch.

[Lillipop]

The helium shoot out scene in Broadway Danny Rose demonstrates the comic genius of Woody Allen. So hilariously absurd.He is a master:) Two Woody Allen films on the big screen and a late Italian meal? Sounds like perfection to me.Lucky you!

[weezieduzzit]

We FINALLY made it to the egg ranch I've been wanting to try (cage free, veg. fed, beautiful happy chickens, family business,) yesterday so I'm seeing a crustless quiche paired with a baby spinach, orange, baby beet, fennel salad tonight.

What kind of quiche is still TBD, I haven't even made breakfast yet so I have plenty of time to decide. :)

[steve h.]

Farm-fresh eggs are the best. I can't buy the supermarket stuff anymore.

You might consider getting some guanciale, Parmagiano Reggiano, quality peppercorns and making a killer spaghetti carbonara. The fresh eggs elevate this simple dish to Michelin levels.

[weezieduzzit]

I just made a couple for breakfast. ..big orange yokes smack dab in the middle of thick whites.... there's no going back.

I'm working on finding a local dairy to buy direct from, too. There are still a few hidden gems in the fields 30 miles east of LA.

[steve h.]

Nice.

[linguafood]

One more vote for carbonara!

[PHREDDY]

WZT.....
My grandparents owned an egg farm from the 1930's to late 1960.....
I can still taste those eggs in my grandmother's kitchen!!!
Enjoy them!!

[Breadcrumbs]

Oh I'd love to reach into my screen and grab a couple of those weezie!! Nothing beats a just laid egg! Lucky you!

[gingershelley]

Weezzie - enjoy the eggs... I just found out my new roomate can get freshly laid eggs from her mom's landlord who has a large coupe out back of her house.

Yeah - new egg access for me too!

[ChristinaMason]

My husband is making an Irish dish called "coddle" to bring to a party later this afternoon. From what I understand it involves simmering sausages (I guess bangers) and Irish bacon in water to make a broth, then cooking potatoes and carrots together with the meats until they're tender and have soaked up the flavor. No spices except salt, pepper, and maybe parsley. Another friend is bringing corned beef and cabbage, which I'm excited for.

The dinner our friends made last night was worth mentioning. To start we had portabello mushroom caps topped with a mixture of gorgonzola, cream cheese, fresh garlic, and minced onion and broiled until bubbly. They were decadent and delicious (the original recipe called for mozzarella, but my friend subbed cream cheese). The main was flank steak roulade stuffed with spinach, blue cheese, and roasted red pepper. Also good, if a little overdone. Steamed broccoli on the side. We provided dessert: sliced strawberries topped with heaps of lightly sweetened whipped cream, served with a piece of pistachio shortbread. My friend's iPhone photo of dessert didn't really come out, but I snapped one of the shortbread still in the pan.

[wyogal]

They did a coddle on the Today Show the other day. It looked simple and soothing. An Irish woman made it Rachel somebody.... O.K., found a link
http://www.today.com/id/51166718/ns/t...

[ChristinaMason]

Thanks! I passed that link along to him. Appreciate the thought :)

[wyogal]

You are welcome! I like to use Johnsonville Irish o' Garlic sausages that one can find in the grocery stores this time of year.

[ChristinaMason]

So excited to eat this. A couple hours in the oven to go.

[ChristinaMason]

Really delicious. Must make again. Rutabaga was a nice spin.

[steve h.]

Deb and I will be heading to Manhattan for an early supper at Esca, Dave Pasternak's seafood restaurant on 43rd. Prosecco, crudo, pasta and fish are in my future. Later, we'll catch Dr. John at Town Hall.

Happy 200th!

[PHREDDY]

Steveh..
Enjoy the show, and be careful driving, if you are , on this St.Paddys day parade...

[steve h.]

We trained in. Cops were all over mid-town so things appeared to be under control. Walking on 43rd was interesting what with all the snow and wind. Good times!

[LindaWhit]

Great dinner, and great show afterwards - enjoy!

[steve h.]

Thanks. Food was really good, the music was stellar. I miss New Orleans.

[ItalianNana]

Ahhh, Right Place...Wrong Time! Saw Dr John the Night Tripper in New Orleans many years ago for my 50th! Glad the food was good too. :-)

[steve h.]

Big smile.

[wyogal]

Husband is craving some pizza, so will do that either tonight or tomorrow. I'm craving meatloaf or meatballs. So maybe a meatball pizza.....
and I went to the deep freeze and discovered that it needs a serious clean out! I found stuff from a couple of years ago, completely freezer burned, as well as all sorts of mysterious leftovers. ugh.
But, I think it can wait... ha!

[PHREDDY]

WL...I am the freezer cop, taking inventory once a month....The oldest items are placed together, reguardless of what they are.....We have a two month rule as well, for food that was cooked, not staples like protiens or uncooked items.

We have found "stuff" that was ok, but would never make again....we save it out of habbit, because we don't like to waste food....(once upon a time there was a doggy in the house)

[wyogal]

I'm trying these days to just eat the leftovers up quickly, or throwing away a bit of this and that. I save them out of habit, and then end up throwing it away, anyway. So, these days, trying to make smaller amounts.
I have some great tomatoes and green chilies in there, (separate), and a turkey, that's about all I want to keep. The rest will get tossed. :(

[PHREDDY]

W....L
I have been clanging the pots for Mrs.Phreddy to make less ....but in this hous sometimes we are two and sometimes six....and then something in between.

Thanksgiving turkey, whats' left over is always served for the "hangover people" at our house on New Years Day...so that is at least 5 weeks....

[boyzoma]

I have stuff in there that is sometimes over a year old, but it has all been vacuum sealed and you would never know it. Tastes like it was done yesterday. I found a steak that was sealed over a year ago and it was still a rosy red color like I just bought it. I have very little waste of anything that I use the foodsaver for. Well worth the price.

[wyogal]

We've considered a foodsaver, may have to look into it.

[boyzoma]

Oh, please do. I absolutely love it and don't know what I would do without it. It has allowed me to buy in bulk (even though there are only 2 of us at home) and almost nothing goes to waste. At Christmas time, DH and I make a 28 quart batch of spaghetti sauce (requested by our grown kids), divide it up into bags and give to the kids. So easy. I even vacuum sealed my daughter's wedding dress! 17 years later it is still sealed and white as can be!

[PHREDDY]

BZA....you also have the luxury of some great frozen storage space...

I have looked at the foodsaver myself , not sure yet.....but might be in the future....we have have a home here and one in Floridia, where we spend some time, so if we make large batches here, we can have food when we get back after our monthly jaunts.

[gingershelley]

Wyogal, I found a foodsaver at a thrift store for only $7.00 a few months ago and it works great. Still trying to get into the habit of pulling it out for freezer use. I need to figure out a less-awkward storage spot for it, so I will get it out more often.

[ItalianNana]

gingershelley,

That IS the secret. We had one for years and it was it in back of a lower cupboard & rarely got used. I moved it to a somewhat more accessible location and that helped. What really did it for us was getting it out and setting it up before we went big shopping. Come home, portion up the ground beef, steaks, chicken pkgs, etc. There is something about the tidy, airtight package that makes me feel secure. In January I made a big batch of tamales and after steaming and cooling we froze them in 4, 6 & 8 piece vacuum packs. Before flying from Sacto. to Portland I tossed a dozen tamales in my suitcase and my cousin's family was tickled to have them for dinner that night. :-D

[gingershelley]

GREAT idea ItalianNana - to get it out on the counter BEFORE I shop. sometimes I get home and get lazy and just cut up the styro trays or bulk whathaveyou into portions and just go the ziplock route instead of sealing.

I will try your advice:)

[boyzoma]

Mine just lives on the counter. Everything else gets a shelf, but the foodsaver never gets hidden. Just an FYI - I found a chuck roast from 2011 in the freezer and cooked it yesterday. You would have thought I just bought it. Cooked up nice and tender. Oh, and NO freezer burn.

[Pwmfan]

Thank you! I have a food saver but seldom use it because it is buried on a basement shelf (tiny kitchen, no counter or shelf space). But if it was unearthed and sitting on the kitchen counter BEFORE I went to Costco/TJs.........genius on your part - a "doh" moment for me.

[LindaWhit]

Will probably be an easy dinner tonight, because if I ever get off my butt and go shower, I'll be out most of the day (going to check out a very large antique co-op about an hour and a half away).

So I think it'll be BJ's Mandarin Orange Chicken over jasmine rice. Perhaps steamed sesame broccoli alongside.

[roxlet]

How do you make your steamed sesame broccoli? Steam, then dress afterwards, or steam with the flavors? I recently bought this gizmo from Sur La Tabl that I use in the microwave to steam vegetables. I really like it because it's so quick, and the vegetables come out perfectly, and really green. I want to get more inventive with it though.

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO...

[Breadcrumbs]

That looks like an interesting product roxlet. How do you find the silicone? I purchased some silicone bakeware and ended up giving it away as I found when I pulled it out to use it, there was a stickiness/tackiness to it that bothered me. I never quite felt I could get it clean. I do have 2 microwave pots I purchased from the Pampered Chef and I use them exclusively to steam veggies. They work like a dream but they're not likely bpa free as I purchased them some time ago. I liked the look of the Lékué Ogya XL Microwave Pot so I'd be interested in your feedback.

Also, watching the video on the steamer you purchased, it looked as though you'd be hard pressed to get 2 pieces of chicken or fish in there....his fish and veggies for 1 seemed to be a snug fit. Is that the case?

[roxlet]

These seamers come in all different sizes. Since I don't care much for steamed chicken or fish, I got the one that holds a good amount of vegetables. And because I have only used this for veggies and water so far, I have obviously not encountered the stickiness/tackiness of which you speak, and which I have encountered in silicone baking molds. This seems to be of a slightly different texture to me.

[LindaWhit]

No idea, rox - but probably just steamed and then tossed with a bit of sesame oil, champagne vinegar, and sesame seeds. I like the linked item - just not sure how often I'd use it.

[Harters]

Great to have made it to Thread 200. Some marriages don't last as long.

[Njchicaa]

Going to my parents house for a birthday dinner tonight so I have no clue WFD. All I know is I'm bringing the sangria!

We're not Irish so tomorrow we are going to fire up the smoker and smoke a whole chicken, stuffed peppers, and some potatoes for potato salad. Yum.

[gingershelley]

Love the idea of smoked stuffed peppers, yes - YUM!

[Berheenia]

A thorough search in the freezer turned up two portions of the yummy vegetable lasagna we had a few weeks ago so that's WFD. I hope to make a trip to the local before.

[Harters]

Our "cooking the books" reaches "The Classic Italian Cookbook", marcella Hazan, 1973. Although our volume dates from 1981 and is one which, on Hazan's behalf, was re-edited by Anna del Conte for the British and Australian, New Zealand markets. Which mainly means I can read a recipe which requires "half a kilo of aubergine", rather than a "pound of eggplant".

The main course is arrosto di agnelo al ginepro - casseroled leg of lamb with juniper berries. Meat, carrot, onion, celery, white wine, garlic, rosemary and juniper berries go in the pan and it simmers for 2 hours. Lid comes partially off and it potters away for another 90 minutes. There'll be some spuds - probably sauteed. And some as yet unknown veg.

That'll be preceeded by some supermarket ravioli and a home made sauce (the bag in the freezer just calls it "spicy tomato sauce"). Probably ice cream for afters - or dolci, if you prefer - there's an exceptionally nice damson one in the freezer.

[Breadcrumbs]

Please let us know how this turns out Harters. Though we love Italian cuisine and I have more Italian cookbooks in my collection than any other type, I was late in discovering Ms Hazan and haven't tried many of her recipes. I'll make a note in EYB based on your results.

[LindaWhit]

I'm still ticked off I didn't sign up for the limited lifetime membership on EYB. Paying $25/year would use up that initial cost in 2 years. I don't have tons of cookbooks (maybe 50?), so I'm not sure it would be worth it for me. Maybe I'll try it for one year.

[Breadcrumbs]

I was fortunate to get on board early Linda so as you say, much more cost effective. That said, it's invaluable for me as I have so many cookbooks and I love using them. It just makes doing so that much simpler.

Before you invest, one think you might do is look up the cookbooks you own to see what percentage of them are indexed. I don't know if you collect/save magazines but EYB also indexes some magazines as well. When EYB first started approx 20-25% of my collection were indexed. Now, they've indexed so many more books that approx 50% of my collection is indexed. Indexing is done based on the popularity of the book - how many members own it. Most books owned by 50+ members are indexed and new releases get indexed.

I think if you sign up for their free membership you can put 5 books on your shelf. Perhaps you might want to try that out for a few months and see how you like it.

[LindaWhit]

Good to know I can look up the cookbooks first to see if they're indexed - thanks, Bc!

And the freebie might be a good way to start too. Then perhaps the $2.50/mo. for unlimited, depending on how many are listed.

[juliejulez]

Linda, the $2.50 a month is the one I use. I don't have many cookbooks, around 2 dozen, but I still find it helpful, especially since I do my meal planning at work and my books are home. It's nice to not have to flip through the books individually when I'm looking for a recipe to use up, say, sirloin steak. I found they had about 80% of the books I own already indexed... the main ones they didn't have were the random ones I got from the "bargain book" section at the now defunct Borders, and a pasta cookbook I got at Ikea. Oh and a new one I ordered but I think that's because it's a brand new book.

[Harters]

Reporting back as requested. Whilst the lamb was OK, it was, in truth, rather underwhelming. It was cooked through after the 3.5 hours but wasnt as meltingly tender as you might expect (of course, the lamb may have been an older, tougher beastie). It was, in essence, a pot roast and I'd hoped that the juniper wouild add a nice zing to things but I couldnt really get any flavour from them.

In the ordinary course of events, our rules for "cooking the books" would now be seeing this book despatched to the charity shop. But we're making an exception (as we've done with a couple of others).

As for tomorrow, we're off to the city to try a new place - does traditional British cooking. Really looking forward to it - eaten at their other places and think the food is really good.
http://albertsquarechophouse.com/rest...

[Breadcrumbs]

Sorry to hear that dish underwhelmed Harters. It sounds as though it may have been a little one note - against all odds given the ingredients and I agree w you, when I read your WFD post, I thought how lovely the juniper would be w the lamb.

As for your dinner tomorrow, colour me envious! First of all the location is lovely and the chophouse itself looks like the kind of place mr bc and I love...that airy, industrial interior is beautiful.

...and then the menu! Could you please have the Potted Mackerel and the Homity Pie for me?!! I'm not sure I'll have enough room for dessert so I'll leave that to you but if we decide to indulge, I'll have the Marmalade Pudding please.

Now another request...will you let us know how you enjoy your meal? I have a good feeling about this place.

[Harters]

I'll be posting a review on the UK/Ireland board so you'll be able to catch up with our dinner there. Currently calling to me is the curd & beetroot salad, followed by the steak & kidney pudding. But, I agree, the homity pie sounds good - Mrs Kirkhams Lancashire is a really good example of the regional cheese (and, I think, the Lancashire that folk on the western side of The Pond are likely to be able get most easily - although probably not very easily - worth seeking out if you can).

[Breadcrumbs]

I had my eye on that beetroot salad Harters but since my pie lacked a protein, I decided on the Mackerel! ; )

I'll be on the lookout on the UK board for your post.

I'm expecting to be back in London for business in the months ahead and I will most definitely seek out Mrs Kirkhams Lancashire. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

...oh and that wine list at the Chophouse looks amazing. mr bc and I were debating on what NOT to choose!!

[Harters]

When you're next over, Breadcrumbs, Neals Yard Dairy (near Covent Garden) lists Kirkhams and I imagine usually has it. Well worth trying, along with Appleby's Cheshire.

If you find yourself at Borough Market, look out for Bourne's Cheshire. The finest my county produces (although Appleby's takes a good second place)

John

[mariacarmen]

i would have thought you'd have to crush the juniper berries a bit, no? too bad it wasn't everything you'd hoped it to be. but that Chophouse looks fantastic!

[Harters]

A last minute family crisis meant we had to cancel the trip into the city. However, we did eat later in the evening at a south asian place near home - it was very, very good.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/894609

Chop house will have to wait until next week, I think

[mariacarmen]

hope all is ok now....
love the double-shot of lamb in your dinner.

[suzigirl]

I hope that everything comes out okay about the crisis.

[LindaWhit]

LAMB! Very soon for me. :-) And YUM on the entire meal - enjoy!

[Breadcrumbs]

Us as well. We always do lamb for Easter. mr bc's favourite is Silence of the Lamb Shanks. A recipe from The Stinking Rose in Ca.

[gingershelley]

I looked up this recipe, BC, and that sure sounds great.

I always do lamb for Easter as well, though usually a boned butterflied leg, marinated in orange, rosemary, red wine, dijon and garlic, and then grilled to a nice MR. Served at brunch with spanikopita, baked (shirred) eggs, fruit and usually too many mimosas and sangria! Looking forward to it:)

[Breadcrumbs]

Oh your Easter lamb sounds sensational gs! I love the idea of grilling it. We've found our weather to be too unpredictable to count on grilling year after year and mr bc is a bit of a traditionalist so he loves the idea of having the same meal every year. We too have a Greek item on our menu. I make an Almond Skordalia that we enjoy at lunch w some white wine and some other nibbles. Nothing to heavy because dinner is our main event!

[ratgirlagogo]

Tonight's dinner is leftovers from yesterday - a really fantastic Irish stew made with lamb neckbones and Yukon gold potatoes. Tomorrow, corned beef.

[Breadcrumbs]

rgagg, where do you buy your lamb neckbones? Even my wonderful butcher didn't have any. Did you order ahead?

[ratgirlagogo]

Trade Fair in Astoria. They always have things like that since they serve a largely immigrant customer base.

[PHREDDY]

BC....don't think that ratgirl.....knows you live in Toronto..

She is referring to Trade Fair a 6 store chain of supermarkets, here in New York City, the borough of Queens.

[Breadcrumbs]

Thanks for clarifying that PHREDDY. I'm impressed that supermarkets are carrying lamb neck bones. I'd be hard pressed to find a supermarket here that would be able to get them in for me, even as a special order.

[gingershelley]

I am with you BC, wish I would see lamb necks in a store around here - not even in my very immigrant-heavy neighborhood Halal butcher - not without special ordering.

[PHREDDY]

BC....actually due to all of the different ethnic pockets in and around NYC...there are numerous different shops for all sort of food....Astoria is know for Greek and Egyptian, Jackson Heights for Columbian, Peruvian and other South American specialites....I could go on and on, I never feel spoiled here, but when I travel to other parts of the country, and speak with all of you, I consider myself lucky that I can satisfy my palate, anytime of the day, any day of the week!!!!

[Breadcrumbs]

That's so impressive PHREDDY and shopping must be a dream. Each time we visit NYC we probably spend as much time, if not more, in markets and food shops as we do in the big department stores!! Such an incredible city!!

[Berheenia]

Same here except for the 2 hours we drove around the Bronx looking for Arthur Avenue. Another reason to hate google maps.

[ratgirlagogo]

Sorry, you're right . I should have made the location more clear.

[PHREDDY]

Not to worry...what part of Queens do you live in?

[ratgirlagogo]

Astoria, dude! Closer to Elmhurst, really, but Astoria.

[PHREDDY]

Do you know where the Buccanear Diner is?....I have a property just around the corner....that must be not far from where you are.....

[mariacarmen]

i'm not even doing any cooking until Sunday, but i wanted to start the 200 thread! heh-heh...(and yes, we were over 300 over there.)

planning on a Tikka Masala dinner Sunday, and maybe a go at making pita bread.... we'll see how ambitious i remain....

they delivered our "new" fridge today, and IT'S #@!!#ING SMALL. I HAVE HARDLY ANY ROOM FOR MY CONDIMENTS!! we threw away a bunch of softening
frozen things, and upon refilling the new freezer, it's ALREADY FULL. it's literally like one of those single-person's fridge. I'm so irritated i could spit. i've sent emails and txts to the landlord already. if they don't make this right, my dinner planning will have to become much more thought out. grrrrrr.....

[fldhkybnva]

Yummy, I have always wanted to try Tikka Masala at home. I wish you luck with the landlord. I have a regular-sized fridge and freezer are busting at the seams, so I can understand you must be infinitely more frustrated.

[PHREDDY]

We actually have another fridge in the garage, as a back up..I am sure many here do to, if you have teh luxuary of some extra space..I don't what we would do if we didnt have it...I guess we would have to reconfigure as well....

Good luck anyway!

[boyzoma]

Like PHREDDY, we also have a second fridge downstairs. And an old upright Freezer, plus the MIL wants to give us her freezer (which is newer than ours). So two fridges and 2 freezers (full size). Who could ask for more! Good luck with the landlord mc.

[PHREDDY]

bza....2 OF EACH....OMG...
you are certainly well prepared....I would have a field day stocking up!

[roxlet]

Our old fridge is in the garage too, and I keep things like flour and such in there. My husband likes to buy in bulk, cut up, and seal things, so the freezer is full of meats and such.

[PHREDDY]

RO.....with your "smokin" husband ...you better have a back up fridge...I've seen his cue!!!!

[Terrie H.]

I feel for you on your fridge size, Maria. When I moved in to my place it originally had one of those small ones, and I am a condiment collector, too. Fortunately, when it died, the landlady bought a bigger one.

I've only made homemade pita once, and it was delicious and not difficult, and I wonder why I haven't done it again. I used a tip I saw somewhere to use either a cast iron griddle or upside-down cast iron skillet in the oven. The cast iron gets so hot that it makes a great blistered exterior. How do you do yours?

[Berheenia]

I think it's somebody's law that you can't have a good stove/oven and a good fridge at the same time. Now we have a top line but oldie sub zero the fridge is small and narrow, but the freezer is roomie - however and we lost gas cooking. I could go on ad nauseum but it's too off WFD. Hope your landlord gets you a bigger model. Maybe if you offer to make up the difference on the electric bill?

[LindaWhit]

LOL! I started the #100 thread long ago.

And I can't believe they delivered you a SMALLER fridge than you had before! Grrr....

[gingershelley]

Wow, a small fridge really stinks. I think my fridge is 'small' since it has shallower depth than some since I got a counter-depth one for my narrow galley kitchen.

One MUST have room for condiments! Hope they get you a bigger one, MC!

[mariacarmen]

thanks everyone for the fridge empathy!

i live in an apt., no room for an extra anything. we'll see if the landlords come through. i may just splurge and buy my own and let them keep their stupid dwarf fridge.

as predicted, no cooking. i did purchase some of the same fish sticks JM had in the last thread, but haven't tried them yet. went out last night to a teensy tiny hole-in-the-wall that used to be a latino take-out chicken place and then became a pop-up with a $20, 4-course prix-fixe diner - wonderful! great quality food at the right price. the star of last night were the shrimp and grits - so buttery and creamy!

tonight, my sister & i are taking her friend out for her bday, so another night out. my muu-muus are even looking for their passports...

and to Terrie H. who asked about pita, i've never made it before, but i'd like to. like the idea of the CI pan... we'll see.

[LindaWhit]

It would probably be worth it to buy your own. You have the storage you need, and it goes with you whenever you do leave the apt.

[PHREDDY]

MC.....LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE MUU-MMUS!!!

Question if wormen wear muu-muus....what do men wear?

Answer (Moe-moes)

[limoen]

I have a tiny fridge, and no freezer, apart from a little box, and yes, there are two of us! It does make things difficult but it's par for the course around here. The difficulty is NO margin for error; there's no way of preserving (through freezing) excess food, and I make soup a lot because when I make chicken stock, about once a week, it can't be frozen.

[gingershelley]

Limoen, where are you located in general? Always interesting to know where WFD folks are writing in from.... :)

[limoen]

I live in London. Kitchens tend to be small here - though not as small as in Paris. I have friends who have full-sized fridges and had a full-sized fridge in my last two (out of four) places. However, when we moved I had to compromise between a gas stove and no freezer or electric stove and a freezer, and I just hate electric so much.

It is annoying when I have leftover 'bits and pieces', like a jar of miso sitting around that I must use up. Funnily enough stuff does still go missing all the way at the back of my baby fridge! It's on the floor so is not extremely accessible.

[mariacarmen]

i probably would have chosen the same.

sigh. i'm being a big baby, but i want my big fridge!
looks like i'm buying the used one myself, as landlord is refusing. that's how much of a big baby i'm being.

[steve h.]

Hi mc,
Deb and I have lived all over. Stick to your guns, get a full-size coolerator and don't take any shit from mr/ms landlady guy. He'll, we even had a refrigerator and freezer on our sailboat.
We're talking lifestyle here.

[suzigirl]

Be a big baby. I want my big fridge too. I honestly don't blame you for wanting a decent sized fridge

[Pwmfan]

"The heart wants what it wants"

You are not being a big baby; you just have your priorities straight.

[mariacarmen]

love all the fridge validation here! thanks!!

[gingershelley]

You GO big baby! You deserve a full size fridge. I bet you can get a used one for cheap on Craigslist.....

[mariacarmen]

thanks, gs! i've been on there and called a few people - they're so flaky! hopefully have a lead on a nice big one - she's supposed to call me tonight.

[mariacarmen]

wow, you are resourceful! i'm so annoyed every time i open this fridge! it's full of just my condiments! which i know means i should probably pare down....

i found a fridge today on craigslist and i sent the link to the landlord. if they give me a hard time about it, i'm even willing to pay for it as long as they take out this small one, pick up and deliver the "new" one.... we'll see....

[ChristinaMason]

I feel your pain. Often we have not much food in the fridge aside from things in jars and bottles...makes for fun cooking (and good eatin') though!

[suzigirl]

I hope this option works out for you. I hope you have a good landlord