Dinners in January, 2016

Here is a slice of the lasagna I made yesterday.

Ohhh, Norm.....nice layers of flavor!

I've been really happy with my lasagne made in 9 X 4 glass bread loaf pans. It's just enough for two and if I cook it one day and reheat the next the layers are still standing high.

I do miss making a huge pan of lasagne. One that a large family could eat at one sitting.

But it's good to add extra stuff (I personally like steamed spinach or braised kale) to the layers. The colors add a nice touch and make it look extra special. I also like to do my 'faux ricotta' by blitzing cottage cheese, mozarella, egg & parmesan in the mini-chop. Ricotta always seems to taste gritty and dry to me. My mixture kind of melts into the whole thing without being clumpy.

Bugster2 wrote:Everything Flay makes will scorch your windpipe. He doesn't know how to cook without cayenne pepper.

I like cayenne pepper....just not so much that it makes you run for a glass of milk.

I like cayenne too, but I have reached the age where my gut can't tolerate even a pinch.

I ate in his restaurant and the worst $12. hamburger I ever had..

We ate in his restaurant in Las Vegas and the mussles I ordered were the best I ever ate...

Different tastes for everyone......

I'm SO ready for supper.....ate a late breakfast and now I'm hungry (although it's not near time for supper).  I've got the beans cleaned and ready to go, cabbage & julienned carrots ready to steam in some chicken stock, sweet potato slices ready to go into a hot oven to roast the last 15 minutes and a steak all salted up and ready for the CI skillet.......

I think it's time for a Bloody Mary to keep my hunger pangs from overcoming me.

Now I need an opinion:

Should I oil my rib eye before I put it into the hot pan or just put it into the CI skillet and let it sear without any lubrication at all?

Anyone?

Beth, I do not know about much, but I think if you are using a seasoned cast iron skillet, the steak would just need seasoning--no additional oil

just my crazy opinion, though

Just saw this . I do both lol My gas grill is cast iron grates and I do both when grilling a steak .

If I "grill" inside on the range , I do not have the cast iron screaming hot . It smokes like crazy !!!!!! Dogs run and hide they know that loud noise is coming lol
I also do it dry , depends on the thickness of the meat . I like a char on my steak .also rare. Maybe 3 to 5 min a side , my range runs super hot so I do one side turn off the burner to do the other side .just do it walk away from it lol

 Beth, my cheese layer is freshly grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil leaves, mozzarella, and whole milk ricotta cheese topped with béchamel sauce.

Thanks Jimmy.

Oh, golly gosh, but your shrimp and grits look tasty, Barb.  Reminds me of my jambalaya sauce - nice and spicy.  

My steak came out better than I hoped!  The whole meal was pretty darn good tasting!



I should have only fixed one of the vegetables, but they were both calling out to me when I opened the refrigerator door.  I didn't want either one to get wasted.  I do have beans leftover so I'll probably make a frittata later in the week, or a hash of some sort.

Lol leftover salsa I made .wow your dinner looks great !!!!

Well I met my grilling neighbor , gosh what a nice young man . He carried in my groceries . I commented on his great smoker/grill , he said he always makes so much and will bring me some grilled food . Oh lord hope he grills today hahaha . So I guess I will be baking them something .
I grilled 3 chicken breast this morning so I am making some pasta with it !!!!

Pan fried chicken breast, yukon golds w/pan sauce & roasted cauliflower/broccoli/scallions

went to a reception for a really great priest who is being reassigned to another parish, in another state.... had a really good roast beef and cheese tiny sandwich with a pice of rum cake.....delish....

came home and had some cheese, crackers and a glass of wine....

I have probably made more than a dozen loaves of sourdough French bread so far this winter. I noticed this last two loaves going slower than the previous ones so when I made two more today, I added herbs and cheeses to it and baked one as Focaccia bread and the other one, I stretched out and topped it with pizza stuff.

LOL guy next door brought me dinner ..Did not have the heart to tell him I ate.But dinner is made for Monday..


Wow just wow Norm..

Norm- the pizza & focaccia both look fantastic. DD#1 and I were just talking about some focaccia served at a restaurant I remembered in Aruba ~ very flavorful! It's served (or WAS served, not sure, as it was years ago last we were there.....) with some pickled onions on the side. OMG I still remember how good it was.

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Barb, your pasta looks so 'professionally' rolled for servce. You certainly do a nice job of 'playing with your food'! The chunky 'sauce' with the chicken looks really tasty.

What a nice neighbor! Did you seriously NOT take a bite of that sausage? I don't know I would have had such restraint! Looks really good.

(I'll look forward to see what you make for him to 'return-the-favor'.....)

I tried Barb's (KA Flour) bread machine recipe in my ZO and it failed. I weighed the flour and was very careful with my measurements but it was too wet. I wish there was an easy way to save a bread machine dough before it is too late, but that would require a complete removal of the dough. I just didn't have the time to fuss with it.

gosh Bugs sorry.. Might be your BM ?IDK.Mine is new.Jimmy even said his does not make great bread..


I am making some pizza dough right now..It comes out great..


Oh Beth you could have knocked me over with a feather. First of all I DO NOT open my door to anyone that I am not expecting.At almost 8 I figured it was him,His grill/smoker was in the yard and I saw his patio lights on..

I watch all day Saturday PBS cooking lol lol lol.This old dog always learns a new trick..I do not watch CC or Fn..Can not stand those folks anymore..

I am going to buy Jacques DVD of his cooking show and it has all the recipes from his  New cookbook.Heart and Soul..

I have no idea what to make for my thank you??? Banana or cranberry loaf??Upside down cake??