March 2018,... What's for dinner ???

Thanks Beth. I discovered that the strawberry pie is an update on an old Marie Calendar recipe. It also said it could be made with peach and peach jello.

I have, on occasion, ordered a taco salad in a restaurant, but "Hold the tacos"............. I love all the stuff that goes on top of a taco, but not the taco itself.  LOL

The taco salads & guacamole were a hit tonight!

As he sat at the table he wanted 'instructions' on how to build his salad.

Well, since I'm OCD, it was easy to tell him!

1. Crunched up taco chips
2. Refried beans
3. Lettuce (dressed with a combination of taco sauce & Catalina dressing)
4. Meat mixture
5. Onions
6. Sour cream
7. Black olives
8. Tomatoes

He's so funny.....he 'saved' his guacamole for last, kind of like dessert.

We're going to a neighborhood Patio Party this afternoon.....a proud Polish neighbor. They brought a bunch of pierogi from their daughter's restaurant to share with all of us. Rumor is there will also be some kielbasa and bratwurst.

I'm making a huge pot of Polish Dill Pickle soup ~ It's all ready to cook: Carrots julienned and ready to give a 'head start' as they take longer to soften up than the cubed potatoes. The Kosher dill pickles are grated and at ready, and all I'll have to do is combine the sour cream and flour to thicken it all up at the last minute before I pour it into my largest CrockPot to stay warm.

It should be a fun afternoon. I can't wait to see the reaction of those neighbors who haven't tried the soup yet.....we'll have to take a count on how many brave ones come. LOL

My aunt used to make sauerkraut soup.  I never watched her make it but remember it tasted great.  I have just recently learned to love eating deep fried pickles, and I'm sure I would love the pickle soup too!

Fried Dill Pickle Chips is one of our favorite 'guilty pleasure' bar snacks.

We also like the fried green beans, along with zucchini & onion straws.......but it's always a special 'treat' ~ Lawdy, but I have to avoid that stuff on a regular basis.

The Crock Pot is full! I even have a good sized bowl that wouldn't fit.....so hard to judge how much to make for a crowd.

The fried pickles I first tasted were spears of them.  Last week I went out with my sons and the restaurant had the small, round pieces.  Yumm!  My mother would have loved them also!

I have some huge scallops defrosting for my stir fry supper tonight.

Most of the soup in the Crock Pot got eaten ~ didn't hear of anyone who tried it who didn't like it. I think the interesting thing is you don't realize it's a vegetarian soup....would be tasty with small cubes of smoked sausage.

If I make it again I think I'll add some onion and celery, just because I like a lot of vegetables in my soup.

I picked up a couple of Honey chipotle Salmon from the freezer at the store and had them with bok choy and home made tartar sauce.

Looks like a quick & easy supper, Norm.

Thanks Beth. It was surprisingly good for a pre made dinner.

Note wrote:Quoted from February's thread about premade meal kits

Niagara Visitor wrote:Someone I know who is truly a great cook, has started to order from one of those services.  They travel a lot, are gone for a few days at a time, then back a few days, and they say that ordering still gives you the "made fresh" taste without having to have all the gourmet ingredients on hand.  Apparently it stops waste.

I think that's one of the ways to justify the expense, too, Lore. They're not cheap, that's for sure, but they look lovely when I see the ads. We spend so much at the grocery but I've gotten better about wasting less, especially since I've gotten a FoodSaver machine and some FoodSaver containers, too. I still lose some stuff, especially if I'm feeling bad and Brian is too, but I started freezing more things and figure I can always defrost them in the microwave or just let them defrost for a day or two in the fridge.

I did a big grocery run the week before last when Brian was in bed for a while due to horrible knee problems. I was lucky as I called Al, our contractor/handyman (or my preferred name for him that Beth came up with, my Cabana Boy!) and asked if he would drive over and help me unload it, which he did. I purchased a nice bottle of Pinot Noir for him for his trouble and he gave me a big smile while he cradled it like it was a baby before leaving to make me laugh. I was glad he was willing and available to help me, as I wasn't out of the store until after dark and it would've taken me forever to unload, as I would've stopped and locked the door behind me on each trip inside with bags -- I get nervous someone would come in behind me especially if Brian is not downstairs. He got all the bags inside in about 5 minutes. Plus, by the time I shop and put it all in the basket, I ask for help getting it to my car and the guy who helps will put it all in the trunk for me -- I just tip him 3 or 4 dollars for the help and it's more than worth it. I'm always exhausted and in much pain when I leave the grocery so the thought of taking it all inside by myself is enough to make me ill!

I took so long in the store that Al called Brian to ask if he should be worried I hadn't phone him yet. Brian laughed and correctly told him, "She's probably buying more stuff now that she knows she'll have help bringing it inside." I thought it was sweet that he worried about me.

Of course, I forgot canned milk (we use a lot of it as we use it in coffee everyday and also in my iced coffee which I drink all day, besides using it diluted with water for recipes with milk, one of which is instant pudding that Brian loves to make) and had to go back a couple of days later. But at least it was a quick run that time around.

With Brian spending so much time in bed lately, I've been going up and down our stairs many times a day, and Lord knows our stairs bother EVERYONE who goes up them regularly, not just those with horrible backs like me and Brian. I asked Al to come over this weekend if he's free so I can order the all electric stairlift I've decided on -- I know they'll ask me questions I can't answer. He went online and read all the installation instructions plus watched someone install one on YouTube so he said he'll have no problem installing it.  Al can, as Brian puts it, put an ass on a dog so he should have no problem with the installation. I've read hundreds of reviews and one complaint was the batteries in the stairlifts don't last long and are expensive but needed in the event of a power failure. We don't have to worry about those due to the whole house generator we have so I'm going with the all electric model even though it's more expensive. I have an light switch right around the corner on the wall at the stop of the stairs so Al said eletricity won't be a problem there as he can just run it through that wall to the top of the stairwell (thank God).  

Our lives will be a lot easier once we have that plus it'll be nice to have it to send up laundry instead of carrying it up (especially bed covers, mattress covers, sheets, etc., all for a king bed -- heavy and awkward when you're unsteady on the steps).  Hopefully, I can order it this weekend if Al is available. His birthday is on Sunday so if he has no plans, we'll ask him to have dinner with us, though the place is probably closed on Sunday. I hope he has some free time on Saturday but he told me he's working two jobs so it might have to wait until next weekend.

bethk wrote:I'm thinking of making a big pot of Spanish Rice.  Gotta go to the store for a can of San Marzano whole tomatoes and a bunch of hot peppers if I do make it.   But that sounds really good to me.

Sounded good to me, too!

Uncle Jimmy wrote:I like it with rice. A flat bowl of the chili, and then minced onions spooned in the center.

BTW .... We rinse the canned beans. We don't like the starchy syrup they can them in. My aunt used to say,"Leave that bean syrup in; it is very healthy for you!" She should know! Her family given nick name was "BA" ..... B for Big, and A for ..... Sounds like Axe!  

Laughed out loud at this, Jimmy.  Goodness, I've missed all of you people!

Lore and Debbie, so sorry to hear about your sister and your SIL and their cancer. Brian has been dealing with prostate cancer on and off for 18 years this month and it's been scary lately, so I can relate. But we're still lucky as several of his friends in the steamship industry passed away years ago from their prostate cancer so we're still counting our blessings. I'll say prayers for both your relatives.

Re medical stuff, I went to the pain doctor yesterday to pick up my opioid Rx for the next two months (that's all it is really -- you have to see the doctor to get these pills prescribed; it's a "nothing" visit as far as I'm concerned; this one was long, as he was in the room with me for all of 4 minutes). I told him like I usually do for the last year, I feel as if my pain is still getting worse and I worry one day I won't be able to get out of bed. He listened and almost as an aside said, "Well, you're a long way away from how much pain medication I can still give you so don't worry about that." I was glad to hear it even though taking the opioids I've been taking for over three years now worry the heck out of me. I write down every one I take so I don't ever take them too often and so I can try to go over the 6 hours between pills I'm supposed to wait. The longer I go without them, the better they work. I've started taking a pill I was prescribed again, a supposed pain pill that I thought did nothing so I'd stopped taking it. I now take it in between the opioids if I need something in an effort to stretch out the time before taking another. It seems to be helping so I had him prescribe it again for me. I wonder if it's just helping me psychologically but it still seems to lessen the pain (or perhaps the anxiety) when I'm trying to stretch the time between opioids. So I'm up for it either way!

cookingirl wrote:


just wanted to send an updated picture of Artie..

He's such a cute old cat that I had to run his photo again. He's looking pretty good, Cindy!

Bugster2 wrote:The Orpheum theater is a piece of history. Tons of famous people have played there. The concert was good. Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin fame. He has some really good musicians  in his band. I have the start of a new cold so I wasn't in great condition but I had fun. It was fun to people watch. There were some real characters there. Boy am I getting old. The only tickets we were able to get were in the balcony so when we got up there and then had to walk down a very steep set of stairs, both Katie and I looked at each other and said "I can't walk down these stairs". There were no rails to hang onto and when I looked down the stairs I got very dizzy and knew if I tried to walk down I would do a header. Joe stepped up to the job and grabbed our arms and slowly walked us down the stairs. If he had not been there, Katie and I would have had to scoot down on our backsides.

I can only imagine those stairs, Debbie. Had the same reaction many years ago when we had tickets given to us for the NCAA Final Four game at the dome.  Turns out they were in the nosebleed section. It was so steep that when you stood up, the people's heads in the row below you were by your feet. The minute we climbed up and I turned around, I said to Brian, "I'm only going down these steps once." We didn't stay long, as basketball that high up was no fun.  Plus Brian had already realized as we passed stand after portable stand selling Cokes as we rounded the Superdome to get to the area of our seats that since it was an NCAA tournament, no beer would be sold. THAT affected him a lot more than the nosebleed seats did, so he was the first one to suggest we leave shortly after arriving. I had a death grip on that handrail as I descended those steps. Your story of you and Katie brought that dizzying feeling right back to me!!

Laughed at your people watching line, too, Debbie, as we had a ball doing the same thing at the Moody Blues concerts. We saw more men with long grey ponytails but sporting a bald spot on top! And lots of people our age and older were there. Of course, as usual, we convinced ourselves we looked so much better than those people, who were probably looking at us and thinking the same exact thing! Many laughs there.

Norm wrote:Charlie has been away for a week so I didn't cook much until he got back. I tried this recipe called Croque Monsieur Hasselback Potatoes. They are sliced like Hasselback then cheese and ham (I used Canadian bacon) is put between the slices and covered with bechamel. We had asparagus and sourdough bread too.

Laughed, as you broke your rule about avoiding making Hasselback potatoes due to your dislike of Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who I also bear an intense dislike for, Norm. Made me smile anyway...

Beth wrote:Grilled London Broil tonight! It was just as good as the last time I charcoal grilled one ~ added some sauteed mushrooms with my steak, a baked potato, 'Magically' turned last night's leftover lima beans into succotash and made a chopped salad with a light red wine vinegar/evoo dressing. I've heard no complaints so far.....

Your London broil looked delicious, Beth. It's one of my favorite quick meals, Brian's too. Love, love, love that indoor grill pan on the center oval burner. Never will get tired of that thing.

It has been a while since I have cooked a real meal (last Thursday I made a pork roast; we've had leftover pork roast several times and used some of the pork and shredded it and mixed with barbecue sauce on big seeded buns for dinner) but I've had a hankering for meatballs and red sauce for a while now. Defrosted two lbs. of ground meat in the fridge since Tuesday morning so tomorrow will be making the meatballs. If I get too tired, I'll wait to make my sauce until the following day.

I purchased a loaf of roasted garlic hearty bread (almost like ciabatta bread) at the store the other day, as they do their own baking. I noticed a couple of mold spots on the loaf this morning when I was downstairs making coffee, calling the squirrel for his breakfast of the cat treats we still have (Lola was put to sleep back in November), and rustling up something to bring up for Brian to eat (Little Debbie donut sticks did the trick for him this morning. I sliced them off with a knife and put the bread in large chunks into the Cuisinart and made some big bread crumbs; then put 2 cups in two quart bags and sealed them up using the FoodSaver, one tightly which went in the freezer, and another 2 cups sealed a lot looser and put in the fridge to use in my meatballs tomorrow. I'll use some of that imported Italian papardelle by Garofalo, too, when we eat the meatballs and marinara sauce. That pasta is SOOO good. You really notice the difference from even the very good pasta sold in the market made from semolina. That Garofalo is the best dried pasta we've ever tasted. I just saw online where they now sell sheets of lasagna pasta, too. Going to have to try those!

I was so pleased that I was able to use that roasted garlic bread before it went bad even if it's just to use in my meatballs. They out to come out really tasty. I'm going to put some Italian sausage in my meatballs, too. That's something I've been wanting to do for a while now.

I have to report to the Orleans Parish Criminal Court this Friday for jury duty! Believe it or not, it's my sixth time being called to jury duty. Last time I was still working and it was the only time I was never picked for a jury; didn't even get called up during jury selection, as all of the "perps" were copping a plea. But I have served on five juries in the five times I was called; in Criminal Court if you serve on a jury and you still have time left on your "stint," you go right back in the pool. Sure enough, I was selected again for a second trial. I have been elected foreman twice, too, which I also enjoyed. Laughed as the only bad thing about serving again is that I'm unemployed and won't get paid for my service on a jury, as most law firms will pay you the whole time you're out. And I love to read, so I always have a book or two in my handbag in case I'm just biding my time in the jury pool room.

They'll tell me Friday when I have to report. Our friend Pete, who hates jury duty with a passion, has to go the same day so I'll swing by his house and pick him up so we can go together. Brian called him and Pete said, "The worst thing happened. Can you guess what the worst thing that could happen to me is," to which Brian replied, "You got jury duty!" and he was right. We howled and Brian said, "Do you have to report on the 9th of March?" Pete was shocked and said he did. Brian laughed and told him I got it, too. Brian said Pete felt much better knowing we'd be there together. I laughed as I'm a chatter and Pete is dead silent with strangers. His last name is Petitfils (little son in French), which is pronounced "pedda FEESE, with the accent on the second syllable. I laughed so hard when he told us the last time he served that the Clerk of Court, when calling people up to the front of the room to go to a courtroom for voir dire, she pronounced it Peter Pedophile! We laughed harder when he said he didn't go up to the front until she'd called about three more names out loud so no one knew who the pedophile was! I swear, I cried I laughed so hard. The worst thing that can happen to a quiet person, you know?!

I just hope I don't get a death penalty case. I am against the death penalty and told the attorney who questioned me when asked once before that I am not a death penalty supporter. They usually ask me why and I go into it. I have only been called for that one, and I especially didn't want to be sequestered either. I kept envisioning what clothing Brian would bring me and I pictured myself looking like ET dressed up in doll clothes, but found out later a bailiff drives you home so you can get some clothes and personal supplies to last however long they estimate you'll be sequestered. Still would hate it (I like to sleep at home and not in a hotel with a bunch of people I don't know) but the prosecutors don't want a non-supporter but the perpetrator's attorney then tries to rehabilitate you enough so the prosecutor will let him put you on the jury. It would be a miracle if the prosecutor would agree to that as I could easily be dismissed for cause.

Even given the terrible amounts of violent crime in New Orleans, not too many death penalty trials are held. They're expensive and the appeals they are allowed are many once so convicted. Even second degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence in LA so they don't even have to get you to convict on first degree murder to have a person sentenced to life in prison, no probation and no parole. It has become difficult for prosecutors to convince most people to vote to kill someone. I'm sure it's probably because so many people on death row have been exonerated by forensic science after serving many many years in jail. I can only imagine how many innocent people were put to death over the years before we knew so much about DNA. Recently a man in N.O. was released after serving 30 years in jail, the first 18 or so on death row, I think. Even though the DNA proved he was not the killer, the deceased's family STILL believed he was the perpetrator of the crime and wanted him kept in jail.

Glad to see you back, Michelle.....you're always missed when you have to take a 'health vacation' from us!

It was too cool for me to go to water exercise today....yes, I AM a wimp!

So I took the opportunity to peruse what was available at the Farmers' Market they set up in The Square every Thursday with local vendors and their fresh produce. I picked up some red beets, bok choy, bean sprouts, green zucchini and fingerling potatoes.

Then, since I wanted to make a chicken stir fry with some chicken breast filets that needed to be rescued from the freezer, I decided it was time to harvest some of the pea pods that were ready on the two pots Dane planted in February. The pods were small but packed a lot of flavor, to be sure.

Our patio garden pots are doing nicely. The herbs are healthy, well, except for my chives that need to have the grass removed ~ but the chives are growing faster than the grass right now so that makes me smile. The parsley, tarragon, rosemary, basil and thyme is all looking great. I love having them all available to snip for whatever I'm preparing. The one tomato plant Dane started has had four tomatoes harvested so far and there are lots coming on. It's so hard to change 'seasons' for growing vegetables after being so use to what time planting was in Ohio as compared to Florida. It's all a learning process, to be sure.

But I have to say, tonight's chicken stir fry was excellent ~ one of us had seconds (you'll have to guess who....)

Crybaby wrote:

Bugster2 wrote:The Orpheum theater is a piece of history. Tons of famous people have played there. The concert was good. Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin fame. He has some really good musicians  in his band. I have the start of a new cold so I wasn't in great condition but I had fun. It was fun to people watch. There were some real characters there. Boy am I getting old. The only tickets we were able to get were in the balcony so when we got up there and then had to walk down a very steep set of stairs, both Katie and I looked at each other and said "I can't walk down these stairs". There were no rails to hang onto and when I looked down the stairs I got very dizzy and knew if I tried to walk down I would do a header. Joe stepped up to the job and grabbed our arms and slowly walked us down the stairs. If he had not been there, Katie and I would have had to scoot down on our backsides.

I can only imagine those stairs, Debbie. Had the same reaction many years ago when we had tickets given to us for the NCAA Final Four game at the dome.  Turns out they were in the nosebleed section. It was so steep that when you stood up, the people's heads in the row below you were by your feet. The minute we climbed up and I turned around, I said to Brian, "I'm only going down these steps once." We didn't stay long, as basketball that high up was no fun.  Plus Brian had already realized as we passed stand after portable stand selling Cokes as we rounded the Superdome to get to the area of our seats that since it was an NCAA tournament, no beer would be sold. THAT affected him a lot more than the nosebleed seats did, so he was the first one to suggest we leave shortly after arriving. I had a death grip on that handrail as I descended those steps. Your story of you and Katie brought that dizzying feeling right back to me!!

Laughed at your people watching line, too, Debbie, as we had a ball doing the same thing at the Moody Blues concerts. We saw more men with long grey ponytails but sporting a bald spot on top!  And lots of people our age and older were there. Of course, as usual, we convinced ourselves we looked so much better than those people, who were probably looking at us and thinking the same exact thing! Many laughs there.

We saw this lady. She had her back to us. She was wearing metallic red spandex leggings, black booties with 6-inch heels. She had bleached blond hair that was down to her waist. It was a mess: looked like she slept in it. It was pulled back in a loose ponytail. It actually looked like one huge dreadlock. The rest of her hair was teased up real high. She turned around and she must have been at least 75. She actually looked like Bette Davis in "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane". Way too much makeup and bright red lips. It made our day. There were some old farts with hair down to their waist. I went outside to the smoking area and got hit straight in the face with a wall of marijuana. Kind of a shock at first but then I remembered it is now legal in CA. I could have gotten a buzz from the smoke. We had a good time.