It's April 2021;What's Cooking / Eating Etc.

Lore, I have a recipe for a sauerkraut salad my Grandmother made ~ it was really good, as I think back. For some reason I'm thinking it had a lot of chopped celery, onion & red peppers and she had a sweet & sour dressing for it. It was one of those 'refrigerator salads' that got better by the day.

I've got to look and see if I've got the recipe. Otherwise I'll have to ask Andrea to go through Grandma's recipe boxes to see if she can find it.

I'm afraid my children are not into those kinds of recipes. They have become very "Canadian" and that is mostly a very good thing. But, I'd love to see it.

Apparently it's 'use-up-leftovers' day.......

Italian Beef Sandwiches on toasted buns w/mozzarella cheese and red beets

Cookin Lore wrote:I'm afraid my children are not into those kinds of recipes.  They have become very "Canadian" and that is mostly a very good thing.  But, I'd love to see it.  

Surprised MYSELF! I had the recipe in my computer file.....((who knew???))



SAUERKRAUT SALAD
(Grandma Emch)

2 LB. SAUERKRAUT
1 C SUGAR
1/2 C. VEGETABLE OIL
1/4 C. CIDER VINEGAR
1 C. DICED CELERY
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
1 MEDIUM GREEN PEPPER, CHOPPED
3 TBSP. PIMIENTO, CHOPPED

Instructions:
Drain and chop sauerkraut. Combine sugar, oil and vinegar in a large mixing bowl; beat until thouroughly blended. Add vegetables, mix well and refrigerate for 2 days. Will keep for several days.

Cooks notes: I short the sugar a bit and increase the vinegar a bit, maybe a couple tablespoonsful each because I think the original is a bit too sweet. But bear in mind that this is supposed to be a sweet salad. Also, chilling for anything over a few hours is enough, it doesn't have to be 2 days.

Cookin Lore wrote:

Bugster2 wrote:Dill pickle soup? Makes my scalp sweat just thinking about it.

My late aunt used to make sauerkraut soup which I also scoffed at.  Until I tried it.  

I am making oven fries for the first time today.  Both regular potato and a small sweet potato.  Also a combo of sauteed  peppers, onion, and a lot of mushrooms.  And, a small sirloin I'll do on my grill.  Looking forward the the oven fries.

I am not making fun of it. I am just saying that thinking about it causes a physical reaction. I have no idea what it would taste like other than sour.

Those peppers look great.  I have always done with a marinara type filling, but what you've done looks good.  Peppers $.50 each?  They are $4.99 pound here.  So, about $ 2.50 each.
As for the sauerkraut salad, my son Michael would probably like it.

PS.  The oven fries were ho-hum and took almost an hour in the oven.  A plain baked potato would be have been nicer.  Chances are buying ready made frozen fries is better, but I had potatoes.  I will leave the fries for the experts with the real deep fryer! LOL  Sending a picture!


Sunday night. Small sirloin , homemade fries (Yukons and sweet potato)sautéed mushrooms, onions and red pepper

Debbie, I knew you weren't 'making fun' of the idea of Dill Pickle Soup ~ and I wasn't trying to be 'mean' when I said, "Don't 'sweat it' until you've tried it....."  

Everyone has different tastes and Dill Pickle Soup is something I can make with very few ingredients that are almost always in my refrigerator ~ so it becomes a quick lunch that takes just a few minutes and is great on a cool winter day.  The soup's 'sour' is tempered by the addition at the end of sour cream, and also by the amount of dill pickle juice you add to taste.  It is simply a potato soup with some grated dill pickles that IMO give the illusion of crispy bacon bits (because of the texture and saltiness), even though there is no meat in it.  

When I make it for the two of us I cube 2 small potatoes, grate one carrot ~ add to pot and cover with water (probably 1-1/2c.) and add maybe 2 Tbsp. of butter.  The original recipe called for margarine.  After the potatoes and carrots are tender (about 10 - 12 minutes because of small cube/grating) I add 3 grated Kosher Baby Dill Pickles.  Then I mix approximately 2 Tbsp. of Sour Cream with 2 Tbsp. of Flour (similar to a butter/flour roux used to thicken sauces or gravies) and whisk that mixture into the simmering soup ~ whisking until combined and thickened.  Finally, I add some of the dill pickle brine, tasting until it's to my liking.

What first attracted me to this recipe (that I first saw on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives at The Village Inn in Hamtramak, Michigan) was what I imagined was the necessary way to feed a family or a bunch of children in Depression Era Detroit. There was no meat in the soup, although it somewhat 'tastes' like there is salty, crispy bacon because of the grated crisp dill pickles. During that period it was common to have home canned pickles, potatoes & carrots grown in the garden and stored in the 'cold cellar'. The sour cream wouldn't be purchased dairy product but rather "real" soured cream that went 'bad' but was strained to use for such a purpose. There is very little flour used ~ just a little bit to thicken the soup a bit.

I went back through my picture files and found my 'picture essay' I made as a tutorial for my sister-in-law when she wanted to learn to make it.  

So, here goes!

Cubed potato, grated carrot & butter added to pot and enough water to cover.






3 Kosher Baby Dill Pickles, grated





Vegetables simmered until tender





Sour Cream & Flour mashed together until smooth





Grated Pickles added to simmering soup





Sour Cream/Flour roux whisked into soup, brought to a boil & dill pickle brine (to taste) added






Dill Pickle Soup!

Dane was working today so I decided to take the golf cart to pick up a couple things at Wal Mart he had added to the grocery list. It's a beautiful day and I had nothing else to do but enjoy the day.

On my way home, about half-way home, the cart died. Dead. No coughing, no hint as to what could be wrong. I pushed it to the side of the cart path and checked to be sure it wasn't something like 'out of gas' or 'you bumped the gear shift'....or some other dumb thing. I couldn't find anything. So, I started calling neighbors who might be able to come and rescue me to give me a ride home. The cart could just sit where it was until he got home and could look at it.

There are 80 homes in our villa complex and it took me 6 tries before I found someone home! Geesh!!! Sharon said she could come right away and pick me up. Meanwhile, I left a text message for Dane to call me to let me know when he'd be home. He finally called when he was on the way home.

He gathered up a tool box and some odds & ends he thought he might need and we headed over to the cart. He mentioned he hoped no one had stolen the abandoned cart ~ NO ONE WANTS A BROKEN GOLF CART! Lawdy, there are enough nice, new carts sitting in parking spaces WITH the keys left in the ignition to steal.....they don't want an old, broken down cart. LOL

And, yes, our cart was still right where I left it. He checked it over and couldn't find anything obvious that he could fix. I figured we would get there and he would put in the key and it would take off as if I had lied about it quitting...... Then he said to see if I could find a neighbor who had a cart we could borrow to TOW our cart back home. You've got to be kidding me, I thought. The area we had to go was OVER the 6-lane highway on the golf cart bridge ~ really HIGH ~ and there was no way I wanted to attempt towing a cart on a 2-lane bridge. I suggested calling for a tow since we have roadside assistance included with our cart insurance. For crying out loud, we pay $70/year to insure the cart. We might as well take advantage of it. So, that's what we did. And it was really convenient ~ I called, explained the problem, gave them our policy # (that's on the insurance card kept in the cart) and they asked for the address to pick it up and had no problem delivering it to our home address. And it didn't take all that long to have it show up at home.

He borrowed neighbor Jim's cart to use to play golf tomorrow morning at 7:15. After he gets home he'll tear into the inner workings and figure out what's wrong with the cart.

He told Jim that I BROKE OUR CART ~ ~ I said HE DIDN'T MAINTAIN IT PROPERLY!

LOL

Needless to say, I was in no mood to cook so we went to Mission BBQ for smoked meat supper. It's not a favorite of mine but Dane really likes their smoked chicken. So, as long as he was happy that's all that counts.

I never thought about what to do with a dead golf cart. Great that they have a towing service for you. Hope Dane can figure out what is wrong and fix it on the cheap.

Geeze, Louise, JIMMY! Did they send a medical recall on both your legs????

I hope it all works out and you're feeling better and more active.

Update on my golf cart:

It's back running. HE told everyone I BROKE our golf cart.

After closer inspection, he found the wire that was suppose to be attached to the starter had come loose and detached itself.


So, I'm thinking it was nothing more than IGNORED MAINTENANCE !!!


But since it's now repaired, there's no blame to place.............



(as long as HE stops telling people it was MY FAULT!)


Hahahahahahaha

bethk wrote:Geeze, Louise, JIMMY!  Did they send a medical recall on both your legs????

I hope it all works out and you're feeling better and more active.

Thanks Beth, but for all I can understand, They say, I have veins in the legs, which are not working to create good blood flow, @ hence, are sealed off, so the hundreds of good veins can start helping the flow.
They use ultra sound pictures to locate the lazy veins.

bethk wrote:Update on my golf cart:

It's back running.  HE told everyone I BROKE our golf cart.

After closer inspection, he found the wire that was suppose to be attached to the starter had come loose and detached itself.


So, I'm thinking it was nothing more than IGNORED MAINTENANCE !!!


But since it's now repaired, there's no blame to place.............



(as long as HE stops telling people it was MY FAULT!)


Hahahahahahaha

When my son was 18, he had a very old Volkswagen rabbit! It ran under my name to save on insurance etc. It was a standard shifter. One day, my car had to go into the shop, and I borrowed his. I got about 5 miles down the road, and the clutch was totally gone...................... His attitude was "You broke it, you fix it!" Major, major argument ensued with me saying that I just happened to be the unfortunate person who happened to be driving when it gave up the ghost! I told him that yes, I would put a new clutch in, but also a full tank of gas, and his clothes and he could find a new place to live. LOL He apologized a couple of hours later, and yes, mom put in the new clutch! He's going to be 55 soon! Sigh.

And that, Lore, is what we Moms do.....

and do.....

and do.....

and do.




LOL

Amazing meal ~ ~ better than anything we normally could find at any local restaurant.

Dane got the hardwood charcoal going 'Just-Right'.....

I had brought the thawed ribeye to room temperature and seasoned it well with Kosher salt......

The asparagus was drizzled with olive oil, salted & cooked on a vegetable sheet thing for the grill over the hot coals.....

The beans were the last of the current crop and cooked in the house.....

The potatoes were started in the microwave to get them started and then finished on the grill, along the edges of the coals.....

The taste of the ribeye was excellent ~ we both agreed we've spoiled ourselves.  I don't mind having less beef if when we DO have beef it tastes like this one!

Your rib eye and veggies look so good.

I am going to grill a tri tip today. I have some russets that need to be baked if it isn't too late, to go with it and an artichoke that also needs to get eaten.

Thought I would start trying some Stouffer's meals to see which ones are edible just in case I feel too bad to cook. I tried the chicken marsala and it really wasn't bad at all. Only two pieces of chicken though. It is a small meal but if you add a salad and a vegetable or bread you have a meal. Joe and Katie can certainly make the whole meal.

I had nothing on my schedule for today so I decided to drive to Leesburg and go to the Big Lots store. I love to walk around and see all the 'close-out' items they get in. You never know when they'll have something you want!

For a couple years Lyn was looking for a countertop straw holder. The only ones we could find had Coca Cola advertising or pictures of livestock painted on the side. And, low and behold, as I was cruising the aisles this is what I came across....



So, I texted her a picture and picked up one for me and one for her. Happy Day!


Since it was lunch time, I decided to get a bite to eat. I remembered there was a Popeye's Chicken restaurant just down the street from Big Lots. I wanted to give their chicken sandwich a try and see what all the internet excitement was about.

I have to admit, it was quite good, as deep fried, fast-food, inexpensive chicken sandwiches go. First of all, it was prepared and put into a paper 'envelope' to help it hold together. Then it was all put into a heavier foil lined 'bag' to keep it warm. The chicken was HUGE ~ tender, moist, well done (no pink even though it was a good 1-1/2" thick in places.

The breading was super crunchy, yet light. It reminded me not so much of a southern fried chicken coating but rather more of a light tempura/fried chicken ~ come to think of it, it reminded me of the crispy coating on the fish at the (now defunct) Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips that was around in the 1960's/70's. Surprisingly, the crust stayed ON the chicken and crunchy through the last bite. It came with some mayo on the soft bun and two large, mildly dill pickles.

I can see why it's getting rave reviews. It's better than the usual fast-food chicken sandwich. And a real deal at $3.99. Oh, and to my surprise (especially since I live in The South) the restaurant served Pepsi! That's practically unheard of ~ and my favorite of the two usual offerings.

I can't believe I actually had a chicken sandwich for my lunch, knowing full well that I was planning on chicken for supper.

If I start to 'cluck ~ Cluck ~ CLUCK' before ending this post you'll know I had more than my fill......

I did chicken chunks glazed with some of the Korean BBQ Sauce ~ easy and a way to give plain chicken some flavor.

I had two ears of sweet corn. I cut off the tops & bottoms, getting rid of the brown silks and the bottom stalk, leaving on the husks. Then I put them in the microwave for 5 minutes on high to 'cook' them enough to set the juices. I toss 'em in the sink and let them cool off for half an hour or so and then strip off the husks ~ the silks come off, too, at the same time ~ and then I sliced the kernels off the cobs to reheat with some butter, some of Miz Kathie's Dixie Dust seasoning and a bit of heavy cream. It always amazes me how much corn is actually on a single ear of corn. I can remember years ago when we would have 'corn-on-the-cob' for a picnic meal it wasn't unusual for us to eat 2 or 3 ears each. I cut the corn off two ears of corn and we have leftovers for another meal.....go figure.

I had a box of chicken Rice-a-Roni that I doctored up with half a chopped onion and two stalks of celery, as well as about 1/2 c. of toasted slivered almonds I had in the freezer from another time. The addition of the veg really lightens up the dish and Dane likes it a lot more that way.

I had a 'food-fog' day trying to think of what to cook.

Isn't that the hardest thing? I should make a 'meal jar' and put slips of paper in with a main dish printed on each slip so all I have to do is reach in and have an idea.....

But, I ended up with the next best idea ~ ~ "Freezer First" ~ ~ ~ when you open the freezer and the first thing you see is what you cook.



Hey, it works.


Tonight was grilled brats, boiled potatoes & steamed cabbage.

It was a hodge-podge of leftovers tonight: baked potato, tri tip, artichoke, Stouffer's chicken marsala.

Had another CT scan today. For what? I don't know.

Summer made an early appearance today - 92 degrees.