December 2017, What's for Dinner ?

Thanks, Norm. And, YES, it was!

It's amazing how the addition of a simple fruit like grapes can add just the right amount of sweetness to a meal. The original recipe that I morphed into this simpler one had basalmic vinegar and dried figs and apricots. It is really good but the grapes were in the refrigerator and seemed like a quick fix to a boring piece of pork.

I also got the idea of adding grapes to my Brussels sprouts from Barbara. When she said she had done that and it was really good I was shocked. But, hey, why not give it a try? I've added them multiple times now and people really like the addition, although after the grapes cook down they aren't really noticable ~ just the slight sweetness that really counteracts the sometimes bitter cabbage taste. And with bacon in the mix.....well, it's not bad at all.

Bugster2 wrote:Thanks Jimmy. It is one of those things I will only use once or twice a year. It will be great when I am boiling up the turkey carcass. Keep the smell outside.

I really LOVE those smells in the house, Debbie. That being said, I will tell you that ever since we got our new stovehood and got it vented to the outside, it's truly wonderful at keeping smells (and heat) out of your kitchen if you're so inclined. Glad I got a good quality Broan stovehood, too, and Al did a super job on the installation. It's nice not smelling a pork roast upstairs in my bedroom for two days after we make one!  

I've never had a vented stovehood since I moved out of my parents' house!  Just those ones that blow everything back in your face. It's cool, too, as it has LED module lighting with three stages of brightness so we leave it on low practically all the time 'cause we use it for a nightlight in the kitchen. Fan has three speeds, too -- even on high, which is REALLY powerfull, it's still not too loud so you can't hear the television or carry on a conversation.  Plus it's stainless steel and matches our SS stove underneath it and our new HUGE refrigerator, which I'm in love with.

Hee hee -- my kitchen looks phenominal even though we didn't change the countertops or the cabinets. That's going to have to wait until I win Powerball.  But so far, several people have asked if the cabinets are new so it just shows you how good the rest of the kitchen looks -- it's rubbing off on the cabinets!

Imelda HL wrote:My sister in-law's boyfriend gave us bunch of Meyer lemon last week, we used some for cooking or lemon juice, then I remember I saw a video showing how to make sugared lemon, so I tried it yesterday, today we had some lemon juice and I made some coleslaw dressing with it, it was good, so fresh, Dirk grilled some pork for our dinner

Oooh, Imelda -- your photos are always the BEST. I agree with Beth that like everything you make, your slaw looks so freaking fresh. But the pitcher of lemons made my mouth water -- now I'm terribly thirsty and envious, too. The best!

NormM wrote:The electricity is out in at least half of the kitchen. It is a revelation how late it is when the sun comes up enough to light the kitchen and how soon it gets dark.  We have a light switch in the dining room that is wonky. First it isn't a regular switch. It has a night light built in and it does not turn off unless you hit it extra hard or twice and the light it turns on has flickered lately.  I went to replace it but all the wires are black, not green, red and white.  So I decided to get an electrician to replace it. When I put the wires back in the switch and turned the breaker back on, all the electricity on that circuit was off including the microwave. Half the outlets in this room, the dining room lights and a lot of the kitchen are out and an electrician won't get here until Wed.  It has been out since Friday. We have been making sandwiches by the light of a lantern since then.  

WHAT a drag, Norm! So sorry to hear you're going through this. Glad you waited for an electrician. One of our favorite headstones in the Last Words Cemetery is "Who needs an electrician?!" I guess it's all fixed by now and you're back in business.

I'm lucky to have Al around here as he's Johnny on the Spot for things like that. Monday he dropped by and told me he got a call at noon from a guy whose hot water heater (gas) was failing. He drained it, told the guy he could buy him a year out of it or get him a new one. By 3 p.m., he was finished and here talking to me at 3:20 pm. He went in the attic, driained it, talked to the guy, ran to Home Depot and picked up a new one, fixed the gas line that needed fixing, told the guy it was $300 plus $25 for the line work and the guy handed him $400 in cash and thanked him profusely for coming out so quickly. Now you KNOW he has a customer for life and tons of referrals. He's a Master carpenter, Master plumber and Master electrician -- Brian says, "He can put an ass on a dog." Puts me in mind of our beloved Jimmy, who seems to be able to do everything, too!

I thought of you the other day, Jimmy, as he has a job to install an electric on demand water heater. Told him I was warned away from them due to low water pressure issues. To me, turning on a faucet and just getting a trickle is infuriating -- like having a car that won't start when you get in the darn thing! He told me they'd improved somewhat in the last couple of years and only gave you pressure problems when you used water in two areas of your house at once. Still wouldn't work for me cause we seem to always have a load of laundry going at the same time I'm running the dishwasher or cooking and using the sink constantly while puttering in the kitchen. But I thought of you, Jimmy, when he went on about how people don't realize they need maintenance to clean out the calcium buildup and no one seems to keep up with it. I could hear you telling us the exact same thing.

Debbie wrote:We have a large Asian and middle eastern population out here and we have the grocery stores. It is such a treat to go into one. We call them the "Mystery Markets" because we have no idea what we are looking at because, as you said, the labels are in a foreign language. The Asian markets have these huge tanks full of lobsters, crabs, fish, clams, oysters and baby abalone. You can't get any fresher than that. The produce is also mysterious and exotic. There is some kind of fruit that looks like a giant blowfish with spines all over it. Kimchi? you wouldn't believe the selection. And dumplings!
At the middle eastern market there is a line of people waiting to buy a three foot long piece of some flatbread that they make right in front of you. They give it to you on a piece of brown paper and you hang it over the handle of your shopping cart to cool. I watch them making the dough. It actually looks rather slimy and slick like a half cooked egg white. It sure tastes good though. It is used as a wrap to hold meats and vegetables.

Sounds wonderful. We have some Asian markets, all in one shopping center, too, not too far away but I rarely go though I love the things they sell. Lots cheaper, too, for stuff like cilantro, plum sauce and the Asian condiments you tend to use all the time. Lots of fresh produce and seafood, too.

The flatbread has my mouth watering.

Beth, your Bahn Mi looked divine. My mouth watered at the description of the pickled veggies. Love, love, love Bahn Mi and love the way you removed some of the bread. I pride myself in being a stellar sandwich maker and removing bread sometimes is mandatory for the perfect sandwich. If I ever get up that way, I want you to make me one of those!

NormM wrote:Have you pressed the reset button on the bottom of the disposer? It may just need that instead of replacing.

The last one we had (long ago replaced by a new one; we're not handy so a friend did it once I purchased one) didn't even HAVE a reset button. I was stunned when I bent down there to try that. Don't know if this one, which we've had for a couple of years, has one as I've never had any trouble with it. Once in a while I put too much in it but then Brian just plugs up the hole in the other side of the sink and uses a plunger and clears it out in a second for me.

I know lots of people don't like them but I just like to scrape my plates over the sink since it's right next to the dishwasher, which cleans stuff so well even if you use the quick cycle, that I finally followed the instructions and no longer rinse my plates off before putting them in. Only do that if I know that puppy is going to sit in there a while waiting for a full load of dishes. Super dishwasher -- one of the best we've ever had. Maytag. So quiet that you have to lean down to check if it's running, which is one of the reasons I bought it. First one that was in this house sounded like a garbage disposal running -- an old builder's quality one the prior owner put in here. Used one, too, I found out when I had it repaired. Love this one as it's quiet, gets everything clean and I put anything I can fit in there, and dries the dishes really well, too. It's a rare day that something is not perfectly clean and that is usually due to operator error (meaning Brian loaded it and I didn't go back later and rearrange so the things that are only lightly soiled on the top rack are in the right place so they allow the heavier soiled things to have best placement).

Remember how you used to not be able to run your garbage disposal while your dishwasher was running? How come that's not the case anymore -- is that because of filters added to dishwashers or what? Any of you handy men know? I'll just bet you do.

Bugster wrote:I saw where chef Mario Batalli has had to leave his show because he has been a bad boy. I wonder how many other men are sweating bullets hoping no one comes forward with an accusation. You reap what you sow.

I've wondered the exact same thing, Debbie. John Besh was one of the first in food and beverage to go down -- I was stunned as I really liked him. But when I read his business employs 1100 people and The Besh Group has no H.R. department, it sort of tells the story. I was stunned, especially in these days of litigation. I understand he's now trying to save his marriage. My heart goes out to his wife and four boys, as it's so freaking humiliating to have your whole world collapse and then it's got to be in the public eye as well.

Yeah, it's funny (not funny haha but funny peculiar) to see the clip of Matt Lauer grililng Bill O'Reilly who was on Today to tout his latest book several months ago. He tried to cop out of the questions about his firing from Matt who said something akin to, "Well, don't you think Fox News must have had irrefutable evidence to cut loose their biggest moneymaker?" After Matt's own sleazy behavior came to light (I was shocked though I'd heard rumblings years ago that he was a serial cheater) and I saw that clip again, as I'd seen it live on Today, I wondered what the hell was Matt Lauer thinking? You'd think he'd have gone a little easier considering no one had opened his closet full of surprises yet. I wish he'd give an interview (I bet we never see him again on air in any capacity including giving an interview of any sort) and have someone play that tape back and then ask HIM "What were you thinking? Were you that arrogant and full of yourself that you ASSumed you wouldn't or couldn't be brought down for the same freaking behavior? And you were having sex right there in your office? You must've thought your star was so high you were beyond reproach, I guess. How BIG is your ego anyway?" His poor wife and kids.

bethk wrote:Nah.......I've already cut it up and gifted it to a couple neighbors.

Rookie mistake ~ and I feel so stupid for doing it.  I knew better as soon as I started to TRY to slip it off the cooling rack.  I should have waited for it to cool completely but I was in a hurry.  Why, I don't have a clue!

But it's really tasty.  I already had a piece this afternoon!

That's the good part -- it still tastes good. I don't cool them on the rack once I take it out of the pan, but I do cool it in the pan on the rack. I'm not an experienced baker like the rest of you so I EXPECT the worst. Figured I'd never be able to get the cake off the rack regardless of how cool it was. I always flip it right onto the plate I'm going to frost it on and serve it on right out of the bundt pan. But I guess I let it cool longer than you do in the bundt pan, though it's probably not something I should even be doing I guess.

I made bread pudding the other night and put it in the fridge to soak for an hour prior to baking and realized I'd forgotten to put the vanilla in the custard mix. I took that vanilla bottle, put my finger over the pouring spot and drizzled it back and forth and right to left right over the whole 13 by 9 inch pan. I use 2 teaspoons of vanilla in the custard so I didn't have to be dainty. Brian and I were laughing about it but it didn't affect it at all, as I never thought of it again until just now. But God I hate when I do that and I practice mise en place, too -- so I shouldn't have it happen. I was tired, though, and hurting and I guess hurrying.

We laughed the other day watching a food show where the woman confessed to putting a colander in the sink with nothing under it and mistakenly draining her stock right down the sink. I told Brian I remember doing something like that when I was younger, though I've forgotten what it was I was straining. I told him I realized immediately what I was doing but had already "bottomed up" the pan in my hands so I was only to save maybe a half cup of whatever it was in the pan. Furious at myself but luckily, there were no witnesses.

Any of you ever do that?

Jimmy, thanks so much for posting the pics of your son and his wife and daughter with Liam at the tree farm, as I just loved them! Girls looked pretty with him pointing to his tree, too! I agree -- only thing that would've made it better was snow. Can't wait to see those.

I'd be as crazy as Liam in the snow, as I love the stuff. Brian can barely even admit it's pretty from a window anymore -- he hated it THAT much when he lived in MA (and also in VA for about two years) and he's been here in N.O. over 40 years now and won't even admit it's pretty for the holidays. The man HATES snow!!!! And though he always hated cold weather, since he's gotten older and had radiation twice, the cold seems to affect him more than it did years ago. He's often cold and at the same time, I'm rarely cold. If I ever feel cold, the first thing I think of is I hope I'm not getting sick!

The high was 79 today and it was very foggy this morning -- nasty day, warm, humid and sticky until the sun came out periodically this afternoon. I had to turn the A/C on last night and today -- hated to do it as I've been enjoying all this "free" weather. We've used the fireplace when in the living room but other than that, we just turn the heater on downstairs when one of us heads down to retrieve the coffee, but it's only set on 63 so it just runs for a couple of minutes at best. Our house heats up and chills down really, really fast -- we're blessed in that regard. So unless it's really cold outside and his nibs hasn't gone in and out and in and out and in and out of the kitchen, the heat usually doesn't kick back on especially if he turns the little gas fireplace on and puts it on low. (Broan makes single trips to the garbage can all the time like a kid; I want to scream like his mom used to do, "Brian, get in the house or out of the house but stop going in and out"). We've got a garbage can inside right next to the door but he says stuff like "just changed the bag" or "don't want it to smell" or "heck, I forgot again" -- he's just hyper, I think. But if then he complains he's cold, I laugh and say I'm not surprised.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Boston Market cooked today. Frozen TV Dinners. I had the salisbury steak and macaroni and cheese. Tina had the meatloaf; mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Did you ever try Boston Market's Chicken Pot Pie, Jimmy? It's a big one and is supposed to feed two (who splits a pot pie?) but I am addicted to those things. Best frozen pot pie I ever had. If I've been suffering all day in pain and don't feel like going downstairs for dinner, Brian always says, "How 'bout I put a nice pot pie in the oven for you?" as he knows that immediately puts a smile on my face as I adore them. The grocery just went up to $3.17 a piece for them from $2.99 each but they're more than worth it. The crust is the BEST -- it's such good pie crust that it's flaky like puff pastry. He covers the edges with foil so they don't overbrown and no longer even cuts a hole in the frozen crust. I think it takes 70 minutes in the oven and it's delicious. The filling is very good and is the perfect thickness, perfect flaky top crust AND a great bottom crust that cooks up perfectly. I bought a Marie Calender's not so long ago when the grocery was out of the big Boston Market ones and it was garbage -- crust was hard, thick, dry and it seemed like it had been frozen since the '60s -- hard as, well, really hard as rock and tasteless. It was so bad that I'm ashamed I even ate the darn thing, though I do admit to not being able to eat most of the crust. Filling was thin, nothing much in it and tasteless. Never again.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:How about shallots Beth? ., They are in the garlic family I think, and are mild.
Dane may be able to tolerate that food / flavor?
I know one thing; we cannot tolerate a lot of garlic flavor. When we do use it, we use the micro-plane to grate it, and only one spear.

Boy, we use garlic in everything -- sliced, minced, smashed, roasted, etc. I can't remember the last time I used one clove in anything, Jimmy -- usually I'm grabbing two or three for most things. But if you mince it, it's stronger than say sliced or smashed, so often I will peel about three cloves, and slice them thinly for a sauce that won't be on the fire for too long. I have microplaned it when I don't want any noticeable pieces of garlic in the dish, usually a delicate sauce. Thank goodness it doesn't bother our stomachs as we both love the stuff. I make a Roasted Garlic Soup that is to die for -- guess you guys WOULD die if I made it for you!

Love shallots too, so nice in pan sauces, and have read they have a mild garlic flavor but I've sure never been able to taste the slightest bit of garlic in a shallot.

Imagine seeing this while you are grocery shopping. You may have already seen it but I had to post the link. Truly amazing!

http://www.fox25boston.com/news/watch-singing-russos-employee-stops-customers-in-their-tracks/665545209

Here is another video that is a hoot! You go girl!

http://myconnection.cox.com/article/trending/7a73e096-e648-11e7-8197-7b42a2c5c94c/

Dane called me after his Golf Scramble to let me know the neighborhood golfers were going to a local Country Club for lunch after their game. Unfortunately, I WAS AT WATER EXERCISE CLASS and missed the call.

Let's hear a huge CHEER for Beth!

So, he's not hungry for supper so I'm not cooking.

and since I skipped lunch to go to exercise class (it's at noon....) I am starving.

So, Boston Market is cooking tonight. I picked up one of the Boston Market Chicken Pot Pies that have been so highly recommended and I will eat THE WHOLE THING! ((Who ever heard of a 2-serving chicken pot pie????))

I'll let you know what I think ~ already I'm thinking I'll pick out the chicken because I really only like the vegetables, sauce and crust. I'm really not the best person to give a review of a chicken pot pie! LOL

bethk wrote:Dane called me after his Golf Scramble to let me know the neighborhood golfers were going to a local Country Club for lunch after their game.  Unfortunately, I WAS AT WATER EXERCISE CLASS and missed the call.

Let's hear a huge CHEER for Beth!

So, he's not hungry for supper so I'm not cooking.

and since I skipped lunch to go to exercise class (it's at noon....) I am starving.

So, Boston Market is cooking tonight.  I picked up one of the Boston Market Chicken Pot Pies that have been so highly recommended and I will eat THE WHOLE THING!  ((Who ever heard of a 2-serving chicken pot pie????))

I'll let you know what I think ~ already I'm thinking I'll pick out the chicken because I really only like the vegetables, sauce and crust.  I'm really not the best person to give a review of a chicken pot pie!  LOL

Yay for Beth.....

Uhh!... a hint. We tried the Boston Market Chick Pot Pies.....All white meat chicken square cubes. Cook a 1/3 cup or 1/2 cup vegetables, because they are scant on veggies.
Lots of gravy, so it's not dry. The crust bottom and top, is plentiful.

PS: Awaiting your review!

OK, so I heated the Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie in the microwave. The instructions say "10-11 minutes on high". I opted for 10 - 1/2 minutes, just to be fair. Here's what it looked like when I opened the microwave:



The gravy had bubbled over in and out of the box ~ glad I had put the glass microwave liner in the dishwasher last night!

**********

Picture #2 ~ I felt the bottom of the paper pie plate when I took it out of the microwave oven and thought it needed to be heated longer as it was still cool to the touch (even though it had bubbled over and out when heated) so I put it in a dish and heated it for another 2 minutes.



Picture #3 ~ When I tried to remove the pot pie from the paper pan, it stuck and had to be scraped off with my fork. Now, this isn't such a bad thing....the crust is pretty darn tasty.



I ate about half (one serving size according to the nutrition information....) and then decided I really didn't want any more. It had good taste, LOTS of square chunks of chicken and sufficient vegetables and gravy. However, after eating that much I had an unpleasant 'mouth-feel' coating in my mouth. The only way I could describe it to Dane was it felt like my mouth was coated in Crisco shortening.....So I offered him the rest of it to try! (Just like when I think the milk is sour and I say, "here, try this!" Hahahahaha) After a couple bites, and with my words echoing in his ears, he said, "No thanks....I see what you mean."

So, even though I was starving, this was not for me. I ended up having the leftover creamed corn from last night's supper to fill me up. All in all, it was better than most but still not good enough for me to purchase again.

Must have had too much shortening in the crust. Sounds icky.

I have to admit that I tried a Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie.... Not for me... I really did not care for it..   and I cooked it in my toaster oven.. not enough chicken, did not care for the sauce~too much of it... and lacking in veggies.

There is a local chicken pot pie chain, up here..it is small, only about 8 stores, but has the best Chicken Pot pies: Harrow's...

Turns out the bok choy I bought 2 weeks ago and had in the refrigerator was still in great shape tonight. I turned it into a chicken & bok choy over Rice-a-Roni. It was pretty good.

Dinner tonight was at Cracker Jack's restaurant. I was out getting the last of the groceries for my Christmas Eve crowd (15 people in my condo) good thing we're all friendly, it will be crowded. Restaurant had one of my very favourite meals. Lasagna!

Christmas Eve will see chicken wings, chicken breast, oven roasted potatoes. Daughter-in-law's mother was Hungarian, so I am making a Hungarian goulash which is normally served over noodles. There will be cheese and crackers, shrimp, pate, veggies and dip, a coleslaw. Sweets for dessert. No turkey in my house!

I think everyone will have enough to eat.

WOW! You're going to be BUSY! But what a nice thing to do to cook for your neighbors. Merry Christmas to you!