May, 2018 ~ What did you make for dinner?

Bugster2 wrote:Musicgirl, what part of California do you live? I am down here in So Cal.

Central coast, Monterey Bay area

muzicgirl wrote:

Bugster2 wrote:Musicgirl, what part of California do you live? I am down here in So Cal.

Central coast, Monterey Bay area

Oh, you lucky girl! My husband and I wanted to move up there but everything was at least a million. I love Carmel and those storybook houses are incredible. My friend bought one years ago as an investment with an inheritance she got. Smart girl. Last time I looked one was selling for $8 million.
We used to go up for the Pebble Beach Concourse and stay at this place that looks like a throwback from the 60's called the Ripplewood in Big Sur. It was just a bunch of wood cabins. I always freeze my backside off up there. We turned on the heat and lit a fire in the fireplace in August! Brrr.

Oh, you lucky girl! My husband and I wanted to move up there but everything was at least a million. I love Carmel and those storybook houses are incredible. My friend bought one years ago as an investment with an inheritance she got. Smart girl. Last time I looked one was selling for $8 million.
We used to go up for the Pebble Beach Concourse and stay at this place that looks like a throwback from the 60's called the Ripplewood in Big Sur. It was just a bunch of wood cabins. I always freeze my backside off up there. We turned on the heat and lit a fire in the fireplace in August! Brrr.

It is a beautiful area, and we are very fortunate to be here. We bought a house in Pacific Grove in 1990, and got one of the last affordable deals on the peninsula, so that's the only reason we are here. We don't live in Pebble Beach or Carmel, we don't hang with the hoity-toity and the high-falutin', we are very "lower middle class," believe me! Our house is over 60 years old, and very run down ... it is no manse! It is very gorgeous here, but really has become way too expensive and insular ... we are thinking about relocating in a couple of years.
Ripplewood is still there, btw!

Dane said he wants chicken wings tonight and I don't have any in the freezer........SO..............

Carry out it is! I'll probably throw together a side salad and also get him some French Fries (HIS guilty pleasure). I don't know if I'll have wings, which doesn't sound all that exciting to me tonight, or if I'll just have a bowl of leftover noodle soup or some of last night's leftovers......

We had Ladies' Luncheon this noon and I'm really not all that hungry ~ guess I over-did the white sangria Carol made.

When did Progresso start selling beans? I grabbed a can from the soup section that said Cannelloni. I thought it was some kind of bean soup. I just opened them and they were just beans.

NormM wrote:When did Progresso start selling beans? I grabbed a can from the soup section that said Cannelloni. I thought it was some kind of bean soup. I just opened them and they were just beans.

I just did a search of their web site.....I knew they made bread crumbs but did not realize some of the other items (scroll down past the soups).....

https://www.progresso.com/products/

Interesting. I love cannelloni beans.

NormM wrote:When did Progresso start selling beans? I grabbed a can from the soup section that said Cannelloni. I thought it was some kind of bean soup. I just opened them and they were just beans.

add a little broth, Norm, and you are good to go!

muzicgirl wrote:

NormM wrote:When did Progresso start selling beans? I grabbed a can from the soup section that said Cannelloni. I thought it was some kind of bean soup. I just opened them and they were just beans.

add a little broth, Norm, and you are good to go!

Too late. I had some "Korean" chicken leftover from dinner at Houlihan’s last night.  I didn't want to keep or mess with an opened can of beans and threw them away.  By the way... someone should tell Houlihan’s that overcooking a piece of fried and breaded chicken breast and dumping some Gochujang sauce on it does not make it Korean. I have never seen rice mixed with corn in any Korean restaurant either.

Ps the rice was sort of risotto-ish too.

I'll keep an eye out for a beanstalk sprouting out of the disposer.

NormM wrote:I'll keep an eye out for a beanstalk sprouting out of the disposer.

hahahaha

I have been packing all day so I had joe pick up some In-N-Out burgers. He went to Home depot yesterday and I asked him to pick up some bubble wrap with large bubbles. He comes home with the one with small bubbles. I also asked him to pick up some scotch tape. He comes home with tape but it isn't scotch tape but something you have to peel off one side. Today he went back to Home depot and I asked him to pick up some boxes. I showed him what I wanted and told him what they cost. I also asked him to buy another roll of bubble wrap. He actually came home with the right size box but at the wrong price. He bought heavy duty. I can see I will need to do my own shopping from now on.

I do love to cook, but don't have as much time to experiment with recipes these days ... maybe once a week I might make something special that really intrigues me or appeals to me, but most of the time, it's a "default dinner" (something I can get on the table really quickly, in 20 minutes or so,) because I work during the day, and when I get home, it's time to get dinner happening NOW ... I am cooking for 3 very different people's tastes - I need something that I can eat on my low carb, vegetarian diet that also appeals to a 5 year old,(we have our grandson at our house for dinner 4 - 5 nights a week) and also to my hubby, who is quite picky (no, he's not a vegetarian, he loves his meat, likes his food "plain", doesn't like casseroles, doesn't eat cheese, and the list goes on and on. Sigh.) It's always a challenge.

So, I did not take a photo, as it was a rather ordinary meal last night, but it was tasty. I made "spinach rice" ( I had some cooked brown basmati rice, while it was still hot I stirred in about 3 cups of finely chopped fresh spinach, plus onion powder, salt and pepper, paprika, and a little bit of olive oil, stirred it all around, cover and let steam for just a couple of minutes) and white beans that I rinsed and sauteed simply with a bit of butter/olive oil and some salt, garlic salt, onion powder. Since the rice was chock full of spinach, I didn't make another veg. And that was it for my din - Spinach Rice w White Beans. But I served the boys frozen fish fillets,(Van De Kamps) as well. I DO make them fresh fish, often, but grandboy loves the frozen fillets, gobbles them up, so it's a good choice for an exhausted Friday after work.

I also found this group after having "lost" it a while ago.  I know the grandson is not able to make dinner (but have you seen some of the junior chefs????) but couldn't the picky one make dinner sometimes?  You surely don't need to apologize for using frozen fish, because chances are that the fish that is flash frozen on a fishing trawler is probably at peak of freshness.

I have a frozen salmon fillet defrosting right now.  Will make some stir fried veggies to go with it.

Muzicgirl, I'm with your husband.......NO to cheese, except for melted mozzarella or a bit of melted parmesan. That's probably why I'm not a good choice for a vegetarian diet, although I could probably do without meat protein on a regular basis. But it's not an easy choice when you have to also cook for a man who wants his meat or fish every night. We do what we can and then we punt......LOL

Tonight I was amazed that I got a couple pork chops and sweet potato cooked on the grill BEFORE it started to pour rain. Phew! Nothing I hate more than standing by the grill holding an umbrella just because Mother Nature decides to rain on my parade at supper time. We have local sweet corn in season right now ~ really quite good. Mr. Amazing prefers I cut it off the cob for him (he's such a baby.....) but I really don't mind because then I can season it with some of my yummy Dixie Dust seasoning (from Ms. Kathie's Southern Cotillion Restaurant) and it's just the right amount of spice go give it a real kick. The sweet potato got a pre-cook in the microwave and then finished up and browned a bit on the hot coals.

Niagara Visitor wrote:I also found this group after having "lost" it a while ago.  I know the grandson is not able to make dinner (but have you seen some of the junior chefs????) but couldn't the picky one make dinner sometimes?  You surely don't need to apologize for using frozen fish, because chances are that the fish that is flash frozen on a fishing trawler is probably at peak of freshness.

I have a frozen salmon fillet defrosting right now.  Will make some stir fried veggies to go with it.

The picky one is a lousy chef
The grandson does actually help make dinner sometimes ... he enjoys cooking!

bethk wrote:

Tonight I was amazed that I got a couple pork chops and sweet potato cooked on the grill BEFORE it started to pour rain.  We have local sweet corn in season right now ~ really quite good.   I can season it with some of my yummy Dixie Dust seasoning (from Ms. Kathie's Southern Cotillion Restaurant) and it's just the right amount of spice go give it a real kick.  The sweet potato got a pre-cook in the microwave and then finished up and browned a bit on the hot coals.

looks like you got a great dinner together! this is your "dust" I guess? Dixie Dust What's in it?

Yup ~ that's the stuff!

The ingredients:  Paprika, Salt, Sugar, Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic, Mustard Powder, Black Pepper, White Pepper & Cayenne.

The restaurant is a fun place to go for lunch or supper......Kathie Vincent Hall, owner.  She turned the restaurant over to her children to run, I believe, and she opened a smaller bakery/sandwich shop a couple doors down.  She makes all the cakes and desserts (I think baking is her first love).  And she makes the absolute BEST fried green tomatoes!

Her 'tag line' for the restaurant is "ASAP" ~ As Southern As Possible.  LOL

bethk wrote:

The restaurant is a fun place to go for lunch or supper......Kathie Vincent Hall, owner.  She turned the restaurant over to her children to run, I believe, and she opened a smaller bakery/sandwich shop a couple doors down.  She makes all the cakes and desserts (I think baking is her first love).  And she makes the absolute BEST fried green tomatoes!

Her 'tag line' for the restaurant is "ASAP" ~ As Southern As Possible.  LOL

LOOKS like a fun place! Miz Kathi's Cotillion Southern Café.

So, no grandboy tonight - and, I am trying not to spend extra $ until next payday ... so it was a "use up whatever's in the frig night"
I split the leftover spinach rice and white beans with hubby.  He added supermarket deli chicken strips to his.  I sauteed up some sliced mushrooms and chopped seitan in some butter/olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, etc.  When the mushrooms and seitan began to brown a bit, I threw in a splash of half and half and stirred it all up to make a creamy, savory gravy and ate that over my rice.

I am up at 4AM with a UTI so I thought I would make a grocery list. It is a bit of a challenge because I don't want to use my stove after I clean it. I forgot I have an induction burner so I will use that and the toaster oven. Both are easy to clean. I picked out PF Chang's for one dinner: honey chicken, flied lice, egg rolls. I can't eat it because they sneak in some heat but Katie and Joe will be fed. Several sandwiches, burritos, salmon on the grill.
The last 4 days I have single handedly packed close to 100 boxes with no help from Joe or Katie. Yesterday Joe took the dolly and moved them all to the garage. Katie started packing and during a 6 hour period she almost managed to fill one box. She concentrates on the minutiae and has to think whether she should toss or keep something. I can tell this is going to go good. Yesterday she almost freaked out because of her clothes. She has a clothing rack in her shower for the overflow that won't fit in her closet. We have to clean out the tub/shower to show the house. We have a clothing rack in the garage, so while she was sleeping I moved the clothing to the rack in the garage. When she got up an saw the clothes were gone she almost freaked out. I put my foot down because I have had enough and told her we have to clean out the shower, her clothes are safe and are hanging in the garage, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE!. I have always said she is a bit of a hoarder and has similar traits: concentrating on each object one by one and not liking anyone touching her things. Tough $hit is what I say.

Bugster2 wrote:I am up at 4AM with a UTI so I thought I would make a grocery list. It is a bit of a challenge because I don't want to use my stove after I clean it. I forgot I have an induction burner so I will use that and the toaster oven. Both are easy to clean. I picked out PF Chang's for one dinner: honey chicken, flied lice, egg rolls. I can't eat it because they sneak in some heat but Katie and Joe will be fed. Several sandwiches, burritos, salmon on the grill.
The last 4 days I have single handedly packed close to 100 boxes with no help from Joe or Katie. Yesterday Joe took the dolly and moved them all to the garage. Katie started packing and during a 6 hour period she almost managed to fill one box. She concentrates on the minutiae and has to think whether she should toss or keep something. I can tell this is going to go good. Yesterday she almost freaked out because of her clothes. She has a clothing rack in her shower for the overflow that won't fit in her closet. We have to clean out the tub/shower to show the house. We have a clothing rack in the garage, so while she was sleeping I moved the clothing to the rack in the garage. When she got up an saw the clothes were gone she almost freaked out. I put my foot down because I have had enough and told her we have to clean out the shower, her clothes are safe and are hanging in the garage, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE!. I have always said she is a bit of a hoarder and has similar traits: concentrating on each object one by one and not liking anyone touching her things. Tough $hit is what I say.

Hanging onto things compulsively surely is a problem with some people.  My mother-in-law I think was very close to being a true hoarder.  Mine the opposite.  Some of mother in law's family said that it was because she lived through the Great Depression she couldn't waste anything................Well, so did my mother.  In age they were just 30 days apart, and both survived WWII.  We all react differently to stresses.

My husband was a "collector", I tend to get rid of stuff and then two weeks later I'm looking for it because I need it.   I know someone here in the building who, when they downsized, instead of getting rid of "stuff" just put a lot into a storage unit.  For me, seeing furniture and "stuff" either going to another family or a thrift shop was like the weight of the world being lifted off my shoulders.  Different strokes and all that.

Niagara Visitor wrote:

Bugster2 wrote:I am up at 4AM with a UTI so I thought I would make a grocery list. It is a bit of a challenge because I don't want to use my stove after I clean it. I forgot I have an induction burner so I will use that and the toaster oven. Both are easy to clean. I picked out PF Chang's for one dinner: honey chicken, flied lice, egg rolls. I can't eat it because they sneak in some heat but Katie and Joe will be fed. Several sandwiches, burritos, salmon on the grill.
The last 4 days I have single handedly packed close to 100 boxes with no help from Joe or Katie. Yesterday Joe took the dolly and moved them all to the garage. Katie started packing and during a 6 hour period she almost managed to fill one box. She concentrates on the minutiae and has to think whether she should toss or keep something. I can tell this is going to go good. Yesterday she almost freaked out because of her clothes. She has a clothing rack in her shower for the overflow that won't fit in her closet. We have to clean out the tub/shower to show the house. We have a clothing rack in the garage, so while she was sleeping I moved the clothing to the rack in the garage. When she got up an saw the clothes were gone she almost freaked out. I put my foot down because I have had enough and told her we have to clean out the shower, her clothes are safe and are hanging in the garage, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS TO BE!. I have always said she is a bit of a hoarder and has similar traits: concentrating on each object one by one and not liking anyone touching her things. Tough $hit is what I say.

Hanging onto things compulsively surely is a problem with some people.  My mother-in-law I think was very close to being a true hoarder.  Mine the opposite.  Some of mother in law's family said that it was because she lived through the Great Depression she couldn't waste anything................Well, so did my mother.  In age they were just 30 days apart, and both survived WWII.  We all react differently to stresses.

My husband was a "collector", I tend to get rid of stuff and then two weeks later I'm looking for it because I need it.   I know someone here in the building who, when they downsized, instead of getting rid of "stuff" just put a lot into a storage unit.  For me, seeing furniture and "stuff" either going to another family or a thrift shop was like the weight of the world being lifted off my shoulders.  Different strokes and all that.

I don't mind having things but there gets to a saturation point where I don't want more, especially if there is no place to put it. I start feeling closed in. Most of my life I have lived in larger homes, same with Joe. I just need space. I hate having to fight with the vacuum cleaner trying to move it around furniture because it is shoved so close together. I hate having things on top of my furniture, it is just a dust collector. I can't wait to get away from the wet bar. It has open glass shelving where we keep our bar glasses and is a pain to dust because all of the glasses have to be taken down. I wanted to move into a larger home but it looks like if we pick Oceanside I won't get much more space. I really wanted a walk-in pantry. If we move to Temecula I can get a whole heck of a lot more house.

It was predicted we would have rain all day so yesterday I took a meatloaf out of the freezer, figuring an oven meal would be good on a gloomy day.

It rained last night and today is hot and sunny......

Why, oh, why didn't I go to school to be a weatherman?????

watching the ballgame/folding the laundry right now ... but tonight, will make taiyaki with grandson for a fun family Sunday dinner ... will try to take some photos