What a good FIRST meal for me to make?

[MrMickeysMom]

I've been without a kitchen for almost 2 months, living like a hoarder amongst boxes for a huge project during a summer long home renovation since early May.

So, I'm about 2.5 weeks away from the "new kitchen". I've had so much from the Giant Eagle deli, rotisserie chicken, tuna salad, mixed greens and other raw veggie salads, cheeses, tomatoes from garden and toast, I've lost a good 6 pounds. This is the only good side effect. It's been a long slog and I'm gonna be so glad when I have the kitchen together again.

Thus… thinking of staying with the "low on the food chain" menu, and cause I'm 90% vegetarian anyway, love Italian, love Indian, LOVE Mexican…. any ideas of a "first meal" you can give me?

I'm so close, it is now fun to ask my DU buddies. I gotta hold on a little longer!!!

Thanks in advance!

MMM

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. I would choose something that will keep you in the kitchen for a bit -

chopping and prepping - maybe a risotto with veggies (sweet peppers, tomatoes) - and roasted peppers or a mix of peppers and summer squash as a veggie.....

Which reminds me that I've not made a risotto yet this summer! Been busy with so many eggplant, so Bangan Bartha has been a frequent effort!

have fun!

[MrMickeysMom]

3. I like the thought of being in that kitchen...

I get that … this is more than "make the dish" … It's introduce myself "to the kitchen"… excellent thought process!

[cbayer]

8. Get thee to the kitchen and make risotto!!

It has to be one of the best foods on earth.

I recently made one with celery. I know that doesn't sound like it would be all that, but it was fantastic.

I have also found that one must use you own homemade meat broth to get the perfect risotto.

[NRaleighLiberal]

15. Hey buddy! Best broth I've ever used is the "juice" that collects from a really

flavorful homemade Pico di Gallo type salsa - such intensity!

How's life?

[cbayer]

16. Life if very, very good.

We are in Italy and will be here another 6 weeks or so. Just living way out in the country. I'm learning how to cook Italian the right way and I've been able to do some gardening, which really delights me.

Great idea about the pico di gallo juice. I would have never thought of that.

I like a simple risotto with parmesan. We have been incredibly fortunate to have been given some black truffles, which are amazing on a risotto.

Hope your summer is going well and that your family is healthy and happy!

cb

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. All good here....Italy - bravo!

We are listening to Winds of War on Audible - part we are listening to is taking place in Italy.

My favorite risotto is also simple - butter, white wine, onion and red bell pepper for the intial sautee - parmesan, some halved cherry tomatoes and basil leaves for the finish. It is also great using some or all barley, or farro.

Great summer....book editing is FINALLY done Monday - release date is Dec 10. Book tour will keep me busy at least first six months of next year! But book 2 text is due in December....so it has begun!

[cbayer]

18. Book tour! How cool is that.

Big congratulations. That is really wonderful news and you absolutely deserve it.

I will be back in the states in October for a month or so. Most likely in Georgia, but maybe I will get out your way.

[NRaleighLiberal]

19. We are in Ocracoke first two week of Oct - stop by! Home last two weeks.

Starting to wonder where we want to go next - Sue and I can both work from anywhere....so time to audition the country - hell, the world!

[cbayer]

20. I would love to go to Ocracoke, but it will not be in the budget.

You should come to Mexico sometime, though. It's so wonderful, close and inexpensive. We have decided that we will live there 6 months out of the year and elsewhere the other 6 months. The boat needs to be put up for hurricane season, so it makes sense.

Don't just talk about it. Do it!!

[raven mad]

2. I'd go for Alaska salmon on the grill - make sure it's certified wild caught.

It doesn't matter if it's skinned; put it skin side down, it'll stick and come off, discard it. If unskinned, make sure the grill is oily (I use an olive oil spray). Marinate for 15 minutes or so in olive oil and a really good wine vinegar before grilling.

Baked potato with whatever you like on it! Or a good pasta with your favorite pesto!

Fresh asparagus (grilled lightly) if you can find it; if not, a bright green veggie (zucchini works great on the grill, with again, a little olive oil). If zucchini, split lengthwise, grill, and while hot top with shredded Asiago!

Good Italian bread as a side...........
and Gelato for dessert!

It doesn't matter, really, let your love guide you!

[MrMickeysMom]

4. Since my sister's coming shortly after this project is through...

I may make a good garlic bread. Pesto is another excellent idea. I'm gonna have lots of fresh basil.

You know, since this project took up so much of my back yard, my Weber hasn't been used all summer, so I think the first thing with I'd do is the salmon.

I love both the Weber grill and look forward to being able to use a space well…

Thanks!

[raven mad]

5. I'd send you the salmon if I could...

we did the run here and caught, cleaned a few. They're in the freezer, of course. Some friends went to Chitina for the huge run of Kings (we have humpies and pinks here) and gave us one! It's part of a "personal use" deal we get after the commercial and sport fisheries. Chitina is hazardous fishing, so I'm grateful to have part of one!

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=personalUsebyAreaInteriorChitina.main

[NJCher]

6. Soup

A big pot of soup.

That's what I'd do.

I have in mind minestrone with pistou.

I think this is actually very important. I went through it, too, recently. My kitchen was such a complicated affair (three rooms) that getting back on one day was not really practical. But if you can do it, you'll have something by which to remember a landmark day for your new kitchen.


Cher

[MrMickeysMom]

12. Yes, why make cooking complicated? It's the thing we love.

Ah.. "What's pistou?", I thought… so I looked it up. Basically pesto without pine nuts?

Wow… That sounds wonderful.

Thanks, NJCher!

[cbayer]

7. Lasagna.

It's the first thing I made after I escaped from Katrina. There is something about it from start to finish that satisfies my soul, but that might just be me.

It would also give you the opportunity to use so many different parts of your new kitchen. And you home will be filled with the unbeatable smell of tomato sauce simmering on the stove top.

Congratulations on your new kitchen. I hope you have many, many years of wonderful food, friends, family and fun.

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Thanks, cbayer!

Funny you mention lasagna. I practically ruined my legs from all the standing and stages of it "before". For sure, I'll also have a better stove (current one never cooked evenly, so I had to keep moving all these lasagnas around in that oven)

[cbayer]

13. I have had those stoves before, so I know what you mean.

Right now I am working with a stove where the burners can not be turned down below "way too high". I am constantly having to move pans so that just an edge is over the flame.

In addition, although the rest of the stove/oven is gas, the broiler is electric. The first time I went to use ti, I received a powerful shock as soon as the pan hit the rack!

Sometimes you just have to look at things as a challenge, but I am quite envious of your brand new kitchen. To me it is the most important room in the house.

Enjoy!

[Warpy]

9. Unless you're living in Frostbite Falls

it's probably too soon for soups and stews, although doing Julia Child's potato soup and eating it chilled as vichyssoise sounds really good to me. I might make a batch this week, myself. I've got the potatoes, leeks and heavy cream and some new, green soup bowls to try out.

You can make Irish soda bread as a quick bread to go with it. Soda bread is also great toasted with the morning's eggs, I know you've probably missed them. Or scrambled tofu.

I'd probably do whatever I'd been missing the most while the kitchen was ripped up. Tacos? Well, why the hell not. Marinate chicken breasts in a mixture of equal parts olive oil and lime juice with onion, garlic, chile powder (the real stuff, not "chili" powder Or use a red hot sauce) and cumin. Either bake or grill, shred and use as filling. It's much better than ground beef with Taco Hell seasoning. Or do refried beans in them, that works really well, too.

My kitchen desperately needs a makeover, it's a pristine 1946 kitchen with only the appliances changed as they conked out. It has no counter space. I think the 1950s Formica table was supposed to be used for food prep and hastily scrubbed down when the family filed in.

It does not work.

[MrMickeysMom]

10. I do miss the ability to make eggs, for some reason...

… But I think it's the fact that no matter what I did, I HAD NO counter space. So, that comment hit home.

Isn't it amazing what one does with no counter space? And, with only a slight increase in an already smaller than most kitchen, we had to "make it" have space (we will be replacing current dishwasher with an 18 inch one).

I have a similar marinade for chicken breasts that I made up years ago: watered down white, apple cider and balsamic vinegars, tamari, lemon juice, canola oil cracked pepper, garlic, ginger root and marsala. Don't ask how I came up with that combo, but it's great if you smoke chicken after that marinade.

Thanks!

[cbayer]

14. I hope you make the vichyssoise. It is one of my favorite foods ever.

I like it with some chives on the top, which should be beautiful with your bowls.

Hope your future holds a kitchen makeover. As I said above, I think it's the most important room in the house.