What's for Dinner? ~ Sunday January 22nd!

[Lucinda]

Allo everyone!

I've not been feeling well or eating a lot, and I think it's catching up with me, so I am planning on an old favorite for dinner tonight to see if I can trick my appetite into working again.

I started making a sort of simple, chunky stirfry when I was in college - bite size chicken, sliced mushrooms, garlic and a little soy in butter. It's not really Asian in flavor, more "hearty" and goes well with rice, noodles, tortillas, etc. It cooks fast, so it is a dish I can make when I feel bad.


What's for dinner where you are?

[Denninmi]

1. I'm sorry you're not feeling well.

It stinks to have chronic health issues.

I got up and threw together three things this morning for lunch/dinner and to have for tomorrow night as well:

A Greek salad with homemade dressing. I used xanthan gum again to emulsify the dressing so its creamy -- that works well. I tried the first time a few weeks ago, using half a teaspoon of the xanthan gum, and promptly turned about 2 cups of dressing into 2 cups of glue. A scant 8th of a teaspoon is about right.

A Greek pastichio, which is a Greek take on a baked pasta dish -- mine is ground beef and eggplant cubes layered with pasta, white sauce, cheese ,and tomato sauce.

Cauliflower turkey divan -- cauliflower and turkey out of the freezer with cheese sauce and crumb topping.

The two casseroles are both in a 300 degree oven right now.

[Lucinda]

2. Bet the house smells good!

The cauliflower dish sounds really good to me right now. Comfort food. I usually keep mine simple, just a little garlic, butter, salt and pepper, but the warm cheesy sauce really got my attention.

I should cook more with eggplant. I really like it, but it's one of those things that I never think to buy. Bill shops most of the time since I don't get out much, and I never think of it when I am making a shopping list.

[Denninmi]

3. I use quite a few in the summer.

And I usually throw a few packages into the freezer for winter. This was a spur of the moment impulse buy at the grocery store, they had a big pile of them, some kind of greenhouse grown eggplant "guaranteed to be sweet, never bitter" (or something along these lines).

And, it wasn't bitter, even with the peel left on. It was, however, still overmature, the seeds inside were dark and hardish. I prefer to harvest them when they're so young the seeds are still white and soft. But this one was still good in the pasta dish - for which I'm glad, because it will be dinner tonight, a lunch for work tomorrow, and dinner tomorrow night.

[Lucinda]

15. I cook a lot that way, multiple meals from one main batch.

One of the reasons I want to move is for more garden space. I was lucky enough to get to design the house I live in, but we are on a tiny, tiny lot, and there isn't a lot of room to garden. Nothing beats home grown veggies.

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. daughters cooking birthday dinner for my wife - ginger lime marinated pan fried mahi mahi,

broccoli, quinoa - and that devils food cake with cream cheese buttercream icing for dessert....champagne.

can't wait - and I don't have to lift a finger!

[Lucinda]

16. Hope your wife had a wonderful birthday.

The meal sounds perfect!

[maddezmom]

5. chicken wings on the grill with sweet potato fries for the kids

chicken breast from the grill on a big salad for myself. Too hot to cook anything inside today.

[Lucinda]

17. I miss having an indoor grill. I use to like to do chicken breast with a little seasme oil.

How about we send each other half of our weather....it's been cold and rainy here, maybe if we share we can both get a good balance!

[HopeHoops]

6. Absolutely no clue. My daughter just landed in Hungary two hours ago. We have no plans.

She was on the "road" (or air) for 32 hours. It's almost 11 p.m. there. We're still wired. We have some free-range hen eggs (wife's coworker brought them in) so I might make something with those. I'm sort of in a "whatever" mood.

Maybe baked beans. Those are always good.

"Beans, beans the magical fruit..."

[Lucinda]

18. Did she make the trip for fun, school or work?

If you mentioned why she went I missed it!
I hope she is having a great time.

[HopeHoops]

31. She's spending her second semester (jr. year) at the sister campus in Budapest.

[Lucinda]

32. That's very cool!

Hope she has a wonderful semester.

[Callalily]

7. Grilled pork chops, pomegrantes and

a chef's salad.

[maddezmom]

9. those pomegranates look so yummy

and healthy.

[Lucinda]

19. I love poms. I remember the first time I ever had them.

It was long, long, long ago at a friends house. So much work to dig them out, and then that amazing pop of flavor! Her mom was a big fruit junkie so I tried all sorts of things visiting her. It was also my first experience with Jewish foods. Really great memories. My mom was a pretty traditional southern cook, and my dad had more exotic taste in food, so I had a pretty good mix of influences growing up. I need to mix it up more! I tend to eat the same foods a lot these days.

[GoCubsGo]

8. Tamales.

Because I was complaining about not being able to get any decent tamales around here, my dad sent me 3 dozen assorted tamales for my birthday. I am going to try out a couple of them for dinner. Not sure what I will have along with them. Probably a can of V-8 spiked with some tequila and a shot or two of hot sauce.

[Lucinda]

20. Bill brought home some corn husk wrappers, so I will be making tamales soon.

Love them! Hope you enjoyed yours.

[GoCubsGo]

26. They were delicious! And, a good thing, too!

Dad sent me 3 dozen of them. I'm having them again tonight with some pico de gallo on the side. I haven't tried the chicken-habenero or the apple tamales yet.

BTW, the tamales are from the Texas Tamale Warehouse (www.thetexastamalewarehouse.com). I highly recommend them for those who like tamales, but can't find good ones in their area, and don't want to make them. They have a large assortment, including vegan tamales.

[Lucinda]

27. The apple tamales sound really interesting.

Let me know what you think when you try them? I haven't tried a sweet base in a tamale.

[GoCubsGo]

29. Will do.

I have never tried sweet ones, either. At the holidays, they also have pumpkin tamales and sweet potato tamales. I'll would love to try the pumpkin!

[Laurian]

10. Potato soup

garnished with cheese and bacon crumbles, corn bread and a tossed green salad. It's been rainy, dark and dreary today. A prefect "soup" day.

[Lucinda]

21. That sounds wonderful! Bill makes a great homemade potato soup.

It is perfect for rainy days.
The sun finally popped out here today. I hope it sticks around for a while!

[WhollyHeretic]

11. Hope you're feeling better tonight. I made some homemade veggie burgers tonight

I hadn't tried making veggie burgers in years and the last time I did they weren't great. They were really good this time (thankfully since I made a batch of 14). I think I might make them from now instead of buying them. They're cheaper and taste a lot better. I made them with beets, onions, duxelle, red kidney beans, brown basmati, powdered falafel mix, and apple cider vinegar.

[Lucinda]

22. Sounds like a great mix for a veggie burger!

I've never tried beets in a veggie burger mix. Are yours raw or cooked?

[WhollyHeretic]

28. I got the idea for the beets from the new Cheesecake Factory veggie burger

I had planned on using fresh beets but the ones at the store looked awful so I got a couple of cans and minced them with the food processor and cooked them for a few minutes with the onions.

[Lucinda]

30. I have some canned beets than need to be used...this would a good solution for me

thankie!

[supernova]

12. Stuffed red peppers

Red peppers halved and stuffed with a mixture of pot roast, brown rice, couscous, onion, garlic, spicy paprika and topped with cheddar. Into the oven to warm and the cheese on top to melt. Sides are roasted veggies featuring butternut squash and zucchini.

[Lucinda]

23. Yum. Sounds really good! We've been getting some gorgeous red, orange and yellow peppers lately

I'm not much of a fan of the green, but I love the others.

[irisblue]

13. meatloaf

made with ground beef, ground pork, egg, onions and oatmeal. baked potato with butter and broccoli, milk and later a gingerbread cookie and milk. i divided up the leftovers into measured amounts for further dinners or lunch. i love a meatloaf sandwich with mayo.

[Lucinda]

24. I always make enough meatloaf for leftovers.

I like it better the second day anyway, and I agree, it's awesome in sandwiches.

[one_voice]

14. I hope the..

old favorite dinner helps you feel better!

I made gumbo today. My husband is allergic to shellfish, so I always make it with chicken, andouille sausage, taters, okra and some zucchini. My husband and son love it.

Feel better!

[Lucinda]

25. Thank you. It was delicious, but I am still feeling awful.

At least my taste buds are working!

I would have to make gumbo that way too, I've developed a sensitivity to shellfish. It would be hard to go wrong with andouille in anything!