What's for Dinner, Sun., Nov. 23, 2014

[NJCher]

Just returned from the store, which was very busy tonight. I could see people with Thanksgiving items in their cart, so the cooking begins!

I was at a union meeting all afternoon and there was plenty of good food: the buffet had crudite, fruit plate, meatballs in tomato sauce, triple decker club sandwiches, three or four different kinds of salads. Sodas. For dessert, a plate of cookies.

So tonight it will be a light dinner. I found a Mollie Katzen soup recipe using red lentils. It has caramelized onions on top.

Then only one day of teaching and I have six days off, clear through Dec. 1!



Cher

[pinto]

1. Pork rib roast, roasted potatoes, broccoli salad, buttermilk biscuits and rich pumpkin pound cake.

I'm going to be out of town on T-day as will my sister, so she put together a Sunday dinner. My brother, she and I had a great sit down and some table talk. Nice laid back afternoon.

The rib roast was most excellent. Rosemary, thyme, black pepper, salt on the roast. Came out with a good brown on the outside and just medium for the meat. Sliced, the chops were fist sized, a good inch or so thick, moist. And there was whole cranberry sauce.

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Have a wonderful trip!

[pinto]

7. Thanks. I will. One great thing visiting my oldest sibling - there are no set plans, we wing it.

As much as possible...

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. As the spirit moves and the weather allows!

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. More chicken, rice and broccoli.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. We made jam this afternoon and evening, so we needed something simple.

We threw a bag of frozen mixed onions and peppers into the crock pot with a pound of sausages and spaghetti sauce, let it go for hours, then pulled it out, chopped up the sausages, boiled some penne and mixed it all up. Warm, filling, and we've got another meal's worth of leftovers for ourselves for tomorrow.

We've now done the strawberry jam (19 8 oz jars) and about a third of the black raspberry (27 jars so far). I still need to get the food mill set up so I can do some of the black raspberry as jelly rather than jam this year.

We also did some holiday decorating. The tree (fake) is up, the lights (white) are on, it's wrapped in ribbons (sheer light purple with silver swirling patterns), and we'll put up the ornaments this week. We've also got a greenery door swag shaped like the outline of a Christmas tree up.

[NJCher]

4. Your day and your tree sound absolutely wonderful!

Productive people, you and your housemate!

It must be very satisfying to have the strawberry jams and the black raspberry, too. Did you grow the fruits for this or did you buy fruit?

I love the idea of a tree with purple/silver swirling patterns.

I know that if I had a day like that, I would feel very satisfied with myself (and life in general).

Well, just had to comment.

I actually came back to talk about lentils. I am so loving these lentils I made tonight. I have probably only had lentils three times in my life, but whenever I had them, I loved them. I don't understand why that was something my mom completely ignored. And the RG is big on making beans, but he hardly ever makes lentils.

Vive la' lentils!



Cher

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. We grow them.

Absolutely no pesticides or herbicides touch my yard, and I try to plant heritage varietals. The black raspberry patch was actually started from fruit I foraged from out in the woods where I came across a patch. I didn't weed the strawberries this last season, which is why we had so few (relatively) jars of strawberry jam. Totally overgrown, so the berries don't get as large, and are far harder to find to boot. I typically lose about a third of the strawberries to slugs and birds.

[japple]

6. Grilled pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, spinach "souffle"

lima beans, cabbage/carrot slaw and pound cake.

More importantly, it started raining in the night and poured on/off all day which meant that the little guy next door couldn't ride his 4-wheeler, motorcycle, or whatever this afternoon. My Sunday afternoon nap was heavenly!!

[locks]

10. I don't go to Whole Foods very often

I'm sure you know why, but I highly recommend their lobster bisque mixed with butternut squash/crab soup.

[grasswire]

11. the simplest of comfort foods -- meat loaf

....with baked potato and steamed broccoli. Plain.

I've been in the weeds of genealogy all day today. Deep in the weeds.

[cbayer]

12. So, I spent all day cooking yesterday.

I made pickled potatoes and a cilantro dip for appetizers.

Then i made Filled Masa Tartlets (Garnachas Yucantenas). These are masa basket that have layers of home made refried black beans, picadillo and a simple but luscious tomato sauce, topped with some cheese.

Well, our guests baled at the last minute. I think I was sadder than I was mad. Worst of all, one of them had said she was coming over to help me in the afternoon but never showed or called or anything.

Really nice people and I don't really get it.

We enjoyed the food and I think I am going to reheat it for some other guests tonight.

But, what a bummer.