What's for Dinner ~ Thursday Feb 23rd

[Lucinda]

Sandwich night here I think...I've been stuffing all sorts of things into puff pastry and crescent doughs.
Maybe ham and cheese tonight, with dill.

What's for dinner where you are?

[maddezmom]

1. Was going to roast a chicken

but it's so damn hot and humid here, I'll think I'll just split it and grill it instead. Your sandwiches sound yummy.

[Lucinda]

30. They are quick and easy. We've both been wanting to eat lighter lately, and these sandwiches

are perfect for that. And really versatile.

[livetohike]

2. Veggie Burgers, French Fries and

a cole slaw with a dill based dressing.

Hope you are feeling better. Sounds like you have an appetite again .

[Lucinda]

29. Thank you! I am feeling a little better, and I am actually able to think about food again.

I was just eating enough to get pills down for about two weeks.
I was hungry all day yesterday, which is rare for me.

[pinto]

3. Mid 70's forecast here today, so I might grill something outside.

Thinking of fish and grilled yellow squash...

[Lucinda]

27. Bill loves grilled everything.

But we haven't replaced our grill (that died about 5 years ago)...maybe it's time to surprise him with a new one.

I've never grilled yellow squash. How do you make yours?

[yellerpup]

4. Tacos!

Soft flour tortillas filled with pulled pork in a spicy date-chipotle adobo with refried beans, guacamole, chips and salsa cruda. Instead of Margaritas, I'll be making my favorite cocktail: mojitos made with coconut rum! Mango sorbet for dessert.

[pinto]

5. pulled pork, date/chipotle adobo sounds great...

How do you do your adobo?

[yellerpup]

6. I used this recipe, but tinkered with it a little.

I used twice the amount of dates (because I had them and they were drying out) softened in boiling water before blending. I used one 14 oz. can of organic diced tomatoes instead of fresh, also because I had them on hand. Mr. Pup couldn't keep his tasting spoon out of the jar last night!

Ingredients:
10 fresh or dried dates, pitted, cut into chunks
4 plum tomatoes, seeded, with the juice squeezed from them
13 ounces pickled chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions:
In a blender or processor, combine all the ingredients and blend until they make a thick paste. Pour into a deep saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of water halfway though and stirring. Cool and then store in an airtight glass jar.

Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 cups

[pinto]

8. Thanks. Saved...

[yellerpup]

12. My pleasure!

[Lucinda]

26. Oooh...Is the date-chipolte adobo home made or bottled?

I looove dates and never thought about using them in southwestern cooking.

[yellerpup]

31. Home-made!

And easy as can be. I posted the recipe for pinto. It is so good! I tried out both salsas on my neighbor yesterday and she begged for a little to take home. Fat-free also!

[Lucinda]

32. Got it!

I hadn't read the sub thread. Thankie!

[yellerpup]

34. Enjoy!

[Rowdyboy]

7. Pizza! We have out of state guests and we're taking them out

to Sal and Mookies New York Style Pizza and Ice Cream Joint (love that name)!

Their "South Street Seaport" has crab, crawfish and shrimp with a bechamel base and its killer!

[pinto]

9. One of my favorite pizzas in my New England seacoast town was white fish, crab and cheese.

Made with various spices and the option to add bell pepper, onion etc., but no tomatoes or tomato sauce at all...loved it.

[Rowdyboy]

10. Thats it, no tomatoes, just a white sauce, seafood and provolone/mozzerella cheese...

Its insanely good!

[Lucinda]

25. I prefer my pizza without red sauce as a rule. I've never had seafood pizza!

Sounds delicious. Wish I had found that idea when I could still eat shellfish!

[HopeHoops]

11. Leftover spaghetti.

[Lucinda]

24. I've totally given up spaghetti type noodles, unless it's in lo-mein...

but I have finally developed an appreciation for a good red sauce. I usually fry mine until it's thick and roasty tasting, and then eat it with garlic bread.

[HopeHoops]

28. My youngest daughter loves spaghetti. If I make a lot, I bake it - not kidding.

I use a glass rectangular casserole (lasagna) dish and coat it in olive oil. I bake it covered in aluminum foil for a variable amount of time based on how much I have, take the cover off, add some freshly grated parm, and bake it some more. It cuts into chunks like brownies and the sauce is infused into the pasta in much the same way that baked mac&cheese is different from boxed. The kids all love that.

[Lucinda]

33. Interesting!

I've not run across that technique before. I'll mention it to Bill, it would be a good way for him to take pasta for lunch at work!

[HopeHoops]

37. You just have to be sure there's enough moisture. I mix in some V8 for that purposes.

[Cairycat]

13. Veggie curry

Perhaps not super authentic, but it's a vegetarian dish my teenage sons enjoy. My younger son helped with the chopping tonight. (And cut his finger, poor kid.) This curry has sweet potato, Irish potato, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, tomato, spinach, and chick peas. For seasoning I use onion, garlic, black mustard seeds and curry powder. Cilantro to garnish and flavor, and plain yogurt to cool things off a little.

[Lucinda]

23. Love everything in the veggie mix!

I need to try currys again, it's been a while since I have made one.

[beac]

14. We've both had the "creeping crud" (as my grandmother used to call it) for days now...

i.e. a cold that's bad enough to make you feel punk but not bad enough to justify staying in bed, so we've been downing gallons of various soups and drinking buckets of grapefruit(me) and orange(he) juices.

The bright spot in all this is that mr beac, who previously felt "meh" about soup, has now decided he LOVES soup, so we'll get to eat it more often even when we are not vexed and virusy.

[Lucinda]

22. Well at least his newfound appreciation for soup is a bright spot!

I hope you are both better soon. I'd rather have pain than that creeping crud stuff. Bill and I both did that a week or so ago, and it sucks.

[cbayer]

15. A few leftovers and a pizza Margarhita

Been sewing today and don't feel like doing much in the kitchen.

Love stuffing things into crescent rolls. Enjoy!

[pengillian101]

16. Hey - same with me today.

Last week I bought a really cute "upnorth" woods themed quilted shower curtain w/bears and trees and nature background - and then forgot to buy anything to make a similar curtain for an adjoining cubbyhole bookcase. So, I found a really cute material online that was a pine-cone theme that went very well and I started that little sewing project. I am down to hand sewing these days, so the seam hemming is more than a 1-day project for me.

It should look great when it's all said and done.

I so agree about those crescent roll pockets! I never found one I didn't like using favorite ingredients. A whole rolled out package of them also make a super pizza 'dough.'

[cbayer]

35. I recently had the great honor of taking a trip to Africa and bought some amazing fabrics.

I then went and splurged on a sewing machine, something I have wanted for awhile.

And I am having a blast making things. I made great pillows and am now working on a shirt. Next some drawstring pants for the husband and me.

I feel creative and like I am using a part of my brain that has been idle.


And I really need a new shower curtain, so you just gave me a great idea.

[Lucinda]

21. Hard to go wrong with pizza Marg.

Simple, and yummy perfection.

[cbayer]

36. It came out perfectly, even with my "barely gets hot enough" oven.

[pengillian101]

17. Ham and cheese stuffed in crescent dough smooshed toghether into rectangles and folded over

were a big hit here. Just used a fork to seal around the edges.

I am such a fan, I now have three more cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls in the fridge. Need some new ideas for stuffing...

[Lucinda]

20. Deli roast beef and cheese, sloppy joe filling, taco fillings, leftover stirfry

I think the possibilities are endless.

I think they would be good with almost any deli items, pizza toppings as fillers, or leftover fillings.

I've been brushing mine with a tiny bit of melted butter after baking and then adding dill and parmesan (when making ham and cheese). They are even really good later as snacks. I like mine cold - like cold pizza - and they reheat well too.

[Lugnut]

18. Leftovers.

We cleaned up some odds and ends out of the fridge.

Have you ever made crescent dough braids? I made a chicken and broccoli braid with dill that was pretty good. I think I'd like a ham and cheese braid better.

[Lucinda]

19. No...I haven't!

I googled it...they look great that way!

I've just been pinching two together and then folding lengthwise, sort of like a hot pocket. Love the way the braid looks! I usually brush with a little butter after they are baked, and sprinkle with dill and parmesan. Love dill and ham together.