WHAT'S COOKIN'? Week of January 17th ~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Phentex]

Looks like a busy week here so I need to do some plan ahead meals. No matter what The Lounge says, I think my family is ready to try fish tacos (as suggested in last week's thread.) Probably do a lasagna one night, some stew beef on rice another. No time for a lot of creativity here...it's all about getting them fed. Fresh bread makes up for it. :)

I usually make a roast or something on Sunday but it's looking like soup weather again today. I could do a cream of broccoli.

Any foodie plans this week?

[kfred]

1. I have a first effort at etouffee' going

The mudbugs have been peeled and just par-cooked, I'll add them at the end. The base with the 'trinity" and fresh thyme is simmering away for the next several hours. I'll do a rue and then put the broth into that and top off with the crawdads. Served over rice. I won't mess with them again, but always wanted to try it. Shrimp'd be much easier. The size of these crawdads is pretty small, but then we're in Minnesota so aren't exactly flush with fresh ones.

Last nite was comfort food of mashed taters, sauerkraut and a kielbasa sausage.

We're not much into desserts though maybe later this week I'll do a peach gallette. I have one crust leftover from the holidays and some fresh frozen peaches. I love gallettes, they are more of a lazy man's pie.

[Tesha]

2. Country Style Ribs

are cooling on the counter and some Anadama Rolls are on their first rise, cabbage salad sounds good along with that.

I think I'll try to find some way to cook those turkey legs I've got taking up room in our freezer later in the week, probably roast them first then... hmm.
That sauerkraut sounds good, and we have some nice sausages in the fridge... and there's some tofu cubes I need to use.

I think that'll be a weeks worth!
;)

[hippywife]

3. So far today

I've made yogurt, biscuit dough, banana pudding, and deviled eggs. I have a chicken cut up and marinating for fried chicken. Gonna make cole slaw and taters and turnips mashed together.

I also have to make a cake and some cookies.

It's only 2:30 or so here, I'm already worn out and I haven't made dinner yet. :rofl:

[Phentex]

4. wanted you to know I made the spice cupcakes...

I wanted to make these for a neighbor's birthday. There's just two of them and she doesn't like to get an entire cake, lol. They were more like muffins.

This time I added the apples and nuts and I went pretty hefty with the cayenne. They were very spicy fresh out of the oven but they calmed down. And my boys who had just snarfed down the cake from the other day ate the rest of them!

My neighbor said she liked them. If she hadn't, she would have said "oh, those were interesting!"

[hippywife]

5. Glad she liked them.

Sounds like your boys sure did! LOL Bill says he doesn't like it with the cayenne, but I love it. The cayenne does kind of calm down but then seems to come back again in a day or so. I can't imagine going any heftier with it than that 1/4 t. You're really brave. ;)

I just finished the last piece of it earlier. It was left over from Bill's lunch, he didn't want it. :eyes: I'm glad he didn't coz I was wanting some more. LOL

My dishes are about done from the first round. Gotta move on to the next. Sigh.

[Phentex]

6. Um...um...uh...look at your original recipe....

it says 1/2 teaspoon! That's how I copied it down.

The first time I made them, I went a hair less. This time I used 1/2 t of my spicier cayenne! I have two and for some reason one is hotter than the other. :smoke:

[hippywife]

7. Sorry. I mispoke above.

I was going by memory and I should NEVER to that. :rofl:

[Phentex]

8. Whew!

:)

[grasswire]

9. I have to tell ya, friends...

...that I am so thankful for blessings this week that I can barely think what to do. When I go to bed at night I look out the window for the moon and stars and think about all those souls leaving the earth this week. I know it's foolish to think of them physically going up in the sky, but I can't help but think of the innocent beings released from their earthly miseries going up into the air like helium balloons, free to soar. I am profoundly grateful for my warm bed, the fact that I can wash my face with hot water and have a glass of cool clean water, and that I will be safe all night. God bless us every one. Life -- so mysterious, so wistful, so bittersweet.

[hippywife]

12. Hear, hear!

I so wholeheartedly agree with you, hon. And it could be anyone of us at any time that stands to lose all that we have. Every day is a gift.

[Phentex]

21. These are tough times...

I'm feeling it too. Feeling guilty when I even THINK about whining about something in my house or something on my table. I am grateful but sad nonetheless.

[eridani]

10. So far, nothing whatsoever!

Our county Dem organization had its annual awards banquet catered by a really great Indian resaurant. Tomorrow I have a lot of MLK Day activities planned, so it will the ricotta tortellini I made last week in tomato sauce + pesto made last summer. Tuesday my local Dem legislative district meeting, after which we will have leftover pizza from last week.

[livetohike]

11. So far this is what I have planned

Monday - Southwest Black Bean Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Avocado/Tomato Salad

Tuesday - Stuffed Eggplant, Couscous with dates, Carrot Salad

Wednesday - Spaghetti with Sun-dried Tomatoes and pine nuts, Tossed Salad, Garlic Bread

[hippywife]

13. Lucy inspects

the homemade banana pudding. :rofl:

[japple]

14. Awww, what a sweet picture. I hope you gave little Lucy a taste

of cream as a reward for doing such a good job. I could dive right into that banana pudding. It looks divine.

[hippywife]

15. Thank you!

I think she figure out there were bananas under there and backed off. Every cat I've ever had has been totally freaked out by the scent of bananas. Not sure why, but apparently banana peels would make an excellent cat repellent. ;)

[japple]

16. Thanks for that bit of information. I need to rub banana all over my recliner.

My cats have turned it into a scratching post despite the two catnip scratching pads and one post I've provided.

[hippywife]

17. Not sure I'd go that far

but I guess it depends on how desparate you are. LOL

It is so hard to make them stop scratching on something once they start. I have the same problem with Lena and my window frames.

[Phentex]

18. THAT is adorable!

:)

[hippywife]

19. Thanx, hon.

She's my little sweetie. :)

[Lugnut]

20. Porketta sandwiches

We're renovating our kitchen and the floor tile installation is starting tomorrow. I've been making a bunch of food that can be reheated in the microwave when I can't get to my stove and the fridge is in the living room. I'm not looking forward to the inconvenience but the end result should be worthwhile.

[japple]

22. Last night I made Weeneroni. Pasta craving led me to make

a sauce using Italian sweet sausage (cooked and thinly sliced), onions, red bell pepper, zucchini, oregano, basil, and lots of garlic. Sauteed all that in olive oil, then added red wine and tomatoes and cooked until it became sauce. Served over Dreamfields macaroni. Very comforting and it made enough for several servings. If I get tired of it, I'll put it in the freezer and eat it next month!

[hippywife]

23. Dinner is smelling sooooo good.

I accidentally bought a jar of Melissa's Sundried Tomatoes when I meant to buy the Sundried Tomato Pesto. So tonight I put together a couple of bison meat loaves and added them inside and then put them on top with some parm cheese and basil. They are smelling so good while they are in the oven. Hope they taste just as good. :9