So...whats for dinner?
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In the middle of picking the remaining chicken off the rotisserie bird, I happened to think, "Susan would make stock with these bones." So I threw the bones into a pot with some onion, garlic and celery and now have an ice tray and some small cartons in the freezer, all filled with chicken stock or broth. It smelled really good simmering away.
I bought eggplants, tomatoes, bok choy, cucumbers, okra, and arugula at the farmers' market. Also feta cheese and a spread called skordalia with the subtitle "Ancient Greek Garlic Aioli." When I looked it up back here at home, all the recipes had a mashed potato base. I'm hoping this one doesn't since I'm avoiding white carbs for the short term. You don't use much of the skordalia anyway because it is very garlicky. I used some of it in the chicken salad.
One does not save $$ shopping at a farmers' market, not around here. The gallon Ziploc of arugula was $5 and the skordalia was $8. Teensy carton of feta cubes was $5. You just take a fistful of bills and hand them out.
The Boston Butt roast is stuffed and awaiting roasting tomorrow morning. And when straightening the refrigerator, I discovered fresh green beans to cook tomorrow. They seem to have snap left in them.
A man at the farmers' market bought numerous eggplants, volunteering that he planned to make baba ghanoush. I would like to make some, too, but was wondering if it would be good eaten with a fork. Without carb scoopers. Maybe just some raw veggies like cucumber slices or celery. Also, America's Test Kitchen had an interesting eggplant dish today that involved baked eggplant slices used to make rollups with a cheesy filling. Eaten with a tomato sauce.
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Eric - safe trip.
Susan - love the idea of a grandbaby conceived in Copenhagen. And your cooking spree sounds like such fun.
Nance - good luck with your drying & freezing.
Carol - have fun at the Opry. Hope you can avoid the tempting vendors.
Special - I'm having a momentary slip, but I think you said the 10 days on the sale ends Monday? Keeping my fingers crossed.
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Nance, I make the sausage with leg of lamb as well. I break down a boneless leg carefully. There are those huge and lovely muscles which are turned into kebabs, and then the other stuff which you have to remove silver-skin and those odd bits of cartilage or whatever it is. And that is what I grind. I think it might be even better, and works for us since a whole leg is just too much food for us at one time these days. I used to get all my Indian spices at the Indian stores, but there was a report about the lead amounts in those imported items, and that is when I switched to Penzey's.
Carole! Yes! Stock is good stuff and you are right. I make stock from that carcass, though I use the oven method so that I don't have to tend it. I eat Middle Eastern meze, of which baba ghanoush is a wonderful portion with lettuce leaves and cucumbers, and a fork [or if I am not in a restaurant, a spoon.] I like to have something with a bit of acid alongside the baba ghanoush. Lately my favorite items has been these Turkish lightly pickled beets that are shredded and mixed with some thickened yogurt. Sometimes I don't bother with the yogurt and just eat the beets alone. Add a bit of bulgar either in a salad or a simple bulgar pilaf and you have a complete meal. I admit that I generally have a bit of Lebanese flat bread on the table, but it appeals to me less and less.
Chili is made. All the beef is ground. Now I need to grind up some pork to make a pile of Italian meatballs which means a trip to the market after dinner. This morning, I arrived at Penzey's 15 minutes after they opened and the place was packed! Usually I am all alone in the store.
*susan*
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minus - no slip, you are correct that Monday the buyer's ten days is up - if they back out they lose $13,500, so I doubt they will. I am feeling good about things! The closing attorney emailed on Friday and asked for the estate paperwork, so that is a good sign too - we never made it that far on the last try.
Everyone's food sounds so good - tonight is burgers on onion rolls, or thin pork chops, or chicken enchiladas - still up in the air, and it is already 5:30. Finally got DH to see the granite and stacked stone for the outdoor kitchen this morning. Stacked stone cladding on the lower walls, granite countertops. Our pool tile is Mexican blue tiles, that is why we chose the granite with the blue flecks. We have a brown wooden armoire with a flat screen and grayish rattan furniture with beige cushions. The table and chairs in the brownish/grayish color in the granite. The grill is stainless and black (long story about the delivery yesterday - suffice it to say I was at the UPS depot at 8:30 last night) and the sink and fridge are stainless.
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Poor Mr. 02143. He has filled and emptied the dishwasher about 6 times in the past 2 days, plus washed dutch ovens, blenders [twice], roasting pans, nose en place bowls, countless cooking spoons, grinding parts [three times], and who all knows what else. And that is in addition to our regular meal dishes. But in return, he has 10 lbs of sausage, 4 qts of chili, and after tomorrow, 6 lbs of meatballs. The oatmeal bread I am trying for the first time is started, and I will do the rises in the AM. Will let you know if it is any good and possible to make before our Sunday lunch at noon. So tomorrow am I will finish the bread, and start on the meatballs, while the lamb bones [from the shoulder meat I used for the sausage] roast and then turn into stock. And then I will be delighted to get back to some coding which is much easier on my feet and back! Mr. 02143 doesn't think I need to make up for three months of simple meals in two days, but he is mighty excited to be stocking the magic freezer.
Special, I think you are going to have a deal and sell this condo! Our P&S was delayed [again] until Monday. Closing, as far as I know, should be around November 6th, but the real date will be based on the electrician completing the permitted work.
Okay... must go Clorox the countertops. There has been a lot of raw meat in the area today.
*susan*
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Wow, Susan, I *thought* I was busy today. :-)
Next week, if I'm lucky (the hotel has a kitchenette), I'll be cooking super simple meals for one on a 2 spot cook top using ingredients from the local Wallmart.
I just got a text from the older test daughter (now 40). She lives about 10 minutes from where I'm working and says she can't wait to see me. It's a neat feeling seeing the (then) very young girls all grown up. It's a preview of how I'll feel when DD is out of college and working.
The only thing I've left to do is to find a couple of books to read on the plane.
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Whew Susan!
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Loving reading about spice buying, (need to try Penzeys, especially if lead is reduced!), farmer's markets, pork butt prep, Maryland plans, carry-out pizza dinner (you "deserve it, Nance....and I never use "deserve"lightly!), sausage, chili, and Italian meatball making, (I made a lot of them yesterday, for first time in ages), Costco scores, Farmer's Market delights, outdoor kitchen plans, and very hopeful RE closings. Lots going on here....
Last night we had grilled marinated teriyaki chicken thighs (6.49 lb was an ouch, but they were wonderful!). Since we eat less these days, I am less troubled by buying such expensive brands. Hope they are really healthier, tho! Sides were salad, leftover orzo medley, and mashed butternut squash with a touch of the maple syrup we bought in VT this summer.
Tonight we went to dinner and a movie with some neighbor friends. Saw "Meet the Patels" about the issue of importance of arranged marriages to Indian American families. We had heard the subject and creator of this movie interviewed on NPR about a month ago which resulted in our seeking it out. Beforehand, we went to a nearby restaurant, called "The Local", which has really reinvented their menu from basic burger and pretty uninteresting selections to include some more inventive dishes, at still reasonable prices. I had a special entree of varied baked winter squash wedges covered with arugula salad with cranberries, pancetta (in house cured), gorgonzola dressing. I added flank steak to it. It was tasty and filling....and typical of my odd tastes!
DH had pumpkin ravs with a spicy cream sauce with cranberries, pancetta and pecans. Their first course salads, eaten by everyone else were wonderful. Good to know about the food choice upgrade of this spot, especially since it is near an old movie theater that features many interesting movies.
Tomorrow AM we are meeting DH's brother and niece for brunch in Wellesley, where she attends college. He is here for Parents' Weekend. Susan, I'm sure you know where we are headed...The Maugus. I have never been there...DH has, since he worked up the street for several years. I am anticipating basic, good fare.
Speaking of Wellesley, I loved reading your memories about/tribute to your Dad, Susan. Lovely...
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specialk... Those are beautiful tile and granite selections!
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Oh my, The Maugus Club..... which I think they now just call The Maugus. My mother had a booth there. Back when there were townies and non-townies in Wellesley, this is where she met with the DPW folks, and teachers, and the other political movers and shakers. My Mom was a town meeting member for close to 30 years, member of and then chairman of the School Committee for 21 years, and the Town Moderator for a total of three years. This was her domain, and us kids were not welcome. In the 70's, the place was filled with smoke. It was like a bar that served eggs and diner specials. My mother convinced us that it was a den of ill repute and our moral standing could be diminished if we went inside. Funny isn't it? Now I now that she needed a place where she wasn't Mom, or wife, but instead was an equal member of the community, and a fairly powerful one at that. On one memorable day, my mother invited me to have breakfast at the Maugus. I was about 30 years old. I guess I was past the age of diminished virtue. That is the only time that i have eaten there.
*susan*
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SpecialK, not only are you a super organized chef/caterer, you're an interior decorator! The outdoor kitchen sounds beautiful and I'm sure it will be functional. I loved your having three possibilities for dinner at 5:30 pm!
Susan, your dh is a great guy for washing all those dishes and doing his part for stocking the magic freezer. Funny to have you say you're ready to go back coding and get a rest! Do you keep a written list of contents of the magic freezer or just remember what's in there? In general, what goes into the Italian meatballs?
At 7 am this morning, snuggled under the covers in a chilly bedroom, I wished my mother liked to eat Sunday lunch around 1 or 2 pm instead of 12 pm by the latest. But I got up and put the roast into the oven. My sister cooks her fresh pork roasts in the crock pot but I prefer the oven cooked. My sister has zero interest in cooking. It's a necessary nuisance for her. Now feeding her horses (and now her beef calves) is a different matter!
The Abita Opry last night was wonderful entertainment. I had a cup of dark roast decaf with some cream and sweetener and sneaked just a glance at some yummy looking desserts. The food is always prepared by a club as a fund-raising project. Last night was the Ladies Progressive Club founded in 1947. I am curious as to what kind of club that is. Progressive is a dirty word in this conservative country, a synonym for liberal. To be called a liberal is about the same insult as having your mother's legitimacy questioned.
Eric, I admire you for preparing your meals while you're away from home. It would be so much easier to eat in restaurants.
Lacey, I continue to be amazed that you eat out so often and manage your weight.
Happy Sunday.
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Special, really love the selections and I hope you'll post pictures of your progress along the way.
Carole, I like the crock pot for lots of things and while I have made pork roast in them, I too prefer the oven. My latest slow cooker experiment was caramelized onions, which was surprisingly successful. As you know, my real cooking vessel attachment these days is the pressure cooker and I'm finding more and more things I like to cook in it. I am really liking cooking things with smoked pork. The pressure cooker extracts that smokiness in an amazingly short time. When you find out what the progressive club is about, let us know ;-)
Lacey, you always find the most interesting things to eat in the restaurants you frequent. If you visited a restaurant in my little town, you would starve. It's fast food or fried for the most part. You can barely find a winter squash to buy much less served to you.
Susan, what an interesting person your mother is. (It appears the apple has not fallen far from the tree.) I am enjoying your food adventure narrative and I'll be sad when you get busy with "work"again.
Yesterday I made apple cider donuts with maple glaze from the KAF recipe. Wow, what a treat. I need to give some away. A dozen tasty donuts, even if they are baked, is far too dangerous to have around.
My poor dad is sad that his car is totaled. He doesn't have a lot of money to spend on a new one and is facing the prospect of not being able to drive himself anywhere. He knew that day was coming but he hasn't had time to get his mind around it. I will have to go back over there next week to take him to one of his many doctor appointments. I know he hates to ask me and I really don't mind, it's just that I live over 100 miles away. It's a problem we will be working on for a while.
Tonight is baked ravioli and a salad. At least I think that's what we're having.
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Okay,sort of an emergency post...time sensitivity wise. Will respond to other comments later.
We discovered this very large round fungus in our yard this weekend, next to a smaller not so distinct one. Here are the pix:
The top one is around six inches in diameter. So Apparently it is a "puffball", which is supposedly safe to eat and one site even shows some interesting recipes. Has anyone ever eaten one of these? I am so torn since we will undoubtedly never have one again (it arrived this week from nowhere!). Would Love to try it but am recalling my awful night last weekend! Whaduya think? I do not plan to even touch the other guy...it is a small one with that reverse umbrella look.It is freezing and I am mired in clothes management/switcharound once again. Better get back to it or we will have to sleep under a ton of summer clothes! Just wanted to ask my "critical" question.
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No cooking for me....no facilities in this place. :-(
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That would be fine if you hated to have to cook!
I hope you can find some interesting spots to eat.0 -
do you know any Russians? They all know about mushrooms. I would trust to Russians but me? I know nothing about wild and would not venture any kind of suggestion and or advice.
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Lacey, I've never eaten a puffball but know people who have. Keep in mind that even non poisonous mushrooms can cause problems in people with sensitivities. With your allergies, I wouldn't risk it.
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Don't eat it if you have lawn chemicals on your lawn......just saying.
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Or dogs lol!
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Susan, oh my!
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And that is not all of them..... oh my goodness do we have meatballs. The kid and I worked from 1:30 until 6 producing tray after tray of meatballs, but man are they delicious. Have to go finish cleaning up the kitchen...
*susan*
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Thanks for the feedback! I do think that we will pass on this unique opportunity. Yes, I would be nervous about my allergy issues, yes, we do have some mild chemicals on our lawn, but chemicals nonetheless, and Winston the Scottie has deposited a few gifts over the past few months. But boy does that pure white puffball "innerd" look great! It will be interesting to see if we grow another one! It was so odd to see the large white ball on the grass. I figured the boys next door were playing with an oversized ball that they never retrieved. Ha!
So instead of puffball parmesan, we had gnocchi, with doctored up (added fresh basil and some fennel seed powder) bottled red sauce and meatballs I made a couple of days ago. I'm usually not a huge gnocchi fan, but enjoyed these. We had a salad with green leaf lettuce, etc., that I picked up at the farmer's market after brunch today. It was so cold and windy there. Really felt for those vendors! And was particularly sad to learn that my favorite one is finished for the season as of today. That one is where I get my interesting greens, and today the young guy let me buy a half bunch of pea tendrils since their bunch is so huge I end up throwing much of it out. But yes, Carole, bargains are not my main motivation for shopping there, but the produce is nice and fresh, and this Asian vendor offers very interesting greens as well as the best looking familiar ones. We learned last week that this particular farm (Mentor Farm)is a training ground for young Asian immigrants to learn how to farm using the Asian method....whatever that is! They do have wonderful produce!
So our basic brunch this morning was very nice... I can just imagine your mother sitting in one of the booths, Susan! I had a mushroom omelet, fruit cup and raisin toast. DH had the same except for rye. Our niece and DBIL had the eggs benedict florentine. It was very busy as you might imagine on a Sunday late morning. And there were lots of kids there, obviously not worrying about being corrupted. I knew you would have had some kind of connection to The Maugus...little did I know how deep! It was good to see our niece...who is even more happy than last year in her college setting. She has a boyfriend on campus whom she met a year ago, which helps!
This afternoon, I got "phase one" of my seasonal clothes management completed. The thing I like least about change of seasons!
So Carole, don't worry too much about my being able to manage my weight while eating out a lot. HaHa! The four lbs that I packed on over the summer has yet to budge. But I don't think that eating out is too much to blame. I need to get back to my regular work out routine, and see if that will help. Tomorrow we will head to our stretching class before which I do my exercise routine...rigorous treadmill time and weight resistance work. DH has, in addition, been taking a class from one of the new trainors who is like a marine sargent training his recruits! I will not be joining that one!
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Susan have you already shared what you include in your meatballs? I used to make them all the time using just beef, but this time used pork too (mind you, not self ground!). So I was not noticing much of a taste difference with the addition of the pork. so I am tempted to return to my mother's old recipe with just ground beef. You clearly had a meatballapalooza!
I made about one third of what is in this picture. Enjoy!!0 -
We started with 6 lbs of meat. So much meat. I am lucky that I didn't trigger any lymphodema with the amount of effort it took to mix. I used 3 lbs of beef which was a mix of flap and short rib, 2 lbs of pork which I ground from country style short ribs and one pound of veal. I have mixed feelings about supermarket veal, well strong feelings, but the texture is so much nicer with this softer meat. The parsley was completely harvested from the garden. I did 3/4 of the cheese as parmesan and the rest was romano. Here is the recipe... http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/ex... But, this recipe is so much more work than Mom's meatballs, but the texture is marvelous, the flavor is complex, and they are very moist.
*susan*
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I use 2 parts pork to 1 part beef in my meatballs.
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I missed Susan's post about her mother. After Nance's reference, I went back and read it. I admire her just from what you've told us about her, Susan. I see a lot of you in her strong personality. It seems you were blessed with two interesting parents.
My mother enjoyed her lunch yesterday and that was the objective of going to all that effort. DH didn't go with me for lunch. He is feeling crappy with sinus congestion. We haven't had rainfall for 22 days and the drought isn't bothering the fall weeds.
I have a 12:15 appointment with my PCP. Will be interested to get a report on the blood work. I had only been on Atkins a week so probably not enough time for my diet to reflect in the blood profile. My bp seems to be lower. With the added weight (or whatever) it was elevated.
Saw a recipe on the Atkins web site that looked good. Lemon chicken soup. May make that today. Leftover pork and green beans for dinner.
Lacey, I love the arugula I bought at the farmers' mkt. It is so fresh and peppery. Haven't cooked the bok choy yet. Hm.. It would probably be good in the chicken soup instead of spinach?
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susan - meatballpalooza!!! I bet they are delish! Love the story about the diner of ill repute, lol!
Nothing too exciting for dinner last night - cheeseburgers on onion rolls and red potato salad with sour cream/mayo/dill dressing. Yesterday was musical chairs with light fixtures. We bought a new fan and light kit for the lanai, so DH put that up after taking the old one down. Took off all the pendants in the kitchen and moved the dining room chandelier to the spot over the eat in glass table in the kitchen alcove - looks like it was made for that location and it has uplight so you are not blinded by a downlight bulb when sitting there. Because it is slightly larger than the previous fixture it provides plenty of light. The previous downlight one, which matches, will go above the cooktop. That one is being done by an electrician on Wed. morning along with the new single pendant over the sink and new chandelier in the dining room. That fixture arrived Friday by FedEx along with half the grill, which came by UPS. It is a 12 light, replacing a 5 light, so will have much more presence and is a more appropriate size. The previous owner of this house took the original fixture when they moved, although they didn't specify that in their contract (ugh!) and they put up this one that was really too small. Other half of the grill had a faulty address so I had to make a number of phone calls and finally tracked it down at the depot downtown. Went to pick it up, got stuck in traffic, and so missed the 7 pm cut off. Also, discovered there are a number of strip joints over there! Apparently this facility closes for 30 minutes while they empty the returning trucks, then reopens for 30 mins., so I spent 30 quality minutes playing solitaire on my phone in the parking lot. Fortunately they found my other grill half and I convinced them to help me load it - it weighs 93 lbs. - into the back of my car. I was afraid they couldn't pour concrete tomorrow morning for the new kitchen without the grill base!
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Lazy lazy... had meatballs again for dinner. But I did make a lamb stock with all the bones that were left from my sausage making. Tomorrow night, I will make the Ramadan soup, cause I need some fibre, and I do love a lentil. P&S papers are getting almost ready to sign. We meet with the lawyer tomorrow to hash out some of the remaining details. Then I assume we can all sign this sucker. Now we wait for the electrician and plumber to finish the required work, and then, and only then, we can buy this puppy!
Today, the temps dropped and I am cold! Mr. 02143 has a fire blazing in his office's fireplace.
*susan*
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SpecialK, your outside kitchen sounds wonderful! How much fun to be able to do that!
I am shopping with the clean 15/dirty dozen in mind, but am wondering about bananas and red potatoes. Should I buy those organic? I have read so much about pesticides that I have trouble shopping. Also, are there any good/healthy cheese?
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