So...whats for dinner?

Eric, just read your post aloud to dh and he got a good laugh! What a smart dog! My youngest brother had a black lab that chewed the siding off his house. Maybe he was mad that he wasn't inside and couldn't open the refrigerator!

Lacey, I've had the floater problem for years. The flashing lights would have sent me straight to an ER. That's a real danger sign for detached retina. So glad your checkup soothed your worries.

Susan, we would all like to share your freezer! Your refrigerator. Your pantry with the canned sauce.

Laurie, glad you and your sons are feeling good again.

Moon, that smores pizza sounds wickedly delicious! Would you believe I had never eaten smores until about 5 yrs. ago. Guess I had a deprived childhood.

Lacey, I might have enjoyed the dinner sandwich more than the planned dinner!

My chicken and sausage gumbo was very good. I did something a little different. Browned the chicken thighs with skin in small amt. of grape seed oil and olive oil. I knew I would be refrigerating the gumbo and could skim the fat off. Usually I put the skinned chicken and all the ingredients into a pot and simmer. Thought the browning would add flavor and it did. I take a short-cut on the dry brown roux because I now can buy the roux powder in a jar instead of making it myself. I stopped making roux with butter or oil many years ago.

The pasta making was a success, much to my surprise. I expected to feel like Lucy in the chocolate factory. I made the Light Wheat recipe in the Kitchen Aid instruction booklet. About a 2 to 1 ratio of wheat and white flours. I ended up with 8 long and very thin strips which I cut crossways into shorter strips before running them through the fettucini cutter. It was way too much pasta for one meal. DH made a very good sauce with crumbled Italian sausage and diced fire-roasted tomatoes out of a can, diced onion and garlic. We cooked the pasta about 3 min., drained it and dumped it into the sauce. Delicious! Fresh grated parm-reg on the top.

I "nested" the strips of fettucini and that didn't work out the best. The bottom of the nest got a little "stick-togethery." So I kept fluffing them until the pasta dried and then put it into a large bowl and into the freezer.

Martha Stewart used a wooden laundry rack, the kind that many of us took away to college. It folds up flat for storage.

The Kitchen Aid attachments are excellent products.

It's COOL here this morning!!!! We turned off the A/C and opened the windows yesterday afternoon. Fall has arrived!

My DD is a big s'mores fan and of course, I loved them as a Girl Scout many, many moons ago! After experimenting I figured out how to make them in the microwave - DD was beyond excited. Plus the marshmallow puffs up like crazy so it is pretty dramatic! DS is a fireman and says that if you mix a fire and a girl together it is only matter of time before she will excitedly exclaim "let's make s'mores!" which he finds hilarious. When I eat them they taste like childhood!

Carole, I would be interested in the artichoke casserole recipe if you haven't posted it already.

Tonight was red pepper garlic chicken sausage pasta. It's a very pretty dish with red, yellow and orange peppers. I also added some roasted tomatoes, since I roasted two trays today that I picked yesterday. I have a chuck roast thawing, so tomorrow will be beef bourgignon or a more pedestrian pot roast with vegetables.

Thanks Laurie...and Joyce, who I know is suffering as much as Michelle's family.

This is such sad news to think of our strong, intelligent, generous and energetic friend declining. She has been so strong and inspirational for so many...this is just too heartbreaking.

(((((MICHELLE, RICK, FAMILY, and of course, JOYCE)))))

Hugs to Michelle and her family. Hugs to her friends IRL as well as those of us here. Praying for an easy time of it for them and Michelle. May they make the most of every moment with her. Much love and sorrow.

I came here for dinner inspiration. LOL We had an all organic omelet last night (no cheese), and plain sweet potato. That was an easy fix to stick with the theme of uncomplicated Monday. The trick to shopping at Coscto for us, is we go only for the items we need. We have become really good at this. I can go for their 4 lb. bag of broccoli and walk out with only the 4 lb. bag of broccoli. The hard part for me is walking past the churros at the snack bar on the way out. I love those and can't have them, but still have to look over at them on the way out. LOL

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I live 60 miles from the nearest Costco, so I have to maximize my shopping opportunities.

Thinking of Michelle also - looking back on our lunch together, actually just looked at our picture. So hard to process that she can't rally back.

I am thinking of you, Michelle and family. I am so glad that you have each other at this time to comfort each other. Thank you Joyce for keeping us updated.

I've gone to the garden three times this week. It would seem that the garden wants me to eat zinnias. The more I cut, the more grow. I give them to everyone. Down to a few tomatoes and a zucchini.

I'm going to make mac and cheese with tomato slices in it.

I had a dog when I lived in Georgia, part Blue Tick and part Great Dane. He used to 'paw' whatever he wanted while howling, including the fridge, the door, the couch, etc. I used to catch him, elbows on the counter, head looking in the kitchen sink at the drainer, to see if there were any scraps. Despite his size, he was terrified of the cat who spanked him about once a year to put him in his place.

I'm sorry to read about Michelle's decline. I always enjoyed her reading her posts about family and food. I admired her spirit despite her challenges.

Gina

The news about Michelle, and the loss of Apple, Ebann, Cindy-Rose and others is the one part of bco that bothers me. It would probably be easier to just go away and hide.

When "my" Mickey was in hospice, she told me over and over that her biggest fear (even above the worry about the pain meds not working well enough) was that I'd just give up on life and hide forever..."crawl into a hole and die with her" was how she would put it. She kept making me promise that I'd continue living life. The song she chose for her memorial, "The Rose" was a reminder to me about that promise. It took me several years to keep my promise and get back to living. And despite all the sadness, I'm better because of knowing her.

It's the same way here. Despite the sadness, and the possibility of sadness, I'm better because of knowing everyone here. Thank you.

I hope that makes sense.

Eric

Hugs Eric. Mickey sounds like a wonderful woman. How'd you luck out twice? And well said. Its sad when people pass or are near and we will miss them, but we really are better for knowing them. Thanks for the reminder.

Much love.

Thinking of you Mchelle.

Eric