So...whats for dinner?

mysunshine - I roast several chicken breasts (I get it with skin on, on the bone from Whole Foods) with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder sprinkled on.  When the chicken has cooled I remove the skin and pull it off the rib bones and tear it - I like the shredded texture rather than cutting it up.  The meat is more moist from roasting it on the bone.  I add sliced organic celery and sweet onion, salt and pepper, and use JustMayo (non GMO, soy, dairy, egg, lactose) - only enough to get the chicken to sort of stick together, I don't like too much.  I sometimes add pecans or grapes, or mandarin oranges. 

I probably should not have used the word shred - I pull it as opposed to cut it, but I leave it in bite sized chunks

For lunch I ate the last of my home-made cream of chicken soup today with some added tender bok choy sautéed in butter. This bok choy is so delicious. The bunches are quite small and very tender. I buy it at the farmers' market from a couple who also raise two varieties of kale and arugula.

I'm thawing two chicken legs bought at Fresh Market for dinner and also thawing a small chunk of beef to make soup. DH was recovering from his bout of crud and is taking a downward turn today, just like I am. So soup will appeal to both of us. I'll put potatoes and carrots in the soup along with tomatoes and celery and onions but I won't eat the potatoes and carrots. My paternal grandmother used to say, "You might as well eat the devil as drink his broth." She was referring to her practice of putting bacon drippings in beans to season them but not the bacon when the beans were for her husband to eat on a Friday. He was a devout Catholic and wouldn't eat meat on Fridays.

"My beautiful baguettes", she said immodestly.

Nance, those are spectacular!!!!!

Okay.... these are the stories that make me giggle. Eating bacon fat on Friday, but it doesn't count since the fat isn't the real thing.

Dinner tonight was lamb burgers. Ended up with enough meat for five burgers. Three are 4oz, the other two 5 oz, stuffed with feta. Here they were waiting for the grill, hanging with the pickled onions.

For some reason, no pictures were taken when they came inside all cooked. Side was a huge Spring Mix salad with a roasted garlic, lemon juice and olive oil dressing.

*susan*

Thank you all for the chicken salad ideas. Since dx, I have changed my way of both buying food snd preparing it. I do use free range chickens and buy mostly organic. I hsve put grapes and almonds in chicken salad before.....so good.

Those baguettes look good! When I get home.... :-)

Mysunshine, somewhere along the way in this thread, I posted a jasmine rice shredded chicken salad......grapes, toasted pine nuts, onion, cilantro, etc

The link (here) below gets you to the page, but I can't figure out how to get it to go to the particular post. It's about 2/3 the down the page at 10:05pm on April 18. When I say shredded, I basically poach or slowly cook the chicken in a dutch oven and then pull the chicken apart with my fingers.

Here

In CT... When we arrived yesterday we had lunch of tasty cheeses and crusty rolls DSM had, with some wonderful apples I brought from Volantes. DH and DSM also had some vegetable soup which I avoided after seeing lots of celery floating in it.

After spending the afternoon "catching up" and DH helping DSM with her computer needs, we had dinner at a local Italian restaurant. We shared a tasty app of a large portobello mushroom stuffed with roasted veggies and mozzarella cheese, with balsamic flavor. Then I had a house salad and the most delicious salmon fillet over fresh sauteed spinach with garlic and mushrooms. The others also had fish dishes and we were all pleased. We had dessert at home...the tasty lemon brownies from Volantes. Yum! This morning they are both upstairs planning breakfast....I am planning a walk before the rain arrives!! Forgot to mention the side of angel hair pasta I had with my salmon ...... Oh dear!

auntie - that bread looks so good!  Like a postcard from France!

susan - the burgers look delish and the announcement is adorable!  Who did the illustration?

Last night was DH's b-day, but he had actually been up all night before sick so he wanted something bland. Very unusual for him, it made for a rough day yesterday at work.  I made some mac 'n cheese.  DD and I picked up the Ipe wood flooring for the lanai (loaded in the rain, unloaded in the rain - I looked like a drowned rat, lol!), so while DD was at work last night DH and I laid it down except for the pieces that will need to be cut.  It looks awesome.  Today the rest of the stone is going up on the kitchen and the granite countertop is going in, the fridge and stainless steel sink are here and ready to go in.  The gas line and water is hooked up.  They think they will be done by Friday, most likely.  We will also have some under counter lighting that will go in.  We bought a huge umbrella for the table since it will now be out from under the lanai and in the sun on a more regular basis.  DD is off today so when DH gets home from work we will do presents/cake and a dinner out at our favorite local place right around the corner - consistent service, quality food, it is the default celebration spot - close, easy and good!  I need to bake a cake sometime today!

susan - I love it - especially that she captured so much expression!  It comes through strongly so it is not just a drawing!  She is smart like her mama!

Can I ditto SpecialK on the announcement, too? LOL! It is very cute and expressive. Susan, I'm happy for you as you look forward to being grandma or whatever word designates grandma. Personally I see nothing wrong with grandma or grandmother. But Nana and other non-grandma words are much in vogue.

SpecialK, your excitement over the new outdoor kitchen comes through your reports. I'm confident you will make good use of it.

Dinner will be the chicken legs thawed yesterday. I think I'll roast them, skin on. The side will be a cabbage dish I printed out from the Atkins site. I'm hoping the beautiful Savoy cabbage I bought some time ago is still good to eat. It has sat, ignored in the refrigerator.

My cute little Prius was serviced free of charge this morning. Part of the Toyota deal. This afternoon I'm off to the dentist, oh joy.

Chiming in with praise for the adorable announcement, Susan! Best to all of you! Grandparenting is fun!

Speaking of........Last night when we returned from dinner, our grands "Face timed" with us, of course with the help and tech instruments of their parents. They had finished their baths, were headed to bed, and decided they had to see/talk with us. Little DGD lobbied to see the "little black puppy" she met at the lakehouse, and DGS proudly told us of his latest skills.....tying his shoes and starting to read! Neither of my guys did that at his age, so I am delighted for him....and for DS1.

They did NOT realize that we were only an hour north of their house, with no plans to drive further south...:/.... we had to return this AM /since I have to teach tomorrow. I felt badly, but we really did need to visit DSM who has been hoping for a visit all summer long.
She is amazing! Eighty-eight years and sharp as a tack! Also knows that she has internal medical conditions that will no doubt rear their ugly heads, for which she plans no further medical intervention at this point in her life. She is a delightful and strong woman who has endured much family loss in her life with faith and grace. Hard to believe that my dad has been gone for 25 years already!

Tonight I am thinking that we will have an arugula and pear salad along with leftover chicken breast meat in Trader's Rice Noodle Bowl soups. Then for a change, I might hit the pillow early since my kindergarten schedule has been bumped to an earlier hour. I am so NOT an early AM person and am really tired after all the driving these last two days. My hands are screaming at me!

Special, you amaze me with your handygirl efforts! Your project sounds sooooo great!
Happy BD to DH, and hope he feels a lot better.

Minus I have also purchased precious little candy for Halloween, but am nervous, too, given the Saturday trick or treating schedule. Hmmmmm....what to do...what to do.....

Carole, now that I'm home, I must rescue the cabbage that has been languishing in my fridge veggie bin. Poor cabbages! It would actually make sense for this recent pasta eater to start making and eating lots of cabbage soup!

My job has been insane lately. So sorry not to check in. You all sound so busy.

Susan, DD also announced that they are "trying" this month. So happy for both of us

Minus expect a package, so sorry I couldn't meet you in person. I had no clue about the size- sorry!

Tonight barrel fish-whatever that is, supposed to taste like lobster and sea scallops sautéed in butter, only $11 for a 1/2 pound, but I got tired of working hard and rewarded myself.

Lots of people from the past.

My first BF emailed me "I found you! Greetings from Camp Tamoka!" Don't know how, as my name has changed, I think he looked up my high school. So happy to hear from him as you never forget your first love, even if it was puppy love, we were 14, but considered a couple at camp, lol

Also going to talk to a friend from 2d grade who emailed me

And visit a friend from 4th grade.

Yippe!

My parents died young and I have not had any living relatives since I was 26 except bro and sis who drifted off after their death

except my DD and SIL !

So yay!

Thank God for my chosen family.

Sorry, I get sappy around the holidays.

Going to MO tomorrow who was getting ready to fire me for not coming. I hate going.

Happy for all of you, you sound great.

Redheaded, LOL at the handbag story. Sorry you got the crud. It is no fun.

Dinner was warmed up beef veggie soup, a very good salad with avocado and blue cheese and a little eggplant serving for dh. I wasn't very hungry because I had lunch out with my mother and sister. My sister and I shared a huge Caesar salad with grilled shrimp.

This afternoon I made a couple of stacked eggplant meals and froze them. My usual recipe of peeled, sliced eggplant slices brushed with olive oil and browned on a hot griddle. Layered with home-made meat and tomato sauce, mozzarella (whole milk) and grated romano. DH ate several of the grilled sices and said they were good just like that.

Bedo, we missed you. Hope your daughter and her dh have success with their "trying." That fish sounds as expensive as halibut.

red - did the same thing with sweaters in Korea in 1986 - we were moving from the tropics to upstate New York in December - we needed a LOT of sweaters - your story made me laugh!

Outdoor kitchen is almost done!  Stacked stone is done and granite, sink and faucet are in - only the fridge and undercounter lighting remains!  Yay!  Will start posting pics tomorrow.

Made a stir-fry-ish thing for dinner.  Used fully cooked organic chicken sausage that had spinach in it already, browned a little by itself until crispy on the edges, then added broccoli, orange bell pepper, red onion, celery with leaves, and pineapple. Made a slurry of the pineapple juice with cornstarch and stirred it in with just a little soy sauce and sweet chili sauce.  Served it over brown rice.  I made a bunch for DH and I and it will be lunch for DH and DD tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I am making four dozen of those pumpkin frosted cupcakes for my hairdresser's Halloween/baby reveal party - fun!