So...whats for dinner?
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Rain rain and more rain from leftover Gordon, but not quite as much as St. Louis is getting. Florence is looking worrisome. We are in the process of readying our house to put on the market this spring, hoping to finally realize our dream of moving south where winter is more tolerable. Hurricanes put a damper on my ambitions lol. I was just thinking of South Carolina as a possibility when here comes Florence. I'll keep thinking.
Chicken pot pies and a fruit salad tonight. Normally I use puff pastry dough but this time I'm trying Trader Joe's pie crusts, which I picked up on a whim. I never use store bought pie crust but this one is made with butter (as is their puff pastry) and DH wanted top and bottom crust both, so I'm giving it a try. Oh yes, and I'm lazy.
Minus, I was wondering why you hadn't mentioned your chicken foot group in a while. It's a shame it's languishing. You always had such interesting and delicious snacks 😋
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Nance, Im glad your Mam came out good. Hope everything else does as well.
Thanks all. For putting up with my whining. I am in a better place at the moment as long as things stay halfway normal. LOL.
Here is a pic of one thing we managed to save. The cradle my kids used. This thing is huge. We didnt put it away til the last kid was 10 years old, because it was a space ship, pirate ship, book nook, bus, train, car, and plane! I could sit on it and it wouldnt even protest. LOL. It held at least 4 kids at one time, because they all clambered in to see if it would. LOL so I am glad we saved it. Its on the porch because i had to hose it down and wash it with vinegar and hydrogen peroxcide. It is still out there because it needs a 2nd go tomorrow. Then I have 2 people who offered to refinish it for us.
My alarm just beeped, supper is ready. Teriaki meatballs, rice, and pepper and onion stirfry. Yum. My DH can eat the soft meatballs and rice. Im the one who needed rhe peppers and onion! LOL
Much love to all.
PS, yes, that's Tibbles, our elder cat, in the door...
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mommy - mouse in the paper tray - lol
lacey - rental snakes - lol! Although, I could hook you up, have seen three within the last week, including under my car. Florida...
eric - hoping Florence doesn't wreak havoc on my in-law’s home in coastal SC. We have a closing date of 9/17 - final piece in the estate, and my BIL only has a fire policy on the house, let the wind and flood lapse - ugh, don't even get me started on that nonsense. The new owner can't close unless his homeowner's insurance company can write a policy because he will have a mortgage, and they can't do it if a named storm is threatening landfall. There are a couple of additional storms right behind Florence too.
moon - sweet cradle, love all the things it was used for by your kids, lol! The photo-bombing cat ishilarious!
Tried an experiment with a pork shoulder. This was a big one - 8 lbs. and I cut it in half and put it in the crockpot yesterday all day with a "mop" type sauce - thinned BBQ sauce with quite a bit of vinegar, chicken broth, spices, onion, and mustard. Took it out last night and shredded it and put it in the fridge. Had it for dinner tonight, spread some out on a baking sheet and broiled it to make it a little crispy, then topped it with BBQ sauce and some creamy slaw made with napa cabbage. Made a potato salad with celery, onion, and bacon. It was yummy, but I have a ton of the pork - thinking I will freeze some in dinner portions.
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Moon - great cradle
Special - Oh my... fingers crossed that Florence doesn't interfere with the house sale.
Nance - let is know how the TJ's crust turns out. I like quite a few of their products but haven't tried that. Is it frozen?
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Minus, yes the crust was frozen and it was the most awful thing I've tried. It tasted ok but was the most difficult thing I've ever tried to work with. It fell completely apart and was impossible to do anything with it. I had to keep chilling it and re shaping it. Don't waste your money. It would have been less hassle to just make the damned thing myself.
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Cool cradle, cooler kitty!
Friends just moved to Charleston in June. Keeping fingers crossed that Florence misses the coastal Carolinas. But one model has it headed for the area ranging from the VA Tidewater to the Chesapeake to the Delmarva peninsula--in which case DC & its suburbs (including my sis in NoVA) could get slammed.
My back still hurts too much to go out or cook anything more complex than a couple of fried eggs and a toasted WholeFoods mini-croissant today. Ordered dinner out from Jimmy's NY Pizza Cafe--16" thin crust Neapolitan pizza with mushrooms, red peppers (they were out of green), sausage (L half) and anchovies (R half); Greek salad. (I had 2 slices and Bob had 3). For dessert, a small scoop each of Jeni's Splendid Deepest Darkest Chocolate and Graeter's Black Cherry Chocolate Chip.
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Tonight's dinner I think with be chicken kabobs marinated in Italian dressing, rice and sautéed green beans
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Tonight will be Nathan wieners and chili out of the freezer.
Nance, what fun to be moving to a new place. At this point in my life (and dh's life), I don't think we would have the courage to uproot. Just the thought of cleaning out the closets in our house makes me shudder! LOL.
SpecialK, fingers crossed that your inlaws' house isn't damaged before closing.
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Carole, it is a daunting task but I have been cleaning out closets one by one and today and tomorrow tackling our large walk in closet. I have gotten ruthless about throwing away things by asking myself "do I really want to move that?" Progress is being made!
Fish sandwiches, mac and cheese and some sauteed French green beans tonight. I'm tired.
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I counted no fewer than 8 pillows in our closet. This is not including the two on each of the beds. Why do we need so many damned pillows!?
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auntie - it’s the Girl Acout mentality - always prepared! I also use it in regards to my purse - I was actually purse shamed by the physical therapist, she took it away from me and put it on the scale!
Tonight was pulled pork tacos, with avocado slices, lime, and a creamy chipotle sauce - alongside, corn on the cob, yum
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Nancy, only two pillows on each bed? Sounds pretty spartan (says she who sleeps on two--three when on my back--plus one for my L arm and one between my knees when on my side).
We will probably be dragged out of this house feet first--thinking of de-cluttering, staging, packing & moving makes us break out in hives & cold sweats. Even straightening out enough to paint sounds discouragingly arduous.
Bob just brought back falafel & shwarma from down the street. (We have leftover quiche and lots of salad). Forgot to ask him to buy an apple and a challah for Rosh Hashonah. (We have honey--will probably use raisin soda bread to stand in for the challah). I'm not going to temple--nowhere to park, Bob would have to teetotal in order to drop me off (he & Gordy are watching football) and I would have to walk all the way to the remote lots to catch a ride with a fellow congregant--with my back strain, too far for me to walk to temple from home and impossible for me to negotiate the steep stairs in the school buses used as parking shuttles.
Shanah Tovah to those who celebrate.
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Nance - and also the depression mentality that I learned from my parents & grandparents. Re-use, do with out, save it up, don't throw it away. I do wash zip lock bags unless they had something wet like spaghetti sauce, and I often re-use tin foil. I do not however save string. Always be prepared means having extra of everything. Mayo & mustard & vinegar in the top cabinet so you won't run out just as you're making dinner. Several books to read before the last one is finished. Besides the fact that just when I get really comfortable with something (be it a bra or socks or shoes or undies or specialty cookies) - that's the very time they discontinue that product, and I HATE shopping for something new.
So I must confess that I just ordered & received two more pair of Calvin Klein jeans from Costco - one black & one dark blue. Do I need them right now? Of course not. But most pants I buy look like I'm wearing riding jodhpurs and these do not balloon at the thighs. And they are low waist, which I like. Not to mention that I can never find pants long enough and I could order these on line in longs. I do feel guilty, but the darn pants were only $19.99 and the longs from someplace like Talbots that might possibly fit are $80. My Calvinist soul (not related to Calvin Klein but the Scottish one) will have to pay the piper by getting rid of two "somethings" from the closet, and hope I have time to wear these before I get hit by a truck (what would my son say about the plethora of jeans). Or before wide legs are so firmly back in fashion that I look goofy.
Dinner was ham hock & beans that I set to soak last night. Lots of celery & chopped onions. Dark clouds & pouring rain today. So simple. So delicious.
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Thought this Irish Bread recipe from the original Heloise sounded good & easy. I'll probably try it once I finish the Hatch Chili Scones and the San Francisco Sourdough in the freezer.
1 cup prepared biscuit mix; 1/4 cup raisins; 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1/4 cup plus two Tablespoons milk; Butter for serving.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all ingredients together quickly & lightly (except butter) and put in a well greased 6 inch baking dish. Bake about 12 minutes. Cut into wedges & serve with lots of butter.
If someone tries this before I get there, let me know.
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Know how they say that cooking is art, but baking is chemistry--that baking recipes must be followed to the letter? Well, my BFF Kathy's Nova Scotia mom, aunts & Nana taught her how to bake "by the seat of her pants." She doesn't even have to measure--it always turns out great, most recently that soda bread which is as moist as my late Yiddishe grandma's (of blessed memory; she hated to be called "Bubbe") honey cake.
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I make Irish soda bread once a year, on St. Patrick's day. This looks like a pretty classic recipe and should be good. This year I made a rye version for the first time, which I loved. I'll probably make it again next year.
My great grandmother, an awesome southern cook, never used a recipe for anything, not did she measure. If I should go back in time, I would follow her around and write down everything. I cannot cook by the seat of my pants. I can't remember anything.
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And I remember less as time goes on. Sigh. Just finished re-reading "Still Alice". Hope I am blessed by a major heart attack as the end.
Nance - what did you add besides changing the biscuit mix for rye flour?
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Minus, I am addicted to buying multiples of a clothing item, especially things like denim shorts for every day wear. And if there's a selection of blouses, all the same style but different patterns or colors, I might buy two, three, or four of them. Same with jeans that fit. Same style but several different colors. Two years ago I bought the same sandals in three different colors but I can defend that action because I have trouble finding narrow sandals unless they're adjustable.
I try to avoid sales items that are SUCH a good buy and I MIGHT wear this jacket or blouse or whatever when the right occasion comes up. Often these great buys end up at Good Will with the tag still dangling. I'm not a good shopper.
I've never eaten soda bread. I might have to make it some time. It always looks good on the cooking shows.
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Minus, here is the recipe I https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/rye-soda-bread-recipe
I substituted whole wheat for the whole meal and old fashioned oats for the harvest grain blend.
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Thanks Nance. Since there is no kneading and I LOVE pumpernickel, I might actually get this made.
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Most of my bread baking is "by feel and sight".
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Special, I hope all goes well with DMIL’s house sale...and that everyone in the Southeast is spared Florence.
And Nance, I am also really impressed that you are clearing out the house and moving. That effort seems to be a topic among many of my friends who can’t seem to “get there”...me very much included in the inertia. My poor local son continues to intermittently check with us about our 3-5 year plan. And his sweet wife has offered several times to help me “sort and throw”. But with no place to move in this crazy Boston market, we are less than motivated to clear out. But at some point.....
Nance, I also have a collection of pillows...both here and at lakehouse. LOL Not so sure how much company I think we will be having!!! I do think I can get rid of a few of those. And yes, ladies, I think it is a generational thing to re-use and/or save things and buy more than one of the same item that fits! Last night we were walking on Newbury Street in Back Bay, after eating out with our Cali friends and I feel so old and conservative when passing high end chic specialty store after store which I would not ever enter for purchasing purposes. We are who we are....and I am also a bad shopper, fortunately not a frequent one!
I finally made it to both the local Farmer’s Market and the grocery store today, and made a nice healthy meal...with a giant salad. Felt great! Unfortunately it also felt great to have a small piece of peach crumb pie that I could not resist buying on sale at the store! I put fresh raspberries on the top....ooh la! Faux peach melba dessert!
For dinner I made salmon fillets topped with garlic, basil chiffonade , sliced tomato and parmesan. Very easy prep and nice presentation. In addition to the huge salad we had corn on the cob.
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Yum. The salmon looks really appetizing.
Ok. I will re-make the goal of tackling the closets in the guest room and the office. All "storage" closets and full of "good stuff."
Today is Monday, WW meeting. After missing the past two Mondays, I plan to go this afternoon, with the expectation that my weight will be up. The scale at the gym showed me up a lb yesterday morning. It's like those scales in doctors' offices and doesn't seem adjusted for accuracy. I wish the owners would replace it with a scale with a digital read out.
Dinner will be at a restaurant in Bemidji following the WW meeting. Maybe Dave's Pizza. Or maybe the Bemidji Country Club restaurant. We haven't tried it and it's open to the public.
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I was just told activation that orders are in process.... I'm going to the Carolinas.
Eric
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Oh wow Eric. Hope the predictions don't turn out as bad as they could be. Safe trip & thanks in advance for your service.
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eric - sorry you're being activated, but I know the need will be real - I appreciate your service. If you happen to be in Beaufort SC, I can give you the address to check - just kidding. Sort of... I also have two SILs in the Charlotte area and they will be looking at an excessive rain situation and flooding if the storm stalls out near the coast and builds up a lot of extra moisture. They experienced a rain event with Matthew while my in-laws had a wind event. We had big trees come down at my in-laws on the house from Matthew - my DH went up to chain saw them up and see about repairs and hauling off debris, and he was worried then that some additional trees should be removed. Eeesh - just need It to be next week already.
Tonight is spaghetti with meat sauce and some Monday Night Football.
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Good luck, Eric! I just learned that some of the worst rain will be in central NC because after Florence moves ashore & inland, it is predicted to "stall out" the way Harvey did last year. (Speaking of storm names, I've been kidding Gordy because "his" storm--tropical depression Gordon--this year turned out to be something of a dud, though its remnants did give us a good soaking last week. "Mine," of course, will live in infamy throughout NY & NJ).
Tonight's dinner was a rotisserie chicken & carrot-sweet potato-prune tzimmes from Whole Foods (alas, they--like everywhere else--ran out of chopped liver). They had no challah, of any shape. (Of course, had I driven north to Jewel, I'd have had my pick of a whole table full of round ones--traditional for Rosh Hashonah, symbolizing the continuity of the old year into the new--plain or raisin). But they did have honey cake and some local heirloom apples. So I will cut one up and dip it in honey as dessert.
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If they ever name a storm Eric, I'd prefer that it be a dud. :-)
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Stay safe Eric!
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Oh Eric, thank you for the work that you do, please stay safe.
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