What Did We Eat Today?

[annzeepark914]

57 minutes ago, harrie said:

Tonight is Gratin Dauphinois from the Les Halles cookbook, but the hub throws in ham. It's basically heart attack on a plate, but we only have it once or twice a year. 

How fortuitous ;>)  A few minutes ago I looked at a pile of potatoes and thought, geez--I've gotta use them right away or they'll go bad.  I'm going to make the gratin dauphinois tomorrow!  Thanks, harrie.

Re: the tomato paste--I've been scooping out 1 tbsp of the paste and wrapping it in a little wax paper and putting them in a ziplock type bag, removing the required amount as needed.  But it's a bit of a PITA doing that prep work so I'm wondering about the slicing the pushed out paste from the can.  That may be a lot easier.  I'm going to try that. Thanks, Spunkygal.  This is a great little forum for us cooks.  I pick up all kinds of good ideas.

[Spunkygal]

I forgot one important tip when slicing the tomato paste! Freeze the can for 30 minutes before cutting the lids! 

[chessiegal]

I use tomato paste in the tube - gave up on cans years ago. I keep it in the fridge after opening and never had one go bad.

[biakbiak]

Yeah the only time I get use canned tomato paste is if I am making something like bolognese that uses the entire can otherwise it's the tube all the way.

[harrie]

3 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

How fortuitous ;>)  A few minutes ago I looked at a pile of potatoes and thought, geez--I've gotta use them right away or they'll go bad.  I'm going to make the gratin dauphinois tomorrow!  Thanks, harrie.

 

You are most welcome! Hope you enjoy.

Edited February 13, 2017 by harrie

[biakbiak]

Italian sausage with grapes over soft polenta.

[annzeepark914]

Isn't there an Italian dish that uses sausages and Syrah?  I used to have a recipe  (I think it's Chicken Sausages With Grapes) in which you boil down balsamic vinegar to a syrup and that was supposed to mimic the Syrah & sausage dish.  It was very good.  Need to go look for it :>)

[biakbiak]

Haven't heard about the sausages and Syrah but imagin it would be tasty. The version I make is actually from ATK and uses a dry white wine.

Tonight I made larb lettuce cups we had all the ingredients except lettuce so I just substituted cabbage which actually worked well because the cabbage leaves were firmer so they cups held up better and the cabbage gave it a nice tang.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

Tonight I made larb lettuce cups we had all the ingredients except lettuce so I just substituted cabbage which actually worked well because the cabbage leaves were firmer so they cups held up better and the cabbage gave it a nice tang.

I always eat larb with cabbage.  Yum.

[DeLurker]

13 hours ago, biakbiak said:

larb lettuce cups

I misread this as lard lettuce cups which did not sound appealing. 

Last night I tried making cashew chicken for the first time - not a bad first effort.

[annzeepark914]

Has anyone made Addictive Asian Beef Slaw (a/k/a Asian Crack Slaw)?  I'm going to try making it for dinner.  It calls for ground beef which is what I have but someone posted a review saying he/she seared NY strip steak over high heat, sliced super thin and squeezed lime juice over it.  I'm going to Harris Teeter now...may look for some kind of steak cause I'm drooling thinking of that steak and lime juice.

[DeLurker]

Never heard of it, but looked up the recipe for that @annzeepark914 - definitely something to keep in mind!  Was thinking of making it with shrimp sometime because we usually have a family meal with my brother once a week and his wife doesn't eat meat.

Tonight I'm making chicken tacos since a couple of my nephews are orphaned this weekend as the above mentioned brother & SIL are off camping.  Of course, since they are 26 & 30, live on their own they are not exactly defenseless.  We just get together without their parents anyway since we like the habit.

[mansonlamps]

Which recipe for Asian Crack Slaw is supposed to be best?  Ithe sounds great, but there are several versions. 

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, mansonlamps said:

Which recipe for Asian Crack Slaw is supposed to be best?  Ithe sounds great, but there are several versions. 

I have no idea.  The recipe I used I found online (Addictive Asian Beef Slaw) and it says the recipe is by Stasty Cook.  But under that recipe in the reviews was a comment from someone who was taught this salad by a Thai woman and that she used sliced NY strip steak.  So that's what I did and it was good except for the Chinese rice vermicelli (I felt it needed some type of pasta) that were awful. I'm never buying any noodles made in China again - weird smell/weird taste.  I'll use angel hair pasta instead or thin spaghetti.  Next time I'll make with chicken (maybe toss in some large shrimp too).  I put some Mirin in the soy sauce as I'm not a big fan of soy sauce. And I didn't use all the sesame oil (a little bit of that stuff goes a loooong way).

[Splishy Splashy]

Tonight Mom made Baked Chicken with Roasted Veggies and Potato Wedges.

[biakbiak]

I made dan dan noodles, so tasty!

[harrie]

On 2/18/2017 at 0:19 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Has anyone made Addictive Asian Beef Slaw (a/k/a Asian Crack Slaw)?  I'm going to try making it for dinner.  It calls for ground beef which is what I have but someone posted a review saying he/she seared NY strip steak over high heat, sliced super thin and squeezed lime juice over it.  I'm going to Harris Teeter now...may look for some kind of steak cause I'm drooling thinking of that steak and lime juice.

That looks really good!  I'm saving that for future reference. 

[annzeepark914]

I can easily make a pig of myself with Dan Dan Noodles ;>)  Only discovered them last year but I'd heard of them forever.  

[DeLurker]

The dan dan noodles looks a bit complicated.

[Splishy Splashy]

Tonight Mom mad a yummy Meatloaf with Mac & Cheese and Green Beans.

[WendyCR72]

Tonight was a scrounge night: So I had the gourmet meal of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

[harrie]

Tonight was a beef barley soup made in the slow cooker. I had my doubts, but it came out pretty tasty.

[biakbiak]

Vegetarian chili and jalapeño cheddar cornbread.

[mansonlamps]

Tonight was panko and parmesan breaded cod with boiled potatoes and carrots.  Even a year ago, if anyone would have told me I would be swooning over this meal, I would have thought they were crazy.  Lots of garlic and fresh herbs and lemon elevated it to a new level.

[Lovecat]

The other night I made spiced braised beef and sweet potatoes in the crock pot.  It was like a Moroccan-style beef stew:  beef cubes seasoned with ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, S&P; a can of whole peeled tomatoes, a big red onion, and cubed sweet potatoes, cooked low and slow for about 7 hours, served over couscous, and sprinkled with pistachios.  The original recipe also had baby spinach and chick peas added for the last bit of cooking time, but I forgot to add the former, and don't care for the latter.  No matter, though, it was mmm-mmmm delicious!

[annzeepark914]

On 2/19/2017 at 3:32 PM, DeLurker said:

The dan dan noodles looks a bit complicated.

This is the recipe I use (I double the sauce and I don't use cornstarch).  

http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/dan-dan-mien-recipe/

[Lisin]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

This is the recipe I use (I double the sauce and I don't use cornstarch).  

http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/dan-dan-mien-recipe/

Now I know what's for dinner tomorrow night!

[Splishy Splashy]

For dinner tonight is Spicy Chicken with Spicy Cole Slaw in a Wrap with a side of Mandarin Oranges.

[JTMacc99]

Are they related to Dan Dan Fielding?

[Qoass]

It's going to be a long week because I tried a new chicken recipe to have for lunches and my quest to convince myself I like certain foods is still failing.  Mushrooms.  Yuck.

[Quof]

Quote

Mushrooms.  Yuck.

Amen. They have the texture of an eraser and the taste of dirt. 

[Lisin]

2 hours ago, Qoass said:

It's going to be a long week because I tried a new chicken recipe to have for lunches and my quest to convince myself I like certain foods is still failing.  Mushrooms.  Yuck.

 

30 minutes ago, Quof said:

Amen. They have the texture of an eraser and the taste of dirt. 

You've gotta cook em right! They're so good!! But yeah, also I get that they are a more challenging food ;). 

[Qoass]

That's why I keep trying but yeah, chicken and erasers in garlic sauce this week.

[Splishy Splashy]

Tonight we are having Lasagna, Italian Bread, and a Salad.

[Quof]

Why would you want to convince yourself to like a food that you don't?  I understand trying to get past an aversion to a food that has real health benefits, although I can get all the benefits of kale from foods that don't taste like the bottom of my lawn mower.   My friend loathes fish, but realized she shouldn't deprive her children of its nutritional benefits, so she cooks it for them and they like it. Otherwise, why bother?  I'm an adult.  I don't eat foods I don't like.  I don't ask anyone to accommodate my tastes, so it's no one's business what I eat and don't eat.   For example, despite my raging sweet tooth, I don't like cheesecake.  I don't need to learn to like it, believe me.   I am never at a loss for dessert choices. 

[MargeGunderson]

Homemade sloppy joes. I added a little too much cayenne but otherwise tasty. Plus, leftovers!

[biakbiak]

We are babysitting a 6 year old so it's homemade pizza, cheese and pepperoni for her and one with mushrooms and peppers added for adults. It's fun because she gets so into meticulously placing each ingredient that these are the prettiest pizzas ever made, she even adjusts the shards of cheese.

[mansonlamps]

35 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

We are babysitting a 6 year old so it's homemade pizza, cheese and pepperoni for her and one with mushrooms and peppers added for adults. It's fun because she gets so into meticulously placing each ingredient that these are the prettiest pizzas ever made, she even adjusts the shards of cheese.

Lol that so would have been me as a 6 year old.

[annzeepark914]

Sauted salmon fillets in a little olive oil/sesame oil w/ garlic and Mural of Flavor. Served with angel hair pasta in peanut sauce w/ fresh veggies thrown in.  I wish I could do home made pizzas  (as in one of those outdoor pizza ovens!!!) but they've always come out of the oven so bready (crusts) that I could barely eat them (and that's ready made crusts & crusts made from scratch).  I need to live over a pizza parlor :>)

[gatopretoNYC]

Tilapia with lemon butter caper sauce, and mashed potatoes.

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Sauted salmon fillets in a little olive oil/sesame oil w/ garlic and Mural of Flavor. Served with angel hair pasta in peanut sauce w/ fresh veggies thrown in.  I wish I could do home made pizzas  (as in one of those outdoor pizza ovens!!!) but they've always come out of the oven so bready (crusts) that I could barely eat them (and that's ready made crusts & crusts made from scratch).  I need to live over a pizza parlor :>)

Super hot pizza stone at least 30 minutes in 550 oven and always have a thin crispy crust. Also have made it with out the pizza stone just heat up a sheet pan at the same temp for the same amount of time.

[Qoass]

Quote

Why would you want to convince yourself to like a food that you don't? 

Because I am a grown up and I think I will be better served by trying to appreciate more healthful foods than my palate currently enjoys.  Chocolate and cheeseburgers are all well and good but if I want my body to work the way it should, I need to upgrade my fuel.

[JTMacc99]

Speaking of upgrading my fuel, last night was pizza and birthday cake. I think some lean protein and vegetables (and probably more birthday cake) are on the menu tonight.

[DeLurker]

22 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I need to upgrade my fuel.

A good idea but why not start by branching out with foods you already eat?  The only redeeming quality a mushroom has is that they don't make everything they are cooked with taste like mushroom.

I periodically try to make the salad dressing that you get in Japanese restaurants - I love most of them.  I spent a few days comparing recipes on different websites to find the most common ingredients used and quantity.  Last night I threw some together in my Bass-o-matic (aka nutribullet) and I pretty much ate a few bowls of salad for dinner because the results were pretty close to what I was looking for.  I am a very happy camper.

The kids got quesadilla & tacos made with the other nights leftover chicken.

[Qoass]

I took a chance.  It didn't pay off.  Maybe the next attempt will be better.

(Once again, my life in a single post.)

[JTMacc99]

Change of plans in the Macc home. One of my employees told me that a friend of his opened a Latin food place recently right next to the cleaners where I am stopping today after work. So switching from really healthy to possibly a cubano sandwich or at the very least some chicken and rice.

ETA: Split a Cubano and a couple chicken empanadas with my son (good stuff!), cheese empanadas were the main item for the vegetarian little girl with some beans and rice on the side. 

Edited February 23, 2017 by JTMacc99

[Splishy Splashy]

Tonight Mom made Bacon Cheeseburgers, French Fries, and Broccoli.

[annzeepark914]

Grilled brats on hot dog rolls, gussied up baked beans, tossed salad + just a little leftover Gruyere gratin (it had been in the back of the fridge for a few days but still outstanding heated up).  Unfortunately, Mr. P914 brought home a humongo cheesecake from Costco. Good grief we could serve the neighborhood!  It is quite delicious ;>(

[biakbiak]

I made a lemongrass chicken stir fry with brown rice.

[Lisin]

11 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

I made a lemongrass chicken stir fry with brown rice.

I'm on my way over :P