What Did We Eat Today?

[ALenore]

Tonight I'm making cheese fondue. It's made with swiss cheese and white wine, with a touch of cognac.   I know it's supposed to be  old fashioned, or retro or something, but I love it and have been making it for 25 years.   We're dipping home made bread, carrots, and apples in it, and drinking more white wine on the side.  

[PRgal]

Tonight I'm making cheese fondue. It's made with swiss cheese and white wine, with a touch of cognac.   I know it's supposed to be  old fashioned, or retro or something, but I love it and have been making it for 25 years.   We're dipping home made bread, carrots, and apples in it, and drinking more white wine on the side.  

 

I went to a party with food stations recently.  One of the tables had individual shot glasses of cheese fondue and we had the choice of bread, veggies and apples (I took one of each).  Great thing about fondue in shot glasses is DOUBLE DIPPING!! :P

[mansonlamps]

Tonight I'm making cheese fondue. It's made with swiss cheese and white wine, with a touch of cognac.   I know it's supposed to be  old fashioned, or retro or something, but I love it and have been making it for 25 years.   We're dipping home made bread, carrots, and apples in it, and drinking more white wine on the side.

Fondue is great, but I'm all about the additional wine on the side!

[stillshimpy]

Tonight I'm making cheese fondue. It's made with swiss cheese and white wine, with a touch of cognac.   I know it's supposed to be  old fashioned, or retro or something, but I love it and have been making it for 25 years.   We're dipping home made bread, carrots, and apples in it, and drinking more white wine on the side.

 

I have a tremendous fondness for things that are old-fashioned, in part because longevity usually indicates that something is seriously delicious. 

 

We talk about this kind of stuff over in the Top Chef forum occasionally, how food trends come and go pretty quickly.  There was a fairly dreadful year or two in the early aughts that had people poaching everything savory in vanilla butter.  Well that trend went to way of the Dodo because a lot of people (including me) thought it was a fairly vile practice same thing trying to serve foams on top of things, because when they start breaking down, it just doesn't look appetizing. 

 

So when something is old-fashioned it just translates in my head as "Yummy" because tried-and-true is the basis for old-fashioned.  

 

In other news, if you notice me lurking in and around your house with a long, thing fork, don't be alarmed.   I'm just there to steal your dinner.  

Edited December 13, 2014 by stillshimpy

[ALenore]

So when something is old-fashioned it just translates in my head as "Yummy" because tried-and-true is the basis for old-fashioned.

 

 

 

I just looked up cheese fondue in Wikipedia, and it's been around in some form since 1699, so I would say it's definitely tried and true.  I didnt' even realize it was supposed to be old fashioned until I read some snide remarks about in various articles on food.  

[Bastet]

I love fondue.  Of course, I also love – and frequently make - chicken cordon bleu, so I clearly pay no mind to whether food is considered “outdated.”  If it tastes good, I’m in.

 

My basil plant pretty well exploded after the last rainstorm, so I made a big batch of pesto.  Tonight, I'll be using some of that pesto as a pizza sauce on wheat flatbread, topped with a to-be-determined cheese (or two), a mushroom medley, and some Italian sausage a friend made.

 

 

The line about wandering around someone’s house with a fork cracked me up, because my next-door neighbors fed me not long after I moved in – I was working on something in my driveway between my house and garage, with their backyard being just over the dividing wall, and they were barbecuing back there.  Pretty soon, she popped out of the gate with a plate of food for me.  In telling someone about it, I joked that I would spend the rest of the summer hanging out in my driveway every evening with a fork.



[harrie]

I just looked up cheese fondue in Wikipedia, and it's been around in some form since 1699, so I would say it's definitely tried and true.  I didnt' even realize it was supposed to be old fashioned until I read some snide remarks about in various articles on food.  

 

If fondue is that old, I think it qualifies as a classic.  But I remember it being super trendy in the '70s, right along with the Avocado and Golden Harvest appliance colors - hence the snide remarks, probably.  It just hasn't come around again yet. Way back when, my mom had this Jetsons-looking fondue set with color-coded forks, which might now be semi-valuable in the right market had anyone had the foresight to keep it.  

 

Count me in as a lover of fondue, both oil and cheese. It shouldn't go together, but I love to roll a freshly-done piece of steak in crushed peanuts; and, well, anything dipped in cheese is a go.  

 

Bastet, I'm not a big fan of pesto, but that pizza sounds delicious.  And I'm jealous that you have basil (mine died in October).

Edited December 13, 2014 by harrie

[Bastet]

The basil doesn't often make it through the winter, but it will be awhile before it gets cold enough to kill it.  So I'm enjoying it while it lasts!  It and the parsley plant went on a huge growing spree after the last rain, so it's going to be particularly sad if they die.  I guess I really should start growing these things in pots, but I have a lot more room in the herb garden than I do in the kitchen window.

 

 

My mom even had this Jetsons-looking fondue set with color-coded forks, which might now be semi-valuable in the right market had anyone had the foresight to keep it.

 

I still have mine.  And I still get the green fork.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Bastet

[Shannon L.]

The cooler weather has me wanting comfort food.  I'm going to try a roast tonight--you know the one you put in a bag with a bunch of vegetables?  I hope it comes out well.  I haven't made one in years, but I don't recall having any problems before.  I haven't looked forward in weeks, but I am tonight. 

[grisgris]

Does Reynolds still make those oven bags?

[Bastet]

Yep.  I've never used one for cooking, but I use them to brine the turkey breast at Thanksgiving.

[mansonlamps]

Turkey in a bag makes the best, moistest, tastiest bird ever IMO. And with the least effort. I wouldn't do it any other way.

[Shannon L.]

The bag and seasonings I bought were by McCormick.  It was delicious! 

 

Speaking of turkey, I have to take over Thanksgiving dinner next year and I have never put together a meal that big, so I'm going to practice with a meal on New Year's Day.  I'm making all of the traditional food, plus a couple dishes of our own just to make it special to our family.  I've been getting advice on the turkey (lots of advice!) and I've heard more than once that if you throw it in a bag and cook it upside down (turning it right side up when there's an hour left to cook) is a great way to go to make it really juicy. 

 

I've told my husband and kids and the one friend we invited to be prepared to end up with pizza  :)  I still have a big problem getting all of the side dishes done at the same time so it's all warm and on the table at once. And God only knows what I'll do to the turkey and the stuffing (everything else is fairly simple).

[mansonlamps]

The bag and seasonings I bought were by McCormick.  It was delicious! 

 

Speaking of turkey, I have to take over Thanksgiving dinner next year and I have never put together a meal that big, so I'm going to practice with a meal on New Year's Day.  I'm making all of the traditional food, plus a couple dishes of our own just to make it special to our family.  I've been getting advice on the turkey (lots of advice!) and I've heard more than once that if you throw it in a bag and cook it upside down (turning it right side up when there's an hour left to cook) is a great way to go to make it really juicy. 

 

I've told my husband and kids and the one friend we invited to be prepared to end up with pizza  :)  I still have a big problem getting all of the side dishes done at the same time so it's all warm and on the table at once. And God only knows what I'll do to the turkey and the stuffing (everything else is fairly simple).

Please do not underestimate the task of turning over a steaming hot turkey depending on how big of a bird you are preparing. In our family it's generally over 20 lbs.

[ALenore]

Please do not underestimate the task of turning over a steaming hot turkey depending on how big of a bird you are preparing. In our family it's generally over 20 lbs.

 

 

I turned over an 18 pound turkey on Thanksgiving by putting oven mittens on my hands, then sticking my hands into Ziploc bags.  I'd already taken the roasting pan out of the oven and set it on stop of the stove.   I was able to easily grab the turkey and turn it over without dropping it.  

[Shannon L.]

Good point about turning the turkey!  Thanks for the tip, ALenore.  The smallest I could find was 14lbs and I can see myself struggling turning the thing as I tend to do things the hard way only to have someone else come in and ask why I'm not doing it another, easier way.  Lot's "duh" moments with me :)

[Crs97]

If you don't care how the turkey looks when it comes out, then don't worry about flipping the turkey over.  I cook my turkey breast side down the entire time.  After it's rested, we flip it to carve it.  Is it brown and beautiful?  No.  Is it the best, moistest turkey you've ever had?  Yes!  For years my husband tolerated turkey at Thanksgiving and relied on sides and gravy to make it through the meal.  When I tried cooking it breast side down about 5 years ago, he started requesting turkey for Christmas as well.

[ALenore]

Ham was on sale at my local supermarket so I bought one.  I'm cooking it in a slow cooker, which I did last Easter and it came out really good.  I can't find the exact same recipe I used, but I found a similar one, you mix pineapple juice, maple syrup and some Dijon mustard, then rub some brown sugar on the ham, pour the pineapple juice over it, and cook for 4 to 5 hours.   Alongside I'm making glazed carrots, and a new side dish I'm trying for the first time, Savory Corn Cobbler.  The corn  is mixed with scallions, chicken broth and heavy cream, then drop biscuit dough is dolloped on top and it's baked in the oven for 50 minutes.  It looks like it will be really tasty.  The original recipe called for jalapeño pepper to be cooked with the corn, but I thought it would be a little too spicy, and the biscuits were supposed to have thyme in them, but my husband hates thyme, so I left that out.  

[harrie]

Tonight was shrimp and grits, and tomorrow is slow cooker beef stew.  It's not really cold enough to merit all the comfort food-type meals, but it was last week when I planned the menu.

[grisgris]

I had Nigella Lawson's buttermilk roasted chicken. I haven't made it for a long time and forgot how good it is. Besides buttermilk, the marinade includes garlic, cumin, maple syrup and peppercorns. I tried to make a side casserole of potatoes and broccoli, but I am not that pleased with it.

 

For other meals this week, I made this casserole from an old copy of either "Southern Living" or "Midwest Living." It has a box of wild/brown rice, dry mustard, Cajun seasoning, Worchestershire, shrimp and (yes) cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese. Frozen shrimp was on sale, so I bought some and will save the rest to make BBQ shrimp for Mardi Gras. Despite the semi-ho ingredients, it's a tasty dish. Warm and comforting on this dark, rainy, chilly evening.

[ALenore]

t

omorrow is slow cooker beef stew.

 

I'm having slow cooker beef stew tomorrow too, but it's some I cooked a month ago and froze.  It is cold enough here for comfort food.    

[joanne3482]

Tonight it was chicken enchilada soup. It was exactly what I didn't realize I wanted. I used this recipe but did substitute Velveeta sharp for the regular cheese since I know cheddar doesn't melt as well.

[backformore]

Ham was on sale at my local supermarket so I bought one.  I'm cooking it in a slow cooker, which I did last Easter and it came out really good.  I can't find the exact same recipe I used, but I found a similar one, you mix pineapple juice, maple syrup and some Dijon mustard, then rub some brown sugar on the ham, pour the pineapple juice over it, and cook for 4 to 5 hours.   Alongside I'm making glazed carrots, and a new side dish I'm trying for the first time, Savory Corn Cobbler.  The corn  is mixed with scallions, chicken broth and heavy cream, then drop biscuit dough is dolloped on top and it's baked in the oven for 50 minutes.  It looks like it will be really tasty.  The original recipe called for jalapeño pepper to be cooked with the corn, but I thought it would be a little too spicy, and the biscuits were supposed to have thyme in them, but my husband hates thyme, so I left that out.  

I'd love the corn cobbler recipe!  

[Mountainair]

Last night we had "spaghetti without the sauce". At least, that's what I always called it growing up. Kielbasa, Green Pepper and Onion sauteed in Italian Dressing and then tossed with noodles. Top with some parm chesse. Easy Peasy.

 

Tonight I'm trying a new recipe for Roasted Garlic Chicken Puffs. Cook chicken with 2 tbs. fresh minced garlic. Shred chicken and mix with swiss cheese, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, chives, green onion. Spoon into crescent rolls and cook until done. Lots of cheese but I think this will be a hit with the kiddos. I'll do some steamed veggies on the side.

[ALenore]

I made Chicken Shawarma tonight, it was pretty easy and tasted good.  You just mix some spices with chopped parley and a little yogurt and lemon juice, toss with strips of chicken cutlet and sauté until cooked through.   Then you put the chicken strips in pita bread and top with yogurt mixed with tahini, along with chopped onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.  I served grapes on the side.  

[mansonlamps]

I made Chicken Shawarma tonight, it was pretty easy and tasted good. You just mix some spices with chopped parley and a little yogurt and lemon juice, toss with strips of chicken cutlet and sauté until cooked through. Then you put the chicken strips in pita bread and top with yogurt mixed with tahini, along with chopped onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. I served grapes on the side.

Wow chicken shawarwma is one of my favorite foods on earth, but it literally would never have occurred to me to try to make it myself. I adore our local mediterranean restaurants. I will definitely try your recipe in the future because my craving is costing me! Edited December 17, 2014 by mansonlamps

[ALenore]

Here's a link to the recipe I used for Chicken Shawarma http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-chicken-shawarma.   We don't have any mediterranean restaurants near us so I've never had Chicken Shawarma except for what I made myself.   I hope it tastes at least vaguely authentic.  

[ALenore]

It's my birthday tonight so we're going to a Japanese restaurant.  I really wanted to go to an Indian restaurant, but it's over an hour's drive away and we'd get caught in Christmas shopping traffic big time.  The Japanese place is only 10 minutes away, and it is quite good.   After the dinner we'll come home to angel food cake and Prosecco.    My husband was going to make the angel food cake for me, but he wound up putting together a new book case, and I made the cake, which easy since I used a mix.

[harrie]

Happy birthday, ALenore!  Enjoy your dinner and dessert.

 

Tonight for us is crab cakes.  

[sunshinelover]

Tonight I'm having pita pockets stuffed wiith ground lamb and a veggie mixture of cucumber, tomato, peppers and feta.  All topped with a greek yogurt and balsamic vinegar dressing.   One of my favorite meals!

[ALenore]

I'm making a big pot of French onion soup tonight, topped with bread and melted Swiss cheese.   It takes a long time to cook, 2 hours, but most of that time it's just simmering, actual "active time" is much less.   It's staring to get late though, so I better start it now.  

[PRgal]

Bought latkes and topped it with homemade stovetop chopped apples (apples, nutmeg and cinnamon simmered in a bit of water and apple butter), Greek yogurt and chipotle mayo. Ordered in pizza (the slice in my picture has grilled salmon, avocado, olives, sun dried tomatoes and kale among the toppings), too.

Edited December 22, 2014 by PRgal

[Mountainair]

I'm making a big pot of French onion soup tonight, topped with bread and melted Swiss cheese.   It takes a long time to cook, 2 hours, but most of that time it's just simmering, actual "active time" is much less.   It's staring to get late though, so I better start it now.

My favorite soup! I use Americas Test Kitchen's recipe after trying about a billion different ones! That soup is a treat though in my house as I have to make something else for the rest of the family.

Tonight we had breakfast for dinner. Eggs to order, scrambled for the kiddos, bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes (I even shaped them into Christmas Trees, gingerbread men, snowflakes, Angels and stockings). The kids loved that! Afterward the kids put on PJ's and I packed us all hot chocolate and we rode around town looking at Christmas lights.

[stillshimpy]

I hope you had a great birthday, ALenore and I hope there was cake too.  

[ALenore]

Last night I was working late so we ordered pizza and topped it with ham, pineapple and jalapeño for a Hawaiian pizza.   Tonight were having a dinner menu I repeat a lot because I really enjoy it: Maple Glazed Salmon, wheat berry salad, and broccoli with garlic and crushed red pepper.  

 

I did have a great birthday dinner, had angel food cake, which we still have some left.   This morning I baked Trader Joe's almond croissants.  They're really good, the only problem is they take 8 hours to thaw/rise overnight, so you have to decide you're going to have them the night before.   

[PRgal]

Last night I was working late so we ordered pizza and topped it with ham, pineapple and jalapeño for a Hawaiian pizza.   Tonight were having a dinner menu I repeat a lot because I really enjoy it: Maple Glazed Salmon, wheat berry salad, and broccoli with garlic and crushed red pepper.  

 

I did have a great birthday dinner, had angel food cake, which we still have some left.   This morning I baked Trader Joe's almond croissants.  They're really good, the only problem is they take 8 hours to thaw/rise overnight, so you have to decide you're going to have them the night before.   

 

The maple glazed salmon sounds delicious! :)

 

My husband made me dinner tonight (okay, I had to help a little):  fusilli with tofu and spinach in tomato sauce.  I'm making Christmas (Eve) dinner tomorrow night: turkey drumsticks roasted over carrots and apples with quinoa and a salad as sides.  Dessert will be cupcakes (which I pre-ordered from a cupcake shop).  My family is out of the country so it's just the two of us. 

[Qoass]

I've been sticking with fruit and/or yogurt for breakfast lately but in an effort to eat what's in the fridge before the holiday I've discovered that deli turkey, romaine and grape tomatoes are quite delicious on a toasted English muffin with a swipe of pesto.

[harrie]

Tonight is a quiet Polish Christmas dinner at home:  Pierogies, kapusta z grochem (peas with sauerkraut), kasha varnishkes (buckwheat with bow ties), and maybe a little shrimp cocktail on the side. We just don't feel like making the traditional (for the hub's family) stuffed shrimp, but we still want some of those tasty little guys. 

[ALenore]

I made an easy dinner last night, a version of spaghetti and meatballs using Italian turkey sausage for the meatballs.   I did whip up some eggnog, from a recipe by Alton brown.

 

I actually have to work this morning (I work in a hospital and we take turns covering the holidays) but when I get back I'm going to cook roast duck.  It's expensive, so about the only time I have it is Christmas.   Along with it I'm roasting Yukon Gold potatoes and brussels sprouts.  

 

PRGal here's a link to the recipe for Maple Glazed Salmon.http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/maple-glazed-salmon . I make up extra of the spice rub and keep it in an old spice jar to save some time on future dinners. 

[harrie]

ALenore, thanks for posting the salmon recipe -- looks yummy.

[JTMacc99]

Ever since I got my new range* I've been roasting the hell out of stuff. Halved small red potatoes and cauliflower have even become weeknight options.  400 for the potatoes and 450 for the cauliflower. The potatoes were part of last night's dinner with the ham. They just get tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.  The cauliflower also gets some garlic. At that temperature, it is done really quickly. Much more than than 20 minutes and the garlic burns.  My kids love both of them. (Repeat: My kids love cauliflower.) I think I'll try some broccoli tonight to see what happens.

 

*My old range started to do this thing in April where the oven would slowly heat up to about 270 and then stay there and just smell like gas.  The burners on top still worked fine and the toaster oven could handle basic oven reheating functions, so I went through spring and summer putting off the expensive repair. One benefit from that was learning how many things I could cook on my grills using indirect heat, but once it got cold out I bit the bullet and bought a brand new one. The "smells like gas" thing seemed like it could be a problem.

Edited December 26, 2014 by JTMacc99

[PRgal]

My husband is Jewish, so yesterday, we did "Jewish Christmas" - ordered fake (i.e. Canadianized) Chinese food of chicken balls and egg rolls (plus lo mein and veggies) and then watched a movie.  For brunch, I made baked French toast (how is it different from bread pudding?  I used soaked entire slices of bread in the egg/milk mixture opposed to pieces of bread). Recipe will be on my site soon.

[ALenore]

I don't feel like doing much cooking tonight, so I'm doing breakfast for dinner, frying latkes (frozen from Trader Joe's) in duck fat from Christmas dinner, along with fried eggs and ham (leftover from last week).  

[stillshimpy]

how is it different from bread pudding

 

It actually sort of is, although I know what you mean.  

 

Usually less sugar in the custard mix for baked french toast, the bread isn't cubed (as it is for pudding) and usually baked french toast doesn't have walnuts, apples, raisins etc.  Also bake french toast usually utilizes fewer eggs, so bread pudding has an actual custard.  

 

So they are definitely siblings if not twins:-) 

 

Leftover vegetarian chili and a spinach salad in these parts :-) 

[amitville]

Dinner this evening is Melon Wrapped In Prosciutto .  

[EllieH]

A baked potato topped with sausage and bbq sauce, and broccoli... time to quit the holiday eating habits and get back to normal eating!

[Mountainair]

A baked potato topped with sausage and bbq sauce, and broccoli... time to quit the holiday eating habits and get back to normal eating!

Ugh! Tell me about it! Non stop food in my house since Christmas Eve. I made a big dinner last night, big left over lunch today, steak dinner tonight, cookies, veggie tray, chips/dip are on constant rotation here.

Once my parents leave I have got to get back into my excercise routine which I gave up in October. Got to get back to pre baby weight so I can think about having another one :)

[Bastet]

I'm of the mindset that no rules apply until after January 1st when I go out with a bang by eating snacks - some healthy, many not - all day while watching bowl games.  To that end, tonight's "dinner" after the game will be a bowl of spinach, artichoke and cheese dip with veggies and chips.  I have some excess spinach and artichoke hearts I need to use, and I always have a variety of cheeses, so I've decided a night of munchies rather than a proper dinner sounds like the perfect use of my refrigerator contents.

 

Besides, I had leftover Brussels sprouts for lunch.  (Okay, that followed Bloody Marys for breakfast.)

Edited December 28, 2014 by Bastet

[harrie]

My traditional New Year's breakfast used to be chips (Fritos and/or potato chips, doesn't matter) and Lipton onion dip.  Ahh, the good old days.

 

Tonight is grilled cheese with tomato -- too much rich food lately, including bagels with lox for breakfast and chopped liver for lunch (with some carrots and celery on the side).  

[EllieH]

 

My traditional New Year's breakfast used to be chips (Fritos and/or potato chips, doesn't matter) and Lipton onion dip.  Ahh, the good old days.

 

Nice!  Cold pizza right out of the fridge would also be a good choice.