What Did We Eat Today?

[annzeepark914]

I made Swedish meatballs and a potato dish called Jansson's Temptation (potatoes, onions, a few tiny pieces of anchovy, & cream). 

 

 

[biakbiak]

Split pea and ham soup with sourdough. 

[chessiegal]

Spicy pork udon  with carrots and spinach.

[biakbiak]

Cesar salad and spaghetti and meatballs. 

[annzeepark914]

Pork fried rice and spicy mango salad.

[annzeepark914]

Noodles w/ Mushroom & Lemon Ginger Dressing, along with some cooked, chilled shrimp I'm tossing on the plates.

[biakbiak]

Beef enchiladas, rice,beans and a simple salad with a cilantro vinaigrette and radishes. 

[AimingforYoko]

Spicy Garlic Noodles w/ Stir-Fry veggies, Homemade Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding.

[isalicat]

I still have lots (and lots!) of Meyers lemons and plenty of my neighbor's home grown thyme so last night was baked chicken legs soaked in lemon juice, and then topped with garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme and lashings of unsalted butter. Accompanied with the spring's first fresh asparagus (also dosed with garlic, lemon juice and butter). And some chenin blanc 🙂

[chessiegal]

Miso and maple glazed tilapia over barley, peppers, and mushrooms.

[biakbiak]

I also went with miso, a honey miso glazed salmon with a bulgar salad with grilled radicchio, red onions, and citrus. 

[annzeepark914]

Chicken curry, raita, naan, and spicy mango salad.

[chessiegal]

Curry glazed chicken with zucchini, bell pepper, and bok choy over brown rice.

[biakbiak]

Bánh xèo, a savory Vietnamese crepe, with pork and shrimp and a bunch of herbs. 

[MargeGunderson]

Homemade Detroit-style pan pizza with pepperoni. This is the second time I’ve made Detroit-style pan pizza and it was really good. I used pizza dough that I made previously and froze, and was pleasantly surprised that it rose well after being defrosted. I haven’t had good luck with defrosted pizza dough.

[biakbiak]

I love Detroit style pizza. 

Chili Verde with pork, rice, black beans and homemade flour tortillas.

[annzeepark914]

Sauted salmon with peanut sesame noodles, and spicy mango salad.

[biakbiak]

Lemongrass chicken noodle bowl/salad to use up a bunch of vegetables and herbs with a nuoc cham vinaigrette.

[Mindthinkr]

On 2/27/2021 at 9:35 PM, biakbiak said:

Bánh xèo, a savory Vietnamese crepe, with pork and shrimp and a bunch of herbs. 

You must be one heck of a cook. It is always is so varied. I don’t even know some of the dishes you make. 
I need to up my game, but when you are cooking for one...

[biakbiak]

12 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

You must be one heck of a cook. It is always is so varied. I don’t even know some of the dishes you make. 
I need to up my game, but when you are cooking for one...

Cooking is my main hobby so I like a lot of different things. Basically I am either cooking, eating, or planning my next meal. Sometimes all three at the same time! Luckily for me my boyfriend has an appetite of 3 or 4 people and in these Covid times we have two close friends who hate to cook and moved into are neighborhood so I also get to get rid of a ton of leftovers for the things that don’t freeze! 

[Bastet]

6 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

spicy mango salad.

Sounds right up my alley; what did you put in it?

I killed off the last of my miến gà soup for lunch, and I think I'll go Vietnamese for dinner, too.  Initially, I was leaning towards bún thịt nướng (a cold vermicelli noodle dish), but that's a lot of noodles in one day. @biakbiak mentioning bánh xèo put that in my head, but that's kind of a pain for one.  So bún thịt nướng it is.  I think.

 

[Mindthinkr]

15 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Sounds right up my alley; what did you put in it?

I killed off the last of my miến gà soup for lunch, and I think I'll go Vietnamese for dinner, too.  Initially, I was leaning towards bún thịt nướng (a cold vermicelli noodle dish), but that's a lot of noodles in one day. @biakbiak mentioning bánh xèo put that in my head, but that's kind of a pain for one.  So bún thịt nướng it is.  I think.

 

More confusing foods 😂 I may spend tomorrow looking up all these new things to try. 

[MargeGunderson]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Sounds right up my alley; what did you put in it?

I killed off the last of my miến gà soup for lunch, and I think I'll go Vietnamese for dinner, too.  Initially, I was leaning towards bún thịt nướng (a cold vermicelli noodle dish), but that's a lot of noodles in one day. @biakbiak mentioning bánh xèo put that in my head, but that's kind of a pain for one.  So bún thịt nướng it is.  I think.

 

bún is one of my favorite foods! I may have to make some this weekend.

[annzeepark914]

15 hours ago, Bastet said:

Sounds right up my alley; what did you put in it?

 

Spicy Mango (Papaya) Salad

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp sugar (I cut back a bit & add the syrup)

I like to add a bit of pure maple syrup

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 mangos, peeled & julienned 1” long (I prefer papaya)

1 large red bell pepper julienned

½ cup onion finely chopped

½ cup cilantro, chopped

½ cup fresh mint chopped

Chopped peanuts

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved.  Taste; if needed, add a bit of pure maple syrup.

Only add remaining ingredients less than 1 hour before serving.  Keep chilled.  Top with peanuts.

Source:  adapted from a Sue Branch blog recipe

This dressing is so delicious I end up drinking what remains in my salad bowl 😊

[Bastet]

That is indeed right up my alley - with either mango or papaya, and I have both on my shopping list for today's produce run, so I will definitely be making that salad in the next few days.  I'll probably start with papaya, just because I've had mango fairly frequently lately.  Thanks for the recipe, @annzeepark914.

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

That is indeed right up my alley - with either mango or papaya, and I have both on my shopping list for today's produce run, so I will definitely be making that salad in the next few days.  I'll probably start with papaya, just because I've had mango fairly frequently lately.  Thanks for the recipe, @annzeepark914.

I just had it again tonight... found some mangoes (the small yellow ones) so I had an excuse.

Edited March 2, 2021 by annzeepark914

[Bastet]

Making a salad for lunch (mixed greens with shrimp, avocado, feta, candied walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette), I realized I can just get away with waiting until tomorrow to grocery shop, so for dinner I'll use up the last of the produce:  halibut tacos with red and green cabbage and a tomatillo salsa, and a salad with the rest of the mixed greens and jalapeño ranch dressing.

[chessiegal]

Chocolate & chipotle beef chili with lime sour cream.

[MargeGunderson]

A cast iron skillet strata made with bacon, spinach and cheddar, and fruit salad on the side. For dessert, a buttermilk and blueberry cake that I made yesterday. 

[chessiegal]

Turkey piccata meatballs with zucchini, tomatoes, and orzo.

[Bastet]

Pork loin stuffed with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, spinach, and feta cheese.  I haven't yet decided on the side, but the salad will be kale based, as I love pork and greens together.

[biakbiak]

Sausage ragu with homemade pappardelle and an arugula salad.

[callie lee 29]

20 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Sausage ragu with homemade pappardelle and an arugula salad.

Umm, after reading some of your fantastic sounding food, can I come live with you??? I'll bring wine, gin & tonics, and cats.

[biakbiak]

20 hours ago, callie lee 29 said:

Umm, after reading some of your fantastic sounding food, can I come live with you??? I'll bring wine, gin & tonics, and cats.

Sure! Though during these times I do need to see a negative covid test or proof of vaccination! 

Inspired by @MargeGunderson I made a Detroit style pizza with hot Italian sausage and pepperoni and a Caesar salad. 

[chessiegal]

Cheesy tomatillo enchiladas with chorizo pork, chayote squash, spinach, and rice.

It's supposed to be a meal for 2, but it really is enough for 4. Leftovers!

[biakbiak]

Roasted tomato soup with a broiled cheddar crouton (like a French onion soup) and a warm spinach salad. 

[isalicat]

We have been promised rain and cooler weather (well, cool by central California standards) so I decided to make a big pot of beef stew to dip into through the week. My beef stew always starts with lots and lots of chopped fresh garlic and a yellow onion sauted in olive oil, add the beef, add fresh ground black pepper, thyme and then when the beef is browned, in goes a half bottle of decent red wine and a quartered medium orange. (The acidity of the orange juice helps the beef tenderize.) A bit of extra water and some bay leaves go in, simmer for an hour and then take the orange out (the orange peel if cooked in there for too long will make the stew bitter). An hour or so more and then mushrooms (and chunks of carrots and turnip if I had remembered to buy them) after that its all about simmering the rest of the afternoon, adding more liquid as necessary, and then reducing the whole thing down a half hour before eating. You may notice I don't add salt or anything to thicken this - your version may be different! Bon appetit!

[MargeGunderson]

I made eggplant involtini, salad and garlic bread.

[biakbiak]

Ribs were cheap and I haven’t had them in awhile so went to town with BBQ ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans.

[Bastet]

I'm having ribs tonight, too, at my parents' house.  They're pork spare ribs marinated for days (I'm not sure what all my mom puts in the marinade, but it's nice and garlic-y) and then cooked on a rotisserie.  Plus macaroni salad, but I don't know what the salad or veggie will be. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Bastet

[chessiegal]

Grilled filet mignon, asparagus, and seasoned potato wedges.

[biakbiak]

Lemon Turkey feta meatball soup with rice and spinach.

[Bastet]

The latest soup (because I have a steady supply of homemade chicken stock in the freezer, I pretty much always have soup on hand for lunches) is one I hadn't made in a while - chard and cilantro with "noodle nests" (an egg noodle, egg, cheese, and herb mixture shaped like a bird's nest and fried; one set in the middle of a bowl of a light soup provides texture and substance).

Tonight I'm going to roast a cut-up chicken with a wine herb sauce, sprinkled with grated Parm and paprika.  Roasted broccoli as the side.  I think the salad will be lettuce tossed with jicama, avocado, scallions, and mint with a lime vinaigrette; I've been in a mint mood lately.

Speaking of salads (and mint), last week I made the spicy papaya salad @annzeepark914 posted about, and it was delicious.  I'll make it again with mango in the next couple of nights.

[biakbiak]

Stuffed peppers with a Greek inspired salad (cucumber, olives, tomato, feta). Inspired because I use romaine lettuce and know that causes consternation of the Greeks I know!  

[callie lee 29]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

The latest soup (because I have a steady supply of homemade chicken stock in the freezer, I pretty much always have soup on hand for lunches) is one I hadn't made in a while - chard and cilantro with "noodle nests" (an egg noodle, egg, cheese, and herb mixture shaped like a bird's nest and fried; one set in the middle of a bowl of a light soup provides texture and substance).

This sounds amazing!! Did you get the recipe somewhere or is it your own creation? 

[Bastet]

39 minutes ago, callie lee 29 said:

This sounds amazing!! Did you get the recipe somewhere or is it your own creation? 

I got it from a Deborah Madison cookbook; the cilantro and chard soup recipe is hers, and she credits Diana Kennedy with coming up with the noodle nests.

I'll post the recipe for the nests that go with 4-6 servings of the cilantro and chard soup so you see the concept, and then of course you could use a different cheese and/or herb with other soups (it's a neat way to, as I said, add texture and substance when you want to beef up a light, thin soup):

2 eggs, separated
3 ounces (1-3/4 cups) uncooked fine egg noodles (e.g. fideos or capellini)
1/3 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 T chopped cilantro
sea salt
peanut oil for frying

Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks, then stir in the yolks, noodles, cheese, and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt, then work the mixture with your hands (or a spoon, but I think it needs hands) well until it's pretty much homogenous.  It will look rather dry and quite stiff.

Heat enough oil in a skillet over medium-high heat to float the noodles (about 1/3-inch thick).  Divide up (just eyeball it) the noodle mixture into 4 or 6 portions (depending on how many portions of soup you'll be dishing up).  When the oil is hot, drop the nests in and fry about a minute, flip, and fry about another minute, until golden on each side.  Drain on paper towels. 

(You can make them ahead of time.)

When your soup is in its final simmer stage, add the nests to the pot for the final 10 minutes.  When ladling the soup, serve with one nest per bowl. 

If you're not going to serve all the soup at once, you can still make and store everything together, but I find it better (in retaining the appropriate texture of the nests) to only add in however many nests you'll be serving; store the remaining nests separately from the remaining soup in the refrigerator.  When you reheat soup, do it on the stove with the appropriate number of nests.  (Or you can do it in the microwave; again, this is just what I think comes out best, not what's necessary.)

If anyone wants the chard and cilantro soup recipe, it was posted verbatim from the book with Madison's permission here.  (The nest recipe is there, too.)

[callie lee 29]

@Bastet thank you!!!

[Kawaiiko]

On 3/6/2021 at 7:27 PM, chessiegal said:

Cheesy tomatillo enchiladas with chorizo pork, chayote squash, spinach, and rice.

It's supposed to be a meal for 2, but it really is enough for 4. Leftovers!

That sounds AMAZING.

[chessiegal]

7 minutes ago, Kawaiiko said:

That sounds AMAZING.

It was good. It was one of my Blue Apron meals.

[Bastet]

I've been sitting here contemplating what to make with pork chops tonight, and I think I'm going to go with a butternut squash "pancake" (it just looks like one) with mozzarella and sage.  And a bitter greens salad with some sort of vinaigrette.