What Did We Eat Today?

[PRgal]

The only time I had access to Cincinnati chili was at my last job and it was fantastic. I guess I could make it myself, but it was a real favorite in our old cafeteria and I haven't sought out the recipe yet. Mmm.

 

What makes Cincinnati chili different from other chili?

[mansonlamps]

What makes Cincinnati chili different from other chili?

I'm no expert since I've only had it in my work cafeteria, but the taste of the chili itself is different, it has a definite cinnamon flavor in it. Also, the biggest difference is that you can have it up to "five ways" By adding any combination of spaghetti, cheese, raw onions, and beans. Just a bowl of the chili would be "one way."

[harrie]

We're in comfort food mode (to go along with the snowstorm every other day mode), so tonight is Beef Marsala - and thank you, DeLurker!  Working from home today, and it smells wonnnderful.

[Betweenyouandme]

When I was preschool age I loved to eat chilli with a lot...a TON...of crushed up crackers and grated cheddar cheese. I called it conch-a-meal/conkamill? No idea why, but I said my imaginary friend called it that. She was named Sanguine. Not sure how I chose her name/word at age 3, but at least it fit! I still like chilli that way.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Betweenyouandme

[ALenore]

I'm no expert since I've only had it in my work cafeteria, but the taste of the chili itself is different, it has a definite cinnamon flavor in it. Also, the biggest difference is that you can have it up to "five ways" By adding any combination of spaghetti, cheese, raw onions, and beans. Just a bowl of the chili would be "one way."

 

Yep, that's right.  I've never had Cincinnatti chili at restrauant, in Ohio or anywhere else.  I read about it in Road Food, Good Food  by Jane and Michael Stern, and decided to try making it myself.  I really like it, make it fairly frequently in the winter months.

[PRgal]

I'm no expert since I've only had it in my work cafeteria, but the taste of the chili itself is different, it has a definite cinnamon flavor in it. Also, the biggest difference is that you can have it up to "five ways" By adding any combination of spaghetti, cheese, raw onions, and beans. Just a bowl of the chili would be "one way."

 

Doesn't chili already have beans in it (well, usually, anyway)?  Or do you mean extra beans?  I like chili over rice or quinoa with a dollop of Greek yogurt...

 

And as for dinner tonight, we did Meatless Monday and made tofu parm (a household favourite), serving it with a (store bought) garden salad and some NOT homemade multigrain baguette.  Tomorrow, I'm going to make chicken fried quinoa using the leftover grocery store rotisserie chicken from last night (currently sitting in the freezer). 

Edited February 10, 2015 by PRgal

[Bastet]

Doesn't chili already have beans in it (well, usually, anyway)?

 

It depends on where you're from.  Them's fightin' words in some parts.

 

(I have no dog in this race; I don't eat beans OR chili.)

Edited February 10, 2015 by Bastet

[mansonlamps]

Doesn't chili already have beans in it (well, usually, anyway)?  Or do you mean extra beans?  I like chili over rice or quinoa with a dollop of Greek yogurt...

*GASP!* The entire state of Texas is rearing up to kick PRgal's a**.

[EllieH]

Cod filet with steamed broccoli (and way to much Valentine's candy I started snacking on during the drive home from the store, bad me!)

[Betweenyouandme]

I've had a weird potato craving today, so I cut up some small yellow potatoes. I mixed them with olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and parsley. Baked. Ate them with green peas and corn.

Then got hungry again a little later and had some crackers with peanut butter, a piece of cheddar, and an organic applesauce.

[Bastet]

I ate a really late lunch, so the Swiss chard gratin I was going to make as a side dish for a grilled T-bone steak will instead be my entire dinner.  I'll make the steak tomorrow night and heat up some of the leftover gratin.

[PRgal]

Hee! It's true, we Texans don't put beans in our chili. Unless you're talking about a big ol' pot of chili beans, which is an entrely different (and delicious!) dish.

 

Learn something new!  Still, that plain Greek yogurt is great with it (beans, no beans, vegetarian or meat).  Better than cheese.  :)

[annzeepark914]

Tonight was a "take it easy" night at chez park914 so I poured a bag of Bertolli Classic Meals for 2: Shrimp & Asparagus w/ Penne into a skillet.  I sprinkled Penzey's Mural of Flavor and some garlic powder over it, put the lid on and cooked it per the directions on the bag.  In no time at all, we had a delicious dinner ready (the only work for me was putting together a tossed salad and making a lemony vinaigrette).  I like this better than any of Ina's frozen meals.  The sauce is very good!

 

Re: chili?  I'd never had, nor heard of, chili on top of spaghetti until I had a neighbor who hailed from Kentucky (probably an area near Cincinnati).  She made some for me and I loved it. So that's how I usually make chili today--love that hint of cinnamon in the chili.  I don't like a lot of beans in chili so I just add about half a can of rinsed/drained beans.  My DH thinks I'm nuts to eat chili on top of spaghetti (he makes his own--it's vegetarian--and I have to admit...it's very tasty).

[grisgris]

I saw Cincinnati chili on TV a long time ago and now that's the only way I eat mine. Mine's sort of bastardized version, though. I already put beans in my chili, but I eat it on spaghetti and with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. Love it! I'm interested, though, in the addition of cinnamon to the chili. I'll have to try that.

[ALenore]

I bought a cheap, crappy bottle of wine to cook with and I had a pork tenderloin I got a few weeks ago, so I made Mustard Seed Crusted Pork Medallions with Red Wine Sauce.  http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Mustard_seed_crusted-Pork-Medallions-With-Red-Wine-Sauce-Epicurious.  It was really good.  The red wine tasted fine cooked into a sauce with onions, garlic and chicken broth.  

[stillshimpy]

Vegetarian Tamales from Trader Joe's and steamed broccoli.  

 

I was feeling very uninspired today.  Mercury needs to get its butt out of retrograde or whatever contributed to the Perfect Blech that was this day.  Be gone. day, be gone. 

[grisgris]

Amen to the Mercury retrograde. I went to the store today to buy some spring mix and they were out. That never happens. Then I went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription and was told I couldn't refill it until March 2. I was upset (at the insurance company, not the pharmacy tech) because I would be way out before then. Before I left the store, I looked in my purse and duh, I had gotten it refilled and picked it up last week.

 

Tonight I had leftovers; cauliflower gratin with smoked sausage and s'mores brownies I made for the Super Bowl.

[mansonlamps]

 

Tonight I had leftovers; cauliflower gratin with smoked sausage and s'mores brownies I made for the Super Bowl.

Believe me not trying to be judgmental, but I've lost over 50 lbs in the last year, and, THIS combo of food sounds so fabulous to me! I have about 12lbs to go and I can't wait to introduce a little gratin, sausage and brownIes back into my life! Sounds so much better than all the vegetable, quinoa, etc recipes I've been reading about.

[sunshinelover]

Tomorrow I'm going to make a "faux Pho".  I have some premade chicken meatballs which will go in a broth flavored with ginger, cinnamon and cumin.  Add some noodles, broccolini, snap peas.  Maybe some red peppers.  Top with cilantro.

[ALenore]

Tomorrow I'm going to make a "faux Pho".  I have some premade chicken meatballs which will go in a broth flavored with ginger, cinnamon and cumin.  Add some noodles, broccolini, snap peas.  Maybe some red peppers.  Top with cilantro

 

 

Ooh, this sounds great.  I've got some ground turkey I could make into meatballs and so something similar.   I think I'll try it next week.

[Sweets McGee]

I am planning on making a seafood chowder soup tonight. However, I forgot to buy shrimp when I went to the grocery store earlier. I don't really want to go back to the store, and I have some bay scallops in the freezer. You think I can sub those in the chowder for the shrimp?

Edited February 11, 2015 by Sweets McGee

[Betweenyouandme]

I'm only having Siggi orange ginger "yogurt" and half of a honey crisp apple because I just went to Movie Tavern and ate a whole 10in. pizza. It was pretty good.

[harrie]

I am planning on making a seafood chowder soup tonight. However, I forgot to buy shrimp when I went to the grocery store earlier. I don't really want to go back to the store, and I have some bay scallops in the freezer. You think I can sub those in the chowder for the shrimp?

 

For what it's worth at this point, the scallops should sub just fine. They aren't the same, but they should be nice.  They're less dense than the shrimp, so whatever the timetable is, I'd give them a little less time.  Sounds yummy.

[Sweets McGee]

For what it's worth at this point, the scallops should sub just fine. They aren't the same, but they should be nice.  They're less dense than the shrimp, so whatever the timetable is, I'd give them a little less time.  Sounds yummy.

 

Thanks. I ended up going back to the store and got the shrimp, because I thought of something else I needed anyway. But I will need something to use the scallops in sometime so I may just try it again next time with the scallops. The chowder turned out really good, though spicy!

 

[DeLurker]

What do you put in that would be spicy? I've only had your basic chowders which have always been pretty straight forward.

[Sweets McGee]

Cayenne. It was an Asian chowder made with coconut milk (which was the reason I made it to use some of that up).

[ALenore]

I'm making chicken tacos with mango salsa tonight.  I just hope I have enough mango.  When I went to the grocery store they had only 1 mango, and the recipe call for 3/4 cup chopped mango.  I do have a couple of avocados, so I can add one of those if there's not enough mango.  I also have pineapple, which might work. 

[Athena]

I've got a couple of friends coming over so I'm doing roast chicken and throwing some onion, potatoes (parboiled first), and maybe a carrot in with it. My friend is bringing a salad. I think quinoa will be the other starch, otherwise, I've made some tomato cheese bread. For dessert, I made no churn condensed milk ice cream.

[amitville]

I've got a couple of friends coming over so I'm doing roast chicken and throwing some onion, potatoes (parboiled first), and maybe a carrot in with it. My friend is bringing a salad. I think quinoa will be the other starch, otherwise, I've made some tomato cheese bread. For dessert, I made no churn condensed milk ice cream.

dessert sounds so good but i have no idea how to make no churn condensed milk ice cream

[Athena]

dessert sounds so good but i have no idea how to make no churn condensed milk ice cream

 

It's basically whipped cream with condensed milk. You can add whatever you want to flavour such as cocoa powder, vanilla extract, etc. I used my homemade vanilla extract to keep it simple. The Eagle brand of condensed milk has a lot of ideas for it on their website: it's one can (14 fl oz) to 2 cups milk on theirs. I used Nigella's recipe because hers uses less condensed milk, but if you google "condensed milk ice cream" with no churn or whatnot, you'll get a lot of ideas.

[amitville]

It's basically whipped cream with condensed milk. You can add whatever you want to flavour such as cocoa powder, vanilla extract, etc. I used my homemade vanilla extract to keep it simple. The Eagle brand of condensed milk has a lot of ideas for it on their website: it's one can (14 fl oz) to 2 cups milk on theirs. I used Nigella's recipe because hers uses less condensed milk, but if you google "condensed milk ice cream" with no churn or whatnot, you'll get a lot of ideas.

Thank you i am going to try this it sounds like it will be a hit.

[PRgal]

Last night:  My husband and I went to a cooking class/fundraiser hosted by the Junior League of Toronto (which I am a member of and was in the event's planning committee) and made chicken skewers - we were all in teams of six or seven, divided into eight stations.  Other items we got to eat included stuffed mini portobellos, flat bread with tomatoes and goat cheese as well as green pea risotto with beef short rib ragout!  Dessert?  Apple crumble tartlets and chocolate cake.

 

Tonight:  Uber-cold in Toronto (-26 C (-10 F) with the windchill) so we're ordering in...probably Thai food.

[Lovecat]

I hope you give the Thai delivery guy a GIANT tip!! :)

 

I am making a roast beast tonight, with taters, onions, and carrots.  One of my favorite meals.  So simple, but so nom-nom.

 

Tomorrow for Valentine's Day my sweetie is making me chicken cordon bleu, and I am making tiramisu for dessert.

[DeLurker]

 

roast beast

That's what I always say too!

 

I'm on water crackers and maybe steamed rice if I feel adventurous.  A stomach bug has taken up residency - poor poor me.

[mlp]

 

roast beast 

 

That's what I always say too!

 

Me too!

[mansonlamps]

Apparently we are all Grinch obsessed - I say roast beast too. My brother even has his 20 year old daughter saying it.

[Athena]

Tomato soup with grilled cheese an leftover chicken sandwiches. Same dessert at last night and orange slices to follow up a bit later.

[Mountainair]

Celebrating my SIL's bday tonight with the family at Olive Garden followed by bowling. 12 of us in all. Two five year olds and two two year olds. Wish us luck! My BIL said he made reservations, I hope he did!

[Sweets McGee]

Bowling for us tonight too, after pizza for dinner!

[Mountainair]

Ok, can I whine for a moment? Dinner ended up being for 14 people, no reservation. The wait wasn't long but the restaurant said they don't make reservations on Holiday weekends. What kind of sense does that make? If there is anytime to make a reservation it is on a holiday weekend. This was the first time bowling for my kids (2 and 5) and they had the time of their lives! The negative, we bowled one game, paid for dinner for three people (my two year old loves salad and filled up on the free salad) and I'm out $130.00 bucks. Not to mention a $25.00 gift for my SIL on top of that. Why does everything have to cost so much! Gah!

All in all it was a fun night and I have leftovers for dinner tomorrow!

[ALenore]

Tonight for Valentines Day I'm making rib eye steaks, baked potatoes and creamed spinach.   For dessert I'm making Gooey Chocolate Cakes http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/gooey-chocolate-cakes.  (I looked at two very similar recipes for molten chocolate cake, decided on this one).  We'll be drinking wine with dinner, cognac with dessert.   

[stillshimpy]

I made these for my husband for Valentine's day :-)  

 

Alfajores.  There are several recipes out there and used the more traditional one with the cornstarch in the cookie.  It made for a really light, crumbly cookie, but it does give a weird mouth feel afterward, I think.  However, my husband LOVED them so, go team! 

 

As for dinner we're just going out super early to get Mexican (vegetable fajitas) and then we'll probably do something super romantic like lounge around in sweats with the dogs.  

Edited February 14, 2015 by stillshimpy

[Quof]

We're getting a blizzard, and a long weekend, so I'm cooking a turkey tomorrow if my power doesn't go off.  I even picked up white bread for the turkey sandwiches.  Hot turkey sandwiches must be on white bread.  Think I'll also make a batch of Barefoot Contessa meatballs for the freezer.  And maybe some pretzel bread.

[mlp]

 

I even picked up white bread for the turkey sandwiches.  Hot turkey sandwiches must be on white bread.

 

I'll second that.  The only time I ever buy white bread is at Thanksgiving because turkey sandwiches just aren't right on anything else.  I like them on other breads if I'm at a deli but if I make them at home, the bread must be white.

[harrie]

I'm following along many trends here - tonight the hub is making tenderloin steaks with melty bleu cheese, garlic mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts.  Writing that out now, it looks like an anti-Valentine's meal, what with the stinky cheese, garlic and possible side effects of cruciferous veggies.  Oh well. Cheated and bought delicious desserts - mini opera cakes and mini fruit tarts - from a wonderful bakery. 

 

Tomorrow I'm roasting a turkey with sides of butternut squash and stuffing.  I'm not big on white bread, so my sandwiches will probably be on multi-grain; and our go to turkey leftover thing is turkey enchiladas.   It looks like we'll have plenty for all options.  

 

Mountainair, I'm with you on that whine.  Even if in the food world Valentine's Day is like the Holy Grail, which I get, you'd think with a party of 14, they'd want a reservation - that way, they know when a large party is coming in and can prepare for it.  I wonder if the restaurant feels like it will get better turnover with tables for two and so discourages large parties, especially on a couple-centric occasion -- which I do not think is right, but would not be surprised to find out is the case with some places.  Glad you had fun night out, though.

Edited February 14, 2015 by harrie

[KnoxForPres]

I'm following along many trends here - tonight the hub is making tenderloin steaks with melty bleu cheese, garlic mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. Writing that out now, it looks like an anti-Valentine's meal, what with the stinky cheese, garlic and possible side effects of cruciferous veggies. Oh well. Cheated and bought delicious desserts - mini opera cakes and mini fruit tarts - from a wonderful bakery.

Before I read you say anti V day I was thinking "ooh la la, ole Harrie married someone who makes best meals ever!" Heck no, it's perfect for Valentines and sounds so, so good! Enjoy!

I am a strict recipe follower, but I admit, one night after a bit too much vino, I created a great shrimp recipe. Got a text this AM that Earthfare had their King crab legs on sale so trekked out on autopilot. So my shrimp, crab legs, baguette (for dipping in sauce from shrimp, yum) and Caesar salad.

Ok, dated a guy forever who loves ceasar salad. But not the make your own dressing kind, he's a simple man. After extensive research, believe it or not Wal Marts Great Value Ceaser is the best when you want that "no frills, this is not fancy" taste. I don't shop there, but have him pick it up. (Yes, doing V day with ex, cut me some slack, Jack :)

Edited February 14, 2015 by KnoxForPres

[annzeepark914]

Well, I decided to be daring so I just made a special dessert for Mr. P914: Chocolate Custard Creams.  It's a recipe that appeared in the Washington Post last week from Patrick O'Connell (who owns the Inn at Little Washington).  Just hope I can get them out of the little ramekins. Baking/making desserts is not my favorite thing to do (you have to be so precise & I enjoy tossing a little of this & a little of that into whatever I'm cooking!)  I'm also making the Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Chicken (where you put the dressed greens on top on each cooked chicken breast) but taking a shortcut with boxed pilaf.  I bought pale pink tulips & a bottle of Asti Spumante (cause I know what I like ;>)  We're going out for Valentine's dinner next week when it won't be crowded & noisy. 

[DeLurker]

I bought pale pink tulips & a bottle of Asti Spumante (cause I know what I like ;>)  We're going out for Valentine's dinner next week when it won't be crowded & noisy.

If you like Asti don't let anyone make you feel lesser about it (said the woman who, when she drank, preferred Amstel Light (in the bottle please) over most other things). Enjoy it and relish the fact that a lot of folks will be sipping fancy and pricey champagne not because they appreciate the wine, but because they buy into the hype. Not everyone of course.

[harrie]

Before I read you say anti V day I was thinking "ooh la la, ole Harrie married someone who makes best meals ever!" Heck no, it's perfect for Valentines and sounds so, so good! Enjoy!

 

 

KnoxForPres, I definitely hit the jackpot.  The hub loves to cook, is great at it, and is an overall nice guy besides. He is verrrry much appreciated!  And as long as we're both having the bleu cheese, garlic, etc. it will all work out fine.  Your seafood feast sounds wonderful.

 

annzeeparker914, I've heard people in the restaurant biz call Valentine's Day "Amateur Night" -- when everyone feels the need to date up and go out, causing all kinds of dining havoc.  Very smart to wait a week.

 

Hope we all enjoy our meals -- everything everyone's posted sounds delicious and fun!   

[Betweenyouandme]

I'm alone and pregnant. I made roasted chicken and carrots and potatoes in the oven. But, I got a craving for summer rolls, so I called food in from a Thai restaurant. I had edamame, cream cheese ragoons, and tofu summer rolls with peanut sauce. So, tomorrow, I'll eat the leftovers plus the chicken dish for lunch and dinner.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Betweenyouandme