What Did We Eat Today?

[ALenore]

Harrie, sorry to hear you're losing your job too.  Thanks everyone for the notes of sympathy.  

 

The gnocchi dish I made yesterday came out pretty good, but the gnocchi itself was a little soggy.  In the comments on the recipe, someone suggested using vacuum packed gnocchi instead of frozen, and I think I'm going to try that next time.   It is more expensive, so I'll have to see if it's worth it.   I will make green beans again the way I did last night.  I heated up a skillet very hot, put in some olive oil, and sauteed the frozen green beans until they were blistered.   Then I took them out, turned down the heat, and sauteed sliced garlic until it was browned, then put that on the beans.  Came out tasting really good.

 

Tonight I'm grilling chiken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) and having creamed spinach and parmesan noodles on the side. 

[Betweenyouandme]

ALenore, do you put garlic in the creamed spinach you make?

[DeLurker]

Tonight I'm grilling chiken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) and having creamed spinach and parmesan noodles on the side. 

I get the appeal and convenience of boneless, skinless chicken breasts but I can't imagine eating a thigh that way.

 

Creamed spinach is a mystery to me - I have had it at a few places where it was truly glorious (Ruth Chris leads the pack in this), but more often it has just been unpleasant.

 

And I envy the people who know before 4 PM what they are going to have for dinner.  I've never been able to master planning that far ahead.  I've tried, but more frequently than not what sounded like a good idea at 9 AM sounds much less appealing when it is actually time for me to start making it.

[harrie]

Thank you all for the thoughts and hugs; and ALenore, I am sorry you are in the same boat.  I like your plan, though.  I've worked continuously since I turned 16, and I'm considerably older than that now, so I'm kind of looking forward to having some time off -- hopefully temporarily! -- during the summer.  I'll still be job hunting, but I hope to be able to do the garden justice and spend more time with the dog in particular. 

 

Last night we had a frittata from a recipe by Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman" from the Food Network.  Normally i stay away from Food Network personalities/recipes - just a thing of mine, no judgment implied or intended -- but this came out very nicely.  Subbed mushrooms for olives and spinach for kale with no issue. 

 

Tonight will be grilled salmon with a creamy mustard sauce, roasted beets and Jerusalem artichokes on the side.  I haven't used Jerusalem artichokes before, so if anyone has a tasty recipe or great way to use them, please bring it on.  

 

 

And I envy the people who know before 4 PM what they are going to have for dinner.  I've never been able to master planning that far ahead.  I've tried, but more frequently than not what sounded like a good idea at 9 AM sounds much less appealing when it is actually time for me to start making it.

 

We plan the menu a week in advance, Saturday to Friday.  We've both had jobs where we get home about 6pm or later; so if we got home, then defrosted something, we'd eat around 10pm.  Plus there would definitely be a few rounds of "I don't know, what do you want to eat?"  So for us, planning is mostly a matter of practicality and in a way, survival.  To each his own, as they say.   I know what you mean about a planned meal losing its appeal, though; and because of that, our local pizza place knows us pretty well.

[ALenore]

I've never tried putting garlic in creamed spinach, but it actualy sounds like a good idea.  I think I'l try it.

 

I always plan my meals out a week ahead of time, it makes everything much easier for me.   First I check the internet to see what's on sale at the supermarket I go to, then I plan meals (at least partly) based on what's on sale.   I get ideas for meals based on recipes in cookbooks, magazines and the internet.   I actually really enjoy paging through the recipe descriptions and pictures, figuring out what looks good.  I usualy plan a mix of old favorites and new recipes.  I do generally figure out what I'm going to eat each day (I wouldn't really want to eat chicken 3 days in a row),  it isn't written in stone (unless I'm using the leftovers from one meal to make another meal).  If the weather changes unexpectedly, or something comes up, I'll switch around the meals.  

[ALenore]

I like your plan, though.  I've worked continuously since I turned 16, and I'm considerably older than that now, so I'm kind of looking forward to having some time off -- hopefully temporarily! --

 

I'm considreably older than 16 too, and I'm looking forward to have some time off this summer.   I don't think I have had a summer off in over 20 years . 

Edited May 7, 2015 by ALenore

[ALenore]

I made the chicken thighs, and they came out really good.  You pound them until they're 3/4 inch thick, sprinkle with salt pepper and paprika, then sauté  skin side down in a cast iron skillet for 8 minutes, then put in a 500 degree oven for 7 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes.  They were juicy and the skin was nice and brown and crispy.   I added garlic and chopped onion to the cream spinach, then put in an an gratin dish, topped with sliced tomatoes and a little parmesan cheese, and baked for 30 minutes.   The noodles didn't come out so good.  I bought Noodle Roni Parmesan since it was on sale.  I used to make fairly frequently, but haven't had for years.   I guess my tastes have changed, since they were way too salty.  Next time I'll just have plain noodles with butter. 

[Betweenyouandme]

Lettuce salad with a scoop of chicken salad, tomatoes, avocado, nuts

Strawberry cupcake

[harrie]

Take out tonight - fried chicken from a local BB! place, sides of baked beans and sweet potato & apple mixture.  Worked late in the garden, hence the takeout.

[Betweenyouandme]

Ok, ok, I lied!! I ate two strawberry cupcakes.

[Bastet]

It's all good; one was for the fetus.

 

I have little bits each of leftover chicken, sausage, and roasted veggies.  I'm planning to put them in a 3-cup fondue bowl with some pasta and shredded cheese, bake it, and pronounce it a personal casserole.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Bastet

[Betweenyouandme]

Take out tonight - fried chicken from a local BB! place, sides of baked beans and sweet potato & apple mixture. Worked late in the garden, hence the takeout.

I want a garden...I don't know how well that would work for me but maybe if I get into a house next year, I can try.

[harrie]

I want a garden...I don't know how well that would work for me but maybe if I get into a house next year, I can try.

 

I live in a condo, so no yard; but we have a couple of plots in the local community garden. At $10 a year, the rent is quite the deal.   Before we started up there, we put pots on the patio and front porch at home.  I know you have a lot on your plate right now, BYAM, but if you ever had a strong yen to garden, you could start out with something small - lettuce, a patio tomato plant or whatever -- to see if you really like it without having made a big commitment or investment.  Or not, just a thought.  

 

Tonight the hub is grilling country ribs, with oven fries but grilled -- roast potato wedges, I guess -- and grilled Vidalia onions with a vinaigrette.

[BooksRule]

I'm having ribs too, but slow BBQd in the oven.  I buy the ones that are either boneless or have one bone in the middle (country ribs?).  I love to plan ahead and bake them for several hours in a slow oven with some BBQ sauce--I just turn them halfway through cooking time.  I just came in from mowing the front yard and I'm pooped, but the house smells wonderful.   I got a new gas push mower--it's self-propelled, but it was still some effort because I haven't mowed once this spring! I even had to leave part of the side yard unmowed because it was so high that I knew the mower would stall out.  Since it's mainly weeds, I'm going to do some weeding there tomorrow and that should thin it out enough for the mower.  The rest of the yard looks good, but I still have some 'dethatching' to do.  I've got some patches that are spongy with dead grass underneath.  As soon as I get that stuff out, the nice green grass should grow.  I'm sure the neighbors were watching me from behind their curtains and applauding (I let the yard get way too overgrown). 

 

I thought about fixing a green salad to go with the ribs, but I might just go total carnivore and munch on meat tonight.  I'm craving it.  I stopped by a Fresh Market during a day trip out of town yesterday and picked up several bad-for-me treats.  I got a raspberry peach pound (loaf) cake and one I'd never tried before-- strawberry coconut pound cake.  Pretty good.  I'll have another slice or two along with my ribs and then freeze the rest of the loaves for another time.  I also splurged and got some of their raspberry pillow cookies (soft sugar cookies with a raspberry filling).  Delish.  Boy, I'm definitely going all meat and sugar tonight!  I'm going to have a food hangover tomorrow (but I'm back to oatmeal and other healthy foods by then).

Edited May 9, 2015 by BooksRule

[Betweenyouandme]

I live in a condo, so no yard; but we have a couple of plots in the local community garden. At $10 a year, the rent is quite the deal. Before we started up there, we put pots on the patio and front porch at home. I know you have a lot on your plate right now, BYAM, but if you ever had a strong yen to garden, you could start out with something small - lettuce, a patio tomato plant or whatever -- to see if you really like it without having made a big commitment or investment. Or not, just a thought.

Tonight the hub is grilling country ribs, with oven fries but grilled -- roast potato wedges, I guess -- and grilled Vidalia onions with a vinaigrette.

That's really cool. I don't think we have a community garden and no patio/balcony right now. My dad has the largest balcony I've ever seen, but when I lived there, I tried a few potted plants- the high winds killed them all. My mom has a small garden area in her yard, so if I can ever get that, maybe she can give some tips. I guess it will be another year and a half or so. I'm not really sure where I'll be.

Tonight is bbq chicken with mushroom and chives. Broccoli. Fried squash.

[Betweenyouandme]

I haven't, but that does sound neat. I have a good spot or two for that sort of thing.

[BooksRule]

I ate way too much on Friday and Saturday, so tonight is baked chicken (sprinkled with Cajun seasoning), broccoli/cauliflower medley and green salad.

[Vixenstud]

Tonight is spaghetti made with diced maple bacon, onions and green peppers and a tomato paste sauce.

 

 

[Bastet]

A neighbor got in an early crop of several varieties of squash and shared the bounty, so even though it's too early in the year for corn, I made this recipe using frozen corn.  This was a side dish for Mother's Day dinner, and my parents and I all really liked it.  I will definitely make it again this summer when my own crops are in, because I usually wind up swimming in squash at some point.

 

Other minor changes:  I used 4 cups total of the various types of squash I had rather than using just the two specified in the recipe, fresh chiles - jalapeño and Anaheim - instead of canned, and regular Monterey Jack cheese instead of reduced fat (I love low-fat milk, but I cannot handle low-fat cheese).

 

Tonight's dinner will be a quesadilla using the little bit of meat left from last night's rib-eye steaks.

[ALenore]

It's suddenly summer here in Connecticut (we seem to have bypassed spring) so I started making summer dishes.  Yesterday I made Tuna Nicoise with grilled tuna steaks.   Tonight I'm making grilled pork tenderloin sandwiches that are sort of like Banh Mi (made o a baguette, topped with a   mixture of lightly pickled cabbage and shredded carrot).   

[mansonlamps]

Tonight is spaghetti made with diced maple bacon, onions and green peppers and a tomato paste sauce.

Though mine never has bacon or green peppers, it's rare to find a spaghetti sauce chef that uses tomato paste like me! Second generation Sicilian carrying out Grandma's tradition. Ok maybe without the massive bowl of sausage, meatballs, pork neckbones and beef she used, but still.

[ramble]

I completely & totally hated the idea of fixing dinner tonight so I ate some cheese & had a soda. I fixed the kids gluten free mac & cheese, bacon & raspberries. What a hodgepodge of oddness that looked like on a plate, but they liked it & I got a soda! (I'm trying to give them up... again.)

[Lovecat]

I stopped at the store on the way home from the gym. Some nice bread, (toasted), tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, with a drizzle of flavored olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Nom.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Lovecat

[ALenore]

Last night I made a chicken stir fry with red bell peppers, rice on the side.  Tonight I'm making penne with ricotta and greens.   Thankfully, the weather has cooled down considerably today (about 20 degree) so I'm enjoying cooking more.  

[miles2go]

Tonight:  fish tacos.  I've never tried them before, so this will be an adventure.

[DeLurker]

I so want some of that dessert!

 

ETA:

 

Broiled halibut in ponzu sauce

Steamed rice

fruit and veggies (fresh)

Corn on the cob

Edited May 13, 2015 by DeLurker

[harrie]

Chipotle chicken things with rice tonight.  Basically arroz con pollo but spicier. 

[EllieH]

Last night was thai food -- pad see ew, spring rolls, dumplings.  Tonight was going to be leftover pad see ew, but then I realized the avocados in my fruit bowl needed to be eaten today or never, so avocados on toast it was!  The rest of the thai food can be lunch tomorrow.

[DeLurker]

Made pseudo-lo mein earlier.

Pseudo because I used ramen noodles as I am easing my son into new foods and best if you start with ingredients he is already familiar with and transition one step at a time.

So pork, napa cabbage, carrots, celery & green onions plus my noodles.

Glad I started early because I used multiple chopping boards, knives, big pot, wok, mixing bowls, prep bowls...and managed to get them all cleaned up before eating.

[mansonlamps]

Chipotle chicken things with rice tonight.  Basically arroz con pollo but spicier.

I hesitate to ask but what are chicken things?

[harrie]

I hesitate to ask but what are chicken things?

 

Oh, you know, things...beaks, combs, feet.  ;)   It's thighs, and I may or may not be the latest victim of autocorrect. Or maybe my chicken thing, er thigh, aversion made a subconscious appearance.  

 

Tonight was spinach and swiss omelettes. 

[ramble]

I made a big pot of chicken enchilada soup last night for tonight's supper. Chicken, beans, corn, salsa, etc. Look at me being all prepared in advance! Pride comes before the fall... Today I was putting my secret Coke Zero in the back of the fridge behind the OJ where it would be sweetly waiting for me later in the day when I knocked the container of soup out on the floor & spilled the entire thing. Soupy mess everywhere, including splashing up into the fridge & halfway under it. It took close to 30 minutes to clean it all up. I asked my kids to help hold me accountable in my quest to give up soda (again) & I suppose it was some sort of justice for my sneaky sneaking. Yuck. After cleaning I downed the soda & said no to cooking anything else. Dinner tonight? Emergency frozen dinner stash to the rescue!

Edited May 15, 2015 by ramble

[mansonlamps]

Oh, you know, things...beaks, combs, feet.  ;)   It's thighs, and I may or may not be the latest victim of autocorrect. Or maybe my chicken thing, er thigh, aversion made a subconscious appearance.  

 

Tonight was spinach and swiss omelettes.

Glad I asked because the typo made me think you meant chicken wings which didn't sound to good to me in the described dish. Thighs sounds much better.

[Vixenstud]

 

Though mine never has bacon or green peppers, it's rare to find a spaghetti sauce chef that uses tomato paste like me!

 

(Bows)...Yeah, we love tomato paste at our house, the more the betta.

[ALenore]

when I knocked the container of soup out on the floor & spilled the entire thing. Soupy mess everywhere, including splashing up into the fridge & halfway under it.

 

I had a spill like that too, I really hate it.  And then sometimes I miss a spot and later find disgusting a disgusting sticky patch underneath a jar in the back of the shelf.

 

I made grilled tandoori chicken last night.  I've made it before, but this was  slightly different recipe, a bit more complicated but very good.  On the side I made a curried broccoli dish I'd never made before, it was pretty good.  I made a yogurt raita with walnuts and had plain couscous.   Plenty of nice leftovers for lunch today.   

Edited May 18, 2015 by ALenore

[miles2go]

Planning on Spanish chicken and rice tonight.

Last night, I improvised a bit:  ground chicken, mixed with chopped onions, ranch dressing seasoning mix, and some bread crumbs, formed into patties and fried.

[ALenore]

Last night we went to the movies (The Avengers) and went to a Chinese restaurant.  As we walked back home, a thunderstorm started and we had to duck into the hospital (where I just got laid off) to take shelter.  We had no problems, I didn't see anyone I knew since it was 9:30 pm.   The storm only lasted about 15 minutes and we left and walked the rest of the way home.

 

Tonight I made grilled pork tenderloins slices with Swiss Chard.   I chose the recipe since I bought Swiss Chard at the farmer's market this weekend (one of the few vegetables for sale this early) and I wanted to eat it before it went bad.   I always try to use up the produce I buy before it goes bad, but I'm not always successful.  

[Bastet]

I love Swiss Chard.  I don't grow it because a neighbor grows a ton of it and shares, but if not for him I'd definitely save some space for it.  I use it in Deborah Madison's "Bright Lights Chard Gratin" recipe when I want a treat.

[annzeepark914]

@ramble:  I gave up my beloved Zero Cokes when I was told, back in March, that I had some bad acid reflux.  It was tough finding substitutes too.  However, the silver lining is that I've lost 10 lbs in the process because I'm no longer constantly snacking (peanuts, pretzels, water crackers w/ reduced fat cheddar cheese slices) all day and night as I guzzled my cokes.  That's the evil thing about these diet sodas...they make you want to eat something along with the soda.

 

Tonight I made Ina Garten's Herb Roasted Fish but this time used a different method.  Instead of wrapping each fillet of tilapia in parchment paper along with the olives, sprigs of thyme, olive oil and lemon juice, I placed the parchment paper on a rimmed cookie sheet, put the fillets on it, drizzled with the oil, tossed on the thyme sprigs and olives and then sealed with foil across the top (w/o the foil touching the fillets).  Roasted for 20 minutes and they were delicious...and a lot easier to prep.  I also roasted a bag full of those tiny potatoes (the ones that are slightly larger than marbles).  With a tossed salad, supper was easy to prepare and really delicious.

[Betweenyouandme]

Trying to slow down on weight gain. Ate stir fried vegetables and later some almonds. I'm. So. Hungry. :(

Edited May 21, 2015 by Betweenyouandme

[DeLurker]

Trying to slow down on weight gain. Ate stir fried vegetables and later some almonds. I'm. So. Hungry. :(

I second forumfish's sentiment of "feed that boy!"

 

Think about what your body is doing - it is making another person - nerves, brain, muscles, organs...that is going to take a lot to do right!  And I may be wrong about this, but I think the pregnant body is geared to nourish the baby as a priority so it will continue to direct as much good stuff to the baby and under-nourish the mother's body (I may be wrong about this).

 

If you were underweight to begin with, your body is going to dictate that you get to what biology thinks is a healthy weight.  I was underweight when I was pregnant with my son - I put on 60+ pounds during my pregnancy.  One month I gained 10 lbs - my OB told me at that point that 10 lbs would normally be a concerning number but given my weight when I started, he was overly concerned - BUT, if it would not be healthy to continue to gain at that rate.

[Betweenyouandme]

Yes, that's what my doctor said, too. I'm two pounds less today, so I do think I was bloated some. Just trying to still cut out extra sugar and foods without any vitamins, etc. I'm going to keep an eye on this. Don't want to go too far in either direction weight-wise.

[ALenore]

I made chicken broth today since the weather has cooled and I didn't have to worry about heating up the kitchen.  I usually keep a good supply in the freezer, but I haven't made any lately, so it feels good now to have nearly 2 quarts socked away.   

 

For dinner I'm making sausage and pepper grinders, plus carrot sticks on the side.  

[mansonlamps]

I had a Chipotle salad bowl with carnitas and fajita veggies. I picked exactly the right combo of ingredients, it was delicious.

[blixie]

I made kimchi fried rice (sans fried egg), Trinidadian pineapple chow, and petite syrah. I don't think I hit the right balance of salty/sweet/hot/sour in chow, but it was still freaking tasty.

[miles2go]

Left over Kentucky Fried for me.  Maybe I'll do some actual cooking tomorrow.

[Betweenyouandme]

Half can of Lima beans, half a baked potato. A little salt and pepper. A prune. A couple of strawberries.

[miles2go]

Strawberries for me, too.  I was going to hold out a couple of weeks for the local berries in the farmer's market, but strawberry fever took hold and I ended up buying some in a box store.  God only knows where they came from.

[DeLurker]

Our stores have strawberries almost year round, but there are several months where I don't bother buying them because the taste is just blah.

 

For the last 2 - 3 weeks, the strawberries have been very good (which is earlier than normal since they tend to be best in summer).  My nephew and I may have inadvertently eaten a whole container we were supposed to be cleaning for a fruit plate.  Vicious lies spread by our enemies....

 

Going the easy route tonight with sloppy joes.  Should have family getting in late so I figure that will be easy enough to heat up if they are a bit hungry.

[Bastet]

California weather allows us to start growing (and harvesting) strawberries early in the year.  And it was warmer earlier this year, so harvest was about a month ahead of schedule.  (April thru June is usually when they're at their best, but they're available into fall.)