What Did We Eat Today?

[harrie]

I've got a lot of blueberries from the store and Farmer's Market recently, so I made blueberry muffins from Alton Brown's recipe.  I used it because it was the easiest, and I had all the ingredients on hand.    They were great.  After eating the first couple hot from the oven, I've been splitting and toasting the others in my toaster oven, then buttering them.   Have to force myself to have only one a day.  

 

I made moo shu pork for dinner last night, and decided to add a little hot chili oil.  I liked it fine, but it was too hot for my husband.  Next time I'll just add it on the side. 

 

Oh, toasted blueberry muffins are so good! 

 

Tonight is deconstructed stuffed cabbage made with meatless crumbles.  Stinks up the house, but very tasty.  

Edited July 24, 2015 by harrie

[DeLurker]

It's pizza night but it's near 100° so ain't no way I am turning on the oven. I picked up pita pockets (not authentic, but good for sandwiches), mini pepperoni, pizza sauce and cheese. I'll stuff everything in the pitas and toast 'em in the grill skillet. I considered using the George Forman grill but I just know all the filling would come squishing out once I close the lid.

 

I hate summer in Texas.

In Texas too and I've been opting for things that are quick and easy if they require cooking or sandwiches.  Haven't been using the grill because the skeeters have been too vicious.

 

Tonight is deconstructed stuffed cabbage made with meatless crumbles.  Stinks up the house, but very tasty.  

Not a fan of stuffed cabbage myself, but my father would be in heaven to sit at the table with you!

[ethalfrida]

I am going to make chicken soup using the suggestions you all posted. Then rub down some baby backs and grill some turkey burgers. That should hold me a couple days...

[Quof]

Since I have an abundance of strawberries, I made a strawberry salsa.  And chocolate tortilla chips.

 

What do you mean I should have a protein and some vegetables?

[DeLurker]

How do you make strawberry salsa?

 

I did a quick search and most have onions which are veggies.  Do herbs count as veggie?  They are green and leafy, so I think they count.

 

And chocolate has protein - maybe a very small small amount, so you might have to eat a lot of the chocolate covered tortilla chips to meet the recommended daily allowance.

 

Sounds like you have your fruits, veggies, and protein covered to me.

[Quof]

I knew I had found my people.

[ikmccall]

Veggie lasagna and cream of crab soup. Soup is delicious but a little thin.

[Quof]

I just tried some peanut butter on my chocolate tortilla chips (did I mention they're homemade?); delish, so I've got the protein covered.

[ethalfrida]

I just tried some peanut butter on my chocolate tortilla chips (did I mention they're homemade?); delish, so I've got the protein covered.

Recipe please for chips. Please...

[Quof]

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/chocolate-tortilla-chips-homemade.html

[ALenore]

I'm making Cobb salad tonight for dinner, I've got an avocado I want to use up before it goes bad, and some blue cheese leftover from a meal last week.  I really enjoy making Cobb salad, I try to have it a few times each summer.   

[Mountainair]

I love salads! Your Cobb salad sounds yummy! I made a big salad for lunch today with leftover steak from our dinner last night.

Tonight I made beef stroganoff in the crockpot with steamed veggies as a side, I love using my crockpot in the summer-doesn't heat the house up!

[harrie]

As opposed to having an abundance of strawberries, which sounds delicious and fun, I have an abundance of broccoli (which I like, but it's just not as sexy as strawberries).  So I made a pot of cream of broccoli soup, which will go right into the freezer - once it's cooled - for fall/winter consumption.   

 

Tonight's dinner is grilled sea bass with native corn and our own green beans on the side. 

[PRgal]

Tried a modified version of the chicken braised in milk and lemon recipe tonight using breast only and halving the ingredients because there were only two of us.  Didn't turn out THAT great (and not super pretty/Instagram-worthy).  Next time, I'm going to actually get a half chicken rather than get breast meat.  Might stick with the recipe and use green lentils only rather than a mix of red and green.

[blixie]

Skirt steak marinated in lemon grass, ginger, and red curry, 2 potato gruyere gratin, fresh green beans and zucchini from the garden sauteed with bacon.

[mansonlamps]

Shrimp and steak fajitas with red and yellow onions and red and green peppers. Very colorful and very delicious.

[Qoass]

I made chana masala yesterday to eat for lunch all week.  It came out better than I'd hoped so I just have to concentrate on not spilling it on myself:  I've lost countless shirts to tumeric stains.

 

My tip:  I cooked it in my Crockpot which I placed outside on the patio all day.  I kept it under the eaves in case of rain but that way, no heat in my kitchen and best of all, no lingering cooking odors in my house.

 

(Anybody else here from the BH 90210 thread-- here's your chance for a Delicious Cumin joke!)

[DeLurker]

My Mom's house has an attached garage.  She keeps a crock pot and an old rotiserrie/toaster oven out there and that is where a lot of her cooking happens, especially in the Florida summer.  She is in and out of the garage all day - she uses that route to get to her clothes line and she keeps her gardening stuff in there (and she does some gardening/yard work daily) - so she can easily check on things.  Otherwise she uses one of the timers in the kitchen to remind her to go check on what she has cooking.

[harrie]

We're embarking on a heat wave - even if it's only mid-80s today with 60+% humidity, the next few days are supposed to be miserable - so of course I am preparing brisket with onion gravy, roasted potatoes, and something for vegetable today.  At least the brisket is in the slow cooker, so the temperature in the house is tolerable. 

[ALenore]

I made a big pot of minestrone today with all sorts of vegetables: tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper and kale.  I made pesto to dollop on top of the soup.  The recipe makes 8 servings, so I froze half for later meals.   

[ALenore]

Last night  I made mozzarella and tomato paninis with an watermelon/fig salad on the side.  I've never eaten a combination of fig and watermelon, but I liked it a lot.  The salad had also had goat cheese, sliced red onion, mint and basil.   

 

Tonight I was going to grill skewers of shrimp tandoori, but it was so hot (93 degrees) that I cooked shrimp in a skillet inside instead.    I also made couscous, green beans with mustard seed, and had mangoes on the side.   The combination of all the various flavors was very tasty.   

[ethalfrida]

What is the recipe for green beans and mustard seeds? I have black ones.

[harrie]

Thanks to annzeeparker914, we had Ina Garten's recipe for Fattoush last night. It's silly because we've had hotter years, and I think this is our first legitimate heat wave, but man it's hitting us hard.  So the cold  - or room temp - salad was perfect.   Tonight is take-out sushi because of the heat, and I'm lazy.  Tomorrow looks like it will be a Tomato Basil Tart because our tomatoes are finally coloring up.  Yay! 

[Bastet]

I hear you on the first tomatoes being ready.  I worked out of my home office today, and for lunch made my first BLT of the year.  I don’t know how something so simple can taste so good, but I eat a lot of BLTs during tomato season.  (Which, yes, means I consume more bacon than is wise, but the nitrites are natural rather than synthetic so -- saturated fat, whatever.)

[ALenore]

Here's the recipe for the green beans with mustard seed.  I make it frequently when I'm cooking an Indian main dish

 

Gujarati-style green bean - Madhur Jaffrey

Recipe By     : Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking
Serving Size  : 4    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Vegetables                       Want To Try
                 Madhur Jaffrey

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1      pound         fresh green beans
    4      tablespoons   vegetable oil
    1      tablespoon    whole black mustard seeds
    4      cloves        garlic -- peeled and minced
      1/2  -1            hot, dried red chili
                         coarsely crushed in mortar
    1      teaspoon      salt
      1/2  teaspoon      sugar
                         freshly ground black pepper

Trim the beans and cut them into 1-inch lengths.
Blanch the beans by dropping them into a pot of boiling water and boiling
rapidly for 3-4 minutes or until they are just tender.
Drain immediately in a colander and rinse under cold, running water.
Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the mustard seeds.
As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the garlic.
Stir the garlic pieces around until they turn light brown.
Put in the crushed red chili and stir for a few seconds.
Put in the green beans, salt, and sugar.
Stir to mix.
Turn the heat to medium-low.
Stir and cook the beans for 7-8 minutes or until they have absorbed the
flavor of the spices.
Add the black pepper, mix, and serve.

Notes: Can prepare the GB’s ahead, then finish 15 min before serving.

[ethalfrida]

These sound delicious and I have copied and pasted the recipe into my files. Thank you so much.

[annzeepark914]

What a nasty summer ;>(  I decided to get smart and let Whole Foods make our dinner.  I bought some baking potatoes (that I later nuked); and WF's cucumber, red onion & red bell pepper salad (yum) from their buffet; a ripe avocado, and a Peruvian rotisserie chicken.  Voila!  Fast dinner, no heat in the kitchen. Oh... and a cute little gluten free chocolate cake with divine filling/frosting (like a light chocolate mousse/buttercream) just in case I get put on a gluten free diet one of these days.  I then went out for a walk and just about croaked from the oppressive humidity (72%)...the air was so heavy.  Came home, took a refreshing shower and had another sliver of cake as my reward for braving the elements.  Counting the days 'til September!

[DeLurker]

I switched to slider buns instead of hamburger buns some time ago - they were just a better size for my daughter and I.  But they come in packs of 12 and don't store/freeze well IMO.

 

So Tuesday night was sloppy joe's, Wednesday was fend-for-yourself night and last night was hamburgers.  Between 2 meals using buns and lunch leftovers, no buns go to waste.

 

I did try adding a bit of Better than Bouillion to the ground beef along with a touch of dijon mustard and spices.  It added a nice flavor.

[BooksRule]

Went by the grocery store on my home and am just about wiped out!  It is ridiculously hot outside--mid 90s and humid.  I was dripping with sweat when I came inside.  At least my house has good air conditioning.  I'm slowly cooling off, but dinner tonight will be a nice green salad (half of what I fixed for last night--nice and cold from the fridge), topped with warm grilled chicken (already cooked--just needs to be nuked in the microwave) a little cheddar cheese and sprinkled with a few Craisins.  Not sure what type of dressing yet.  Dessert will probably be a slice of cold watermelon.  Tasty and no heating of the kitchen.  I also plan to fix a huge, giant glass of iced tea as soon as I finish drinking the huge, giant glass of tea that I have in front of me.

[blixie]

Pan roasted some Yukon gold potatoes with garlic, green beans with bacon and shallots, and some white bass that was WAY too fishy and I basically imitated that five year old child in the spinach commercial and spit it out and tossed it. So then I augmented with left over chicken potstickers. 

[KnoxForPres]

I'm suffering too in the the heat...but bc I had so many ingredients I made a potato soup this week...that was divine!

It is The Settlers Inn Cream of Potato and bacon soup. Oh it was good. It was just a lucky Google search result of "potato soup recipes". Can't imagine how much better it will be when it is, ya know, soup weather, lol.

I also made a baked spaghetti that sounded oh so promising. Noodles, mozz, ricotta, parm, Italian sausage, red sauce etc. And I found it bland. Turns out mock lasagna just ain't the real thing. We live and learn.

It's been a while since I've been here and remembered what a great group of people you all are. You inspire me and I've made several things mentioned here. Left to my own, my default is Pinot Grigio with Ritz and PB or cheese...I need you all! Hope everyone is healthy and happy, I really do.

[DeLurker]

It's been a while since I've been here and remembered what a great group of people you all are. You inspire me and I've made several things mentioned here. Left to my own, my default is Pinot Grigio with Ritz and PB or cheese...I need you all! Hope everyone is healthy and happy, I really do.

Always wondered what the proper pairing for pb would be.  Thanks!

[KnoxForPres]

Always wondered what the proper pairing for pb would be. Thanks!

As we know its real pair is chocolate. Nothing better.

If you're feeling fancy, you can even do Ritz with peanut butter (creamy works best) as a sandwich. The smear on one is my normal approach, but the sandwich approach brings thoughts of a Tagalong, Do-si-do maybe? So much nuance :)

Eta: it took two times to make my iPhone make its not it's. Wth.

Edited August 1, 2015 by KnoxForPres

[ALenore]

Last night I made fettuccine with sausage, tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers (something like sausage and pepper heroes, but on pasta instead of bread).   It was a combination of a few different recipes based on what I had in the refrigerator.   

 

Tonight I'm making grilled chicken thighs with an chile herb sauce, along with grilled sweet potatoes and corn on the cob fresh from the Farmer's Market.  

[Quof]

I made the round of a few produce markets this morning.   Lunch was a sandwich of fresh white bread, tomatoes and lettuce.    Perhaps the same for dinner. 

[annzeepark914]

Last night I made fettuccine with sausage, tomatoes, onions, and red bell peppers (something like sausage and pepper heroes, but on pasta instead of bread).   It was a combination of a few different recipes based on what I had in the refrigerator.   

 

Tonight I'm making grilled chicken thighs with an chile herb sauce, along with grilled sweet potatoes and corn on the cob fresh from the Farmer's Market.  

Yummo!  I'm getting inspired by both of these meals!  I was so uninspired tonight that we ordered Chinese and for the first time ever, we got someone else's order & they got ours ;>(   Eventually we got our order but my meal wasn't all that great.  So, tomorrow, onward and upward and my own cooking.  

[BooksRule]

Dinner will be tasty but nothing special (BBQ chicken and salad), but I had a good lunch.  I fixed a staple from my childhood that I hadn't made in years--lima beans.  I know many people don't like lima beans but these are really good.   I browned several slices of bacon and set aside (sliced smoked sausage is best, but bacon is what I had on hand).  After doing a 'quick boil' with a bag of dried large lima beans (boil for two minutes and set aside covered for an hour), I put them in a large pot with just enough water to cover and the bacon (chopped).  I let simmer on low for a couple of hours until tender.  I always liked these because the beans that stay whole get tender but still have a 'bite' to them and the beans that are in halves or pieces fall apart and create a creamy 'gravy' (I've learned not too add too much water.  If you do, you don't get the gravy--it stays soupy and not like a stew).  A little salt and pepper and yum!  It made enough for several more lunches and I'll definitely get lots of potassium (lima beans have lots). 

[MargeGunderson]

Steak, corn, and garlic bread all on the grill. I also made a tomato and corn pie for tomorrow. You guys inspire me to get in to the kitchen more often!

[harrie]

Tonight is (our own) chard with white beans and a chicken sausage with feta from a local-ish farmer.  

[ALenore]

Tonight I made panzanella (bread salad) but with corn bread instead of the usual Italian bread.   I made the cornbread yesterday and let it get stale, then cut it up into cubes, drizzled on some olive oil and baked it at 400 degrees until the cubes were nice and brown (it was supposed to take 10 minutes, but took closer to 20 minute). Meanwhile I cut up 2 pounds of assorted tomatoes I bought at the farmer's market yesterday, along with mozzarella cheese, balsamic vinegar, more olive oil, and basil.  When the cornbread cubes were done I mixed it all together and let it sit for about 10 minutes.  It tasted great, I really like the combination of cornbread and tomatoes. I definitely make this again.   

[blixie]

Ooh I haven't had panzanella all summer, I need to get on that. I had garlic pan roasted lamb chops, more bacon/shallot green beans with tomatoes, mashed potatoes, with watermelon and blackberries, and a Bordeaux rose for dessert.

[ethalfrida]

A slice of white bread, topped with peanut butter and whole black seedless grapes. Fritos on the side. Ding Dongs and coffee. Yum.  (What? I'll walk extra tomorrow.)

Used to be one of my favorite gourmet meals but only I'd have fried bologna on white bread... you had yourself some real fine eatin.

 

But today I had to use a Napa cabbage I'd bought for Kimchi. Kimchi didn't happen so not wanting to waste a costly organic cabbage I smothered it with salted pork belly, bell peppers, green onions, sesame seed oil and acv. Delicious! But it was so few calories I had to follow up with a slice of frozen pound cake I stashed two weeks ago. Still not enough calories had to follow that up with 1/2 side of watermelon sprinkled with chili and lemon. Now too stuffed for the popcorn.

Edited August 3, 2015 by ethalfrida

[mansonlamps]

Veering off topic for one second, Ethalfrida's post reminded me of something I thought was odd.  I'm shopping for a new refrigerator and apparently "kimchi drawers" are a thing.  A.  Is kimchi THAT popular? (I've never had it) and B.  Does it smell THAT bad that it needs it's own sealed drawers in your refrigerator?

[Mountainair]

We went camping over the weekend and cooked all our meals with the Dutch oven. I love using the Dutch oven for cooking, it's sort of like using the crockpot. We had great weather though! Low 80s during the day and at night it was in the high 50s, We got back yesterday mid morning but I still have a headache today and am feeling pretty blah (I think the campfire smoke and being 8 weeks pregnant didn't help). So tonight I'm going to make some French onion soup for me and chicken noodle/grilled cheese for the babes.

[ethalfrida]

Veering off topic for one second, Ethalfrida's post reminded me of something I thought was odd.  I'm shopping for a new refrigerator and apparently "kimchi drawers" are a thing.  A.  Is kimchi THAT popular? (I've never had it) and B.  Does it smell THAT bad that it needs it's own sealed drawers in your refrigerator?

 

LOL, masonlamps. Kimchi is the new black in nutrition. If you want to taste it then just eat at a Korean restaurant because it comes with every meal... along with several tasty little side dishes and black rice. One of my favorite cultural dining experiences. The dish I like best is Bibimbap where rice, vegetables and meat are served in a super hot bowl with a raw egg covering it all. The food is so hot it cooks the egg to over easy. (see photo).

 

Since Kimchi is often buried in the ground for years, having a special drawer is probably like buying a smoothie from the dairy section. Convenient but not necessary. Storing and refrigerating in mason jars is the common practice. 

 

The longer it sits the more intense it becomes and the smell can be powerful but that seems to only bother us newbies. I personally love it. It is supposed to be good with all sorts of nutrition benefits.

 

[blixie]

Spicy sweet potato soup, that has ginger and lots of Indian spices, from an old In Style recipe and let me tell you the day they stopped their including party recipes in the magazine, was the day I cried because every single one was gold, including this one. Also had skillet cornbread, and frozen breaded tilapia cooked with butter/lemon. 

[EllieH]

Chicken fried rice, pretty good but could have used a little more soy sauce

[blixie]

 

I didn't know InStyle had recipes

 

It's been years since they had them, sometime in the last five years they ditched them, but every month they'd have themed party section (Jan-New Years, July-Fourth of July, May Cinco de Mayo, baby and wedding showers), they also would cover Hollywood dinner parties and events and print the recipes of the caterers. It kills me that so much good food is in LA/Hollywood and none of those rich famous bitches are EATING it. Heh. Luckily I had cut a bunch out circa 2005-2010 and so I still have them, I don't think they are online either not that I've been able to find, their website is turrible.

[ALenore]

Last night I had salmon, wheat berry salad, and broccoli with garlic.  Today I'm going to make curried chicken salad sandwich wraps and chilled pea soup (never made this before, hope it comes out good.)  

[ethalfrida]

I have catfish again. Maybe fish tacos. And it's been a while since I've had guacamole.