What Did We Eat Today?

[JTMacc99]

Yesterday morning I reached into the freezer and grabbed some sort of meat wrapped up in freezer paper. My handwriting on it said "London Broil". It was too cold out, plus too dark out, to assume I could grill it for dinner, so I decided on beef and broccoli stir fry.

 

I wasn't too sure if the kids were going to be on board with it, but I know they don't mind vegetables if I make them interesting.

 

I let it defrost in the fridge just enough to saw it in half and put about a pound back in the freezer.  When it defrosted a little longer, I cut it into thin slices (easier when it's still frozenish) and marinated it for 20 minutes in some soy, corn starch, fresh ginger and garlic.  I found a recipe for a cooking sauce that was soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, corn starch, brown sugar (which was interesting but offset the heat from the), chili paste, and sesame oil.  I stir fried the beef first, then removed it and cooked up a big bowl of broccoli and a carrot that I julienned. (I had to look up that word. I knew there was an official word for little sticks.)  When they were cooked enough, I tossed back in the beef and then the sauce.  Served it over white rice.

 

I got back two empty bowls, not a carrot or floret was returned.  I need to write down that recipe, since I kind of winged it.

[Quof]

I cooked a turkey breast on the weekend, then realized I had no bread for turkey sandwiches (white bread, of course). So I made potato bread with rosemary from my garden.  Mmmmm.

[PRgal]

Tonight?  Balsamic mustard rubbed turkey breast (roasted), asparagus and store bought latkes.  Also cooked apple chunks in apple butter (for the latkes). 

[MargeGunderson]

I cooked a turkey breast on the weekend, then realized I had no bread for turkey sandwiches (white bread, of course). So I made potato bread with rosemary from my garden.  Mmmmm.

Quof, I hope to some day be the kind of person who, when faced with no bread, makes my own.

[Quof]

Marge, I love baking bread and with my KitchenAid stand mixer, it's easy-peezy.  I love the feel of the soft, squishy dough, the way my house smells... And I've never met a carb I didn't like.   As I said to a gluten intolerant friend "Jesus ate bread.  If it was good enough for him, it's good enough for me."

[DeLurker]

Breakfast for dinner - cheddar cheese omelets, bacon and potato patties.  Yum.

[EllieH]

Baked potatoes with leftover BBQ from Sunday chopped up on top (ribs and steak - yum!)

[annzeepark914]

Layered Mexican Salad.  It was good the first time but now I'm stuck with the mighty leftovers 'cause Mr. P914 is out of town.  Maybe he won't see me tossin' the remains of the day???

[DeLurker]

After a couple of nutty weeks with too much going on from day to day for me to figure out a sensible dinner (thus a random assortment of pseudo-meals), my body revolted last night and INSISTED I eat a salad - actually lots of salad.  Which I continued to do for lunch today.

[Maharincess]

Breakfast for dinner - cheddar cheese omelets, bacon and potato patties. Yum.

We've done breakfast for dinner every Friday since my kids were little. We had ham and cheese omlettes this past Friday.

[BooksRule]

We've done breakfast for dinner every Friday since my kids were little. We had ham and cheese omlettes this past Friday

 

I love breakfast for dinner.  Cereal always tasted best at night, as did scrambled eggs and cinnamon toast.

 

I'm making hamburgers.  I was away most of the day at a work-related holiday luncheon and then some Christmas shopping, so I'm not in the mood to cook something complicated.  I'm also having leftover Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake for dessert (leftovers from my luncheon contribution).

[Maharincess]

We're having sausage and pancakes tonight.

[mansonlamps]

I'm also having leftover Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake for dessert (leftovers from my luncheon contribution).

That looked really good, surprised there are leftovers ;)

[JTMacc99]

Pot Roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight.  

 

1. It was kind of interesting browning a big hunk of beef at 6:30 this morning while I drank my coffee and fed the dogs. The whole house smelled good in a way that made people think I was making something good for breakfast as opposed to what I actually did. Which, heh, was make everybody hungry and then take a show and go to work.

 

2. Doing this is always a little scary, because I could get home and discover that for whatever reason, it's not great.  Maybe the meat wasn't as good as I thought. Maybe it will still be tough. Maybe it cooked to fast.  (It'll be okay. I have leftover pizza from what we made last night.)

[BooksRule]

Pot Roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight.

 

I love coming home to that great pot roast-y smell!

 

I just picked up dinner (fried chicken) at the deli counter.  For dessert, I'll probably have a handful of peppermint patties (left over from topping a cake). I would have had some Blue Bell Peppermint ice cream, but I couldn't find any in the pint size--I definitely didn't need a 1/2 gallon!  I didn't feel like cooking, what with holiday cooking just around the corner.

[JTMacc99]

I love coming home to that great pot roast-y smell!

It was great. I had skim off some fat, add some salt, but once I got it all cleaned up and ready to go, I had to hurry up and put away the leftovers before I ate it all.

 

I had always made pot roast on the stove (probably because those damn Le Creuset pots cost so much that I insist on using them whenever I get the chance), but the crock pot did an amazing job.  I am fairly certain the key was doing a good job browning the meat before it got into the pot. 

 

Heaven knows what I'm going to make tonight.  We have leftover meatballs from Sunday. Maybe I'll just stop at the deli to get some rolls (and milk for Santa) and just make meatball subs for dinner.

[PRgal]

Leftovers!  We had Christmas dinner last night because it was the only day the entire family (or rather, family members on my/my dad's side who live in Toronto) was in town! 

 

Note:  We like making turkey breast rather than a whole turkey.  Quicker cook time and it stays moist!  I also don't cook everything.  Some of our sides were from Whole Foods or family members. :)

[Medicine Crow]

Leftovers!  We had Christmas dinner last night because it was the only day the entire family (or rather, family members on my/my dad's side who live in Toronto) was in town! 

 

Note:  We like making turkey breast rather than a whole turkey.  Quicker cook time and it stays moist!  I also don't cook everything.  Some of our sides were from Whole Foods or family members. :)

Looks great!!  Bonus?  Warm weather!!!

[annzeepark914]

We had ham steak, baked pilaf, and green beans...just the two of us doing a Christmas Eve supper cause we're leaving tomorrow for our daughter's family celebration in Minneapolis (and they better have snow on the ground...70 degrees is just too warm for Xmas!)  Merry Christmas (a belated Happy Hannukkah) & Happy New Year to all.

[chessiegal]

Tonight was a simple shrimp stir fry. Last weekend I went to a wine tasting at our local wine store that has a wide variety, and tasted a Pinot Noir that I really liked. We're white wine people, but this was sooo good. It's a family vineyard in California that rarely makes it to the east coast. Normal price was $40, on sale for $30. Way out of my price range, but I splurged and bought 2 bottles. I also rarely eat beef, and decided my Christmas present to my husband (just the 2 of us) would be a steak to grill and pair with the Pinot Noir.

[chessiegal]

I didn't intend this to be dinner, but it was so labor intensive and time consuming it ended up being dinner - mushroom barley soup. I love the soup that Whole Foods has on it's soup bar some days. It was very good and we paired it with the Pinot Noir we had on Christmas.

[Quof]

I'm making pizza.  I usually use Mark Bittman's dough recipe, but decided to try ATK's instead.  It seems to be almost identical to Bittman's, perhaps a little more water.  Then I discovered this recipe http://www.bemindfulbehuman.com/index.php/the-best-pizza-crust-youll-ever-make/, but it requires a 24 hour rise, so that's not happening tonight.  Has anyone tried this method?

[ethalfrida]

Leftovers!  We had Christmas dinner last night because it was the only day the entire family (or rather, family members on my/my dad's side who live in Toronto) was in town! 

 

Note:  We like making turkey breast rather than a whole turkey.  Quicker cook time and it stays moist!  I also don't cook everything.  Some of our sides were from Whole Foods or family members. :)

Why did I look and with me starving at the moment! That looks super scrumptious!

[ALenore]

It's really cold out there tonight, so I'm making some hearty, filling comfort food I haven't done since last winter, Chicken Fricassee with Dumplings.  I'm adding carrots and green beans to the pot.  I'm cooking it in a mixture of home made chicken broth and canned cream of chicken soup.  I use canned soup too often, but I've made Chicken and Dumplings this way since I was a kid, and it's the way I like it.  I made the chicken broth earlier in the day, and froze most of it for future use.   

 

Quof, I usually use Mark Bittman's recipe for pizza dough too, but this one looks really good.  I actually have a ball of Mark Bittman's dough in the freezer right now, but after I use that up, I think I'll try this recipe.  

[Quof]

The ATK turned out a little better than my last batch of Bittman's, but it may be because I used a fresh jar of yeast.  

[Jules2307]

Just want to say how much I love this thread. You guys give me some great ideas when I'm planning my dinner menu for the week so thank you!

 

Food is complicated around here. My mom, who has mid-stage Alzheimer's, refuses to eat chicken or turkey so my husband and I really miss poultry. When it was just us, I'd make chicken 3-4 times a week. My husband isn't a fan of any fish that doesn't have a shell so we're pretty much limited to beef, pork and lamb. I'm getting sort of sick of the same recipes so if anyone has any new recipes (I do try to keep them healthyish), send them my way!

 

Tonight I'm making this: http://www.annies-eats.com/2008/08/31/pork-tenderloin-medallions-with-lemon-mustard-sauce/(it's pork with a lemon-mustard sauce). I make it pretty often but it's quick and always turns out well. I do usually swap medallions for chops (cheaper and easier) that I cook in a separate pan.

[JTMacc99]

My 4th grader wanted to make dinner yesterday. I believe this was a combination of watching MasterChef Jr over a period of time and then watching a marathon of Worst Cooks in America on Saturday. She was fairly confident that she would be a better cook than the people on that show.

 

I gave her a Cooking Light cookbook to get inspired. That was her word, by the way. I chose that book because it has relatively uncomplicated recipes and more importantly, lots of nice pictures for inspirations.  She went with a Parmesan chicken tender, which let us doctor up some bread crumbs with herbs and cheese, do the whole egg dip, breading process, and even let her flip them over in the big electric frying pan I use.  

 

I also let her make the four bean salad I wanted to make two days earlier (but didn't because I came home from the store with only three beans.) The best part of that for her was zesting the lemon, which she really wanted to do for some reason, and me letting her use a big knife to slice up some celery.  

 

The food turned out great, and the kid was beaming with pride. Hopefully we can repeat this exercise again soon, although I've got to keep an eye on her as we move forward. Once she gets some confidence, she gets to be pretty stubborn and/or bossy about how things are to be done.

[mansonlamps]

Just want to say how much I love this thread. You guys give me some great ideas when I'm planning my dinner menu for the week so thank you!

Food is complicated around here. My mom, who has mid-stage Alzheimer's, refuses to eat chicken or turkey so my husband and I really miss poultry. When it was just us, I'd make chicken 3-4 times a week.

Can you fool your mom with chicken sausage? Or what about something egg based like quiche? Ham? When my mom started getting up there in years, she really loved ham steaks for some reason. Or maybe soup or Italian food?

I'm sorry you are going through this, it's stressful in about a million ways, believe me I know.

Edited January 4, 2016 by mansonlamps

[Quof]

 

Once she gets some confidence, she gets to be pretty stubborn and/or bossy about how things are to be done.

You say that like it's a bad thing.  Confidence and assertiveness are the characteristics of future leaders. 

[JTMacc99]

You say that like it's a bad thing.  Confidence and assertiveness are the characteristics of future leaders. 

A nine-year old insisting that she "knows" how to handle an 8 inch chef's knife without supervision is a bad thing for the dad.

 

It's my job to point her self confidence in the directions that don't involve her getting hurt.  I'm up to the task, but hoo boy, it ain't easy.

[Jules2307]

Can you fool your mom with chicken sausage? Or what about something egg based like quiche? Ham? When my mom started getting up there in years, she really loved ham steaks for some reason. Or maybe soup or Italian food?

I'm sorry you are going through this, it's stressful in about a million ways, believe me I know.

Thanks, I appreciate the good thoughts. I do sometimes fool her with ground chicken (I infinitely prefer ground poultry to ground beef) when I make chili. I love the quiche idea but my husband finds the texture odd. The other problem, that I failed to mention, is that since my mom's Alzheimer's really took hold, she has become so picky (and dramatic) about food. We'll go food shopping and I'll get vegetables and she'll start yelling at me that she can't eat any of it. Growing up, my mom and I ate mainly vegetables and only ate meat once or twice a week.

 

I found a loaded baked potato soup recipe last night so I'm going to try it tonight. I've made it once before and remember liking it so we'll see if it passes the test. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/02/baked-potato-soup.html

[DeLurker]

Taco Tuesday at Casa DeLurker

[JTMacc99]

Taco Tuesday at Casa DeLurker

Ooooh, I have leftover Taco Meat. It could be Nacho Tuesday with the Macc family today.

 

That would be an unexpected treat

[DeLurker]

^^^ Sounds like a winner!

 

If we have leftovers, maybe that will be tomorrow's lunch.

[ethalfrida]

Does anyone know what Kimchi fries are? 

[DeLurker]

My new worst nightmare.

[Quof]

Baked potato.  Throw in a Diet Coke, and I'm Rachel Greene.

[annzeepark914]

Does anyone know what Kimchi fries are? 

I'm afraid to ask.

[Bastet]

Aren't kimchi fries just fries with caramelized kimchi (and possibly other things) on top? 

[ethalfrida]

I'd never heard of kimchi fries, so I did an online search. A Korean BBQ joint here in Austin claims to be the home of the "original kimchi fries," I bet someone somewhere else claims the same thing.  :)

 

Recipes vary a bit, but yeah, French fries topped with a bunch of stuff, including kimchi. *bleh*

Thanks bunches and love your "bleh"!

[PRgal]

Last night, I made enchilada casserole/tortilla casserole/tortilla lasagna...don't really know what to call it (not quite deconstructed enchilada, though the picture looks like it).  Basically, it involved a small pico de gallo, followed by tortilla (cut in half, covering the baking dish), chicken and black beans, more pico and finally topped with tortilla, "enchilada sauce" and cheese (then baked for about 15 minutes).  Made it for my parents and my husband.  They liked it :)

[ShellSeeker]

A nine-year old insisting that she "knows" how to handle an 8 inch chef's knife without supervision is a bad thing for the dad.

 

It's my job to point her self confidence in the directions that don't involve her getting hurt.  I'm up to the task, but hoo boy, it ain't easy.

 

 

Once she gets some confidence, she gets to be pretty stubborn and/or bossy about how things are to be done.

 

I have a kid like that too. She's almost 7. She's super competitive, gets really pissed off when she loses, likes to be in charge, and is not shy about making her displeasure known when someone is not following the rules to her satisfaction. None of these are bad qualities, but she needs to learn how temper them with a little humility and grace. There's recently been a push to stop using the word "bossy" when talking about girls, the idea being that it's along the same lines as a man being "assertive" and a woman being "aggressive" or "pushy." But in the case of my daughter, sometimes she is bossy, and that's not always appropriate. It's our job to help her learn about the nuance and art of give-and-take. Here's a little something I'm sure you can relate to!

 

 

To bring this back to food, she also loves to help me in the kitchen. I never let her near raw poultry, but she loves to help me roll meatballs, make calzones, and make cornbread. She's gotten really good at cracking eggs, and is very proud of herself. I'm hoping she'll grow up liking to cook. I never cooked at all until I got married when I was 37. Then I got into it, and found that I really enjoy it.

[chessiegal]

I made, with the emphasis on made, the simplest thing for dinner that was almost no work at all. Recently I saw Kelsey Nixon on "Kelsey's Essentials" on Cooking Channel make fish tacos with scallops. I'd never thought of that, and I LOVE scallops. She seared the scallops in a pan with a little cumin on them. I think she made a salsa and something else, but at the time I thought it seemed so simple. So tonight I did the same prep with the scallops, heated corn tortillas on the gas stove top, and topped them with mango salsa from Whole Food's salsa bar. They were delicious - took all of 10 minutes to make.

[ALenore]

I made braised short ribs of beef yesterday.   I'd never had them before, but I saw that they were available at the Winter Farmer's Market in town, so I bought some.  I coated the ribs in flour and browned them briefly in some bacon fat in a Dutch oven. Then I took them out of the pot and added chopped carrots, onions, garlic and mushrooms and cooked them for about 10 minutes.  I added red wine and beef broth to the pot, then put the ribs back into the pot, put on the lid, and baked them in the oven for 2 hours at 350 degrees.  They came out great, very tender and flavorful. I thought I might have to add flour to thicken the sauce, but it was nice and thick without it.   I served it over egg noodles.  I'm definitely going to make this again. The only thing I'll do differently is add more vegetables than I did this time.

 

Tonight I'm roasting large chicken, along with a variety of vegetables: butternut squash, carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes (both sweet and white).   There'll be enough chicken left over for a Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup later in the week.      

[annzeepark914]

Tonight I'm roasting large chicken, along with a variety of vegetables: butternut squash, carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes (both sweet and white).   There'll be enough chicken left over for a Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup later in the week.      

Yum!  Sounds good.  I plan to roast Brussels sprouts tonight using Wegman's basting oil (got their recipe on the countertop).  I've never been a fan of sprouts but roasting them makes them more palatable (sp?) to me.  I like the sound of Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup too--love curries!

[ShellSeeker]

On the menu tonight is a recipe of Giada's, lamb burgers wrapped in prosciutto. I double the recipe and make 6 larger burgers. Her version uses 1 lb of ground lamb, and it makes 6 tiny little burgers. If you put them on a bun, you've got a ton of extra bread. If I double it, it makes 6 nice sized burgers that fit on a regular sized hamburger bun. Plus my husband is a pretty big dude, and hates anything that could possibly be classified as "tiny food." And we all know that Giada is the queen of tiny food.

[Tabbyclaw]

ALenore, braised short ribs were one of my first 'fancy' cooking adventures. They are awesome, but I haven't made them in a long while.

[ALenore]

I made grilled pizza tonight, with red peppers, yellow peppers, onion, mushrooms and andouille sausage.  i also added a little bit of ricotta salata cheese on top, which I've never used before but bought because it I found it for sale at my local supermarket.  I liked it, it was pretty salty, but I only used a small amount so it just added a little tang to the pizza.   

[harrie]

I love ricotta salata (but yeah, in small doses).  It used to be pretty hard to find, glad it's become more accessible.

[annzeepark914]

Hamburgers and Michigan brats on toasted rolls along with a tossed salad and something new:  slaw with Craisins & sunflower seeds which I bought at Harris Teeter and added some mango, dried red pepper flakes, mayonnaise and sour cream to their packet of dressing (which we found too vinegary).  I've got some of that dressing left so tomorrow I'm going to try this slaw with mango-mayo dressing and shrimp.  Will let you know if it works or not.