What's for dinner?

Tonight was watercress soup that I learned to make at a recent cooking class. Captain, this is not for you! It had $6 in watercress and $5 in leeks, plus potatoes, celery, broth, and cream. Not a thrifty recipe! But, oh my, it was heavenly. It is supposed to be pureed with an immersion blender and I don't have one. I made such a horrific mess in the regular blender that I am now in the market for an immersion blender. Anyone have a recommended brand? Leeks and watercress are currently touted as "superfoods" and this is one health food soup I can get behind!

I also made a chicken salad (with rotisserie chicken) with celery and grapes and walnuts and other goodies. Since no one here especially likes mayonnaise I substituted Greek yogurt and we all thought it was wonderful. The dressing also included honey and Country Dijon mustard. Great stuff!

Windy .. I don't have that much patience, lol. And I think it's something about the way canned/bottled mushrooms are brined.

Jeanne, great story about your cousin. Seedy part of town - ha! It does give one pause to realize about the sheer vastness of America. That's why I elaborated about the ice fishing culture as some may not realize how crazy living in this climate can be. I veer OT all the time. That's half the fun!

To bring it back, my son settled for spicy Pork Rinds by choice. We're a healthy family! :P

LadeeC, have you ever cooked fresh mushrooms down past the liquid they give out? I takes quite awhile slow and low, 20 minutes plus in butter. They're a whole different fungi than eating them raw.

sorry, Jeannie .. can not *stand* fresh mushrooms .. gimme canned/processed any time (and it's the only canned vegetable I'll say that about, otherwise it's fresh or frozen; and I don't include tomatoes, since they're really a fruit, and I'll do canned fruit as long as it's in juices, not syrup.)

WT, this is off-topic of our off-topic thread, but your description of the ice houses reminds me of a story my cousin tells. He is a land surveyor in a resort town in northern Minnesota. Holiday Inn bought land there and hired my cousin to work with their architect, who came up from their headquarters in Atlanta. The two men met at the site, in January, and then had lunch to discuss it. The architect said, "I know those marketing types study sites a lot before they pick one, and they know what they are doing. But this is the strangest location I've ever seen for a hotel." My cousin was surprised. "It is right off the main highway, it is a short, easy drive to the main tourist attractions, and it overlooks a lovely lake. What do you consider strange about it?" The guy from Atlanta was uncomfortable. "Well, we don't usually build in the seedy parts of town. Half the guests will be looking out on that shanty town. Most of those houses look pretty run down, and even the best looking ones are so small! And you can't even see the lake from there." My cousin looked at him blankly. Then he caught on and laughed his head off. "I assure you the guests will consider the 'shanty-town' quaint. Those are ice-fishing houses, and they are sitting on the lake. They'll all be removed in a month or so, and then the fishers will be in boats."

The marketing folks were right. That is a successful Holiday Inn. :D

I'm with jeanne on the canned mushrooms, captain. Fresh mushrooms were on sale for $1.50 a package here recently. Had me dreaming of making a homemade cream of mushroom soup. I still might get to it...or just saute' them in a little butter and garlic until they're cooked down and a little meaty. Could make a whole meal out of just those mushrooms.

I'm glad you like the Kirkland canned chicken jeanne. I'm not crazy after all. :) I feel like I'm cheating when I use it, but it's just so consistently good. I love your pizza idea. I'll have to try that. Hawaiian pizzas were my first love, but I am just hooked on the prosciutto, goat cheese, honey and herb combo lately. It calls to me several times a week though I thankfully have been successful at ignoring that cal for the most partl. My waistline thanks me. :)

I had a surprise meal out this evening. My husband came home early from work so we decided to go out for the happy hour deals at a nice restaurant nearby. It was right on a frozen lake so it was fun to watch all the snowmobiles zoom past. People were also in the process of removing their fish houses off the lake. What was a village of a few hundred fish houses is now down to about 50. For those in warmer climes, it really is quite amazing. There a plowed roads out to the center of the lake and you can drive your car out there and hang out. Think 'Grumpy Old Men.'

It was really quite entertaining but the food was kind of meh except for my husband's fish and chips for six bucks. Our son ordered the buffalo wings for five dollars and got exactly five wing pieces, not even celery. I had a margherita flatbread that was about 5" x 5" for the same. Half a roma tomato, four thimbles of cheese and a tiny amount of basil. *sigh* This place used to be great but I guess everyone is cutting back. So much for a night out.

Now I have to dig through the fridge to make a second meal. Glad I have that Kirkland chicken on hand. Quesadillas for the hungry teenager is the plan.

im pretty cheap jeanne. cooking on a budget is a challenge that i enjoy.
like the big cinnamon rolls. im pretty sure those s**ts come in under 20 cents a piece -- possibly less..
i had chicken livers again tonight. theyre cheap and i endorse the h*ll out of em..

Captain, for shame! Canned mushrooms? Yes on the white sauce, yes on the veggies. But only FRESH fungi, for heaven's sakes!

Leftovers!!

both sound good, ky..
tetrazzini huh? i called it " sid got too big for his britches in what was my hallowed place " . the only person who could get by with molesting me in my own shop was my ex. it was a test and i failed it every time. will he stick with the transmission or go for the dress with no undergarments? played right i could have both. he he

I've recently tried two new crock pot recipes and found both to be delicious!
6-7 Boneless pork chops placed in crock, sprinkle with 2 packages of dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix and top with 2 regular sized cans (undiluted) of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup. Cook on high for about 6 hours or until a gravy has formed and chops are falling apart. Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Our family loved it! To make less, use half of everything (I.e., 1 packet of dry dressing mix, 1 can of soup)
The second recipe was liked equally as well:
Chuck roast placed in crock, sprinkled with 1 packet of dry ranch dressing and 1 packet of dry au' jus mix. Top with I stick of butter or margarine and add 1/2 cup water. Cook on high 6-8 hours bit until meat is falling apart. Can shred meat with a fork and serve on a roll with some of the au' jus for dipping or over noodles or with a side like mashed potatoes or rice.

that's called turkey tetrazzini, cap, and one of my kid's favourites after roasted turkey. It's a little more of a challenge now with no gluten or dairy, but I manage a decent one. Almonds go well in it too, and a little nutmeg improves any white sauce.

ladee - sounds good. Meat loaf has many variations and is a safe one to try cooking again. I had an aunt in law who was a great cook. Her meat loafs were a symphony of colour and flavour. Unbelievable! I have never managed that, but they are always a good cold weather comfort meal.

I had a frenched pork chop in the hotel restaurant last night, with a spicy apple raisin compote, spaghetti squash, asparagus and a few julienned carrots. Very nice!

a little oatmeal is good in meat loaf too ladee.. not instant oats tho, they dont retain any texture..
if ya ever get tired of tomato based meals, spaghetti can be made with vegs and white sauce and its every bit as good as tomato base. good place for a cheap can of mushroom bits / stems..
had a tom turkey once ( sid, sid vicious) who was always trying to pick a fight with humans. he caught me in my garage one day and started some s**t. he ended up skinned and incarcerated in the freezer. at christmas time the whole turkey became about a 20 lb pot of turkey spaghetti in white sauce.
to forgive is divine but vengeance is mine. ( alice cooper ) .. lol
had about 4 pigs one time and we slop fed them from grocery dumpsters. one pig would stand and scream for something better even if youd thrown caviar in the trough. one day when pork was running low in the freezer anyway i grabbed the screaming pig by a back leg , yanked her under the fence and stuck my hobo knife in her aorta. the freezer was replenished and peace and quiet was restored.

Over the years, I've used recipes for stuff that I stole from my mom. For some reason, in the last 5 or 6 years (gee? could it be memory playing tricks on me? nahhhhhhhhhhhh *koffs*), the recipes no longer seem to work, so I've been raiding online recipes for stuff. Found this great one for tonight's meatloaf. Half cup each of celery, bell pepper and onion sauteed until tender. Add a cup of good catsup to the veggies. Add a beaten egg and half cup of dried bread crumbs to 1.5 pounds of lean ground beef, then about three fourths of the veggie mixture and salt and pepper to preference. An hour in a 350° oven and then spread the rest of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf and leave in the over for another 5 to 10 minutes, after turning it off. A couple of baked potatoes and a nice salad. Yummmmmm. Can't wait for the sandwiches tomorrow.

Look. I actually cooked!!

I like that canned chicken too, WT. I buy Costco's cheese pizza and add pesto, pineapple, Canadian bacon if I happen to have it on hand, bell pepper slices, olives, and the canned chicken. Have also done pot pies with the canned chicken. I think I might try it in the Thai soup recipe I made this week. That has so many flavors for the chicken to absorb that the canned might work well.

Tonight was a recipe I used to make often in the 70s -- I must have been feeling nostaglic when I made up the week's menu. It was pepper steak and rice, from a Betty Crocker cookbook.

I have my leeks, celery, and watercress chopped for soup tomorrow, plus the dang pasta salad stuff chilling. I can see that it will be a huge amount, so I invited a grandson to pick some up after he's done working tomorrow.

Finally got around to using the homemade turkey stock I had frozen from after Thanksgiving. I swear that stuff is liquid gold. Made a big batch of chicken noodle soup using a cheat (blasphemy with homemade stock - ha!) which is the Costco Kirkland brand canned white chicken. It beats any other canned chicken and for the convenience it is better than a rotisserie chicken for soup purposes - big chunks of moist breast meat and shelf stable. I love to have it on hand for a quick chicken taco or enchilada too. On to the soup, lots of carrots peeled and cut into chunks as I don't like those fake baby ones. I grow my own in season and those things just aren't anything like a real carrot. Lots of onions and celery and a bay leaf and of course lots of ground black pepper and a clove of garlic and a dash of tumeric to keep those germs at bay. I cheated again on the noodles. Usually make my own spaetzle noodles but had a good sub on hand. They are called Alberto's extra wide egg noodles made in Chisholm, Minnesota. The noodles are thick and toothsome and really absorb the broth. I wanted to sing the Hallelujah chorus as it turned out so good. Goes against my modest nature but I guess I'm going cabin fever crazy with this endless winter and it sure hit the spot!

The wildlife outside, poor babies, got their feeder filled as I do daily and I put out extra peanuts, raisins and the rest of the Chex from Christmas. It's horrible outside. 50 mile an hour winds, sub-zero and white out roads.

Think I'll bake some cookies.....Ahhhhhh!

just a little army vernacular for you SA. lastly, you might as well stick your d**k in it , your going to f it up anyway. lol.
army basic training builds belligerant trogladites . the gentleman training comes later in advanced skill training.

I got stuffed shells (it's called "cheese lasagna) last night from Aldi's. It cost UNDER $3 for 12 lasagna pieces and these are hearty sized pieces! I added their jar sauce which was awesome, and literally fed me, mom, son, daughter, and bf all for under $5. We still have leftovers! I love Aldi's.....

the paprika chicken; no reason a bag of broc / caulif / carrot, and a cut up potato couldnt have been added near the end. it'd become a one dish meal, less soiled dishes..

standing alone; h*ll yea, sounds great.

Tonight I gave myself a break! I picked up a rotisserie chicken, opened a can of LaSeur Peas (they are the best) and mixed it with sliced tomatoes and ghee (natural butter) in a pot. That was dinner, and it was easy and good.

You mean you would like another answer besides "I don't remember?". I get asked what I'm serving for dinner, Mom makes me feel like the hired help sometimes but doesn't mean anything by it. Yes, we all need a real conversation at times, it's like staying at home with a newborn and being isolated from the world. We all get very lonely and people don't get our sense of dedication which results in isolation.

I had ramen tonight. Not too hungry.

I'm going to be making chicken paprika soon, one of my favorite dishes. The first time I made it I told my boys that it was chicken and 'cheese sauce' because neither one like sour cream and that makes up part of the sauce. They sucked it up like there was no tomorrow. THEN I told them what it really was. lol They've been eating it ever since.

Get some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut into pieces. Coat in your favorite breading mix, fry till crispy and brown on the outside. (they don't need to be done)

Get about 3 cans of chicken broth, throw in a handful of chopped onion, about a tablespoon or so of paprika and add in the crispy chicken. Cover, simmer about 25-30 minutes. Take out the chicken. Add in about half a cup...or more if you like...of sour cream with a tablespoon of flour mixed in. Simmer again, whisking until it's smooth and creamy. Add chicken back in and prepare to go to culinary heaven. :D Some crusty french bread is excellent with this, too.

eh, i took the easy way out and brought a suckway sandwich to ednas apartment to share .

"Don't need to go to the store" 7 of my favorite words. :)

Geo, I want to come over for leftovers! I love Jambalaya and tomatoes from your garden would be awesome!

I think it is a very good idea to plan your meals for a week. Then you always know what you are deviating from on any given day. :D Yesterday was supposed to be a chicken pasta salad (to take advantage of $5 deli chickens) but I didn't feel well, so I changed to the day I had scheduled "leftovers." We had plenty. No problem. Today when I double-checked the salad recipe before going to the store I noticed that the salad had to chill for at least 4 hours. Oh-oh, too late for that. So I picked the day we were to use the other half of the chicken and made a Thai chicken soup that was easy and awesome. Also had cucumber sandwiches to practice for a tea party I am planning. And a GS thin mint. All was good, but not exactly according to schedule.

Tomorrow should be OK. Took the right stuff out of the freezer tonight, and don't need to go to the store.

Chicken and Kielbasa Jambalaya. It used up the last home-made sun-dried tomatoes we had from last summer (home grown and dried in our own food dehydrator). That, plus a special blend of various smoked paprikas (my husband keeps several kinds around and likes to mix them to meet his cooking mood).

Ah! The answer is dumping the by product so that it gets into ground water and ponds and oceans, etc. is not a good practice! But since the byproduct has some protein and other usable stuff, most manufacturers see that it gets recycled for animal feed, etc. So I don't see this as a problem likely to stop me from eating it. :D

Boni, I understand the purest thing. But I really do like the extra tang that yogurt imparts.

iammichele, well I know that some people consider raising dairy cows not the best use of the environment, but once you've got the milk, how is making it into yogurt harmful?

Bonichak i LOVE soup BUT i cannot eat it without cream and im not supposed to eat dairy I made carrot soup today and it just isnt the same without a "dollop" of cream.
someone said you can get "soya cream" i wonder what this is like and can you put it in soup?
I could give up anything,drugs,alcohol,smokes but i have a real problem with butter and cream whats the point in living if you cant have "real butter and cream".
This lower your cholesterol diet is the "pits". As soon as i get it down i may just have a little minipigout!
Ok im not looking at this post again its "too cruel".