Monday's dinner....12-14-15

[Cheryl J]

I've been doing stuff around the house all day and the kitchen is clean, so I'm going the easy way out for dinner this afternoon. A potato is baking in the toaster oven and will be topped with chili I found in the freezer, some shredded 4 cheese Mexican blend, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.

What is (or was) on your plate?

 

[creative]

My brother invited me over for xmas dinner.

Starters was an average avocado with horseradish and crayfish (no bread!)

Main meal a peculiar mix of roast potatoes and gravy (best part), brussel sprouts, walnuts and pancetta (also good), with VERY salty ham and rubbery skin and a sludge posing as cauliflower cheese! I don't think ham goes with gravy (there was some mustard white sauce to go with it also though).

Dessert was a panettone bread and butter pudding with cream - surprisingly light and pleasant. (I have made this too, panettone makes an excellent alternative to bread - brioche works very well too).

 

[Aunt Bea]

I roasted a beer can chicken today and realized how much I dislike plain roasted chicken!

Tonight was a large salad with shreds of white meat from that poor boring chicken to top it off.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Found a tightly wrapped foil triangle Surprise in the freezer. Pizza! Well, I was Wishing it was Pie.

Now, this is what karmas does. I dropped one slice vertically through both oven racks. The pizza landed outside crust side down, pointy end up directly on the oven coils. By the time I could check to see if my fishing license was still valid and I could grab a pair of tongs, pull out the oven racks so I could get at it, some of the cheese dripped down, sausage no longer had a foot-hold and the crust was burned and smoking up the kitchen. All in the space of a few seconds, Oh yes, my two helpers were right there under the open oven door trying to see why I was so excited. Rescued: 2 1/2 slices pizza, which was enough for supper.

 

[Andy M.]

Shrimp and artichoke hearts in a white wine and butter sauce over pasta.

 

[mlyyates]

Tonight is bleu cheese stuffed burgers on sour dough buns. With sauteed asparagus.

 

[mlyyates]

Found a tightly wrapped foil triangle Surprise in the freezer. Pizza! Well, I was Wishing it was Pie.

Now, this is what karmas does. I dropped one slice vertically through both oven racks. The pizza landed outside crust side down, pointy end up directly on the oven coils. By the time I could check to see if my fishing license was still valid and I could grab a pair of tongs, pull out the oven racks so I could get at it, some of the cheese dripped down, sausage no longer had a foot-hold and the crust was burned and smoking up the kitchen. All in the space of a few seconds, Oh yes, my two helpers were right there under the open oven door trying to see why I was so excited. Rescued: 2 1/2 slices pizza, which was enough for supper.

I am sorry to laugh at your pain but I was laughing out loud at the fishing license!

 

[Addie]

Leftovers from yesterday's Smoked Shoulder Dinner. One of those meals that are always better the next day.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Thanks for the idea of freezer snooping Whiska! (Sorry about your bad experience.)

I recall I "kitted" up a serving of my curried pork chops: several ounces of boneless pork chop (two pieces) and half a can of pineapple slices (including half the juice). Here is the drill starting from fresh.

Heavily sprinkle pork chops with curry powder and saute until brown in cooking oil, turning ONCE. Arrange pineapple rings on top of chops Put about 1 t. brown (or other) sugar in the middle, and once the bottoms are browned (do not flip this recipe!) pour the pineapple liquid (do not use pineapple slices packed in water, must be packed in pineapple juice) and pour in a slug of sweet Marsala wine. Cover and simmer (braise), add more Marsala if the liquid level gets low. Watch the heat, we are not reducing the liquid (yet).

Preheat your oven to maybe 140F-160F (serving temperature but not so hot it cooks) and when the chops are tender move them to a serving plate and keep 'em warm in the oven. Cooking time is about 30-40 minutes.

Here is where we get to reductions! We have pan juices, pineapple juice, curry, Marsala and some sugar in the liquid. Turn up the heat fairly high and whisk in fresh cream! It's an art. Don't let it bubble up but don't let it break. I've added huge amounts of cream! You can also add more Marsala if you wish.

What we are looking for is a sweat, Marsala-ish, creamy semi-thick curry sauce. Don't let the thickness fool you. It will thin as soon as you turn down the heat and let it rest, so don't do that! When you have it the right consistency, immediately ladle it over your reserved pork chops with the pineapple rings on top. If you are serving with a compatible side dish like rice or potatoes, you may share the sauce on them too. (Particularly brown rice works well here!)

Well it's 6 p.m. in LaLa land and time for me to start cooking.

 

[salt and pepper]

Sausage Ravioli's

 

[Cheryl J]

Looks delicious, Joey!
-----------------
Whisk...I had to laugh at your pizza slices vs. oven fiasco. Glad you were able to rescue them!

 

[GotGarlic]

I didn't feel well earlier so DH made dinner. Pan-seared chicken thighs sprinkled with Penzey's Fox Point seasoning with rice and peas. He made a delicious pan sauce with white wine and butter. The seasoning gave great flavor to the sauce.

 

[GotGarlic]

I roasted a beer can chicken today and realized how much I dislike plain roasted chicken!

Tonight was a large salad with shreds of white meat from that poor boring chicken to top it off.

Aunt Bea, I'm not a big fan of plain chicken, either. I found this recipe years ago and make it regularly; it works for wine-butt (I don't like beer) chicken, too. The soy sauce gives it great umami flavor (I use about 1/4 cup) but the chicken doesn't taste like soy and the salt in it helps dry out and crisp the skin. No basting is necessary; the fat renders and keeps the meat moist. I use different seasonings depending on what I feel like. I'd love to know what you think if you try it.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crispy-baked-chicken-leg-quarters-very-easy-one-dish-449452

 

[Dawgluver]

DH said he'd bring me a burger when he came home from the bar after meeting a friend of his after work. He forgot.

So leftover Chinese for me.

 

[Kayelle]

I roasted a beer can chicken today and realized how much I dislike plain roasted chicken!

Tonight was a large salad with shreds of white meat from that poor boring chicken to top it off.

I'm sad to hear that Bea.

My favorite way of roasting a chicken is standing either with beer or wine, or nothing. Tonight I did yet another in the oven, and brushed it with duck fat only because I had it, and seasoned it inside and out with a mix Hawaiian sea salt flavored with vinegar and chili, with added smoked paprika. I've done all kinds of heavily seasoned ideas. I think the key is to roast it at high temps (425 degrees) to seal in the flavors, and don't over cook it. I personally love the giblets seasoned in the bottom of the pan, with some beer or wine with smashed garlic. The pan juices are wonderful. The leftover white meat (that's not our favorite), with some juices makes a great chicken salad for several lunches with mayo, celery, chopped pecans etc.
I really respect your cooking Bea, and hope I haven't offended.

The rest of our dinner tonight was stir fried veggies, and some Stove Top dressing for the SC.

 

[GotGarlic]

Aunt Bea, I'm not a big fan of plain chicken, either. I found this recipe years ago and make it regularly; it works for wine-butt (I don't like beer) chicken, too. The soy sauce gives it great umami flavor (I use about 1/4 cup) but the chicken doesn't taste like soy and the salt in it helps dry out and crisp the skin. No basting is necessary; the fat renders and keeps the meat moist. I use different seasonings depending on what I feel like. I'd love to know what you think if you try it.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crispy-baked-chicken-leg-quarters-very-easy-one-dish-449452

Forgot to say that seasoning the meat directly, under the skin, makes all the difference

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I made patty melts tonight. Himself had his with American cheese, I used Swiss on mine. It was like a mini league of nations.

We also had some of the potato salad and coleslaw that I made on Saturday. One more round of each and they will be gone. Cleaning out the fridge before we go, too. OH for Christmas or bust!

 

[LPBeier]

My appetite is still on strike so I had an old classic from my childhood.

When I was sick my Mom would make me creamed mushrooms on toast. It is just a basic rhue with butter and flour, then add water or stock, milk, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce and... wait for it... canned mushrooms. Yup, my culinary instructors would cringe, but it really doesn't taste the same with fresh mushrooms. This is the only place I will use canned but I always keep some on hand just in case!