The What's For Dinner Thread - August '09(recipe index in OP)

[nucpharm29]

Morning ladies! Thanks for all the welcome backs.

So, trip drama. Here goes. We traveled to Northern Wisconsin to stay a week with my parents in the house they rent for 3 weeks. We were invited, not vacation crashers. So,I figured that we might do some stuff with them during the week. Heck, we brought their grandkids with us. We spent 7 days in the same house as them and we only did one thing with them, and that was maybe for 2 hours. We invited them to come with us to do stuff. But they made other plans and didn't include us in on anything. I mean, who has a vacation for a week with their grandchildren and doesn't do anything with them. Really made me mad, I mean, these are my parents! But I prayed for a change of attitude (for myself, can't change what they will or won't do) and we had a nice time. Just the 4 of us.

So, then we start driving home late Saturday afternoon after a lovely time with some old friends. We get about 30min from our stop for the night (8:30pm) and both our headlights go out! Who has that luck? So, we drove the rest of the way with fog lamps and brights. Scott got up early Sunday morning and changed the headlights. We get on the road only to find out our car DVD player won't work. Oh goodie, gonna be a fun 13 hour drive home. So, then I think "Aha! I can play some shows off my iPhone" only to discover that I have almost no battery left and I left my charger in Wisconsin. Geez! So we stopped and got a car charger at a Walmart. We made it home after that w/o any other problems.

Nan--hmmmm, think you can send some of your wine down to F&W for us????

Becky--do you have a recipe for the fennel and tomatoes? Looks yummy!

Glynis--learned an interesting Utah fact on our trip. That Utah is number two in the nation in cherry production. Who'd a thought! Michigan is no. 1 and Wisconsin no. 3. We won a dollar on our trolley ride by coming up with Utah!

The cherry pie turned out yummy, but a little runny. I think I need to drain the cherries a bit longer before baking. Very tasty though. Not sure WFD tonight. It's my mom's night to cook for the kids, so whatever she makes is fine by me.

 

[shovan]

Morning Y'all,

Not much going for me but Angelina is helping out Chris this week. She had Alexis this morning, got her up & ready for day camp, drove her there. She was shocked & saddened this morning when Alexis hopped out of the car & was walking away without a hug or kiss. When Angelina asked for hug Alexis rolled her eyes and sighed "Oh Nanny". Alexis also told Chris yesterday that she "LIKES" a boy at camp & she told him she liked him! Not already!

Angelina is out right now shopping for the school supply list! She called me asking questions & fussing about the list. We all know what a pain in the **** that is! I don't think this is going to help me get any grandbabies from Angelina!

Nancy, I'm sorry to hear of all the troubles Buddy & the other farmers are having. I think this is good for us to hear about. I know I tend to be just an ignorant consumer most of the time.

Stephanie, I loved seeing your travel pics on FB! I can't believe both headlights went out, that is strange. Glad you are all home safe & sound.

Becky, Beautiful!

 

[liamsaunt]

Nancy, I am sorry to read about the troubles with the farm. This has been such a difficult year. Too wet, too cold, and now the tomato-potato blight. Some people that signed up for Boston-area CSAs are finding that the farms have declared the entire season a wash. People are very disappointed.

Stephanie, that is weird that your folks did not spend any time with you! Sorry about the car troubles too.

You asked about the vegetables....all I did was core and slice a fennel bulb, and put it in an 8x8 glass dish with a handful of kalamata olives, two handfuls of whole cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and salt and pepper. Then I roasted at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fennel was browned and the tomatoes broke down a bit. The juices from the tomatoes made a nice sauce. When I took the veggies out I stirred in some minced fennel fronds and sliced basil.

Not sure WFD yet--maybe burgers because John is asking for meat. Otherwise, I might make summer rolls.

 

[TigerKat]

Ladies, my wine looks so pretty! We have three different kinds going right now.

I am so envious of you and your wines! I would love to be able to do that.

Ugh, DH had car trouble yesterday. We need to get it towed to the mechanic today...time for new car shopping!!! It just isn't going ot be worth spending money on to fix.

I HATE new car shopping, good luck.

Lauri- the adjuster came by earlier this year and told me that he had never met DH. He said that told him that Buddy was a very responsible grower, some farmers decide if it is in their best interests to neglect a crop but my DH could never do that.

If I can figure out how I will post some pics of ours. Buddy sunk the tractor and needed a backhoe to drag it out. It was buried wicked deep!

Nan, I am so sorry for the troubles the farmers, especially Buddy, are having. I, too, feel like an ignorant consumer when it comes to farming. I'd like to see some pics.

So, trip drama. Here goes. We traveled to Northern Wisconsin to stay a week with my parents in the house they rent for 3 weeks. We were invited, not vacation crashers. So,I figured that we might do some stuff with them during the week. Heck, we brought their grandkids with us. We spent 7 days in the same house as them and we only did one thing with them, and that was maybe for 2 hours. We invited them to come with us to do stuff. But they made other plans and didn't include us in on anything. I mean, who has a vacation for a week with their grandchildren and doesn't do anything with them. Really made me mad, I mean, these are my parents! But I prayed for a change of attitude (for myself, can't change what they will or won't do) and we had a nice time. Just the 4 of us.

This is very confusing and quite frankly unbelievable to me.....

WFD - BBQ country pork ribs, baked beans, mac & cheese and cole slaw.

 

[Nancyg56]

Stephanie- I am shocked! You all must have been so disappointed that your parents did not make plans that included your family

Sheryl- School supplies! Marisa starts early and buys a lot of sale things. Thank goodness the list is not long.

So no kisses for Angelina? I get that from kady as well, home is one thing but out is another. Now Buddy's kisses are few and far between lately...after all....he is a GASP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

You all are not ignorant consumers. It goes both ways. We have friends who are a little irritated when the store only wants perfect veggies but seriously, if you are paying good money for a vegetable and can choose pretty over a spotted one, what would you choose?

Farming in the North is bittersweet. It very seldom pays the bills so for many it is a second job. The crops are so weather dependent but you can coax them along if the seasons cooperate a bit. The past two years they weather just will not. Cold nights, no sun during the day and temps that just don;t make the 80's along with torrrential rain make for lousy growing conditions. But it is part of the package so what can you do.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Doing something with ground beef for dinner, not sure what yet.

Got a little more done downstairs last night, the vent guy is coming Saturday at noon.

I have pulled all of these clothes and stuff out and have been using my bed to sort it all so I have been sleeping on the daybed in the family room rather then clean it off every night, if I did I would not get as much done. So this morning I wake up and hear scratching in the storage area of the family room right behind the daybed. All I have to say is....

THIS IS WAR!!!!!

I have tried to be nice about this and tried to relocate this little pest but he will not cooperate and climb in the nice, safe, little trap. Now it is time for the big guns, I'm going with the clothes pin trap. It looks like a big clothes pin and is quite effective. Just last night I was getting something out of the pantry and found mouse droppings on the floor and last week my DM found where he had gotten in to a baking bar that was on the pantry shelves in the storage room upstairs. It is off to Target tonight to find my traps!

 

[OKWMom]

Quick check in today ladies. I'm off to my doctor for my favorite (and I'm sure yours) annual checkup.

Tonight Kenny and the kids are having leftovers and leftover ice cream cake. Hailey and I are going to see my Dad. I've been keeping her at home because he hasn't felt up to all the activity she brings with her, but I was taking her for a burger and we passed the entrance to Mom & Dad's subdivision and she said "Ga Ga" (her word for my Dad).

This was on Sunday and I told Mom I needed to bring her when Dad was feeling up to it. I'm not sure he is really able to handle her visit, but he doesn't want to keep her away any longer if she is calling for him.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Hey Guys! BBL later to catch up...I went to the Endocrinologist today and my levels were high so I now have to take 4 pills a day instead of 2. I also cannot have my heartrate go over 100 since Graves disease can affect the heart. I am also starting to get symptoms of hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease. At times I feel it hard to swallow due to the size of the thyroid and sweat like a pig...something I never did. Last week while bowling my head was soaking wet with sweat. What joy. I am probably going to have my thyroid removed soon...as soon as my levels are stable, I can talk about surgery. I will then have to take Synthroid everyday. Getting it removed will mean no more painful biopsies, not as many dr appointments and not as many pills.

Nancy, so sorry for the loss of the crop. I know you were praying that would not happen. So sad about the other farmers too.

Ann, Thomas had been having a little rice cereal in his bottle since he was about 2 months old. At 4 months, he started on a spoon. I started with oatmeal last week and then green beans today. He loves to eat and just loved the green beans today. I made them myself. I steamed/boiled frozen organic green beans and them pureed them...yay!

Stephanie, Glad you had a great vacation and a positive outlook!

Mom is still here and doing OK. She gets alot alot to go to the bathroom and went into T's room this AM thinking it was the bathroom and woke him up at 5:30! Luckily he had a bottle and snuggled up with Mommy and went to sleep again.

OK, gotta get stuff done here. I will try to BBL!

 

[TigerKat]

This was on Sunday and I told Mom I needed to bring her when Dad was feeling up to it. I'm not sure he is really able to handle her visit, but he doesn't want to keep her away any longer if she is calling for him.

Awww, that's too sweet, hope your Dad can enjoy her visit. Hope all goes well with the Dr.!

Hey Guys! BBL later to catch up...I went to the Endocrinologist today and my levels were high so I now have to take 4 pills a day instead of 2. I also cannot have my heartrate go over 100 since Graves disease can affect the heart. I am also starting to get symptoms of hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease. At times I feel it hard to swallow due to the size of the thyroid and sweat like a pig...something I never did. Last week while bowling my head was soaking wet with sweat. What joy. I am probably going to have my thyroid removed soon...as soon as my levels are stable, I can talk about surgery. I will then have to take Synthroid everyday. Getting it removed will mean no more painful biopsies, not as many dr appointments and not as many pills.

Sounds like having the thyroid removed is the way to go, not too long of a recovery time right?

 

[TigerKat]

so this morning i wake up and hear scratching in the storage area of the family room right behind the daybed. All i have to say is....

This is war!!!!!

I have tried to be nice about this and tried to relocate this little pest but he will not cooperate and climb in the nice, safe, little trap. Now it is time for the big guns, i'm going with the clothes pin trap. It looks like a big clothes pin and is quite effective. Just last night i was getting something out of the pantry and found mouse droppings on the floor and last week my dm found where he had gotten in to a baking bar that was on the pantry shelves in the storage room upstairs. It is off to target tonight to find my traps!

you go girl!!!!!!

 

[LBKB]

Hey Guys! BBL later to catch up...I went to the Endocrinologist today and my levels were high so I now have to take 4 pills a day instead of 2. I also cannot have my heartrate go over 100 since Graves disease can affect the heart. I am also starting to get symptoms of hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease. At times I feel it hard to swallow due to the size of the thyroid and sweat like a pig...something I never did. Last week while bowling my head was soaking wet with sweat. What joy. I am probably going to have my thyroid removed soon...as soon as my levels are stable, I can talk about surgery. I will then have to take Synthroid everyday. Getting it removed will mean no more painful biopsies, not as many dr appointments and not as many pills.



Mom is still here and doing OK. She gets alot alot to go to the bathroom and went into T's room this AM thinking it was the bathroom and woke him up at 5:30! Luckily he had a bottle and snuggled up with Mommy and went to sleep again.

Oh Lauren that doesn't sound good I'm sorry
I pray you have enough strength while your mom is there

 

[Nancyg56]

This was on Sunday and I told Mom I needed to bring her when Dad was feeling up to it. I'm not sure he is really able to handle her visit, but he doesn't want to keep her away any longer if she is calling for him.

Gretchen- I bet she is going to be good medicine for your Dad.

THIS IS WAR!!!!!

No More Nice Gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am also starting to get symptoms of hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease. At times I feel it hard to swallow due to the size of the thyroid and sweat like a pig...something I never did. Last week while bowling my head was soaking wet with sweat. What joy. I am probably going to have my thyroid removed soon...as soon as my levels are stable, I can talk about surgery. I will then have to take Synthroid everyday. Getting it removed will mean no more painful biopsies, not as many dr appointments and not as many pills.

This will probably be the best thing, you cannot live like this, especially trying to raise two boys. I wish you the best!

Okay, I am not getting much done lately. I have no motivation

 

[lttlmc3]

Tonight it's hamburger pizzas! Not too excited about them, but my father gave me a whole bunch so they were free!

 

[Glynis]

Morning ladies! Thanks for all the welcome backs.

So, trip drama. Here goes. We traveled to Northern Wisconsin to stay a week with my parents in the house they rent for 3 weeks. We were invited, not vacation crashers. So,I figured that we might do some stuff with them during the week. Heck, we brought their grandkids with us. We spent 7 days in the same house as them and we only did one thing with them, and that was maybe for 2 hours. We invited them to come with us to do stuff. But they made other plans and didn't include us in on anything. I mean, who has a vacation for a week with their grandchildren and doesn't do anything with them. Really made me mad, I mean, these are my parents! But I prayed for a change of attitude (for myself, can't change what they will or won't do) and we had a nice time. Just the 4 of us.

So, then we start driving home late Saturday afternoon after a lovely time with some old friends. We get about 30min from our stop for the night (8:30pm) and both our headlights go out! Who has that luck? So, we drove the rest of the way with fog lamps and brights. Scott got up early Sunday morning and changed the headlights. We get on the road only to find out our car DVD player won't work. Oh goodie, gonna be a fun 13 hour drive home. So, then I think "Aha! I can play some shows off my iPhone" only to discover that I have almost no battery left and I left my charger in Wisconsin. Geez! So we stopped and got a car charger at a Walmart. We made it home after that w/o any other problems.

Nan--hmmmm, think you can send some of your wine down to F&W for us????

Becky--do you have a recipe for the fennel and tomatoes? Looks yummy!

Glynis--learned an interesting Utah fact on our trip. That Utah is number two in the nation in cherry production. Who'd a thought! Michigan is no. 1 and Wisconsin no. 3. We won a dollar on our trolley ride by coming up with Utah!

The cherry pie turned out yummy, but a little runny. I think I need to drain the cherries a bit longer before baking. Very tasty though. Not sure WFD tonight. It's my mom's night to cook for the kids, so whatever she makes is fine by me.

Holy cow, what a trip!!! I'm glad you made it home!

I had no idea that Utah was number 2 in cherry production! We do have tons of cherry orchards around here, and they are beautiful to look at! I did know that we are number 1 in Jell-O consumption, and we used to be number one in ice cream consumption. How's that for useless trivia!!!

 

[Glynis]

Doing something with ground beef for dinner, not sure what yet.

Got a little more done downstairs last night, the vent guy is coming Saturday at noon.

I have pulled all of these clothes and stuff out and have been using my bed to sort it all so I have been sleeping on the daybed in the family room rather then clean it off every night, if I did I would not get as much done. So this morning I wake up and hear scratching in the storage area of the family room right behind the daybed. All I have to say is....

THIS IS WAR!!!!!

I have tried to be nice about this and tried to relocate this little pest but he will not cooperate and climb in the nice, safe, little trap. Now it is time for the big guns, I'm going with the clothes pin trap. It looks like a big clothes pin and is quite effective. Just last night I was getting something out of the pantry and found mouse droppings on the floor and last week my DM found where he had gotten in to a baking bar that was on the pantry shelves in the storage room upstairs. It is off to Target tonight to find my traps!

I feel your pain! We just got rid of our little pest! We tried trap after trap, but finally he ate the blue pellets and we were able to get rid of him.

 

[Glynis]

Hey Guys! BBL later to catch up...I went to the Endocrinologist today and my levels were high so I now have to take 4 pills a day instead of 2. I also cannot have my heartrate go over 100 since Graves disease can affect the heart. I am also starting to get symptoms of hyperthyroidism/Graves Disease. At times I feel it hard to swallow due to the size of the thyroid and sweat like a pig...something I never did. Last week while bowling my head was soaking wet with sweat. What joy. I am probably going to have my thyroid removed soon...as soon as my levels are stable, I can talk about surgery. I will then have to take Synthroid everyday. Getting it removed will mean no more painful biopsies, not as many dr appointments and not as many pills.

Nancy, so sorry for the loss of the crop. I know you were praying that would not happen. So sad about the other farmers too.

Ann, Thomas had been having a little rice cereal in his bottle since he was about 2 months old. At 4 months, he started on a spoon. I started with oatmeal last week and then green beans today. He loves to eat and just loved the green beans today. I made them myself. I steamed/boiled frozen organic green beans and them pureed them...yay!

Stephanie, Glad you had a great vacation and a positive outlook!

Mom is still here and doing OK. She gets alot alot to go to the bathroom and went into T's room this AM thinking it was the bathroom and woke him up at 5:30! Luckily he had a bottle and snuggled up with Mommy and went to sleep again.

OK, gotta get stuff done here. I will try to BBL!

Lauren - I'm praying that your levels stabilize so you can have the surgery. It seems to me that taking Synthroid would be a lot less of a hassle than what you are going through, now! I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Glynis]

Well, I got Jacob all outfitted for school today. Not that he needed much. Just a pair of pants, a new shirt for the first day of school and some underwear! I just love that kid! After we shopped, we split a personal cheese pizza, and then had a shake. It was nice to have some one on one time with my little man! Tomorrow I'll take Leslie out and try to have a nice experience there, too. She's a little more high maintenance. Luckily, she and Mary don't need a whole lot for school. Mostly just some pants. Their shirts from last year still fit, so that's good.

I ended up not making the rotisserie chicken ragout last night. We had mac and cheese instead. Tonight I will make the ragout.

Prayers for all of you who need them!

 

[shovan]

I just realized I get to get out of this house a couple of times this week! Alexis has a mini music recital tonight for her summer singing class. Thursday, Bethany is picking me up for lunch with a few Nola girls. DD asked me to go to the movies on Friday to see Julie & Julia! I hope I can handle of that!

We'll probably pick up something for dinner while we are out. DH has been much too easy on me, suggesting takeout. I'm never going to get back in the groove of "real life"!

Sheryl- School supplies! Marisa starts early and buys a lot of sale things. Thank goodness the list is not long.

So no kisses for Angelina? I get that from kady as well, home is one thing but out is another. Now Buddy's kisses are few and far between lately...after all....he is a GASP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

You all are not ignorant consumers. It goes both ways. We have friends who are a little irritated when the store only wants perfect veggies but seriously, if you are paying good money for a vegetable and can choose pretty over a spotted one, what would you choose?

Farming in the North is bittersweet. It very seldom pays the bills so for many it is a second job. .

Nan, Chris isn't one to prepare ahead of time, but then the school does some awfully dumb things too. They send out the supply list, with a bunch of things that have to be purchased at the school. Get this though, you have to come on this one certain day between 9:00 -2:00!!! I guess they think the tuition money falls from the sky like mannah and these parents don't have to work! Angelina told Chris she would do it for her & make the run to Walmart for everything else. Of course WalMart didn't have everything & she had to go to Office Depot too.

Angelina did stop her & got her hug, but not without huffing & eyerolling from Alexis.

One thing I do understand about fresh produce, is that the prettiest ones aren't always the tastiest. There were some tomatoes labeled as Creoles in the grocery. I walked up to them & picked one up & smelled it. An older lady walked over to me & said "Honey you know that's not Creole's! They are too pretty & smell like cardboard, not a creole tomato." Neither of us purchased those tomatoes!

I have pulled all of these clothes and stuff out and have been using my bed to sort it all so I have been sleeping on the daybed in the family room rather then clean it off every night, if I did I would not get as much done. So this morning I wake up and hear scratching in the storage area of the family room right behind the daybed. All I have to say is....

THIS IS WAR!!!!!

I have tried to be nice about this

Charge!! Marilyn, The last time I had them in the house, my regular pest control guy said " You do realize it's not just one mouse. They always move in & invite the whole family." Sorry, I know gross! Buy a few traps!

Tonight Kenny and the kids are having leftovers and leftover ice cream cake. Hailey and I are going to see my Dad. .

I'm sure he will feel better just seeing her!

Hey Guys! BBL later to catch up...I went to the Endocrinologist today and my levels were high so I now have to take 4 pills a day instead of 2. I also cannot have my heartrate go over 100 since Graves disease can affect the heart.

Lauren, I'm sending prayers that the dr. guides you in the right direction. You have too much on your plate to be feeling bad all the time.

Tonight it's hamburger pizzas! Not too excited about them, but my father gave me a whole bunch so they were free!

Free is always good!

 

[bigmerle1966]

I feel your pain! We just got rid of our little pest! We tried trap after trap, but finally he ate the blue pellets and we were able to get rid of him.

I'm afraid to give them poison. I worked at a concession stand at a local lake one year when they had a mouse problem and we ended up finding the little suckers all over the place. I want to know where the little thing is going to meet it's mousy maker.

Charge!! Marilyn, The last time I had them in the house, my regular pest control guy said " You do realize it's not just one mouse. They always move in & invite the whole family." Sorry, I know gross! Buy a few traps!

The weird thing is in the past we have always had just one at a time, I swear it's using my house as a hotel.

When we have gotten a mouse in the past, once we have gotten rid of it there wouldn't be one for a couple of years and then just the one again. I would only know we had one because I could hear it in between my bedroom ceiling and the kitchen above and has only gotten in to one or two things, usually chocolate. We've found droppings but they were usually in very hidden areas.

Now with this one, I have heard it under the dresser in my bedroom, in the storage area, it's gotten in to my DM's plants (she found dirt on the floor more then once) and we've found mouse droppings in numerous places that are more visable like the pantry and the bathroom floor. The baking bar was sitting on a shelf in the storage room upstairs which is VERY visable.

I guess he thinks he's special but I am going to get him!

 

[shovan]

Marilyn, I hope you get that little trespasser tonight!


I just did something really dumb. I went to water my potted plants, I've done it the past week using the hose with no problems. I realized they hadn't had plant food in quite a while. So I poured the plant food in the watering can & filled it up. Not realizing it's a 2 gallon can & a bit heavy. Well I picked it up & then I knew it! I'm hurting from it already. Say some prayers I didn't hurt anything. No fussing necessary, I've already been fussed at by Chris & will get more when DH comes home & DD finds out.