Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[lovemygoofy]

Happy Friday to all! We made it through another week and I hope everyone does something fun and relaxing this weekend to remind themselves it's the weekend. We have to do something to change up the routine as it can and is getting old with same routine every day when it's not the routine we want and expect.

We are doing good here. We are starting to job hunt or should I say Matt's job hunting and I keep saying no to my old job. I don't have it in me to work 60+ hours a week and I know I need to start treatment this summer. It will make our finances little tighter but we are blessed right now that I don't have to work although I'm getting some interesting email feelers from people so I will be open at least talking to about some other options.

So, I've talked about my mom quite a bit and how she is in a nursing home and people give me constant grief about it. It's great place and small and they take excellent care of her. Frankly, she'd be dead if I had left her in her house and our already not great relationship would likely been ruined so this facility is Godsend. Before all this broke out I raced home to AR and brought her and her roommate goodies and distractions and I loaded her Ipad with games and Netflix and hulu apps. I am so glad I did! I hear every day about her and her roommate watching this, that or the other on Netflix. She likes to watch whatever pop culture they see on the news so this week they have been watching Tiger King lol I heard they need more yarn and books to read so I'll be shipping new box of things next week when I get it ordered.

We had a great time last night with the sing along. I have a very fetching video of my Matt singing Let It Go although he might not know. He took me to see Frozen before he left for his 4th deployment and I cried all through it and he bought me the soundtrack before he left. We went to Disney when he came home, and he probably sang the loudest in the Frozen sing along. I didn't like the opening act with Derek and his girlfriend. I'm like who just has that stuff sitting around at home?!

Dinner tonight was marinated and grilled flank steak with red wine mushroom sauce, brown rice with herbs and roasted brussel sprouts. I have strawberries ready to turn so I threw ton sugar on them and having shortcake for dessert. Yum!

I'm very thankful for you all reminding me to have grace with myself as I'm not very good at that. I'm more of a do as I say not as I do girl.

Peace and safe health to all.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Question of the day is a request. 4/17: Please share a recipe . It can be your favorite side dish, entrée, dessert or whatever else you make.
I'm ready to cook some new things and I'd love some ideas. I'm running out of my own brain child of ideas and too lazy to look up and go down the pinterest rabbit hole lol So tell me a good recipe and I'll do the same tomorrow!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Question of the day is a request. 4/17: Please share a recipe . It can be your favorite side dish, entrée, dessert or whatever else you make.
I'm ready to cook some new things and I'd love some ideas. I'm running out of my own brain child of ideas and too lazy to look up and go down the pinterest rabbit hole lol So tell me a good recipe and I'll do the same tomorrow!

Don't let the naysayers get you down. You're doing what's best for both your mom and yourself.

I got this recipe from the Fresh Market. DH says it's his favorite way to have pork, and with berry season approaching, it's back on our menu.

2 (6oz) packages blackberries, divided
1 jalapeno, seeded/chopped fine
1 garlic cloves, smashed
7 TBLS olive oil, divided
2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt, divided
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
4 green onions, thin sliced
1/4 c. radishes, thin sliced
2 TBLS fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper

Put 1 package berries, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and whisk in 6 TLBS (1/4 c.) oil, honey, and 3/4 tsp salt. Reserve 1/4 c. of the mixture, refrigerate. Take remaining marinade, put it into a bag, add the pork, seal, turn a couple of times to marinate. Seal, refrigerate 8-24 hours.

Grill: medium heat, brush grates with canola oil (don't use the remaining olive oil). Let pork come up to room temp (I usually forget that part) Grill 15 minutes, turning to char, until 145. Let rest 15 minutes

Oven: 350. Heat remaining oil in a pan. Brown pork on all sides, place in oven. Cook until 145, about 15 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes.

Toss the green onions, radishes, cilantro, pepper, remaining salt and remaining berries (halved). Serve with sliced pork, topped with reserved (not used) 1/4 c. marinade.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Tina, you are doing a wonderful thing for your Mom and her roommate, too. They are so Blessed! What an awesome and fun idea to put together a care package for your Mom.

Three things I am truly grateful for today are:

My Dad was able to safely do some shopping and laundry.
I've been enjoying watch Lakefront Bargain Hunt On Demand on HGTV. Some of the quieter lakes look so peaceful.
A treat of a piece of a Nestle Crunch bar

I shared on here already that a (or adventurous eater) cook I am not. For some reason I just remembered a very tasty breakfast that the cook at a preschool I used to teach at would make. Not healthy in the least but was very good. A warm flour tortilla with scrambled egg, hash browns, and I think a dash of melted cheddar cheese.

 

[Meriweather]

I would be glad to share recipes......on the other computer is my recipe collection.....1000s of them.
What do you like.....or better, what don't you like?

Dinner for us tonight was leftovers.....DH had a meatloaf sandwich. I had hot roast beef with melted pepperjack

 

[ronandannette]

https://tenor.com/view/crying-cooki...utton&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=pinterest^^This is literally me at dinnertime now.

Recipes? I rarely use them but I do take inspiration from a lot of different sources. One of my easy-but-nice-enough-for-company dishes is:

Chili Lime Shrimp (serve over rice or as a side for grilled steaks)
5 or 6 good sized shrimp per person, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup prepared garlic butter
1/4 cup white wine
juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
Heat butter until foamy and add shrimp; cook quickly over high heat until shrimp are pink and remove from pan. Add the wine, lime juice and chili powder; boil a minute or two to reduce but don't heat so high that the sauce splits. Turn off heat and add shrimp back in, tossing them to coat and adjusting seasonings. This can be turned into a pasta sauce by adding 1/2 cup heavy cream before putting the shrimp back in and finishing it with a little parmesan.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Question of the day is a request. 4/17: Please share a recipe . It can be your favorite side dish, entrée, dessert or whatever else you make.
I'm ready to cook some new things and I'd love some ideas. I'm running out of my own brain child of ideas and too lazy to look up and go down the pinterest rabbit hole lol So tell me a good recipe and I'll do the same tomorrow!

Today has been a peace filled day. Nope, didn't go outside, didn't go food shopping or walk in the park but did walk the stairs past our home floor from the lobby and then tried to double step down two floors. Weird how your equilibrium goes wacky when you haven't done this for years, LOL.

Dinner tonight was a leftover filled frittata. Started with a piece of ham and just added steamed broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, cooked string beans, grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, some sauteed garlic, and thin sliced onions to the eggs. Into the oven and done. I added a little sriracha to my portion, none to the man's.
He had an ice cream soda for dessert, I had the last poached pear with pureed raspberries.

I'll think on a recipe that might spark an interest for you and post it bit lter.

 

[gillep]

Today was a really rough work day. We ended up getting to-go margaritas from our favorite Mexican restaurant for some normalcy, I just need a night to relax. Looking to get something from our favorite tiki bar this weekend since they have a 5-spice whole duck special. Hopefully, I can relax this weekend and not worry about work and that particular stress.

my favorite dessert recipe:
https://littlespicejar.com/key-lime-pie-bars/

 

[Nox]

I have a few.

This is a lemony tuna chickpea salad. I like it for summer because it's cold and fresh.

• 2 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 2 to 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ bunch mint, finely chopped
• ½ tsp. lemon zest
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 (5 oz) cans chunk-light tuna in water, drained

How to make it: simple, you just mix all the ingredients together! Fold the tuna in last.

I also like to make these turkey burgers. The recipe can be easily adapted as meatballs to go in wraps, though.

• 8 oz. ground turkey breast
• 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
• 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• freshly ground sea salt and pepper

Combine ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl, then separate into two patties. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; turkey burgers tend to fall apart on grills. Cook for about seven minutes or until cooked through.

 

[gwynne]

Today was a really rough work day. We ended up getting to-go margaritas from our favorite Mexican restaurant for some normalcy, I just need a night to relax. Looking to get something from our favorite tiki bar this weekend since they have a 5-spice whole duck special. Hopefully, I can relax this weekend and not worry about work and that particular stress.

my favorite dessert recipe:
https://littlespicejar.com/key-lime-pie-bars/

I hope you have a relaxing weekend. The key lime bar recipe you posted looks wonderful! I'm planning to make them soon.

 

[lynxstch]

I too will have to think of a recipe and post it later. I was able to get at least 1/2 of the lawn mowed yesterday before it rained. Rained overnite, calling for rain this morning. At least temps will start to go up next week, have had it with the nights being down into the low 30's (was 30 yesterday morning!). We are in the middle of April for Petes sake, lol!

Tina, what you did/are doing for your Mom and her roommate is wonderful. Glad that she's using the Hulu/Netflix and reporting to you what they watch. I don't have a clue what this 'Tiger King' thing is. Have heard of it of course, but not interested enough to do any searching for it.
I had to laugh at your comment about Matt singing along and your videotaping it! I too was singing along (and I have an awful singing voice), and hubby was just watching the show and laughing at me. I didn't care for the Derek/girlfriend either. And while Can You Feel The Love Tonight is one of my favorite Disney songs, I didn't care for the way Christina did it. I loved the parts where they had kids singing and dancing along on some of the numbers though.

It's adventure day today--off to Walmart and Aldi's for groceries. Hopefully it won't be crowded. And since we now have 'mandated mask' orders (I have been wearing them in stores all along), it will be strange to see everyone in the stores wearing them.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Yesterday, it was a pretty spring day here in New England - breezy, but a good day for a walk. This morning, it's snowing. ❄

The other day, I made Chicken Florentine Rolls, and DH actually ate something with spinach in it! - So that was my big food win for the week. -

1. Thaw a package of spinach.
2. Preheat oven to 375*.
3. Start with thin chicken breasts. (I buy them that way, but you can pound them to 1/4 inch or so. I spread them out on waxed paper to work.)
4. Drain the spinach really well. (I pressed it with a bowl that just fits in my strainer.)
5. Spread some spinach on each chicken breast, then sprinkle on a bunch of mozzarella cheese. (I happened to use the almond kind.)
6. Roll up the chicken breasts, dip in melted butter, then breadcrumbs. (I used panko, because that's what I had, but I think other bread crumbs or even cracker crumbs would work.)
7. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. (I used a glass dish.)

 

[gillep]

I hope you have a relaxing weekend. The key lime bar recipe you posted looks wonderful! I'm planning to make them soon.

Thank you, this morning has already been quite lovely!

I think the pecans in the crust of the bars adds a depth of flavor and richness that really elevates these bars. I buy a bottle of the Nellie and Joe's key lime juice and I freeze whatever I don't use in the bars for future bars or other recipes and it works out really well. These are the most requested item of anything I have ever shared with others, I don't bother making anything else for summer get-togethers or people are just disappointed.

 

[ronandannette]

Yesterday, it was a pretty spring day here in New England - breezy, but a good day for a walk. This morning, it's snowing. ❄

The other day, I made Chicken Florentine Rolls, and DH actually ate something with spinach in it! - So that was my big food win for the week. -

1. Thaw a package of spinach.
2. Preheat oven to 375*.
3. Start with thin chicken breasts. (I buy them that way, but you can pound them to 1/4 inch or so. I spread them out on waxed paper to work.)
4. Drain the spinach really well. (I pressed it with a bowl that just fits in my strainer.)
5. Spread some spinach on each chicken breast, then sprinkle on a bunch of mozzarella cheese. (I happened to use the almond kind.)
6. Roll up the chicken breasts, dip in melted butter, then breadcrumbs. (I used panko, because that's what I had, but I think other bread crumbs or even cracker crumbs would work.)
7. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. (I used a glass dish.)

Here too. What is with the weather this year? We've not had any spring-like weather and most days are still below freezing at some point. It's actually quite bizarre but with everything else that's going on, I haven't heard anybody talking about it.

 

[monkeydawn]

Here are some of my favorites:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7480/chocolate-rum-cake/
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-stout-cake-107105
https://houseofyumm.com/garlic-herb-beer-bread/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/2...erringId=1418&referringContentType=Recipe Hub
https://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/swanky-caribbean-lemonade/

 

[lovin'fl]

Take a dash of coke zero and put on a bit of ice then fill remainder of glass with rum. A solo cup is good because then you can just toss it when done and no need to wash a glass.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It's actually quite bizarre but with everything else that's going on, I haven't heard anybody talking about it.

Agreed. If it wasn't for all the other news, I think it would be the big story.

 

[PollyannaMom]

https://houseofyumm.com/garlic-herb-beer-bread/

Ooooh, definitely making that!

 

[Meriweather]

* Exported from MasterCook *

Calabasitas Casserole

Recipe By :Rachael Ray
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Casseroles

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups corn
4 cloves garlic -- chopped
2 jalapeno peppers -- chopped
2 small zucchini -- diced
1 medium yellow squash -- diced
1 medium onion -- chopped
14 ounces canned tomatoes -- chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
salt and pepper
3 scallions -- sliced
3 ounces Monterey jack cheese -- shredded
Polenta:
2 3/4 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Saute corn, garlic, peppers for 3 minutes.
Add zucchini, squash, onion, salt, pepper and chili powder. Cook 7-8 minutes.
Add tomatoes. Heat.
Put in baking dish.
Cut polenta 1/2" thick lengthwise. Place over filling in dish. Top with cheese.
Bake 350º for 8-10 minutes.
Garnish with scallions.

Polenta: Bring 2 3/4 cup water to boil.
Mix together cornmeal, salt and 1 cup water. Slowly add to boiling water.
Reduce hear. Cover.
Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Put in loaf pan.
Cover and chill 30 minutes until firm.
Bake 350º for 20 minutes.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Cherry Vanilla Custard Cake

Recipe By :Fat Free Living Cookbook 2
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 prepared angel cake
2 packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups skim milk
2 cups fat free sour cream
1 can cherry, strawberry or blueberry pie filling

Tear cake into small pieces and put in a 9x13" pan.
In a bowl, mix milk, sour cream and pudding until thickened. Spread over cake. Let chill for 30 minutes.
Spread pie filling on top of cake. Chill.
Can be made a day ahead.

 

[Meriweather]

* Exported from MasterCook *

Smoky Sausage Chili

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soup

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion -- coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 pound smoked sausage -- sliced 1/4" thick
16 ounces red kidney beans -- drained
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup V-8® vegetable juice
8 ounces tomato sauce
Toppings
sour cream
Cheddar cheese -- shredded
avocado -- diced

Brown beef with onion in large saucepan. Drain.
Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over meat. Cook and stir 1 minute.
Add remaining ingredients except toppings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top as desired.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Carrot 'n Raisin Cheesecake

Recipe By :alt.cooking.chat
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter -- melted
24 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
4 large eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
1 cup carrot -- finely shredded
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon unsweetened orange juice
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Combine crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and margarine.
Press into bottom of 9" springform pan.
Bake 325 degrees for 10 minutes.
Combine 20 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup flour, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Blend in eggs and juice.
Add combined remaining flour, carrots, raisins and spices; mix well. Pour over crust.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees, continue baking for 55 minutes more. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.
Combine remaining cream cheese and juice, mixing until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until well blended. Spread over top of cheesecake. Garnish with additional raisins and finely shredded carrots, if desired.