The Official What's For Dinner thread:Thursday 1-24-08? Recipe finder in OP. Enjoy! Part 3

[TigerKat]

Prior to reviewing the recipe, please listen here (for your entertainment ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPsuOEH1fY

IRISH ROVER'S UNICORN PUB SHEPHERD'S PIE

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 1/2 cup corn, I use canned
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp nutmeg
8 ounces beef broth
2 tbs flour mixes with 2 tbs softened butter
2 lbs potatoes. cooked and mashed with butter and milk (s&p too)

Brown ground beef, drain.
Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Stir in butter/flour mixture to bind.
Pour into a shallow baking pan cool.
Cover meat mixture with corn and then top with potatoes.
Bake at 325F for 35 - 45 minutes.

***When I made this for A's bday party/St Patty's Day party, everyone LOVED it...even the sceptical ones that didn't think it would be good.

I'm doing this on Thursday , I was planning on my version of Shepherd's pie, but this sounds much better and still quite easy!! THANKS LAUREN!!!!!!!!

 

[shovan]

Holy Cow!!!! Now I feel terrible about complaining when I am 3 or more pages behind. Welcome! Please visit with us often.

Kind of like the wine, I think the zucchini cancels out all the other calories and fat.
Kenny loves it, but I have made it only three or four times because it requires a time commitment I just can't make often. My last creme brulee was the maple flavor like the one served at LeCellier. I have one of the torches and have tried three different sugars to get the topping just right. My first attempt resulted in a terrible, too-burnt top which had to be scraped off. I got it right on my third attempt.
I like how you think. Now if you can find a glass of wine at the fair, all the calories will be negated in the funnel cakes.

Well if you head this way, let me know. I've heard Charleston is similar to NO, I'd love to show you around and see what you thought.

Lauren - Mucho congrats on the amazing weight loss! Way to go!

Kathy - Pictures Woman! Where are the pictures?

Sorry I'm so late posting today. DD had to make a trip to the doctor this morning. Sunday evening Kenny and I noticed a couple of small bumps on her face, but nothing that looked really bad. By last night, there were several and they looked more like boils and were even in her nostrils (sorry, gross and TMI) and it looked like there were some forming in her mouth. She didn't want to eat anything last night except italian ice so I'm sure they were really bothering her. The Dr. said it is a common bacterial infection and gave us a cream and a liquid antibiotic as she will probably cross contaminate herself otherwise. The rest of us are on a strict handwashing regimen and I am hoping we can contain it.

Anyway, tonight we are having leftovers and I am washing all the linens.

Gretchen, Charleston sounds good too!

I feel so bad for your DD it sounds miserable! Sending prayers her way that the meds work really quickly & that no one else gets it!

 

[HERSEY]

Morning All! Quickly checking in and will be back later...

Great news: I have lost 8.6 #s in the first 2 weeks of the WISH board biggest loser challenge!!!

Can you tell I'm excited???

Tonight we are having Shepherd's Pie and a tossed salad...yummy comfort food!

Yeh for you!

Morning all. Well, I hate to say it but I had to make that dreadful orange crockpot chicken last night. I had bought all the ingredients prior to reading the reviews and had nothing else to cook. DH really liked it I did mess with the ingredients a little, so maybe that made it better. I didn't care for it--won't be on the menu again.

Tonight will be Tacos--something everyone will eat!

Lauren--congrats on the weight loss!

Your a brave soul. I think I went wrong with using orange marmalade and maybe too much ginger. If and a big if I'll use apricot jelly more sweet less bitter

So I have spent the last week reading 775 pages of WFD.

I'm in awe such dedication.

 

[Glynis]

So I have spent the last week reading 775 pages of WFD.

I am in love with this thread and I am excited about being here to share ideas and recipes! I really feel like I know you guys now...

I am a beginner cook and I experiment on my poor DH who is a very picky eater (just like your typical 3 year old - his ideal meal is chicken fingers and french fries)

But you have inspired me to try new things on him and he'll like it or not!

My dinner tonight will be with my parents, my brother and his wife and my 3 mo old nephew.
We are having Pizzas from Sam's Club. Boring - I know...
Last night DH and I had a Taco Kit. No sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes.... Just Taco Shells, Meat, and Cheese!

Have a great day!!

Welcome to our little family! There are some wonderful recipes for beginner cooks on this thread! Feel free to jump in and ask questions, share recipes, and let us get to know you.

 

[HERSEY]

Gretchen I hope your poor baby gets well soon. How awful.

I'm sure I am missing some people here I'm sorry. Hope everyone with sick family members keep their germs to them selves and gets better.

Alex informed me this morning he was feeling a little scratchy. Great I loaded him up with meds this morning hopefully it is just allergies.


Tonight I trying a new sandwich I saw when I was thumbing through magazines this morning. Grilled apple, bacon and cheddar sandwich. I bought maple bacon instead of the apple smoked bacon the recipe calls for.

 

[shovan]

I am so glad you guys understand the "Need" for wine. (btw... we need a wine drinking smiley on this board)

I started drinking wine a couple of years ago when my doc told me I have high cholesterol and high blood pressure (Note: I was 24 years old at the time - and I am not a big person - 5'1 and 110 lbs - this is obviously thanks to genetics)
But anyway - a friend told me to drink red wine - that her father did and it lowered his cholesterol by 20 points. So I started but next time I went to the doc - mine was up another point or two. And I haven't been back...

But I still drink my wine and I can not do without it. I love reds - big flavorful Cabs, Cab Francs, I had a Deadly Zins Zinfandel the other night that was to die for. I go through 3-6 bottles a week. DH even drinks some with me.
I also love a cold glass of Chardonnay or Cab Sav while sitting on the porch watching the sun set.
If anyone is interested - my DH and I recently got back from a trip to the Napa Valley in California. My trip report is on trip advisor (is it legal to say that on this board?) ....

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...ONG_Days_1_2-Napa_Napa_Valley_California.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...G_Days_3_4_5-Napa_Napa_Valley_California.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...G_Days_6_7_8-Napa_Napa_Valley_California.html

Anyway - sorry for the rambling... TTYL

My good cholesterol was so high on my last checkup, my doc asked me about my diet! I said "Oh it must be the olive oil!" Now you sound like a woman after my own heart! I love big bold reds, My fav is Coppola Claret! The other night we a Spanish wine that was a blend of cab & tempranillo that was so good! Now I can't remember where I bought it! I'm going to read your Napa reviews! Something else DH & I have thought about doing, well it would probably be Sonoma though, cause there's a race track there! My DH likes his wine but loves his car racing!

 

[shovan]

I would never hear the end of that

Disney is such a great travel destination, but a Fall Foliage tour up here is without comparison! I'm waiting.....

Sheryl- I lost you in this multi quote thing. You are going to have so much fun now that Bob has his new van. Disney is great because there are a lot of solutions to help people get around, but nothing beats getting out and going where you want when you want to go.

Have fun at the fair & just hide the little bottle in your purse!

You know y'all are making a road trip sound better & better! Now we'll just have to find time to plan something in between the 2 Disney trips we're already planning for next year!

 

[shovan]

Another wino on board!!!!! I just loves me some Chardonnay!!!

Hey Kathy, I'm considering changing my screen name from Shovan to WINEAUX !!!!!!

 

[Glynis]

Hi everybody! I'm back!!!! Didja miss me??? My brother's wedding went really well! There were some minor setbacks, but we did get him hitched!!!

My mother (75 years old) tripped the Monday before the wedding and landed on her face. Her left eye was black and swollen when we got there on Thursday. She was so upset about it. Because of her heart condition, she's on blood thinners, so all the blood just pooled there! Luckily, her dialysis attendant recommended trying heat compresses on it. By Saturday, the swelling was almost gone, and the black had lightened up to a purple.

I promised you pictures, so here you go:

Before the wedding, I took all the little girls to the beauty parlor to get their hair done for the ceremony. Here are the before, during and after shots:

Next up: the ceremony and reception.

 

[OKWMom]

Hey Kathy, I'm considering changing my screen name from Shovan to WINEAUX !!!!!!

Now there's a Tag Fairy worthy comment if ever there was one!

 

[bear74]

Glynis all the girls look beautiful. Glad your mom only had a black eye.

 

[OKWMom]

Glynis, the looked beautiful! I love those curls!

We did miss you and we are glad you got your brother hitched. It would have been a shame to have to kick him out of the family after all this time. I hate that your mother fell but I'm so glad she only ended up with bruising from it. I know you were all very thankful it wasn't worse.

 

[Glynis]

The ceremony was held in the theater my father designed. It's a replica of Shakespeare's Globe theater. We set up arches in front of doors, and strung chiffon across the opening of the theater to shade the people who were coming to watch the ceremony. It was a really hot and windy day, so we also provided bottled water.

Jamie's bridesmaids were dressed in strapless gowns that were a cinnamon color to match the groomsmen's vests. They each carried a small bouquet of brown and cinnamon Gerbera daisies with colored crystal sprays. Jamie carried a larger bouquet to match. My twins were the flower girls in cinnamon colored dresses carrying chocolate brown baskets. They dropped silk flower petals in cream, burnt orange, and brown.

After the ceremony, the bridal party left the theater to the courtyard, where they greeted their guests. It was really nice, and would have been better if my son hadn't decided to get sick!!! He came running out right after the recessional, and ran to the nearest bathroom. Luckily, he made it, and that ended his attendance at the party! Alan took him back to my parents house and put him right to bed!

Next up: the reception!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I'm doing this on Thursday , I was planning on my version of Shepherd's pie, but this sounds much better and still quite easy!! THANKS LAUREN!!!!!!!!

You just liked the Unicorn song!!! It is very easy, just alot of chopping. We really love this recipe and hope you do too!

Hey Kathy, I'm considering changing my screen name from Shovan to WINEAUX !!!!!!

Love it!

Hi everybody! I'm back!!!! Didja miss me??? My brother's wedding went really well! There were some minor setbacks, but we did get him hitched!!!

My mother (75 years old) tripped the Monday

I promised you pictures, so here you go:

Before the wedding, I took all the little girls to the beauty parlor to get their hair done for the ceremony. Here are the before, during and after shots:

I am so sorry that your Mom had such a bad fall...thank God she is OK and the wedding was nice.

The pics of the girls are just great...what a beautiful bunch! I can't wait for more pics...

 

[Glynis]

The reception was held in the garden of my father's business partner. He owns a very small Depression era home, but it's placed on 3 3 quarter acre lots. Needless to say, the garden is HUGE!!! My dad and I spent all night Thursday, and all day Friday with a couple of other people, decorating the place. We put up a wrought iron gazebo which would house the wedding cake, strung white and gold Christmas lights on it, and on all the shrubs and trees. We even outlined the garden in lights. We set up tables, chairs and outdoor patio furniture. On the patio, we set up a drink station and opposite that a buffet for the dessert bar.

While we were doing that, my sister was back at my mother's house putting the finishing touches on the cake. It was GORGEOUS!!! 3 tiers on a "floating" stand. The cake layers were square and iced in fondant. the cake itself was a spice/nut cake. The bottom layer had a chocolate ganache filling, the middle layer had a pecan praline filling, and the top layer had a white chocolate filling. So yummy!!!!!! Jamie had asked that there be flowers on the cake, so my sister made daylilies out of fondant, and hand painted them.

Here are some shots of it all set up:

The cake cutting:

I loved this shot of the mother of the groom and the mother of the bride. You can see how nice we got mom's makeup to look. You can hardly tell she has a black eye. My mom's the one on the left.

Last one, I promise. We took a picture of Josh and Jamie surrounded by all the nieces and nephews:

 

[Glynis]

And now down to the real reason for this thread. Dinner tonight will be the cheesy crockpot chicken from this thread! It smells divine! Just have to make some brown rice to go with it!!

 

[HERSEY]

Glynis Beautiful pictures. So sorry to hear about your mom though. How is she feeling now? I love the pictures of the girl's curls. I hope your son got over his sickness quickly.

 

[TigerKat]

Hey Kathy, I'm considering changing my screen name from Shovan to WINEAUX !!!!!!

I love it!!

Glynis - Awesome pics, everything was absolutely beautiful! Sorry about your Mom though, is she feeling better? And OF COURSE we missed you!!!!!

Lauren - You're right, the song got me.

 

[HERSEY]

Kathy There was a Childrens show that played in the Chicago area when I was small that had that song playing for one of the segment. It played whenever they had Dr Fisher from the Lincoln park zoo.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Glynis - what beautiful pics! I love weddings =)

The asian peanut chicken was yummy - here is the recipe. I did not do the cucumber salad though I'm sure it would be tasty. The chicken itself was easy and quick with a tiny kick.

Asian Peanut Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Serves 4
Active: 15 min Total: 25 min
INGREDIENTS:
1 seedless cucumber (18 oz)
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 package (3.5 oz) peanut sauce mix (A Taste of Thai), both envelopes
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 7 oz each), tenderloins removed
1 Tbsp oil
1 1/4 cups water
PREPARATION:
1. Cut cucumber crosswise in half, then cut each piece lengthwise in half. Place each flat side down and cut into thin lengthwise slices. Toss cucumber, vinegar and mint in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
2. Place 1 envelope dry peanut sauce mix on sheet of wax paper; turn chicken breasts in mix to coat.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, 6 minutes or until golden and instant-read thermometer inserted side to center registers 165ºF. Remove to plate; cover slightly to keep warm.
4. Add water and remaining envelope of peanut sauce mix to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring, about 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve sauce on the chicken and the cucumber salad alongside.
Per serving: 331 cal, 36 g pro, 26 g car, 3 g fiber, 8 g fat (2 g sat fat), 82 mg chol, 1,189 mg sod