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

[nucpharm29]

Morning all. Last night ended up being pizza at our fav. pizza joint. I started my painting during the kiddos naptime yesterday adn the kitchen is in a state of upheaval. However, the colors are great. Even DH, after he nitpicked on my taping abilities, said he really liked it. What is it with men and their abilities to point out the minute negative while missing the "in your face" positive? Oh well, but the prob with picking red for my wall color, is at least 2 coats, probably 3. My arms and back are so sore this morning. You'd a thought with all the working out I do that the painting would be no big deal--not so much, it was hard getting out of bed this morning.

Lauren--glad to here that the tests weren't too awful. Hope you get some conclusive results soon!

Sheryl--your kitchen is amazing! Love it!

Liamsaunt--you continue to amaze me! Love the pics!

Well, should go and clean up--still covered in paint from last night. With the red paint on my leg, it looks like I've had a nasty accident! TGIF all, even though it's Friday the 13th!

 

[OKWMom]

If I was sitting on a deck by the sea it would not matter what I ate. I would be in Heaven. Have a great time!

I second that! Hope you have a wonderful time.

Beck - I have to share something with you. I have really enjoyed your photos, and like Nancy, have never seen a home cook with such wonderful presentation. DH is quite used to me looking at photos accompanying the reviews on the restaurant review thread and has enjoyed seeing photos of the meals served by places we want to try. The other night I was looking at some of your photos, I believe the one of the bacon wrapped scallops, and he came over and said "Where is that?!? I want to eat there." I told him I didn't think your DH would appreciate an additional man at his dinner table.

Last night's dinner was the Paula Deen special and was 50% successful. The eclair cake was really good. (I only had one bite - trying to diet). However, the chicken divan was terrible. I don't know if it was because I lightened it with light mayo and half low-fat cream of mushroom, but all we could taste was mayo. Gross.

I hope tonight's dinner will turn out better. It is a new recipe. I'm trying pork loin done with BBQ sauce and Marsala. I'm also making a corn casserole on the side for DH and the kids. I'm having a salad.

Hope everyone has a great day and a wonderful weekend.

Gretchen

 

[OceanAnnie]

Hi Lindsay and everyone,

I'm going to shred the chicken from last night and mix in some taco seasoning and salsa, then I'll make a taco bake. Fruit for dessert.

 

[Nancyg56]

Last night's dinner was the Paula Deen special and was 50% successful. The eclair cake was really good. (I only had one bite - trying to diet). However, the chicken divan was terrible. I don't know if it was because I lightened it with light mayo and half low-fat cream of mushroom, but all we could taste was mayo. Gross.

You have to watch some of her recipes. I like her desserts and use them a lot, but I have found that there are time when she goes way overboard on the "I love butter, mayonnaise ans sour cream so I use twice as much as a small country would use in a year to jazz up my meal" thing. I read the reviews and try to adjust first.

 

[Nancyg56]

Last night I assumed that DD and her family was going to eat at teh carnival and the DH would be ecstatic to have leftovers. DD and family had to scrounge in the refrigerator for dinner before heading out and DH requested burgers. I have no idea what is happening this evening, the kids are going to the fireworks tonight and I am cleaning the house today, so I will worry about dinner after I make some real headway in the house. I ironed for hours yesterday, but that does not show up after the clothes are put away, I need to see what I accomplish today.

 

[TigerKat]

If I was sitting on a deck by the sea it would not matter what I ate. I would be in Heaven. Have a great time!

I'll third that!!!!

Morning all. Last night ended up being pizza at our fav. pizza joint. I started my painting during the kiddos naptime yesterday adn the kitchen is in a state of upheaval. However, the colors are great.

Can't wait to see the before and after pics! I stopped trying to figure out why men do half of what they do a long time ago.

Last night's dinner was the Paula Deen special and was 50% successful. The eclair cake was really good. (I only had one bite - trying to diet). However, the chicken divan was terrible. I don't know if it was because I lightened it with light mayo and half low-fat cream of mushroom, but all we could taste was mayo. Gross.

I hope tonight's dinner will turn out better. It is a new recipe. I'm trying pork loin done with BBQ sauce and Marsala. I'm also making a corn casserole on the side for DH and the kids. I'm having a salad.
Gretchen

I'm not a big mayo fan so I normally stay away from Paula's recipes that include it. I love Paula and most of her recipes but I've had some duds that were just plain bad, or I should say not to my taste. The pork loin sounds really good, if it turns out good, would you post it please?

Tonight will be take-out, not sure what yet!

Have a great day all!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

OK, I just royally screwed up my response using multi quote so I took the easy way out and I'm responding w/o them!!! Thank you all again for keeping me in your thoughts!!!

Tonight I am going to try the Omaha Beef Kabobs, rice and some kind of veggie. Easy!

Sheryl, I love your kitchen!

Have a great day!

 

[TigerKat]

OK, I just royally screwed up my response using multi quote so I took the easy way out and I'm responding w/o them!!! Thank you all again for keeping me in your thoughts!!!

Tonight I am going to try the Omaha Beef Kabobs, rice and some kind of veggie. Easy!

Sheryl, I love your kitchen!

Have a great day!

I've done that so many times before! Please let me know how the Kabobs are!!

 

[liamandcaili]

Caili needs new ice skates, so the kids and I are heading to the skate store this afternoon. The one good thing about this is that the town the skate store is in also has an excellent cheese shop. After we get the skates, we'll go there for samples and pick up enough for a small cheese plate for dinner tonight. So that's WFD: cheese plate, bread, and salad with Provencal olives.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

Lori- can you share the cooler recipe? My DS and DDIL do not drink alcohol and I would love to have something that the whole family will enjoy together. We tend to get together every Sunday and have a nice couple of hours just relaxing with some finger food before dinner. These sound like they would go well.

I have it at home. I'll bring it down and get it posted for you though! Maybe over the weekend? I know it's sugar and raspberry vinegar to make a syrup. Then add the syrup to seltzer water and garnish with mint and raspberries, but I don't remember the quantities offhand. I'll get it posted.

Last night's dinner was the Paula Deen special and was 50% successful. The eclair cake was really good. (I only had one bite - trying to diet). However, the chicken divan was terrible. I don't know if it was because I lightened it with light mayo and half low-fat cream of mushroom, but all we could taste was mayo. Gross.

I hope tonight's dinner will turn out better. It is a new recipe. I'm trying pork loin done with BBQ sauce and Marsala. I'm also making a corn casserole on the side for DH and the kids. I'm having a salad.
Gretchen

I am very proud of your willpower-only eating a bite! I wouldn't have been able to do it! Tonight either......corn casserole sounds yummy!

Tonight will be take-out, not sure what yet!

Have a great day all!

You mean it's not Fried Green Tomato Friday at Kathy's?!?

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks Lori. Whenever you get a chance is fine with me. The ingredients sound like they really complement each other.

 

[shovan]

Morning Friends,

Thanks for all the compliments on my kitchen! I really thought I had posted those before. Now if I can ever figure out what to do with the ceiling & light? Again I'll try to post a pic of that & see if y'all have any ideas. Clueless as to what's for dinner tonight! If it's not storming again maybe we'll go out tonight.

Last night was roasted root veggies in raspberry vinegar and Chinese 5 spice and seared boneless chops with balsamic onion jam. :

Lori, That was it for those veggies the vinegar & 5 spice? Do you have a recipe for the onion jam?

That would have been incentive enough for me to get through all the other courses! I'm sure she'll get through it, especially with all the care meals you provide.

I definitely think that is what's going to pull her through!

Sheryl - the kitchen looks great. Sorry about all the troubles you are having with the state and the van. I know the stress of that, remodeling the kitchen, and being supportive of your husband must be difficult. Come here and vent any time.

Thanks, I really appreciate all of y'all support! But I'll try to restrain my venting! ( Well, I'll do my best anyway!)

So, I ended up being hungry last night, but that weird sort of hungry...you know, when you've eaten too much fatty food earlier in the day, but you are STILL hungry later? plus, DH called and said he was starving. So, I just made a mish-mash of whatever came to mind. Here is a miniature BLTs on brioche--I made a couple of these--they are about 3" across:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1229/792581931_72e8e36cb2.jpg

And then I made souffles--little ones--this picture makes them look bigger then they are too!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1047/793461020_fd8cde79a5.jpg

I also made a salad of radishes and cucumbers.

Your food is always just so fabulous!!! I have never ever attempted a souffle, thougt it would be too hard. Is it really tough? Would you share a recipe?

Sheryl- we all have issues, and I have found that they are easier to deal with when there is such a wonderful group of friends who will support you through them. Somehow they are a little lighter after I have come here. I hope that we can lift yours a little bit

I meant to tell you that I thought that your kitchen was pretty before your renovation. It is stunning now! So much light!

You have got to be so proud of your DD. A chance to go to Paris to study is an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime, and she has it in her future.

Yes it certainly does help a lot! I really feel lucky to have found what I feel like are great friends here on the Dis!!

You did tell me the kitchen was pretty before the renovation. Hearing that from y'all, helped us a lot on scaling back the work so it was affordable! My aunt (who's a real estate appraiser) came by yesterday to take a look. She said the same thing you did! That it really brightens & opens up the room.

Yes, I really am so proud of my DD! I'm also so glad she has something to look forward to after getting through all of this. Her handling of everything she's dealing with right now, really impresses me. With the both of them in school & her the only one working, and they are having some family issues on her DH's side, I just don't know how she copes with all of it! Another reason I come here & vent. I really don't want to dump anything else on her lap!

Morning all. Last night ended up being pizza at our fav. pizza joint. I started my painting during the kiddos naptime yesterday adn the kitchen is in a state of upheaval. However, the colors are great. Even DH, after he nitpicked on my taping abilities, said he really liked it. What is it with men and their abilities to point out the minute negative while missing the "in your face" positive? Oh well, but the prob with picking red for my wall color, is at least 2 coats, probably 3. My arms and back are so sore this morning. You'd a thought with all the working out I do that the painting would be no big deal--not so much, it was hard getting out of bed this morning.

Sheryl--your kitchen is amazing! Love it!
Well, should go and clean up--still covered in paint from last night. With the red paint on my leg, it looks like I've had a nasty accident! TGIF all, even though it's Friday the 13th!

Stephanie, Tell DH there could still be a freezer waiting for him! I sure hope you're taking pictures! I'd love to see the finished wall color! Surprising how tough getting painting done isn't it. Just the taping alone, wears me out! My kitchen is amazing??!! Wow thanks!

I second that! Hope you have a wonderful time.

Beck - I have to share something with you. I have really enjoyed your photos, and like Nancy, have never seen a home cook with such wonderful presentation. DH is quite used to me looking at photos accompanying the reviews on the restaurant review thread and has enjoyed seeing photos of the meals served by places we want to try. The other night I was looking at some of your photos, I believe the one of the bacon wrapped scallops, and he came over and said "Where is that?!? I want to eat there." I told him I didn't think your DH would appreciate an additional man at his dinner table.

Gretchen

That is so funny! But I do have to agree with your DH on that! I want to eat there too!

Hope everyone has a great day & weekend too! (Hope I didn't leave anyone out today!)

 

[shovan]

Lori, Something else I forgot to say, your food sounds like the BEST diet food I've ever heard of! You might convince me to try to drop a few more pounds if you keep this up!

But then Becky will put up some yummy pics or someone else will post a great recipe or Kathy will talk about her fried green tomatoes & that's it for all my diet thoughts!! Kudos to you girlfriend for sticking to it! Proud of ya!

 

[TheBeadPirate]

Morning Friends,
Lori, That was it for those veggies the vinegar & 5 spice? Do you have a recipe for the onion jam?

That was it. I put a little salt and pepper on there too, but that's it.

Recipe for onion jam.......go to William Sonoma- it's in a jar on the shelf there. I had a gift certificate to use and got that and some sauces!

Lori, Something else I forgot to say, your food sounds like the BEST diet food I've ever heard of! You might convince me to try to drop a few more pounds if you keep this up!

But then Becky will put up some yummy pics or someone else will post a great recipe or Kathy will talk about her fried green tomatoes & that's it for all my diet thoughts!! Kudos to you girlfriend for sticking to it! Proud of ya!

Thanks. (blush) I love to eat. I can't help it. I figured the best thing for me to do was to try to make the food I love healthier. Rick will probably pass me at weigh in this week though. He could eat the same thing everyday without a problem NOT me! And I've been lax in my exercise- I'm trying to finish Harry Potter 6 again before the 7th comes out next week.

 

[MinnieM21]

I'm sorry I haven't posted about WFD and the requested recipes yet but I'm sick. I just wanted to let you know that I'm still alive though and when I feel better I'll post as soon as possible. I'll probably just have a gardenburger for dinner, something simple since I don't feel like cooking.

 

[liamsaunt]

Gretchen, that is too funny--thanks for sharing!

Shovan, souffles are almost foolproof to make! When I get home I will post my favorite dinner recipe--giant cheddar souffle. Here is an awesome dessert souffle recipe in the meantime: grand marnier souffle with creme anglaise sauce. DH and I ate this every night on our honeymoon, and now, I make it on special occasions. I halve the recipe and bake it in one dish, rather than doing the individual servings:

Grand Marnier Souffles with Crème Anglaise Sauce

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter plus additional for buttering ramekins
1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
7 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
8 large egg whites
preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter eight 1-cup (3 1/2 x 2-inch) ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and tops are golden.

Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With 2 forks pull open center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into opening
Crème Anglaise sauce

ingredients

1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
preparation

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring half-and-half and heavy cream just to a boil. While cream mixture is heating, in a bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until slightly thickened and pale, about 2 minutes. Add hot cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and transfer custard to pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thermometer registers 180°F., about 2 minutes (do not let custard boil). Transfer custard to cleaned bowl and cool to warm.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We are going to the Movie Tavern tonight to see Harry Potter so we'll eat dinner there! I'm leaning towards a Monte Cristo and a beer =)

YUM!

 

[OceanAnnie]

We are going to the Movie Tavern tonight to see Harry Potter so we'll eat dinner there! I'm leaning towards a Monte Cristo and a beer =)

YUM!

Enjoy your night out! I'm looking forward to seeing H.P. too!

 

[TigerKat]

You mean it's not Fried Green Tomato Friday at Kathy's?!?

Well I was craving Chinese food, so I had a brief thought of abandoning my tomatoes. But now I'm thinking clear and it's fried green tomato night!

 

[Dislifer]

Gretchen, that is too funny--thanks for sharing!

Shovan, souffles are almost foolproof to make! When I get home I will post my favorite dinner recipe--giant cheddar souffle. Here is an awesome dessert souffle recipe in the meantime: grand marnier souffle with creme anglaise sauce. DH and I ate this every night on our honeymoon, and now, I make it on special occasions. I halve the recipe and bake it in one dish, rather than doing the individual servings:

Grand Marnier Souffles with Crème Anglaise Sauce

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter plus additional for buttering ramekins
1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
7 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
8 large egg whites
preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter eight 1-cup (3 1/2 x 2-inch) ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake soufflés in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and tops are golden.

Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With 2 forks pull open center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into opening
Crème Anglaise sauce

ingredients

1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
preparation

In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring half-and-half and heavy cream just to a boil. While cream mixture is heating, in a bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until slightly thickened and pale, about 2 minutes. Add hot cream mixture in a stream, whisking, and transfer custard to pan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thermometer registers 180°F., about 2 minutes (do not let custard boil). Transfer custard to cleaned bowl and cool to warm.

You are such a great cook and your recipes and pictures always look super-just wondering...do you watch "Hell's Kitchen"? I'm just figuring that you would like that show!
Anyone else watch it??? I like it but could never work under that pressure!!!

Well, tonight is pizza night for us!