The What's for Dinner Thread - August 2014 (recipe index in OP)

[franandaj]

Hi folks! I keep forgetting to check in here when it doesn't show up in my regular feed!

We had a yummy dinner out the other night, Saturday to be exact. Other than that we are staying close to home. Last night I made my trusty Balsamic Chicken with sone steamed cabbage. I forget what's on tonight's menu but it is easy.

Yesterday we took 5 boxes to the thrift store. Unfortunately we have at least 10 labeled "Save storage" and we're never going to go through them. There are at least 20 boxes already in storage saying "unpack new house". Not to mention the 100's with specific labels. Ugh.

 

[kimmar067]

How's everyone doing in 2016?

...so far.....MEH.

....we got to school and the Internet was down for a good part of the day....I didn't have access to my lesson plans, my worksheets, the youtube video that I was going to show the class, or even the SmartBoard and my powerpoint presentation.....I had to 'wing it' all day!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hi folks! I keep forgetting to check in here when it doesn't show up in my regular feed!

We had a yummy dinner out the other night, Saturday to be exact. Other than that we are staying close to home. Last night I made my trusty Balsamic Chicken with sone steamed cabbage. I forget what's on tonight's menu but it is easy.

Yesterday we took 5 boxes to the thrift store. Unfortunately we have at least 10 labeled "Save storage" and we're never going to go through them. There are at least 20 boxes already in storage saying "unpack new house". Not to mention the 100's with specific labels. Ugh.

Sounds like a lot of work!

Hope you and Fran and doing well.

...so far.....MEH.

....we got to school and the Internet was down for a good part of the day....I didn't have access to my lesson plans, my worksheets, the youtube video that I was going to show the class, or even the SmartBoard and my powerpoint presentation.....I had to 'wing it' all day!

That really is.....Ouch!
Hope that your school internet gets back up and running again.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I have one more week of 'leave' left. Do you know.....I'm not sure what I want to do? At this stage, I'm just winging it day by day. There is a heap of stuff to do around the house but DH and I are just so tired that we are just ignoring everything. Is that bad to admit it?

 

[franandaj]

Last night we had Beef Stroganoff and green beans. Tonight is our first night back to band so I fear we will be eating from a drive through somewhere.

 

[EJ4Disney]

Good morning all,

I am in good shape for the new year. I have a few investments and the check book to receive yet, but otherwise I am all set. This year didn't seem too bad. But I am SO glad it is over. I have to get the W2's out but not for a week or so yet.

We took Doug's Dad out for New Year's Eve. We each had prime rib with lobster. It was yummy. He so enjoyed it. We had been asked out with friends, but there is no way we wouldn't go with Dad. There will be a time we won't have the opportunity. We all had fun. We were home by 9 and Doug and I fought to stay awake. We lost and finally at 11 we watched the ball drop in NYC, kissed and went to sleep. We are such party animals, huh? New Years day we never got out of our jammies, but Saturday and Sunday we were back to normal. Monday came soon enough, but it was kind of nice getting back to a routine.

It sounds like you all had a nice holiday also.

Alison ~ You will get through it all or not. Either way it is all good. Obviously what is packed you don't miss. I know I still have a few boxes I packed up of my Mother's that I haven't gone through. I might get to them and I might not, either way it is what it is and I would stress over it at all.
I am loving your trip reports. Thanks so much!!

Kimmar ~ Hey you, I've missed you. That is the pit about the internet. Isn't it scary how much we depend on it? We have no idea how to do things on our own anymore.

PIO ~ Enjoy your last week and don't worry a bit about what needs to be done. It will wait for you when you are ready. I am so enjoying your beautiful pictures you are sharing.

It is cold, foggy and dreary today. YUCK!! Matthew flew down to San Deigo last week to be with Katlin for a few days. He was able to golf 4 days and didn't want to come back to the cold. I am just ready to see the sun.

WFDT ~ Sea Bass, roasted potatoes and a vegetable salad.

Make it a great day!

 

[EJ4Disney]

Good morning all,

We are under winter storm warnings today. Last night we traveled to Kearney - 35 miles east - and it was like we were driving in thick pea soup. The fog was horrible. There were times we had no idea where we were. It was really scary. I was glad to be home. This morning it is just wet and gloomy again, but snow is forecasted for this afternoon. Which will be a mess if it really does freeze as the roads are wet. Oh how I love winter - NOT!! I plan on going straight home.

WFDT ~ Loaded Potato soup, cheese biscuits and peach cobbler.

Make it a great day!!

 

[franandaj]

Whew! Finally the storms have passed. It's amazing when you don't have any rain for five years what it can be like when you get a whole crapload! I'm just glad we don't live near the mountains, they got really slammed.

Dinner last night was gumbo. Tonight will be Waffles and bacon.

 

[kimmar067]

WFDT ~ Loaded Potato soup, cheese biscuits and peach cobbler.

Make it a great day!!

....sounds like a great cold-weather kinda meal.....

 

[PrincessInOz]

It's Friday here. Where did this week go?

I'm back at work next week and am starting to adjust my sleeping patterns accordingly. Today, it was a shock to the system to wake up again at 6 am in the morning. I made myself get out of bed before 7 am and 3 hours later....I'm already feeling tired!
Guess I have this weekend to 'practise' some more.
And as I'm *almost* ready to get back into the work mindset, I guess it's been a good restful break for me.

The weather here has been hot, hot and hot. I'm not quite ready to give up on summer yet...but it would be nice to have some rain. As a consequence, most of our meals here have been rather scrappy. DH and I have been eating mostly salads or antipasto style meals. Poor DS has to scrounge for whatever he can get.
Oh well. Next week means back to routine!

Hope everyone is well.

 

[EJ4Disney]

Good morning all,

Alison ~ I am really really enjoying your trip reports. I had some time last night and sat down with a hot cup of cocoa and tagged along with you. Love it!!
Bless you on the rain. I have been thinking of you and wondering if you were ok.
Your meals sound so good. I just might have to put waffles and bacon in the rotation. I love breakfast for Dinner

Kimmar ~ You are so right! Isn't it funny how we have certain meals for the seasons. I would never eat chili in June or a BLT in January.

PIO ~ So glad to hear your break has been a good one. I know after New Years I was ready to get back into a routine.

I went out yesterday as soon as I got home and took all of my bows down off of the fence and as soon as Doug got home he got all of the extension cords wrapped up. The lights, presents, trees, wreath and deer are still up but not lit. It will be a few weeks probably until we get them in the basement. By the time Doug gets home it is already dark and this weekend it is to be a high of 0.

We so wanted to go to Lincoln tomorrow but I think we are rethinking that. We got about 2-3" of snow overnight and tomorrow it is suppose to be frigid. They don't except the temps to be above 0. I just think we will hunker down and stay warm. We will do good to keep water and feed to the cows. Thank God for heated water tanks.

WFDT ~ Ham and scalloped potatoes, roasted beets and tomato & avocado salad.

Make it a great day.

 

[franandaj]

Ugh, 0 degrees? How can you handle that? We are dying here with highs in the 50's and lows in the 40s.

Today is a dry day. We are going out to the park. I plan to ride the train since it closes on Sunday.

I can't remember whats on the menu for dinner tonight. Who knows maybe we'll go out since I won't have a lot of time, depending on how long we spend at the park today.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ellen - It sounds positively frozen where you here!

Alison - I'll trade you. It's hitting high 90's here today and we're expecting over 100 F later this week. Hot, hot and hot.


It's Monday here and the last day of this break. I'm pleased to say that I'm probably as relaxed as can be expected. I'm ready to hit the office again. Especially in a week of hot weather, work AC will be much appreciated. Here's hoping for a good year ahead.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Christmas Eve Dinner




I don't think I got round to sharing Christmas Fare with y'all this year.
Christmas Eve was at my mother's. She decided to make a traditional South East Asian meal known as Nasi Lemak. Nasi Lemak is effectively Coconut Rice with a heap of 'dishes'....but there is a standard set of 'dishes' that you would put in the Nasi Lemak meal.







The Coconut Rice. It is traditionally cooked with screwpine or pandanus flavour, which is what that green leaf is. For those that haven't had pandan flavour, it's more unctuous than vanilla.






The side dishes include:

Crispy Fried Anchovies.






Pickled Vegetables (or Achar)






Hard boiled eggs......








.....usually with a spicy sambal.







Cucumber.







There is always a spicy protein curry with it....either wet or dry.
My parents chose to add the Beef Rendang (a dry curry).






We could also choose a dry'ish Chicken curry.






Or a Prawn Sambal.










My dinner. Yes, there is rice underneath all those dishes!!








The 'younger' generation was responsible for desserts.

My brother made a chocolate self-saucing pudding.







My cousin brought a platter of petit fours.






I assembled a Black Forest Chocolate Ripple Cake.....











....and a trifle.







Food. coma. assured!

 

[franandaj]

Looks great! But I said that when you posted on FB!

Tonight we are having Polish Sausage and sauerkraut with a zucchini frittata on the side. Fran found a food network pamphlet of 50 zucchini recipes and that one stood out to me as sounding very good. I had planned freezer boxed orange chicken and a veggie stir fry, but that just didn't sound as good to me when I got up this morning and was feeling more "western". So now I have to go to the grocery store for some of the ingredients. Oh well!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I haven't even thought about dinner tonight. I might get some burgers and make some at home. DS loves them.

 

[EJ4Disney]

Thankful Tuesday,

Last night I was a witness to a nasty accident. It happened right before me. I stopped real fast and got out to see if everyone was alright - they were - shook up but not injuries. The man that ran the stop sign, threw is hands up and said, "What the He**!" I walked up to him and pointed my 2 index fingers at him and said, "That is what stop signs are for and you blew right through it!" He looked at me and knew he was had. He hung is head and said, "Yea, you are right. I saw you." And I exploded, "So you were going to blow it before I could get there?" He hung his head and I didn't hear another word out of him. What a jerk!! I called the police and they were there within 5 minutes. I stayed as I knew by law I had to and also so the man who blew the stop sign would be held responsible. The sheriff, talked to me even before he talked to the others. I kept replaying it all night long. I have never seen an accident before and it was so scary. 5 more seconds and it would have been me, and he would have hit me on my side. Not cool!!

PIO ~ Your Christmas dinner looks good. Very different, but good. I love different cultures and how they celebrate.
Happy back to work day!!

Alison ~ I love zucchini!! It is almost considered a "weed" here. There is a joke that you'd better lock your cars in the summer or you WILL find it full of zucchini. I don't think there is a day that I don't come home and there isn't something on my porch - corn, tomatoes, egg plant, beans or zucchini. YUM!!

We decided to not go to Lincoln on Saturday. Ethan was in a basketball tournament so we watched his games. It actually turned out to be a nice but fridged day.

We are going to the basketball games tonight at the High school. We really enjoy watching the kids play, and there are quite a few from the church. They really like it when we are there.

WFDT ~ a hot dog and a bag of popcorn. I can't wait!!

Make it a great day.

 

[franandaj]

Alison ~ I love zucchini!! It is almost considered a "weed" here. There is a joke that you'd better lock your cars in the summer or you WILL find it full of zucchini. I don't think there is a day that I don't come home and there isn't something on my porch - corn, tomatoes, egg plant, beans or zucchini. YUM!!

I read this to Fran and she said that you are lucky.

Tonight is band night, so we're eating out. I think either Farmer Boys or IHOP.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Last night I was a witness to a nasty accident. It happened right before me. I stopped real fast and got out to see if everyone was alright - they were - shook up but not injuries. The man that ran the stop sign, threw is hands up and said, "What the He**!" I walked up to him and pointed my 2 index fingers at him and said, "That is what stop signs are for and you blew right through it!" He looked at me and knew he was had. He hung is head and said, "Yea, you are right. I saw you." And I exploded, "So you were going to blow it before I could get there?" He hung his head and I didn't hear another word out of him. What a jerk!! I called the police and they were there within 5 minutes. I stayed as I knew by law I had to and also so the man who blew the stop sign would be held responsible. The sheriff, talked to me even before he talked to the others. I kept replaying it all night long. I have never seen an accident before and it was so scary. 5 more seconds and it would have been me, and he would have hit me on my side. Not cool!!

Oh WOW! So glad that you were 5 seconds late. That sounds really scary. What an idiot!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Wednesday night and the end of the second day back at work.

Yup. Pressure's going to be right back on shortly.