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

[shovan]

Morning Y'all,

Stephanie, I hope all goes well for your Sis today! Going to St. Pete's should be nice! I keep wondering where that darn maid is myself.

Lauren, Glad you're listening to the Boss!

Bethany, On Magazine Street! Girl you really have become one of us NOLA girls! You crack me up!

Nancy, You & Buddy sure do deserve to sit & put your feet up awhile! Are the schools on break up there? Oh nevermind, President's Week.

Janice, I'll use regular packaged brown rice, I just add 1/2 cup more water & let it cook longer. It is tricky to use in a one pan type dish. Easier to cook the rice separately for me.

Ann, Your dinner tonight sounds so good! My DH would love that.

Laura, Glad the kids liked kielbasa! I hope they don't change their minds before they get it again. Becky really should submit her photos in some contests! That summer roll pic is just wonderful!

Becky, Your soup looks great too & yummy! The muir glen tomatoes were on sale here a couple of weeks ago, but they only had 2 cans left of the fire roasted ones.

I think we are going to have chicken tonight. I have to get to the grocery today, so we'll see.

Hope I didn't forget anyone, my brain has been mush latetly. I've really increased my coffee drinking lately & it doesn't seem to be helping.

 

[shovan]

Dinner last night was yummy but really took me a lot longer than it should have.

Seared Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Spaghetti with Champagne Sauce & bok choy with carmelized onions.

Here's the recipe I started with. I put the sauce on the spaghetti (per review recommendations). Totally forgot to pour some on the scallops. But bacon wrapped scallops really rock! They didn''t need anything else. I didn't have watercress, thought arugula would be too strong so I used bok choy. Didn't even get to the parmesan crisps.


Seared Scallops on Wilted Watercress with Champagne Butter Sauce, and Parmesan Crisps
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: 0 min Cook Time: 30 min Level:
Intermediate Serves:
4 servings Ingredients
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter plus 8 tablespoons, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 bunches fresh watercress, coarse stems removed, well rinsed with water clinging to leaves
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
20 sea scallops, patted dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup Brut Champagne
Parmesan Crisps, recipe follows
Directions
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the watercress, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pinch white pepper, and cook, stirring, until the watercress is wilted and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Lightly season both sides of the scallops with salt and white pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and cook until golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the shallots to the oil remaining in the pan, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the Champagne and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced by 50 percent in volume. Add the remaining butter, 1 piece at a time, taking the skillet from the heat as necessary to prevent the sauce from breaking, and cook, whisking constantly, until all the butter is incorporated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Divide the wilted watercress among 4 serving plates, top each with 5 Sauteed scallops, and drizzle with the Champagne Butter Sauce. Serve immediately with the Parmesan Crisps.

Cook and Pair with: Charbaut Brut Champagne, Epernay, France

Parmesan Crisps:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.

Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and sesame seeds, then roll with a rolling pin to make the cheese and seeds adhere to the pastry. Cut the pastry in half horizontally, then into desired shapes, such as diamonds or rectangles. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until golden and risen, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Thu Feb 19 2009

Of course since I used all the champagne & worked so hard on dinner, I had to open up something good to go with it.

 

[TigerKat]

I really need to get packing. We are leaving for St. Pete Beach tomorrow for a long weekend, and I am so not ready yet. I guess I should start laundry first and then pack. Ugh, I hate this part of vacations. What I want to know is who gave the maid the day off?

Have a great time!

 

[Glynis]

Morning, everyone!

Lauren - I'm glad that you are taking it easy! You are so close! Just hang in there!!!

Stephanie - I hope you have a great weekend trip! Wish I was having one!

I love brown rice, and slowly my kids are learning to like it, as well. It's really not that hard to cook, I just have to watch it and add more water if it needs it. I like my rice chewy, so I have to add a bit more water to it!

Dinner tonight is from the crockpot 365 blog. It's a blue cheese and cherry meatloaf. I'm not making it in the crockpot, though. Just in the oven. I'll let you know how it is. I would never try something like this, as I would be afraid my kids would hate the blue cheese, but I used gorgonzola in a dish a few weeks ago, and they all loved it, so I'm going to try it. I hope it's as good as my mind thinks it will be. I'm also going to mash some potatoes to go along with it. Haven't come up with a veggie yet, but Katie has been requesting brussels sprouts. That might be the way to go.

I have to run to the store, so I'll see what veggies look good while I'm there.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Morning Y'all,

Bethany, On Magazine Street! Girl you really have become one of us NOLA girls! You crack me up!

Hope I didn't forget anyone, my brain has been mush latetly. I've really increased my coffee drinking lately & it doesn't seem to be helping.

The GPS made me take a LEFT onto Magazine Street. At about 4pm. I just closed my eyes and hit the gas. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I didn't hit anything or anybody so I guess it's all good.

Glad I can make you laugh. I'm up in Baton Rouge now. It's a whole different ball game up here. And it's REALLY dark...no street lights?! My friend asked me last night if I could hear the bats. I said "hear WHAT?!?" She says "the bats" and I say "well, what do bats sound like?" Uh yeah, they've got BATS.

Last night we went to Wal-Mart at midnight. I got four things of coffee to take back to NYC with me. I'm sure the checkout lady was wondering why I needed so much coffee in the middle of the night. But since she didn't ask, I didn't tell.

I'm not sure what's for dinner. We are going to Cirque de Soleil tonight so we will probably eat something on the way there.

 

[nucpharm29]

Thanks for all the trip well wishes. I am such a planning freak that I'm upset that I don't have a plan for this trip. Originally it was supposed to be a "beach" vacation. Except now the weather is going to be too cool to get in a bathing suit (thank god! ) So now we have two full days with nothing planned. I told DH just now that we need to start brainstorming b/c when the kids get bored, they start fighting. And I don't want to be playing referee all weekend. I also don't want to park myself in front of the TV--I can do that at home for free! Now if the kids weren't with us, I would get a nice book and cocktail, sit on the balcony and watch the sunset. However, unless I'm buying some noise cancelling headphones, not happening.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Aimee, I'm sorry you're having troubles at work again.

Aimee-

Thanks We are back in the media but not as bad at the first couple of rounds... though there is potential for it to be BIG. I hate politics.

I think I mentioned here that we've had two people out to do estimates on our foundation work. Well, we had a 3rd guy out today and he told me that if it was his house he would just wait and see what happens in 6 months. That there isn't anything structurally wrong with the house and he wouldn't spend money just to spend money. Very interesting. Now I"m really confused--we've had estimates over $8K and now someone telling us we don't need to do anything right now

Hmm. I'd be tempted to follow the guy who didn't sell himself on an expensive job, you know? Thinking maybe he was truthful as he doesn't get anything out of it

I have not been able to keep up lately but just wanted to check in. I went to the perinatalogist today and it turns out I do have preclampsia but not a severe case so that is good. I have to closely monitor my BP twice a day and if I continue to have high #s, they may have to induce sooner...I just checked it again and it was OK so maybe its just from rushing around or what they call White Coat Syndrome (when your BP goes up because of a dr visit).

You win!

That is the prettiest summer rolls EVER!!! You have to tell me how you do that! So beautiful! And I don't have to go looking for bok choy pics now either!

But what's this about a pristine stove! I must have missed that while drooling over the food!

I have never noticed anything but the food, either!



I fly out on Sunday morning for Orlando and haven't done one thing to prepare

Tonight, if I ever make it home from work which at this point isn't happening, I am making cheesy hashbrown chili straight from the latest Rachael Ray magazine.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Lauren, please rest.

Stephanie have a safe wonderful trip with your family.

Bethany sounds like your having fun.........which you needed.

Nancy you look fabulous in red. I enjoyed your photos on FB.

No cooking going on here.....

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Stephanie, have a great trip!

 

[Disney Ron]

Stephanie, have a great trip.

Maria, hope you are doing better!?

Sheryl, I will let you know how dinner turns out. It is the first time I am making it.

Ann

 

[bigmerle1966]

Glad I can make you laugh. I'm up in Baton Rouge now. It's a whole different ball game up here. And it's REALLY dark...no street lights?! My friend asked me last night if I could hear the bats. I said "hear WHAT?!?" She says "the bats" and I say "well, what do bats sound like?" Uh yeah, they've got BATS.

Do you mean she has bats in her house or they have bats in Baton Rouge? Cause I hate to tell you this but there are bats pretty much everywhere. If you've ever been out at dusk and there are little birds flitting around, chances are that's a bat!

 

[liamandcaili]

Stephanie -- Have a great trip! I saw that Kris Allen is in next week's group.

Aimee -- I hope things settle down. It sounds like your trip is coming at a good time...escape from the drama.

Bethany -- It sounds like you are having fun.

Maria -- Nice to see you again. I hope you are in a little better spirits.

Lauren -- I am glad you are listening to Nancy...it sounds like you would be in trouble if you didn't!

Nancy -- Did Marisa and Kady have fun in Boston? They are traveling around a bit this week.

The kids and I are going over to my neighbor's house later this afternoon. The kids are all going to watch Wall-E, and the adults are going to socialize. I am not sure what time we'll be back, but I'll only have to fix dinner for me. The kids are having pizza after the movie.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Dinner tonight will be either shrimp or chicken with mushrooms in a yellow curry sauce I got from TJ's. I'll have that with some sort of noodle and a veggie.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Do you mean she has bats in her house or they have bats in Baton Rouge? Cause I hate to tell you this but there are bats pretty much everywhere. If you've ever been out at dusk and there are little birds flitting around, chances are that's a bat!

Outside! I don't think I've ever heard them before except maybe at Animal Kingdom?

 

[TigerKat]

Outside! I don't think I've ever heard them before except maybe at Animal Kingdom?

Bethany....they are everywhere.....could this be another dream in the making?

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Hi Guys,

I need some prayers for my brother...I found out today that he is extremely ill with stomach cancer. He can really use some prayers and good thoughts. He is my oldest brother and Godfather, has a young daughter and is truly a very down to earth, nice guy.

I am so upset by this...and trying not to be so my BP does not go up.

Thank you.

 

[liamsaunt]

I think I am making Japanese tofu stew tonight...unless John's not in the mood.

If anyone's interested, here are some photos from my trip. These are the public shots on flickr, so there are none of us---just beaches and fish and stuff like that. I'll be uploading the personal photos to facebook soon and you can see them there.

http://flickr.com/gp/28539958@N00/2T856p


Glynis, I'm interested to see if your kids will eat that meatloaf! I know what would happen if Laura tried to give it to Liam and Caili. Your kids must be more adventurous with their food! If it is good, please post the recipe. I'd convert it to turkey meatloaf, but I love blue cheese and cherries.

Aimee, sorry to read about your troubles at work again. It's ongoing for you there, isn't it?

 

[TigerKat]

Hi Guys,

I need some prayers for my brother...I found out today that he is extremely ill with stomach cancer. He can really use some prayers and good thoughts. He is my oldest brother and Godfather, has a young daughter and is truly a very down to earth, nice guy.

I am so upset by this...and trying not to be so my BP does not go up.

Thank you.

Prayers offered my friend.

I'll be uploading the personal photos to facebook soon and you can see them there.

We need to be friends first.

 

[lucas]

If anyone's interested, here are some photos from my trip. These are the public shots on flickr, so there are none of us---just beaches and fish and stuff like that.

Beautiful pics!

 

[Glynis]

Hi Guys,

I need some prayers for my brother...I found out today that he is extremely ill with stomach cancer. He can really use some prayers and good thoughts. He is my oldest brother and Godfather, has a young daughter and is truly a very down to earth, nice guy.

I am so upset by this...and trying not to be so my BP does not go up.

Thank you.

Definitely he has my prayers! You do, too.