The What's For Dinner Thread - October'11 (recipe index in OP)

[Nancyg56]

I think Buddy and I would get along real good. Real, real good. And I think Brian needs to be my friend.

Buddy would love you! And Brian is a really good friend to have. He is a quiet man so when he and Welby are together it is hysterical! He raises the beef and she keeps coming home with "hay-burners". She loves animals so if she hears of large animals who need a home she gives them one. Right now Bud and Dan are at teh farm cutting up wood and I can bet that the goats are pulling rags out of their pockets and grabbing the strings on their boots

I will be there at 12:30 edt and surgery is at 1 pm. Thanks everyone for sending positive thoughts.

I will be checking in until I hear your good news!

I'm a big nerd and posted our top 11 recipes of 2011 on my blog if you want to check it out... PM me if you want the address.

TY! Your pics are so pretty! Marisa was looking for a butternut squash casserole at Christmas time but this looks more like what she really wanted!

So I'll get it out of the way first. The Cat Nazi was an awful person, they turned us down and it was awful.


Wow! I was only able to eat that much when I was on the swim team back in Jr High. I miss those days!

.

I was afraid of that! Deb had a horrible time with the rescue people and she is one of the best pet owners I know. She wound up giving up and getting Jaxon, an abandoned pit cross who would have been destroyed, no one else would have worked so hard to socialize him. He is her best friend now and I sure feel better that he is in the house with her. You kitties were waiting for you so I think it worked out the way it should have and honestly, they will know you and Fran are theirs.

All of my cats were barn cats and I swear they knew what they left behind because they were the best animals. Gentle and sweet.

Back in the day I could eat as much as I wanted and never suffer the consequences but no more.

Just a quick fly-by here. I'm thinking about going and laying back down for awhile. I woke up with a monster headache and I'm not going to get anything accomplished until it goes away. Ugh.

feel better

I think I am going to make the lasagna soup. Buddy will not like it but he can make a chicken sandwich to go with it.

 

[liamsaunt]

Good morning!

Brandi, good luck today

Glynis, how is the MOLD going? Hopefully Alan is feeling a little better.

PIO, pretty fireworks pictures!

Aimee, how did you like the taste of the coconut milk with the butternut squash and the sage? The dark chocolate bark is very pretty.

Alison, I am glad that the cat situation worked out for you, even though the rescue lady was so mean. Now you have three new furry friends!

The quick chicken enchilada recipe was very good and easy, the whole thing, from start to table, was only 25 minutes. I took a picture but have not uploaded it yet--I have a week's worth to do. Here is the recipe in the meantime. It's adapted from a recipe in the current cooking light magazine:

Quick Enchiladas Verde

1 can green enchilada sauce (I used Hatch brand)
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
8 ounces cooked shredded chicken breast (I had some leftover from a roast chicken I made on Monday)
1 can ro-tel tomatoes with jalepenos, drained
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
a few drops hot sauce, to taste
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6-inch wide corn tortillas

Combine the enchilada sauce, chicken stock, and cream in a skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low.

Combine the chicken, ro-tel, cumin, cream cheese, cilantro, hot sauce, and half the cheddar in a bowl.

Working with one tortilla at a time, submerge the tortillas in the warm sauce, and leave to soften for 15 seconds. Remove from the sauce and place on a work surface. Add about 1/3 cup of the chicken filling to the tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in a baking dish. Continue until all of the filling has been used up (I made six enchiladas).

Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the casserole, and top with remaining cheddar. Bake at 400 degrees until bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.

I served this with refried beans, yellow rice, and guacamole.

WFD: Japanese clay pot vegetable stew

 

[dgbg100106]

Alison... Please pass along and if you pm me your cell number I can have David text you too if you would like.

 

[Glynis]

Morning, all!

Brandy - You are in my prayers all day today!!! Things will be fine, I know it!

Alison - I'm glad that things worked out and you were able to find some kitties. Too bad the rescue people couldn't see what a wonderful opportunity they missed!

Nancy - I used to be able to eat all I wanted too, but those days are FAR BEHIND me. Sad, huh? We never appreciated it when we had it!

Becky - The MOLD is doing ok. I'm lucky that Alan really isn't much of a complainer. He's up and going, and ready to finish up a project at school. I've dosed him with some cold medicine (the non-drowsy kind), and he's set to go... for a while, at least!

Jen - Good luck at school today! I hope you start to feel more like yourself soon!

Lindsay - Sorry about the headache. I have one today, as well, but I know what caused mine... my addiction to diet Coke. In fact, Timmy and I are heading out in a couple of minutes, and our first stop is the gas station to pick up my pick me up!

Tonight's dinner will definitely be the cheeseburger salad. I ran it by the kids and Alan and they are all excited to try it. They love taco salad, so I'm hoping this will be as good. It would be nice to have another salad-y meal that I know they'll eat!

Have a great day, everyone! I'll check back in for updates on Brandy!

 

[EJ4Disney]

Good morning all,

Janice ~ Thanks for asking - Liam is doing great. He is really growing and so far is staying healthy. The Doctors have said NO visitors or outings until his due date - January 8th. If he gets sick he will go right back to the NICU, so we are taking it very seriously. I love snuggling him - he is the best part of my day.

Nan ~ You are so sweet. I so wish we were closer - we really would be the best of friends. Why is it always that way??!!!
I so want a goat - lucky Welby. Doug just keeps putting his foot down, but oh I want one or two or a whole heard. But so far I don't have any!!

Cassie ~ Welcome Home to your DH. You must be so proud. My SIL Jay has been home from his second tour in Iraq for just over a year now. Please tell your DH thanks.

Jen ~ sweetie, I hope you are feeling better today. If not get yourself home and to bed. Don't push it!!

Uncle Remus ~ Loved the story. Doug took me to McDonalds for our first date (34 years ago). We didn't have one in our town and it was such a treat to go. To this day we still love McDonalds.

PIO ~ loved the pictures. And I would love to take a few of those zucchini off of your hands also.

Glynis ~ oh you poor thing. I hope the MOLD isn't to bad. Hopefully the cold meds will work and you get rid of the headache. Get that cola soon!!

Brandi ~ I know you are nervous, but by the time you see this, it will all be over. Prayers are with you both.

Aimee ~ I love your B1G1 coupons. Never in my whole life have I ever had a coupon like that. Everytime you talk of yours I am jealous.
I fixed your Spinach & Artichoke Pasta on NYD and it was a hit. I really think the next time I need to bring an appetizer that I am making this without the pasta and as a dip. It really rocked - Thanks!!

Alison ~ I am so happy it all worked out for you and Fran. We need pictures of the newest members.

Lindsay ~ I hope the headache goes away. Nothing will get me down faster than a headache. Bless your heart.

Becky ~ When we were in Alb. for thanksgiving I brought home 3 green and 3 red sauces. Now I know what I am going to use one of them in. Thanks!!


It is to be a balmy 60 -70 out today. It feels more like Spring than the middle of January. But I will take it.

Ethan has his Christmas program tonight. It was postponed from December during our one and only blizzard. I am really looking forward to it, (Doug is staying home to babysit Liam - Lucky duck) but it will seem funny hearing Christmas songs. Oh well they will be so cute and he is so excited.

WFDT ~ Salmon with a mango relish, boiled/parsley potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts and hot tea.

Make it a great day everyone!!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

First off...Thank YOU to everyone for thanking my DH for his service.

Second..We will be having ham and buttered noodles for dinner tonight.
**Yep...ham steak, cut into bite sized pieces and mixed in to some buttered egg noodles. It's one of DH and the kids' faves.

Thrid...I need some new meals guys. I have NO creativity in the kitchen WHAT SO EVER and constantly make the same few meals.

Here are my standby meals:
Pot roast
Lemon chicken and rice
Spaghetti
Asian chicken or steak(like teriyaki over rice)
Shake and bake or oven fried pork chops

Go to sides:
Broccoli
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Mac and cheese
Green beans with fried garlic

Any ideas are helpful, but I am a sucky cook....so easy please.

 

[Nancyg56]

Glynis- I hope that you and alan both get better soon!

Ellen-We are friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think Welby gave Brian the chance to put his foot down She has the llamas and chicken, the miniature donkey (the only one of her bunch that Brian likes outside of "Crazy Goat" who passed on this Spring) and a bunch of chickens. She is a bit of a whirlwind so............

I have started the lasagna soup but need to run to the store for farfalle. I usually have it in the house but not today.

 

[bigmerle1966]

Feel better to all our sick peoples.


Brandi- good luck today.

Okay----------------I am going to admit that I started reading, got a visual and gave up after that You kill me!!!!!!!!!!!! In a good way!

Well I'm glad it was the good way and not the bad.


And the comment wasn't really foot in mouth, it was more a let's freak out the teen and pre-teen boy thing. My BFF and I have really been having fun doing that lately. They hate it when we talk about bras and when shopping will head in the opposite direction if we head into the bra section of the store. And this from boys who like to try and shock us with talk of their boy bits.

Marilyn - I was reading your post where you started off 'behind again'. And then you went on to talk about bras. My brain is mush....took me a while to figure out why you were talking about 'bahookies' and bras in the same post.

Cool pictures. I will try and post some of mine although they are not as pretty as yours.

And I love zucchini too! I wish we could grow that in our yard but we are not allowed to plant gardens, we don't own the land our townhouse sits on, and the yard is open anyway, no fence to keep people out.

But I HAVE to be cold to sleep.

Same here which is a struggle with my DM because she is always cold and turns the heat up in the Winter and the AC down in the Summer.

Dinner tonight is something with chicken. My DM made a chicken and stuffing bake last night, basically Stove Top, chicken and jarred chicken gravy. Tonight will be something more imaginative.

 

[HERSEY]

First off...Thank YOU to everyone for thanking my DH for his service.

Second..We will be having ham and buttered noodles for dinner tonight.
**Yep...ham steak, cut into bite sized pieces and mixed in to some buttered egg noodles. It's one of DH and the kids' faves.

Thrid...I need some new meals guys. I have NO creativity in the kitchen WHAT SO EVER and constantly make the same few meals.

Here are my standby meals:
Pot roast
Lemon chicken and rice
Spaghetti
Asian chicken or steak(like teriyaki over rice)
Shake and bake or oven fried pork chops

Go to sides:
Broccoli
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Mac and cheese
Green beans with fried garlic

Any ideas are helpful, but I am a sucky cook....so easy please.

one of our fav's and MR A's personal requests for his birthday meal is porcupine meatballs. It is a very difficult meal is takes hours and hours of prep.

Ground meat mixed with an egg, rice (uncooked) grated onion, cause I have a kid that can find onions at 20 paces salt and pepper. Put in crockpot with V8 juice and sliced green pepper. Now go and lay down for the rest of the hours and hours.

 

[Nancyg56]

Cassie- if you can fry a chop or toss meat in the crock pot you can cook

My family (except Buddy) likes Italian meatloaf and stuffed peppers. Janice's porkypine meatballs reminded me.

I buy the peppers at Costco because i like the red, yellow and orange.

For the meatloaf i just combine ground turkey, spaghetti sauce, maybe a package of onion soup mix, a handful of oatmeal. You can bake in cupcke pans or if you are like me and don't like washing that pan, use a loaf pan. Bake at 350 til done/.


The peppers are the same recipe except I sub tomato sauce ot tomato soup for the spaghetti sauce. I do not use rice. Cut the peppers in half to stuff and top with sauce or the tomato soup.

Let us know what your family likes to eat and we will find recipes that are easy and will let you have a variety in the kitchen.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Cassie- if you can fry a chop or toss meat in the crock pot you can cook

My family (except Buddy) likes Italian meatloaf and stuffed peppers. Janice's porkypine meatballs reminded me.

I buy the peppers at Costco because i like the red, yellow and orange.

For the meatloaf i just combine ground turkey, spaghetti sauce, maybe a package of onion soup mix, a handful of oatmeal. You can bake in cupcke pans or if you are like me and don't like washing that pan, use a loaf pan. Bake at 350 til done/.


The peppers are the same recipe except I sub tomato sauce ot tomato soup for the spaghetti sauce. I do not use rice. Cut the peppers in half to stuff and top with sauce or the tomato soup.

Let us know what your family likes to eat and we will find recipes that are easy and will let you have a variety in the kitchen.

Well...My kids will try anything. If they don't like it,I just make them a PB and J or something.(But the rule is that they have to try at least 2 "good" bites and tell the truth whether they like it LOL)

DH is VERY picky about veggies. No peppers or onions unless he can pick them out. (chopped is okay as long as he doesn't see it go in)

We like pasta and potato bases(I know...I know...). We'll do rice, but Dh isn't a huge fan. Um.....Asian and Italian are good here too...

Oh and any kind of meat...well, pork, beef, chicken, and turkey anyway.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Okay...I'll admit. I have heard about the Pioneer Woman, but I have never watched her or even looked at one of her recipes.

BUT...I came across a link to her blog on Pinterest and already have 3 new recipes. I LOVE the way she takes pics every step of the way!

 

[Nancyg56]

Okay...I'll admit. I have heard about the Pioneer Woman, but I have never watched her or even looked at one of her recipes.

BUT...I came across a link to her blog on Pinterest and already have 3 new recipes. I LOVE the way she takes pics every step of the way!

Go to Jen's blog. There are a list of food blogs there as well. Aimee's and Lindsay's blog is listed there. Glynis used to have a website but I cannot find it. Her recipes are all family friendly recipes. I also use Kraftfoods.com. You can subscribe to their monthly booklet. I am not opposed to using some packaged items to jumpstart dinner. The girls on this thread share a lot of PW recipes and they are GOOOOOOD!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Go to Jen's blog. There are a list of food blogs there as well. Aimee's and Lindsay's blog is listed there. Glynis used to have a website but I cannot find it. Her recipes are all family friendly recipes. I also use Kraftfoods.com. You can subscribe to their monthly booklet. I am not opposed to using some packaged items to jumpstart dinner. The girls on this thread share a lot of PW recipes and they are GOOOOOOD!

Are there links to the blogs? I checked the first page, but didn't see them.

 

[Glynis]

First off...Thank YOU to everyone for thanking my DH for his service.

Second..We will be having ham and buttered noodles for dinner tonight.
**Yep...ham steak, cut into bite sized pieces and mixed in to some buttered egg noodles. It's one of DH and the kids' faves.

Thrid...I need some new meals guys. I have NO creativity in the kitchen WHAT SO EVER and constantly make the same few meals.

Here are my standby meals:
Pot roast
Lemon chicken and rice
Spaghetti
Asian chicken or steak(like teriyaki over rice)
Shake and bake or oven fried pork chops

Go to sides:
Broccoli
Corn
Mashed Potatoes
Mac and cheese
Green beans with fried garlic

Any ideas are helpful, but I am a sucky cook....so easy please.

Cassie - I've been where you are! Believe me! For the first 7 almost 8 years of our marriage, Alan did all the cooking. I could scramble eggs and make oatmeal, but that was largely it! When our kids started coming, we made a deal that I'd learn to cook. It was tough, and I cooked the same things over and over again.

Thanks to this thread, I've really branched out! Go to the index on the first page, look through the recipes, and be sure that pretty much anything you try will turn out well. Nothing I've tried from here has been bad, AT ALL! They're all winners, and most of them are extremely easy!

One thing that I've done that's helped with my picky eaters, is to include them in the decision making. They help me decide what to make, they help prepare it, and then they feel more invested in the cooking.

Honestly, though, it's been the ladies on this thread that have made me feel more confident about my cooking! I've tried things I never would have before because of their recommendations!

Good luck as you expand your meal planning! It's totally worth it! Now, I'm addicted to cookbooks, cooking magazines, etc. And I'm loving every minute of it!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Cassie - I've been where you are! Believe me! For the first 7 almost 8 years of our marriage, Alan did all the cooking. I could scramble eggs and make oatmeal, but that was largely it! When our kids started coming, we made a deal that I'd learn to cook. It was tough, and I cooked the same things over and over again.

Thanks to this thread, I've really branched out! Go to the index on the first page, look through the recipes, and be sure that pretty much anything you try will turn out well. Nothing I've tried from here has been bad, AT ALL! They're all winners, and most of them are extremely easy!

One thing that I've done that's helped with my picky eaters, is to include them in the decision making. They help me decide what to make, they help prepare it, and then they feel more invested in the cooking.

Honestly, though, it's been the ladies on this thread that have made me feel more confident about my cooking! I've tried things I never would have before because of their recommendations!

Good luck as you expand your meal planning! It's totally worth it! Now, I'm addicted to cookbooks, cooking magazines, etc. And I'm loving every minute of it!

Thanks! That makes me feel better.

I LOVE to cook and I have a ton of books and I am subscribed to a bunch of recipe magazines!

But I have a lot of trouble deciding on things to make. I think I'm just going to make things that sound good as opposed to worrying about who will or won't like it.

I just don't think I am a great cook. I am "book smart" about food and cooking, but I have a really hard time PHYSICALLY doing it! I can follow a recipe to a T and have it come out wrong. PLUS...I am SO one of those people that cut every piece of meat to make sure it's done.

I hope it is something I will grow into and get better at. I DESPERATELY want to be this revered cook...But it's just not happening. I just tell myself it's like singing...You have it or you don't. But I'm going to keep working at it.

 

[Nancyg56]

Are there links to the blogs? I checked the first page, but didn't see them.

http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/

 

[franandaj]

Hi ladies! Just doing a fly by to see if there's news on Brandi yet.

I am at my FIL's old place working on getting it ready to rent. I'm working on calculating the SF. Anyone know if you include closets and halls?

 

[Uncle Remus]

Hi ladies! Just doing a fly by to see if there's news on Brandi yet.

Jen just got the text 'n David said Brandi's outta surgery, in recovery 'n all went well.

 

[franandaj]

Jen just got the text 'n David said Brandi's outta surgery, in recovery 'n all went well.

Thanks, I'll go let the Jamborinis know!