Sorry to say, but this site has been so depressing for a few days. I thought I'd ask an average, everyday question....to make us all feel a little more normal today.
I made Eggplant Lasagna, and my BIL and SIL are coming for dinner. They leave for Cali tomorrow to see their beautiful grand daughter.
Sorry, sometimes we just need some REGULAR conversation.......or at least THIS caregiver does.
cap not so sure about the blackened green beans. There is nothing like a fresh green bean cooked tender but still firm.
Last night mesquite marinated oven baked chicken legs (seem to be popular here - I got 2 pkts for price of one), roasted acorn squash with butter, a little maple syrup and lashings of cinnamon, and the ubiquitous brussel sprouts.
Hmm - the Ubiquitous Sprout. Sounds like the name of a trendy restaurant with great home cooking, if that is not an oxymoron.
speaking of booze, jeanne, im reminded that my esterhazy steak usedta require some wine in the veg topping, wasnt good at all without it.
oh i like to talk about booze too. i once bottled up about 18 bottles of cantaloupe wine . it tasted horrible every time i tried some and one day i went to pour it all out to use the bottles for a better batch and wouldnt ya know it, it had microfermented in the bottles and was downright delicious.. the cantaloupe stayed in the cellar and the new batch went thru the pressure canner. 5 gallon of wine reduces to about 1/2 gallon of 151 proof liquid panty remover..
I plan meals a week or so out, and I take suggestions from my boarders (whether they want to suggest or not!) I handed my family recipe book to Barb and asked her to pick something we haven't had lately. She picked Turkey Fajitas. That is one of my sons' all time favorites, and one of the few they both like. It is also suitable for my vegetarian daughter-in-law. So I invited them over and made it last night.
This doesn't seem to be the right season to find fresh turkey so I used chicken. I think the real claim to fame of this dish is that the marinade uses beer, and I started making it when my sons were teens. :-D
In the past I've always sauteed the paper strips and onions but this time I tossed them in oil and roasted them in the oven -- much simpler than keep track of several things on the stove top.
Here is the marinade recipe. I've always used it for fajitas, but I'll bet it would be good for grilled chicken breast sandwiches, or other ways of using chicken/turkey. For fajitas, cut the poultry into thin strips.
1 package "au jus" mix
12 ounces beer
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons lime juice
Mix all ingredients except the lime juice in a small saucepan. Bring to boil. Add the lime juice. Cool slightly by refrigerating while you prepare the other ingredients. (You don't want the poultry to start cooking in very hot marinade.)
Place the poultry in the cooled marinade for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain. Cook the poultry as desired.
This is plenty of marinade for a whole turkey breast or about 6 pounds of chicken. Don't worry about having too much -- you just drain it off when the marinading time is up.
Although my dinner is fine. I made a huge pot of cabbage soup, with ground beef, rice, carrots, celery, onions, etc. Eating it with pumpernickel bread, strawberries, and kiwi. (A meal of cabbage soup requires some thing with bright colors!)
All the asparagus in markets here now is from South America. I prefer to keep the shipping profile a little more local. But if I waited to get it when Michigan ships I'd probably only have it 3 or 4 meals a year. And by the time our local farmers' market opens the asparagus season is over. We are planting some this year. That would be local enough! :)
ill probably cook sweet rice tonight. it has the highest energy payoff of any food per the energy required to digest it. 2 billion lean chinese cant all be wrong..
Standard Ebleskiver
(A Danish Spherical Pancake)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
2 scant cups milk
4 egg whites (preferable at room temperature)
thin slices of apple (or a few blueberries or chocolate chips)
butter for greasing the pan
Note: This requires an Ebleskiver pan -- a frying pan with several little rounded cups. This is what you do with it, in case you run across one at a garage sale, without directions.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat yolks. Add sugar. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Add melted shortening, mixing well.
In separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
Place pan on medium heat of stove. Heat until the pan is hot enough so that a small amount of water sprinkled on the surface will sizzle. Place a small dab (less than 1/2 teaspoon) of butter in each cup. Fill each cup about 2/3 full of batter. Let cook until edges appear brown and center is bubbly. Insert a slice of apple or other filling into each.
When bubbly, turn each Ebleskiver over in the cup, using a fork -- small pickle fork works well -- or wooden skewer. Continue cooking, turning a few times more. Test with toothpick. Keep warm in low-temperature oven, uncovered, while you cook the rest.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with butter, syrup, jam, sour cream, etc.
Source: Saw demonstrated at Festival of Nations, 1983. Recipe came with NordicWare pan.
im thinking that gal who inspected ednas used chair before we brought it in this evening.
he he, gimmee a break, im a warpy guy..
Meh, I don't know what I'm doing for dinner. I'm not in the least bit hungry atm and it's 7 p.m. I had a sandwich earlier and don't really want anything or feel like cooking tonight. My boys are on their own. lol They both know how to cook. I'll probably just do a small salad later on.
Two cans of soup that I an tolerate cold (tomato and something else my tired brain can't think of)
A nice fresh fruit cocktail (basically pre-cut chunks, yum) and bananas
Some lovely mexican pastries
cold cuts and premixed salady stuff for sandwiches
Imitation crab meat (yeah .. bad for me, but I love it)
Snacks (because I'm also a hedonist)
Hummus and veggie crackers
They don't serve breakfast at this place, but I'll order one room service that'll give me leftovers. Headin' out in a few hours. Yay!!