suzilightning

john and i were still full from lunch when he got home so just snacks - crackers and cheese, shrimp, some port and a bottle of nicholas feuillette rose. unfortunately at 3am the stomach bug that is making the rounds and visited here...

ultimate- corn dogs especially at that time of the month - or fair time

johnnybird and i went out for lunch for valentine's day - and to get him out of the office for a bit. went to Hot Rod's BBQ in Wharton. i had the brisket wrap with wasabi mayo and coleslaw with a mug of otter creek copper's ale(hey, i'm not working today) and johnnybird had the pulled pork sandwich with the fries and water with lemon which he adds sugar to to make "lemonade". john couldn't believe how crispy/fluffy the fries were and he inhaled the sandwich. i can only manage half the wrap but i love the play of the smoky beef with the mayo and the lettuce in the wrap. i do have to say that the slaw today was the best - sweet and crunchy. tonight - making crab stuffed shrimp and haricot verts

congratulations on the work and the addition to the family, rochelle. i was thinking along the same lines a cali with - at least here- the return of coldish weather of mac and cheese or stew of some sort. i'm assuming that you are aiming your column at beginning/moderately skilled cooks and will probably go with more farmer's market/ seasonal foods as it gets warmer. pot pies? roast chicken? casseroles - stuffed shells, lasagna in the warmer weather maybe something with the ubiquitous squash - as johnnyd will tell you don't leave your car unlocked. meatballs? sweet and sour, danish, for gravy? some easy soups? i'm trying to think of the things i have been working with my sil on since THANK GOD at age 35 she has indicated an interest in cooking....

Gelman??!!! freakin' save me

lynnette - love your stocks!! can i come and play? unfortuntly johnnybird can't stand the smell of lamb so i have to wait till he is away for me to play with it. wish i had some of that soup - it looks wonderful. since i still have leftover soup none of that today but a soupy braise of pork, chicken sausages and meatballs over ziti.... love this thread.....

a foot plus of fresh snow removed from the cars, the driveway, around 3 1/2 sides of the house and paths cut for the birdseed to be spread... inspired by a mario show i saw - and since i't's sunday - a bit of a meat braise. 3 pork chops and some chicken rosemary sausages from the freezer. browned in the pot then removed. two onions finely sliced, 5 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, two carrots diced, a frozen knob of tomato paste, a bay leaf, basil, oregano and diced tomatoes. low and slow for 2 1/2 hours. served with ziti. when johnnybird asked where the pork chops were i fished some shredded meat from the gravy up and showed him. they just disintegrated - with a little help from a wooden spoon. now back out to finish the removal for today since all the birds are happily feed and to roost.

they're back in nw new jersey... going to have to check out the bakery in wharton. they changed hands during the holiday and supposedly the new owners are from poland...

my english teacher also spoke about the norman invasion and it's influence on the english language. course i call deer/venison - bambi and rabbit/hare - thumper. influenced by felix salten who also wrote erotica

well, susan, guess you REALLY aren't going to be doing anything with that stock for a bit - warm water around the base of the container?

brooks - does the phrase "where am i and what am i doing in this basket?" mean anything to you? (p.s. picked up the chile magazine and really enjoyed your article). front went through yesterday but it was a work day so i'm out of the house from about 9-9. still chilly today though the wind has died down. so far: more smoky black bean soup for my lunches thursday - saturday and to take to a friend. venison stew for dinner tomorrow smooch (that amalgam of elbows, ground meat, tomatoes, onions and peppers known by many names by many people) - one container in the freezer for when i don't feel like cooking and one container to bake off for johnnybird's lunches on thursday and friday. next up is vegetable soup for dinner tonight with cheddar corn bread and an avacado and red onion salad. keep warm, all

since v.d. is on a tuesday this year -and one of my days off from my real job - john and i are going out to lunch near where he works. one brisket wrap from Hot Rod's BBQ in Wharton coming up, please. for dinner i am planning prosciutto wrapped u 10 shrimp, pan seared duck breasts and - depending on the weather - either a vegetable risotto or a salad to plate the sliced breasts on. there is a bottle of DVX sparkling wine to be chilled and john can have some new chocolate truffles for dessert. then on to some of tommy's "indoor activities" hitmanoo - the chocolate covered strawberries and the champagne is fine ...

russell- so sorry you didn't have a good new year celebration. next year maybe you should come to new jersey - we can provide a pull out and a jacuzzi : http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=80522 our lunch at work was really good. i decided to make two kinds of hot and sour soup - one traditionally with tofu, pork and a beef stock then another with a shrimp stock and shrimp - both with egg, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and plenty of rice wine vinegar and hot oil. the almond cookies were good and danquing made a fried roll of black bean paste - interesting but ....

I havent been there, but I can tell you that from the menus they post on their website, it looks like very straightforward chinese american and not at all interesting. Is this another place with a "secret menu" like Hunan Cottage? ← yes

tuesday night was a winter squash soup - onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, butternut squash, oven roasted cherry tomatoes and stock and- the last 5 minutes - baby spinach then served with a splash of sherry vinegar. foccacia on the side - john said this one was a keeper

i can sometimes find reasonably priced andouille at the Shoprite in Wharton. if not i pop up the street to Sussex Meat Packing http://www.sussexmeat.com/index.htm and they usually have fresh andouille.

good luck all. just like learning to eat healthily or drink moderately - my two bug-a-boos- it is a daily choice. my mom quit 4 days before going into the hospital and 13 days before she died of cancer. i wonder if the weight gain is because things taste so good you want more? i wonder why if the flavors and smells are more intense why less wouldn't be more? looking forward to your butts though

mid- march johnnybird and i will be up in the holyoke/ springfield area. lunch saturday will be at the conference but we are free both friday and saturday nights. any suggestions? anyone want to get together?

oh, pep - your sam is a stitch and your mom is so lucky(please note i am only 1 year older than she is!! ) the crab looks divine and the signed bottle of pol roger <SWOON > how can i get one of those - though preferably a cuvee sir winston churchill - my favoirte premium champers

at work Danquing Liu and I are making the following: Hot and Sour soup Tea smoked chicken Buddah's feast Ribs with some sort of a hoisin glaze Homemade almond cookies

Ridiculous is an understatement suzi, whatever you do don't go to the mall on a weekend, especially over by Target, 40 million people and it's just going to get worse BTW I've now left Target and am a Team Lead at Dick's Sporting Goods right next door. On a food aspect try Panera Bread next to Petsmart absolutely awesome if not just a little overpriced. ←

well, quiznos is now open and i swung by Fat Burger after doing errands and just before the gym. had the fat burger with bacon, cheese, pickle and onion and a vanilla shake. pretty good - EXCEPT- for the cheese which seems to be american processed good shake. don't think it was worth almost $9.00 and the traffic around the mall is starting to get totally ridiculous.

cold northwest winds- snow flurries- juncos and nuthatches feeding in the front yard and a red fox running across our neighbors's yard banana cake for john's sweet snacks and foccacia for his savory dinner will be double cut pork chops with a glaze of pears and sage honey, red cabbage, spaetzle, red swiss chard with garlic. some smoky cuban black bean soup for dinner on friday and to take to a friend

wow - i have kitchen envy, darcie!!!! how about a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting? maybe a cream cheese tart with some fresh fruit? maybe you can garnish with bacon candy? recipe here:http://www.wchstv.com/gmarecipes/pigcandy.shtml

yum.....walleye. they look sooooo good, susan.