kayb

Junk food tonight, as I'm spending it at home with the TV and my grandson (age 5). We will, no doubt, watch Toy Story 3 at least twice. Might bestir myself to make crab dip. Tomorrow, I'll start out with latkes, sour cream and caviar (the el cheapo capelin domestic, but still good). Sometime midafternoon, turnip greens (the one time a year I'll cook them, and force myself to eat some), maybe some red cabbage, and my own take on black-eyed peas -- cooked from dry with a sauteed onion and diced hog jowl, a pint or so of canned tomatoes and a healthy dose of smoked pimenton. Over rice. And maybe some deviled eggs, with some more caviar. Because it's there. Copious mimosas until 3 or so, then switching over to ... something else.

"...fun and junky..." I love it. Meatballs, or Little Smokies, in barbecue sauce with jam are a wonderful thing, as is Knorr's spinach dip. And what's a party without Rotel dip?

Oh....goodness. I may die, I'm so full. And it was so good. Youngest daughter and I are road tripping and stopped by a diner for a late lunch/early dinner. Walking in, I glanced at another diner's plate and saw some scrumptious looking onion rings. I ordered the hamburger steak platter, and asked for onion rings instead of the veggies. Got both. When I tasted the first ring, a little whimper escaped. Partly because it was hotter than hell, but mostly because it was the best onion ring I ever tasted. Ultra light, crispy batter, almost tempura style . Thick, sweet, cooked through with just a bit of bite left, onion. They were astounding. Hamburger steak, which I got minus the gravy but with onions and mushrooms, was better than a half pound, cooked. Mashed potatoes wanted some salt. I didn't try the green beans. There was a tossed salad, to boot. That, my daughter's grill chicken bacon ranch sandwich with fries, a coke and a cup of coffee, set me back the princely total of $23 and change. If you're ever traveling through Mountain Home, AR, and hungry, stop off at Brenda's Country Cafe.

Good hams. We had one for Christmas, along with roast beef.

I got the same book, from my daughter! Haven't tried any recipes yet. The accompanying text is a hoot, though.

Well, that's three off this thread this week....

Me, I much prefer to imagine the taste of the cream cheese, the salmon, the onions, the capers...if not the IPA, given that I'm not an IPA fan (too hoppy for my palate). I had a plate of leftover ham, raw veggies and dip. And two chocolates. Seemed to hit the spot. I am presently making ham stock in the IP with the ham bone, and contemplating making a beef pot pie with the leftover roast.

Some favorite add-ins: roasted red pepper roasted garlic instead of raw artichoke hearts All different kinds of olives Sun-dried tomatoes

I do because it works well with one set of kids/grandkids coming from some distance. Also, it gives us something to stave off hunger while the littles are opening Christmas gifts, which would NOT make for a pleasant dinner if we didn't do it first thing. Also enables me to say, "Dinner will be at xx p.m.," and then no matter what time someone shows, there's something for them to munch on.

Thanks. She's not here a great deal, but it's always good to have something like this when she is. Fortunately, she has always been one who loves fruits and veggies with a minimum of prep. Not big on fancy preps for fish, and not much of a meat-eater. She misses pasta, but quinoa pasta has helped in that regard. And gluten free pizza crust is a mainstay.

FYI -- on gluten free cheesecake crusts -- I've been successful (I have a child with celiac disease) in subbing almond meal for the flour/graham cracker/cookie crumbs. Slightly different flavor profile, but not much.

Absolutely. No one awake but me and the pug. The pug is questionable. Eating leftover from Dec. 23 banana pudding, with a mimosa and a cup of coffee. Will determine what ballgames are on, to which I will nap, shortly. Going to be cold for two weeks. I'm ready.

Light on the kitchen gear this year, but I hadn't expressed a wish for anything. Santa brought me a pink pig kitchen timer; one twists her top half to set the time. I presume she's a "she," as she's a lovely shade of pink. And an amusing book entitled 50 Shades Of Chicken, by one FL Fowler, which intersperses 50 chicken recipes with some potboiling kitchen chef-chicken action. A couple of the recipes looked pretty interesting. Some very cool flamingo gear (I love flamingos), a "pug jazz bar" framed poster, a canvas blow-up of a favorite picture of my grandkids, and other happy odds and ends. And a good day with the family.

I'm with her. Don't do turkey for Christmas. Generally ham. Often roast beef of some description. Sometimes I'll even do a shrimp boil.

Clockwise from lower left, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with praline pecan topping, rolls, cranberry salad, gravy, asparagus, Brussels sprouts (sauteed with salt and pepper in EVOO, then hit with some balsamic glaze; simple and good); ham, roast beef, mac and cheese. We had chocolate pecan pie that someone ate a piece of, and a cheesecake that no one touched. La Branca Prosecco and Coppola claret. And much shrieking and Christmas chaos from the littles, who mostly filled up on the appetizers (cheese, charcuterie, veggies, pickles, nuts). And a nap.

Lunch: Veggie tray, pickles, fruit salad, cheese and charcuterie. Prosecco. Nuts, candies. Dinner: Ham. Roast beef (Pike's Peak cut, so nothing special, but burbling away now in the sous vide bath). Sweet potato casserole. Mashed potatoes. Brussels sprouts. Asparagus. Cranberry salad. Cheesecake if anyone wants it (likely no one will). Coppola Claret. Tomorrow: Naps and sandwiches. Will pickle the leftover veggies. And maybe devil some eggs.

I started to ask if there was any other kind, but I recalled my cast-iron cornstick pans that bake the corn "muffins" shaped like an ear of corn.... Baked two skillets full night before last to make cornbread dressing for the soup kitchen Christmas dinner today. Nobody left hungry. Most left with carry-outs as well. None of which has much to do with bread...

You should be here. I have three gallon bags of it.

A beautiful job, all the way around. I know you will enjoy it for many years.

And the problem with that is....??

I am. Have discovered the back side of it works wonderfully for pounding thin a chicken or pork cutlet, too.

Deb's co-workers are a fortunate bunch.

Subway's salads are reasonable. Usually. But I swear, they appear to administer an IQ test to prospective employees and hire the ones who score the lowest. I am rarely speechless, but was left so by the employee who asked me with a perfectly straight face, after I'd ordered a salad with "everything but peppers and pickles and onions," "And do you want lettuce with that?" (I'm going to feel really bad if it's their corporate policy to hire the developmentally disabled.)

I have no idea what I was trying to type that my phone autocorrected to that.

Start out by telling us about that lovely confection above, please! And welcome.