gulfporter

No, I don't sous vide.

Curious to know everyone's menu. But first a question about this recipe I am contemplating. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/christmas-dinner-wellington I've had good luck with BBC recipes in the past. But the cooking time on this chicken wellington is 1hr. and 15min. I know I can instant read the temperature when baking it, but that seems a bit long given the chicken is pounded quite thin. But maybe the mass of the chicken and the raw sausage makes the long oven time necessary. Since this is for Thanksgiving, I am thinking of using raw boneless turkey breasts. Would the cook time remain about the same? I will endeavor to pound the turkey as thin as is called for with the chicken.

@Tropicalsenior I wonder if Franco American is still in business and making gravy. My memory is that the gravy was thick and gelatinous until heated, no idea if all canned gravies are like that?? update: It appears Franco American gravy is available....in Canada! Can't find a US source. btw, sour cream is a somewhat pricey import item here in MX; while Mexican crema is ubiquitous IMO it's not an acceptable substitute due to both its consistency and sweetness. The recipe has all ingredients combined in one dish before going in the oven...it was one reason a novice cook was attracted to it. But as long as the sour cream heats through I'd imagine it could be added at the end. I will wait and make this in AZ when we are there over Thanksgiving and into mid-December.

My upbringing was poor and our food was equally poor and bland (Lithuanian). After we married (1971) we went to my MIL's for Sunday dinner most weeks. She made Chicken Paprikash often; I'd never heard of it but it became my favorite meal. I finally asked her for the recipe and she handed me a can of gravy! I made it several times as it was easy and cheap (I was at best a novice home cook). Over time I moved on to more ambitious recipes (my FIL gifted me a Gourmet Magazine subscription every Christmas, and later Bon Appetit). Today I saw a recipe for Chicken Paprikash in WaPo and started wondering if I could find online the one my MIL introduced me to in the early 1970s. Well, here it is --- https://www.cooks.com/recipe/ed19w3qx/chicken-paprikash.html Fyi, we both recall that after making it the first time, we doubled everything but the chicken as my husband enjoyed guzzling the sauce!

Seared sesame crusted tuna, avocado, pickled onions, cilantro with a schmear of wasabi mayo.

I did a spatchcocked turkey several years ago on my gas grill and it worked out well, we loved grilling any meat.

I never compared side by side, but have had 'green' wines in both countries and find them similar. I consider them crisp, not sweet. Goes well with foods that you would normally drink with white wines. Closer to Pinot Gris than a Chardonnay.

Not a wine connoisseur, but I've enjoyed Verdejos in Spain where we often vacation. Espied one at my local Ajijic liquor store and bought it last week. It's a nice one, at least IMO.

Soon to be clean-out-fridge omelet. Leftover roasted potatoes, orange bell pepper, MX bacon, fried onions/poblanos. Mixed grated cheese.

Lunch today at Peacock Garden; it's an amazing large open green space in the heart of downtown Ajijic. You don't really go for the food though today I had a good salmon baguette for only 120p (6.50 USD) with more salmon on it than is served at most eateries here at three times the price. But the real reason you go is for your dining companions. They are more active at dusk when we eat dinner there, but this guy was pretty friendly. fyi, peacock in Spanish is Pavo Real. Literally, the Royal Turkey.

And for my Canadian friends.............

Scored some Red Trumpet mushrooms at a frutería. Made into hash with some leftover roasted new potatoes.

Grilled shrimp over angel hair with goat cheese and toasted panko.

Quesadillas with grilled shrimp, goat cheese and my standard weekly mélange of fried onions, red bell pepper and poblanos.

My go-to dipping sauce for lamb chops is Cherry Preserves (I use Bonne Mammon because I can find it in MX) with a squirt of chipotle molido (pure chipotle, not a prepared sauce with any spices in it). Then a small squeeze of lime. You can use chipotle in adobo if a pure molido is not available. I realize chipotle doesn't suit everyone's taste, but this sauce has been enjoyed by all our guests; we serve it with grilled salmon, pork and shrimp, too. I personally prefer sauce on the side when it comes to most proteins.

Butternut squash ravioli (made in-house at a Tucson Italian deli). Simple sauce of browned butter, sage, roasted garlic. Sprinkle of parm.

Fried eggplant slices with (jarred) sun-dried tomato pesto, topped with a creamy goat cheese, parm and fresh basil. I bought bags of in-house breaded and fried eggplant slices (no sauce or cheese) at a Tucson Italian deli. Takes a lot of the prep work out of making the meal. I re-fried the eggplant slices until super crispy. I used to love eggplant parm but at most eateries it's overly cheesed and sauced. I want to taste the eggplant!

Wow.....making into French toast. You are a genius!

The mini ones arrived last month to my local Walgreens Drug Store. They are $1.29 each. Perfect size to go with my morning coffee. How much do I love panettone??? We get $10 store coupons for every vaccine we get (for free, thank you Medicare). We've had a total of 4 vax between us. I have used used all the $40 store credits on panettone. My husband hates panettone.

When my mother was alive we met in Florida every Christmas at my brother's house. Family tradition (Lithuanian) called for the Meal of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. We split the fish selections amongst myself, my sister-in-law and my mother. When my husband and I saw fresh ground alligator at the market we bought it and decided to make appetizer meatballs with a dipping sauce. My mother came into the kitchen and asked what we were making. Alligator. "Is that a fish?", she asked. I could tell she wasn't sure (in fairness to her, she had dropped out of school at age 13 to support her widowed mother and her 3 younger siblings). Figuring I was already going to hell for a host of previous sins, I looked her straight in the eye and lied to her on Christmas Eve, saying "Yes, it's considered seafood." Years later I happened upon a news story that the Archbishop of New Orleans decreed that Catholics in the Diocese could eat alligator on Fridays during Lent. So it wasn't a lie afte rall. But I'm probably still going to hell 😈

Picture of Milton's box,

Milton's. I can get them both in MX and in AZ. Taste is good and so is texture. Not to hard, not too soft.

I thought I was the only person who did this. At some point American 1st class domestic switched to Stroopwafel...a very sticky bar that's a danger to dental work! When I asked for Biscoff's from coach I got strange looks, but they always brought me a handful.

Like many of us, I was introduced to Biscoff cookies on an airline flight. Still love them and when I (rarely) see them in MX stores I always stock up. Yesterday I spotted some at the 99 Cent Store in Tucson and grabbed them as it's been at least a year since I last had them. When I tore into them at home, I was surprised to see a schmear of chocolate on top. At first I was dismayed that my beloved Biscoff had been besmirched, but a after a few bites.....mmmmm, good. New to me, but guessing they've been around awhile??

Grilled St. Louis ribs.