SLB

Best.Meal.Ever. I once had a government job in Mississippi in which I was miserable although I didn't exactly recognize that this is what I was feeling. It had a cafeteria in the basement which served chicken 'n dressing every Thursday, by these old ladies (cue old Mississippi, cooks, central casting . . .). Their dressing was flavored mostly with chicken jus, no sausage. Y'all. After about two weeks those ladies recognized just how much food I could put away, and just how critical their food was to my coming back to work every day. They were not particularly friendly or even chatty -- but they would pile so much extra dressing for me into that styrofoam, it barely held. I responded with strict and humble devotion. Seriously, the only time I ever left the building for lunch was on the day when this other cafe was serving their nominally superior blackberry cobbler, which me and my boss tried to eat every single week. It was a year-long gig, and that year featured excellent dinner-style lunch. Anyway. Patti, baby, you are burnin' down there. That's what my old folks used to call this kind of spread: burnin'. Re the bolding -- girl. At this point, none of your fridge's patrons is even bothering to look at the label, once they recognize the packaging . . . . Meanwhile, I have some leftover roast chicken and I'd plumb forgotten about chicken salad, so guess what is happening in this kitchen this afternoon . . . And finally, you've inspired me -- I serve at a soup kitchen pretty regularly, but 2026 may be the year I try to get moved onto the prep side.

I think two ribbon bookmarks should be standard in cookbooks. The Time-Life series has them and they are really very useful.

So, I make a frittata basically every week with whatever bits and drabs of leftovers, plus cheese and onions and possibly mushrooms if more oomph is needed. This week's frittata was made with the leftover veg from basic lamb shanks braised over potatoes nad carrots and celery with lemon. The meat was long gone, but the meat-fattified-vegetables remained. I chunked them up, refried them in a little basic oil on top of the [copious] leftover lamb fat, and tumbled the mass into a frittata. [**I omitted the carrots, because those get so sweet so quick, I can't deal. I mean, the fat-encased potatoes and celery.] People, I think lamb fat is secret for the best frittata ever. LambFat. It's what every egg needs. I got no picture -- listen, the picture wouldn't've been any kind of inspiring in any case. But I just want to shout it from the mountaintops this MLK birthday: lamb-fattified-frittata, folks. It's what you need.

I share this sense: your food photos bring something that marketers dream of. For what it's worth -- I'm interested in your food, and your reports about its taste and whatnot. But your photos induce a whole separate pleasure [and, envy: does everythign come out so . . . neat, in your home? Girl, HOW?? ]. For real.

I share @blue_dolphin's question, but will reply reserving the right to revise upon more information: I would just make whatever regular sauce, leave it on the runniest side (or add water back in if you've boiled it down); and then freeze it in ice cube trays (or, whatever!). A sauce that is constituted primarily of pureed green vegetables is to turn an unappetizing color. It is, however, going to taste great. You might want to boil off any excess water on the reheating side, if it doesn't occur naturally . **[you guys. I am Not a Chef. This is how we do things up in here in this home. I think Those of Us Who Are Chefs may feel differently -- specifically maybe are horrified -- at the notion of adding back in water to be boiled out later, repeated boiling, etc.] I had hoped that the Vivian Howard recipe was actually more like a sautee, particularly since she calls for spring-roll wrappers which are quite thin. But, alas no. She's talking 2 quarts of oil, so you are correct that the intention is to deep fry. I'm taking the Fifth, I mean the rosary, on my intake of the fat in fried food . . . .

I confess that there is basically nothing that I won't put into the freezer. Of your dairy-ingredient list, I've routinely frozen everything on their except for the condensed/evaporated milk (I certainly would, I just don't ever have any of that leftover). Actually, I can't recall freezing cream, either -- I only ever get the ultrapasteurized stuff and it lasts a VERY LONG TIME in the fridge. I've certainly frozen foods made with substantial amounts of cream, for what that's worth. The sour cream/yoghurt don't thaw into something soft and spreadable, but you can cook with them fine. The buttermilk comes back grainy but no issues is cooking with it. Also -- I honestly don't know anything at all about oat/nut milk. I can't imagine not freezing it, though. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single cooked dish that I wouldn't put right into the freezer. It doesn't always come back the same, but to blue_dolphin's point upthread -- the taste is usually fine. The only thing to remember, in my experience, is that the freezer is going to dry out stuff (at least stuff in regular zip-locs and containers, this may be less likely in vac-sealed items); so in anticipation of this I usually add in some more liquid to the thing, where doing so isn't ruinous (like with breads or whatever). My point is -- I have thrown basically everything into the freezer, and managed to restore it to reasonably edible on the other side. In fairness, the truth is I'll eat almost anything, so I'm not the best judge of what's intolerable on reheat. But I guess I want to encourage you -- I mean if you don't find something satisfying in terms of a dedicated book or thread -- I want to encourage you to make whatever food you have historically found to be palatable when you don't feel like eating, and just stick it in the freezer in serving portions. Meanwhile, in a totally random manner, I was looking at the rutabaga section in "Deep Run Roots", and in the recipe for rutabaga and black-eyed-pea samosas, Howard states that you can make a large batch to freeze, and fry them right out of the freezer. I thought the recipe sounded good and one always needs some tasty fiber when mobility is limited. It's at p. 474. **I do realize that frying food is not always an option for folks who are convalescing or otherwise dealing with limited mobility -- but maybe you can get a friend to do the frying. I am one of these people who can sink into a pit of despair when stuck in the bed, and I am also one of these people for whom fried food fixes almost everything . . . . Anyway, I'm sorry that you're having to deal with what seems like could be a major health intervention. I wish you luck with everything, look forward to being on the cheer team over here, and like JeanneCake I wish I lived closer and could bring over some not-frozen food, and also some flowers. xoSLB

I never really spend time in this thread, and that has been a mistake. When you have the no-more-cooking mulleygrubs, this thread is just what the doctor ordered!!!

I'm witcha. And @TdeV, gouter.ca it is. The photos of those make me want to come through the screen!

Oh.My.GAWD. Everything is so beautifully delightfully festive. Those pix really cheered me, I'm so glad you posted them. And @Duvel? No words. Because, my jaw is on the floor.

@blue_dolphin, you must be so frustrated! I admire how none of it comes through in your posts about this experience; I'd be cursing a streak bluer than your hair!! Meanwhile, I bought a panettone for the first time to take to my brother's girlfriend, who was hosting Christmas this year. I got it from an Italian deli in NYC which, while not upscale, is reputed to carry really good panettone's (I heard this from, among others, a person from Italy who seemed startled at the offerings). The brand I got was called "Bonifante". At the last second I remembered that she does not eat chocolate, so I got the traditional. I carried it on the plane, trying to keep it from getting smashed. Guys. It was . . . not so good. In fairness, it was not the most expensive one, but it was fifty bucks! I really should've done some more research.

@Maison Rustique, I'll take pix and DM you; most likely after Christmas, though. Meanwhile, here is my table with my new tablecloth on it. It's less formal in a manner that is certainly my style, however I expected the color to be browner/greener, and less . . . creamsicle. Its paleness makes the chairs seem much less neutral, and more like part of a whole pastel palette, which is kinda weird. I don't hate it, but I don't love it as much I expected to.

Me, I like. And these gems you've got don't seem like the more challenging Marimekko, you know? These seem like they will be downright subtle under a set table. And @Shelby, your Grammy's stuff is beautiful! I *love* the flower prints, and I confess that I would probably steal the plaid one if you ever let me in your house. Are they cotton or linen?? I've got a bunch of doily-thingies, and rectangular textiles in similar knit/crochet; I literally just put them in the donate pile because, while I wasn't prepared to discard them when my mom passed; I'm now prepared to own the fact that I can't even imagine putting out anything like that, anywhere.

And the Hendrix.

That soup looks marvelous! And I tend to think most bean-forward soups, where the beans are the main event, really do NOT look marvelous. And I'm glad to see the new posts, I was looking for you, Patti, and wondering if you were taking the rest of the holiday season away from the CFM work (which would be totally understandable). I saw a quote just now about the World Central Kitchen work and their commitment to providing food that local people would recognize, someone said "We're just trying to give people a bowl of home." Your CFM meals and all that Tony's came immediately to mind.

I would roll bigger. I like a small burrito -- particular for the use-case you referenced, eating-while-driving -- but I agree that a 6" tortilla is going to strain the project of a true wrap.