[What about Saturday night?]

i like the idea of a sweet and sourish sauerkraut tho.

I make a sweet/sour kraut too - it is kraut, brown sugar, mustard & pickle relish, simmered. Great on any type of pig product sausage.

[As America Eats, So Does Fat Guy]

Thursday, August 7, Dinner

Fuddrucker's

Haven't been to a Fuddrucker's in years, but I always thought they made a great burger and the hamburger rolls were so good I'd buy some to take home. Also loved their onion rings. Did you get any onion rings?

[Gazpacho]

Give me some gazpacho, which can be very spicy, should also have a bit of sweetness to it, as well as olive oil to give it a little weight.

My sister adds a little honey to hers for sweetness, but I tried it and didn't like it.

I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe and it's very good.

No bread though. Although, as I understand it, the original Spanish gazpacho was based on bread and olive oil before tomatoes came along.

[Dinner! 2003]

Johnsonville Smoked Brats on buttered hard rolls with Julia's braised sauerkraut and Gulden's spicy brown

Potato pancakes

Sierra Nevada for me

Mezcal margaritas for my SO

[What about Saturday night?]

Julia's braised sauerkraut and a lot of Gulden's spicy brown.

[Help me with a dinner menu?]

Why not?

[Help me with a dinner menu?]

Larb.

[When Last did a Recipe Surprise you?]

Thank you, Maggiethecat!

[When Last did a Recipe Surprise you?]

Last night I made "Maman's Cheese Souffle," from "The Apprentice",

I want that recipe. Please.

[Gazpacho]

One of my favorite things to serve with gazpacho is a nice potato frittata (potato, onion and eggs are staples in my house) at room temp or a little cooler.

Well, we have a psychic thing going on here. I WAS thinking of tortilla espanola - but again, laziness crept in. Wound up with cheese toast and some salami. And STILL didn't finish the damn gazpacho.

[Gazpacho]

But I have no buffalo mozzarella, fresh bread, or shrimp.

And I'm too lazy to stop at the store. I was thinking bread and cheese though - there's a ciabatta in the freezer and some fontina in the fridge.

[Gazpacho]

I have some yummy gazpacho sitting in my fridge. I want to finish it up tonight but am stumped as to what to have with it. In the past I've done tomato bruschetta (overkill), corn fritters (too much work I'm tired), or just plain bread.

Help me out here.

[advice please]

I guess you shouldn't recommend a place you haven't been to.

I just figured that the mezze style menu and wines would suit you.

A friend of mine and my boss just can't say enough good things about this place.

Let us know where you wind up!

[advice please]

Zaytinya.

[When Last did a Recipe Surprise you?]

Lidia's Chicken Scarpariello from her last book, Lidia's Italian American Kitchen.

[Tomatoes in Italian Cooking: Tips & Techniques]

I read somewhere to take some of the tomato juices after the mixture has been marinating and toss them with the drained pasta over heat. I haven't tried this yet, has anyone else?

[Dinner! 2003]

I haven't had her book long, so I'm only starting to work my way through it.  So far, I've made the scaripiello, the short ribs with barolo, carrrots and onions, veal scallopini and a bunch of her sides.

Love her.

Try the Chicken Valdostana on Braised Lentils next.

Then the sausage & peppers.

You will be hooked.

Lidia.

[Pepper and Salt Mills/Grinders]

I found it!!!!

It's called a Pepper Mate.

Kind of expensive.

Now debating to buy or not to buy.

[Dinner! 2003]

Tonight, the lady and I made a beautiful chicken scarpariello (a la Lydia)

That is my new favorite recipe. Sometimes I leave out the chicken and just make sausage "scarpariello" - must have foccaccia for dipping all that delicious sauce.

Are you using the recipe from her Italian-American book? If so, what others have you made? Everything I've tried from that book has been awesome.

[Pepper and Salt Mills/Grinders]

On Barefoot Contessa on The Food Network, Ina Garten uses the coolest pepper grinder. It is white plastic with a handle on the side.

Is it a handle that is cranked or is it a handle that is pressed or is it just a handle to hold onto?

My brother gave me a white plastic pepper mill from Bed, Bath & Beyond that is actually battery operated. It has a silver handle on the side that you press to operate. Works like a charm. You can adjust the grind, too. If that's what you're talking about, I can post the maker/brand tomorrow.

Sorry to be so vague...the "handle" grinds the peppercorns - you turn it. The grinder is kind of rectangular-shaped and it looks like it grinds a lot quickly. It's on the tip of my brain where you can order it on-line but I've tried most of the bigger on-line stores and it ain't to be found.

[Pepper and Salt Mills/Grinders]

On Barefoot Contessa on The Food Network, Ina Garten uses the coolest pepper grinder. It is white plastic with a handle on the side. I have a little dinky wooden one which, while cute, constantly needs refilling, and several larger wooden ones that don't work.

I saw the name of it on the fan boards on foodtv.com but that thread is long gone. Can anyone help me out?

[Salads]

The Nueske bacon, gorgonzola with crispy fried onion strings chopped salad at California Pizza Kitchen.

Cobb.

Caesar.

Marcella Hazan's tomato salad.

[Fantasy sandwich]

The Corner Bakery's ham on pretzel bread - caraway havarti, dijon-mayo, red onion.

Mmmmm.

[Fantasy sandwich]

Cubano. Thinly sliced roast pork, ham, swiss, pickle, mustard on French bread, heavily buttered, heavily weighted, and grilled. Extra pickles on the side.

Beer.

[Dinner! 2003]

Gazpacho

Corn fritters made with sweeeeeeet corn from the Farmer's Market (4 for $1.00!)

Grilled haloumi and frizzled ham to put on top of fritters

Yum