MaryIsobel

I haven't been cooking much since my mate has been in hospital, salads and foraging in the freezer have been just fine. Tonight I had a hankering for risotto. This was an instapot version that I was quite happy with. Riffed on one by Amy and Jacky website - they do a lot of research and this was quite decent. I originally balked at their suggestion on soy sauce but decided at the last minute to try it. No taste of soy sauce, just umami.

I have been buying this lately rather than the 1 litre boxes of broth. Of course homemade is always better but one doesn't always have that on hand. This takes up much less space, somtimes, if I don't need four cups - I throw the concentrate in the freezer.

You are so open minded about trying things - the teryaki thighs looks great to me - my husband would go with the mushroom soup version

Like FauxPas, I have always kept "new potatoes" in the fridge. Russets live in a basket in the pantry, I've never had a problem but then I am not buying 50 pound sacks - usually four at a time.

Foie gras - it's very offputting to me.

Still dining solo - husband will be in hospital at least over the weekend. I realized that I have been woefully low on veg since I've been eating on my own so decided to emulate a favourite salad from our local pub. Golden beets, spinach, toasted pecans, blue cheese and cherry tomatoes. Their dressing is a maple dijon vinagrette which I made up as I went along. When I was in the market buying spinach, their soup of the day was "Wicked Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup." I bought a cup because it smelled so good. It has a fair amount of spice and heat and went well with the salad.

Great info, thanks. Now if only I can find some decent plum tomatoes...

How much olive oil do you use? I agree that 1.5 cups sounds like a lot.

Thank you. I always think of beets as sweet, but I know a lot of people don't.

Whenever I make soup, my husband says, who else is coming for dinner? Can't help it but soup in the freezer is not a bad thing at all.

No, at least he says he doesn't but if I put cilantro in something, he doesn't seem to notice. If it is sprinkled on top, he doesn't like it. I think it is something about ginger or lime leaves or the combination that he doesn't care for.

That looks delicious to me but for the goat cheese, but I could always sub that for a cheese that is more agreeable to me. Can you explain "sweet roasted" beets?

I think I may have mentioned it before but my husband says that Thai food has a "solvent taste." I have no idea what he means and tried for years to figure it out but then just gave up. I'll eat Thai on my own any chance I get.

This lady's daughter took her out for lunch today. She is a teacher, so is on spring break this week. We went for Thai food, as I love it but it is not something that my husband cares for. It was a great meal, mine was "Cashew Chicken with Spicy Sauce." Came with soup, salad, a spring roll with dipping sauce and a choice of 11 entrees for 14.00, very reasonable. My daughter had pad thai and a Corona and I had a Lonetree Ginger Apple Cider, which I had never tried but will definitely seek out.

That looks fabulous! I hope it helped you recover from you premade meals.

Red Beans and Rice from the freezer. My husband has ended up back in the hospital and will be having another surgery tomorrow. I'll be freezer foraging in the mean time.

My soon to be son-in-law often eats an enormous bowl of broccoli and cauliflower with butter and shredded cheese for lunch.

A good tuna sandwich is a wonderful thing!

That's very kind of you, but apparently one of the groceries here sells them in bulk.

You are absolutely right. I'll walk on by.

@JoNorvelleWalkerYa, you're right. Lipstick on a pig? Just such affordable beef. We have eaten our fill of chicken, pork and pasta lately.

Thanks Anna. I did search before posting, don't know why I didn't see this.

Eye of round is on sale this week for 3.49/lb. I have never had much luck with it. I have done the Instapot recipe from Amy & Jacky, and it was fine for beef dip. Just wondering if there is a tried and true way to cook it. Sous vide? Hot and fast? Or just walk on by?

Pardon my ignorence, is tagetes lemmonii marigold? My only experience with marigolds is that they are a great plant to discourage bugs and they withstand our crazy pacific northwest weather. Ttuth be told, I hate the smell of them and the are ubiquitous as borders in this clime.

That cabbage sounds great. I will hve to look for juniper berries - probably shouldn't just pluck them from the landscaping shrubs - or should I?