MaryIsobel

We are the same - numerous containers of soups in the freezer and at least twice a week we have choose-your-own-soup-night. As the chief cook and bottle washer, these are good nights for me! I often make bread or bisquits to go along and it is one of our favourite meals.

I made Food and Wine's Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo last night. My daughter came and we made wreaths and garlands from clippings on our property so wanted something I could prep ahead and shove in the oven. It was really good, although not terribly photogenic made in my dingy old dutch oven. Some suggested in the comments to broil the chicken but it was so fall apart tender at the end I couldn't imagine doing that. The breast skin was fine as it is browned/crisped before braising. We don't ususally eat the skin anyway so I was happy with the dish the way it was. True comfort food. https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-in-a-pot-with-lemon-orzo

I would love to come to yours for a baked potato - yours are always my gold standard.

I use beer for fish and chips batter, cheese sauce from the melty cheese caluclator and beer bread. I have gifted several young men in our family with a bottle of beer, a disposable loaf pan and the dry ingredients to make a loaf of beer bread. They have all been suitably impressed with themselves for "making bread."

That's a unique concept - kind of assembled tortilla soup! Reminds me of the episode of the Urban Peasant (James Barber - much loved Canadian cook, not chef) when he did Leftover Dinner Party Soup. He said he basically scraped all the leftover food, including salad, with the leftover wine into a big pot and let it simmer all night!

Your spread when inviting people for "sandwiches" is amazing! Also those chicken parm sandwiches are calling my name. My husband is not a fan of chicken, chicken breast in particular, but smothered with cheese and marinara and served on garlic toasted rolls will definitely sway him. Still want to try those ravioli but the premade ones that I find these days are all mini raviolis. I'll keep looking. I could make them, and I have, but I feel that the premade ones would hold up better in this instance as my homemade ones are fairly delicate.

Wow - just wow. I love schnitzel and yours looks perfect. Now regretting my roast chicken dinner. I'm sure it will be fine, but I really want schnitzel!

What a perfectly lovely, comforting meal. I've just taken a chicken out of the freezer so we can look forward to something similar tomorrow night.

I think that Cavendish frozen fries - all varities - are the best frozen fries one can buy in Canada. They put McCain's to shame!

Inrigued that you freeze avacado. Care to share how you do it?

Thanks Kim - I've never seen them in the stores here, but there are several recipes out there for doing them in the airfryer, so I just may try them that way. Hear you on helping kids move. One of ours moved September 1, the other October first and Dad has a pickup so... Thankfully they both have one year leases and secure jobs! I'm getting too old for this!

Making the biggest cake I have ever made. Bottom is 3 - 12" layers, top is 3 - 9" layers. Raspberry and lemon filling, vanilla buttercream, filled and crumb coated, now in the freezer ready to transport 4 hours away. I have a box ready and ice packs in the freezer and where we are headed, the temps are around freezing. Day of the party I will do the final frosting and stack and decorate, got an edible image of a compromising picture for the top! Party is for about 75 people, cake will likely serve twice that many! For some reason, I can't upload a picture.

I had pompano for the first time in New Orleans at GW Fins. As the waiter cleared our plates I commented on how delicious it had been and asked if it was a freshwater fish, (as I had never heard of it.) The waiter replied he would ask the chef which led to the chef coming to our table, very concerned because the waiter had said that I had questioned the freshness of the fish! Must have been my Canadian accent. I explained what my query had been and we all had a good laugh. The chef later sent out dessert on the house.

I love the look of the toasted ravioli. Coincidentally, when I was looking for instructions to make air fryer breaded mushrooms, I saw air fryer toasted ravioli. Is that how you did yours? I've only had them once, probably 25 years ago in a restuarant in the theatre district in Toronto. They are not terribly common where I live.

I haven't tried them in the air fryer, as ours is quite small. It's the only way I do wings now.

Those look great - have you tried the toss in salt and baking soda and baking them? I was amazed at how good and crispy this method makes them.

Passionfruit marshmallows would send my daughter over the moon. I make marshmallows for Christmas, the family favourite is vanilla, covered in toasted coconut. I have access to passion fruit puree in the freezer section of the grocery. Is that similar to what you used? Fresh passionfruit are few and far between here and those that do show up are dreadfully past their prime.

No Sobeys in my part of BC - southwest coast. Nearest town has Freshco and Save-On, neither of which carry veal. A little further away there is a Safeway (one of the few remaining) and a Real Canadian Superstore. I know that least one of those are owned by Sobey but don't recall which. I'll have to google, although I am quite happy to patronize my local 3rd generation butcher if and when I need veal.

Turkey barley soup pulled from the freezer will be dinner tonight. I love barley but veal shanks are an "order two weeks ahead" thing here. Any kind of veal really. Never see it at mainstream grocery stores, only butcher shops. And I have asparagus, but alas no beets. Otherwise I would be copying your salad - it looks delicious!

I would hardly call that meal lazy! I can almost taste that lucious pork, not to mention the accompaniments. I spent the day with my Dad at his long term care home, so turkey barley soup from the freezer and grilled (smoked gouda) cheese are looking like dinner chez moi. But now I want pork...

When my daughters were small (and for many years after) my husband and some friends aways did a week long fishing trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island. It became tradition that for one evening meal when he was away, the girls and I would drive into town and the girls could order any ice cream concoction that they wanted from Dairy Queen; the only game in town for ice cream. They thought it was the most decadent meal ever.

Still all with only one functioning hand? I admire you, I would have likely reverted to freezer stuff or takeout. Bravo!

The green tomato quick pickles are good. Of course I didn't wait the full 24 hours to taste them - more like 20. They retain a pleasant crunch. A bit vinegary, but I suspect that will wane the longer they sit. Going to make another batch or two tomorrow.

I too, was taught this.

I understand your frustration. I am the family matriarch now, not due to just my age, but also the fact that I host all large family gatherings. One of my sisters is great and tells me "I am your servant for the night." The other never fails to make a "Martha Stewart" remark in regard to a table setting or a centerpiece or any other little extras that I do.