Maison Rustique

I stopped at Sprouts this morning to pick up a couple of things. As I passed by the case with take and bake meals, I spotted a sign for meatballs for $2.99/lb. They expire tomorrow so were half price. I grabbed one. Since it was expiring, I popped it into the toaster oven a while ago. I had planned to just freeze for future use, but they smelled and looked so good I changed my supper plan. And dang, why didn't I buy another package, too!

@TdeV, personally, I would not freeze it. I think you will wind up with cabbage mush which to me does not sound appealing at all. If you really want cabbage you can freeze, I'd just make a cabbage soup of some sort. Just my own preference, but the texture of frozen cabbage is not going to be good.

Well, since I'm still trying to adjust to cooking for just myself, maybe I need this. I'll mull it over. Too many cookbooks!!!

Since NYE is my birthday, my sister and BIL treated me to a night out at our favorite local restaurant, Osteria Bianchi. It was absolutely stellar. Here is the menu. We all started with the beet salad and it was fantastic. I had the Rotolo and sis and BIL both had lobster risotto. Then I had Veal Osso Buco and both of them had the short rib. For dessert, we had Pistachio Souffle. We had their wine pairings so I don't recall what they all were. I know we started with a French Chablis and a Chateauneuf du Pape with the Osso Buco. We had a bottle of prosecco with dessert and then a little champagne when we got home--most of which went home with them the next day, as we went to bed at 9:30. Old people.

Just as nibbles--like a snack mix. I did decide that when I make it again, I may cut some small cubes of a semi-hard cheese of some sort to add to it.

The nut recipe was a real hit today with my sister and BIL. I definitely have to make it again. And after it sat a while, it didn't seem so salty.

I couldn't find a topic about this so am starting one. I just made a small batch of this to see how it is. I had issues. First I burned the salami (not a problem for me). Then the salami didn't give off much fat so I had to add a splash of evoo. Then I used a salt I hadn't used before and over salted it. I'm fine with it and the recipe is tasty. I just need to pay attention next time. Yesterday I made my black eyed peas, but for the first time since RG began, I did not have their beans to use. I had to make do with supermarket beans! We did not have ham over the holidays so I had to buy a little bit and was not happy with that. Couldn't get the mustard greens I wanted, so have collards and turnips greens. I decided on a whim to use Penzey's Ozark blend in it. Fingers crossed it turns out OK.

I'm beginning to re-think keeping this thing since it is so hard to track down the other pans. I've liked it, but really wanted the deeper pan and without that, I'm not sure I can justify the real estate it requires in my little house. I'll mull it over.

I have it on my shopping list as I only just have about an ounce left in my bottle. I love it with sparkling water and a slice of orange in it goes nicely, too. Makes for a nice aperitif while I'm cooking dinner.

Wow!! That's a lot of cookies!!

@Shelby me, too. I'm a real sourpuss!!

My sis gave me a gift certificate for Olive My Pickle. How will I ever decide what to get!!! I want everything.

We had a lovely day--some things didn't quite go as planned but nothing dire. Well, except the fog. It was a foggy drive to Topeka but not horrid. Originally, the fog warning was set to expire at 10 am. By the time I left at 9:30, it had expanded to noon. At some point shortly after that, it extended to 2 am today. I am not a fan of driving in the dark. I ended up leaving later than usual, so not only was it dark, but the fog was some of the worst I've driven through. By the time I got around 25 miles from home, I couldn't even see the exits on the freeway. It was terrifying. I made it safely, but I'm still tense and exhausted. I did not take a single photo all day.

Merry Christmas all! Heading to Topeka in a a few hours to spend the day with family.

I just finished reading "Toast" which I'm still not sure if I like it or not, but he does talk about a number of British foods that I was unfamiliar with or had never tried. I now want to either make or buy some mushroom ketchup. I see @andiesenji's recipe above. If I wanted to buy some here in the US or order online, any recommended brands?

I rescued some BBQ Rancho Gordo beans (Varieties unknown at this point) from the freezer and heated them up with a couple of my ribs from the other day. Tasty enough that I think I need to make some more beans soon. I've still got ribs.

Finally had some of the pork I made.

@Neely, I have never had pickled walnuts. Do you make your own or buy? I do have a walnut tree in the woods behind my house, but the squirrels would attack me en masse if I tried to take one of their precious walnuts!!

Today I made a pork tenderloin with Brussels sprouts, onion and apple. With butter and white wine and seasonings. Looks and smells really good but I did not eat it tonight. Yesterday I went to a local meat market and picked up a rack of smoked baby back ribs they had on special for $12. So, tonight I had a couple of ribs and a salad. My sis is coming tomorrow so I will send her home with some of each and will still have plenty to eat until Christmas.

That cheese is not burned--it is just right!!!! The dark brown cheese is the best part!

@scubadoo97, does your family know that you call them big asses? 😁 Great photo!!

I wish I still had a bunch of doilies (and/or old hankies), but I got rid of most many years ago. I'd like to use them to stitch together to use as curtains or a table runner.

I can't recall if I posted last night that I had frozen pot stickers. Lots left and I felt chilly this evening, so made a soup with broth, veggies, spices and some of the pot stickers. Turned out great and warmed me up just right. I'll do it again!