Maison Rustique

@ElsieD, good to know. I've often thought of buying those egg whites in the carton.

@Smithy sent me a couple of her nut picks! Sorry I didn't take a photo and I've already put them away, but I'm so happy. I won't be pickin' and fiddlin' (leaving that to Smithy), but if I've got nits or bones to pick, I'm all set!! 😉 I won't post the whole list, but this little envelope traveled a long way, back and forth for many days. And Nancy, if you can believe it, even though I got it yesterday, I got an email from USPS this morning saying the package had exceptions and would be delayed. 🤣 Thanks so much!! ❤️

@Honkman, that sauerkraut looks & sounds delicious! I've got to give it a try. Was trying to get a few things out of the fridge and pantry.

Last week at Costco, I picked up a box of porotta (paratha) and it is really tasty. I gave half to my sister and should have taken a photo of the front of the box because she tossed all but the back, which is shown below. A friend gave me some of her cottage pie that she'd made for St. Pat's. I heated up the pie and heated a porotta. Then I sauteed some asparagus in a bit of butter and some Penzey Curry Now. I rolled the asparagus in the porotta. Very tasty fast food.

Costco has had oxtails for the past few months, but I haven't paid attention to the price. I'll check next time I go.

I had no idea Tillamook was making cream cheese now. I wonder how hard it is to make yourself? I might have to take a look at that. I've been avoiding even looking at spices because I've got so many I don't know what to do with all of them! I swear I don't know how you fit everything into that RV!!

If I'm having a grilled cheese sandwich for supper, it isn't going to be an orange plastic slice on Wonder bread. My sis brought a little of the cannoli poke cake she made when she was here Saturday, so I followed with a piece of that. No pix, sorry but I mangled it trying to get it onto the plate.

This is a local producer that makes/sells them but I'm pretty sure they ship. They do ship, but sadly these are sold out.

My food-gifting friend brought me this rice bowl a couple of weeks ago. I had it last night with the rest of my steak. I would buy that rice again. One of the best instant rice products I've had.

Got a package of these in my order from the milkman yesterday. Excited to try them! Reuben bratwurst

One of the smoked sausages I grilled the other day with some potato, onion and eggs. Burrata plonked on the middle and a little other cheese and Ajika seasoning sprinkled over.

I think it would be OK to use the pre-cooked brisket, but I'd use some other meats in it, too. You're going to want some meat cooking in your pot to add flavor to the entire dish. I always like to use a combination of meats in my chili (usually pork, beef and sometimes a little ground turkey). Think about at least a little other meat to actually cook in that pot.

I had another piece of my decimated steak with some salad last night. The salad isn't really swimming in dressing--I just missed and it puddled up on one side.

When I was a child, we did not go out to eat often but when we did, I don't recall ever even seeing a children's menu. At home Mom cooked all sorts of food and we ate what we were given so to order from a menu, we were familiar with and liked most anything on that menu. It was generally at lunch time in a department store restaurant so often it was a sandwich of some sort--maybe a Monte Cristo or something a bit fancy. We ate it whatever it was and loved the experience. We were in our hats and gloves and wouldn't have dreamt of throwing a fit because there were no chicken nuggets. Different times, for sure. I just saw someone post about Oreos cereal. OMG! I can't recall Mom ever giving me a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. Yuck!

Yesterday was the best weather we've had so far this year. Mid 60s and no wind. I got the grill out and had defrosted an old NY steak and some smoked sausage. I must have had the fire too hot because I completely overcooked the steak in less than 10 minutes! As soon as I realized, I pulled it off and put it in the fridge to stop it cooking as best I could. I did not take pix of it but sliced up half of it and had it with this grain blend I rescued from the freezer. The steak was OK--not quite shoe leather. Not sure what I'll do with the other half. I'll think about it. The grains were quite good!

Most frozen broccoli I have bought has way too much water in it to successfully broil/roast. I think you would end up with slightly browned mush.

Great stories and precious photos!!

@weinoo, spices/herbs/blends are the only thing I have more of than Rancho Gordo beans. Somehow these things breed in my pantries and have multiplied by the next time I open the door.

After getting my taxes done and finding that I'm actually getting a tiny bit back for the first time in forever, I decided to get take out from Olive Garden. They have a new entree call Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo or something like that. I've been craving steak so ordered that, zuppa toscano and a take-home size of 5 cheese ziti. The ziti and zuppa went into the freezer for future use. I had a little less than half of the entree last night. It was disappointing. I really wanted steak and did this because it is really near my house. I should have gone farther and just gotten a steak somewhere. I think weather is warming up again so maybe I'll defrost a steak and couple of other things and do some grilling sometime soon. At any rate, I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine while I waited for the food so at least I got out of the house for a while.

I wish I had a couple of those pickers! I used to have a set and apparently I got rid of them because I don't have them. Now I bugger up the tip of a small cheap knife since I don't have any proper pickers.

I'm going to horrify many of you with this. I had not had a fried Spam sandwich in decades, but suddenly had a craving so indulged myself. I have leftovers.

Wish I could poof myself to San Diego. I am so over winter!! Thanks for sharing the sauce ingredients. I shall try it--sounds like something I could eat with anything!

I concur! First, I wouldn't even think of inviting extra people to a dinner at someone else's home. And if the host said it was OK to bring them, I'd have immediately said they were Muslim and that I would bring some food for them since it was late notice and there were special considerations. You were very gracious to accommodate everyone.

I did not take pix, but that last time I went to TJs, I got one of their Parlanno Pizzas. My freezer was beginning to be overstuffed, so I pulled it out last night, added a little more cheese to it and put it in the toaster oven. It was very tasty with a glass of some Portuguese red blend that I got at Costco. I'm never truly happy with the way pizza crust turns out in my particular toaster oven, but it was OK. Lots of toppings on it and I didn't even add anything other than the cheese.

I switched to the Lite Club for a while and even that was too much for just me. Sadly, I had to stop. I felt really bad doing it since I've been a member for so long. But I have so many beans, I do not think I am in danger of running out. I do miss getting the extra things.