Dinner! 2008

[C. sapidus]

Emily, I almost made green rice so we were definitely on the same wavelength. Apparently, some folks prefer carnitas in big chunks and some prefer shredded carnitas – more crispy surface area in the latter.

Doddie, I was reading the carnitas thread and saw the lovely batch that you made.

[Chris Hennes]

Mesquite-smoked chicken with sauteed squash and baby potatoes (chosen because my wife likes her chicken well-done, and I prefer it a bit less charcoal-like):

[Kim Shook]

Ted - lovely tilapia - will you make that for me sometime?

Chris - the next time that your wife leaves town, can I come eat at your house?

Shelby - beautiful venison pie!

Bruce - that hot chocolate. I think I maybe fainted a little when I saw that !

Dinner last night was a lettuce, apple and toasted walnut salad with a fresh cranberry vinaigrette - really good:

And a goat cheese and fig stuffed chicken breast with a marsala sauce. Someone here posted a link to the recipe awhile ago and I'm thinking that it was Anna_N - I have had it in my 'to try' file for ages and just did it - it tasted great and was much easier that I thought it would be! Anyway - if it was you, Anna or whoever - a belated thanks for posting! Served with eG roasted cauliflower and roasted garlic bread (it was orange cauliflower, btw):

a not terribly good picture of a cross section of the chicken:

Next time I will be bolder making the pocket and make it bigger!

[sygyzy]

Had steak risotto with gargonzola which was wonderful but the exciting part was the snack later that evening.

[NoNiceTime]

[MikeHartnett]

Donuts! With Coffee Sauce!

Coffee and Donuts!

Also, how do I get this to turn right side up? It's correct on my hard drive...

Also also, sorry that this is in the wrong thread. But I guess it was dinner.

Edited February 20, 2008 by MikeHartnett (log)

[cathrynapple]

Those donuts are cute.

[Pierogi]

So many beautiful dinners, so little time !!

I *have* been cooking, just making very prosaic, and not very photogenic efforts.

However, last Friday I had a special dinner for a couple of friends, and not only were the results darned tasty, but they photographed well also (well, within my limited photography skills that is.........)

I offer you:

Pork tenderloin medallions, seared and quick-braised in Italian red wine, served over apple slices that were oven-roasted with garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes and Muscadet wine, also some cauliflower lurking under the meat:

Side was risotto with herbs, Parmesan and truffles (YUM) (this was my centerpiece, and of course, the picture is out of focus, errrrrrr )

And dessert was a clemantine clafoutis:

In the pan:

And plated:

A good (and filling time....) was had by all

[Pierogi]

And for some of the more pedestrian offerings of late:

Slow roasted brisket with pan juices, potatoes rossele and creamed spinach:

Served with my pride and joy:

I MADE BREAD !!!!!!!!!!!! And it didn't suck !!

Leftover brisket made a very good hash:

with roasted asparagus and these beauties......

I MADE BISCUITS !!!!!!!!!! And they didn't suck !!

Ummm, sorry. I've never been much of a baker and when my baked goods actually turn out, I get pretty excited. Not only did that bread and the biscuits not suck they were very tasty. The bread made a fine brisket sandwich for lunch during the week, and made its last apperance as a decent bruschetta, rubbed with garlic and halved tomatoes. The cheese biscuits just got hoovered right on up. I'm right proud of myself, I am. Maybe I actually *can* bake as well as cook.

[tlm5150]

Ended up at Whole Foods the other day (Whole Paycheck?) and they had grass-fed beef. It was cheap so I got one of their flank steaks, marinated it in a soy sauce and ginger mixture and then tried the low-temp-oven-then-sear method (recently featured in Cook's Illustrated). I think I'll be using this method frequently.

Soy-Ginger Marinated Flank Steak, Spring Mix, Jasmine Rice

There was a vinaigrette involved too but fortunately I didn't use much of it, it wasn't that great.

[Shelby]

Pierogi everything looks so good. I'm glad your bread didn't suck

I, too, made creamed spinach the other night. I thought it was SO good. I used a recipe from RecipeGullet. I was so proud---and then my husband informed me that he doesn't like frozen spinach We've been together 14-15 years and I NEVER knew that. I've even frozen ours out of the garden and he's never said a word.

So, I have a whole tub of leftover creamed spinach

[Kim Shook]

Pierogi  everything looks so good.  I'm glad your bread didn't suck   

I, too, made creamed spinach the other night.  I thought it was SO good.  I used a recipe from RecipeGullet.  I was so proud---and then my husband informed me that he doesn't like frozen spinach    We've been together 14-15 years and I NEVER knew that.  I've even frozen ours out of the garden and he's never said a word.

So, I have a whole tub of leftover creamed spinach 

←

Shelby - maybe try cutting up some roasted frozen artichoke hearts and adding some parmesan cheese, smear it on some baked/roasted chicken and bake for a few minutes. I have known this cheesy, gloopy mess to reform serious cooked spinach haters.

[Shelby]

Pierogi  everything looks so good.  I'm glad your bread didn't suck   

I, too, made creamed spinach the other night.  I thought it was SO good.  I used a recipe from RecipeGullet.  I was so proud---and then my husband informed me that he doesn't like frozen spinach    We've been together 14-15 years and I NEVER knew that.  I've even frozen ours out of the garden and he's never said a word.

So, I have a whole tub of leftover creamed spinach 

←

Shelby - maybe try cutting up some roasted frozen artichoke hearts and adding some parmesan cheese, smear it on some baked/roasted chicken and bake for a few minutes. I have known this cheesy, gloopy mess to reform serious cooked spinach haters.

←

That's a good idea! Oddly, he loves fresh spinach and CANNED spinach! Isn't that weird??

[Kim Shook]

Pierogi  everything looks so good.  I'm glad your bread didn't suck   

I, too, made creamed spinach the other night.  I thought it was SO good.  I used a recipe from RecipeGullet.  I was so proud---and then my husband informed me that he doesn't like frozen spinach     We've been together 14-15 years and I NEVER knew that.  I've even frozen ours out of the garden and he's never said a word.

So, I have a whole tub of leftover creamed spinach 

←

Shelby - maybe try cutting up some roasted frozen artichoke hearts and adding some parmesan cheese, smear it on some baked/roasted chicken and bake for a few minutes. I have known this cheesy, gloopy mess to reform serious cooked spinach haters.

←

That's a good idea! Oddly, he loves fresh spinach and CANNED spinach! Isn't that weird??

←

I have a brother in law like that. Honestly do not get the canned love! Makes me heave to think of that stuff !

[MiFi]

Pu pu starter: Speck, Pork Pate, Salumi homemade sourdough

Grass Fed Flat Iron, Blue Cheese/Tarragon Butter, Sunchoke Puree, Green Beans

Riopelle and bleu Benedictine from Quebec (snuck past Customs), Red Hawk

Peppercorn Cognac Sauted Chicken

Veal Flank Steak w/Caper & Cornicion Sauce, Russian Banana Fingerlings sauted w/duck fat

[Shelby]

Pierogi  everything looks so good.  I'm glad your bread didn't suck   

I, too, made creamed spinach the other night.  I thought it was SO good.  I used a recipe from RecipeGullet.  I was so proud---and then my husband informed me that he doesn't like frozen spinach    We've been together 14-15 years and I NEVER knew that.  I've even frozen ours out of the garden and he's never said a word.

So, I have a whole tub of leftover creamed spinach 

←

Shelby - maybe try cutting up some roasted frozen artichoke hearts and adding some parmesan cheese, smear it on some baked/roasted chicken and bake for a few minutes. I have known this cheesy, gloopy mess to reform serious cooked spinach haters.

←

That's a good idea! Oddly, he loves fresh spinach and CANNED spinach! Isn't that weird??

←

I have a brother in law like that. Honestly do not get the canned love! Makes me heave to think of that stuff !

←

Exactly.

Too bad everyone isn't normal like us

[GreekCook]

............ he loves fresh spinach and CANNED spinach! Isn't that weird??

Just out of curiosity how can he possibly tell the difference if it's been cooked and creamed...What I mean is, how would it differ from canned spinach or even fresh cooked creamed spinach??

[Shelby]

............ he loves fresh spinach and CANNED spinach! Isn't that weird??

Just out of curiosity how can he possibly tell the difference if it's been cooked and creamed...What I mean is, how would it differ from canned spinach or even fresh cooked creamed spinach??

←

My point exactly! He swears up and down that frozen spinach--even drenched in cheese etc.--tastes bad and canned or fresh spinach that has been cooked, tastes good.

[suzilightning]

day off so some time to shop and cook. when john got home we had fluke in a white wine sauce with mushrooms, olive rice and sauteed bok choy with shallot.

he loved it - i thought it was ok. course i prefer vension or bison anyday...

[MikeHartnett]

I got home late and wanted to do something a little fancier than just plain sausages. I happened to have, in addition to the delicious chicken and apricot sausages, a little horseradish cheddar and porcini mustard in the fridge. Mmm.

ETA: Somebody? How do I rotate the pictures?

Edited February 21, 2008 by MikeHartnett (log)

[monavano]

Braised boneless leg of lamb over egg noodles. The braise included a mirepoix, tomato paste, red wine (Malbec), beef broth, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary and ligonberry jam. Served with lemon zest.

Edited February 21, 2008 by monavano (log)

[Chris Hennes]

After a brief break from the "stuff my wife won't eat" theme, since she was actually home last night and we went out, I return with leftovers: chicken chili from this month's Fine Cooking magazine. This used up the leftover chicken from the mesquite-smoked chicken the other night: the meat went into the chili, and the carcass was the basis for the stock. I think this chili would be much improved by the addition of more chiles! Like maybe some fresh jalapeño added at the very end to give some crunch and heat. Has anyone else tried this recipe?

This fell into the "questionable chicken dishes" category: the verdict is, my wife would like it, as long as I made it spicier.

[Shelby]

I haven't tried that exact recipe, Chris, but I think you're right. I always put a lot of peppers in my white chili.

[Chris Hennes]

I haven't tried that exact recipe, Chris, but I think you're right.  I always put a lot of peppers in  my white chili.

←

As far as I'm concerned, if you're going to call it "chili" the principal flavor had better be chile peppers! This recipe only called for one can of pickled jalapeños, for six servings. It tasted good, but I would call it "Southwest Chicken Soup" or something like that. And I would still add a few fresh peppers!

[Mota]

Penne w/ shrimp in a tomato cream sauce

Holy Carb-overload Batman !!!

I have a date with the treadmill in the morning