Dinner! 2008

[monavano]

Turkey meatloaf stuffed with sauteed turnip greens and puree of yams and turnips. The meatloaf was a bit dry so I need to re-work this recipe but the puree was good.

[Kim Shook]

percyn - the lamb shanks and mashed sweet potatoes look fantastic. I usually use polenta under my lamb shanks and never thought of sweet potatoes! What a perfect idea!

David - the Hellzapoppin rice looks so good! I can't each but a bite of rice and I wonder if I could do the same thing with orzo. I need to experiment

suzi - your welsh rarebit sandwiches are wonderful and a special thank you for showing your recipe card - I loved seeing that

MiFi - creamed spinach - mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ann - rice balls sound so good - I've wanted to try making those for awhile. Again, I can't each much rice, but I might be able to manage one!

Dinner last night was salad and Ravioli w/ Balsamic Brown Butter sauce:

It is a Giada DeLaurentiis recipe. It was amazingly easy - just 10 minutes from fridge to table and really, really good.

Last dinner for a few days. We are off to Washington, DC for the weekend. We are eating at Cashion's, Becks Brasserie and Mario's Pizza & Subs !

[eldereno]

Last night I made a cauliflower puree which was the best I have ever made. My husband started complaining as soon as he realized it was cauliflower but later stated that he really liked the flavor and texture. I used the food processor (instead of mashing) and added heavy cream, butter, lots of S&P. Very smooth! (BTW, we are trying to watch the carbs) Served with slices of pot roast from an Emeril recipe with lots of garlic. May have been too garlicky but the puree stood up to it.

Looked good on the plate. Must remember to take pictures of more than the bread I make!!!!!!! (These days I make it but don't eat it )

[David Ross]

David - the Hellzapoppin rice looks so good!  I can't each but a bite of rice and I wonder if I could do the same thing with orzo.  I need to experiment

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You could easily substitute Orzo for the Rice in Hellzapoppin. In fact, it's a great idea so thanks for suggesting it. I think I'll try it myself!

[David Ross]

Last night I did a British type of theme:

Beer Battered Prawns with a salad of Cucumber and Tomato combined with my own Tartar Sauce-which includes mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickle relish and a touch of horseradish.

Then a Steak and Kidney Pudding. I used Delia Smith's recipe that is posted on the BBC Food website. I've always loved the Steak and Kidney Pudding served at Elephant and Castle Pubs in the US and Canada, just haven't ever been able to duplicate their recipe. This recipe still isn't as good as the Puddings you get at Elephant and Castle, but it was good. I changed it up by slow cooking the meats and then adding the puff pastry as a garnish. I'm not a big fan of beef kidneys, but the taste was pretty muted due to the slow cooking.

[phatj]

I made an ultra-shroomy cream sauce to go with Barilla mushroom-and-cheese tortelloni. I know, I know, but hey, at least the sauce was from scratch, and fantastic.

I posted a recipe for the sauce on RecipeGullet: Mushroom Cream Sauce. No pics, unfortunately, although I'm pretty sure if I'd taken any they wouldn't have done it justice.

[Shelby]

Last night I did a British type of theme:

Beer Battered Prawns with a salad of Cucumber and Tomato combined with my own Tartar Sauce-which includes mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickle relish and a touch of horseradish.

Then a Steak and Kidney Pudding.  I used Delia Smith's recipe that is posted on the BBC Food website.  I've always loved the Steak and Kidney Pudding served at Elephant and Castle Pubs in the US and Canada, just haven't ever been able to duplicate their recipe.  This recipe still isn't as good as the Puddings you get at Elephant and Castle, but it was good.  I changed it up by slow cooking the meats and then adding the puff pastry as a garnish.  I'm not a big fan of beef kidneys, but the taste was pretty muted due to the slow cooking. 

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YUM!

[Ann_T]

monavano great looking meatloaf. I love the filling.

eldereno I made a cauliflower puree last week using a golden cauliflower. I seasoned it the same way but with the addition of a little fresh garlic.

We had grilled Cajun style baby back ribs on Thursday night and last night was chicken pot pies.

[suzilightning]

first friday in lent so cornflake crusted haddock "fish sticks" with tartar sauce, green beans and mash.

[David Ross]

Last night was a Buffalo Strip Steak with Bleu Cheese-Potato Gratin and Green Beans. We get a lot of buffalo in our markets in Eastern Washington, usually from ranches not far away in Montana. Buffalo is a bit sweeter than beef with a tiny hint of gaminess. It's really low in fat so we cook it to the rare side of medium-rare. (I must admit that while I like buffalo, I still prefer beef).

[Ann_T]

David Perfectly cooked steak.

I grilled a small Prime Rib tonight. Sides were sweet potatoes with caramelized onions, asparagus and parisienne potatoes. And horseradish.

[purplewiz]

It may be in the single digits and windy, but that does not stop me from grilling....

...or getting the best grill marks I've gotten in a long time.

Tonight it was something a little different:

Pollo con salsa d'uovo, or chicken in egg and lemon sauce. Served over a sliced avocado with roasted cauliflower on the side. First time I made this one and it was very good and surprisingly easy.

Marcia.

[Ted Fairhead]

Last night I did a British type of theme:

Then a Steak and Kidney Pudding.  I used Delia Smith's recipe that is posted on the BBC Food website. 

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I'm sorry David but that is NOT a Steak and Kidney pudding...it is closer to a S & K pie..big difference!

As you can see from Delia Smith's recipe she made a suet pastry to put the meat filling into, and then steamed the whole thing.

I've never been to an Elephant and Castle restaurant but if what they serve has a puff pastry topping it ain't pudding. (BTW, I was born and raised very near the original Elephant and Castle pub)

However I must say I do like a good S & T pie with puff pastry.

[David Ross]

Ted thanks for the clarification. I should have edited my original comments on the dish to say I used the base of Delia's pudding but added the puff pastry top as a garnish rather than use her suet pastry and steaming method.

I've had the steak and kidney at Elephant and Castle pubs in Portland and Vancouver, BC and to be honest, what I thought was a pudding I now realize was a 'pie' due to the puff pastry crust. Well thanks again for your feedback. Of course, now I'm going to have to do it the right way with a suet crust just so I can taste the difference between suet/steamed and puff pastry/baked. I love a tasty experiment.

[Toliver]

Ann_T, your dinner photos rock. I'm jonesing for ribs or rib eyes now!

[suzilightning]

tried a recipe from a recent Cooking Light - basically an Italian pot roast.

the meat browned

the veg, herbs and stock

add in a bottle of cabernet sauvignon that had been reduced to one cup then into the oven for 2 hours.

turnips and carrots sauteed then cooked with some of the strained liquid from the pot. finished with some honey and fresh herbs and served for a late lunch. those are the end pieces that i claim for me.

we then used a good portion of this to try and coax a neighbor's Jack Russell, Rocco, who had gotten out off his leash to go home before the snow started. he at least seemed to enjoy it.

Edited February 11, 2008 by suzilightning (log)

[Zeemanb]

Just posted this over on the Food on Television and Radio forum, for my dinner on Saturday night.

Sopranos Dinner

I don't have GREAT pics, but there are some over on my blog along with a better writeup.

[Ann_T]

Ann_T, your dinner photos rock. I'm jonesing for ribs or rib eyes now!

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Thanks Toliver What a nice thing to say.

[AmritaBala]

Everybody's food looks DIVINE!

Here's what I made yesterday...Larb Moo on Soy Noodles

[Bella S.F.]

Finally had our "Christmas Dinner".

Appies were two kinds of Bruschetta. One was prosciutto wrapped fresh mozzerella balls, baked till cheese had started melting and prosciutto was on the crisp side. They were finished with some chopped tomato, shreds of basil, really good extra virgin olive oil (brought back from Tuscany) and some really good balsamic (also brought back from Tuscany). The other Bruschetta had the "toasted" baguette slices topped with goat cheese and truffled mushroom "salsa" (Yes, also brought back from Tuscany.) They were put back in the oven to just warm everything up. With this course we had a side-by-sice taste test of 'bubblies". Our favorite Champagne from a very small house in France against our favorite domestic "Sparkling" That was really fun.

Main course... prime rib, potato gratin, roasted green beans with onions, lemon juice and zest, and Marcona almonds, braised shallot confit, and popovers. Our friends brought two Napa Cabs from the early 1990's. Both wines were wonderful.

No pictures of the appies or the dessert. This picture was taken before the green beans and the popovers were served. I am going to mention the prime rib on the Best Prime Rib thread

Dessert... Orange Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Chili Chocolate Balls. We were going to open a bottle of Port to have with this course, but everyone vetoed that by that point.

A truely wonderful dinner.

I do hope that the picture makes it onto this entry. I have never been able to get a picture to appear here. My husband tried to work this out for me. If it doesn't work, just imagine a beautifully, evenly rare piece of meat, even the edges.

[Dr. J]

Love the color contrast of the pics Amritabala, food looks great too!

Here are meals from yesterday and today.

Cheese ravioli with vodka sauce and pesto

Rack of lamb topped with a balsamic reduction with onions and shitake mushrooms.

Tonight was salad with mustard vinaigrette, the same cheese ravioli from yesterday and,Chilean Sea bass on a clam reduction with saffron, vanilla and butter.

This is a recipe from french laundry, I made it before and posted, but this time

I took out the truffle oil and reduced the amount of vanilla.

[AmritaBala]

Made Petite Bacon, Chorizo and Mushroom quiches today

Is it just me or is quiche EXTREMELY difficult to photograph? This is my 3rd attempt and it still sucks

Edited February 12, 2008 by AmritaBala (log)

[doctortim]

Made Petite Bacon, Chorizo and Mushroom quiches today

Is it just me or is quiche EXTREMELY difficult to photograph? This is my 3rd attempt and it still sucks

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That doesn't suck AmritaBala, they look great!

[AmritaBala]

oh why thankyou doctor tim....call me Amrita hahaha....=op

[percyn]

Very nice pic Amrita...here are some that suck

Hanger Steak Frites w/caramelized shallots and demi glace.

Sunday's Dinner:

Mozzarella w/Balsamic Vinegar and Cherry Tomatoes

Roasted Chicken w/Edamame Salad (from Wegmans)