Dinner 2021

[Kim Shook]

@CantCookStillTry – your McMuffins made me want one right now.  I actually took some sausage out of the freezer a few minutes ago!  I wonder why they are beef instead of pork in Australia.

 

@Ann_T – I know I’ve said before that an open-faced chicken sandwich with gravy is one of my all-time favorite meals.  I’m seeing this in my near future!

 

@liuzhou – those crustaceans are amazing.  They are the size of the lobster tails I’ve been seeing for $4.99 each.

 

@Dante – you reminded me of a NC saying that I haven’t thought of in years with the same meaning as your dad’s:  “Not enough to smell of.” 😄

 

I'm sorry, but I’ve been neglectful and now there are tons of dinners to post!

 

Memorial Day was our first time entertaining anyone outside of our bubble except for having Mr. Kim’s (vaccinated) mom over for Mother’s Day.  We had Jessica’s friend over and did a little mini potluck.  All 4 of us have been vaccinated and none of us have been spending any time with other folks for the past year anyway!   I provided the pre-dinner snacks.  Herbed cheese spread, smoked salmon cream cheese, ET bagel chips, and those throw-back Ranch dressing oyster crackers:

 

And Hot Bacon & Swiss Cheese Dip, crackers, and grapes:

 

Mr. Kim smoked Cornell chicken (Cornish hens, actually):

Anyone who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s (and perhaps earlier and later) going to the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia eastern shore knows Cornell Chicken.  If they were like us, they just called it “Beach Chicken”.  Men’s clubs and church groups would have these huge tents on the side of the road with concrete block pits set up with metal grates across them.  Chicken halves would be cooked on top of the grates and mopped with a thin sauce made of vinegar and oil and maybe an egg from the recipes that I’ve found.  It was the best smell in the world and a confirmation that you were really headed to the beach! 

 

Jessica made her pineapple casserole and a salad:

 

 

Her friend did mac n cheese:

 

My plate:

Everything was really good.  I did dessert – Roasted Strawberry and Cream Cheesecake:

 

Last Tuesday was White People Taco Night😄:

 

Refried beans:

 

Chips and cheese dip:

 

My plate with the most ridiculously narrow taco shells:

You could barely get anything inside.  Next time, I buy the square bottomed ones. 

 

Friday night was nachos from White People Taco Night leftovers:

 

On Saturday, Mr. Kim was in NC judging a BBQ competition.  I had leftover frites from lunch out and an ET bagel with smoked salmon cream cheese:

 

The “We can eat in restaurants again…let’s have the trashy stuff we’ve been craving” tour continued with Hooters on Sunday.  We shared the soft pretzels and beer cheese:

 

Mr. Kim’s Half and Half Wings – Hot Buffalo Sauce and Spicy Garlic Sauce with Bleu Cheese dressing:

Garlic wings looking mighty dry, huh?  They were.  Ended up being merely deep-fried wings – no sauce.  And the dressing was Ranch🙄.  Because it wouldn’t be Hooters without some kind of f#*k up.  The last time we were there I sat in a giant cup’s worth of drink that Mr. Kim spilled on me for 20 minutes waiting for the twits to bring me some towels.  They fixed the wings when he brought her attention to it, but we never got Blue Cheese dressing.  My BBQ sauce wings:

The wings really were good, which is why we put up with the BS. 

 

We visited the produce stand Sunday, so yesterday it was time to start the summer cukes:

Spring onions and pickling cukes.  With pepper and Splenda:

 

And vinegar:

These will be tasted over the next few days to adjust pepper and Splenda amounts.

 

Monday night dinner started with a salad:

If all raw onions tasted like those spring onions, I would never object to them.  Sloppy Joes on slider buns from a local bakery, the last of Jessica’s pineapple casserole, and @patti's

oven fries:

 

Tough, sad corn on the cob:

 

Dessert was just strawberries with whipped cream (canned, but real) for dipping:

 

Yesterday I made a dinner to take to some new parents in our congregation at church.  It needed to be Gluten Free and Dairy Free and since the baby has been colicky, they requested no onions, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc.  Took some ingenuity to come up with a meal and I screwed something up.  Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin w/ Fig Sauce.  Coated and ready for the oven:

 

Roasted and sauced:

 

Roasted green beans with lemon zest, toasted almonds, and Mr. Kim’s fresh parsley:

 

This was the screw up:

Pineapple-glazed carrots.  I had a brain fart and plopped in two tablespoons of butter instead of the coconut oil I’d bought.  So, Mr. Kim has pineapple-glazed carrots for his vegetables for the week.  I had also bought a Basmati/Wild Rice mix, so the meal didn’t seem short, I’m sure. 

 

Dessert was Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars:

They were actually pretty good.  Not sneak-into-the-kitchen-to-grab-another-one-good.  But, for what they were, pretty good. 

 

I made enough of the tenderloin for us to have some, too.  Mr. Kim’s plate with those damn carrots and more of @patti's oven fries:

 

 

 

 

 

[rotuts]

@Kim Shook 

 

may I ask for two Rx's ?

 

Hot Bacon & Swiss Cheese Dip

 

and

 

Jessica's pineapple casserole 

 

thanks

[weinoo]

24 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

  It needed to be Gluten Free and Dairy Free and since the baby has been colicky, they requested no onions, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. 

 

I always wondered why kids were so annoying, and now I know...it's the parents!!

Just bring them a bag of potato chips (not onion flavored) next time, and be done with it!!!

[heidih]

9 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

I always wondered why kids were so annoying, and now I know...it's the parents!!

Just bring them a bag of potato chips (not onion flavored) next time, and be done with it!!!

Until you've had a 24/7 colicky baby... Crucifers and dairy in mom's milk are a frequent first suggestion be be eliminated by pediatricians.

[mgaretz]

Tri-tip, cooked SV then seared, served with corn and spinach, both steamed and buttered.

 

 

[Kim Shook]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@Kim Shook 

 

may I ask for two Rx's ?

 

Hot Bacon & Swiss Cheese Dip

 

and

 

Jessica's pineapple casserole 

 

thanks

Here's the one for the dip.  I don't have Jessica's recipe for the pineapple (though I do have a few others - pineapple casserole is popular in the South), but I'll pass it on as soon as I get it from her.

[robirdstx]

 

Grilled Boneless Chicken Thigh with Sautéed Mushrooms and Teriyaki Sauce, steamed and buttered Asparagus and Jasmine Rice

 

[Ann_T]

Pizza night. Pepperoni, mushroom and olives.

 

Dough was made Tuesday morning and came out of the fridge at 3:00 PM today.

Baked in the Ooni Koda 16.

[shain]

Cannelloni with beetroot and 3 goat cheeses (feta, kashkaval and a chevre-like cheese). Sage, thyme, zaatar, toasted sesame, sumac.

Served with beetroot and kashkaval mornay sauce.

 

[liamsaunt]

Eggplant and bell pepper stir fry with Thai basil and scallions and rice.  The sauce was fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, garlic, and ginger.  I had to use regular basil for the garnish because I put all the Thai basil in the stir fry.  My nephew hates fish sauce so he freezer dived and had a tray of black bean enchiladas and cilantro-tomato rice.  

 

[Shelby]

Happy Friday everyone!  Westminster Dog show this weekend.  I'm excited.  Second time in a billion years that they have held it outdoors.  No spectators allowed but at least we can watch on TV.  And that's your TV update lol.

 

More fish...I think this was bass again.

 

 

 

Big salad and pizza

 

 

 

Store bought wild mushroom ravioli with a spinach Alfredo sauce and shrimp.

 

 

Roast beef sandwiches and shishito

 

 

 

Yesterday was so hot and humid.  I swear the humidity was 100%.  Walking outside was like walking through water.  So I made a cold ramen noodle salad with a lime-fish sauce-brown sugar type dressing and some venison\pork Thai lettuce wraps.

 

 

 

 

[rotuts]

@Shelby 

 

outstanding !

 

Best Ramen and Thai lettuce wraps

 

in Kansas, for sure !

 

Shelby's Not in Kansas   any more !

 

[heidih]

@Shelby when you said ramen salad I assumed (so dangerous) the kind where the dried noodles are crumbled in. Yours looked more to my liking .Ack on humidity - makes me nauseous and ruins my appetite. Just feed me watermelon slushees.

Edited June 11, 2021 by heidih (log)

[kayb]

 I am winding up Week 2 with a broken air conditioner, and it has finally gotten uncomfortably warm. I ain't having anything that can't be assembled out of the fridge or delivered or picked up. I'm thinking tonight will be falafel salad from the Middle Eastern food truck. Lunch will be summer sausage and cheese, with fresh peaches and blueberries in yogurt.

 

[Shelby]

53 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Shelby 

 

outstanding !

 

Best Ramen and Thai lettuce wraps

 

in Kansas, for sure !

 

Shelby's Not in Kansas   any more !

 

LOL!  

 

Thanks my friend :)

 

It's just as hot and humid today.  I'm sitting here trying to think of something not hot to eat.

34 minutes ago, heidih said:

@Shelby when you said ramen salad I assumed (so dangerous) the kind where the dried noodles are crumbled in. Yours looked more to my liking .Ack on humidity - makes me nauseous and ruins my appetite. Just feed me watermelon slushees.

I like the dried noodle one but this one did hit the spot.  Lots of radishes, spring onions, cilantro, basil and lettuce from the garden mixed it.  I'd take a slush about right now too.

7 minutes ago, kayb said:

 I am winding up Week 2 with a broken air conditioner, and it has finally gotten uncomfortably warm. I ain't having anything that can't be assembled out of the fridge or delivered or picked up. I'm thinking tonight will be falafel salad from the Middle Eastern food truck. Lunch will be summer sausage and cheese, with fresh peaches and blueberries in yogurt.

 

KAY I would be dying.  Is there a backlog on parts or repair people or both

[kayb]

2 minutes ago, Shelby said:

KAY I would be dying.  Is there a backlog on parts or repair people or both

 

I'm convinced the part (the unit it is for is quite old) is being fabricated by monks in Tibet and transported via mountain goat. Or maybe carrier pigeon.

 

It really hasn't been bad. Temps have been cooler than normal for June. We just topped 90 for the first time in three or four weeks yesterday. Humid as heck, though; it's been overcast and raining a lot.

[KennethT]

2 minutes ago, Shelby said:

LOL!  

 

Thanks my friend :)

 

It's just as hot and humid today.  I'm sitting here trying to think of something not hot to eat.

I like the dried noodle one but this one did hit the spot.  Lots of radishes, spring onions, cilantro, basil and lettuce from the garden mixed it.  I'd take a slush about right now too.

KAY I would be dying.  Is there a backlog on parts or repair people or both

The next time you go to your Asian store (or Amazon) I would try looking for palm sugar - it is sooo much better than brown sugar!  It definitely has a distinctive flavor.  It comes either as a block (looks kind of like a giant hershey's kiss but lighter brown) or in a plastic tub - just make sure it says 100% palm sugar on the label - some of the cheaper ones are only a small percentage and are vastly inferior.  This https://www.amazon.com/Eastland-Palm-Sugar-1lb/dp/B00JH638SO/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=palm+sugar&qid=1623433792&sr=8-4 This is my favorite brand, but it's a lot cheaper when I pick it up in Chinatown - it's like $3 rather than $10.

[Shelby]

7 minutes ago, KennethT said:

The next time you go to your Asian store (or Amazon) I would try looking for palm sugar - it is sooo much better than brown sugar!  It definitely has a distinctive flavor.  It comes either as a block (looks kind of like a giant hershey's kiss but lighter brown) or in a plastic tub - just make sure it says 100% palm sugar on the label - some of the cheaper ones are only a small percentage and are vastly inferior.  This https://www.amazon.com/Eastland-Palm-Sugar-1lb/dp/B00JH638SO/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=palm+sugar&qid=1623433792&sr=8-4 This is my favorite brand, but it's a lot cheaper when I pick it up in Chinatown - it's like $3 rather than $10.

Thanks!  I've added it to my ever growing Asian Market list.  Need to get over there.

[Shelby]

10 minutes ago, kayb said:

 

I'm convinced the part (the unit it is for is quite old) is being fabricated by monks in Tibet and transported via mountain goat. Or maybe carrier pigeon.

 

It really hasn't been bad. Temps have been cooler than normal for June. We just topped 90 for the first time in three or four weeks yesterday. Humid as heck, though; it's been overcast and raining a lot.

You're tougher woman than I.  No AC and me don't get along.  I hope it gets fixed SOON.

[heidih]

12 minutes ago, KennethT said:

The next time you go to your Asian store (or Amazon) I would try looking for palm sugar - it is sooo much better than brown sugar!  It definitely has a distinctive flavor.  It comes either as a block (looks kind of like a giant hershey's kiss but lighter brown) or in a plastic tub - just make sure it says 100% palm sugar on the label - some of the cheaper ones are only a small percentage and are vastly inferior.  This https://www.amazon.com/Eastland-Palm-Sugar-1lb/dp/B00JH638SO/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=palm+sugar&qid=1623433792&sr=8-4 This is my favorite brand, but it's a lot cheaper when I pick it up in Chinatown - it's like $3 rather than $10.

And piloncillo from Latin markets and in some mainstream  markets in "Mexican section" also has a more interesting complexity than C&H  (sing along: pure can sugar from Hawaii) Easy to grate. It dissolves. Dirt cheap.

[Tropicalsenior]

2 minutes ago, heidih said:

piloncillo

I had to stop buying that here in Costa Rica. It was not only dirt cheap but it came complete with the dirt.

[heidih]

17 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I had to stop buying that here in Costa Rica. It was not only dirt cheap but it came complete with the dirt.

That i not good. Never an issue  here in Los Angeles, and I've bought it from various places, though distributor possibly the same.

[Kim Shook]

Here's the pineapple casserole recipe. I have to say that this is SWEET!  There is some argument on the original website about the correct amount of sugar - the video says one thing and the recipe says another.  I think perhaps if you don't have Southern USA DNA, you might just treat it as a dessert and top is with ice cream or a little yogurt.  Of course if you are, like me, in possession of a South of the M/D line palate, you'll like this just fine, as is 😄.   To be honest, I've never quite gotten what the shredded cheese brings to this dish.  

[Tropicalsenior]

32 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

pineapple casserole recipe.

Thank you so much. I am making it right now. I'll have to cut it in half and probably will use a little less sugar but it sounds great.

[AlaMoi]

I have an age-old recipe that uses 20 ounces of pineapple (drained) + cubed dried-out bread, butter, eggs . . . etc etc -

 

specifies 1 cup of sugar (200g) - I use 1/3 (30g) and we like it much better

 

same for a pineapple stuffing we use - sugar cut in half with note:  still too sweet

Edited June 11, 2021 by AlaMoi (log)