2018 Let's talk about what's for dinner

[chiver78]

thanks, saved those for future reference. I'm trying to remember what else is in my fridge, I know for sure a bunch of lemons and some ricotta (if it's still good? it's been opened). oh, and a huge unopened clamshell of baby spinach. that's super tasty wilted down with garlic and red pepper. 

[weltschmerz]

Sept 10, 2018 13:37:12 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

thanks, saved those for future reference. I'm trying to remember what else is in my fridge, I know for sure a bunch of lemons and some ricotta (if it's still good? it's been opened). oh, and a huge unopened clamshell of baby spinach. that's super tasty wilted down with garlic and red pepper. 

Lemon rosemary chicken.
It's for grilled chicken,but I'm sure you could bake it.


www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-deen/grilled-lemon-and-rosemary-chicken-recipe-2043309#

[chiver78]

ooh....grilled lemon. hmm.....

[chiver78]

I ultimately reheated some chowder, with some fresh scala bread. it's not even 8pm and I want to go to bed. but, the split chicken needs to be shredded for the pups, and it still needs to cool a little more before I can touch it even with gloves. 

[wvugurl26]

I was going to make Budget Bytes black bean beef tacos. My stomach didn't like lunch and it's been raining for two days so I decided to try soup.

I got the bright idea to make it in my instant pot. Off to the store I go. And I screwed it up at the very end because it was too hot when I put the cheese in.

DH thinks it's fine and is on bowl number two. I will cook it fewer minutes next time and only saute for a minute or two instead of the five in the recipe. I shredded my cheese with the kitchen aid attachment and I'm thinking the recipe author used big chunks.

I guess at least we didn't go to Panera!

[Iggy aka IG]

Back from a few days off! 

Last night:  camping leftovers. $0.00

Tues: freezer leftovers-"lasagna" from July with a side of leftover salad mix. $0.00
Wed: crock pot pork roast, eggplant from DH's garden fried in a homemade low carb (almond flour) tempura batter (had this for the first time last week when I fried cubed chicken breasts and it was FANTASTIC).  Approx. $5.50
Thurs: pork leftovers. $0.00
Fri: rotisserie chicken. Approx $6
Sat: BBQ/smoked something.  $?.??
Sun: Above $?.??

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

[countrygirl2]

I made spaghetti sauce from the leftover stewed tomatoes I just canned.  Ummmm, it smells good.

So now fixing whole wheat spaghetti I bought for $.50 a box, I don't think people here eat very healthy even though they could so there was a whole basket of it on sale.  I'm not crazy about it but its healthy and it was cheap and not staledated either.

Then going to have Texas toast with it, not the healthiest, but eating it anyway. I should make a salad but not tonight.

[weltschmerz]

I'm going to make chicken livers. LOVE chicken livers. $3.70.
I went to one major grocery store chain...."Oh, we don't carry chicken  livers. Nobody eats them".
The grocery chain 3 blocks away was all out because they keep flying off the shelves.
"We're completely sold out, but I might have more in the back.Wait here."

[Opti]

I was craving stuffing so I made a version of it. Normally I do my meat separate, but tonight I browned one chicken sausage with celery and onions in olive oil. Then I added chicken broth and tore up some discount semolina bread from the grocery store. Cost should have been under $2. Sausage itself was $1, organic w/ spinach, I only used a small amount of broth, box $2.69, so maybe 50 cents worth? I need to use up my celery which would have been less than .10, since I got the bunch for 99 cents.

The pricey bit is this Paleo banana bread snack I got for $2.49, for 2 servings. (Not sure if the second serving will be intact in the morning. Its pretty good. Flax seed, bananas, etc.)   I love trying new things.

[chiver78]

I don't feel that great today. stuffy sinuses and crampy b/c just blah. I'll be okay tomorrow, it's usually only a day or so for me that suck. last thing I wanted to do was cook, so tonight's my takeout night this week. spicy Thai chicken noodle soup. should check all the boxes. 

[Opti]

The weather change is wreaking havoc on sinuses. You just reminded me I forgot about getting more Zrytec. Crap.

[chiver78]

oh always. between my sinuses and my old injury to a wrist, there's a few days twice a year that are just miserable for me. 

hope you get some Zyrtec soon. 

[chiver78]

well, the chicken thighs went in the garbage tonight. something smelled downright foul in the fridge and one of the thighs wasn't quite the right color in the package. I think maybe the fridge door wasn't quite sealed while we had some large containers crammed in on the top shelf. either way, ick.

when I went out for cough drops and saline spray, I picked up another haddock portion at the fish market. baked that off with a buttered Ritz crumble topping, with wilted spinach and roasted tiny potatoes.

[wvugurl26]

Tuesday night I made black bean tacos that were planned for Monday.

Wednesday was cheddar sausage dogs topped with sauteed onions and yellow bell pepper and sweet potato tots.

Thursday night we will eat the rest of the leftover tacos. I get the Botox for migraines Thursday and I never feel like cooking after.

Friday night I will do something with one of the packages of pork chops in the freezer.

I'm getting back in the swing of cooking dinner more.

[resolution]

I made meatloaf today and it was super bland. We had to put some BBQ sauce on it to make it worth eating.

[countrygirl2]

Last night was surf and turf.  Had baked potatoes, ribeye steaks, and shrimp.  We had left over brownies for dessert.  I did buy the steaks at Sam's, they looked good and they were good.  I have 2 more steaks left and will make fajitas tonight.  

[Iggy aka IG]

Sept 11, 2018 13:29:10 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Back from a few days off! 

Last night:  camping leftovers. $0.00

Tues: freezer leftovers-"lasagna" from July with a side of leftover salad mix. $0.00
Wed: crock pot pork roast, eggplant from DH's garden fried in a homemade low carb (almond flour) tempura batter (had this for the first time last week when I fried cubed chicken breasts and it was FANTASTIC).  Approx. $5.50
Thurs: pork leftovers. $0.00
Fri: rotisserie chicken. Approx $6  Friends house for a BBQ
Sat: BBQ/smoked something.  $?.??
Sun: Above $?.??

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

I was so excited about last night's pork!  Tuesday night I poked around the pantry to see what I could toss in with it and ended up with a jar of homemade plum preserves from a work convention last year, a can of chipotle peppers, and a half box of chicken broth.  Yes, it was spicy, but the meat was dry-ish as usual.    The tempura battered eggplant was really good, however.  I served it with sweet chili sauce.

[chiver78]

Sept 13, 2018 10:29:49 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Sept 11, 2018 13:29:10 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Back from a few days off! 

Last night:  camping leftovers. $0.00

Tues: freezer leftovers-"lasagna" from July with a side of leftover salad mix. $0.00
Wed: crock pot pork roast, eggplant from DH's garden fried in a homemade low carb (almond flour) tempura batter (had this for the first time last week when I fried cubed chicken breasts and it was FANTASTIC).  Approx. $5.50
Thurs: pork leftovers. $0.00
Fri: rotisserie chicken. Approx $6  Friends house for a BBQ
Sat: BBQ/smoked something.  $?.??
Sun: Above $?.??

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

I was so excited about last night's pork!  Tuesday night I poked around the pantry to see what I could toss in with it and ended up with a jar of homemade plum preserves from a work convention last year, a can of chipotle peppers, and a half box of chicken broth.  Yes, it was spicy, but the meat was dry-ish as usual.    The tempura battered eggplant was really good, however.  I served it with sweet chili sauce.

questions re: dry crock pot pork - what cut are you using, and how are you prepping it for the crock pot? either or both of those may be your problem. 

when I realized that roommate doesn't do pork, just bacon or ham (I know...) I started using my smaller crock pot and smaller cuts. I've come to figure out that the smaller cuts I was choosing weren't the right fat content for what I was trying to do, not to mention that my little crock pot doesn't cook evenly. what I do now is what I always used to - a pork butt, in the large crock pot, just covered in regular Coca-Cola. (I hate root beer, and don't always sauce the finished product) this has always given me the best results. 

[chiver78]

I've had a head cold the past couple days, as well as a visit from AF which completely fucks up my system even without being sick.  lunch was a chicken caesar salad that didn't want to play well, so figuring dinner ought to be more solid, I caved to the craving of a bowl of pasta with garlic bread. I nuke-thawed some of a large container of sauce, I'll use the rest this weekend with a spaghetti squash casserole. 

I bought a loaf of Italian bread and a container of garlic spread tonight, $4. the rest was here, and there's a ton left of both the bread and the spread. that shit makes amazing grilled cheeses.

[wvugurl26]

Forgot we had a baseball game tonight. We ate at the restaurant inside the stadium. It was nice to sit and eat. My burger was delicious. With tip the total for 4 was $120. We had DH's oldest sister's two kids with us. The niece's birthday was yesterday.

[weltschmerz]

I went for a long hike today, and was tired.
I had breakfast for dinner.
Creamy scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, fresh tomatoes, and sourdough toast.

[dogmom]

 Last night made Spaghetti.  Sides were salad and garlic bread.

Have some meat sauce left, thinking lasagna tonite.

[chiver78]

late football game here, so dinner will be snacks plus picking at the batch cook options for this week - spaghetti squash pie with red sauce, ground turkey and veggies....or black peppercorn chicken and broccoli Alfredo pasta.

[Iggy aka IG]

Sept 14, 2018 20:42:38 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Sept 13, 2018 10:29:49 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

I was so excited about last night's pork!  Tuesday night I poked around the pantry to see what I could toss in with it and ended up with a jar of homemade plum preserves from a work convention last year, a can of chipotle peppers, and a half box of chicken broth.  Yes, it was spicy, but the meat was dry-ish as usual.    The tempura battered eggplant was really good, however.  I served it with sweet chili sauce.

questions re: dry crock pot pork - what cut are you using, and how are you prepping it for the crock pot? either or both of those may be your problem. 

when I realized that roommate doesn't do pork, just bacon or ham (I know...) I started using my smaller crock pot and smaller cuts. I've come to figure out that the smaller cuts I was choosing weren't the right fat content for what I was trying to do, not to mention that my little crock pot doesn't cook evenly. what I do now is what I always used to - a pork butt, in the large crock pot, just covered in regular Coca-Cola. (I hate root beer, and don't always sauce the finished product) this has always given me the best results. 

The on sale cut.    I toss it into the crock with whatever ingredients.  Things were fine with the 30 year old hand me down Crock from DH's aunt.  The new one he bought me runs high, apparently, and incinerates nearly everything.

[Iggy aka IG]

This week:

Tonight:  I've been clearing out the pantry, along with many things from my life, so in the Crock Pot are 2 large chicken breasts, a jar of Nanking cherry preserves from last year, homemade chili sauce, brown sugar, and half a box of chicken stock.  I'll serve it with fresh veggies from DH's garden.  Cost $5

Tomorrow night:  Out with the fam. $0.00

Wed:  Something special since DH and I are playing hooky for the first time ever on a work day.

Thurs:  Leftovers

Fri:  PIZZA

Sat and Sun;  Probably grill or smoke something

[wvugurl26]

I find my Crock-Pot overcooks stuff if it's not covered in some sort of sauce. The fact that I'm gone from 6am to 5:30pm does not help I'm sure.

Monday night I pan fried some pork chops, made a cherry balsamic sauce for them, oven roasted a bag of frozen broccoli and made a box of stove top stuffing per DH's request. I'm estimating $6.

Tuesday I don't know. We should have the final baseball game in our package but the weather forecast is not looking so hot.

[chiver78]

I've found the same, wvu, re:covering with liquid.

I bought lunch out (chili mac and cheese) so I figured I'd eat at home. I roasted some tiny potatoes and Brussels sprouts, nuked a black peppercorn chicken cutlet (this marinade keeps the chicken from drying out in the microwave, pretty sweet) and drizzled a little "Tuscan olive oil" over the plate. basically EVOO infused with Italian seasonings.

[Artemis Windsong]

Venison burger on a flax meal tortilla taco.

Nibble snacks were nacho chips, mini chocolate chips.

[wvugurl26]

DH had the 2 pork chops leftover from last night. I cooked a bag of frozen vegetables and a Knorr pasta side to go with it. I had a sandwich and some of the vegetables. I estimate $3.50.

DH left work too late for us to get to the baseball game anywhere near on time.

[chiver78]

I nuked a portion of the spaghetti squash pie earlier. came out to the dive bar for a bit to watch some of the game and to chat with the waitress that walks my pups sometimes. want to line her up for a few days over the next few weeks and chat about maybe a steady 1x or 2x a week if I go back to the old company.