2024 What's for Dinner Tonight?

[chiver78]

we didn't have measurable snow at all last year, and just enough here at the coast to just make a mess a couple times this year. two years ago, though, I got a season's worth of snow in about 18h. this massive storm just parked itself over my house and wouldn't leave. 22", up to my knee. that shouldn't happen this close to the coast. 👎

[wvugurl26]

I was winging it with dinner tonight. I'm not sure my parmesan cheese is the best quality. It seemed to not melt into my sauce. I had whole milk instead of heavy cream but that shouldn't have messed it up that much. I've used it in the instant pot risotto and it worked. I guess it might have been the mustard too.

Basically it was chicken, red bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms seasoned with Italian seasoning with what should have been a cream sauce. I served it over rotini.

[Iggy aka IG]

chiver78 you didn't receive any snow last year because all of it was over here.  We received about four and a half feet last winter.  

wvugurl26 , sorry to hear about the cheese.  How frustrating.

In turmeric news, I made the following last night, and it was delicious.  (Sorry about all of the dang ads.)  Smokey Turmeric Cauliflower Rice

I used a bag of frozen cauliflower, microwaved it, then zapped it in the food processor along with all of the seasonings.  The "fat" I used was olive oil.  The last time I made riced cauliflower it was mushy, and this wasn't as it's toasted on the stove.  I served mine in a bowl along with seasoned ground beef, cheese and sour cream.  DH and the internet installation guy (long story) had theirs (I ended up not making "traditional" rice) in tortillas.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

DH and the internet installation guy (long story) had theirs (I ended up not making "traditional" rice) in tortillas.

Inquiring minds want to know. 

[wvugurl26]

Wednesday night I cooked pork chops in the oven using the air fry feature. I either need a different pan for this or to just use my actual air fryer. They were good just the breading didn't get as crispy. I did green beans and stove top Stuffing. DH loves stove top.

2 pork chops left for Thursday night. I'll do zucchini and something else.

I'm going to make broccoli cheese soup for lunch Friday. MIL has invited us to dinner.

Saturday we have friends in town so I'm not sure.

Doing better this week with getting back into the habit of cooking.

[Iggy aka IG]

ken a.k.a OMK, LOL!  Nothing naughty, let's just say similar to most things in our house (in fact, he had to return yesterday morning to finish the job), the internet install was a PITA and went way late.  I felt bad for the guy, so I sent him home with a few burritos, chips and homemade queso.

wvugurl26, since receiving the air fryer for Christmas a few years ago, air fried pork chops are my favorite way to cook them.  So juicy yet crispy!  

After my post yesterday, I discovered Eating Well's website.  It seems the only way I really lose weight is when I eat seafood, so I focused on their low carb Mediterranean and low carb anti-inflammatory "diet" plans.  I have a rather large fresh produce order to pick up this evening.  I'm excited!

[chiver78]

I've found some tasty recipes from Eating Well. idk if you do a lot of Asian foods, but I have a couple sites I can highly recommend as well. lmk! 

I just cleaned all the lingering fridge goblins out as the trash barrel was almost full. I cleaned the shelves and am going to start over tomorrow with a big shop. pup stash is fine, just moved it around as I cleaned the fridge. I did a quick grocery run this afternoon after a pup walk, to grab a couple things I knew I needed for them for tonight/tomorrow am before that big shop. I also picked up a package of turkey breast tenders that I saw were on sale. that could have waited til the am, but I hadn't decided on tonight yet. lol.. 

tonight for dinner, I'm going to reheat the rest of the pesto mushroom pizza from last night at the (seated, dinner tables) concert venue and pair with a small salad. I thought last night, and I'll fix that on reheat, that it would have been better with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.  

this weekend, I'll be roasting the turkey and pairing with colcannon (since cabbage is on sale EVERYWHERE this week) and some other roasted veggie. I might make a pan of stuffing as well, idk. and I still have one more chicken piccata plate in the fridge. 

[snapdragon]

Today is rainy so I am roasting a chicken with veggies. This will last me for quite and few days. When I get tired of the chicken I will freeze it and possibly make chicken soup from scratch. 

[chiver78]

change of plans for tonight, I'm not feeling a big turkey dinner. luckily, the vacuum packed package is good til the end of the month, so I have time. tonight, I'm going to roast some chopped broccoli and tiny potatoes and toss with some shredded cheese. I might swipe some shredded chicken breast from the pup stash, idk. 

tomorrow night, I have another package of thin sliced chicken breast to do something with. it's ~1lb. suggestions welcome, I feel like I've been in a cooking rut lately. 

[wvugurl26]

Sunday night we had chocolate cake and ice cream. DH and I had a late lunch then did cake for our nephew's birthday. I did a 3 layer 6 inch cake so there was one big piece left for the birthday boy to take home.

Monday night unstuffed bell peppers.

Tuesday night spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread and salad.

Wednesday night beef tacos. I'm using a chuck roast to make taco beef. This will make multiple meals and I will likely give some to our nephew. I pulled the smallest chuck roast from the freezer to make this and it's still huge.

Leftovers later in the week and we might hit grilling weather by the end of the week.

[Iggy aka IG]

chiver78, sure!  I love Asian food and would be interested in your recommended recipes.  

This whole turmeric thing is working out well.  DH reported yesterday he can already feel the difference.

This week:
Saturday at the show: I split a shrimp cocktail with DH and had a bowl of clam chowder and a side of mashed potatoes
Last night:  Traeger smoked Cornish game hen with sauteed zoodles and yellow squash
Tonight:  Eating Well's (I'll refer to it as EW's going forward) shrimp scampi with zoodles
Tues:  EW's cauliflower and kale frittata (I made this yesterday the during food prep session)
Wed:  EW's salmon with asparagus salad and poached egg
Thurs:  EW's coconut curry cod stew with sweet potato
Fri:  EW's shrimp cauliflower fried rice
Sat:  Something out
St. Patrick's Day:  Corned beef, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, Irish soda bread 

[soupandstew]

Ooops, I almost forgot this thread

Monday - Udon noodle bowls from Aldi (I have a 6:30 meeting)
Tuesday - Dinner out at French/Spanish bistro
Wednesday - Turkey tenderloin from freezer and stewed cabbage
Thursday - DH's night, small beef steak and rutabagas
Friday - Baked Cornish hen and wilted garlic spinach
Saturday - I'm not sure yet, maybe tamales from the freezer and Spanish rice
Sunday - DH's night, teriyaki chicken thighs from freezer and more stewed cabbage

[chiver78]

Iggy aka IG no prob! 

Charlie Brown - base "brown sauce" for all things Chinese cooking. this stuff is fantastic, and so versatile. take some time to poke around the whole website, it's a favorite of mine. I even bought her cookbook, although that may have had something to do with the gratuitous pics of her Taste Tester in Chief - her 10yo golden retriever named Dozer.   Nagi also links to her mom's blog, for more authentic Japanese cooking. Nagi is Australian of Japanese descent. 

Korean Bapsang is another solid one for Korean recipes. Japchae is one of my favorites, linked here. I don't do beef, so I can't vouch for that part of the recipe other than I expect it to be delish because it's hers. I did this last holiday season, maybe NYE? bulgogi salmon that was likely paired with some japchae. if not, then some basic white rice and roasted broccoli. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Thank you, chiver78!  I'll poke around and keep you apprised.  

[wvugurl26]

Thursday night we had leftovers. I made a pack of yellow rice to go with my taco.

Friday night I had another beef taco and DH had salad, rice and salmon. We did a quick honey, butter, garlic and Sriracha sauce for the salmon. Finally learned to bake salmon on foil for easy clean up.

Saturday I will pick up a flat of fresh from Florida strawberries.

[chiver78]

I'm so jealous of in-season strawberries. I so miss that from my childhood, one aunt and uncle had the old farmhouse up in NB, and those berries were better than any other commercially packed strawberries I've had since. 

[wvugurl26]

When I was in Florida in February visiting sister in law, she had fresh ones. We were eating them right out of the package after rinsing. I've been getting ones from Florida from Aldi currently.

I guess this local farm has partner farms in Florida and they've got too many coming on at the same time. $18 for a flat is pretty good.

[chiver78]

wasn't all that hungry tonight, so I used up more fridge goblins. I roasted the rest of the ~1lb of Brussels sprouts and reheated some sautéed chicken from a few days ago. I tossed both with some rice pilaf. there's still more chicken, and about half a box of pilaf. 🤷‍♀️

tomorrow, I had planned to cook turkey breast tenderloins in the crockpot. I might wait on that, with how many leftovers are still in the fridge. idk....

[Artemis Windsong]

Lasagna from the tennis tournament yesterday.  A carb nightmare but free food!

[soupandstew]

Monday - baked steelhead trout and steamed Brussels sprouts
Tuesday - we'll have a big lunch so munching, maybe bowl of cereal
Wednesday - scallops scampi-ish with pasta
Thursday - DH's night, 15-bean soup from the freezer and sourdough bread
Friday - ground turkey tostadas
Saturday - Not sure yet, might get ambitious
Sunday - DH's night, he hasn't said yet.  I have a 4 p.m. meeting so I'll be late and he'll probably do a sandwich 

[wvugurl26]

Saturday we had a later lunch out at a great local place and we weren't hungry.

Sunday DH's sister hosted a family gathering. I made cheesecake stuffed strawberries and Guinness brownies. DH brought me back a plate since my allergies are out to kill me.

Apparently his family is now expecting Guinness brownies regularly.

[chiver78]

last night was a can of soup, I was toast by the end of the day. there's probably still one good sized bowl of spinach mac 'n cheese leftover, but I'm okay tossing it tomorrow when I put the trash out. I've been picking at it almost a week now. 

I just turned on the crock pot for the package of turkey breast tenderloins, the recipe says 4-6h on low. I'll guess it's going to be done closer to 4h than 6 based on how this thing usually cooks, so I'll check it at 4h and start on sides. planning to make stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli tonight, and I will roast some cubed butternut squash tomorrow for extra veggies leftover for the week's options. I'm not going anywhere this week, so I'll work through everything.

my parents will be here Wednesday during the day, they said they missed the pups. they always pick up lunch from Mom's favorite nearby sub shop when they come down, and refuse $ from me. so I can already tell you that will be a chicken Caesar salad that I split with Mom, it's kind of ridiculous how much a creature of habit she is about that hahaha.


ETA: scratch that, timing change. I turned the crock to low, but it wasn't plugged in.     so 90min later, it's now set on high. the recipe said 2-3h for that, so I'll be checking at 430pm now. oops

[wvugurl26]

Monday night air fryer chicken thighs, salad and sweet potatoes. I cook 4 at a time when I bust out the air fryer so likely a repeat on Tuesday.

Maybe a veggie stir fry later in the week. I think there is a bag of coleslaw in the fridge.

[Iggy aka IG]

Ugh, Chive, BTDT not plugging in (or turning on!) the slow cooker.

We had a traditional St. Patrick's Day supper last night with slow cooked corned beef, carrots and cabbage, mashed potatoes, homemade Irish soda bread and my first homemade Irish cream cake.

~Mon:  My take on Eating Well's (EW's) sheet pan chicken thighs, sweet potatoes and broccolini.  (I'll substitute the thighs for drumsticks and the broccolini for something different) with air fryer radishes.
~Tues:  Corned beef hash using leftovers
~Wed:  EW's coconut curry cod stew with sweet potato
~Thurs:  EW's sheet pan teriyaki salmon with green beans
~Fri:  Takeout
~Sat:  Out using a gift certificate from Christmas
~Smoked/grilled something

[snapdragon]

Tonight is salmon with roasted brussel sprouts, carrots and fingerling potatoes. 

I baked a spinach and artichoke quiche this morning for breakfasts this week.

[soupandstew]

Mar 18, 2024 18:06:24 GMT -5 snapdragon said:

Tonight is salmon with roasted brussel sprouts, carrots and fingerling potatoes. 

I baked a spinach and artichoke quiche this morning for breakfasts this week.

We had baked steelhead trout with steamed Brussels sprouts - great minds think alike!

[Artemis Windsong]

An acquaintance had a booya soup party.  The recipe makes a vat of soup to share with friends.  It's a NE Wisconsin thing.

[Iggy aka IG]

The air fryer radishes were delicious!  I followed Healthy Little Peach's recipe which has both air fryer and oven options.  I served them with Ken's ranch dressing for DH and Bolthouse ranch for me.  The latter has 2/3 less calories.  A half of a bag of sauteed baby spinach with minced garlic also accompanied the chicken and sweet potatoes.  Yum.  I am down 10.6 pounds since January 1st and am grateful for fresh food and for the love of cooking it. 

[Iggy aka IG]

Mar 18, 2024 22:32:38 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

An acquaintance had a booya soup party.  The recipe makes a vat of soup to share with friends.  It's a NE Wisconsin thing.

Artemis Windsong, I had to look up booya soup and boy does it sound comforting!  

I love this forum; I learn so many new things!  

[chiver78]

yum, love garlic wilted spinach here, too. I need to pick up another big container of baby spinach. I forgot to grab a bunch of kale to chop and wilt down with ground turkey for the pups the other day, so I dumped the huge clamshell container of spinach into the pan instead. 

crockpot turkey last night was delish. I had a little bowl of that, stuffing and some gravy for a quick lunch in between sessions of a full-day meeting I'm just calling into today. there's about a tenderloin and a half left for the next few days. 

I think tonight's going to be something mindless, maybe a sheet pan dinner for me. I need to cook off a package of meatloaf mix for the pups that didn't get used this past weekend.