What's for dinner? ~ Sunday the 22nd

[Lucinda]

Hello from Sourdough World!

Tonights menu includes some form of chicken and fresh sourdough bread. Bill is working again today on that side job and and I'm not sure when he's going to be getting in, so everthing is a bit up in the air.

On a side note: Fester The Sour is now trying to take over the universe. LOT's of growth after my final divide and feed about 1 am this morning. I thought I'd keep the cast off part of the starter for a backup. So... I am floating in sourdough starter here. Have a batch of dough rising, we'll see how it does.


What's for dinner where you are?

[hippywife]

1. We are having company tonight.

My newest co-worker lost his wife the same day I lost a dear friend IRL and we all lost Longhorn. He has a hard time dealing with the weekends so I invited him to come spend some time out here.

He loves spaghetti so I've had the sauce going in the crockpot all morning with a big meaty organic beef soup "bone." Getting ready to make some meatballs and drop them in to cook. Gonna have a nice green salad with everything I can find to put in it. Ain5 bread, of course. And for dessert, I'm making a granita with fresh pink grapefruit and oranges. The syrup is cooling for that now.

Poor Bill. Him works too hard.

Glad to hear Fester is thriving in your little world.

On edit: Making some fresh squeezed Meyer lemonade, too.

[Lucinda]

5. Sounds delicious. Especially the granita!

I love grapefruit.
Have a lovely evening chickie!

[hippywife]

15. It was!

The granita was a very refreshing finish. Enjoy your pancakes.

[soleiri]

2. We just got finished eating

A big ol' Sunday morning pancake breakfast.
The kitchen is frightening. I don't even want to think about food.
If the boys have the leftover spaghetti for lunch I'll probably make dal and rice. If not, we'll have leftover spaghetti.
Good luck with your sourdough (I haven't gotten up the nerve to try)

[Lucinda]

6. I've been baking, so I understand the destroyed kitchen LOL

Sourdough is way easier than I thought. You should jump in!

[soleiri]

8. I'm one of those

scared of Ain5 people.
Me ->
And I lack the necessary equipment.
Someday (when my kitchen is clean) I'll try.

[Lucinda]

9. All you really need is a big mixing bowl to get started.

And a pan to bake on or in.

Everthing else is just to make it easier or more fun.

[hippywife]

18. Oh, please try it, solieri.

It is so easy and will be a real bread baking confidence builder. I guarantee it!

[troubleinwinter]

3. It's so exciting to hear about Fester's growth!

I came THIS CLOSE to making starter yesterday. Will do in the next day or so. I really gotta, because I tend to alternate a bucket of Ain5 white with a bucket of rye/dill/caraway. I don't want to use the rye remnants as a 'sour' in the regular white because it has dill and caraway seeds in it.

I watched the oddest YouTube last night. I was watching some sour starter videos. A woman said, "I'm gonna show you how to make sour starter with spoiled milk" She put it in a pot on the stove and stirred and said, "Oh, I guess I must be making cheese instead of starter... it's curdling." She appeared to be in her jammies, with hair uncombed, baby whining and dog barking in the background. She then said, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea." and that was it! Hahahahah!!!!!

[Lucinda]

4. LMAO

What a great video!

Fester Loaf #1 is on its final rise...looks a little weird, but we shall see what happens.

[elleng]

10. GREAT story! I'll remember it!

Rule: Corrections are ALWAYS possible!

[Lucinda]

7. Well...it's not gonna be chicken after all...

I will roast the chicken tonight and we'll make Chinese or Mexican food with it tomorrow, but Bills in the mood for more sourdough pancakes.

So we'll be making homemade versions of Mc Donals Mc Griddles.

Maple pancakes, sausage, and egg "sandwiches" and maybe some cheese.

I'll have a salad soon for a late lunch. I need veggies.

[Callalily]

11. Angel Hair Pasta w/Smoked Salmon in Tomato Herb Sauce

Super yummy and super easy. I also made the semolina bread recipe from many posts ago.


Angel Hair Pasta With Smoked Salmon in Tomato Herb Sauce
• 6 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon
• 8 oz angel hair (capellini) pasta
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 3 Tblsp olive oil
• 2 1/4 c seeded and chopped tomatoes (2 med), divided
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 3 tblsp drained large capers
• 1-1/2 tsp dill weed
• 1-1/2 tsp sweet basil
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• parsley, optional
Directions:
Cut smoked salmon, with the grain, into 1/2-inch wide strips; reserve. Cook pasta as package directs.
Meanwhile, in large skillet, stir and cook garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat until garlic is golden. Add 2 c tomatoes, wine, capers, dill weed and basil; stir and cook until mixture is hot.
Drain pasta, place in large serving bowl. Toss angel hair with tomato mixture. Add smoked salmon and cheese; toss gently.
Garnish with remaining tomatoes and parsley, if desired.

[Lucinda]

28. This looks really delicious!

Thanks for posting it! I'm adding it to my "try this" collection.

[Mojorabbit]

12. We are having

baby back ribs, potato salad, sliced tomatoes on a bed of salad greens drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and strawberry pie for desert. I don't know how the pie will be, first time making it.
I may have strawberry daiquiris later this afternoon too. Hubby brought home a flat of strawberries and I am looking for ways to use them up.
I tried the 5 minute bread yesterday. It did not rise for some reason but it is good and we will finish that.

[Lucinda]

27. Ohhhhh...strawberries! I want some. Hope the pie turned out well!

I wonder what happened with the Ain5?
What kind of yeast did you use?

[AwakeAtLast]

13. I'm making Cheesy Chicken and Rice

It's a Campbell's recipe. I don't use a lot of Campbell's recipes, but hubby and daughter like it.

1 lb. chicken breast
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
3/4 C uncooked rice
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t pepper
1/2 C cheddar cheese (I use more, yeah I know shocking!)
seasoning of choice for chicken

Put soup and 1 1/3 C water in the bottom of 11 x 17 casserole dish. Add rice, pepper, onion powder and broccoli. Season chicken and place on top. Cover and bake at 375 for 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with cheese. Let sit for 10 minutes.

I will say that I have gone to using almost cooked rice in this instead of uncooked because I have had too many batches turn out with the rice not done. It's creamier if I use cooked.

[Lucinda]

26. I'm soooooo hungry right now. And this sounds perfect.

Cheesey, chickeny, broccoli, and rice...Perfect.
Gonna save this one too.

[Tesha]

14. Lamb Chops

double thick, rubbed with evoo and a cut garlic, grilled crispy-juicy
mashed 'taters and stuffing
and a great big spinach salad with crispy bacon and hard boiled eggs - with Mr T's most excellent sweet and sour dressing

[AlecBGreen]

19. sounds great!

[Lucinda]

25. I have never cooked lamb. I'm not even sure I could find any here.

Sometimes I miss civilization.
Oh...and I'd kill for some of that spinach salad right now.
Bet it was all delicious!

[Tab]

16. I am making

Large sea scallops, with mushrooms, tarragon and thyme, cracked pepper and sea salt, roasted in butter and just frickin' yummy.

With wild rice (that is, rice having a hell of a time).

[pengillian101]

20. Don't forget a green vegie, lol. Scallops and wild rice - yum! N/T

[Lucinda]

24. Yum.

That's it. Just Yum.
Or maybe.... I WANT SOME.

[Tab]

32. You've got to get some to have some, Lucinda

but we've had this conversation before.

Seriously, this is a wonderful combination. You chop up some mushrooms (this time I used crimini, but I used to use the bellas) - and I normally don't even like mushrooms - a bunch of tarragon and thyme and butter and just saute them. Salt and pepper the scallops with kosher salt (or sea salt, but use a large-grain salt) and pepper, after the mushrooms are cooked, toss in the scallops for another minute or two, and then you're done.

But you should have known that yourself.

Wuss.

[hippywife]

33. No, sir!

I email her food all the time. You don't know how to do that?

[Lucinda]

35. He doesn't share well with others.

[Lucinda]

34. Hey. I found your picture on the internet!

I really like you in hats!

Bill is not a mushroom fan either, but he might go for crimini or portobellas. Button mushrooms are a no go. It's one of his few flaws.

[Tab]

36. Asshat??

Fuck you.

If you were that lucky.

[Lucinda]

37. Wow. I think your "take things the wrong way" button might be stuck.

Wasn't trying to be offensive.

[Tab]

38. Oh, I still love you Lucinda

If only I knew what to do with you...

[cmf]

17. Sundays are usually roast day

Today we are having parmesan roasted chicken with balsamic butter sauce. Served with soft polenta and roasted vegetables. It's one of my family's favorites.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/parmesan-chicken-wit...

[Lucinda]

23. That sounds delicious! Thanks for linking the recipe.

It's tucked safely away in my recipe folder now. Gonna try this soon!

[Richard Steele]

21. Today is the first "day off" I've had in 3 weeks, so supper was simple & yummy.

A couple slices of thick rare 'roast beef' from the deli,
nuked with some provolone on top of a big sub roll..
SUBWAY spends ten million dollars advertising "5-dollar-foot-longs",
fuck that noise.

I had 3 of these things tonight for a total cost of $7.45, and I've
still got 3 slices of provolone in the cheese drawer.

SUBWAY can kiss my shiny metal ass.

[Lucinda]

22. LMAO

Sounds good to me.

[Richard Steele]

29. It really is the best sandwich you can make in 2 minutes for 3 dollars.

On a related note, do you wanna show up at a cookout
with the best "Prime Rib" anyone has ever had?

I used to do this when I worked at the DeliBox in NC:
Take the RAREST roast beef in the place and set the meat-slicer
to cut off slabs an inch thick.

It's already fully cooked, so you just throw it on a hot grill
for 60 seconds per side and then yell "Come and get it".

Any delicatessen or supermarket that has a meat slicer can do this for you.
Just ask them to slice their "roast beef" an inch thick,
and you'll be paying $8.99/lb for a meal that good restaurants
charge 30 dollars for 8 ounces of.
(side dishes included, of course, but how expensive are potatos and asparagus, really?)

[Lucinda]

30. We have a slicer at home...I'll have to try this! Thanks for the tip.

We usually just shave meats for sandwiches or make ham steaks. 1 inch beef slabs would be something new!

[Richard Steele]

31. Inch-thick, bloody-in-the-middle boneless steaks that you can cut with a fork.

...for under 10 bocks a POUND!
What's not to like about that?
Enjoy.

[eridani]

39. We had salmon with a yogurt/oil/spice topping and squash

Used the following recipe with quantities reduced to allow for a small 1 lb squash. The salmon I baked for 15 minutes with a topping of 1 tbsp yogurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp minced garlic, a shake of cumin, coriander and chili powder, blended with a whisk.

A delightfully different way to prepare spiced acorn squash, here it is lightly sweetened with brown sugar and coconut.

Ingredients:
• 2-1/2 pounds acorn squash
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons corn or safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1-1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened dessicated coconut

Preparation:
Peel and seed acorn squash and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Heat a 4 quart heavy kettle over moderately low heat until hot. Cook onion in oil, stirring, until just softened. Add mustard seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until they begin to pop, about 20 seconds.

Add garlic, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, salt, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add squash, stirring to coat with seasoning, and add water.

Boil mixture over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Add coconut and salt to taste and cook, stirring, until squash is just tender and liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes