What's for dinner?

What are you having?

I am having a hard time deciding what I feel like eating tonight. Maybe you are making the perfect dish, and as soon as I see it, I will just know.

(Can you tell I don't do too much meal planning? It's easy to just go with whims when you are cooking for only yourself most of the time.)

Well, I can't say what we're having tonight because it's a Cheers night, and I'm taking a pineapple bundt cake from the muffin recipe.

I can tell you what we had the last two nights. Wednesday - Chicken and mushrooms with a brandy cream sauce and broccoli rice. Thursday - Roast pork studded with garlic and coated with oregano, S&P, with spicy black beans and sweet potatoes and peppers.

I like these threads! I enjoy hearing what others are putting together.

Pane cotta - cooked bread. I made cabbage soup with a leftover ham bone earlier in the week. Some dried out ciabatta went into the leftovers , enough to soak up the liquid and will be ready for the second cooking tonight. A few chopped garlic cloves and dried hot red pepper gets sauteed in olive oil and the bread/cabbage mix is added and re cooked till brown, crispy crusts form. Served with a dusting of grated parm or pecorino and black pepper. A true peasant dish. Well worth making lots of extra cabbage soup for this reincarnation. Some steamed broccoli, a salad and a nice Zin. Can't wait for the day to be over.

After reading the shrimp scampi post, I think I'll make that for dinner!

What are you having?

I don't know. Pizza maybe?

Since I will be in Napa all day, I imagine that it will be something that goes well with grapes and tourists. But for something quick and easy, I might select escarole and beans in a light broth accompanied by some crusty Italian bread and a dry Italian white wine. Barring that, I have some frozen entrées from TJ's in the freezer.

Escarole and Beans:

(1) 28 ounce can of cannellini (white kidney) beans
(1) head of escarole
(5-6) cloves of garlic
(1) quart broth (any kind, but chicken is best, vegetable for the intransigent)
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne flakes (optional)
Olive oil

Lightly sweat 5 to 6 (or more) thickly sliced pieces of garlic in enough olive oil to just about cover the bottom of whatever pot you're using. Add cayenne flakes here for a spicier meal. Add broth and bring to boil, then lower to simmer. Wash off beans and add to broth. Just let them warm through and not boil them because you don't want a cloudy mush. Add torn escarole and let wilt. Salt and pepper to taste. Eat. Usually good buried in a heap of grated Parm or Asiago.

[Robin Garr]

What are you having?

You are asking this question before lunch!?

(Can you tell I don't do too much meal planning?

You obviously do more than I do!

I do have some smoked pork chops around here ... I might come up with something interesting to do with them.

What are you having?

I am having a hard time deciding what I feel like eating tonight. Maybe you are making the perfect dish, and as soon as I see it, I will just know.

(Can you tell I don't do too much meal planning? It's easy to just go with whims when you are cooking for only yourself most of the time.)

Given the warm weather here today, it'll probably be... barbecue -- homemade or takeout TBD.

Mark Lipton

I have some Nueske’s apple wood smoked bacon so I am preparing a bacon-centric menu this evening.

Cream of potato, leek and bacon soup
Spinach salad with hot bacon vinaigrette
Grilled swordfish steaks wrapped in bacon

And what meal would be complete without dessert. Does anyone have a recipe for bacon cheesecake or bacon ice cream?

I have some Nueske’s apple wood smoked bacon so I am preparing a bacon-centric menu this evening.

Cream of potato, leek and bacon soup
Spinach salad with hot bacon vinaigrette
Grilled swordfish steaks wrapped in bacon

And what meal would be complete without dessert. Does anyone have a recipe for bacon cheesecake or bacon ice cream?

mmmmmm, bacon!!!

Bacon and Krispy Kreme donuts. Great combination of salt and sweet. Don't laugh, I'm serious. OK, laugh, but I like it. Never thought of it as a dessert, though, and it's too many calories now.

Does anyone have a recipe for bacon cheesecake or bacon ice cream?

I have seen a recipe for bacon ice cream. I just need to remember where.

And what meal would be complete without dessert. Does anyone have a recipe for bacon cheesecake or bacon ice cream?

What about this? People I know who've tried it rave about it.

Mark Lipton

Lucky me. I'm eating at a friend's house tonight: scallops over pasta.

BTW, I recently made a meatloaf out of buffalo, and it was outstanding. There wasn't a bit of fat in the bottom of the pan.

Tonight is...

...lobster!

Well, Friday night was last night for us, but we had minute steaks, oven roasted potato wedges, ratatouille and sourdough bread. Followed by homemade vanilla and chocolate icecream.

We're having a dinner party for 8 tonight. The weather is so gorgeous and the spring flowers in my garden are all in bloom, so it's a good time to usher in the new season with friends. The menu is eclectic, to say the least.
Appetizers will be Asian dumplings and shrimp balls with dipping sauce (my friend is making these, I have no idea what to expect since she's French).
First course: Coquilles and coeurs d'artichauts St. Jacques (The artichoke hearts came along because my husband is allergic to scallops)
Main: Filet mignon en croute (steaks topped with wild mushroom mirepoix and tucked into puff pastry) with a wild mushroom reduction sauce
puree of butternut squash and carrots with sage browned butter
steamed sugar snap peas
followed by a simple salad of bibb lettuce and baby greens in a light lemon vinaigrette

Dessert: homemade mud pie with caramelized pecans

I'm planning to open a few older burgundies with this meal.

Brioche and sticky buns? I fear I've met my daily quota of calories in vs. calories out...

Hmm. Maybe a walk first and THEN some dinner...

b

The Gourment magazine for last month had the most delicious receipe for chicken with Reisling. I made it with a Chardonnay that someone gave me that was too sweet for my taste, and it was to die for! Chicken pieces browned in butter/oil mixture with salt and pepper on the pieces to taste, then take chicken out and add 4 chopped leeks (white and light green only) and one large shallot. Saute until translucent, then add 1 cup white wine, chopped carrots, and cook down; add cream or cream fresh to turn the sauce to a light color, and add chicken then put in oven on 350 for about 20 min. In the meantime parboil small potatoes and when the chicken is done add the potatoes and serve. Fabulous. I would leave out the potatoes and make mashed potatoes with sauteed leeks mixed in instead to pour the rich sauce from the chicken over.

It's 84° degrees and since we've been planting annuals today, dinner will be simple. Ahi Tuna steaks on the grill, drizzled with a soy, ginger, sesame oil, wasabi sauce, sprinkled with green onions. Early this morning I took Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf, cooked and added, shallots, grape tomatoes, green onions, garlic, parsley and chives, and fresh corn, then tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. This will be served at room temp. Oh, and some steamed broccoli.
As for the rest of the weekend...tomorrow is opening day of the Farmer's Market, so what I get there will determine my weekend dinners. I've got a jones for fried chicken and I love what Oven Fry does to chicken. I soak it in buttermilk, and Tabasco first, roll in Oven Fry and bake. Very yummy. I always add a few of my fresh herbs, as well.

I'm just back from a "vacation" cruise. It's been over a week since I've had anything good to eat. But I'm too tired to go shopping, so unfortunately, anything really good will have to wait until tomorrow. Probably some rice and beans just to get some sorely-missed protein.

I'm just back from a "vacation" cruise. It's been over a week since I've had anything good to eat. But I'm too tired to go shopping, so unfortunately, anything really good will have to wait until tomorrow. Probably some rice and beans just to get some sorely-missed protein.

Yikes, "vacation cruise" and it has been over a week since you had anything good to eat? How awful! If you are willing to share the info, I'd love to hear about the awful cuisine.

I took notes through the voyage and will stick in on a blog site in the next day or two; I'll leave a link here.

Think "school cafeteria." Or "bad hotel restaurant and you're stuck at the hotel." I was with carnivores who found the food equally repulsive, so I can't blame my vegetarianism this time.

Oh yes, we definitely want to hear all about it, Stuart.

Potage Parmentier (leeks from the garden)

Pork carnitas with green chilies and tomatillos served over Basmati rice
with salsa fresca, guacamole and sour cream

Probably fry a few corn tortillas, too.

Hey guys, take some pictures ! Would love to see what you're all making this weekend...