Looks like the last one dropped off … ? Anyway, I always think these are fun - and inspirational, lotsa ideas from bouncing recipes or ideas off other Dopers - so I’ll start the next one …
… although tonight’s dinner wasn’t that spectacular. I tried out a mashed cauliflower bake - loaded in the spirit of potatoes with bacon, green onions and a shitload of cheese - which was quite good. It was based on the link below, except, well, bacon.
We had an ear of corn apiece to go with it, in case too many carbs went missing in the potato substitution.
I was at a friend’s house today, and she has chickens. Except that she doesn’t cook, like, at all, and her husband refuses to eat eggs that don’t come from the grocery store in Styrofoam cartons, so he won’t eat their delicious free-range eggs. So she sent me home with 4 dozen
So I am currently trying an experiment: pressure cooker hand boiled egg loaf, so I don’t have to peel all those eggs, and some immersion blender mayo, and then I will make egg salad. I’ve cooked all kinds of exotic things from all over the world, but I don’t think I’ve ever made egg salad. If it works well, maybe I will make some for the July 4 picnic.
1 lb of stew beef sliced thin (at least, that’s how I like it. Slice it however you want.)
2 or 3 big, giant carrots sliced round.(Or more, or less. However many you like chopped how you like.)
One large onion, slivered (or how you like it. Whatever.)
Two or three (or more or less) chopped celery
Garlic (two tablespoons of jarred. Two or three fresh smashed. Whatchalike.)
Dried:
Oregano
Thyme
Basil
Tarrogone
Black pepper
Whatever you think tastes good
1 Tablespoon Wosterschoostershire
2 Tablespoon Soy
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Cup of beef stock.
I also put a couple 4 dashes of my homemade tepache hot sauce, but that’s totally me.
Put all that in a gallon ziplock bag. If it all don’t fit, put less.
When it comes to crockpot time. Pour it in with a chopped up potato or two (I didn’t chop potatoes ahead because they didn’t fit in the bag. I’m not sure how’d they freeze) and another cup of beef broth.
My husband smoked a brisket yesterday and grilled a couple of pork loins the day before that, so basically we’re going to alternate those all week, maybe longer.
2lb of haddock (this was enough for like 3 large meals, but it was on super-sale, so I bought a lot)
1 pack of hard taco shells
1 pack of flour tortillas
1 onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch of radish (out of our garden)
1 tomato
3 avocados
garlic
a little flour
peanut oil
assorted spices (cumin, black pepper, paprika, cilantro, salt . . . whatever)
Guacamole:
mush up the avocados
chop 1/2 onion and tomato, mix them in. I think we had garlic scapes that we chopped and added also
Topping:
Chop the other 1/2 onion
Cut radish rounds
Chop cilantro
Put each in its own bowl, or just mix it all together
Fish:
In a bowl, mix a fistful or so of flower along with spices. Cumin and salt are vital, along with some kind of hot pepper (I think we had a smoked hot pepper powder that was really good) but then whatever . . . we were just gifted a bunch of spices from Penzeys, so I added a bit of everything that was appropriate. Use your judgement.
In a pan with straight edges (if you have one), put enough peanut oil to cover it all a few milometers deep and heat until hot/shimmery, but not smoking.
Dredge a piece of fish in the flour/spices (it’s ok that there’s no binder, and ok that the whole fish won’t be covered), then put it in the pan. Cook for 4-5 min on one side, then flip, and cook for ~1/2 as long on the other side. The goal is to have cooked fish and also for the breading to get crispy. Do two pieces of fish at once if you have room in the pan.
Take the fish out and put it in a baking dish or whatever, chop it into pieces/chunks with your spatula. It’ll probably fall apart into pieces when you take it out of the pan anyway.
Assemble!
Put fish/guac/toppings together in a hard or soft taco shell. Add any salsa or hot sauce you wish. I made a cumin/hot sauce mayo that I spread on the taco shell first, which was yummy.
Eat! This was enough fish for somewhere between 12-16 tacos, but there wasn’t enough guac for that many.
Last night I used some leftover basmati rice from Indian takeout to make a quick pilaf. Sauteed some onions and garlic; tossed in some cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt; added the leftover rice and a little water; when it was all mixed up and warm, dropped in some diced dried apricots, golden raisins, and toasted sliced almonds. It was pretty good for something that took very little time and effort. I served it with socca and yogurt.
Most of this week, I’m doing simple meals like grilled cheese and tomato soup or grilled veggie burgers. One night I’ll make a bunch of mini quiches with various fillings. It’s kind of a pain, but when my kids feel like they have several choices at dinner, they eat better.
Pasta Pomodoro. I’m flush with tomahtos this time of year, so we just put some olive oil on some pasta, got shells tonight, and just picked maters with these fresh mozzarella balls in oil with fresh basil on top and that’s it. My favorite summer dish.
PB&J on whole wheat, BBQ potato chips, a dill pickle, three small hunks of cheddar cheese and a glass of ice water, with fresh raspberries from our backyard and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
About a year ago, I discovered a fantastic McCormick Grillmate seasoning pack. I know some think these packs are all crap and they are kind of right, but the one I found is so good, we waited for a sale and stocked up.
I grill chicken with it. The key is that instead of water, it suggests that you can replace the water in the mix with mustard. I have done so and it is fantastic. Combine this with the fact that we use Aldi’s Sriracha Mustard and the whole thing comes out fantastic.
