# What's For Dinner Tonight: Episode 2021 – A New Hope **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 20, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015 "2021-01-20T19:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 201
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4002 "2025-04-17T00:16:48Z")
Today was [Marry Me Salmon](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026573-marry-me-salmon?unlocked_article_code=1.AU8.KxYV.FiRUHPWrh_R4&smid=share-url), this time served over pasta since the recipe makes a lot of sauce, some naan and kiwi fruit. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4003 "2025-04-17T01:25:19Z")
Today I must thank previous me, as I seared some chicken breast that I put up in the freezer after soaking in salsa verde, then used the same skillet to lightly char some fresh jalapenos and a leftover half an onion. I also used the last of the heat in the pan to wilt some fresh spinach, seasoned with a tablespoon of Kirkland bacon crumbles. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4004 "2025-04-19T00:37:06Z")
\< berp \> A favorite Friday night dinner: Nachos. Mine are Americanized and personalized. I start with a base of refried beans, then a layer of taco-seasoned ground beef, onions, corn chips, topped with cheese and baked till everything melts together. Once out of the oven, top with diced avocado, lettuce, grape tomatoes, salsa, cilantro and sour cream. I prepared enough fixings to repeat, probably on Sunday night. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4005 "2025-04-19T06:58:01Z")
I’m in the middle of replanning all my dishes for the next few days. Colorado Front Range weather has brought medium heavy snow and sub-freezing temps for today and most of tomorrow, with the cold lingering through Sunday, so all the inside/outside chores planned have gone up in smoke. So, all inside plans instead, including extra cooking. Probably the wife is going to bake us some fresh bread (a Challah if I can convince her, so maybe I can make some amazing French Toast or Bread pudding for later in the week). I’ve got a pain of smallish pork tenderloins that I’m going to cut into fat medallions, season, wrap with bacon, and sear in a skillet before finishing lower and slower in the oven. Probably with some Trader Joe’s potato gnocchi and a sage-based pan sauce. And then to recover from the overload, slow cooker saag (sans paneer) - about two pounds worth, so I have something tasty and good for me as a counterpoint. Which will almost certainly also involve saag-shakshuka. Decisions decisions. Oh, no dinner tonight, went out to lunch with the wife after getting my annual and an updated TDAP so wasn’t too hungry. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4006 "2025-04-19T07:38:29Z")
As my sweetie’s idea, tonight was breakfast for dinner. Bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns and sourdough english muffins. It was delicious, and I had a nap for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4007 "2025-04-19T20:50:57Z")
I’m glad I picked up two packs of cabbage rolls from the deli last week. They should have produced four dinners but they’re so good that I tend to be a piglet, and they only provided three dinners. Tonight will probably be the last of them, with maybe one left over for a light lunch tomorrow. Dinner tomorrow will be baked mac & cheese with jumbo all-beef hot dogs fried in garlic butter. Your basic peasant fare, but tasty comfort food. I had one of the fried dogs for lunch today – the whole house smells of garlic for a while afterwards, but I don’t care. I love garlic! ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4008 "2025-04-19T23:23:22Z")
Tonight I did beef short ribs with mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans. Tomorrow, we are just doing sandwiches and salads. There’s a brand of potato, macaroni, etc salads, Reser’s, that we really enjoy. Pickles and chips to round things out, and I think I’ll make a dump cake for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4009 "2025-04-20T01:30:58Z")
Tonight was a fun dinner night. I got a nice piece of wild-caught swordfish steak that was on sale for a bearable price yesterday. So I seared it a little olive oil in a skillet, after seasoning with salt, pepper, and a bit of ground sumac berry. Finished it in a hot oven to be careful about overcooking, while I did some simple air-fryer broccoli, and a lovely piece of fresh made focaccia that my wife made using dried rosemary and tomatoes (rehydrated) from the batch we made from this past summer’s harvest from my MiL’s garden. The fish and greens were topped with a sauce made from butter, white wine, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice, with some dried green onions (out of fresh). [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/MGAv4zv.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/MGAv4zv) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4010 "2025-04-20T01:41:24Z")
Dang, that looks yum!! I haven’t made focaccia in a long while and I have a dandy recipe for it. Thanks for the reminder! * * * I dogged it tonight. I grill year round irrespective of weather, but this past winter I didn’t do it much at all. We’re finally enjoying some spectacular weather, and so I was moved to grill tonight. A nice steak (half), a boiled potato with butter and fresh parsley, a simple salad of lettuce, grape tomatoes, green onion, 1/2 an avocado and a few croutons, all dressed with homemade balsamic, olive oil and garlic dressing. Easy as can be and scratched that grillin’ itch. Leftovers for Monday night, probably. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4011 "2025-04-20T02:53:09Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m glad I picked up two packs of cabbage rolls from the deli last week. They should have produced four dinners but they’re so good that I tend to be a piglet, WHY must you keep taunting me with these cabbage rolls??! Bad dog! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4012 "2025-04-20T03:09:45Z")
Tonight was lightly baked black cod aka sablefish aka butterfish, drizzled with ABC Kecap Manis (dark thick sweet Indonesian soy sauce). I ate more than I planned on, and so far I have no room for anything else. Later tonight I’ll have a mixed chopped veggie blend (sweet potatoes, chickpeas, candied grilled tomatoes, and kale in an Indian-style curry sauce). It comes frozen only at Target (their house brand, I think). It’s delicious as far as frozen vegetables go, just nuke in bag for 6 minutes. I have some homemade banana chutney to add to it. (Their Thai-style veggie blend is also pretty good, but this one is better.) > **[Frozen Indian-Inspired Sweet Potato Curry Vegetable Blend - 12oz - Good &...](https://www.target.com/p/frozen-indian-inspired-sweet-potato-curry-vegetable-blend-12oz-good-38-gather-8482/-/A-82421187?TCID=PDS-19946974550&gad_source=1&gclsrc=ds)** > > Read reviews and buy Frozen Indian-Inspired Sweet Potato Curry Vegetable Blend - 12oz - Good & Gather™ at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4013 "2025-04-20T03:20:12Z")
I have to say, I’m not a big curry fan, but it does look like something my wife would enjoy immensely on a non-work night, probably too much tasty spices for when she’s stuck in the fab. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4014 "2025-04-20T03:41:12Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > probably too much tasty spices for when she’s stuck in the fab It’s actually very, very mild, which is why I add chutney. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4015 "2025-04-20T04:19:44Z")
It’s not so much the heat level, but the spice combination can have digestive consequences which aren’t appropriate when you’re in a sealed full body suit. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4016 "2025-04-20T04:45:35Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > It’s not so much the heat level, but the spice combination Yep, the spice combo is very mild, but I get what you’re saying! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2025, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4017 "2025-04-20T06:25:59Z")
I played a show tonight, and I don’t like being full before I play one. So I had half a ham sandwich around 4PM, and was planning on having a pizza at the venue we were playing at after we got done. However, they were out of pizza dough even before we got done loading in. So I was famished by the time the show was over around midnight. I decided to avail myself of 24 hour Whataburger and got a jalapeno cheeseburger. Delicious, and I’d eaten most of the fries before I arrived home. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4018 "2025-04-21T00:34:18Z")
Dinner was a combo I mentioned upthread, but with some tasty alterations. I had a pair of smaller pork tenderloins from Kroger in a sealed bag. I trimmed the ends so the pieces were more or less same sized (the ends are going to be made into a garlic/onion stir fry tomorrow probably). I took two matched sections, and wrapped them with a strip of Farmland bacon, using a toothpick to hold together (so double-sized medallions). I seasoned both sides with some Santa Maria salt/spice mix (smoke, salt, onion, garlic and a touch of sweetness), and seared in a hot skillet, flipping once and then finishing in the oven after topping with a dollop of apricot preserves (fruit + pork = win). Rested, I made a simple pan sauce by reducing the remaining liquid on the stovetop and adding some cider vinegar and half and half. Served with the slow cooker saag I had going all day, and some of the leftover focaccia. And now I have leftover and enough spare pork to get me through Wednesday, which is plenty, since we’ll have out-of-town guests Thursday through Monday. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4019 "2025-04-21T07:48:38Z")
Tonight was bacon-wrapped meatloaf with mushroom gravy, steamed asparagus, and mashed potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4020 "2025-04-21T14:37:41Z")
Tonight, we will mostly be eating leftover lamb stew with Yorkshire puddings. The stew is made from : - Onions - Celery - Carrot - New potatoes - Frozen peas - Lamb left over from a shoulder joint. - Gravy/sauce made from [Tesco onion gravy granules](https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/267116466?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_PMAX_All_OT_All+Products_Online+Budget_1011017**267116466*&gad_source=1&gclsrc=ds) with some [Tesco yeast extract](https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/276976038?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_PMAX_All_OT_All+Products_Online+Budget_1011017**276976038*&gad_source=1) mixed in. Lovely jubbly. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015/4021 "2025-04-21T18:19:29Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Tonight was bacon-wrapped meatloaf with mushroom gravy, steamed asparagus, and mashed potatoes. Bacon wrapped food ftw! But this reminds me, it’s a weird place where my bacon wrapped pork tenderloin is cheaper (at least for me) that bacon wrapped meatloaf considering the price of ground beef here is higher than the pork tenderloin, even if I discounted the sale price! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015.md?page=200) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-for-dinner-tonight-episode-2021-a-new-hope/931015.md?page=202)