Mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Gnocchi with bolognese
Garlic bread
Chocolate cinammon brownies
Too much wine to recall what we drank

My third set of dinner guests in 10 days -- I'm just loving having people to cook for again. That most of my classmates can barely boil water and therefore truly love a homecooked meal where nothing is from a box or jar is an added bonus. Added bonus are the containers of sauce now happily waiting for me in the freezer.

Sunday:

Gougeres
Braised short ribs
Root veggies
Mashed potatoes

Monday:

Shepherd's pie made from the leftovers

Olive and rosemary bread
Tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce

Made a quickie broccoli and cheese soup and served it with Atwater sourdough bread and a salad of New Morning Farm golden beets (roasted), Next Step's cress (slighlty peppery), Firefly Farm's Allegheny chevre and a vinaigrette with tarragon.
Click to view attachment

That's a beautiful salad, Monavano.

I wrapped leftovers in large flour tortillas last night. The first few (salmon and sweet potato) I wrapped up burrito-style; the rest were soft tacos (beef, scallions, and cilantro). The tortillas were from Canales Deli at Eastern Market. I like their flour tortillas quite a bit.

Shellfish Extravaganza with the Dentes. Had the in-laws over last night.

Started with seared monster scallops in brown butter sauce. This turned out excellent mostly due to the exceptionally fresh scallops scored from Kentlands Whole Foods.

Next up, a salad of baby arugula, roasted beets, and Allegheny goat cheese. I made vinaigrette with Banyuls and some Herbes du Provence with lavender.

Then I steamed up some littlenecks (from Slavin’s) with white wine, a ton of garlic, and some pancetta. The juice was eagerly sopped up with crusty bread.

Lastly, a sort of riff on Fra Diavolo—sliced garlic sautéed in lotsa EVOO, a small can of fire-roasted tomatoes (I love that stuff), red pepper flakes, and pimienton. When it simmered I threw in shrimp (also Slavin’s) for a minute and tossed it with linguine. Wow, this was good if I do say so my own damn self. Not bad for an amateur making shit up.

Salmon-potato chowder
Roasted pork tenderloin (marinated and basted with a tequila-orange marinade)
Steamed broccoli

Curried turkey salad with raisins, pecans, celery, and cranberry relish
Leftover pork tenderloin medallions with mashed sweet potatoes

Roasted winter vegetable soup (hubbard squash, cauliflower, celeriac, carrot, parsnip, leek, onion, garlic, fuyu persimmon)
with creme fraiche and Meyer lemon
roasted cippolini onions marinated in balsamic vinegar
Trader Joe's fava beans marinated with balsamic and EVO, piquillo peppers, green onions and fresh herbs
Spanish sheepmilk cheese
Marvy Market striata

Magic Hat Fat Angel

Kind of a Greek version of Peking Duck. Duck on the rotisserie, then assembled on homemade pita with pomegranate molasses and thinly sliced red bell pepper. It all matched perfectly, now I just need to work on getting crisper skin.

Roasted acorn squash with egg, sage, pecorino
Salad of mixed field greens, Comice pear, golden raisins, pistachios, pecorino, and pear balsamic vinaigrette

The squash recipe came from Frank Ruta, as printed in The Washington Post several years ago. The squash are halved, scooped out, roasted, seasoned, and popped back in the oven with an egg in each, until the egg is a little set but still runny, then the cheese is added.

I wish the Post would print more recipes from Frank Ruta. Or that he would write a cookbook. Or something. <swoon>

Leftover turkey
Gravy
Stuffing with raisins
Corn pudding
Broccoli

Maitake risotto
Roasted delicata squash w soft-baked egg, sheep's milk cheese (Stoneyman & Locatelli) & sage
Slice of sourdough toast
Salad of erba stella, radicchio & bacon w shallot vinaigrette

Pear roasted in red wine sauce, chilled, w creme fraiche

Porc, your description of the acorn squash sounded so good, but wasn't sure what to do w the sage. Ended up making a sage butter for roasting. Didn't have the patience to deep-fry battered leaves, though those might have been nice to dip into the yolk.

Wild Turkey rye Manhattan
Beef, shiitake, naganegi (Japanese bunching onion, rather like a leek), and [/i]aburaage[/i] (deep-fried sheet of tofu) takikomi gohan

Prosciutto and Parmesan bread
Creamy gorgonzola and mirabo with walnuts
Niman lamb loin chops
Mashed turnips and potatoes with horseradish cheddar
Green beans with butter, s + p

2 eggs over easy
home fries

Pan-seared/oven finished pork chops with an apple and onion cream sauce.
Simple steamed green beans

Sweet Tea Vodka with fresh, homemade Sweet Tea

Iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing
Guacamole with homemade tortilla chips for Veggie-teen

Charcoal grilled flap meat steak with mole negro de Oaxaca
Cheese enchiladas with mole negro for V-t
Frijoles refritos
Oven roasted broccoli

2007 Les Amis de la Bouissiere

We ventured out in the snow for groceries, only to discover when we got home that *someone* forgot butter. Nick had decided it was to be a mac n cheese night, and somehow I volunteered to venture out in search of butter.

This is actually a problem when one is at 9th and V, and it is snowing out. Neither CVS nor 7-11 had butter. The 11-mart, tucked down a dark part of 11th, redolent with the smell of bleach and damp, had a shrink-wrapped pack of 9 lbs of butter tuck way back in the back of the cheese shelf. I was not walking to columbia heights *or* P street for butter. It was cold.

I grabbed a lb of indeterminate butter, put it in the bullet-proof tray with a 5-spot on top, and watched it whirl away from me and towards the cashier.

On the way home I trudged past oohs and aahs, and stuck my head in. Every experiment needs a control, right? A quart of their mac n cheese obtained, I went home.

We had a *lot* of mac n cheese last night: some traditional soul food, some with sharp cheddar and Gruyère. Both good.

Braised veal short ribs with parsnips
Corn Pudding
Mashed turnips and potatoes
Green beans with cashews and fried prosciutto
Prosciutto-Parmesan bread

Everything but the veal and parsnips was recycled leftovers. The prosciutto and cashews were great with the green beans. The veal was grass-fed, and I think I overcooked it. It should have been more tender than it was. The parsnips, however, were excellent. I know there must be a name for the technique, but I don't know what it is. They were cooked in water until the water burned off and then butter was added to the pan and they cooked a few more minutes in that. They were really good.

I'm planning to chop the leftover veal in fairly small pieces and use it in a pot pie for dinner tonight. I'm going to cook some turnips, carrots, and squash in the leftover braising liquid and reduce it. Then I'll add the veal back in and bake the pie. I want to cook the veal a minimal amount more since it's already overcooked.

A hearty meal on a cold almost-winter's night:

Veal stew
White cheese chicken lasagna

The lasagna was great. It was a good use for leftover chicken. I also had leftover manicotti filling (ricotta and goat cheeses mixed with chopped turnip greens). I used that for the ricotta portion and omitted the spinach. I added more chicken in place of the spinach in that layer.

I intended to turn last night's leftover veal into pot pie but only got as far as making the filling. I decided I didn't have time and energy for making the pie crust to turn it into pot pie. It worked well as stew. The veal didn't seem tough cut into small cubes for the stew. I used onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and zucchini for the vegetables.

A little more detail, then: cut the squash longitudinally and cut a slice off the outside so that they can sit up straight; get all the seeds out; coat in olive oil and salt, roast in oven cut side down until tender (about 40 min at 375). Remove from oven, cut a few shallow slits in the cavity, rub with butter (yeah I know, oil then butter?; but who am I to question Frank Ruta?), drop in a slice of hot chili pepper (eg serrano) and a few sage leaves, then return to oven and bake until the butter is all melted and almost sizzling, then take them out of the oven and crack an egg into each cavity, drizzle that with oil, more sage, more chili pepper, salt; back in the oven one more time to set the eggs; shave lots of cheese over all.

Love your idea for deep fried sage leaves. (There ought to be a 'licking your lips' emoticon.)

Roast chicken, shred meat and skin into a pot with golden raisins, 3T chopped fresh rosemary and the juice from the roast pan, plus more broth if needed. Mix with tagliatelle and eat straight out of the pan. Or in bowls, if you must. I find this dish intoxicating.

Fresh pea soup (made with sugarsnaps) with julienne of pan crisped country ham
Iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese

tiny scoop of Haagen Dasz Fleur de Sel Caramel ice cream

2005 Don Olegario Albariño

Roasted EcoFriendly Pork Belly with Chinese Five Spice Rub
Cabbage and Carrots braised in Pear Cider

2001 Riefle Riesling Steinert Grand Cru (a little too sweet for this dish, but a nice wine)

I love acorn squash. We had them last night along with a kickass chicken noodle soup my wife made (well, except the noodles).

Someone turned me on to acorn squash with lime. The flavors work great-- just roast them as you mention above, and then make a lime vinaigrette with a little cumin and pour a little over the roasted squash. If you want more roasted flavor, and shorter cooking time, cut the squash into wedges. Be careful with that knife-- cutting a squash is indeed perilous.

Salad of Belgian endive, apple, balsamic vinegar glazed roasted butternut squash, blue cheese
Ciabatta roll

The salad is from the current issue of Bon Apetit, and frankly sounds better than it tastes. I figured the squash would give it enough substance to stand alone as a light main course, and it did, but the flavor combination was just odd. Think I'd like it better using the squash for a soup to be eaten alongside.

AD, thanks for the acorn squash with lime recipe!

Lime vinaigrette with cumin (and cilantro) is wonderful in two other dishes that I've also enjoyed: first is in a barley and corn salad that is very simple and works well with frozen corn or Trader Joe's canned corn, which is sweet and crisp. I've done that one many times and it is really delicious. The second is a Russ Parsons recipe that I found last year--wedges of fuyu persimmon tossed with lime-cumin vinaigrette and cilantro. I like it a lot, but it was not as well received by my family. I love the sweetness of the persimmon with the lime juice. Be sure in all applications to use some shredded lime zest, as well.

Hasenpfeffer over polenta
Salad
Clementines from Spain

Wine & vinegar marinated Eco-Friendly rabbit legs braised w bacon, mirepoix vegetables, mushrooms and just a touch of cocoa powder.

P.S. Thanks, P, for full details on squash, and both AD & ZM for further thoughts on something else to do w the limes and cilantro in fridge.

merguez (lamb) meatballs with minted yogurt
basmati rice
gigante beans with tomato sauce (canned)
golden cauliflower sauteed/steamed with ras al hanout
sliced cucumbers with meyer lemon juice and sea salt
hummus and mini-pitas

Trader Joe's chocolate-covered fleur de sel caramel
clementine

2005 Dom. Chantelouserie Bourgueil

Risotto with peas and prosciutto--recipe called for some grated lemon zest, and it gave the dish a really nice kick. I could eat risotto every day.

Last night--
Slow-roasted Atlantic salmon with cilantro-lime butter
Basmati rice and crimini duxelles
Braised kale

2007 Strauss Gelber Muskateller

What happened to the cassoulet???

That's a longer range project. I have to get some pork shoulder and sausage casing, marinate the pork and make sausages. Find the right beans. It's going to take a while. Meanwhile the duck confit is just going to get better and better.

Used the leftover pea and prosciutto risotto to make arancini, little cheese-and-risotto croquettes. YUM. Fried goodness, served with tomato sauce and fresh basil.

Italian sausage braised with carrot, potato, boston lettuce, parsley, and breadcrumbs...

RC cola

Risotto with roasted asparagus and tomato and spicy sausage. Very tall glass of Snoqualmie unoaked Chardonnay brought over by my cousin. For dessert -- writing my public narrative final paper. Tasty!

Steamed artichoke with blue cheese dressing

Oven-braised brisket
Brussels sprouts with golden raisins and Meyer lemon
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

bosc pears poached in spiced wine with vanilla creme fraiche

2001 Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Reserve

Meatloaf made from part of Maddy's 1/8 share of a cow raised humanely in a nearby pasture before slaughter, grinding...
Roasted sweet potato
Tuscan kale, blanched, chopped, and braised quickly w garlic and red chili flakes

Haven't decided yet what's for dessert

Using up leftovers and refrigerator miscellany:

cheese enchiladas with mole negro
rajas de poblanos
refried beans
rice with mushrooms
iceberg lettuce salad with lemon vinaigrette
spiced wine poached pear with vanilla creme fraice

Dogfish Head India Brown Ale

Black bean soup w sweet potato and West Virginian ham

Beet salad w goat cheese, watercress and Pennsylvanian walnuts
(Meyer lemon juice and olive oil)

Apple and quince crisp w dried cranberries in topping (done in 9 minutes and counting)

More like all day grazing starting around 2:

Creme brulee french toast
Lox on pumpernickle with a lemon cream cheese (HV)
Bowls full of Apple Jacks

and a peppery Bloody Mary (or two) to wash all my cares away.

Don't forget
baked mac and cheese
Hash brown casserole
Homemade yellow cake with chocolate chunks
vanilla filled lace cookies

Baguette with Humboldt Fog
Baked ham
Pan roasted parsnips
Cheese grits
Baked sweet potatoes

This menu just put a smile on my face (Thanks).

yeah, I didn't eat any of that. By the time I got there, M&C and the casserole were cold (call me lazy, I wouldn't walk three steps & pop it in the microwave to reheat). Guess it also helps that I had already had baked brie, tortellini, salad and cookies at a baby shower 30 minutes earlier. Ugh, I don't think I'm going to eat for a week.

Keema
Panchphoran Aloo
Muttar paneer
Garlic naan

The house still smelled awesome when I woke up this morning.

I only know what one out of seven words in that list means

Pantry raid veal stew with a side of Guinness and bread

Take THAT, Winter!

Smoked salmon, Morbier, and cucumber sandwiches on baguette
Ham and cucumber sandwiches on baguette
Doctored canned chili (Amy's) over cheese grits

Today? You move or something?

Thick grilled steaks on a bed of arugula, mushroom strewn
Purple Cherokees w snipped basil
Corn on the cob
Sliced peaches over home-made ginger ice cream