Xochitl10

To Japan, especially the wonderful people of the Tohoku (northeast) region. Minna-san, ganbatte ne!

Slow-baked beans and kale using the NY Times recipe, which I rendered unhealthy by adding chorizo. Sopping up juices with freshly made Italian bread.

Pan-fried miso-marinated pork loin chops Hourenso no karashi-zu -- parboiled spinach, chilled and served with dashi/soy sauce/sugar/rice vinegar/J-mustard Steamed rice Miso soup with wakame seaweed

Back in the day, Azami had a roommate liked White Russians, but not Black Russians. This drove him to the very, very unfortunate decision to use the only dairy product in the joint: freezer-burned strawberry ice cream. Who's up for a grayish-brown drink with sludgy chunks floating around in it?

Baked polenta w/hot Italian sausage, tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella Spinach salad with walnuts, supremed orange, Parm bits; olive oil and vinegar

Spinach, sausage, and ricotta calzones with a very simple tomato sauce and Ketel One Martinis. Man, I wish we had gin in the house.

I have a standing meeting until 5 on Monday afternoons, which is why I never sign up for Mondays. If they don't mind an old-timer running in a bit late, I'm in.

Tofu dengaku -- broiled tofu with white miso/sesame topping More leftover ginger/soy-simmered acorn squash Steamed rice Lettuce salad with soy sauce/rice vinegar/ginger juice/vermouth (I'm out of sake and mirin) dressing

At risk of pedantry (not that that ever stops me), "Hatch chile" is a misnomer. Hatch is the town in southern New Mexico that is most famous for green chile, but the peppers themselves are not "Hatch peppers." There are a number of cultivars grown in NM that we natives just call "green chile," and they're grown in many places throughout the state.

Broiled salmon Leftover soy/mirin/ginger simmered acorn squash Leftover spinach/black sesame rice

Depends on what you mean by "crushed." Generally, you can use it as you would any other crushed dried chile. I use ground red chile in burritos, chili, and enchilada sauce. I rarely use dried ground green chile, but when I have, it's been in sauce for meatballs or mixed into meat for burgers. If the green chile is still moist, you can put it on stuff as well as mixing it in. Green chile stew with pork and potatoes is common in NM, as is sauce for burritos, eggs, etc. It's also amazing on cheeseburgers or just on a bowl of pinto beans. If none of that sounds appealing, you can bring it to me.

The crabcake with leek tartare kicked some major booty last night. It neither looked nor tasted like it had filler; just crisp, crabby goodness. Second was the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. The tuna burger was delicious and served quite rare, fries were very crisp. We also had the chocolate mousse mentioned by ktmoomau, and didn't think it was anything special (delicious, just not special) until we discovered the raspberry sauce in the bottom of the dish. The sauce really made it for us. I had a French 75 and a plum sidecar, and while both were good, I wished I'd stuck with the French 75 for my cocktailing.

Braised chicken thighs using this recipe. I used raw garlic and added a splash of balsamic at the end for a sharper note. I'm already looking forward to leftovers. Polenta Salad of red leaf lettuce, walnuts, Parmigiano bits, currants, and olive oil vinaigrette The last of the bottle of Syrah

Azami is out of town, so I'm taking advantage of his absence to cook stuff he'd never eat. Last night: penne with a simple tomato sauce of onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, and Harris Teeter housemade hot Italian chicken sausage, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; Syrah Tonight: cannellini beans heated in olive oil with some red pepper flakes, then tossed with canned white albacore tuna and broccoli; Syrah

Count me in, please.

Leftover turkey with green chile sauce Red chile cheese enchiladas Beans Rice

Roasted butternut squash soup with a bit of roasted garlic and cream, topped with crumbled pancetta Spinach, dried cranberry, walnut, and shaved Asiago salad tossed with olive oil and vinegar

It's the best of both worlds. This morning is steamed rice with red salmon and nori furikake. Azami is having his rice with Gohan Desu Yo!

Today is at least one batch of cream scones with currants from "The New Best Recipe." At some point this weekend, I'll be making hermits and granola bars. If there's time (ha ha ha), I'd like to do a batch of pumpkin cookies.

Steel-cut oats with allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins, and milk; big mug o' hot coffee

Had the Potomac Avenue (olive oil base, mozz, pecorino, felino salami, arugula) for lunch today. As others have already said, the crust has good flavor and chew. I really enjoyed the combination of toppings -- the pecorino's sharpness cut through some of the oiliness of the salami/olive oil combo and the arugula added a nice earthy note to the otherwise very strong flavors. Wish I'd read this far back in the thread before learning that they also offer skimpy pours of indifferent pinot noir.

A warm taiyaki (fish-shaped, adzuki-bean-paste-filled pastry) smeared with cream cheese. Tastes like J-home.

Love this name. Marcella's Winter Meatballs with Savoy Cabbage Asiago polenta

To my dad and to Mary Ann Luby. Two good souls, gone too soon.

Slow-roasted salmon Kale sauteed in pancetta renderings Roasted mashed butternut squash, shallots, and nutmeg Sourdough bread Romaine/endive, blue cheese, walnut, and pear salad, dressed with apple cider vinaigrette