Jump to content

Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog


JPW

Recommended Posts

Last night I made one of the remaining few Costco prime steaks in the freezer. I'm wary of cooking them too rare since reading about the blade-tenderizing. I did it reverse sear and left it in the oven a bit too long. It was only a little pink but still quite good. Not cooking such a good steak to at least medium rare seems like a waste, though. I think I'll take my chances and go back to rare when I defrost the next one and take my chances.

I also made a broccoli and penne dish, with a sweet blue cheese, creme fraiche, hot pepper flakes, and toasted sliced almonds, and I salvaged a a couple of tomatoes that had bad spots around the top by cutting the tops off and broiling the tomatoes with Parmesan.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mom had a huge chicken breast in the freezer, so I sliced it into thin cutlets and made a sort of chicken a la Francese with roasted potatoes. I floured the cutlets and then sautéed them in olive oil and butter, took them out of the pan, and then added lemon juice, white wine, some chicken stock and some herbs to the pan.  Then I returned the cutlets to the pan and let them cook for a minute in the sauce.

Mom loves lemon so the dish was a big hit. But I have to look the other way when mom puts ketchup on the lovely roasted Yukon golds. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salad with spring mix, purple frisee, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, feta, and chopped leftover steak; Bolthouse Farms Avocado Green Goddess
Whole wheat naan
Grain salad with quinoa and marinated gigande beans
Berbere roasted cauliflower

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday night I didn't feel much like cooking. I had taken advantage of the 2 for $5 pizza by the slice Prime special at Whole Foods currently running on Fridays. I really didn't need to buy them, but I was shopping hungry. The slices were enormous (one pepperoni and one cheese), so I reheated them in a hot cast iron skillet and then cut each into two medium size slices. And there was leftover salad.

Last night I made one of my favorite recipes from the 90s that I hardly ever make any more: Scallop Salad with New Potatoes in Creamy Vinaigrette. Because I had also bought cod loin to make homemade fish sticks, which I didn't use Friday because pizza + too lazy, we had fish sticks alongside. So, fish two ways. I ran out of steam and served the fish sticks with bottled ranch instead of making the tartar sauce I intended. We also had whole wheat naan with the meal.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last Mom meal of this visit: tilapia topped with breadcrumbs and seasoning, baked and then broiled to brown the top, and served with lemon wedges. Tomato salad with Gorgonzola dressing. Sautéed green beans. 

It’s been kind of fun over the past two weeks to cook for my mom and to have total control of her kitchen.  Without dad‘s palate to please (I hope he’s eating well on the other side) I have been able to cook things MOM loves. Hence, fish. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trader joes cauliflower gnocchi (my wife and I - and the kids - really like these.  Particularly if made in the more Parisian gnocchi style of pan seared) with fresh grilled corn and heirloom cherry tomatoes.  Finished with butter and parmesean and a dollop of costco pesto.  It reminds me of the gnocchi from Proof (☹️).

One of my favorite easy summertime dinners.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fourth of July tacos last night, some on flour tortillas, some on corn. Leftover steak, leftover chicken, radishes, avocado, cilantro, shredded cheddar, tomatoes, Fresno pepper, scallions, chives, chopped romaine, lime, and sour cream.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Faced with the soccer watch party leftovers and other random things in the refrigerator, I hastily assembled pita “pizzas.” Toasted pita covered  with a layer of plain hummus (that I bought from a lady at the farmers market), red pepper flakes, roasted red peppers,  parmesan cheese. Broiled till cheese melted. 

 It would’ve been better with feta, but it was still surprisingly delicious.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how I even survived on what I survived on the past couple weeks, I was in heavy, heavy trial prep.  Since that ended- I made spaghetti al bianco, which is a huge hit in my house (Hubby actually ate ALL the leftovers too).  We had steaks on the grill with Chicago steak seasoning, and I cut up bell peppers from the garden, onion, poured in the last of the cherry tomatoes, and some mushrooms which went on the grill basket.  

While in Chestertown we had a small soiree for the neighbors and I boiled corn, shrimp, made a cheese and fruit tray.  We had crabs too.  Mom's friend made hamburgers and hotdogs and neighbors brought some great side dishes.

I made crabcakes the other night with the leftover meat I picked, although I didn't put in enough binder and they fell apart a bit, still good.  We ate them with steamed broccoli with garlic.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night I made a watermelon/tomato/feta salad with tomatoes from my garden!!!  We also had chicken breasts baked with mural of flavor seasoning from Penzey's and a little olive oil.  Ramp bread that I thawed from a delicious bakery up in WV that my uncle procured for me. 

I also made a clear the fridge spaghetti sauce with- the last of a bit of red sauce that came from the freezer, leeks and broccoli stems sauteed in garlic, and the last of the crab for lunches today.  Prepped for other meals this week by putting more chicken breasts in the instant pot with a store bought Rick Bayless taco seasoning.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, dcandohio said:

 I am in New Orleans, and while prepping for the hurricane that was a non-issue, we made a big pot of shrimp and sausage gumbo.

Yum! And glad it has been turning into a lighter storm than expected.

Tonight I made a red curry to use up some eggplant and cauliflower, which will be lunches for the week. For dinner we made decent crock pot then broiler carnitas, served with tortillas, rice, guacamole, salsa, sautéed corn, and black beans.  Yesterday we had a bunch of different sausages and KBBQ-marinated grilled steak, served with rice, sautéed zucchini, sliced melon, and cucumbers. It has been a crazy few weeks and we hadn't been cooking much, instead subsisting mostly on various pastas with jarred sauces (lots of Costco pesto), fruit, takeout, and delivery pizza. It's good to be cooking again!

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tomato tart with salami and basil using store-bought puff pastry.  I brush the bottom of the puff pastry with a mixture of mayo, Dijon, and garlic. I sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top of that,  then put a single layer of thickly sliced Roma tomatoes that I had blotted a bit with paper towels.  Topped the tomatoes with chopped salami and more cheese, and then a scattering of fresh basil.090502E4-E260-44D9-86CA-45E41CD65B1A.jpeg.884133f663cb9b548c1841e33fd39040.jpeg I was quite pleased with the result. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last week we had shredded bbq chicken pizza with gouda, mozz and green peppers.  We also had an evening of BLT sandwiches which I quite enjoyed.  I also made roasted salmon and broccoli which I put on top of thin veggie noodles coated in sesame oil and spicy sichuanese chili oil from a friend.  That was quite spicy, but delicious.

Yesterday I hosted a party and made tomato, watermelon salad, those hawaiian ham and cheese sliders, parm/caper deviled eggs and had some cheese and meats.  Those little sliders are addictive.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tonight was a pasta dish I made out of a bunch of stuff I had. Basic ingredients: large elbows, goat cheese rolled in herbs, cherry tomatoes, bacon, parsley, basil, and Parmesan.

My husband also had a ham and swiss sandwich with tomato and lettuce on multigrain bread. There were some Utz potato chips consumed.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chicken katsu has been unlocked!! My husband has been working on it and found the right combination of ingredients and technique this weekend.  The chicken (thigh) was juicy and tasty (because...salt), the panko breading was thin and crunchy, and the bottled sauce was the right kind of tangy (we never stock mustard so our homemade sauces hadn't been cutting it). We made a cabbage slaw (sesame vinaigrette) that paired really well and served it over rice, though it would be a great combo on a nice bun as a sandwich.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hot day chef's salad and crackers

Salad had frisee, red and green leaf lettuce, deli ham, herbed deli turkey, Asiago fresca, radishes, cucumber slices, sliced hard-boiled eggs, chopped scallions, and cubed tomatoes; avocado green goddess dressing.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night was baguette and butter, steamed broccoli with lemon and butter, more of the tomatoes, and Salmon with Anchovy-Garlic Butter, a Melissa Clark recipe from the NYT. (The tomatoes are a David Tanis recipe from the Times.) The salmon was excellent. i made roughly a half recipe.

Is it obvious I'm trying to use a lot of anchovies? 😉  I've had a fresh pack of beautiful white anchovies in the refrigerator for some time and they are approaching their best by date.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today in South Florida it was cloudy and rainy, and when we are one  degree below “surface of the sun“ heat I cook.  So I made a big pot  of spicy chicken chili, or a Mexican inspired chicken soup, or whatever you want to call it.  Homemade chicken stock, chopped up chicken thighs, onion, garlic, chopped red and yellow peppers, black beans, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, hot chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, smoked salt and chili peppers in adobo. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Pat said:

How did you make this? Sounds interesting.

So easy!  Chop up two cans of artichoke hearts, drained.  Mix in, to taste: Italian style breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Sometimes I will add basil or dill.  Put into a greased pan, and then top with more breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake until the top browns. 

I always have the ingredients for this in the pantry and the refrigerator.  Everybody loves it

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, dcandohio said:

So easy!  Chop up two cans of artichoke hearts, drained.  Mix in, to taste: Italian style breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Sometimes I will add basil or dill.  Put into a greased pan, and then top with more breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake until the top browns. 

I always have the ingredients for this in the pantry and the refrigerator.  Everybody loves it

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last week was chicken breasts with a bbq esque marinade, and a big skillet of succotash, topped with feta.  Leftover chicken breasts then made slider sandwiches.

Hubby smoked about 8 pounds of pork butt this weekend, it had Corky's rub on it, and it was delicious, I think he has really gotten his smoker technique down (it includes start smoking before one thinks they need to, and use smoker robot).  I made a slaw, and doctored up some Shoppers redskin potato salad.  I really just haven't had a lot of time to cook recently, will get back into it here soon.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night was canned cream of mushroom soup and Cobb salad. The salad was minus avocado because both avocados I had were bad on the inside. I've been having a terrible time with avocados lately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have been boring this week, just eating left overs as we had so much from the weekend- pulled pork, potato salad, coleslaw, etc.  But last night I slow roasted cherry tomatoes from the garden, onion and pepper (also from the garden).  I also made taco meat with ground beef, and thawed some frozen guac and made myself tacos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday was an appetizer of Fritos and cream cheese; salad of napa cabbage, frisee, cucumber, bacon, and nectarine with vinaigrette;  and turkey and black bean tamale pie with avocado and sour cream.

Saturday was an open-faced cheesesteak on sourdough with leftover London broil and Hatch chile cheddar;  leftover cauliflower pasta; and leftover braised lamb and gravy.

Yesterday was a salad of chickpeas, yellow heirloom tomato, and tapenade rounded out into a vinaigrette; braised lamb and gravy; green beans; and, sliced nectarine; plus, sourdough bread and evoo.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Pat said:

Friday was an appetizer of Fritos and cream cheese; salad of napa cabbage, frisee, cucumber, bacon, and nectarine with vinaigrette;  and turkey and black bean tamale pie with avocado and sour cream.

We are Frito-ing as well! Made a batch of chili last week and the leftovers weren't a popular choice until we got some Fritos to eat with it...

This weekend we made some doctored box curry (Golden Curry, medium heat) with lentils, potato, carrots, peas, and chicken, and also the Creamy Almond Mughlai Cauliflower using this recipe. The creamy sauce tastes like a great homemade korma and our personal preference was to nix the star anise, add more chili flakes, and minimize the sugar. To eat up some of the leftovers, I layered the cauliflower curry over microwaved a potato (don't laugh, I really like the texture and it's so quick and easy) and topped it with a fried egg.  SO GOOD!!!

For sides we've been eating the heck out of the stone fruit lately. We are basically made of cherries and nectarines at this point.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...