What's For DINNER Tonight?

[Performancemini]

Actually, the shredded roast beef was a little funky in spaghetti sauce too, LOL!

What a day! I wasn't bored at least! And I did get out (in the garage). I was preparing to make cookies. Had the oven preheated and was starting to cut them out; when my oven went beep, beep, beep-whoa! The digital plate read EO F5. I shut it off fast. Got the appliance book and it said call the service Dept. IMMEDIATELY. Yeah, right, they put me on hold for 10 minutes. I gave up and called the non-emergency fire dept. number because it seemed wrong-hot and kind of wirey. They came out (I crutched OK out of the house with the dog to the garage-put him in the car). Seems the top coil wasn't shutting off-so it was staying at like 500 degrees! It's pulled away from the wall and unplugged. So it's service tech time and/or new stove. They pulled that section of counter out too (boy is it gross behind there!). I guess I will be crockpot, electric skillet and micro cooking for a bit. Hubby wants to go out tonight-but the temps are dangerous and the wind is picking up bad-gusts to 30 mph and drifting. Not sure that is a good idea after all. I don't really want him to start the woodburning stove either with the wind. (I always get anxious about carbon monoxide-especially after today's fun). Didn't put anything out-but the microwave could thaw it and the electric skillet can cook it. I'm sure we won't starve. I will have to see what happens. I bet he insists on going out-he always says 'YOU aren't driving, I am- so quit your worrying!'. It going to be a long 7 days with the weather coming up. I hate January (and winter).

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Yikes, thats scary! I wonder if our husbands are distant cousins or something lol. Mine says the same things to me about driving on winter roads. We are delivering a cow (well 2 actually) to the butcher this afternoon so we'll eat out for sure. I'm thinking Chinese, we haven't done that for awhile now.

 

[Performancemini]

Well, I anxious nagged him out of going back out. He said he wasn't worried, but knew with my boot and crutches it was harder for me. It's just so awful cold and he DID start the wood stove. Wind gusts are picking up now too.

So, he got the electric skillet down for me and we made grilled cheese sandwiches and opened a can of cranberry sauce and had big dill pickle slices. There's some pumpkin and some dutch apple pie left yet too. Should still be good, it's in the fridge yet. Didn't put anything in the fridge to thaw. I should. Supposed to get some blowy snow tomorrow. Not a lot though I think. He might want to go out to eat then.

 

[Jill]

Those store bought meatballs are really good. We'll have them again. The seasoning was really good but I did bake them a little too long and the mozzarella cheese ran out of them... still the flavor, seasoning and texture were good.

Yesterday, I made a quick quiche with a light crust (it makes it by just adding biscuit mix, like Bisquick or other brand, to the egg mixture). I put swiss cheese, green peppers,, onions and sausage in it, too, and it was really good. Made bread pudding and broccoli, too. I never get why sometimes the texture of this is really good, and sometimes it's not as smooth. This time turned out good and I'm going to try to remember what I did differently from the times it doesn't turn out good. It always tastes good, but maybe I cook it longer than it needs to be sometimes (and maybe sometimes the mixture comes out of the fridge so goes in colder and other times, I've let it set on the stove a big to come down to room temperature and that's the factor I can't seem to figure out?!?

Today, we are eating at my sisters and I'm bringing this green bean / wax bean / baby carrot mixed veggies (easy and low carb), and to cancel out the health factor of those, I will also be bringing this super yummy donuts from a bakery in Culpeper. They are those yeast risen kind with chocolate frosting and butter cream filling. They are my mom's all time favorite food (yet she's like a size TWO -- unfair!). Mom is bringing chicken marsalla (sp?) that she makes really well and some mashed cauliflower which tastes like mashed potatoes. Robin is making a winter tossed salad thing and bread. We're getting together to celebrate Christmas which we had to postpone doing when I got a cold and also my birthday. Woo-hoo, I like celebrating the annual 29th each year

Seriously need to look into an upgrade since I've celebrated it now for 17 years in a row but the annual 39th just doesn't feel as much fun.

AND, of course, since I have had all this extra time to wrap Christmas presents for my sister's family, I have not wrapped anything yet. I'm thinking H will help me (hoping so!). I don't like to wrap presents...

Those store bought meatballs are really good. We'll have them again.

Yesterday, I made a quick quiche with a light crust (it makes it by just adding biscuit mix, like Bisquick or other brand, to the egg mixture. I put swiss cheese, green peppers,, onions and sausage in it, too, and it was really good. Made bread pudding and broccoli, too.

Today, we are eating at my sisters and I'm bringing this green bean / wax bean / baby carrot mixed veggies (easy and low carb), and to cancel out the health factor of those, I will also be bringing this super yummy donuts from a bakery in Culpeper. They are those yeast risen kind with chocolate frosting and butter cream filling. They are my mom's all time favorite food (yet she's like a size TWO -- unfair!). Mom is bringing chicken marsalla (sp?) that she makes really well and some mashed cauliflower which tastes like mashed potatoes. Robin is making a winter tossed salad thing and bread. We're getting together to celebrate Christmas which we had to postpone doing when I got a cold and also my birthday. Woo-hoo, I like celebrating the annual 29th each year

Seriously need to look into an upgrade since I've celebrated it now for 17 years in a row but the annual 39th just doesn't feel as much fun.

AND, of course, since I have had all this extra time to wrap Christmas presents for my sister's family, I have not wrapped anything yet. I'm thinking H will help me (hoping so!). I don't like to wrap presents...

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

LOL, you are repeating yourself

Those donuts you describe sound like what we call 'Boston Cream' donuts. They have a gooey pudding like filling and chocolate glaze. Your meal sounds like it will be delicious. Something for every taste. I have no idea what I'll be cooking tonight, all I can think of is the steaks that we will have in a few weeks lol. Fat lot of good that does me right now.

Happy Birthday Jill!

Pretty soon I'll be old enough to use my mothers formula (she would flip the numbers so 53 became 35 lol) when she was 83 she told people she was 38

 

[Performancemini]

Happy Birthday too Jill!

Yeah-the bit of snow turned into a lot more snow! So tonight I used the electric skillet and made omelets with orange bell pepper, tomato, and chives and toast with jam.

For tomorrow night I am going to try to figure out how to do mac n' cheese (boxed) boil it in the electric skillet and pour the water off and do the rest? Or can it be made in the crockpot in a shorter time??? Then I will add some ham or something to it. Veggie. Hmmm.

 

[chandab]

I don't think box mac and cheese would work in the crock pot, but the electric skillet would probably work, it would be kind of like doing Hamburger Helper with an extra step or two. [boil the water and cook the mac; drain off the water and then add the milk, butter and mix.]

 

[Jill]

Thanks, my friends

I think my computer had the hiccups the other day!

For tonight, I plan to make a chicken stir fry thing, that I haven't made in ages. I'll need to look It up, but you coat the bite size chicken pieces in corn starch and I remember when I was into it (and kept eating it back then 'til we were sick of it), it's just like that corn starch coated chicken, some frozen stir-fry style veggies, Asian sauce, and rice or (my favorire) linguine. I remember when we used to make it, I felt like I'd never want Chinese carry out again, because it was so good

 

[Performancemini]

I did the mac n cheese in the electric skillet tonight. I buy an organic brand called "Annie's". Had the white cheddar and mini shells tonight. Worked good. Got the water boiling at 350 and added the pasta. Ended up leaving the cover off and turning it down so it just simmered. Had to cook it a little longer, but not much. The water had pretty much cooked down; so I just added a tablespoon of butter and a little milk and mixed in the cheese. Then I mixed in a little shredded chicken breast and some salt, pepper and parsley flakes. Peas on the side for my H and mixed in for me. Then some salads. Not bad!

Tomorrow night I will do a small sirloin on our George Foreman and use the skillet for a side (potatoes or rice?) and the microwave again for a veggie. This is working out OK. I'm getting the hang of getting everything or almost everything out and measured, etc. before I start cooking-makes it a little easier with the crutches.

Hope this super-freeze spell breaks quick and that's the end of the -30 and worse. Illinois is usually only -20's at the worse. The blowing has kept the roads bad with the extreme cold. H. did take me to a movie today to get me/us out. We saw 'Saving Mr. Banks'. Much better than I had expected. Fun, funny and sad. I shed a few tears at the end. Worth seeing.

 

[Jill]

Tonight, it will be either oven BBQ chicken breast or that Hellmann's Parmesan crusted chicken... which ever pans out (haha) will be with chicken egg noodles (from a mix that I'll doctor up), steamed broccoli, mixed veggies, and tossed salad w/ baby lettuce, cucumber, and grape tomatoes

 

[Performancemini]

I wouldn't have minded eating with you tonight Jill! That sounded good!

We did have the steak, fries and string beans. Did the steak on our George Foreman grill, the fries in the electric skillet in a little oil and the beans in the microwave. Not bad. I might even keep cooking this way sometimes. There seems to be less clean up this way. Maybe it's my imagination though!

Tomorrow night I am thinking of using the electric skillet again and cooking angel hair pasta; putting it aside; then cooking some slices of chicken breast; putting them aside; and then making a chicken gravy and then putting it all together and heating it up. Peas on the side again for H. and mine in after.

 

[Jill]

I'm going to try yesterday's dinner goal tonight. I ended up not feeling hungry, so it was leftovers for H.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I hope you aren't unwell, Jill.

I will be having beef stew and cornmeal muffins tonight since I am cooking a huge pot for the guys where my husband works for their lunch tomorrow. I've got the meat cooking now and will cut it into smaller pieces once it is tender (the butcher left the chunks quite large and I prefer them smaller) then I'll be adding the vegies, potatoes, spices/herbs and making the gravy. Muffins will be last thing so we at least get them fresh from the oven lol. I could skip the stew (even tho I love it too) and just eat fresh warm muffins, mmmm.

 

[Performancemini]

The fries in the electric skillet were OK; but I think next time I would use a little less oil yet. They weren't really oily (except the paper towels did absorb a lot.), but when you are used to baked not fried there is a difference. The little steak was just right. (I usually get well done well done-ie. dry). I ALMOST got it medium-well which is what my husband likes and I am learning to like.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I think there is a knack to cooking in an electric frying pan. My mother used to turn out some really yummy meals from hers but I only use mine for basic stuff usually, like bacon and eggs or pancakes. Getting steaks right seems to be a challenge for me too. I come from a long line of, "cook that thing until it cries uncle" people and I really don't care for well done steak (aka shoe leather) My husband's boss (well he was the boss, now his boss is not at this branch since he change positions

) makes a really great steak. I asked him his secret and he says it needs to be at room temperature before its cooked. Once we get our beef back from the butcher I'm going to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Performancemini]

The new stove comes Friday. That's why I am using the electric skillet, crockpot, geo. foreman and microwave.

Tonight with the crutches and what I made; it didn't turn out too well-edible-but not real appealing. I cooked angel hair pasta in the electric skillet like I did the macaroni the other night. The water had cooked down to quite low and I added strips of chicken breast after removing the pasta and putting it aside, covered, to wait. When the chicken was cooked, I quickly cut it up. Then I made a roux and added chicken broth and seasonings for gravy (there were brown bits from the chicken). Unfortunately, with these ole crutches it was hard to get around quickly and carry things (H. wasn't home yet) and the pan got a bit too brown a few times (added water) and some of the pasta had stuck in there. So it had a bit of a slightly too browned taste and look.

Well tomorrow I am going to use the crockpot and do my Turkey Pasta soup in it. I know that will come out. We will have to have bread and butter with it since I can't bake any cornbread (don't like microwave "cake" stuff much).

 

[Jill]

We had the parmesan chicken thing last night.

Tonight, it's going to be oven BBQ chicken breasts, and probably like some sweet potatoes, green beans and small salads.

 

[Performancemini]

Yummm! I am coming over again Jill!!!! That sounds really good.

 

[romewhip]

I'm having a cooking frenzy for some reason- and we aren't in the bitter cold weather like most folks!

Made Shepherd's Pie, I have pork marinating for char siu Chinese BBQ, and chicken soaking in buttermilk for fried chicken.

Living alone I hardly ever cook like this, but these all make plenty of leftovers so I won't cook again for probably two weeks.

 

[chandab]

Making spaghetti for supper. Had some left-over browned ground beef, so spaghetti is an easy fix and tasty.