What's for dinner?

[Cameraman Jenn]

Ok, so the pork ragout was really good, BUT it could have been better. Considering that I made it up on the fly and never having tried to cook it before it would qualify as damn good. I think it was a bit bland and I think the long cooking time served to cook the spices out rather than enhance them. Bloodguard Bob and I discussed this and I think the next attempt will be to cook the meat with onions and garlic, slow roasting in the oven overnight and then adding the tomato and other spices and ingredients the day of. The texture was perfection though. The meat was so tender it shredded itself. We also added a twist on the garlic bread. BGB went out to get bread and the only thing they had left was this focaccia like herb bread so I sliced it horizontally and spread it with a mix of garlic and sweet cream unsalted butter and then sprinkled it with parmesan/asiago/romano blend and baked it open faced in the oven. It was delicious. I don't want to sound like a crazy woman but when I make up recipes I usually am super critical until I get it the way I want it. BGB said it was better than the ragout he's had in restaurants so that is good but I still think it needs work. When I decided to make my own roasted red pepper pasta I experimented for weeks, during that time, Steve aka Thomas Covenant of FBH was living with the girls and I. I made him eat it three times a week until I got it to my satisfaction. Nicholas aka Lord Foul of FBH came over for dinner during my third attempt and ate three heaping plates and then I found him in the kitchen licking the pot. I realize the food is good, but I am such a foodie snob....gah....and on the justification side of that, my roasted red pepper pasta is amazing. Again, I cook by smell and instinct but at some point I will try to put it in writing.

[bloodguard bob]

hey, don't forget we used grape tomatoes and mushed em up leaving the skins on and seeds in. seeds will always lend an astringent taste, and skins loose there sweet if cooked more than an hour. still yummers though.

[Menolly]

:::moaning at the descriptions:::

Oh Jenn...

How I wish I lived close by to sample your "experiments!"

:::see? You so could portray a G-ddess of Sensuality in Pantheon!!:::

:::still awaiting Damelon's reveal:::

Hmm...

Perhaps I should add "Pantheon proselytizer" to my signature...

[Avatar]

That's rich coming from you...

--A

[Menolly]

That's rich coming from you...

--A

I am my own first admitted addicted convert!!!

Blame it all on Bhakti!!!

:::and a few others who egged him on:::

Undine...Maeror...err...was Vadhaka one?

[Avatar]

I think he may have been...

--A

[Damelon]

Jenn, you and Bloodguard Bob should open a restaurant. I have a feeling that even in a restaurant town like SF it would stand out.

Or else do a Food Network show. I could just see the accompanying book. The Favorite Recipes of FBH

[Menolly]

Jenn, you and Bloodguard Bob should open a restaurant. I have a feeling that even in a restaurant town like SF it would stand out.

Or else do a Food Network show. I could just see the accompanying book. The Favorite Recipes of FBH

Oh, well said High L-rd!

::edit:::

Heh, the signature addition works...

[O-gon-cho]

That's rich coming from you...

--A

I am my own first admitted addicted convert!!!

Blame it all on Bhakti!!!

:::and a few others who egged him on:::

Undine...Maeror...err...was Vadhaka one?

I think he may have been...

--A

:::bowing head:::

Then please forward my thanks to Vadhaka, player of the L-rd of Assasins and Thieves. Without his persistance, I would not be...

[Menolly]

:::bowing head:::

Then please forward my thanks to Vadhaka, player of the L-rd of Assasins and Thieves. Without his persistance, I would not be...

:::pushing said deity out the door:::

Scat! Shoo!!

Wrong forum!!!

[Menolly]

Tonight I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel on freezer foods, but I am still $500 short on Beorn's camp tuition, so I need to make them stretch as best I can.

I have some smoked picnic ham I had the butcher cut into 1/3" steaks. Ill fry them up and serve them with Kraft blue box and some more frozen green peas.

Tomorrow we will bring Beorn to spend 10 days with my FIL. We'll return Wednesday evening, probably after FIL feeds us. Paul and I can get by on less fancy meals than when Beorn is home. I'll restock once Paul gets paid a week from Friday.

:::sigh:::

[Cameraman Jenn]

Don't knock the stretchin of the freezer foods, the pork ragout was born of the need to use up the cherry tomatos before they went bad!

[Menolly]

Agreed.

But, I am a recipe driven cook. I seriously do not have the creative streak in the kitchen that you do.

[Avatar]

To be honest, I don't think I've ever cooked from a proper recipe. Measurements? What are those?

--A

[Menolly]

Starting today, Beorn is gone for nine more days and I wanted to indulge in things Paul and I enjoy that we don't normally eat when Beorn is home. But, money is still tight right now.

I think tonight I'll defrost some cubed planned over roast turkey, break out some veggies, and make an oven baked frittata. Paul and I haven't had that in a while. Perhaps I'll break out the cheese fondue pot at some point this week, and do that as well.

Hmm...

[Cameraman Jenn]

Last night Bloodguard Bob and I went over to Julie's and Bloodguard Bob cooked the dinner. Julie and I were editing the final episode. Bloodguard Bob grilled rib eye steaks and corn on the cob. He made us a gorgeous side salad with mixed greens, cucumber, cherry tomatos, red pepper, mushrooms, feta and mandarin oranges. He also made oven roasted asparagus, lightly dipped in olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper. Delicious.

[Menolly]

Today I am defrosting some home made meat sauce and some mild Italian sausge links. Once defrosted, I'll put together a pan of lasagana.

A nice tossed salad and dinner will be done.

[Worm of Despite]

Might go to a local cafeteria called Pick O Deli this evening. Not sure what the main entree will be (they have good chicken fingers), but I do know I'll get some cheese and broccoli, as well as some sweet potato souffle (or maybe squash casserole, if I'm feeling particularly adventurous). Heh.

[Menolly]

Good to see you, LF! I love both sweet potato souffle and squash casserole, so it all sounds good to me.

We have a place here called Pickadilly Cafeterias; I've known of them since I was a child. Your place sounds similar, but even yummier.

[Worm of Despite]

Good to see you, LF! I love both sweet potato souffle and squash casserole, so it all sounds good to me.

We have a place here called Pickadilly Cafeterias; I've known of them since I was a child. Your place sounds similar, but even yummier.

Good to see you too, Menolly. I just got out of the nut house. The dinners weren't bad there, either.

But yeah--Pick O Deli is a local joint. I think I know the place you're speaking of, though--or at least I've seen commercials. I don't think our cafeteria has as many menu items (it is fairly small), but like I said, it has one of those "local" flavors that can't be beat.