This week in the kitchen

Monday/30-Aug-21: Leftovers tonight. We finished the Chicken-Liver Casserole with Mushrooms and Eggplant; I made another batch of Kentucky Minted Carrots (TLSouth, p67), which were just as good tonight even though I didn't cut them at an angle. For after, we finished the peach clafoutis.

Tuesday/31-Aug-21: Dinner was a half dose of Lemon and Thyme Risotto (web). I made it with chicken stock rather than vegetable stock. It was good stuff. I liked the lemon zing; Ed not so much. (How can it be that my sweetie doesn't like lemons?) A pair of chocolate-covered madeleines for after.

Wednesday/1-Sep-21: There was an Indian meal featuring a lamb and spinach dish on the plan for tonight, but yesterday Ed said he’d be happy to bbq. I scrambled around to find a new main course. We had Grilled Lamb Steaks with Rosemary, Garlic, and Red Wine (Thrill, p150), using “steaks” from the shoulder rather than the leg. They cooked up really well. After scrounging in the veggie drawer, we had roasted carrots and green beans tossed with some lemon juice, lemon zest, and parmesan when they were done. That looked pretty skimpy, so I made a tomato salad with red onions and basil and a lemony vinaigrette. And some potato gnocchi. A pair of chocolate-covered madeleines each for after.

Thursday/2-Sep-21: Shopping today. We managed to leave the insulated cold bag behind, so Ed had to go back to get it, bless his heart. 

Dinner was Salmon with Lemon-Herb Marinade (web). This was pretty good. I cooked it under the broiler, using the hinged gadget that you'd use on the bbq. Served with some spaghettis courts, which isn't spaghetti, but is short, and pretty good as a side starch; and thick half-moons of zucchini sautéed in olive and sesame oils, with sliced garlic and sesame seeds and a tablespoon of soy sauce added at the end (loosely a recipe found on the web). Some store-bought riz au laits for after.

Friday/3-Sep-21: Dinner was a half recipe of Roasted Chicken Banh Mi (web). Pretty good stuff, but way too much sugar for the carrots and cuke. I cut it back, but it was still sweet. As a side, there was my old standard, Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts (web). Some mini HD ice cream cups for after.

Saturday/4-Sep-21: Dinner was Texas Stacked Enchiladas with Corn and Black Beans (web). Surprisingly good. I had some new tortillas (brand Moctezuma) that are enormous, at least 20cm diameter. The package has 10 tortillas; I used 8 for two stacks with all the sauce and filling. Neither of us could finish our plates, so we'll have this again in a few days. I added more ancho powder along with chipotle and green chile (jalapeño) powder (1tsp each) to the sauce which seemed a bit bland. It seemed like an enormous amount of sauce, but I used it all. No dessert needed.

Sunday/5-Sep-21: Dinner was Spicy Thai Shrimp Pasta* (web; GD). I made all the sauce, with half the shrimp and pasta. No angel hair tonight, so there was spaghttini. No lemongrass (I thought I had some), so I used lemon peel instead. (The peel from one lemon is equivalent to two lemongrass stem, I read somewhere.) Some store-bought riz au laits for after. 

Progress on goals
This week: #1 VEG/FISH: 4 #2 PHOTO: no; #3 *DMA: yes
This month: #4 GUESTS: n/a
This year: #5 BACKLOG1: no; #6 BACKLOG2: no; #7 RECYCLE: 11; #8 NEW: 4

This week in the kitchen

Monday/23-Aug-21: Monday again. Dinner was a halfish recipe of Pan-Fried Chili and Garlic Chicken Livers (web). This was pretty good as chicken livers go (not my favorite thing). They went well with the grits. Also served with Kentucky Minted Carrots (TLSouth, p67). I made a half recipe of what should serve four and thought it servings were a bit skimpy, especially because it was good. A pair of chocolate chocolate-covered madelines for after.

Tuesday/24-Aug-21: Started to make dinner, then discovered I'd neglected to ensure there were fresh bread crumbs available. So I make a loaf of Easy French Bread (Electric, p62). 

Tonight's dinner, Mushroom Tortellini Soup (SimpSups, p116), was on the plan for tomorrow. I used the end of one jar of dried cèpes (porcini) and opened a new jar. Yuck, the "dried" cèpes were moldy, and seriously yucky at the bottom of the jar. So we were a bit short on the dried mushrooms. Pretty good stuff, though. The whole recipe should serve four, but the two of us ate it all. (Used my last jar of AH Paddestoelen Fond. When will we be able to get more, I wonder?) Some mini Häagen-Däsz ice cream cups for after.

Wednesday/25-Aug-21: Dinner was Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad (web). (I collected this from my EAT-L list.) This was a salad to serve eight, but it was a fine dinner for two. A pair of chocolate chocolate-covered madelines for after.

Thursday/26-Aug-21: Shopping today. Our favorite boulangerie is still closed for vacation and I forgot to buy bread at Leclerc, so I guess I'll be making more bread this week. Ed really likes the one I just make, but it's almost gone now.

Used up the last of my chicken livers to make Chicken-Liver Casserole with Mushrooms and Eggplant (TLSouth, p45). This wasn't bad at all. I did expect the eggs and cream to make a kind of custard around the livers, shrooms, and eggplant, but it was pretty watery. Still, tasted okay. Make a little salad as a go-with. Store-bought custard with caramel for after. It's late, but we're well-fed.

Friday/27-Aug-21: Made a loaf of German-Style Whole Wheat Bread (Rustic, p150). This is about the best tasting and textured whole wheat bread I've made.

Dinner was Crispy Fried Catfish (Delightful, p73). The fish was cod rather than catfish. The cod, as cod does, flaked after being steamed. So I fried the flakes. Only a bit of crispiness appeared. The green mango I bought for the go-with salad in the recipe was rotten at the core; I used a can of mango slices instead. Served with plain basmati rice and a half dose of Cabbage Salad (Delightful, p50), which was good again. A pair of chocolate-covered madeleines each for after.

Saturday/28-Aug-21: Dinner was a half dose of Turkey Tenderloins and Apricot Sauce (EAT-L; web). I used turkey scallops, from the freezer, rather than tenderloins; the cooking time was a bit less, I think. Served with orzo and broccoli. For after we had Peach Clafoutis (web). This was very easy and very yummy. Used my oval Wedgwood casserole, oval being the traditional shape for clafoutis.

Sunday/29-Aug-21: Dinner was, more or less, a half recipe of Tonnarelli al Granachio e Rucola—Tonarelli with Crab and Rocket* (ClassPasta, p107), made with linguine. 

More Peach Clafoutis for after.

Progress on goals
This week: #1 VEG/FISH: 3; #2 PHOTO: yes; #3 *DMA: yes
This month: #4 GUESTS: n/a
This year: #5 BACKLOG1: no; #6 BACKLOG2: no; #7 RECYCLE: 11; #8 NEW: 4

This week in the kitchen

Monday/16-Aug-21: Dinner was Creamy Blueberry Chicken Salad (web; CL/aug14). I used chicken from the last roast that I did (via the freezer). Blueberries from our own plants. (Which Ed told me about after I'd defrosted some. Have to make some kind of dish tomorrow to use them up.) That didn't look quite enough, so I made a salad of some roasted beets, a small can of corn, cilantro, and a lime vinaigrette. No dessert.

Tuesday/17-Aug-21: Used some of my roasted beets plus some leftover brick hanging around in the fridge to make, more or less, Beet and Feta Samosas (MadeIndia, p48). We had them as a starter while I was finishing the rest of dinner. Not as good as expected; the filling was better than the baked result. Dinner was West Indian Salmon Patties (web; GD). As before, I made four patties instead of six and two are now in the freezer for another night. Served with All-Purpose Rice and Beans (BigFlav, p262), a regular. Made a quarter recipe and still have some left to tart up for another meal. For after, I used yesterday's defrosted blueberries, plus the remains of some raspberries and strawberries I impulse-bought last week, to make Easy Berry Cobbler (MC; HandyBook). We're full.

Wednesday/18-Aug-21: Pizza out tonight before a concert. Nothing happened in the kitchen.

Thursday/19-Aug-21: Shopping today. Our favorite boulangerie is on holiday till September. 

Dinner was Spicy Grilled Fish (Q&E, p74) with salmon. Good stuff. It surprises me to find a new, good recipe in this book, since I've used it so much. There was a quarter recipe of Rice with Mushrooms and Mustard Seeds (Q&E, p102) for a side and Fresh Tomato Salad (Q&E, p107). Some store-bought riz au laits with caramel for after.

Friday/21-Aug-21: Dinner was a half dose of Pasta Pentimento* (EatingTog, p170) over whole-wheat spaghetti. Good stuff for so easy. For a salad, there was a halfish dose of Favorite Broccoli Salad* (web; GD; GD). This was good, if not something that went especially well with the pasta. Knowing that Ed doesn't like raw broccoli, I cooked it very briefly in the pasta water. (Was just surprised to find this salad on my DoMeAgain list! I wrote then what we said tonight at table, that this would be very good for a bbq.) For dessert there was some Jam Tea Cake (GD) with apricot jam. 

Saturday/21-Aug-21: In the morning I made the sauce for tonight's dinner, and salted the chicken for tomorrow. 

Dinner was a half dose of Pasta in Chilli Tomato Sauce (HomTrav, p222); this would have served three pretty eaisly. Served over linguine; have a bit left for a lunch. Tingly stuff. An Italian tomato sauce with ginger, chilies, and chili oil. Tasty. 

Some Jam Tea Cake for after.

Sunday/22-Aug-21: Dinner was Romertopf Clay-Baked Chicken, Stuffed with Serrano Ham and Olives (MedClay, p76). I cooked the stuffing separately. This was finished in a, to me, unusual way.  The chicken was taken out of the oven and out of the pot. The bottom was then emptied (to make a sauce with the juices), topped with a wire rack, the chicken put on that, and all back in the oven for another 10min. I've never seen this technique before, but it made for a nicely crisp skin, not usual for Romertopf.

Served with Lemon-Roasted Potatoes with Bay Leaves* (VegHarv, p231). This was good, of course, although I could have cut the potatoes into smaller chunks. I used the rest of my roasted beets to make a small version of Cold Beetroot with Cream (Pomiane, p180), an old favorite.

More Jam Tea Cake for after; it'sgetting a bit dry now.

Progress on goals
This week: #1 VEG/FISH: 4; #2 PHOTO: yes; #3 *DMA: yes
This month: #4 GUESTS: n/a
This year: #5 BACKLOG1: yes; #6 BACKLOG2: no; #7 RECYCLE: 11; #8 NEW: 4

This week in the kitchen

Monday/9-Aug-21: Ed's first carpal tunnel surgery today. His left arm is beginning to get some sensation now. It itches but doesn't move well yet.

Dinner was Chicken and Broccoli Curry (web) from Chef John. Not my favorite recipe of his, but quite edible. Ed like it better than I did. Some speculoos éclairs from the boulangerie for after.

Tuesday/10-Aug-21: Dinner was Chorizo-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin (web; GD). This wasn't hard and was very tasty. I didn't get my varkenhaas smashed to 1/4" thickness, so the roll was a bit open on the joined side. No matter. Tasted good. Served with the simple red pepper salad in the headnote and, having no potatoes on hand, with orzo. A pair of chocolate covered madeleines for after.

Roasted some beets in the evening. Not often that fresh beets are in the shop, so I grabbed them last week.

Unfortunately, we seem to be eating Spanish-style this week, with very late dinners. I'll try to do better.

Wednesday/11-Aug-21: Finished reading (quickly) Rustic this morning. This was a book that I rescued from the recyling box on my last go through the cookbooks. I've made one bread twice so far and have many more marked to try. I'm going to make a list of those. Now that we've been going to the boulangerie for bread for several weeks, maybe I'll feel like baking a bit. Bread machine is nice when it's hot. (Looks like we're getting ready to settle into a heat wave; no rain in sight.)

Hmm...I see I've now only got one cookbook listed as currently reading, and I'm almost finished with that. I'm pretty sure that's not right. 

Dinner was Lemon Pepper Chicken, which uses L&P White Wine Worcestershire, or, as it's more recently known, L&P Marinade for Chicken. The recipe came from a bottle a long time ago. Unfortunately,  I used up my bottle today and it looks like it's no longer made. I'm looking for a "copycat" recipe. I can't find the recipe online. A shame because it's delicious. Marinated some skinless, boneless chicken thighs and cooked them under the broiler, Ed not being quite ready to bbq. Served with a made-up salad of brown rice, roasted beet, sliced carrot, shallot, with a lemony vinaigrette. For after we had a bit of hazelnut cake with the rest of the vanilla-almond ice cream.

Thursday/12-Aug-21: Shopping today. Got out SFAH to read on the way, then noticed I've actually finished reading, except for the bibliography. Got out another cookbook to read, then remembered I have to drive (Ed can't drive yet). Oops. Did our shopping and went to pick up a new Livebox which, for the second time, was not there. Grr...

Dinner was Swordfish Steaks with Anchovies and Wild Mushrooms (WorldFood, p118). Served with some some gnocchi (impulse buy today) and a fresh tomato salad. Some store-bought coffee-flavored custard things for after.

Friday/13-Aug-21: We finally managed to get a new Livebox today, and it's all installed and running. But internet connectivity is still slow and broken. Sigh.

Dinner was Cheese, Pear & Kiwi Fruit Salad (PatSalads, p36). I more or less a full recipe, with about a quarter of the dressing. The cheese was Maaslander. An odd combination, but good stuff. Some chopped nuts might be nice. A pair of chocolate chocolate madeleines for after.

Saturday/14-Aug-21: Dinner was Thai-Style Beef Salad (web). This was from a Cook's Illustrated cookbook that's been recycled. It was okay, better than average even, but I have similar recipes. For after there was some quite good Banana Bread (GD; GD). This was a recipe I gathered from EAT-Lers on Facebook. 

Sunday/15-Aug-21: Dinner was Curried Red Lentil Zucchini Soup* (web; GD). We liked it a lot last time; this time, I thought it was so-so, but Ed liked it. Oh well. A pair of chocolate chocolate madeleines for after. (The Banana Bread makes a really good breakfast.)

Sigh, another week without a photo.

Progress on goals
This week: #1 VEG/FISH: 3; #2 PHOTO: no; #3 *DMA: yes
This month: #4 GUESTS: n/a
This year: #5 BACKLOG1: no; #6 BACKLOG2: no; #7 RECYCLE: 11; #8 NEW: 4

This week in the kitchen

Monday/2-Aug-21: Dinner was from Jacques Pepin, Scallops in Cream on Spinach (web; GD). I served with a bit of tagliatelle, then the spinach, then the scallops. Pretty good stuff. A pair of chocolate covered madeleines each for after.

Tuesday/3-Aug-21: Dinner was Korean Beef (web) served over white rice. I see that the amount of brown sugar has been corrected down closer to the amount I used, 1/2cup down to 1/4cup, I used about 3tbl. The picture, I see, tops with green onion and sesame seeds, not mentioned in the recipe. Made all and froze half. Might add a bit of veg, broccoli perhaps, when it comes round again. Served with Korean Green Salad (web). This was pretty good. For after we had some freshly made vanilla-amaretto ice cream with a bit of store-bought hazelnut cake. Good stuff.

Wednesday/4-Aug-21: Dinner was a half dose of Shrimp Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce (web). Pretty good stuff. My thin rice noodles were awfully thick after soaking/boiling, but went down okay. Some hazelnut cake for after.    

Thursday/5-Aug-21: Shopping today. 

Dinner was Smoky Chorizo Salmon* (web; GD). This is easy and fast (except for deseeding all those cherry tomatoes, as we must do around here). Served with a side of orzo. Some chocolate eclairs from the boulangerie for after. 

 

Friday/6-Aug-21: Ed got his pre-surgery (carpal tunnel) PCR today. All clear.

Dinner was Tarte à la Tomate (TLProvFr, p50 in the hardback, p15 in Supplement Number 1). There being no gruyère in the cooler, I used Beaufort, which is the same kind of thing. The recipe asks one pound of cheese. I sliced about 2/3 of that and used about half of what I sliced. Lots of fresh basil. The two of us ate the whole tart. Followed by a big salad. Without tomatoes. 

Then a bit of hazelnut cake (I bought another this week) with strawberries and cream.

Saturday/7-Aug-21: Dinner was, vaguely, Polenta Pasticciata—Polenta with Cream Sauce and Mushroom (TLItal, pp21). I didn't feel like making the polenta early and chilling it, so I just served soft polenta topped with the mushroom and bechamel. I ran out of polenta (yipes!) so used grits for the rest. Added a bit of minced garlic to the shrooms. Good stuff if not as fancy as the squares. Then a salad. Then some store-bought riz au laits.

Sunday/8-Aug-21: We had lunch out today to celebrate the 39th anniversary of our leaving Houston. A few nibbles in the evening, but nothing to write home about.

Progress on goals
This week: #1 VEG/FISH: 5; #2 PHOTO: yes; #3 *DMA: yes
This month: #4 GUESTS: n/a
This year: #5 BACKLOG1: yes; #6 BACKLOG2: no; #7 RECYCLE: 11; #8 NEW: 4