So what's for dinner?

Windcutter · Jan 21, 2013

My own version of risotto which has no business being called that. But it's easy and light, and I actually prefer it.

Long grain rice. Good rice. Everything here depends on rice being good.
Tomatoes. A lot.
Bell pepper.
Dry red wine.
Soy sauce.
Basil.
Salt, pepper or chili powder or tabasco.
Garlic is optional, and so is jalapeño.
Cheese.

Cook: rice. Just basic steamed rice. Al dente.
Chop: tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño. Really small pieces.
Mix: wine, soy sauce, spices, herbs.
Put: the sauce mix and the veggie mix into the rice.
Cover: with lid.
Wait: 5-15 minutes.
Grate: cheese.
Sprinkle: cheese on top when serving.

Myrealana · Jan 22, 2013

My son wanted to make buffalo chicken quesadillas for dinner tonight - so I'm letting him.

Why not?

Jehhillenberg · Jan 25, 2013

I had a beefsteak & cheese sandwich and a side baked potato. I was very satisfied

L M Ashton · Jan 26, 2013

I'm making fried chicken today. I have a couple of different versions. What I've found, though, is that it tastes *so* much better if I marinate the chicken in chilli powder and salt at least overnight before I do the rest of it. It's become almost magical.

I'm also thinking of making naan today. They might even be ready for lunch if I get moving on that...

As for vegetables? Haven't figured that out yet.

stormie · Jan 27, 2013

My husband is making pasta with pancetta and leeks. (I think he's tossing it with extra virgin olive oil.)

Hip-Hop-a-potamus · Jan 27, 2013

I went back to Weight Watchers yesterday after gaining back a bunch of the weight I lost in 2011. I made a WW variation on a French-flavored dish last night. It's in a cookbook called "In Season" for the winter section.

Mustard-Spiced Cabbage with White Beans and Sausages.

Exactly what it sounds like. I used 2 turkey kielbasa sausages, and you cut them lengthwise.

Cook the sausages in a non-stick skillet for a few minutes, add about a cup and a half of chopped onion. Then add 1 t. fennel seeds, 1 t. ground cardamom and 2 cloves garlic.

After that's cooked a few minutes, add 5 cups chopped cabbage and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cook covered for about 10 minutes till cabbage wilts.

Drain and rinse the can of white beans and add to the pan along with 1 t. dried thyme.

Not bad, and nice and filling for a winter night.

Maze Runner · Jan 27, 2013

Italian! Meatballs, good ragu, and gonna try bracciole! Have only done it once before, years ago. Gonna give it a shot but my go-to sources are no longer available. Any good Italian cooks on here who can help? Stormie?

amy--amy · Jan 28, 2013

Tandori chicken.

The powder for the sauce comes from the supermarket, and the rice has already been tossed with spices at the factory: how easy can life be?!

Stacia Kane · Jan 28, 2013

Bebop said:
Italian! Meatballs, good ragu, and gonna try bracciole! Have only done it once before, years ago. Gonna give it a shot but my go-to sources are no longer available. Any good Italian cooks on here who can help? Stormie?

I've made braciole a couple of times, and have a couple of recipes; I wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert, but what sort of help are you looking for?

(ETA: Funnily enough, I am also making Italian tonight, with a shortcut bolognese [no soffreto].)

Maze Runner · Jan 28, 2013

Stacia Kane said:
I've made braciole a couple of times, and have a couple of recipes; I wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert, but what sort of help are you looking for?

(ETA: Funnily enough, I am also making Italian tonight, with a shortcut bolognese [no soffreto].)

Sorry I missed your response last night. I was first going to ask if it was okay to use a real thin cut of sirloin steak instead of round or flank. Also, there are a lot of different ideas on what goes inside. I improvised- used hard boiled eggs, parsley, romano, chopped garlic and onions, and I saw where one recipe asked for something like croutons. I had some two day old Italian bread and fried cubes in olive oil and garlic, figuring the harder they were the less likely they'd get soggy while cooking in the sauce. Well, it didn't work- that part didn't anyway. They were soggy after the braciole cooked in my tomato sauce for almost two hours. Long story short, the sirloin was fine- the rolls stayed in tact and the meat was tender. Still, if I would have gotten this in a good Italian restaurant I would have sent it back.
(Not really. I'm told that's when they spit on your braciole)

stormie · Jan 28, 2013

Bebop said:
Italian! Meatballs, good ragu, and gonna try bracciole! Have only done it once before, years ago. Gonna give it a shot but my go-to sources are no longer available. Any good Italian cooks on here who can help? Stormie?

Just saw this and wish I could've helped, but I've never made bracciole nor did my mother, and it's not in her favorite Italian cookbook from the 1950s. (The Talisman Italian Cookbook)

Stacia Kane · Jan 28, 2013

Bebop said:
Sorry I missed your response last night. I was first going to ask if it was okay to use a real thin cut of sirloin steak instead of round or flank. Also, there are a lot of different ideas on what goes inside. I improvised- used hard boiled eggs, parsley, romano, chopped garlic and onions, and I saw where one recipe asked for something like croutons. I had some two day old Italian bread and fried cubes in olive oil and garlic, figuring the harder they were the less likely they'd get soggy while cooking in the sauce. Well, it didn't work- that part didn't anyway. They were soggy after the braciole cooked in my tomato sauce for almost two hours. Long story short, the sirloin was fine- the rolls stayed in tact and the meat was tender. Still, if I would have gotten this in a good Italian restaurant I would have sent it back.
(Not really. I'm told that's when they spit on your braciole)

Ah, sorry. I didn't look at the timestamp on your post, so my bad, not yours.

The recipe I had used a mixture of minced garlic, parsley, and ricotta, if memory serves, with a little parmesan and nutmeg; rather similar, actually, to the filling I use for manicotti, which is one reason I chose it. I actually thought both the filling and the sauce in the recipe as written seemed bland, but it worked when it was cooked, so I stuck with it.

I use flank for mine, but if the sirloin works, hey, sounds good to me!

Maze Runner · Jan 28, 2013

Stacia Kane said:
Ah, sorry. I didn't look at the timestamp on your post, so my bad, not yours.

The recipe I had used a mixture of minced garlic, parsley, and ricotta, if memory serves, with a little parmesan and nutmeg; rather similar, actually, to the filling I use for manicotti, which is one reason I chose it. I actually thought both the filling and the sauce in the recipe as written seemed bland, but it worked when it was cooked, so I stuck with it.

I use flank for mine, but if the sirloin works, hey, sounds good to me!

Ricotta? Really? Ha, I never would have thought to use that and I had some too. I saw one that asked for mozzarella but figured it would dissolve in the sauce. I'm good at sauce and meatballs, but not much else. Grew up eating what I thought (doesn't everyone?) was the best Italian food around. We never ate in Italian restaurants. Wait, except for this one place called Delletusso's. I swear they must have made the sauce from scratch after you came in- that's how fresh it was and that's how long you waited for it.

Maze Runner · Jan 28, 2013

stormie said:
Just saw this and wish I could've helped, but I've never made bracciole nor did my mother, and it's not in her favorite Italian cookbook from the 1950s. (The Talisman Italian Cookbook)

That's okay Stormie. Maybe next time.

Sarita · Jan 28, 2013

Hip-Hop-a-potamus said:
Mustard-Spiced Cabbage with White Beans and Sausages.

I make something quite similar on a regular basis, only I use kale (why wouldn't I

) and instead of fennel and cardamom, I use red chili flake and coriander. Yum.

Stacia Kane · Jan 28, 2013

Bebop said:
Ricotta? Really? Ha, I never would have thought to use that and I had some too. I saw one that asked for mozzarella but figured it would dissolve in the sauce. I'm good at sauce and meatballs, but not much else. Grew up eating what I thought (doesn't everyone?) was the best Italian food around. We never ate in Italian restaurants. Wait, except for this one place called Delletusso's. I swear they must have made the sauce from scratch after you came in- that's how fresh it was and that's how long you waited for it.

I sometimes add a spoonful or two of ricotta to a bolognese sauce, if you're ever making sauce and looking to use up some ricotta. It's nice. Kind of like adding milk or cream (which I also do), but silkier and with deeper flavor.

And of course, if you have a parmesan rind to toss in while the sauce simmers, that's also quite nice.

Snowstorm · Jan 28, 2013

It's 5:20 p.m. I haven't stared in the pantry yet. *sigh*

Maze Runner · Jan 29, 2013

Stacia Kane said:
I sometimes add a spoonful or two of ricotta to a bolognese sauce, if you're ever making sauce and looking to use up some ricotta. It's nice. Kind of like adding milk or cream (which I also do), but silkier and with deeper flavor.

And of course, if you have a parmesan rind to toss in while the sauce simmers, that's also quite nice.

Sounds good actually. Thanks!

tarawriter · Jan 29, 2013

Crockpot BBQ Chicken. It's one of my go-to easy meals. The whole house smells wonderful as it cooks.

quicklime · Feb 12, 2013

paleo (primal) carnitas....fatty, crispy, porky goodness with cilantro and lime.... http://www.marksdailyapple.com/crispy-carnitas/#axzz2Kji4glDX

not just good, "it makes me happy in my pants" good

stormie · Feb 13, 2013

I'm sort of lazy today. Frozen cheese raviolis w/ tomato sauce. (Three cloves garlic, smashed and chopped) cooked in a bit of extra virgin olive oil for 30 seconds in the microwave, dump in a can or two of crushed tomatoes, add dried basil and cracked pepper, microwave for about 20 minutes while water comes to a boil for ravs.

Kewii · Feb 18, 2013

I'm really excited to try making this tonight:
Jalapeno Popper Chicken

I've been looking forward to it all week.

stormie · Feb 19, 2013

Okay, I'm in. That Jalapeno Popper Chicken looks delicious! And I'm going food shopping today. In the summer we grow jalapenos and I needed more recipes using them.

Thanks, Kewii!

Kewii · Feb 19, 2013

stormie said:
Okay, I'm in. That Jalapeno Popper Chicken looks delicious! And I'm going food shopping today. In the summer we grow jalapenos and I needed more recipes using them.

Thanks, Kewii!

It was fantastic. I honestly think it's one of the best things I've ever made. Enjoy!

L M Ashton · Feb 21, 2013

Yesterday and today was tom yum soup. It's fabulous - the soup, in general, that is. I have a cold, so I have no working tastebuds. The husband told me it was good, so I'm taking his word for it. When tom yum soup is done well, it's absolutely fantastic. I used this recipe. Mostly. With some variations.

If you haven't had tom yum soup, you really owe it to yourself to hunt some down.

So what's for dinner?

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