July Dining 2012

blue gecko · 07-01-2012, 08:29 AM

Hotter than a Firecracker! Whats on your menu?

Coyote · 07-08-2012, 06:19 PM

My firecracker is back in NH and as hot as she's ever been.

It's been a perfect summer day. Temps in the low eighties. Warm breezes. Low humidity. One of the ten best days of the year.

While I'm on a mission to gain weight, Christine wants to loose a few pounds.

So we had a late lunch of mussels in fresh marinara with a kale, avocado, cucumber and white bean salad, topped with a lime and olive oil dressing.

Cold Pinot Gri to wash it down.

blue gecko · 07-08-2012, 08:07 PM

Glad to see you're eating real food! Especially glad to see you're sharing it with Christine!!

---------- Post added at 07:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:04 PM ----------

Max gave me the afternoon off to visit friends and get some air. When I got home he had chicken frying, mashed potatoes and gravy and buttered corn! What a sweet guy! It was delicious!!

Sarrah · 07-08-2012, 08:50 PM

A brief pop in here.

I read a bit about you not up to snuff and recovering, Coyote. I had to search around to find info but I do see you are having eating troubles.
I too have directions from Doctor to eat more and stop loosing weight. I thought I'd never hear those words in my life.

OK, so today I have been eating cherries. I have a terrible tummy ache. I had a tummy ache yesterday too. That is when I started eating cherries. It isn't my fault the season is upon us is it? I'm doing my best to help out the local farmer.

I am not hungry.

But, for supper I'm cooking corn on the cob for DH and I and I threatened to throw the hot dogs in the pot too. I told DH that is the way a Canuck eats their corn and hot dogs. But, DH likes his fried or grilled. I like them grilled too but no one is up to that. I will fry his.
He went to the Doctor for a visit last Friday and he too got the word to stop loosing weight. Poor DH when I don't eat I don't cook mostly because I am not up to it and then he looses weight doing his own thing.
I like a boiled meal. Corn, new potatoes and wieners. But it is not a hit with DH. Of course he will eat whatever I make or don't make. But if I am making I do like to make something he likes. So, boiled corn and fried hot dogs for DH. No potatoes for anyone.

For dessert I have a cheese cake and several kinds of Klondike bar flavours in the freezer. Or, cherries...

Dessert is perhaps something you can add for calories Coyote. As long as they are nutritious like cheese cake or such.

Coyote · 07-10-2012, 07:55 AM

Hi Sarrah! Good to see you.

My eating problems had to do with a broken jaw but it's healing up and I'm looking forward to all the good things I'll be eating to gain 20lbs.

Unless there's something odd going on like gaining or losing to much weight, I'd say eat what you like, when you like, in the amount you like. Your body will let you know what it needs.

blue gecko · 07-12-2012, 09:16 AM

Last night we had open-faced cheeseburgers: Pan fried hamburger patties (in my new Olvida nickle plated cast iron skillet!) on 12 grain bread topped with sauteed sweet peppers, onions and mushrooms then a fresh sliced tomato and chedder cheese melted under the broiler. A few chips on the side gave it a little crunch. Delicious!

Feather · 07-12-2012, 10:08 AM

I had taken a steak out of the freezer for last night. I had it all seasoned and I put it in the oven to broil it. Then I sat at my desk. The next thing I know the smoke alarms are going off and the steaks are burnt hockey pucks. I won't be doing that for a long time.

Coyote · 07-13-2012, 06:14 PM

Christine and I hit my favorite trout pond at 5am. Air temp. 75*, humidity 89%, no breeze, water like glass and mid summer warm. Within twenty minutes we had two landlocked salmon and two rainbow trout.

I doubt we've ever hit such good fish so fast.

Sooo... we had a late lunch of grilled salmon fillets and zucchini with Sangria to wash it down.

"Summertime and the livin' is easy. Fish are jumpin'......."

Livin' life like a billionaire...

blue gecko · 07-13-2012, 08:14 PM

What a treat Coyote!

Max made his mom's favorite dish: Chili cheese nachos made with his homemade chili and salsa. DEEEELICIOUS!

Coyote · 07-19-2012, 08:07 PM

The heat wave finally broke today and since my jaw needs a little bit of a rest, I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and steamed zucchini.

Washed it down with a glass of Merlot.

Good, soft food with plenty of calories.

Feather · 07-19-2012, 10:23 PM

Yay! You're eating semi-solid foods.

We have strange meals around here. They're not really balanced but if you put together what we eat during the day, every thing equals out to be balanced. Take dinner tonight, we had Au Gratin potatoes. This morning is was cereal with milk and lunch was a peanut butter sandwich and fruit. If we want a snack it will either be veggies or fruit. We get the groups in but we do one meal that lasts all day.

blue gecko · 07-20-2012, 11:09 AM

Last night we had cheese ravioli and a marinara type sauce made with eggplant, tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, tomato sauce and our Italian Seasoning blend. The side was fresh crookneck squash seasoned with our homemade bacon and fresh green onions.

lilly · 07-20-2012, 12:15 PM

Bought some liver yesterday. Will be having liver and onions since it is cooler.

Also brought some steak to grill for the weekend. Have been eating corned beef, hash and eggs, plus loads of fresh bing and mt Ranier cherries, also peaches and strawberries with Greek yoghurt and a bit of lemon pound cake.

Have been spooning up the newest skippy, honey roasted peanut butter. A few tablespoons at a time, yummmy. Also loads of iced lemon tea during the heat wave.

CanadaSue · 07-20-2012, 12:23 PM

It's really been too hot to cook lately. I did a small roast chicken, mashed potatoes & carrots last night. Tonight - meatloaf with boiled potatoes & gravy - vegetables to be named later. Another lovely, cool evening & night coming so I don't mind cooking.

Will drop by the market downtown tomorrow & see what's on offer. I rarely shop thrtr though, it's a 'tourist' market with high stall fees & produce is far MORE expensive than at grocery stores. We're not big enough to have streets with open air markets - bummer.

blue gecko · 07-27-2012, 02:06 PM

Night before last Max made chicken fried steak (with some nice pork tenderloin), mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. It was delicious!

Last night we used the rest of the pork tenderloin, cut it into medallions, floured and browned them then simmered them with minced bacon, onions, mushrooms, a package of onion soup mix, garlic and plum wine. We served them over wide egg noodles. This is a dish my great aunt use to make when we visited her in norther Wisconsin. It was one of our favorites and she made it as a treat. My dad said the meal was "tasty" but can no longer recall Aunt Rosie making that special meal for us

Tonight we're having beef stew with new potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and onions.

lilly · 07-27-2012, 02:59 PM

Had some liver the other day, and that is it for liver for the next ten years. (Though I do like liver pate's and chopped hard boiled eggs on crackers.) A habit I got into when I was a teen down the shore.

Will buy some herring in sour cream next week, (herring is bad for gout), and that will be it. Had one lobster yesterday, and it seemed to me I didn't eat anything. I kept looking at the empty red shells and feeling I must be dreaming that I ate that tail in a few bites. (I usually buy two when they are on sale) and that will be it for Lobster this summer.

This is what I am doing this summer in this horrible humidity and heat. I have a yen for something, buy it, satisfy the yen after a few bites and then have no desire for it for years.

Had a small desire for bratwurst on sale, and half of one on some fresh rye bread and that was it.

Perhaps it is the heat.

Have been getting Indian curry dishes from the hot bar when I shop. Buy a bite of this, and a bite of that and it is enough to satisfy my yen.

They have also been giving iced coffee and iced tea out free while demonstrating their machines. I have one at home.

I have been drinking iced tea with lemon by the quart. The 97cent grapes and baby brie are a pleasure, as well as the various sweet plums at 99cents a pound. Very satisfying, moist, juicy and sweet.

flourbug · 07-27-2012, 03:23 PM

lilly, you're making me HUNGRY!

Lobster was a summer tradition for us in NJ - lobster, corn on the cob, and peach ice cream for desert.

CanadaSue · 07-27-2012, 04:39 PM

Meatballs, (not too spicy), rice & mixed, steamed veg tonight. I was supposed to have supper prepped by now so we could all eat as we felt like it. Had an errand this afternoon that prevented that, so now that I'm home, I'll sit for a bit & enjoy more of the opening ceremonies, then start mixing up meatballs...

flourbug · 07-27-2012, 05:02 PM

Sue, with the drought in the US animals are being sold off. That meat should soon be hitting the stores, and hopefully we'll get good deals. When I get ground meat in bulk, I make a bunch of different flavored meatballs. Just divide the meat up into different bowls and add spices for Italian, Swedish, Asian, even get creative and wrap herbed meat around a cube of cheese. I roll the mixture into balls, place on a cookie sheet, and freeze the meat raw, - but you can bake them too as that speeds cook time when you take them out.

Jason is "cooking" tonight. He's bringing home a pizza. I have been craving a real NY style pizza - crisp crust, tangy sauce, and salty mozzarella di bufala piled a mile deep.

Feather · 07-27-2012, 11:41 PM

I had corn flakes for dinner tonight and DH had rice with chopped hot dogs in it.

MaxTheKnife · 07-29-2012, 08:43 AM

I've been craving fried oysters for many moons now. You can ask BG. Every time I'd mention it, she'd roll her eyes. The reason is that its so difficult to find GOOD fresh or even frozen oysters here locally. Every time we'd shop at Kroger, I'd always hit the seafood department of the meat market and see what the offerings were. It was frustrating, but if I'm anything, I'm patient.

So anyway, last night we finally had fried oysters! We found some real nice looking ones at Kroger this past Thursday that were on sale. An 8 oz. container for $4.99. We bought two and after our Kroger super discount card discount they were only $3.50 each!!!

Since BG's Dad really likes shrimp, we thawed some shrimp to fry as well. And BG made a WONDERFUL crab and shrimp chowder to go with the fried shrimp and oysters. I made my normal cocktail sauce but kept it mild for her Dad. I'll let BG splain about the chowder because I didn't see everything that went into it. The oysters were HUGE so I cut them in half before breading them for the fry pan. It was a team effort, as usual. We do quite well together in the kitchen when I stay out of her hair.

It was a meal that I won't soon forget... Thanks BG!

blue gecko · 07-29-2012, 09:46 AM

You're welcome Max! You know how skeptical I've become of oysters since the spill and with the warm weather. These got a thumbs up because they came from the Pacific Northwest. They looked and smelled great, they were good to go. They were dipped in an egg and cream wash, rolled in fine cracker meal and fried til golden in butter with a bit of peanut oil. Max makes the best dipping sauces and his cocktail sauce is no exception.

They chowder started with a nice roux then sauteed finely diced green onion bulbs, celery, sweet peppers and mushrooms. Milk was the base with a little garlic and our own lemon pepper (made with real lemon zest and black, pink and green peppercorns). Next was oyster liquor, crabmeat and shrimp split in half lengthwise. Simmered on low just until the shrimp was cooked then topped with green onion tops and a bit of butter. Very tasty!

Coyote · 07-29-2012, 10:19 AM

That sounds great!

With the clam and oyster beds closed for the summer and the lobsterman's boycott, shellfish has been pretty scarce on my table for a while.

On the bright side, my buddy took the lobster boat and headed out tuna fishing. He's having good success on yellowfin and has brought in two bluefin that paid what six months of lobster trapping wouldn't have brought.

I'm helping pay for fuel so some of that yellowfin will eventual make it's way here.

In the meantime...

Last night I made up some herbed fettuccine in a garlic/basil olive oil sauce and topped it with pan fried trout fillets.

Cold beer to wash it down.

lilly · 07-30-2012, 02:57 PM

Going for more fishy food since I read about the Waterfall diet. I did change my eating after my car broke down, but now I'm going back to the fishy diet. Might even spring for two more lobsters and that will be that. One small lobster definatly is not sufficient.

I had switched to a lot of eggs and corned beef hash for a few weeks, and that seems to have tipped me into retaining fluid.

I don't understand these food allergy thingees, or if it is nreally a problem for me, but I'll give avoiding whole wheat bread, eggs and dairy a try for a while. I wasn't retaining fluid as much before I got on that particular kick.