What's for Dinner?

Monday January 12, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

Hot doggie! Chili dogs, to be precise. These are about as decadent good as it gets. Basic all-beef franks, white bread buns, beanless chili from a can, cheddar cheese, onions, jalapenos, and Fritos! Ole!

Sunday January 11, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Picked up some stuff from the grocery store's deli counter: pot roast, roasted veggies, and mac-n-cheese. Delicious, but not quite as good as it would've been home-made.

Saturday January 10, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

Dinner out, PF Chang's, an upscale(ish) Chinese place. Great atmosphere, great service, pretty good food, though not up to expectations.

Friday January 9, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Pot pies..... Yummy, but not very exciting.

Followed by an newly invented cocktail!

The (not yet named).

Bourbon (3 parts)
Vanilla cognac (1 part)
bitters
soda
ice

Garnished with lemon peel. Oh, man.

Thursday January 8, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

I am a slacker. I do not remember.

Wednesday January 7, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

Big Caesar salad, with skinless chicken breast and bacon crumbles.

Tuesday January 6, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Stir fry variant, using leftover hamburger.

onion
beef broth
red wine
garlic
mushrooms
1/3 pound pre-cooked ground beef patty, chopped
broccoli
bok choy

Cooked together in the order listed. About 30 minutes total, but the first 15 was a simmer between beef and broccoli to reduce the liquids.

Enjoyed this with a glass of zinfandel. Would have been good over rice or noodles, but I am fighting a holiday bulge.

Monday January 5, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

Ever had a patty melt? Well, this wasn't one of those greasy cardboard diner versions....

One third pound of lean ground beef
Worstchester sauce
Salt n Pepper
Homemade thousand island dressing (mayonnaise, catsup, Worcester sauce, finely diced onion, sweet pickle relish. Mix to taste.)
cheddar cheese
onion, halved and sliced thin
mushrooms sliced
Dark rye bread

Mix the Worstchester into the ground beef, form patties, then salt and pepper them. Fry until one side is well-browned, then turn. Add onions and mushrooms to the pan. Cover, reduce heat, and let it go for a while (about 20 minutes). MEANWHILE, spread some dressing on two slices of bread. Make yahself a sammich. Eat it up. Yum.

Sunday January 4, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Had a very tasty Italian meat sandwich:

ham
salami
pepperoni
swiss cheese
red onion
stoneground mustard
mayo
dark whole grain molasses bread

Popped open a bottle of winter wee-strong ale (Scottish strong ale) and a few tater chips.

Saturday January 3, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

Soft tacos: mixed up a little taco meat:

quarter pound of ground beef
diced onion
chili powder
fresh ground cumin
salt & pepper
squirt of catsup
little water

Browned the burger and onions, then mixed everything else together and let it simmer until it looked right.

Served with olives, green onions, cheddar cheese, soft flour tortillas, homemade guacamole, sour cream, and BEER.

Friday January 2, 2009 Dinner

2009-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hawaiian takeout: teriyaki pork, with a green salad. Salty dogs and movies. Gotta love Fridays.

Thursday January 1, 2009 Happy New Year

2009-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

After the season's excesses, thought it might be good to tone things down a notch or two. Pretty much just picked and scratched all day, leftovers and such, very low quantities of everything. The closest thing to a "dinner" was a bowl of popcorn and a couple of "Harlow" old-fashioneds with a movie on the TV. Great way to spend the first day of a brand new year.

Wednesday December 31, 2008 PARTY

2009-01-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

My lovely wife put on a New Year's Eve party, pretty much all by herself, soup to nuts. Whew! It was marvelous. The menu included:

Baked ham, salami & cheese sandwich with mushrooms, roasted red pepper, onion, and served with a kalmata olive tapenade
Crab salad on celery sticks with fresh pea garnish
Fruit salad with dates
Bûche de Noël cake

All very yummy, with candy & cookies galore.

Tuesday December 30, 2008 Dinner

2009-01-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

Ate out, at our favorite bbq joint, Hole in the Wall. Had a half-rack of luscious ribs with coleslaw and these cheesy "Texas Potatos" they make. Sweet tea, and good to go.

Monday December 29, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

Zucchini marinara

This was a good way to use up some leftover homemade marinara. Just sauteed some fresh zucchini with an onion and a bunch of mushrooms, added the marinara with a splash of wine, and let it simmer down to a manageable consistency. Could have served it over bread, noodles, or rice, but just ate it plain with a small caesar salad and a glass of the generic red I cooked it with.

Sunday December 28, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-29T14:27:00.000-08:00

BACT sandwiches! Sweet!

Bacon

Avocado
Cheddar cheese
Tomato

On country white bread, with mayo & butter. And a fair fist-full of Kettle Chips.

December 24-27, 2008 Feasting

2008-12-27T12:56:00.001-08:00

It is impossible to separate the last four days into distinct dinners. Feasting has been the rule of the day, here at home and at the homes of family. Christmas dinner itself was a delightful entity shared with my wife alone (steamed crab, fruit, cheeses, dates, cold asparagus spears, chiabata, and a truly elegant meursault), but it continued through to Boxing Day, and seemed to blend right in from Christmas Eve dinner buffet and Christmas morning breakfast. Not to mention non-stop snacking upon a host of treats and lovelies of rare delight. sigh. I believe I am ready for month of salad and meager fare.

Monday December 22, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-23T10:20:00.000-08:00

Found some nice fresh raviolis at the market—stuffed with four cheeses—and served it with a quick and easy marinara and some fresh Parmesan.

Easy Marinara

1/4 cup of diced onion
dash of olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup chopped black olives
dried basil & oregano (fresh would've been better, but hell, it's winter)
salt & pepper
one regular-sized can of tomato sauce (I used organic, but any kind would be fine)
Parmesan cheese to taste

Just saute the onion for a minute in the oil, then add the sauce and all the other stuff, and let it simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Sunday December 21, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-22T14:36:00.001-08:00

I baked a halibut fillet thusly:

Drizzle of olive oil in a baking dish
salt & pepper fillet, very light dusting of dill weed
lay fillet in dish
cover with juice of one lemon, then a bit of grated lemon rind
generous layer of capers atop
few tablespoons of viognier
Cover tightly with aluminium foil and bake at 325 for about 35 minutes.

Served it with broccoli, and a glass or two of the viognier.

Saturday, December 20, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-22T14:33:00.000-08:00

Ate at a very popular Italian chain restaurant. I had a seafood thing over fettucini. I was a pretty tasty dish, but they snuck something milk-ish in there and I paid a price.

Friday, December 19, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

Burrito night, the reprise. Same as Friday, November 7.

Cocktails, however, tell a different story. Manhattans, only vanilla!

3 parts quality bourbon (I use Wild Turkey)
1 part vanilla cognac (I recommend Navan)
dash of Angustura bitters

Shake all ingrediants together with lots of ice. Serve in a frozen martini-style glass with twist of lemon. Oh, man.

Thursday December 18, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

Did the chicken Caesar salad thing again, only with a little twist. For the chicken, I sprinkled the skinless, boneless breast with salt, pepper and marjoram, then wrapped it in a single, tight layer of bacon. Baked at 350 for about an hour (or until the bacon looks done). Cut it up and top the salad with chicken, chunks of avocado, and parmesan cheese.

And finish the Bogle from last night!

Wednesday December 17, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Oh, baby, this was good. Spaghetti squash carbonara, ala Max.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Halve lengthwise one medium-sized spaghetti squash. Clean out the guts with a spoon. Lay the halves cut-side down in a large baking dish containing about an inch of salted water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. This is how you tell it's done: take the dish out of the oven. Carefully remove the foil--I said carefully! there will be much hot hot hot steam. Gently turn one of the squash halves over and rake it with a fork. If the squash is done, you'll pull spaghetti-like strands of squash flesh away. You want them to come off easily, but still hold together as strings. Overcook, and they go to mush. If done, let it stand somewhere to cool a bit and move on to phase two.

6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
3-4 big cloves of garlic
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
4-6 cups of Italian kale (or similar green leafy stuff) julienned, blanched, & well-drained
1/4 cup of dry sherry
splash of milk, cream, whatever you have that's white
Tsp of flour
Lots of fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese (I used about 3/4 cup)
salt & pepper to taste

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until done. Do not drain. Add onion, cook until slightly translucent. Add mushrooms & garlic, salt & pepper. Stir about for a minute. Add kale, add sherry. Reduce heat, cover and let cook for about five minutes. Add flour, stir well. Add milk, stir until slightly thickened. Add cheese a little at a time until blended.

Return to the squash. It should be cool enough to handle. Rake the spaghetti strands into a large bowl with your fork. Add the bacon/kale mixture and toss. Eat it up. Yumm.

Went quite well with a glass of Bogle Merlot. Okay, two glasses.

Tuesday December 16, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-17T13:55:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, I just get tired of the whole eating thing. Last night just kind of snacked—handful of sunflower seeds, couple of bites of coleslaw, a few animal crackers, a cookie. I think that if I ate like that more often, I'd weigh less!

Monday December 15, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

Polska Kielbasa with homemade coleslaw. Used to do this meal pretty regularly, but it's been a while and I missed it.

Just heated up a kielbasa in a covered saucepan with about an inch of water in it. (Beer also works very well.) Served with coarse mustard.

Coleslaw is one of those things that I thought would be hard to do successfully. I was wrong! Coleslaw dressing is easy as it could be—and nearly infinite possible variations keep it interesting.

Coleslaw

One half head of cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup of diced onion
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
enough dressing to taste

Coleslaw dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp of orange juice
tsp of sugar
decent pinch of salt
grind of fresh pepper

Stir it up. Keep tasting it until you like it! The ratio of salt to sugar is an important element of slaw dressing. Other variants use vineager instead of orange juice, but I've also used lemon juice successfully.

Sunday December 14, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-15T10:44:00.001-08:00

KFC. W00t!

Saturday December 13, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Nondescript mall-court food-like material of a vaguely Asian sort. Bleh.

Friday December 12, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

Pizza night. Found a new place that serves Napoli-style thin crust pizza. Pretty good: great crust, topped with mozzarella they make themselves, then prosciutto, artichoke heart, and kalmata olives.

Thursday December 11, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-12T08:30:00.001-08:00

Leftovers, which can be pretty tasty. Leftover chicken chili soup (actual even better after blending in the fridge for a couple of days), and the rest of the Hungarian salami with cheese on some hearty homemade bread.

Wednesday December 10, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, I eat a lot of salad. It's not so much that I like salad (although I do) it's really more that as an over-the-hill desk jockey with very little self-restraint I gotta be careful lest I super-inflate to the size of Mount Hood. Last night's salad was of the seafood variety, blue cheese dressing topped with bay shrimp and few delicious little dabs of crab leg meat.

A glass of Sauvignon Blanc, just for internal consistency.

Tuesday December 9, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-10T11:31:00.001-08:00

Sandwiches rule. Easy, tasty, and you can eat them with your hands. Tonight's offering was a central European tour, really. Black forest ham, Hungarian salami, Swiss cheese, German mustard, and all on French bread. With an Oregon Black Butte Porter and some Northwest made black pepper & sea salt potato chips. Oh, well, had something going there for a bit!

Monday December 8, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-09T11:45:00.001-08:00

I used to cook a lot with canned goods. There was a time, in fact, when Campbell's cream of mushroom soup was the basis of half my cuisine. That's not the case anymore, of course. Now a days I'm far more likely to start my sauces from scratch, and to rely on fresh produce wherever possible.

Last night was an interesting exception.

Southwest Chicken Chili Soup (the canned version!)

1 can tomatillas (16 oz.)
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatos (14 oz.)
1 can mild green chilies (8 oz.)
1 can black beans (12 oz.)
1 can chicken stock (12 oz.)
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium sized chicken breast, diced
1 smallish onion
2-3 cloves garlic
olive oil
1/4 cup sherry
ground coriander
fresh oregano

Saute chicken in olive oil until cooked through. Add onion & garlic, saute until onion gets translucent. Add diced tomatillas, tomatos, chilies, beans, corn, stock, sherry. Bring to boil. Reduce to low simmer. Add coriander & oregano. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Serve with coarse bread. And beer. Lots of beer.

Sunday December 7, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

Enough of the eating out already! Okay, tonight it was take out. Picked up a chunk of cooked pot roast and a tub of mixed salad at the supermarket deli. Good enough.

Salty dog after and a couple of these wonderful chocolate/tangerine cookies from Dancing Deer.

Saturday December 6, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

Out again, this time a burger at one of the fancy-pants chain restaurants. It was a "five-alarm" burger with jalapenos and pepperjack cheese and kinda good.

Had a bourbon soda alongside, just for balance.

Friday December 5, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-08T10:31:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season, all right. Much eating in restaurants as we stagger about the city's malls and shops looking for whatever is we're looking for. Friday night was at our standard Mexican place, Chapalas. I had the "Three Amigos" which is a ginormous plate of Chili Verde, Chili Colorado, and Chili Rellano. Whew. Thought I was gonna die of excess. In a good way, naturally.

Thursday December 4, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

Stir fry again. It's kind of weird, really. We do stir fry fairly often, but it never comes out the even close to the same twice. Much depends on the type of meat, if any, the amount and proportions of vegetables, and the seasoning choices. This one was pretty tasty:

Chicken breast
Bacon
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms
Baby bok choy
Red chard

This was all cooked together with a bundle of fresh herbs fin (which is French for whatever fresh herbs you have laying about—this one was rosemary, oregano, and sage) in steamed in red wine.

Had to have a glass of the red along with it, of course.

Wednesday December 3, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we reprised the turkey sandwich from Monday. Differences: country white bread and a little cranberry-port relish on the side. Went quite well alongside a Black Butte Porter.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Big salad night, only with a twist: leftover turkey! Also used blue cheese dressing for a change. And the avocado was perfect.

Glass of South African Sauvignon Blanc which was so-so.

Monday December 1, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well, okay, so what if I didn't cook a turkey for Thanksgiving? So what if I went to a upscale restaurant and pigged out on the buffet line? That does not mean I can't enjoy a leftover turkey sandwich. I cheated. I roasted a turkey breast just so I could have leftovers. And then I made a nice turkey sandwich.

Roast Turkey Breast

1 split turkey breast (about 2.5 pounds), bone in
rubbed with olive oil
inserted two twigs of rosemary under the skin
inserted 5 peeled cloves of garlic under the skin
coarse sea salt and generous pepper
roasted at 375 for 1.5 hours

Cooked, then cooled overnight in the refrigerator. Thin slices of turkey on whole grain bread with coarse mustard, mayo, red onion and cheddar cheese. Along with a home-brewed IPA and a handful (or two) of Fritos, it was just plain tasty.

Sunday November 30, 2008

2008-12-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

Reprised the cheese & fruit from Friday. Changes: mango instead of pear, no avocado.

Saturday November 29, 2008

2008-12-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

Had a half-rack of ribs with mashed taters and sauted mushrooms at a chain outfit known for its appeal to college-aged kids. Okay, but not fabulous.

Friday November 28, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-01T10:55:00.001-08:00

A classic around our house: cheese, fruit, and other finger foods.

There was:

a lovely huntsman (layered cheddar & blue)
a peppered brie
an aged gouda which was delightful
pear
pomegranate
assorted olives
dates
avocado
table water crackers

And old fashions & a cheese danish for dessert.

Thursday November 27, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

Had a Thanksgiving feast at a local upscale restaurant's buffet. It was lovely. Of particular enjoyment: the candied ham, the creamed spinach, the Greek salad with shrimp. This place also is famous for one of my favorite desserts, a flourless chocolate torte. OMG. Drool.

There will be no leftovers, sadly, but also no cleaning up.

Wednesday Novemember 26, 2008 Dinner

2008-12-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I do not remember!

Tuesday November 25, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-26T15:28:00.001-08:00

Tried another variation on the stir-fry theme last night.

1 lb beef, cubed (used round steak, but should have gone with something a little better quality)
3 strips bacon
diced onion
sliced mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets
garlic aplenty
tbsp of soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine
salt & pepper

Started the bacon and cooked until almost done. Seasoned the beef, then chucked it in. Once browned, added onions, mushrooms, garlic and broccoli. Sauted for a mintue or two, then added soy and wine. Covered and steamed the whole mess for about 20 minutes. Served over basmati & wild rice (cooked with chicken stock & saffron).

Can't remember the name of the wine. It had a good flavor, but was a bit one-dimensional. Italian, I think, though I usually love those.....

Monday November 24, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Thought I was getting a philly cheesesteak sandwich, but it really fell short of that mark. The espresso stout that came with it was a saving grace. *sigh* sometimes the dinner out thing just doesn't work. Next time will be fabulous!

Sunday November 23, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-24T10:45:00.001-08:00

Oh, you have to like breakfast for dinner. Pancakes and bacon, with a screwdriver (vodka & orange juice) for beverage.

Saturday November 22, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Had a nice mixed grill dinner at a seafood restaurant called McGrath's Fish House. This is Eugene's best seafood. My plate was a well-prepared and attractively served combo with grilled salmon, shrimp, and a crab cake. The crab cake was a bit over-bready, but the rest was very tasty.

Enjoyed a delicious Black Butte Porter along side.

Friday November 21, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

Burrito night again! See Friday November 7.

Thursday November 20, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-21T12:40:00.000-08:00

Fried up a vegetarian burger patty (one of the grain-based variants) and put it on whole grain bread with cheddar cheese, onion, and avocado. Even though technically it was a bread-on-bread sandwich, it was quick and tasty.

Enjoyed a nice salty dog for a change of pace:

Vodka
Grapefruit juice
Course sea salt

Mix the vodka and juice in a glass full of ice. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on the top. I use about a quarter teaspoon, but I'll probably die young.

Wednesday November 19, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

A reprise of Monday, November 11's big salad. Only differences:

Served Italian chopped style
Add black olives
Chicken breast seasoned with paprika instead of marjoram

No wine with dinner, but a bourbon soda a bit later.

Tuesday November 18, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Comfort food tonight, with two of my favorites: tomato soup & a grilled cheese sandwich. Nothing special, just better-than-average canned soup and a cheddar on wheat bread sandwich. Finger-licking good.

Monday November 17, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

I had a "gourmet" chicken pot pie. It was delicious, but did not agree with me. Seems they add whipping cream to the filling. Now, I'm as big a fan of creamy as anyone, but I am also lactose incompetent (not to mention "intolerant"). Meaning I cannot seem to digest the stuff anymore. Which is a great pity. Here are things I can no longer eat, but wish I could:

Ice cream
Lattes, particularly EGG NOG
Cream-filled pastry
Cow's milk on cereal
Egg nog
and now, apparently, freaking chicken pot pies.

Sheesh.

Sunday November 16, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

Went to a local Moroccan restaurant last night with some family. Cafe Maroc is pretty awesome--marvelous decor, great service & food, and even some fun entertainment. You guessed it, bellydancing.

We ate traditional multi-course family style. There was a roasted red pepper hummus (deeelishous), a chunky lamb soup, a yellow beet & couscous salad, and a lovely fig & Moroccan cheese dessert. With hot sweet minty green tea.

But most yummy was the entree: I had a spicy goat stew served over couscous. Way yummy.

Saturday November 15, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

A nondescript mushroom cheeseburger and mediocre fries, sloshed down with a vanilla Pepsi. Not even Coke, for cryin' out loud....

Friday was leftover Chinese take out. Didn't deserve a post of its own, really. Did have a couple of old fashions, though.

Thursday November 13, 2008

2008-11-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

Batch'in' it, so it's time for take out Chinese. Right out of the deli case at Safeways. Not what you'd call "gourmet," exactly, but sometimes you just gotta make do....

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-13T10:00:00.001-08:00

Out, again! Hurray!

This time, to our favorite BBQ joint, Hole in the Wall. Wow. Hand-pulled slow-cooked pork with spicy "Bullwhacker" sauce, a side of slaw and a side of Texas taters (cheesy!) and a big old glass of sweet tea.

'Course, when I got home I had a hefty bourbon soda for dessert.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-12T08:08:00.001-08:00

Mmmmm, teriyaki beef stir fry!

Marinate thin slices of beef (round steak works great) overnight in homemade teriyaki sauce.

teriyaki sauce

4 ounces pineapple juice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup of dry sherry

splash of olive oil

1 teaspoon dry ginger (fresh grated would be better)

few grinds of fresh black pepper

Heat the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat until it simmers. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. I pour the cooled sauce into a large ziplock bag then toss in the beef and seal it. Shake it. Refrigerate it.

The next day, remove from fridge and drain the marinade into a bowl. Put the meat into a heated large skillet or wok with a little oil and some onions.

Most any vegetables you like go in, the hardest ones first (carrots, celery, bell pepper, bok choy, like that). Then I add about a cup of the marinade and cover the whole skillet with a mound of jullienned chard or cabbage, and crush a few garlic cloves over the whole mess. Put a cover on the pan and let it steam.

Serve over brown rice.

I enjoyed this with a nice glass of Ravenswood Zinfandel.

Monday, November 10, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-11T13:00:00.000-08:00

A big salad for dinner....

Romaine, onion, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms tossed with Caesar dressing.

Perched on top:

Cubed avocado
grated Parmesan cheese
pan braised chicken breast

For the chicken, rinse and pat dry one skinned and boned chicken breast. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and herbs (I used marjoram this time). Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan on medium high. Lay the breast into the oil and let it sit for 3 or 4 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn it, and let the other side brown for 2 or 3 minutes. Add about a cup of liquid, chicken stock, water, or my personal choice, dry sherry. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 5 or so minutes, until the liquid is gone. If you then watch carefully for the pan to begin to brown, you can deglaze it with a tablespoon or so of sherry, and coat the breast in the rich brown juices that result. Remove from the heat and test for doneness. I can tell by touch--the surface gives to slight pressure but immediate rebounds--but if you are not certain, make a small incision into the thickest part and pry it apart to look for pink meat. If you see some, put it back on the fire, add a little more liquid, and cover for a few more minutes. When done, remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then cut it up and top the salad. Manga!

A glass of Sauvign Blanc goes well with a salad of this sort.

Sunday, November 9, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-10T14:13:00.001-08:00

Another outing, this a real to-do party in honor of a friend's birthday. 'Twas a blast. Very Italian menu, with fabulous appetisers and lots of good red Italian wine. The standout for me was a polenta & sausage baked dish. Yum, yumm, yummi. Happy Birthday, Anji!

Saturday, November 8, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-10T14:08:00.001-08:00

Whoopee! Going out for dinner! Went to Turtles Bar & Grill. Just about everytime I go there, I have the same thing: Chicken-fried steak. This thing is as good as it gets this side of Mason-Dixon. Huge steak, tender and delicious, atop a mound of garlic mashed potatos and a side of perfectly cooked broccoli. Even the dinner salad is awesome, topped with a the usual things as well as red beans, chickpeas, corn and carrot sticks. Whew. I can't believe I ate the whole thing.

And what goes with Chicken-fried steak? A jalapeno vodka martini, straight up of course.

Friday, November 7, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

Burrito night! Can of low-fat refried black beans, cheddar cheese, onions, olives, flour tortillas.

Plus, homemade salsa and guacamole.

Salsa:

2 medium vine ripened tomatoes
2-4 medium fresh jalapenos
1 fresh habenero (optional)
diced onion
vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper
fresh oregano or cilantro

Fire-roast the peppers until they are blackened. Then peel them and dice them. BE CAREFUL. If you do this, then touch yourself anywhere sensitive before thoroughly washing your hands you will scream like banshee and cry like a little baby. Peel the tomatoes. Dice everything, and mix with a pinch of salt & pepper, a dash of vinegar & olive oil. Toss in the herbs last, stir well, and store in a glass jar with a tight lid. This stuff will get hotter and hotter the longer it's stored.

Guacamole:

One ripe avocado. Should be soft enough that a gentle squeeze dents it.
diced onion
sour cream
salt & pepper

Mush up the avocado. Add the other ingredients and stir well. Use immediately, or cover with a layer of plastic wrap laid right on top of the guacamole.

Cocktails: Wild Turkey modified old fashioned (nicknamed the "Harlow")

One cube's worth of sugar (about half a teaspoon)
generous dash of Angostura bitters
one-quarter teaspoon juice from the maraschino cherries
3 ounces of the best bourbon you can find
ice
club soda
maraschino cherry
lemon rind twist

Muddle the sugar, bitters and cherry juice until well-dissolved. Add bourbon. Stir very well. Fill glass with ice. Add soda to the top. Garnish with cherry and lemon twist. ENJOY!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

2008-11-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

My wife's out of town, so it's party time! Oyster soup with crackers!

I cheated and used canned oysters. It works for me.

One lump of butter, about a tablespoon
1/4 cup of diced onion
pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper
5-6 sliced mushrooms
can of oysters
dollop of milk
handful of saltines

Saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter with the salt and pepper. Drain the oyster stock into the pan, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 or 6 minutes. Add the oysters and stir gently until they are heated up. Give it a splash of milk, remove from the stove, float a couple of crackers, and eat it up. Yum!

Halloween candy for dessert. Had a Twixt and a couple of Three Musketeers. About to have a Wild Turkey and soda to even things out.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

Just a salad....

Romaine lettuce, red onion, mushroom, carrot, English cucumber all chopped small, then topped with bay shrimp, regiano cheese and a vine ripe tomato.

A glass of Castle Rock Sauvignon Blanc.

For dessert, a pumpkin cookie with brown-sugar icing and a little bit of Armagnac brandy.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

Pizza night, along with lots of election TV.

Picked up a spinach, mushroom, and gorganzola pizza from the supermarket deli. Oh, man, that's a yummy pizza. Washed it down with a Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery. One of my favorites.

Then I ate a cheese danish. Which was good, but decadent.

Monday, November 3, 2008 Dinner

2008-11-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Rueben sandwiches

Potato Chips

American Stout

Halloween candy

The rueben is one of my favorite sandwiches. We make them from scratch. This recipe makes enough for two.

One half-pound corned beef, sliced very thin
quantity of thousand island dressing
(mayonnaise, catsup, Worcester sauce, finely diced onion, sweet pickle relish. Mix to taste.)
good quality swiss or similiar cheese, 4 to 6 slices
well-drained sour kraut
rye bread, 4 slices

fry the beef in a little butter until hot
build the sandwich: bread, dressing, meat, cheese, kraut
butter the outside of the bread
grill until toasty brown
Eat it

The chips were Cascade Sea Salt & Vinegar--tasty. The stout was good too.

Welcome to my dinner!

2008-11-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

Let's start with the rules. I will post here what I had for dinner the night before, and sometimes predict what I'll be eating this very evening. I am not very dependable, so don't be surprised if I miss a few....

So, Yum. Let's commence!