What's for dinner?

April192002 · August 2014

smichek said:

Spaghetti. Because I just got home and I'm already starving and I don't really know how to cook. I really wish I had stopped for pizza or KFC.

Stuck in Box
Once we're done drinking/relaxing, FI and I are having "family style" spaghetti. He eats meat but decided not to buy any tonight so we're just going to make a huge bowl of non-meat spaghetti for us to share. Little work for a filling meal - I'm game! My freezer and pantry is full of quick "meals" so I don't have to cook and turn around to do a ton of dishes. Spending 8+ hours a day on my feet (I only get to sit down on my breaks) 5 days a week makes me want to stay off my feet when I get home! FI drives all day but works 10-14 hours a day, so he's also wanting to come home to relax.

gladyscf · August 2014

I'm making this...

http://www.yellowblissroad.com/italian-sausage-tortellini-skillet/

I did saute some onions and garlic with the sausage and added fresh basil. I'm also using homemade red sauce that I made last fall.

It smells amazing in here and FI better hurry up and get home because it's almost ready!

hikebikebemerry · August 2014

I had frozen yogurt with chocolate covered marshmallows.

tigersgirlgv · August 2014

smichek said:

You sound like my FI, who makes: baked chicken. Baked chicken cut up in spaghetti. Baked chicken cut up with peppers. Baked chicken cut up with peppers in a tortilla.

You need to mix it up, girl!

I want to! It will be easier for me to start doing that in a few weeks once I've gotten a couple paychecks and build my savings back up. Then I will be able to increase my food budget!

I was totally the same way. Sometime last year, I decided that once a week I had to make something new that I'd never mad before. That way it wasn't too overwhelming, but after a few weeks I felt like there was much more variety in what I was eating. Also, Pinterest became my best friend.

pinkcow13 · August 2014

Oh my.... this thread has me starving! So, we have kielbasa at home. I am totally making that perogi and kielbasa dish for dinner tonight! I'm excited now

And next week I am totally making that baked shrimp thing, too.

hellosweetie1015 · August 2014

FI made chicken alfredo. He made homemade alfredo sauce and used that nasty frozen chicken that comes in a ginormous Ziploc bag because that's what we had in the fridge. And it was so. so. so. good. That stuff always turns to rubber for me. I don't understand.

He made grilled cheeses night before last. With french bread. And Muenster cheese. And eggs. And bacon.

I wish we could afford for him to stay home and cook every night, hahaha...

raissyrais · August 2014

@lolo883 So Delicious ice"cream" is so delicious!!! I always have a small tub in my freezer and my favourite one is the chocolate one. I feel good about the fact that it's gluten and dairy free and the sugar is low on there but still tastes like yummy yummy ice cream!

Also, I made my sour cream and swiss Mac n Cheese yesterday, so will be eating that tonight before going to work. Le sigh...

KeptInStitches · August 2014

Last night I had beer and wings. I had an awesome day and was celebrating. And I regret nothing.

gladyscf · August 2014

ohannabelle said:

Homemade macaroni and cheese with a pancetta/ caramelized sweet onion/ grated cheese topping. (There are very strict laws about not just picking off the crispy brown top and eating it.) Caesar salad. Wine for me.
Moosey will be busy sneaking the crisp crust off a bite at a time for the rest of the night, so a quiet night for me.

Would you mind sharing your recipe? We've been trying various homemade mac and cheese recipes but haven't found one we really like yet.

AlexisA01 · August 2014

Cab Sav.

levioosa · August 2014

cwradford said:

I'm making shortcut chicken curry. Which reminds me that I have to get tomato paste from the store. Ugh I don't wan to leave the AC in the apartment, screw Chicago weather.

@JCBride2015 You go girl! I'll be having a jack and coke in your honor tonight!

SITB

@cwradford Shortcut chicken curry? Do share!

falsara · August 2014

@Time2strtliving Yea, its like 30 mins. And it's dairy free, which makes lactose intolerant FI very happy here's the link http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-curry-in-a-hurry-29301

levioosa · August 2014

cwradford said:

@Time2strtliving Yea, its like 30 mins. And it's dairy free, which makes lactose intolerant FI very happy here's the link http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-curry-in-a-hurry-29301

Maybe SITB? Yess! Thank you! I love chicken curry and the one I make now is delicious but takes like 35-40 minutes.

levioosa · August 2014

Also, what do you sub for the yogurt?

goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826 · August 2014

Burgers on the George Foerman Grill. I'm more concerned with washing it down with a bottle of chardonnay. That is the kind of week I had.

falsara · August 2014

Time2strtliving said:

Also, what do you sub for the yogurt?

They just use it for garnish at the very end, so I skip it. FI doesn't need garnish. I don't need garnish. and I don't like yogurt much so...

Jells2dot0 · August 2014

DH just left for a wedding. So, I'm having pizza with a side of percocet!

falsara · August 2014

@Jells2dot0 Pizza sounds good! Hope you are feeling ok!

Jells2dot0 · August 2014

Thanks @cwradford‌ ! The perc will be kicking in shortly, so I'm going use it for sleep

pinkshorts27 · August 2014

I had parmesan crusted fish. I'm on the Jenny Craig diet and so have been eating a lot of frozens. I've lost 14lbs since June 15th. I have 50 more to lose, but I've been working on it. I'll get there.

Cookie Pusher · August 2014

We went out to dinner with friends of our who are getting married soon. DH got chicken with broccoli but I opted for sushi because it's half-price when you dine-in at the restaurant. And it was damn tasty.

beethery · August 2014

We had pizza. I was good all week, so I earned it.

falsara · August 2014

Tonight I made Taco Rice! And now FI is eating the left over Curry. I swear that man is always hungry.

pinkshorts27 · August 2014

@"Cookie Pusher" I haven't been around a lot in a while. I just want to let you know that I love your new-(ish?) avatar and sig pic!

Cookie Pusher · August 2014

pinkshorts27 said:

@"Cookie Pusher" I haven't been around a lot in a while. I just want to let you know that I love your new-(ish?) avatar and sig pic!

Aww, thank you! Inigo has been around for about 2-ish months and I just changed to Scarlett from a SomeEcards image. Now that I'm not busy planning a wedding, I keep myself busy by looking for new and awesome images to add to my siggie. lol

pinkcow13 · August 2014

Lolo I made the recipe for dinner. It was amazeballs. Awesomesauce. Omg. So FI loved it. Apparently he never had a peroigi (Did I spell that correctly?) before. He was like " so this is basically mashed potato in a pasta shell? This is genius!!!" Yes. And add the 4 cheeses to it? Absolutely genius.

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

pinkcow13 said:

Lolo I made the recipe for dinner. It was amazeballs. Awesomesauce. Omg. So FI loved it. Apparently he never had a peroigi (Did I spell that correctly?) before. He was like " so this is basically mashed potato in a pasta shell? This is genius!!!" Yes. And add the 4 cheeses to it? Absolutely genius.

Yay! Glad it was a hit! I'll be sure to tell my coworker, who gave me the recipe the other day.

ohannabelle · August 2014

msstaticfancypants said:

ohannabelle said:

Homemade macaroni and cheese with a pancetta/ caramelized sweet onion/ grated cheese topping. (There are very strict laws about not just picking off the crispy brown top and eating it.) Caesar salad. Wine for me.
Moosey will be busy sneaking the crisp crust off a bite at a time for the rest of the night, so a quiet night for me.

Would you mind sharing your recipe? We've been trying various homemade mac and cheese recipes but haven't found one we really like yet.

Okay! Disclaimer: Keep in mind that I'm turning into one of those annoying old women who says, oh, I don't have a recipe. It's just whatever. Which is true, and it varies from batch to batch. This is as close as I possibly can.

1: Put on your eating pants, and get ready for calories. Hell, yes, dairy and carbs. Bring on the butter.

2: I do the topping first. A couple of tablespoons of butter, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a large finely sliced sweet onion. I like Walla Walla sweets or Vidalias. About 1 to 2 cups of diced bacon (mmmm the black pepper crusted is good) or diced pancetta, which is my favorite. Or more. In a pinch, even diced ham will work. Sauté this godly mess at no more than medium heat until your onions are golden and soft and bacon cooked. Towards the very end, I throw in about 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic. Don't let your garlic brown, because that's terrible and bitter.

Put this aside on paper towels to drain, and quit eating it, or there won't be enough.

For the sauce, I melt about 1/4 cup of butter, a tablespoon of finely minced onion, a teaspoon of chopped garlic, just medium heat, because again with not browning garlic. When that's melted, add about 1/4 cup of flour, and whisk it until you have a nice paste. Dump in your milk. I'm saying about 4 cups. If you're showing off or really going for the calories, do part cream.

Heat this stuff to almost boiling, (still medium heat) and whisk it a lot. A lot. After about ten minutes, it should thicken into a good thick sauce.

Salt- about a half teaspoon. Your cheese will be salty, so don't overdo. Pepper the same, if you like pepper.

I love about a half teaspoon of dry ground mustard. It gives a subtle bite. Or, I've even stirred in a teaspoon or two of brown mustard, right out of the jar.

(This is a good time to boil your pasta, while this stirring is going on. Penne is my #1 choice, but any classic tube shape works. Small rigatoni, classic elbow macaroni, ziti. Daughter uses vegetable pasta. As if that's making anything healthy. I boil a 16 oz. box. Cook it maybe a minute less than usual. Al dente, because it's going in the oven, and nobody wants mushy pasta.)

When you have a good thick white sauce, take it off the burner. If you add the cheese over heat, it can get grainy. (Still good, but grainy.)

Here comes the grated cheese. Go crazy. I looooove 3 cups sharp cheddar, 1 cup gruyere. (I've thrown in parmigiano, too.) Just keep it to two cheeses, because any more and you lose the individual flavors. Romano is fine. Smoked Gouda is nice. Swiss is okay. 4 full cups of any.

Just don't use processed American cheese, because the cheese Gods will strike you down. It is glue.

Blend your cheese in till it's melted. Yum. Are you eating the bacon stuff while you stir? I know you are, don't even lie. This is why you make a lot.

I put the cheese sauce into the casserole dish before the drained macaroni. Just to make sure I don't add too much pasta. Add 1/2 the macaroni, stir it well so that the sauce gets inside the pasta. Add the rest (maybe not all) one large spoonful at a time. I usually end up using about 3/4 of the box I cooked.

This part is crucial. You want it to look almost soupy. It's going to lose and absorb liquid when it bakes, and this is where people go wrong, and it comes out dry, and not fabuloso. Stir it well so that the cheese is inside the pasta, and stop adding pasta when the spoon is moving easily, and you've got a little depth of sauce still covering the pasta. Maybe 1/4 inch covering. Don't panic if you add too much pasta, just add a milk a little at a time till it's properly soupish again.

Now sprinkle the top with your godly pancetta/bacon/ caramelized onion stuff. And then- hell, yes, more cheese! About a good cup of your grated gruyere/cheddar combination. Or whatever you used. You need that extra 1000 calories.

Bake uncovered at about 350 for 30 minutes. You are now a macaroni and cheese goddess.

There is a law about eating. Don't take more of the topping than covers your serving. Don't sneak into other people's crisp brown. That's just evil. If there is a boy in the house, watch them like a hawk.

theartistformerlyknownas · August 2014

@ohannabelle you're totally my mom. Dried mustard, garlic and gruyere are my mac and cheese secret weapons. I don't like onions though (got that from Dad) so you get to have ALL THE TOPPING.

Once I made mine with lobster, a little Old Bay seasoning, and some truffle oil Panko breadcrumbs. Holy wow yum.

falsara · August 2014

OK we are never allowed to let this thread die. We need to keep it going so I can keep getting new yummy recipes from you guys!

What's for dinner?

Re: What's for dinner?

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