Lunch today?

Simple cheeseboard: Blue, goat, cheddar, salami and olives. How about you?

Trying not to snack too much as we had meat loaf last night and a sandwich awaits. I'm thinking the meat loaf (which had some Italian sausage, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and pecorino in it) on baguette with chili sauce.

Well, you guys are tough acts to follow. I just had leftover bone-in Filet that I couldn't finish last night out at dinner. I probably could have finished it if hadn't eaten all of the onion hash that was served with it. (I need that recipe.)

My lunches usually consist of something left over from dinner the night before. Today is was raviolis with a small apple. Sometimes, I make a salad, and if there is any home made soup around, I really go for that. I just finished making a huge stockpot of Portuguese Bean and ham hock soup. Took a large container over to an elderly man and his son, come home and froze the rest in containers. It will taste good on rainy, cold nights when I am too lazy to cook.

Sunday am here, but I already have a hankering for Char Kway Teow (Malaysian fried flat rice noodles). I think we're off to our favourite Malaysian resto today. But for breakfast - homemade sourdough pancakes..

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with mayonnaise, on whole wheat toast.

-Paul W.

Channa masala with parathas.

I made a huge amount, so it was something similar (no parathas, but a rice dish with green peas and cumin accompanying) for dinner.

Lunch today was breakfast: three eggs sunny side up, bacon, rye toast, home fries crisp, oj, coffee. Just love mopping up runny yolks with toast!

Saturday lunch was leftover meatloaf on a toasted bagel. Needed cheese but my doctor wasn't happy with my last cholesterol results. I wasn't as concerned but Ido need to drop some lbs.

No lunch Saturday, but I'll make eggs benedict today for breakfast.

I'm having the family over for dinner today - pot roast.

Dinner tonight will be a quick curry with pappadums and rice based on the recipe that Ainsley Harriott does in the "Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg" 1/2-hour special.

British TV chef Ainsley Harriott is chef/presenter for the BBC TV game show "Can't Cook, Won't Cook". In this programme, two people nominate friends who either can't cook or won't cook, and they prepare a dish under the direction of a world class chef. When the dishes are finished, the nominators, blindfolded, taste the food and decide which cook prepared it best.

"Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg" is a parody of this programme featuring the cast of the BBC science fiction comedy "Red Dwarf". Ainsley Harriott tries to teach two teams of cooks (Rimmer and Duane Dibbley, Lister and Kryten) how to prepare a simple curry meal. After all the resulting chaos, Kristine Kochanski has the unenviable task of tasting the results.

As a big fan of Red Dwarf, I loved this programme. As a big fan of Thai and Indian curries who often prepares them himself, I thought the recipe looked interesting. It's a quick, simplified version of a southern Indian or Thai curry. I've made it several times in the past.

If you're a Red Dwarf fan, you really should get ahold of this programme (it's released on CD; I got it from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, can't remember which). It's hilarious.

-Paul W.

Brunch today was at Anselmo Vineyards also known as Seven Hills Land and Cattle Co., located just 19 miles from our house out in the country. It is also a working cattle ranch. The grounds are beautiful, flowers are huge and all in bloom. We ate on the patio overlooking their ponds and waterfalls, and irrigated pastures. Baby calves were playing, eagles soaring overhead, flocks of birds flew over admiring all the flowers, while donkeys, sheep, goats and dogs wandered about in the pastures. Nothing is left undone, it is all first class. Gene had a fillet mignon steak served with two perfectly poached eggs on top, some roasted baby root veggies, mashed garlic, chive potatoes and an undressed pile of baby green herbs and lettuce. I had a brisket chunk (huge chunk) perfectly cooked sitting on top of a thick piece of rustic bread that was topped with melted cheese, same potatoes and roasted root veggies, surrounded by Au jus that was very tasty and sprinkled with capers. The staff is excellent.

They just finished a beautiful brick building to be used for wine storage, no windows, exquisite wooden eves and doors with rusty metal roof. The climate control units are huge. We visited the horse stalls, gardens and animals that were in corrals. Their wine tasting room is small but very well done. They have three wines they make at this time. Two reds and a white. Other wines are brought in. Their three wines are excellent, and I see that they have expanded their vineyard. We are so lucky to have such a jewel like this. They are a lot of wineries around here, but none on this scale. This one is owned by Reverge Anselmo and his wife Chicken. He is/was a film director, writer, producer, however his first love is cattle ranching and wine. Very relaxing day spent with good friends.

My only complaint is why are all the restaurants doing garlic mashed potatoes.....it is all we see here and elsewhere. I cannot understand why more healthy grains are not served.

Brunch today was at Anselmo Vineyards also known as Seven Hills Land and Cattle Co., located just 19 miles from our house out in the country. It is also a working cattle ranch. The grounds are beautiful, flowers are huge and all in bloom. We ate on the patio overlooking their ponds and waterfalls, and irrigated pastures. Baby calves were playing, eagles soaring overhead, flocks of birds flew over admiring all the flowers, while donkeys, sheep, goats and dogs wandered about in the pastures. Nothing is left undone, it is all first class. Gene had a fillet mignon steak served with two perfectly poached eggs on top, some roasted baby root veggies, mashed garlic, chive potatoes and an undressed pile of baby green herbs and lettuce. I had a brisket chunk (huge chunk) perfectly cooked sitting on top of a thick piece of rustic bread that was topped with melted cheese, same potatoes and roasted root veggies, surrounded by Au jus that was very tasty and sprinkled with capers. The staff is excellent.

They just finished a beautiful brick building to be used for wine storage, no windows, exquisite wooden eves and doors with rusty metal roof. The climate control units are huge. We visited the horse stalls, gardens and animals that were in corrals. Their wine tasting room is small but very well done. They have three wines they make at this time. Two reds and a white. Other wines are brought in. Their three wines are excellent, and I see that they have expanded their vineyard. We are so lucky to have such a jewel like this. They are a lot of wineries around here, but none on this scale. This one is owned by Reverge Anselmo and his wife Chicken. He is/was a film director, writer, producer, however his first love is cattle ranching and wine. Very relaxing day spent with good friends.

My only complaint is why are all the restaurants doing garlic mashed potatoes.....it is all we see here and elsewhere. I cannot understand why more healthy grains are not served.

Great food, friends and a beautiful view. Sounds wonderful.

I pan seared coho salmon and served it with a shiitake vinaigrette, potato pancake and a pinot. Not as nice as your meal, but still good. Excuse the plating and photography, missed the focus.

I had an Atkins bar - the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar, actually. It was made with many choice ingredients, too many to list here, but among them was a wonderful imported protein blend, olive oil and fresh roasted peanuts enclosed in a milky chocolate wrap - sort of like a Beef Wellington. I'd like to take a picture and post it as other have done but I believe that a photo would only detract from the feelings I am experiencing as I write this.

Trying not to snack too much as we had meat loaf last night and a sandwich awaits. I'm thinking the meat loaf (which had some Italian sausage, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and pecorino in it) on baguette with chili sauce.

Mike,

Do you make your own chili sauce? I made some a couple weeks ago, and it is quite good. For b-fast this morning I had scrambled eggs with chorizo and some of my chili sauce, and it was delicious. If you make your own, do you have a recipe?

Mike,

Do you make your own chili sauce? I made some a couple weeks ago, and it is quite good. For b-fast this morning I had scrambled eggs with chorizo and some of my chili sauce, and it was delicious. If you make your own, do you have a recipe?

I was speaking of the "Homade" chili sauce that's sold around here. I've never tried making it myself, but I'd imagine that the truly homemade version would be even better. What goes into yours, Bob?

I was speaking of the "Homade" chili sauce that's sold around here. I've never tried making it myself, but I'd imagine that the truly homemade version would be even better. What goes into yours, Bob?

Mike,

Of late I have been buying lugs of cooking tomatoes at the farmers market, and roasting them. Raw weight to date is probably 75 pounds of tomatoes which will be about 15 pounds of roasted tomatoes plus a gallon or so of roasted tomato juice. I used some of those in the following recipe. In addition to the recipe I also added about a T of chipotle sauce (canned) for a touch of smokiness.

Chili Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Gallon tomatoes (depending on how much chili sauce you want)
2 cups chopped onions (adjust the onions and bell pepper according to the amount of tomatoes)
2 cups diced red bell pepper
1 or more ripe chili pepper pods
1 cup sugar
1.5 T salt
1 T mustard seed
1 T celery seed
2.5 cups vinegar
1/2 t allspice

Directions:

Put all chopped vegetables in large pot. Tie spices in a cloth bag (cheesecloth). Cook vegetables for 30 minutes, then add spice bag and continue cooking until the mixture is thick. Add vinegar slowly and taste as you add the vinegar.

Dang, Bob, that's a lot of tomatoes!!!

Thanks for the recipe - it sounds great.

Well, you guys are tough acts to follow. I just had leftover bone-in Filet that I couldn't finish last night out at dinner. I probably could have finished it if hadn't eaten all of the onion hash that was served with it. (I need that recipe.)

Carrie, I sometimes get myself into trouble when I post something like this, so please don't take me the wrong way. I am having trouble getting past paying $8 - $15 per pound for the bones left on a bone on tenderloin. I fully understand that bones make a difference, and I always have the bones cut from my standing rib roast then tie them back on before roasting the meat. I have never went the tenderloin route though. I wonder if the price per pound bone on, is lower than the boneless thereby the cost could be the equal per pound.

Well, you guys are tough acts to follow. I just had leftover bone-in Filet that I couldn't finish last night out at dinner. I probably could have finished it if hadn't eaten all of the onion hash that was served with it. (I need that recipe.)

Carrie, I sometimes get myself into trouble when I post something like this, so please don't take me the wrong way. I am having trouble getting past paying $8 - $15 per pound for the bones left on a bone on tenderloin. I fully understand that bones make a difference, and I always have the bones cut from my standing rib roast then tie them back on before roasting the meat. I have never went the tenderloin route though. I wonder if the price per pound bone on, is lower than the boneless thereby the cost could be the equal per pound.

Hi Bob, I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if bone-in tenderloin is less expensive per lb (to account for the weight of the bones) than trimmed, boneless tenderloin? I do not know, as I have never seen it for sale. We were out to dinner when I had this. I've had bone-in filets three times in my life--all at restaurants. The first time was the best--at Nick and Sam's steakhouse in Dallas. It lead us to find out who their meat supplier was and we ordered some steaks from them, but they didn't offer the bone-in filets at the consumer level.

.
Hi Bob, I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if bone-in tenderloin is less expensive per lb (to account for the weight of the bones) than trimmed, boneless tenderloin? I do not know, as I have never seen it for sale. We were out to dinner when I had this. I've had bone-in filets three times in my life--all at restaurants. The first time was the best--at Nick and Sam's steakhouse in Dallas. It lead us to find out who their meat supplier was and we ordered some steaks from them, but they didn't offer the bone-in filets at the consumer level.

Carrie, I probably overlooked the fact that this was in restaurant, and not at home. I am still though curious as to whether the bone on would be lower priced as to offset the price between the on and off. I guess I will look around locally and find out. Thanks for the comeback.

[Jenise]

I had an Atkins bar - the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar, actually. It was made with many choice ingredients, too many to list here, but among them was a wonderful imported protein blend, olive oil and fresh roasted peanuts enclosed in a milky chocolate wrap - sort of like a Beef Wellington. I'd like to take a picture and post it as other have done but I believe that a photo would only detract from the feelings I am experiencing as I write this.

Oh, Jon, this is classic! Too funny.

I always have the bones cut from my standing rib roast then tie them back on before roasting the meat.

Bob,

I must be missing something here. Why do you cut out the bones only to tie them back on before roasting the meat?