What's cooking?

That green bean dish looks very good, Robin. I think I'll try to make that soon.

Right now, the Francophile is making roasted chicken breasts stuffed with blue cheese.

[Jenise]

Last night we had a rather odd combo, a first course of gorgonzola souffles followed by stuffed artichokes. Tonight we're having braised tri-tip in a garlic and fresh herb sauce with swiss chard and potato chunks tossed in a bechamel sauce after a sliced kumato tomato and gorgonzola salad (have a lot of gorgonzola on hand, need to move it on somehow!)

Made a pretty straightforward risotto last night, with Italian sausage and chard. For whatever reason, it turned out particularly good. I went easy on the sausage and heavy on the chard and managed to get a nearly perfect "doneness" to the rice. Very tasty!

[Jenise]

Made a pretty straightforward risotto last night, with Italian sausage and chard. For whatever reason, it turned out particularly good. I went easy on the sausage and heavy on the chard and managed to get a nearly perfect "doneness" to the rice. Very tasty!

I've never put chard into a risotto before but your description of what you made makes me wonder why the heck not. Especially with the sausage, it sounds like an ideal combination.

I've never put chard into a risotto before but your description of what you made makes me wonder why the heck not. Especially with the sausage, it sounds like an ideal combination.

It's indeed a good combo. Works with other greens as well.

I have to say, I envy your Gorgonzola problem.

Made a pretty straightforward risotto last night, with Italian sausage and chard. For whatever reason, it turned out particularly good. I went easy on the sausage and heavy on the chard and managed to get a nearly perfect "doneness" to the rice. Very tasty!

I love Swiss Chard in Risotto Mike, especially the red stem kind. I usually blanch it before and add it near the end....try to keep the pretty red color. Some keep it, some don't. Haven't done the sausage, however. Risotto just seems like one of those great dishes you can eat as a main and serve to the meat eaters in the family.

[Robin Garr]

Spaghetti tossed with chopped fresh sage, kosher salt and Tellicherry pepper and a scoop of just-made ricotta thinned with a splash of pasta water.

I made a pretty nice improvisational sauce last night for grey sole: fennel cooked down in olive oil then vinegar and apple juice and then pureed with picholine olives and arugula. Nice balance of sweet and bitter and nice color (from the arugula).

[Robin Garr]

A light Christmas Eve dinner before going out ...

Creamy Christmas risotto with seasonal colors of broccoli and tomato, with browned onions and garlic, a splash of fresh cream, butter and Parmigiana-Reggiano.

Chicken Diable...chicken slathered with a mix of wild mountain honey, Sierra Nevada stout brown mustard, butter and curry. I used a little sweet and hot. Roasted in the oven until it is goofy, caramelized and yummy. Orzo cooked in chicken stock, with lemon and rosemary, and roasted asparagus coated with truffle oil, garlic and onion sea salt flakes.

Just put a big casserole dish of Gwumpkies in the oven. Len's favorite. It had been a long time since I'd made them, but it's simply... ground pork and diced onions sauteed in the fat of some rendered salt pork, equal parts cooked white rice. Wrap that "stuffing" up in parboiled cabbage leaves and bake forever. I put them in at 3pm and we'll probably eat around 6:30. The cabbage just sort of melts. You wouldn't think such a simple thing, with so few ingredients could taste so good.

Also made a big pot of turkey soup out of our Thankgsiving turkey carcass. It's a really good batch.

Just put a big casserole dish of Gwumpkies in the oven. Len's favorite. It had been a long time since I'd made them, but it's simply... ground pork and diced onions sauteed in the fat of some rendered salt pork, equal parts cooked white rice. Wrap that "stuffing" up in parboiled cabbage leaves and bake forever. I put them in at 3pm and we'll probably eat around 6:30. The cabbage just sort of melts. You wouldn't think such a simple thing, with so few ingredients could taste so good.

Also made a big pot of turkey soup out of our Thankgsiving turkey carcass. It's a really good batch.

I love cabbage rolls Carrie but only make them once a year because I make a Dutch Oven full and have to eat them for breakfast and lunch the next day. Mine are called Halupki and have ground beef, onions, rice, tomatoes with sauerkraut juice. More tomatoes and sauerkraut go in between layers and on top. A layer of single cabbage leaves goes on top, and it is cooked for for about three to four hours. They are so yummy. I usually make them right after the first of the year on a rainy day.

[Robin Garr]

No, tofu is not boring, Chapter 87: organic extra-firm tofu sliced, marinated with star anise and Sichuan flavors and baked 30 minutes at 400F.

Tonight it is Jambalaya, from a recipe I have had for a very long time and it is excellent. Since we have so many lemons right now, I am making lots of lemony type dishes. I make my Jambalaya, with a little Spanish Chorizo, shrimp and Boar's Head Black Forest Ham chunks.

[Robin Garr]

Tonight it is Jambalaya, from a recipe I have had for a very long time and it is excellent.

I love jambalaya! Looking forward to a more detailed report!

Made a big batch of pastitsio last night. We had it with a sauteed cauliflower salad that my daughter put together completely on her own. She did a very impressive job with this, getting the cauliflower tender but not too soft, with just the right amount of browning-verging-on-charring. The two made for a very good meal.

[Robin Garr]

Mary made homemade Cincinnati chili for lunch. No hatin', please. Think of it as Greek spaghetti sauce if you prefer ...

[Jenise]

Under the weather, so chicken and noodles tonight. Homemade of course!

[Robin Garr]

Under the weather...

I hope you feel better soon, Jenise!

For us tonight, roasted veggies! Fresh asparagus, Idaho potato spears and chunks of sweet onion tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted about 30 minutes at 400F.

Sounds and looks delish Robin....you are very creative with vegetarian cooking.

[Robin Garr]

Recently I was very pleased with the results of a bright idea: First roast fennel, then make risotto with the roasted veg. Tonight I did something similar but even better: roasted both fennel and onions first, then browned still more onions as a base for the risotto. Verdict: Mmm!

Last night's dinner was chicken and andouille sausage gumbo.

-Paul W.

Roasted Prime Rib with a coarse salt and fresh herb crust in on the menu tonight, along with our family stuffed baked potatoes. A side of some sort, not yet determined.

along with our family stuffed baked potatoes.

Sometimes, I too would like to stuff my family into a baked potato