What's cooking?

Interesting variant of a Reuben sandwich there, Karen!

We had a very simple meal tonight of roasted chicken, broccoli sauteed with lemon zest and juice, and couscous cooked up with onion and chicken broth.

Interesting variant of a Reuben sandwich there, Karen!

It is delicious. Last night I realized I did not have any Swiss Cheese so I used Havarti with caraway seed in place of. Going back in time to old faves now and then is fun. I made notes on all recipes and got very specific as to who liked it and who did not. They are fun to read.

[Jenise]

I'll be making April Bloomfield's (The Spotted Pig) version of chicken in a red vinegar sauce tonight.

Tonight it is a beautiful butternut squash, cut into thick rounds and roasted with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until nice and golden. Another dish of my garden Swiss Chard, garlic and baby pak choi, drizzled with a little balsamic. Also, a baked potato rubbed with duck fat and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. I am working on having one meatless meal a week and possibly two in the near future. I don't worry about the addition of duck fat to the potato, since it is minimal, just enough of a light rub to get a nice crusty-ness.

It's cold here... time for chicken soup!

It's Barbecue for us tonight.
I've just pulled half a chicken out of the smoker for sandwiches during the week and the
brisket is still got a couple more hours to go but looking lovely.
It will be accompanied by some salads, coleslaw and potato and a green salad.
A crock of baked beans is also slowly going in the smokedI Also smoked ssome almonds whichare going down nicely with a glass of wine.

Just finished putting together a boneless chunk roast (hate removing all those globs of fat and connective tissue) braised in Barolo wine, onions, leeks, tomato, garlic, celery. About an hour before it is done, I'm adding young, whole carrots. Serving with mashed cauliflower flavored with chives and roasted garlic. I was intrigued by Jenise's salad a few days ago using Belgian Endive and I am going to try it. Meat is not even cooked yet, just browned and sitting in the juices and it smells fantastic in here. Braising is my favorite way to cook in winter.

I'm on a venison kick lately so tonight I prepared a wild mushroom marinara sauce, heavy on the garlic, with venison sausage over 1/2" wide egg noodle and pecorino romano freshly grated cheese.....delish!!!!

[Jenise]

It's Barbecue for us tonight.
I've just pulled half a chicken out of the smoker

I'm two days behind you, Barb. We got a brand new smoker this week and today's it's inaugural voyage. We're smoking two chickens; one of which will go to an injured family I am feeding on Sundays, and the other will be our dinner with leftovers destined for a smoked chicken ravioli. I'll smoke a red pepper with them, and that will flavor the pasta dough. The sides will be quite simple: a cucumber, onion and bell pepper salad and some parmesan cheese toast (on an artisinal multi grain loaf).

Tonight, it's coq au vin from a Bon Appetit recipe. We'll have it with mashed potatoes. Smells good, so far....

[Jenise]

It's Barbecue for us tonight.
I've just pulled half a chicken out of the smoker

I'm two days behind you, Barb. We got a brand new smoker this week and today's it's inaugural voyage. We're smoking two chickens; one of which will go to an injured family I am feeding on Sundays, and the other will be our dinner with leftovers destined for a smoked chicken ravioli. I'll smoke a red pepper with them, and that will flavor the pasta dough. The sides will be quite simple: a cucumber, onion and bell pepper salad and some parmesan cheese toast (on an artisinal multi grain loaf).

I forgot to smoke the red bell pepper. F word!

Ravioli's tonight with a mushroom marinara sauce, and steamed broccoli

[Jenise]

Tacos with a homemade chorizo and hominy filling.

We got a brand new smoker this week and today's it's inaugural voyage

Jenise, What did you get and are you pleased with it?
FWIW once I get mine going I like to put other bits and pieces in like almonds, salt, etc. As you obviously intend to as well (we all forget stuff sometimes) i like the idea of doing peppers
and will try other veg as well. so much to smoke so little time.

[Jenise]

Drew, we got the 40 inch (larger of the two they make) electric cabinet-style Masterbuilt with remote control. After years of using propane and having to pretty much stay parked in a folding chair nearby throughout the process, as well as confine our smoking to warmer weather, we were more than ready for a less hands-on approach. The Masterbuilt had everything we wanted and some features we wouldn't have dared hope for (like the temp probe, and the remote control that allows you to monitor temps from inside the house) and we went with the larger one so that we could have the width for doing whole rib racks, whole sides of salmon and the like.

We bought it from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-Generation-Electric-Smokehouse-Controller/dp/B0048HU34Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359478327&sr=8-1&keywords=masterbuilt+smoker+40+inch

Jenise, we are looking for a new smoker so I was curious if you read "the most critical review" on Amazon about this smoker, and if you have noticed anything like that metallic smell? Which generation did you buy?

Tonight it is a chili I mentioned a while back from Penzey's called Randy's Chili. So full of flavor and made with Sirloin and lots of warm spices. The addition of honey is interesting and I also load it up with my frozen Hatch chili's. A salad of Romaine hearts, and a supreme of grapefruit and oranges. I added avocado slices and made a lime, honey vinaigrette with garlic and red jalapeño.

Leftover pork lo mein tonight, along with fresh bean sprouts briefly poached (1 minute) in chicken broth with a dash of light soy sauce and a touch of shredded ginger.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

No faux "meat" tonight, just a flavorful and healthy Indian-style dinner-in-a-dish with loads of vitamins and protein from natural plant-based sources. It's a fresh spinach curry with browned onions, garlic and ginger in a spicy sauce of leftover piquilla peppers buzzed with a little tomato paste, coconut milk and Indian spices, bulked up with red lentils and black beans and served with basmati rice.

[Robin Garr]

Veggie roast! Roasted fennel, potatoes, onions and green peppers on a bed of crispy quick-roasted collards leaves.

Freezer Raid Soup.......turkey stock + Spanish chorizo pieces + kale added to sauteed onions, garlic, chopped celery, fresh potato cubes and black beans . Seasoned with smoked pimienton, bay, hot pepper and Sherry vinegar. Quite tasty.
Working hard to clear out the freezer.

Cavatappi in vodka-tomato-cream sauce with peas and chorizo. Quick and tasty.

Cavatappi in vodka-tomato-cream sauce with peas and chorizo. Quick and tasty.

Neat coincidence -- we took an out of town guest to LouCas which is kind of a local institution -- an Italian restaurant specializing in seafood.

I had raw oysters and a beautiful Branzino. But as a "second course" we split a pasta dish 3 ways -- cavatappi with shrimp.

I looked it up on my iPhone and learned that the word means "corkscrew"! Pretty cool.

I'm making Jenise's chicken in red wine tonight. Also, Risotto Alla Cucamonga from the Favorite Recipes of California Winemakers which uses beef consummé and sherry wine. Green beans with garlic and fresh sweet basil is our veggie.