What's cooking?

STEAK! After two days of nothing but clear liquids in his stomach...how did he do? We have always been told to go easy the first day or two with the food, eat lightly...yogurt, light soups, that type of thing. The suggested foods go over for about one day, however.

Two days? For my colonoscopy, it was 24 hours, with a mega-dose of laxatives and fluids the night before (see Dave Barry's hilarious [and very accurate] article on the subject).

And yes, after the ordeal was over, I wanted REAL FOOD!!!

-Paul W.

I'm marinating country style, bone-in short ribs, in olive oil, orange zest and juice, white wine, fresh garlic, thyme and rosemary. They will cook long and slow until falling off the bone. Roasted garlic and chive mashed potatoes, with just picked broccoli and carrots on the side.

We pretty much always enjoy our weekend pizza but tonight's was among the better versions. Very very very very very end-of-season tomatoes roasted into a sauce, oyster mushrooms, arugula, and taleggio. Nice way to wave goodbye to the tomato season and a very civilized match with 07 Texier Brézème Pergault.

Very very very very very end-of-season tomatoes roasted into a sauce

We did the same thing. We took the last of our basket rippened Brandywines and chunked them with a few leaves of our dwindling inside basil plant and added a tablespoon of viniagrette. Sigh! We do have a few Summer Gold cherries still in the basket, but that was the last of the big guys. We also had pasta in our Italian tomato sauce and sweet Italian sausages.

Very very very very very end-of-season tomatoes roasted into a sauce

We did the same thing. We took the last of our basket rippened Brandywines and chunked them with a few leaves of our dwindling inside basil plant and added a tablespoon of viniagrette. Sigh! We do have a few Summer Gold cherries still in the basket, but that was the last of the big guys. We also had pasta in our Italian tomato sauce and sweet Italian sausages.

On the way back from golf yesterday I stopped at a local VFW who has a farmer's market every weekend and picked up some of the best tomatoes I've had in a long while...great salty flavor that I've never experienced before. Also bought a bunch of Jona Gold apples, boy are they good.

Drew

Since my Mother-In-Law and Brother-In-Law will be leaving in a few days for Thanksgiving in Texas, I am having the family over for a big spaghetti, meatballs & sausage dinner this afternoon.

Extended the life of the partially ripe tomatoes that had to be picked before the freeze......sliced, dressed with olive oil and seasonings then slow roasted in the convection oven. They come in handy in salads, egg dishes, pasta sauces.

Thai red curry with chicken (gaeng ped kai) tonight. Red curry paste, coconut milk, thin-sliced chicken, thin-sliced shallots, thin-sliced red bell peppers, brine-cured green peppercorns, fish sauce, fresh holy basil (bai grapao).

It doesn't get much better than this. Or much hotter (glorious bliss!).

-Paul W.

Tonight, it's pasta with mustard greens, applewood smoked bacon, reggiano, and a little balsamic. Simple but very good.

Beef stew in the slow-cooker.

[Jenise]

Bob had a colonoscopy today, so after two days of nothing but clear liquid he wants STEAK. I'll serve it "Mexican"--with an avocado-garlic-oregano compound butter and some vegetables stir fried with cumin seed.

What? You mean he doesn't like jello??

Oh, he got gelatine. Homemade from fresh clementine juice. And homemade chicken broth. And he didn't get any Gatorade either: instead, I found a plain water with electrolytes called Essencia and mixed a couple bottles of that with a can of apple juice concentrate. My one concession: he went through an entire box of popsicles.

[Jenise]

STEAK! After two days of nothing but clear liquids in his stomach...how did he do? We have always been told to go easy the first day or two with the food, eat lightly...yogurt, light soups, that type of thing. The suggested foods go over for about one day, however.

Really? No such instructions of that kind here. I had a PB & J plus a banana in my purse ready for the trip home. Test came out fine, nothing new (thank god, last time they found two pre-cancer polyps).

Paul--yes, two days. Standard IS one, but last time Bob didn't get sufficiently clear in one day so they had him repeat the test in just two years after a longer fast.

[Jenise]

Tonight, it's pasta with mustard greens, applewood smoked bacon, reggiano, and a little balsamic. Simple but very good.

Sounds incredibly good.

Ahi tuna steaks, marinating in green onion, ponzu sauce, and a new rub by McCormick Grillmates, that has smoky flavors and maple syrup flavors...smells incredible. Some sort of Jasmine rice , with shallots, leeks, wine, and a simple green salad.

[Robin Garr]

Mary cooked tonight ... really great chicken pot pies - or more like a chicken cobbler - with free-range roasting hen, lots of veggies, and her excellent biscuit recipe on top. Great with Mas Carlot 2008 Marsanne - Roussanne Vin de Pays d'Oc.

Lemon,tuna, arugula sauce for pasta. Really a summer dish but had the "ingrediments" and the Pouilly fume. It was all wonderful

[Jenise]

Lemon, pasta, arugula and tuna. I'm going to have to go on a month-long special diet soon in which the only protein I'll be able to have is fish. I'll remember this combination.

[Robin Garr]

Fresh pappardelle with a quick puttanesca-style fresh-tomato sauce with browned onions, garlic, anchovies, green olives, capers, dried red-pepper flakes and Pecorino Romano cheese. I call this "refrigerator cookery." Look in fridge. Come up with idea for dinner based on what you see there. It's sort of like Iron Chef but easier, and you rarely win "the people's ovation and fame forever."

Swordfish and toast!

[Jenise]

Apple juice.

Not exactly cooking, but just started another batch of homemade vanilla extract.

[Robin Garr]

"homemade vanilla extract."

Does that explanation seem to satisfy the revenooers?

Portuguese Bean Soup, with Prosciutto de Parma Quesadillas (made with 2 cheeses, smoked jack, and gruyere)