What's cooking?

Broiled tenderloin steaks in rasher, rubbed with Morton Steak Rub; a yeasty mini baguette, and baby peas.

Two pesto-based pizzas. One with chicken and sweet red pepper, the other with sliced tomatoes. Very easy.

[Robin Garr]

Dreamcatcher Farm Kentucky lamb shanks braising away all afternoon with white beans and fresh herbs.

I made a spinach, caramelized onions, apple and mango salsa stuffing to "stuff" into 4 butterflied pork tenderloins that I'll smoke later today.

Drew

Making baguettes from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Bread book. So far, so good. They are almost ready for the oven.

Spatchcocked chicken, roasted on top of a new dressing recipe. The dressing turned out delicious, and will be even better with the chicken roasting on top. A favorite side dish (which we've had often, because a neighbor keeps bringing her zucchini and banana peppers) zucchini rounds and banana peppers, marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and sautéed until very caramelized. Love this dish, because of the banana peppers and have a note in my garden diary to plant them come spring!

Last night, we didn't know who would be over for supper until we were partway through cooking it. Ended up with two extra kids and three extra adults. We had roast chicken that was seasoned with herbes de Provence and lemon zest, mashed potatoes, and roasted brussels sprouts with mushrooms and shallots. My wife whipped up a quick zabaglione with berries for dessert. Everything came out beautifully, but the sprouts were the highlight.

Shrimp and pesto, served with little shells. HWMBO had sauteed mixed veg while I had romaine, roast beets and herbed goat cheese.

[Jenise]

Haven't had much to contribute to this thread since I'm not cooking as usual, but today I'll be cooking dinner for some friends. At their house, since the wife can't come to mine, she having recently broken a leg so badly that she'll be chair-bound in a cast for the next three months. Poor thing. I'll be doing a caraway-rubbed prime rib of pork that I'll serve on a chanterelle and leek bread pudding with a calvados-cream sauce and rosemary-sauteed apples plus a fresh escarole and walnut salad.

We had lamb t-bones rubbed with garlic, rosemary and cracked black pepper and grilled. A big tossed salad and....(drumroll please)........the two-hour baked potato! They are so good! (I cut one big on in half the long way for us to share. The skin is soo good I save it for last.)

Jenise is your savory bread pudding recipe here somewhere?

[Jenise]

Jenise is your savory bread pudding recipe here somewhere?

Uh, no. Bread puddings are one of those things I throw together out of whatever I've got on hand*. Now I do very deliberately make certain combinations, like black olive (from black olive bread) and sage, but this one is all about having some chanterelles on hand that I wanted to put on the plate somehow, and a $5 loaf of sour dough whole wheat that's about to go stale on me. Ergo, bread pudding! I'll make individuals in large muffin tins that should plate beautifully since the slices of pork roast will be on the bone and can prop up nicely on the pudds. I'll pay attention to the quantities and post later if I think it's worth repeating.

Giving credit where due, it must be said that every bread pudding I make is a riff on a recipe that Mike Filigenzi posted long ago on FLDG Classic. Come to think of it, I think that was leek and mushroom as well. Definite on the leeks, anyway. I don't physically refer to it any longer and nor do I usually measure ingredients--I eyeball everything--but the ratios of liquid and eggs to bread and the general methodology outlined there are my gold standard.

[David M. Bueker]

Busy last couple of days with mushroom & pea risotto for Saturday, and chicken and dumplings yesterday.

Tonight it's leftovers!

The rest of the week (at least Tues-Thurs) is cooking hell. Love it!

Last night we had Chicken and Dumplings, and tonight we're having Chicken and Dumplings.

[Jenise]

Last night we had Chicken and Dumplings, and tonight we're having Chicken and Dumplings.

I would eat that two days in a row! (C & D being one of my all-time favorite foods.)

I'm almost being more creative these days with the meals I make for Bob vs. those I participate in. I got up with him this morning at 5:00 and made him a pan-crisped cake of chanterelle bread pudding topped with a single fried egg and accompanied by a bowl of canteloupe petals. For his brown bag lunch, I made an Italianesque fresh tomato bisque, which I paired with a fresh tangerine, several fresh cherry tomatoes and a baggie of raw almonds and dried cherries. I have yet to eat a thing; not hungry.

The cranberry sauce has been made tonight. I add cinnamon, clove, orange peel, orange sections (coarsely chunked), and toasted walnuts.

Oh, and Grand Marnier. Can't forget that.

[Jenise]

The cranberry sauce has been made tonight. I add cinnamon, clove, orange peel, orange sections (coarsely chunked), and toasted walnuts.

Oh, and Grand Marnier. Can't forget that.

Yummy. Doing another heritage bird?

Tonight there was jerk chicken. Freshly smoked (thanks Doug), plus channa masala. I am amazed I can even move after all that.

Yummy. Doing another heritage bird?

Yes. Going to pick it up tomorrow. Will stash in the fridge till Saturday; the real T-Day will find me in the vicinity of my partner's family (Old Saybrook, CT).

Friday I will make the soup, the cake, the pie, and the ice cream. Saturday, of course, sees the bird, stuffing, and vegetables. Guests are bringing popovers, St Lucia buns, mashed potatoes and making the gravy.

Shrimp sautéed in a sauce of sweet Chile sauce, lemon juice and zest, Chile paste, green onion, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk etc, Served over Jasmine rice, with lemon, peas, parsley. Arugula, escarole salad with avocado.

[Jenise]

Yummy. Doing another heritage bird?

Yes. Going to pick it up tomorrow. Will stash in the fridge till Saturday; the real T-Day will find me in the vicinity of my partner's family (Old Saybrook, CT).

Friday I will make the soup, the cake, the pie, and the ice cream. Saturday, of course, sees the bird, stuffing, and vegetables. Guests are bringing popovers, St Lucia buns, mashed potatoes and making the gravy.

You're making the turkey, but someone else is bringing the gravy? You used the word "making", so maybe that's just a service your guest will provide after arrival.

You're making the turkey, but someone else is bringing the gravy? You used the word "making", so maybe that's just a service your guest will provide after arrival.

Exactly. I am not very good at gravy-making so my upstairs neighbor, who is good at it, will do so once I move the bird off to rest. What it lacks in showmanship it makes up for in yumminess. I hope.

After reading about D'Artagnan's here, I had to order some stuff. I bought a bunch of things for friends, and for myself duck fat, demi-glaze and black truffle butter. It arrived today.

I had sweet potatoes and onions sauteed in duck fat and topped with black truffle butter.

Oh my gosh was that good!

I've learned so much since I've started coming here.

Tonight's dinner was Sichuan dry-fried beef shreds with fish flavorings (julienned beef, celery, and carrot, seasoned with chile and bean paste, soy sauce, rice wine, Sichuan peppercorns), served over rice.

Thanksgiving dinner will be Coq au Vin.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

After reading about D'Artagnan's here, I had to order some stuff. I bought a bunch of things for friends, and for myself duck fat, demi-glaze and black truffle butter. It arrived today.

I had sweet potatoes and onions sauteed in duck fat and topped with black truffle butter.

Oh my gosh was that good!

I've learned so much since I've started coming here.

Ah, so you were another D'Artagnan's virgin. Welcome to the club. And it's nice to see you speaking up--you've been too quiet!