What's for dinner?

[Jenise]

We've been having a bit too much red meat lately, so we're doing penance with some roasted winter squashes and rice.

Doro wat, with a dosa instead of the traditional teff-based edible place mat, accompanied by a mixed green salad.

-Paul W.

I have not been to the store, and it's one of those lazy afternoons around here. Len is switching between the Patriots game, the Red Sox and the President's Cup (golf), and I'm reading a book--it feels so good to do basically nothing. I think we are going to have breakfast for dinner. Pancakes with maple syrup and thick slab bacon.

BBQ'd ribs.

Grilled 2" ribeye tonight. For us, pennance is tomorrow night - black bean chili on polenta.

Monday night: Left over curries from a weekend feast.

Meatballs & pasta.

Briased short ribs of beef, tortellini in gorgonzola sauce, caramelized cauliflower with anchovies, raisins and capers.

[Jenise]

Briased short ribs of beef, tortellini in gorgonzola sauce, caramelized cauliflower with anchovies, raisins and capers.

That sounds great, Jo Ann.

Say, I have a question for you: what are smothered pork chops? It's a dish you mentioned craving some months ago and I came across another reference to it this weekend in a soulfood kind of context. But I'm unfamiliar--teach me what I don't know.

Just got back from a short RV trip to see our two sons and their families...and while there, they fed us well. So, tonight it is a beef shank red sauce I pulled from the freezer and raviolis. Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, on the side. I've been craving beef shanks lately and just bought some beatiful ones at a Hispanic market in Elk Grove, CA.

Sausage; braised red cabbage with tomatoes, garlic, beef broth; and pinto beans sauteed in garlic-infused oil.

Eggs benedict. Let me tell you what I ate last night...We went to Emeril's on Saturday and had an appetizer of smoked mushrooms with tasso cream sauce over angel hair. I don't have a smoker, so I reproduced the flavor with great success by cooking the mushrooms down in butter and liquid smoke. VERY GOOD.

[Jenise]

Shelly, long time no hear from--welcome back. But say, smoked mushrooms? Now there's an interesting thought. Do you have any cedar planks? Liquid smoke's okay in a pinch, but the cedar planks on a regular BBQ with mushrooms cut in half/cut side down would do a pretty good job infusing a smoke flavor quickly.

On Sunday, I grilled this steak, dry aged porterhouse from a local rancher, Roseda. NIcely marbled strip that was very tender and had great flavor. Grilled asparagus and a Ridge Lytton Springs Zin rounded out the meal. Leftover strip and filet in steak sandwiches tonight.

I might have to get some planks asap/

Sounds like a great meal, Greg. Which vintage of the L.S. did you go with and how was it drinking?

It was a 2005 and could have used a little more time, but this was a very flavorful piece of grilled beef and needed a wine with a flavor profile that could stand up to it. This Ridge did.

Since I'm laid up in bed with a broken ankle, and my wife's out tonight, leftover homemade hummus and pita bread

Not that it's bad, but I'd rather be cooking something fresh.

Tonight was leftover Pandi Kari, pappadums, basmati rice, and a green salad. I think the curry is even better reheated than when freshly made.

-Paul W.

Dinner tonight (Tuesday) was baked chicken thighs, a veggie bake with sweet potatoes, onions, red and green peppers and green and yellow squash, and a packaged Caesar salad. I fixed this to take to my brother-in-laws. My father-in-law has been in the hospital, and is staying with them. They have busy lives and are taking care of him until he can return home (Florence, SC) so we are pitching in where we can. He is on a low salt diet (2000 mg./day) so I can't fix stuff like I do for the two of us. I just brushed the chicken with olive oil and seasoned with garlic pepper. To the veggies I added olive oil, thyme and rosemary. They all said it was good.

[Jenise]

Since I'm laid up in bed with a broken ankle, and my wife's out tonight, leftover homemade hummus and pita bread

Not that it's bad, but I'd rather be cooking something fresh.

Oh man, a broken ankle? I did that once and know what a bummer it is. What'd you do?

Oh man, a broken ankle? I did that once and know what a bummer it is. What'd you do?

I was walking along a hiking trail in Algonquin Park a couple of weeks ago, slipped on a wet rock, and heard something snap. Not a good sound to hear! It took two paramedics and three park rangers to carry me out of the trail and to the ambulance.

Once the swelling goes down, I need surgery to put in a plate and pins. With luck they'll do it tomorrow when I go back for my checkup.

That sounds awful. Best of luck and heal quickly, Ted.

I sympathize with you Ted. That is not fun to go through. Last Dec. I broke my wrist, needed two surgeries (one to fix the carpal tunnel) had to have a titanium plate put in, and was casted for four months. I hated not being independent and cooking up a storm. The good thing was that it all healed beautifully, I have good range of motion and my sweet hubby learned how to butterfly a chicken, and do prep work-lots of it. Hang in there and do everything they tell you to do, especially the physical therapy and exercises at home. It is so important for your recovery.