What's cooking? (615 views)
applecrisp1
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Post by applecrisp1 on Aug 8, 2018 19:14:14 GMT -5
I haven't been cooking much and this hot weather doesn't help. Lots of salads, quinoa or rice with veggies and maybe some leftover chicken .... Tonight I made one of my favorites though -- worth heating up my kitchen for a bit. Greek Chicken Pasta Salad from budgetbytes. www.budgetbytes.com/greek-chicken-pasta-salad/Picture from her site.  While looking up the recipe, I saw this one pan meal, Creamy Salsa Chicken Skillet. I might give it a try since I have some salsa to use up. www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-salsa-chicken-skillet/ |
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Post by erin elizabeth on Aug 9, 2018 13:56:31 GMT -5
Not too much cooking going on here either. I am not feeling 100% lately. But, still, I am cooking for others (haha). Really want to point people to this cake and pasta salad--rave reviews from my eaters.
This Summer Pasta Salad was a hit at supper club and so when I had to take something to a meeting yesterday I made it again because I still had all the ingredients! This time I cut the dressing in half and still felt it was a bit oily. I'll mess with the oil/vinegar ratio next time. Didn't have green beans this time around so I used green pepper, but the green beans were really good. Not sure what it is about this one, but it is worth a try.
And this Blueberry Upside-Down Cake was also a winner. I think the egg whites folded in really helped lighten the cake and the top became a little crunchy--maybe because the blueberries I used were partially frozen? Anyway, people were stealing little pieces off the platter when they had eaten their real piece and one of the guys had a second piece, which he never does! To me this was different from any other upside-down cake I've made--not as sweet, not as heavy, not really golden. |
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Post by karenw on Aug 9, 2018 18:35:48 GMT -5
Erin-I hope you feel better soon. I had a week this past month where I was really under the weather too, but I had a good explanation for it. I had just received my 2nd shingles vaccine (the new Shingrix series) and my body must have really mounted a big immune response to it. I had flu symptoms for at least 5 days with chills, body aches etc.... All I can say is that I better not get shingles now!!
Anyway, my cooking has been sporadic at best. Some weeks I use all the beautiful summer produce and herbs to cook a lot and other weeks, rely on what is in my freezer. Next week will be a freezer week because I have some candy orders to work on for a customer this weekend. I did make a Ciambotta and a Roasted vegetable enchilada casserole last week. Half of each went into the freezer so I have a few things to fall back on. I also made some lemony baba ghanoush last week.
Applecrisp-When it gets this hot, I use my countertop convection oven and the grill outside so as not to heat up the house too much. I have been doing our Saturday night homemade pizzas on the grill lately because of our heat/humidity lately.
Stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summers,
Karen
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gilgamesh37
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Post by gilgamesh37 on Aug 10, 2018 15:22:00 GMT -5
Karen, so funny you should say that about the 2nd Shingrix shot. My husband and I both got it recently, a day apart---we had no reaction at all to the 1st shot, but both got slapped by the 2nd. My assistant had warned me that she reacted poorly to the second one, so we weren't taken totally off guard, but even so, I was surprised. As you said, flu symptoms, body aches, generally feeling lousy. I even left work early one day, and I never do that; my husband spent one whole day in bed. Our symptoms only lasted about 2.5 days, but I was really taken aback--I've had a bunch of the nasty vaccines (typhoid, gamma globulin) and I've never had a reaction remotely like this one.
I've been off my game on cooking since May, when acquaintances came and stayed with us for 6 days over their son's grad school graduation (and they hadn't realized that hotel rooms book 10-12 months in advance for graduation). The visit went fine, but apparently my Accidental Hostess Resentment has a long half-life.  I did French Dip sandwiches last night (using a 500 degree roast I did on Sunday) and DH said it was probably the best $(&*$ French Dip he'd ever had in his life, so I'm counting that as my win for this month. I'll be going to Maine in a few weeks to spend 3 weeks with my father post-surgery, so I'll be doing lots of cooking then, but all dictated by whatever sounds appealing to him. |
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Post by beth on Aug 23, 2018 20:27:28 GMT -5
Oh, wow! I had a really strong reaction to the first dose of the shingles vaccine -- angry red swollen arm for at least a week-10 days that faded to a knot under the skin for at least a month. I was totally worthless the next day (exhausted, mildly feverish, achy) but not 100% for a few days. I hadn't heard of anyone else that had such a strong reaction. I put off the second dose for a while because of that, but my second dose (yesterday) was no where near as bad. My arm got a lump and some soreness, but more like a tetnus shot or a flu shot in the bad years. No angry and red, not as swollen and I feel fine other than a little soreness when I move my arm certain ways. Good news is, this one is so much more effective than the earlier one and we should all be able to avoid shingles. DH had it a little over a year ago after having had the old vaccine. The doctor told him the main benefit of that vaccine was reducing the severity as opposed to reducing the possibility of getting shingles. Whether its true or not, I'm choosing to believe the strong reaction meant I got a heck of an immunity and possibly that I really needed it. Anyway, I'm glad it's done.
As far as cooking, it's been old standards or things made up from our farm share for the most part. Our youngest son is here with us -- but maybe just another week. His job fell under a hiring freeze and he got the contract signed the Friday before in-service started on Monday (he's teaching high school choir). He couldn't even rent an apartment or anything until that came through. I'm going to miss him being here after the past month.
DH would really like that Greek salad. We've been making a lot of veggie salads. DS doesn't really like squash and we get it regularly in our farm share. I made a green bean salad that he liked and I took that idea (blanched green beans, sliced carrots and and red bell pepper or whatever we have) and added an ear of corn, diced zucchini and/or yellow squash and a simple vinaigrette. That's been going over really well and its a nice way to use up whatever is left.
Oh, one new thing -- trying to learn how and what to cook for my dog who is newly diagnosed with kidney disease. Boo. Never had much luck with prescription diets.
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Post by soupandstew on Aug 26, 2018 16:11:45 GMT -5
Last week had some busy days so I relied a lot on my freezer stash of corned beef & cabbge, chili, etc. But I did repeat an old favorite of chicken braised with tomatoes, cannellini beans and spinach and fresh rosemary. Not only does it taste good, but the house smells heavenly.
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Post by karenw on Aug 26, 2018 18:30:57 GMT -5
Soupandstew-That chicken dish sounds like it is just my kind of thing. Would you mind sharing the recipe?? I love beans with anything! Plus I have a garden full of tomatoes now! Thanks. I have been relying on my freezer a lot lately, too. It has been so hot, humid, and rainy most of this summer that I have not wanted to cook a lot. I try to do most things in my counter top oven or on the grill. I have almost depleted my freezer supply of homemade meals and soups, but I do have a few "convenience" meals on hand in the freezer if I reach the critical point!!  I hope our weather cools down and my motivation returns soon. This week looks like another hot one. And lots of laundry is on the agenda this week anyway. DD gets home tonight. She has been away as staff at a sleep-away camp since the beginning of June. I am expecting a lot of damp moist clothing, towels, bed linens etc...  Karen |
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Post by soupandstew on Aug 27, 2018 16:34:45 GMT -5
Soupandstew-That chicken dish sounds like it is just my kind of thing. Would you mind sharing the recipe?? I love beans with anything! Plus I have a garden full of tomatoes now! Thanks. I have been relying on my freezer a lot lately, too. It has been so hot, humid, and rainy most of this summer that I have not wanted to cook a lot. I try to do most things in my counter top oven or on the grill. I have almost depleted my freezer supply of homemade meals and soups, but I do have a few "convenience" meals on hand in the freezer if I reach the critical point!! :D I hope our weather cools down and my motivation returns soon. This week looks like another hot one. And lots of laundry is on the agenda this week anyway. DD gets home tonight. She has been away as staff at a sleep-away camp since the beginning of June. I am expecting a lot of damp moist clothing, towels, bed linens etc... :P Karen Here's the recipe and I hope it helps the laundry go a little better. It's still very hot here too but we did get a nice shower the other day. I have NO IDEA where this came from. I made it with boneless, skinless breasts this time because that's what I had but it's much tastier with dark meat. 2 chicken leg quarters or 4 thighs 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 2 slices center cut bacon 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup packed torn spinach (I double the spinach because we like it) 1/4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 can diced tomatoes (I used the whole can) Preheat oven to 350. (I braised it my enameled cast iron dutch oven on the stovetop; that's why I used the whole can of tomatoes so I would have more liquid) Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in a 12 inch skillet until crisp; remove bacon from pan and chop. Add chicken to reserved bacon drippings in pan and cook for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and a pinch of salt to the pan; reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in reserved bacon, spinach, rosemary, beans and tomatoes; remove from heat. Arrange chicken on top and bake, uncovered at 350 for 40 minutes (o (or simmer covered until chicken is tender) |
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Post by beth on Aug 29, 2018 10:36:38 GMT -5
Thanks for asking for the recipe and thanks for sharing. That sounded really good to me too. I will have to try it -- and would make the same more spinach and tomato changes. Who uses half a can of tomatoes? And who really know how much a cup of spinach is? I err on the side of more.
I may try the two pasta salads this week and next. While our son is still staying with us, he needs to pack a lunch and those leftovers would be perfect for him. This is the kid whose idea of vegetables growing up was pickles, french fries and ketchup. They do grow up!
We are also pulling out an old CL recipe and doing peanutty noodles with some grilled chicken. We add more veggies to that one too and it make a huge batch, so I will have leftovers for DS and may take a lunch to my friend who has a hand injury and cannot cook.
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I did French Dip sandwiches last night (using a 500 degree roast I did on Sunday) and DH said it was probably the best $(&*$ French Dip he'd ever had in his life, so I'm counting that as my win for this month. I'll be going to Maine in a few weeks to spend 3 weeks with my father post-surgery, so I'll be doing lots of cooking then, but all dictated by whatever sounds appealing to him. 
I hope our weather cools down and my motivation returns soon. This week looks like another hot one. And lots of laundry is on the agenda this week anyway. DD gets home tonight. She has been away as staff at a sleep-away camp since the beginning of June. I am expecting a lot of damp moist clothing, towels, bed linens etc... 