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What's for Dinner?
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A rather long post. Sorry, no pics. I was too busy having a great time!
Having taken a break for a few days, I am back cooking again. Saturday, I went up to my brother's house and made a "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner". I HAD to do something. Between the snow and the holidays, I had cabin fever BIG TIME!
For an appitizer, I had some authentic Hungarian Kolbasz. Not to be confused with kilbassa, this is a semi hard sausage that is part salami, part pepperoni, and part Andouille. It is smoky, spicy, and rather garlicky . I cut small "coins" of the meat, placed it onto small pieces of rye bread, and broiled to release the flavor (fat). Yum!
My brother has received some home made hot pepper paste. He was saying how he wanted to make something with it. I put just a dab on my tongue and found it to be hellishly spicy, but also flavorful. Checking his fridge, I saw that he had some raw, thawed chicken tenders. OK! so I mixed a good spoonful of the hot sauce with honey, black pepper, and some red wine vinegar, and set aside to marinade for an hour. Had my brother then grill them to perfection. My elder niece (the daughter I always wanted) had tasted the marinade (before the chicken was added) and came up with a fantastic remoulade sauce to go with it. A spur of the moment dish that came out fantastic!
It was then on to dinner. I whipped up some stuffing, prepped the chicken, and pealed the potatoes, with the help of my godson.
Gravy and asparagus were handled by my nephew,
My sister in law prepared some yeast rolls, and set the table.
My favorite niece help to prepare the dessert (chocolate mousse) by tempering the ganache, I whipped the cream and folded in the ganache. We then has an assembly line where I filled a glass with mousse, One niece added a dab of whipped cream, and a nephew added some fresh raspberries on top.
I did play a joke on my brother. I told him that I needed shot of his best brandy for the chocolate ganache. He ran off, and got one for me. I then asked him for another which I then drank. He could not believe that he fell for that one.
Then we ate! My decision to spend the night was decided when the second bottle of stag's leap was opened.
It was so great to hang out with my family and cook together. Everyone played a significant part in making the meal. No drama, no arguments, just a great time had by all.
Having taken a break for a few days, I am back cooking again. Saturday, I went up to my brother's house and made a "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner". I HAD to do something. Between the snow and the holidays, I had cabin fever BIG TIME!
For an appitizer, I had some authentic Hungarian Kolbasz. Not to be confused with kilbassa, this is a semi hard sausage that is part salami, part pepperoni, and part Andouille. It is smoky, spicy, and rather garlicky . I cut small "coins" of the meat, placed it onto small pieces of rye bread, and broiled to release the flavor (fat). Yum!
My brother has received some home made hot pepper paste. He was saying how he wanted to make something with it. I put just a dab on my tongue and found it to be hellishly spicy, but also flavorful. Checking his fridge, I saw that he had some raw, thawed chicken tenders. OK! so I mixed a good spoonful of the hot sauce with honey, black pepper, and some red wine vinegar, and set aside to marinade for an hour. Had my brother then grill them to perfection. My elder niece (the daughter I always wanted) had tasted the marinade (before the chicken was added) and came up with a fantastic remoulade sauce to go with it. A spur of the moment dish that came out fantastic!
It was then on to dinner. I whipped up some stuffing, prepped the chicken, and pealed the potatoes, with the help of my godson.
Gravy and asparagus were handled by my nephew,
My sister in law prepared some yeast rolls, and set the table.
My favorite niece help to prepare the dessert (chocolate mousse) by tempering the ganache, I whipped the cream and folded in the ganache. We then has an assembly line where I filled a glass with mousse, One niece added a dab of whipped cream, and a nephew added some fresh raspberries on top.
I did play a joke on my brother. I told him that I needed shot of his best brandy for the chocolate ganache. He ran off, and got one for me. I then asked him for another which I then drank. He could not believe that he fell for that one.
Then we ate! My decision to spend the night was decided when the second bottle of stag's leap was opened.
It was so great to hang out with my family and cook together. Everyone played a significant part in making the meal. No drama, no arguments, just a great time had by all.
Here was yesterday: a really thick. pan-fried porterhouse pork chop (one of Mike's "woo-hoo" specials from Kroger's) topped with a 'shroom/garlic/thyme/sherry sauce teamed up with tiger beans and braised lacinato kale (onions and chicken stock, spiced up with some red pepper flakes).
And here is today. I told my wife that this dinner was "not common plaice." ( Of course not, it was common flounder! 
)
Anyway, I prepared the flounder in something like a cross between sole meunière and a piccata sauce. I dredged in flour, pan-fried 'til crisp, then made pan sauce with garlic, capers, fennel fronds, parsely, lemon juice, and sherry. The rest of the meal was an olive-oil soaked melange of roasted potatoes, fennel, and green beans.
Edited to add: I forgot that I also made an avocado salad, with lemon juice, macadamia nut oil, and ground fennel.
)Anyway, I prepared the flounder in something like a cross between sole meunière and a piccata sauce. I dredged in flour, pan-fried 'til crisp, then made pan sauce with garlic, capers, fennel fronds, parsely, lemon juice, and sherry. The rest of the meal was an olive-oil soaked melange of roasted potatoes, fennel, and green beans.
Edited to add: I forgot that I also made an avocado salad, with lemon juice, macadamia nut oil, and ground fennel.
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You guys must have taken some chef classes.....
You are too kind, my friend, but my meager skills have been acquired autodidactically. Actually, this is a joking bone of contention between my wife and me. One year for my birthday, she "gave" me a ho-made gift certificate to take some cooking lessons at a local restaurant. However, she never followed through and actually acquired a real gift certificate. To this day, we joke about if she is ever going to fulfill this promise!
But all in good fun. Obviously, I could sign myself up for said lessons if I really wanted to.
More fun tonight! Hanger steak, prepared with a classic chimichurri sauce. Also made sides of glazed carrots from a Mark Bittman recipe (balsamic vinegar, garlic, sherry), and Brussels sprouts (the usual browned and braised, but this time flavored with tarragon in addition to Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese). Finally, we also made this salad once again with the amazing flavors. It has nice greens and basil, with preserved lemons and candied ginger, dressed with a vinaigrette with thyme and lemon. Amazing explosion in the mouth.
vernsgal
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I love a happy family get together that has no drama!
And all you guys make me look bad when it comes to cooking!! Yesterday, breakfast for dinner, tonight, left over pizza..but I did have a great Happy hour with the greatest of friends and enjoyed a bottle of CS Shiraz
( Hubby is battling "the great cold" and it's hard to motivate one's self to cook for one )
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Why not make him some chicken soup?? My mother would make chicken soup that could grow back a limb!
vernsgal
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I did make him a pot full. I just got tired of eating it lol
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I'm making "Alice Springs Chicken" tonight. Think I'll serve it with some basic pasta sauteed w/ parsley, lemon and butter, and a simple salad. Was tempted to serve with Rose, but now I'm thinking Pinot Noir.
Never heard of it! But now you (and the google machine) got me thinking about trying it tonight! I may just copy your menu down to the details...
Hmmm, or maybe chicken saltimbocca ...
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Never heard of it! But now you (and the google machine) got me thinking about trying it tonight! I may just copy your menu down to the details...
Hmmm, or maybe chicken saltimbocca ...
LOVE some saltimbocca!!!! Alice Springs Chicken was made famous by Outback Steak House. Basically, a honey mustard marinade/sauce smothered in bacon and cheese. Recommended by 4 out of 5 cardiologists!
Edit: I just Google'd for recipes and found many similar, though not the same as the one I'm using. They all sound pretty good though. I've never made this before - think I got the recipe from my father - but I'll be sure to post up my thoughts later. One thing I thought was sacrilege was frying the bacon separately, while/after the chicken is browned. Oh no! I'll be doing the bacon first, then browning the chicken in that same pan with some of the leftover, rendered bacon fat.
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Oh lord, this is too funny. I JUST thought about this, and put the bacon in a big cast iron pan. I lit the burner and said, "Hell, I am going to cook the dish in this pan! I may just spoon out a little bit of the grease out if it looks like it is too much." Then I decided to check WMT to see if you were going to "be okay" with my stealing your dinner idea.
So far, bacon is cooking and honey mustard sauce is made. I'm using BST instead of BSB. Those are dry-brining as we "speak."
Leftover bacon fat is a foreign concept to me. Doesn't everyone cook bacon to be able to "harvest" the fat? I always add some to the canola oil I use to do the GF chicken parmesean, it makes the canola oil flavor palatable.
Last night did 1/2 a turkey breast and some halved chicken breasts marinated in some Giant GF Caribbean Jerk sauce. Was hoping for some leftover chicken on a salad today, but that all disappeared to my surprise. Used the remaining turkey breast to whip up a quick turkey pot pie. Cheated and used some pre-made pie crust dough. Yea I know it's not the traditional "Lancaster County" pot pie, but I live in Adams County and the kids like it, so whoowie to them Lancaster Countians.
Working on a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale look-alike recipe to make on Saturday before the deep freeze comes back on Sunday. Got about 1lb of Cascade leaf hops from a work buddy of mine. He vacuum packs them right after harvest (he dries them a bit first) in one ounce baggies. Will use them for aroma, not bittering, we have no idea of their bittering potential since they are home grown. Drinking a pint of my first beer creation of the winter (an English bitter) with dinner. Nice that dessert (the keg) is only about 25 feet away...
vernsgal
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I had to google both those. Now I want chicken (and not in a soup!)
Never heard of it! But now you (and the google machine) got me thinking about trying it tonight! I may just copy your menu down to the details...
Hmmm, or maybe chicken saltimbocca ...
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Oh lord, this is too funny. I JUST thought about this, and put the bacon in a big cast iron pan. I lit the burner and said, "Hell, I am going to cook the dish in this pan! I may just spoon out a little bit of the grease out if it looks like it is too much." Then I decided to check WMT to see if you were going to "be okay" with my stealing your dinner idea.
So far, bacon is cooking and honey mustard sauce is made. I'm using BST instead of BSB. Those are dry-brining as we "speak."
I removed a pretty good portion of the grease. Though I will admit, I cooked an extra slice of bacon or two for snacking...
And I just was inspired by Craig NOT to get rid of any grease!
Wed., January 10: Liveblogging dinner!
Wed., January 10: Liveblogging dinner!
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