WHAT'S FOR DINNER - JULY 2014

[Chef shapeweaver]

Tonight's Dinner:
Is a throw together stew which is now
in the crockpot.
Before browning the meat,I seasoned it with
Sue Lau's #recipe8484.
And as an accompaniment,
Sue Lau's #recipe8190

[KareninMass]

Hi everyone, just back from my vacation down in Williamsburg VA. Just got through all the really great looking meals y'all are up to.

We ate at odd times and had our share of chain food ( traveling with 2 teens - sometimes easier. ) We ate at Duck Donuts, which I really liked and I am not a donut fan. Ate at a few local breakfast places ( love sausage gravy, scrapple, fried mush and of course grits ) .

Stayed a few days at my Mom's in WV and had corn right out of the garden, fried green tomatoes, homemade sauerkraut, local raised meats .... everything was delicious,

Helped my Mom make her kraut ... and we canned a bunch and brought a few home. After a 10 hour drive - tonight is pizza and salad.

[Kchurchill5]

Felix, Wolfgirl, Kareninin Mass and Shapes,

Everyone looks like they had a nice dinner Sat and Sun.
I was busy with the wedding, so barely checked on line. And didn't cook anything interesting.

[Kchurchill5]

Morning! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Well, my wedding went fantastic yesterday. Bride and groom happy, so a success.

Today, I'm starting a 3 day fast. I do this about 2x/yr. Mostly water, juice; and, I do take a supplement for vitamins, and a detox. All supplied by a nutritionist, and doctor approved. I'm even approved a little miso broth w/few dark greens; and brown rice one night.
I've just been feeling tired and sluggish lately, and this always helps. I don't do it for weight loss; but, basically to cleanse my system. It does work.
So, don't expect any special meals on my end.

Ladies #1, #2, and #3: Chicken Cashew Chicken, over rice; mixed greens with a sesame dressing.

[Felix4067]

Now that the refrigerator is cleaned out...tonight I'm making QB's #recipe7083, my #recipe5778, and Watermelon & Feta Skewers (from the Loveless Cafe). I'm also starting the watermelon "ice cream" tonight, to be finished tomorrow.

By the way, the apocalyptic weather shift is long since over, and we're back to business as usual.

[KareninMass]

Having pork kebobs over rice and garden veggies tonight. I bought the kebob chunks at the market - 3 packs for $5.00 on the clearance shelf. I am marinading them in the hopes they aren't little pieces of rubber !

I am a pretty good cook - but for the life of me - I can't do much with pork - its always tough. Growing up - my parents always butchered their own pig, and it was farm raised on the slops and extra milk and the meat was always fat and juicy. I just simply can't recreate that with store bought meat.

The Parm and Basil fish looks great and I am saving to my cookbook now!

[Kchurchill5]

Felix, watermelon ice cream sounds really good. I'm on this fast for a couple of days; and just made watermelon juice, which I can have. Right now watermelons are so sweet.

Karen, kabobs are always good.One thing I always do. I never put the pork and veggies on the same skewer. Different cooking times. Make sure they are all the same size; and, do NOT over crowd on the skewer.
Also, Medium 160-165, then rest. DO NOT overcook.

Tenderloin is my favorite; then bone in chops, thick ones.
A high sear/heat, let them rest is key for me.

Also, I think back when I was young; feed and raising of pork was a bit different. I think meat overall was a bit fattier cut. Now, with health being a big awareness; I do think, some of the feeds do create a leaner meat. Maybe not; but, it seems like it.

[KareninMass]

The pork now is very lean, through a combination of genetics and the controlled food. Our pigs foraged around in a large yard and were fed any unused milk from the cows and table scraps.

My Mom and I were talking about whenever grandma wanted a chicken for dinner, she went out to the barn yard, caught one and well.... processed it for dinner. She was a very frugal German woman and would be amazed at what folks pay now for the free range chickens.

[Kchurchill5]

During the summer at our vacation/second home; we had 4-5 farms right by us. We always bought a whole cow, which was butchered; fresh chicken, eggs, cheese, and milk. We picked cherries, strawberries, black and red raspberries; we had a huge garden, etc.

Everything was for the most part farm to table. We did buys stuff at the store; but, we always had fresh meat, poultry, etc.

We could pick out our chicken; and pick our own eggs back then.

[Shadows1]

We raised free range chickens and penned up rabbits for our meat when the kids were young and at home and bought beef from neighbors steers! I supplimented that with wild turkey and venison I shot! Good eats all around!