I could go on and on about FreshDirect. Their commitment to local. TwinMarquis started in ChinaTown, then needed more room and moved to Brooklyn. Good noodles and dumplings. We started making our own and have their wrappers in the freezer. Misfits had lumb crab for 22$ a pound over the holidays. After testing one pound i purchased two more. Made shrimp and crab shumai. Then stopped by HMart for more varieties of dumplings....DimSum is the best easy hands off do-ahead party foods.

Funny, I must just have fish tacos on the brain. I have pulled pork languishing in the freezer, I could do that, too.

I did see Fresh Direct selling them, but as common as that name is, I have no idea what the company is. I was assuming another instacart or similar, but I guess not. With your recommendation I’ll check it out. Misfits wasn’t for me, too hit or miss.

Don’t you just love Good Culture? I’m addicted to it and eat a lot. Plain, dollops in my green salad, mixed with beans, as a dip or mixed with any vegetables, in lieu of mayo for chicken salad... I do generally eat the low fat which is not quite as good as full, but still good. Seems to fly off the shelves at the grocery store so I’m always looking and buy when I see it.

I have the low fat GoodCulture at the moment. Stiil great. Unlike most low fat products, GC does not have weird thickeners and emulsifiers... 'Skim Milk, Whole Milk, Cream, Celtic Sea Salt, Live and Active Cultures.'

We don't buy/stock any milk or cream. Just some cheese varieties and yogurt. I just made a very 'vegetable heavy' roasted tomato soup. After blendering and removing most of it, i added some GoodCulture to the blender to make a cream sauce to add at the table. I have been using it for everything 'cream'. (powdered milk, buttermilk, goat milk in the freezer). A small tin of evaporated in the pantry if house guests like cream in their coffee.

FreshDirect you are not familiar with? They just celebrated 20 years. Business Insider has a good short documentary on YTube...FreshDirect

I like that you can pick a delivery window that has a 'truck' icon. That means a truck will be in your area delivering others. During lock-down our neighborhood picked a common delivery window for that reason. 25-30 cars off the road wasting time and fuel.

I never had reason to pay attention to delivery services until covid. And even then, I used whole foods once or twice and baldor once. Loading up on groceries is not how I grew up and I guess that’s why it’s just not a comfortable way for me to operate. Half goes to waste, which was one part of my problem with misfits. But I may put an order together just to get some tacos into the freezer, if you recommend them as worth the effort. They’re certainly cheap!

Before covid, delivery never crossed our minds. I have friends that have used FreshDirect since the beginning. 4th floor walk-up with two todlers, (what were they thinking?). Since moved but still use delivery. Could not get a delivery window all 2020 but started using them once vaccinations were available.

I always did the once-a-month grocery shopping. DH did the weekly, 15 items and under, usually thurdays, without much complaint...until we started delivery.

I still like to hit HMart in person every few months.

Always frustrating for him having trouble choosing cilantro and greens not looking so fresh sitting out at too warm temps. FreshDirect is always fresh kept at the best temps for each produce item. Just used the last of the cilantro now two weeks since delivery.

Same with Misfits. They got the kinks out. No longer mystery boxes. Just order what you want. I did not order for about 5 months over last summer. Then started again just before Thanksgiving. No shipping fees over 90$. every six weeks that is easy. We like so many of their cheeses. VermontCreamery, CypressGrove, JasperFarms...

Great prices. The GoodCulture is 3.99. 16ounces. Out of stock but usually back in a day or two. We never have any waste like traditional grocery produce. Always a buck or three less than a grocery on each item. 90% less packaging and orgainic.

So worth it for us to have a variety of good cheeses. Every 5-6 weeks. A great variety of greens, vegetables that last for weeks and pantry staples like a shelf stable organic tofu, etc.

Made a comfort food last night, late brunch. Wanted corned beef hash but did not make that for St. Paty, so made a scrapple, egg, roasted vegetable hash. Scrapple is a childhood hometown acquired taste...but even DH loves it.

Then we wanted a day two corned beef/sauerkraut sandwich. (i even have NY Jewish rye bread). Bummer. Note to self....make holiday favorites.

Ham and Bean Soup

prep

We have been working hard on country holiday home projects and I have been forgetting to take a photo of WFD.

Last night we had a scrappy spaghetti from canned tuna, and Brie on toast… quite tasty but not pictureworthy. Love all your food and photos as usual Sleeve. You are a wonder for healthy fresh food.

Don‘t faint at the unhealthiness of this meal. Fried fish and chips / fries. I ordered them in. I usually never buy fish and chips and this reminded me why. The startling yellow chips were very off putting. The fish is OK, the usual gummy shark.

Fish and Chips is one thing we have out once/twice a year. Delicious but maybe it is the oil used that does not agree. Or maybe the portions are so large. DH needs a nap and not such a great thing on a road trip.

Fortunately the same road trip is peppered with lobster rolls.

Making another batch of focaccia. One third in my 9x9 brownie pan for panini. Then two thin crust pizzas.

Maybe the link will post this time, bon appetit easy no-knead focaccia

Last nights Shrimp/Cod Stir Fry. Recipe is shrimp/scallops. I have a dozen scallops that have gone into hiding in my freezer. An easy weeknight meal, a DH favorite, having pints of grain in the freezer.

Still too much food but DH likes it for next day lunch.

Miso/seaweed salad garnish

prep...lots of greens and bok choy

Made a batch of chili crisp. A container goes to my neighbor that makes chocolate 'everything'. Nice exchange.

Yum for the chilli crisp. I’m going off Laoganma or maybe just a not so good jar last time.

One lunch over Easter saw us having pepper crusted salmon, over a mild dahl.

When i purchased a couple different brands of chili crisp a few years ago, i did not like the cheap oils and 2/3rd's of the jar were oil with not much flavor. I up the 'crisp' and just barely cover with avocado oil. Organic ingredients.

We have salmon about once a week. Last week...shrimp and salmon rolls. Fishermans stew tonight.

Last night, Vegetable Won-ton Soup

Full crisper drawer, so lots of vegetables

Shrimp, chorizo, vegetable fried rice

a DH favorite

mise en place

We have been entertaining again since last summer., August/September... A dozen times but baby steps. Just a few close friends.

Easter Sunday we had an early dinner/late brunch. Just for four including us. First sit-down meal in a few years. (excluding Thanksgiving that is so easy after hosting 25 years)

A bit rusty timing a sit-down meal. Thankful i scratched the seafood starter and a rack of lamb main.

Made a big seafood fishermans... Chioppino/Stew/Bouillabaisse...clams/mussels/shrimp/salmon/cod/swordfish...

Two saute pans on the cooktop and a back burner seafood stock. Not my favorite meal for 'timing'. Prep ahead but too much baby-sitting.

Excellent meal but prefer a casual gathering like Dim-Sum...not a delicate timed sit-down meal.

Friends since covid prefer social 'casual'. Nothing formal.

So this pushed my buttons a bit with three burners on the stove-top and a bit of baysitting so all cooked at proper temps. Fine and delish but prefer the recent DimSum, BoSaam, social snacking we have been doing...nothing formal timing...

We just want to snack-n-chat.

Dim Sum

Snow flurries. Soup weather. Shopping the freezer.

Chicken/rice/beans and greens

The dim sum steam baskets look delicious.

This past Fall, 2023, i started a 'entertaining' photo file. Baby steps how many people we have at one time. Dim Sum with various quick pickles, spring rolls, vegetable hummus...is an easy do-ahead simple 3-4 hour social late brunch/dinner. No one really wants a sit-down meal these days. (and i don't want the babysitting of a formal meal and all the timing)

Our Korean market has 5-6 dozen Dim Sum choices...frozen. Extra credit and also easy prep-ahead is a pound or two of chilled seasoned shrimp. And/or a BoSaam pork shoulder roast. Lettuce wraps and a choice of roti and tortillas for those wanting taco style. Such an easy please for all dietary needs. Steamed from frozen.

I like to make my own fresh spring rolls and shrimp/crab shumai but if time gets away from me i have purchased frozen.

Last night made a ham/cabbage soup. Black beans, various vegetables. Kimchi, etc.

We been so busy back and forth to our little holiday home that buying fresh food and cooking has been really neglected.

Not having shopped for a while and forgetting about deliveries, I’ve been ’cooking’ out of fridge and pantry.

Lentil and quinoa stir fry. The green veg was swiss chard/ silver beet from the garden

Jar of pickled herring in mustard sauce, leaves from the garden, crisps.

Quinoa fritters with garlic chilli sauce from a bottle.

I can’t say I really enjoyed any of these meals and good grief I’ve actually lost 2lbs weight.

Early last month, 5-6 weeks ago, i overshopped. I had some freezer space so loaded up with bones and frames for a big Spring master stock or two. Freezing half pints and quart zips of mixed beans and mixed grains. Seafood choices, lobster and lump crab, etc. Farm veg boxes are mostly root crops that last a long time in cold storage.

Still having some variation of soups 3-4 times a week. We only eat one meal a day but lunch snacks are plenty. DH likes cottage cheese with kimchi and maybe a ramen egg.

Last night steamed some tamales and made a Peruvian aji green sauce and a couple vegetable hummus for the weekend...thawed a pint of chick peas.

Many NewYorkers call it PioPio sauce. A popular Peruvian restaurant with now 7 locations. A new one on LongIsland, GlenCove.

Nice menu. I roast chickens at home, but they have great seafood options...PioPio menu

Freezer shopping. Arancini from the last wild mushroom risotto. And a shared humus plate.

I’ve been mildly obsessed with an orange vinaigrette lately. And goat cheese and SV beets and candied pecans. And the salads fhat they together create. Here are a couple.

(I ran low on arugula for this one!)

But I do break it up. Here was last night’s dinner:

Perfect steak. Looks like you are grilling outside? Finally nice weather.

Oven braised pork ribs. With colcannon.

Had colcannon a couple times in an Irish pub. I've never been impressed being pretty bland with just a small amount of overcooked cabbage.

This recipe has leek and lacinato kale. Started with a miropoix of celery, onion, garlic, butter and white wine. Then the leek and kale, finished with a big handful of green cabbage. Braised until just tender. Celery seed.

The recipe included bacon but that is just the red skin from the potatoes. Made extra for some cast iron seared potato cakes.

Made beef stew Sunday and had it last night. (always better next day)

Quart for the freezer.

Wonton Dim Sum Dashi

Added a blurb of soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to the steamed chili crisp

DH really likes pasta. A good pantry selection of all shapes, rice ramen, gluten-free, etc. A dozen choices. Once/twice a month. Most recipes are just carb, sauce, and cheese.

I prefer dumplings, vegetables and broth.

Refika has a recipe using cabbage in place of pasta. I'm cabbage rich at the monent. But DH does not care for carb replacements like zoodles.

So i made a vegetable/cabbage heavy 'pasta' dish with olives and artichoke hearts. Garlic chips.

Still amking way too much pasta, even 1/3r'd a pound.

Turning this into a pasta, vegetable lasagna/fritatta bake tonight.

Love this mini mandolin for garlic chips.

My inspiiration. DH would probably like this one...

My ”beef stew” is also day 2, though unintentionally so. Made beef rendang for Eid, a NYT recipe that several reviewers warned needed at least twice the simmer time but I didn’t listen. It was worth the wait!

Another second day meal. Made too much pasta with a nice homemade vegetable/tomato sauce. Topped with a layer of blendered cottage cheese, lacinato kale, parmesan, mozzarella,cherry tomatoes, prosciutto.

Like a second day lasagna.

I’m interested in that use of cotrage cheese. My experience has been that it quickly separates into liquid and a rubbery mass of cheese when heated. But I see a lot of cottage cheese lasagna recipes out there. Hmmm.

Not something i recall ever doing before. I'm a 'no recipe' cook. Use what i have on hand and try things. I may have used cottage cheese blended with ricotta and parm(?) before on a layer with mushrooms or spinach/greens. A good cottage will blend fine i just found out. Not one with thickeners and emulsifiers. You have recently found the 'Good' brand like i found 6 months ago.

I had other plans for dinner but had the pasta leftover.

All these wind and rain storms made for a nice comfort meal...did not want to waste good food and trying to avoid freezing anything pasta.

Spring cleaning the freezer this weekend making room for a Sunday master/kombu stock. (roasting two chickens tomorrow)...the freezer 'stock' shelf is pretty empty. Should not need to make stock until August/Sept.

Another YeOdle stir fry. Seems once a week these days. Making a bit extra rice and freezing in pints makes a quick one pan meal. A link of merguez, lots of greens, and a couple side shared salads. Beet, red onion, turnip. Shaved fennel, celery, onion.

This is What’s for lunch which was beef curry made by DH. He added coconut milk to a Rogan Josh beef curry and it was creamy and delicious

Rainy day roasted two chickens.

Made an overnight rich MasterStock. Chilled down this morning. 4 pints and 16 1/2 pints. ...20 soup stocks in the freezer.

Chicken and Dumpling (Won Ton) Soup

Creole Shrimp Roll

Homemade chips

Good old Spaghetti Bolognaise and a small salad

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Costco is carrying dried wild again after about ten years absent. The porcini and the carnaroli rice from big 'A'.

I use both mushrooms in a dry brine/rub. A good years supply.

Wagyu burgers under all the quick pickled vegetables...carrot,celery, fennel, cucumber, red onion

side of fresh chips

froze two packets of mushroom risotto for arancini. Soaking beans for the weekend...

Pasta with sausage, olives, and artichoke hearts

Yes, we're eating. Today I made something new to me, sopes. I liked them, fried the shells until they were crispy and not mushy. I had mine with beans, a queso with hatch green chilies, lettuce and tomatoes, a bit of salsa. Elery added chorizo to his.

I baked a loaf of maple oatmeal bread for my morning toast.

It was also nice to have with some of my home canned corn chowder one of the rainy nights. I can it, then add cream when I reheat it, it's pretty good but I forgot a picture until after I was done and could only take a picture of the rest of the soup in the pan, LOL.

Taco salad, which Elery likes enough that we have regularly.

I helped Amanda make some freezer food. This is meatballs, cheeseburger bacon hot pockets and some dog food made with chicken, brown rice, green beans and dry milk powder.

And I think that's it!

Annie

My first thought Annie, was ”what in the world are sopes”? Anyway looked it up and found a recipe. Yours looks better. (than the recipe)

DH has put our little country holiday home on the for sale market. I don’t know if I’m happy about this or not. Maybe it won’t sell.

A lunch I quickly made was pickled herring. The best thing about this is that the pomegranate is off my own little tree, I got 3 this year.

Below was a chicken korma and two samosas for dinner, no rice.

I had to look up sopes as well. I just stocked up on flours....00, AP, gluten-free blend, corn flour, grits, white corn masa and some grains. Looks really good Annie.

I haven't made arepas in a while. Then just came across tetelas...

Mostly savory but did see some with a fruit filling like apple caramel,

Added sopes, arepa and tetelas to my 'party food' file.

Have had a few days of Mexican meals. Just listed a half dozen meal choices. Mostly seafood throught the weekend. Corn chowder sounds good. Dim Sum. Maybe a seafood or lobster roll Sunday. Might be able to avoid any shopping until Monday.

Neely, I'd be a little sad about selling your vacation home too, those are usually just associated with vacations and family events and mostly good things. Life changes, though, so I hope whatever happens works out well for you and your family. I don't know what is happening there with you but here real estate is selling like crazy in spite of the interest rate increases and the big price hikes, I'm not sure why.

I'd need some rice for that nice saucy korma, though!

Sleevendog, I need to stock up on flours and things too, I"ve been diligently working to use up or discard old/outdated items or those that have just deteriorated in quality enough that they need replacement. But it's gardening time, and I'm busy babying my little plants, fertilizing asparagus, pruning grapevines and spraying fruit trees for fungus with our weird weather. Anyway, Elery likes Mexican food a lot and we are surrounded by farms and orchards, so a lot of Hispanic workers come seasonally and many more stay year round. Authentic (and cheap) grocery stores are plentiful, although there are just as many that are neither cheap nor authentic, so those have to be weeded out, usually by a bad experience!

Lobster rolls sound good, but I'm driving our neighbor to a nearby town as her car is out of service. She says she'll take me to dinner, there's a local pizza joint that is known for their breadsticks and she loves them. So, it'll probably be soup and breadsticks.

Annie

'Sleevendog, I need to stock up on flours and things too,'

I have a pantry pull-out full of various small batch flours...tight seal from pests but it stunk a bit rancid. Spring cleaning tossed it. Just small bits and miscellaneous. Not worth using/risking being from 2020-2022. We use so many different flours, one or two pounds each i purchase now. Keep it all fresh or freeze. Some i like to stock we just don't use that often like rice flour and buckwheat.

I had to look up pomegrante trees. Similar to an apple but the flowers are large and gorgeous.

I made a few humus blends for the weekend. So we snacked on those and had some dumplings.

Recently found the best pan in my arsenal to get a good steam/sear without sticking.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Uncle Roger would not approve, "why you put salad in fry rice?"

I don't care. I want the whole food value in a quick weeknight meal. One pot meal.

Knife-cut Noodle Bowl

prep

My favorite knife cut noodle brand, A-Sha, have been out of stock for a few months. I like the 'pantry packs' without the flavor packets. These noodles are slow air dried not fried like the cheap ones. The replacement knife cut packs are good. But come with the little packets of soy, sesame oil, dried chives. (not the salt lick chemical powders)

From the A-Sha website...

All looks delicious as usual Sleeve and with your good home made broth/stock as well no doubt.

100 posts… think I’ll start the new thread.

I started the new WFD thread several hours ago and it hasn’t appeared yet. Perhaps I‘ll start it again, not sure what to do