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The Kitchen Table

I'm In A Cooking Slump

16 years ago

Anybody else? I'm okay with the entree, but I'm having a hard time deciding what to serve with it. I'm tired of the winter vegetables, I guess. We've had enough of the parsnips, beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc. I'm craving ripe, red juicy tomatoes and corn on the cob.

Pork chops in gravy are in the crockpot, now what else are we having with it?? What are you having?

Comments (13)

marilyn_c
16 years ago
I'm having steak in a few minutes, but if I had pork chops and gravy, I'd have rice to go with it and maybe some brocoli. Salad would be good too. (My husband thinks it isn't a meal if rice and gavy isn't part of it.)
kayjones
16 years ago
How about serving dirty rice with pineapple? Maybe a side of buttered squash, which is just now coming to our supermarkets. Sage dressing is also an option, for something different. For dessert, how about some frozen yogurt?

I made tortilla soup, so that's what I'm having for dinner!!!
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patti43
Original Author
16 years ago
Rice is a good idea, Marilyn. No broccoli on hand but I have a bag of fresh spinach. Maybe I'll saute that unless someone has a better idea. Steak sounds really good--but I'm a red-meat lover.
mamatoad
16 years ago
I'd cook some rice and maybe sautee that spinach with a little olive oil and a bit of chopped onion or garlic. A sliced tomato or some pineapple slices would be all I'd need to make a complete meal. I'm having chicken, rice, sweet potato casserole and a big salad for dinner. I bought way too many fresh vegetables (lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, yellow squash, broccoli flower, radishes, onions,celery, spinach and eggplant) this week and now I have to find creative ways to use all of it. What type of salad do you recommend for BREAKFAST?? LOL Bettye
Cherryfizz
16 years ago
For a side with the taste of summer I usually serve grape tomatoes sliced in half with cucumber drizzed with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice and if I have it on hand a crumble of feta cheese. Sometimes just grape tomatoes with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper.

In the winter I like to make dishes like Swiss steak and serve it over egg noodles - no sides necessary.

I'm also partial to fruit as a side if I am having meat. Homemade chunky apple sauce with pork chops or sausages is my favourite. Jello salad - my favourite is the one made with lime jello, cream cheese, pineapple and celery. Sooo refreshing. Sunshine salad made with orange jello, shredded carrots and mandarin orange slices. I know many people won't eat Jello but I love it.

How about couscous or coleslaw or tabhouli?

I also love frozen corn cooked for a couple of minutes in the microwave and then topped sprinkled lemon juice and lots of pepper and a little salt. I don't overcook the corn.

I also like to saute some red and green peppers with some onions and throw in some fresh mushrooms for a side.

Anne
glenda_al
16 years ago
Lunched with friend and her DH. We went Italian!
I had a huge Italian sausage calazone!
patti43
Original Author
16 years ago
Gosh, everything sounds so good all the sudden. Anne, my mother used to make that lime Jello salad. It was called Under the Sea salad back then. I haven't had that for years. Thank you ALL for good ideas. I'll save them for later. I've decided everyday cooking's a PITA.

I'm doing Bettye's idea of sauteeing the spinach with a little garlic and grating a dab of Parmesan on top. Love spinach--just craving some red, juicy tomatoes, I guess. So it'll be pork chops with rice and gravy and sauteed spinach. I like fruit with my dinner, too and we have a couple of pears I'll slice up.
oldrustybucket
16 years ago
gosh, So sorry, I didn't mean to hijack or conflict with your post .. ooh I'm so embarrassed...I was so down and out, I didn't even look at current post before posting....we must all be in that cooking slump!
susanjf_gw
16 years ago
anything sounds good right now..dh is gone for the day (and dinner) so i'm on my own...
sue_va
16 years ago
I have the Orange Chicken in the crock pot, and it is making me hungry. Don't know what I'll have with it yet.

A KTer posted the recipe a while back and this is the first time I've tried it. Note to self: When saving a recipe, include the name of the poster.

Sue
deemarie5500
16 years ago
Someone over at the cooking forum gave me a recipe a few years ago. It is my go-to side dish for company. Fresh spinanch and some chopped fresh basil, grape tomatoes sliced in half at the bottom of a large bowl. Grate some lemon rind on top and some salt and pepper. Throw hot cooked orzo pasta over it, add some olive oil. Let the hot pasta set on it awhile to wilt that spinach. Toss together and you are in heaven.

Enjoy!
Dee
gwanny2three
16 years ago
We have been sauteing alot of mushrooms, bell peppers, celery and onions as a side dish. Trying to stay away from the starchy, boxed stuff and eating more veggies with the main dishes. I was just going to post about being in slump with main dishes!
kathi_mdgd
16 years ago
Well we had corn on the cob the other night with stuffed pork chops and rice.

Then the next night we had BLT's as we had some tomatoes we had to use up before they went bad.Have no idea what's on for tonight,unless it's like most saturdays,where we each do our own thing.

DH does most of the cooking around here these days and i gladly let him.LOL
Kathi

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