Margievank.....by all means stick around...I guarantee you this Cooking Forum is addicting and informative. It will change your view on cooking.

(lucky Moe, : ). The gravy looks good. And the noodles.

Makayla has become quite the home chef. Learn how to make what you like and that continues throughout life. Good lessons learned you. You are a great teacher Annie. We've taught all the young ones in our families good knife skills and encourage their help in the garden and kitchen. Surprising how little they get from home and school.

One sister does not cook so her kids grew up on take-out and fast food. She has been in her last home about five years. The manual and tags are still on/in her oven. Her friends call her home 'Sherwood Suites', lol. The builder/contractor of her neighborhood uses her home as a spec house. So she does get things done for free like her garage is finished and tricked out like a living room.

Like Lars, I like lots of veg in my quiche/frittatas. This one is much better. 5 eggs and I did not overcook using some feta and some yogurt whey in the egg whipping.

(I did not plan the sweet potato garnish..it happened when sliding out onto the plate)

Had the other half this morning...

dcarch, the deer ate all of my carrots last fall, I only wish I would come across a hidden "stash". (sigh)

Jasdip, I forgot to answer your question. Yes, we get chicks and ducklings by overnight mail. I get mine from a somewhat local hatchery, it's about 75 miles away. Baby birds are OK for 24-48 hours without food or water, they're still living on nutrients from the yolk of the egg. So, hatched on Monday morning, boxed up and shipped to me, arrives Tuesday morning. The post office will call promptly and tell me to come and get them, they make such a racket, LOL. I always have brooders set up with food/water/lights so they can eat and drink and get warm immediately.

Last year I went to pick up the chicks and was told they were "in the back". I went back and there was a stack of shipping boxes taller than me, all containing chicks. I though "uh oh, they've screwed up THAT order", but the guy there said only the top box was mine, the rest were going to a local organic farm a few miles away. And Elery always jokes that I'm the only woman he knows who urges her husband to go to the Post Office to pick up chicks, LOL.

Sleevendog, I'm hoping that Makayla keeps enjoying her cooking, he mother doesn't like it so someone in that house should be able to cook! Your frittata looks really good, I also like a lot of vegetable in mine.

Elery and Dave took the boat trailer back this morning, so I made breakfast. Home fries, buttermilk pancakes, bacon, eggs scrambled with ham and cheese. I splurged and had ONE pancake with maple syrup along with my usual egg. Elery had leftover crepes stuffed with the scrambled eggs. Bud, Makayla and Dave ate everything, including an entire pound of bacon between the three of them! And I forgot to take pictures.

Makayla was reading the local paper, which said the robins were having trouble because of the continued snow and ice cover we have, so she kindly provided some chopped apples and peanut butter in a pan in the front yard, which this nice guy was very appreciative of:

Annie

Annie, your ribs are perfection, and I love the look of your calzones!!!!

Check out this small-town grocer. What a wonderful idea.

Jasdip, I love that: What's for Dinner.....For The Robins!

Annie

Annie, your low-cal meals are fantastic! I would never consider myself lacking if eating anything you’ve shown! I think you’ve been incredibly creative. I’m quite impressed with Makayla – both her eagerness and ability to cook, and her kindness in thinking to feed the birds : )

Sleevendog, chili oil… sounds spicy, but as all your photos, it looks so darned good! The last frittata I made was successful – all thanks to you and your ingredients notes. This frittata looks even better and I want some right now.

Jasdip, the tenderloin with hosin looks great, but the “big mess of stir-fries” looks especially good to me. If I feel more energetic, I’d love to stir-fry soon. Been a while.

Margievank, please do stick around! I was welcomed so nicely here and have learned so much from everyone. The meals and foods are incredibly inspiring.

Lars, I can’t remember who, but didn’t someone just recently post the cottage cheese crust recipe? I copied it for later. Thank you for showing it up close, I think it looks very good and your quiche looks like a lovely meal – quiche is a favorite of mine (but then, everything seems to be a favorite of mine!)

Ann, your swedish meatballs make my mouth water. Everything you cook makes my mouth water.

Dcarch, really? Another found treasure? So not fair, but so happy for you! I do eat with my eyes first, and your dishes always look so appetizing to me.

Each weekend seems like we take on far more than we have the time and physicality for. This last was no different. Baked bread on the grill and stupidly took a phone call… it burnt. But… it was still good! Yay!

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Served it slightly toasted with an Instant Pot sirloin stew… showing a photo of sautéing the meat because as we were eating it DH said “where’s the meat?” and I seconded his remark - but it was there! It also lacked tomatoes, which I like in stews. I’ll double the sirloin next time and add tomatoes. Otherwise it was good and the carrots and mushrooms were not overcooked. Ann, had you and pkramer60 not told me of the Instant Pot, DH and I would be eating TV dinners…

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Annie, do you remember telling me about ann_t’s Salisbury Steak and I could make it in the electric skillet? Well, I finally got around to it. The. Best. Salisbury. Steak. Ever. I got a bit too much olive oil when sautéing the mushrooms and onions, but it didn’t affect the flavor or tenderness. DH thinks I’m an amazing cook lately… little does he know it’s not me ; )

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2ManyDiversions. It is ALL you. You are putting your new kitchen appliances to great use. There probably isn't much you can't prepare with the tools you have.

I meant to ask on the other thread, did you bake the round in the cast iron dutch oven? Or just on a stone on the grill?

Funny, I was talking to someone recently about my Salisbury steak. I almost made it the other day instead of the Swedish Meatballs. But I didn't have mushrooms on hand so that made the decision easy. Both are what I call "diner" or comfort food.

Sleevendog, Moe would love your frittata.

Annie, I don't think that you have to worry about Makayla. I remember her loving to cook from the time she was just a little girl. It looks like your love of cooking skipped a generation.

I made an Indian curry tonight using lamb shanks. Served with homemade Chapatis.

So much delicious looking food. Standouts for me are those ribs from Annie looking delicious and one of the only good looking rib photos I've seen... and of course those Swedish meatballs from AnnT equals a perfect dinner. Oh and 2manys Salisbury steak is eat from the screen. Then there's the delicious quiches and frittata from Lars and sleevendog. Jasdip has beautiful stir fry veggies and dcarchs' carrots as I said so much delicious looking food.

We also had ribs... pork marinated in kecap manis and honey. I like pork ribs done somehow Asian style but prefer beef BBQ style. The Brussels were roasted with bits of speck, perhaps not quite enough.

Below is Chicken sauce with tagliatelle. DH cooked this. We do it differently. I like smaller bits of chicken, gently fried first in OO, sauce on top but he added chunks to the made sauce. Can you tell I'm not entirely impressed. Still mustn't complain... just being picky LOL. Note the knife... don't even know how that happened maybe a subtle suggestion to cut the chicken smaller if that's how I like it. Hah!!

ETA Gorgeous curry AnnT

Ann_t, I respectfully disagree that it is not all me : ) Anyone can follow a recipe, but when the recipe includes comments explaining the “why’s and how’s” to make the food better, that makes a world of difference, and your Salisbury recipe had that, as do most of your recipes : ) I also find recipes online typically do not have seasoning or ingredients to our tastes, but yours always do and I never have to deviate.

Yep, meatballs, Salisbury steak, meatloaf, and chicken and noodles fall into my comfort food category! Your curried lamb shanks look amazing, but now I want Swedish meatballs!

I didn’t pack the dutch oven (don’t tell DH!) but also didn’t use it for the boule above in the grill – just transferred it to the pizza stone to bake. I think had I used the DO it mightn’t have burned. But…

This is our temp-temp kitchen now, a mass of heavy black plastic covered in tile dust. DH took this week off to remove the tile, cement board, vinyl underneath, and backerboard from the kitchen floor. It was all layered together, and he’s not happy! The last thing I wanted to do was add a heavy item to wash! We’ll be eating takeout as moving the plastic every day is not possible without repeated washings of all surfaces. Had I thought, I’d have at least moved the microwave to the bedroom. Or perhaps not.

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OT: I did order the wood pellet tube and wood pellets for smoking yesterday. Hoping to grill a whole chicken soon, but need prep space and somewhere to eat it, so depends on when DH can finish removing all those layers of flooring. Sigh…

Annie1992, I meant to tell you I don’t care for coconut, but Makayla’s pie makes me change my mind! It looks rather like a coconut chess pie.

Neely, I had to look up speck… yum! Your ribs look good, but the brussel sprouts have my heart, as does your DH’s chicken – I prefer adding the protein to sauces too, just adds flavor : )

We had smushed take-out burgers last night, laden with mayo and pickles, little else. Still, we ate them as we were gritty, tired, and quite hungry! I’d made a large breakfast before covering everything… our last for a while I’m thinking.

2ManyDiversions, Just wondering if you turned the burner off under the stone?

Once the stone is heated, you can turn the burners off under the stone. As long as you can get the temperature in your grill to maintain at least 400°F if not 500°F with the burners off under the stone, the bread will bake just like in the oven. With less chance of burning.

Yes, I turned the burner off under the stone - but have to admit, this took several attempts with pizzas in the grill to learn when! The grill was at 500 F, but I turned the burner under the stone off at about 8-10 minutes. No, wait, I'm wrong. I left it on Low! I have been leaving the burner under the stone on low for pizza's, and did the same for the bread. Darn it!

When I first made pizzas on the grill, I turned the burner under the stone on high and let it heat up for 30 minutes and that was too long... over a period of 'pizza' time, I started turning it down to the lowest setting sooner, and found 8 - 10 minutes to be about right to heat the stone - the grill comes to temp (500 F) quickly. Now that I think about it, that last baguette in the grill was too done on the bottom... I'd left the burner on Low for it, also!

Now that I really think about it, I believe the pizzas would be fine if I turned the middle burner to off once the stone heated!

Well, you solved it! Next time I'll turn the burner under the stone to off, leave the side burners on high, and maybe nudge those side burners down a tad for breads, perhaps to 475 F, as the bread was still too toasty on top for both the baguette and boule.

Wow, thank you for figuring out my error!

ETA: Now that I have a grill thermometer, I am better able to see what the actual temp of the grill is and can monitor it.

2ManyDiversions. You are welcome. But I'm sure you would have figured it out the next time you baked on the grill.

Tonight's dinner.

A favourite.

Green Peppercorn Steak.

Oh Ann, that steak looks perfect. Your potatoes look so creamy too... I packed my ricer and masher, so ours have been rather lumpy of late. I went to your blog as there are a couple peppercorn steaks now (this one included) I'd love to try. Drooled, then closed out the page.

Last night we 'feasted' on TV dinners with a dusting of concrete board dust and just a hint of tile dust (wish I were kidding). For dessert we had a slice of cheddar, some nuts that were left out of the covered bins, and water in what I hope were well-washed glasses. This morning we enjoyed very old coffee (DH forgot to order more, and we only had old beans to roast... the taste is reminiscent of mildew), Egg McMuffins, also served with a gently aged concrete dust. We will be dieting for lunch, and dinner most likely will be takeout, but again, dusted with more concrete board dust. The latter has permeated my nostrils, affected my taste buds, and we have a heavy coating all over ourselves, the work area, and food prep plastic-covered area.

I may have to not visit this thread for a while... : ) On the other hand, I do so enjoy seeing all these wonderful meals and daydreaming of a day I will soon be able to cook again!

So busy and great meals...weather is so much like Spring...potting up seedlings...75 tomato plants and only halfway done ...

Had to shop Costco after weeks of avoidance...what a killer rosemary plant for 15$.!!

Grey rainy day and only a meek chive has come up in our landscape...

Wow Sleevendog, That is one beautiful Rosemary plant.

Didn't make dinner last night so I made it this morning.

Moe had Chinese Chow Mein for breakfast and I'm taking mine to work

for lunch.

sleevendog, that rosemary is extraordinary! Mine is only on it's second year, looking woody but just now getting some new growth. My chives on the other hand are going wild! Trade ya! LOL! Gray and rainy here for the past week, too.

Ann, your chow mein looks so fresh and good. I somehow always add too much soy sauce to ours and it tends to look rather drenched. I can't stop staring at your peppercorn steak, though. Kinda like your Yorkshire pudding, it's tormenting me in a good way!

Last night our neighbor kindly sent some POOFed pork bbq, some slaw and hamburger buns over last night, and we ate every last bite. I pulled some of Annie's choc chip cookies from the freezer and we munched on those for dessert. After my deskwork was mostly done I'd helped DH chisel away at the concrete board and pry up '8 million nails'. We both looked a sight; covered in a gray dust, hair frizzled and dirty, faces red from exertion! At 58 (me) and 61 (DH) we might be getting a bit long in the tooth for this! Nevertheless, it continues to be an adventure. Still, I'd rather be cooking : /

Tonight's dinner... anyone's guess! Same goes through the weekend as we run into more issues with flooring removal under the concrete board. sigh... The smoke tube and pellets arrive soon, and I have no idea when I'll be able to use them, but I hope soon.

Wow, sleevendog, that's a really nice rosemary plant. I have to buy a new one every year, I'm told that others manage to overwinter them, but I've been unsuccessful so far.

I'm impressed with how fast this thread is moving, 60+ posts already!

AnnT, your steak is perfect, as always. Mine is usually pretty good, but I tend to get distracted and overcook it sometimes. You know how bad I am at focusing on just one thing. (sigh) That sometimes results in beef that's more medium than rare, unfortunately. I need to channel AnnT when I'm making steak!

2many, I'm 62, so I know how you feel, Elery and I remodeled this entire house when we bought it 3 years ago, including demolition of the entire kitchen. We even built our own island and installed the double ovens. It was worth it, but sometimes things just hurt that didn't used to hurt!

I saw on another thread that you are in Eastern Tennessee, my DH is from Tennessee. His sister still lives in Caryville and his brother in Knoxville, and various other relatives are scattered about, and Grandfathers on both sides of his family were Baptist ministers in Tennessee, so we go and visit sometimes.

Neely, that's a good idea about the kecap manis, it would make a great BBQ sauce, yum. I'm going to try that, thanks!

Yes, we are still busy getting healthy, LOL. Elery says he'd like to do this at least until Christmas, I'm not sure I'm going to make it. I'm too picky. (sigh)

Still, we aren't starving. We've had hamburgers with coleslaw. The bread leaves something to be desired and I'm almost ashamed to say that I was happy to throw it out this morning when I found the rest of the loaf had gone moldy:

Yesterday was one of those days I just gave up. I made lamb meatballs with tzatziki for Elery, served with beets and sauteed kale. I scrounged up some leftovers.

Tonight I decided to just take what I had in the fridge that needed to be used and make that. I had mushrooms, an eggplant and a rutabaga, so we had chicken with a mushroom/dijon sauce, rutabaga and an Indian curried eggplant dish called Baingan Bharta. It called for a minced jalapeno and I put it all in, making it spicy enough that I couldn't finish mine. Elery loved it, though, and plans to put the remainder in his omelet tomorrow.

Sleevendog, your mustard seeds made a nice addition to my improvised mushroom sauce:

I picked up Makayla at school and took her to an appointment, so I baked brownies. She promptly topped hers with a generous layer of Nutella in lieu of frosting, like there's not enough sugar in brownies, LOL. I sent the pan home with her.

Annie

Love all your 'getting healthy' meals Annie. Like you I too like vegetables a lot, but I've been a little slack with them lately. Love that you had rutabaga in the fridge and that eggplant dish sounds yummy.

AnnT your steak and green pepper steak is a favourite of mine too... to look at when you cook it. But really I have made it since you mentioned it ages ago and we love it.

Love the rosemary Sleevendog. We are lucky enough to have it grow all year though we do get frost... fairly mild. I guess you know the old saying that 'Rosemary thrives in a home where the woman is boss'. Mine is doing OK but not a huge plant Hah!.

For Friday night we had seafood risotto. The idea of fish on Friday is not strict just a way to remind us to eat fish at least once a week.

This also had spinach and a couple of calamari on the side.

Thought I'd show one of my avocado on toast breakfasts with lightly fried tomatoes in OO. No eggs this time.

Annie, yes, we are so close to your DH’s sister and brother – I posted on the other thread – we’re only about 2 hours and less away! Would love to meet you all if ever this way! You and your DH must be like us, very DIY’ers. DH and I used to do so much more when we were younger… I admire you two for what you did, and hope DH and I can manage the same over a period of time (that’s our plan!). I also admire how you are able to continue cooking healthy. Taking your own recipes and altering them is no easy task. Being reminded daily that you are cutting back is also difficult. Having been put on a number of special foods diets in the past, I understand there are hardships. I’ve never made lamb meatballs, but they look delicious! I do think we have ground lamb here on occasion.

Neely, I was cooking a fish dinner every week on grocery day to incorporate more fish into our diets, too. That has fallen by the wayside now, but hope to pick it up again. Your risotto looks very tasty. And your avocado toast does look good - I’d like to try that – but I’d have to add a poached or easy over egg ; )

Again, no pics as we had Taco Bell last night (DH’s choice). No complaints anymore, it was food. For those of you who home roast your coffee beans I’m sure you’ll understand: Last few days we ran out and our coffee was awful. Yesterday finally saw a new shipment of beans and DH got up this morning to roast… aaah… fresh coffee again! Could have sat in the dust drinking many cups all morning had I time!

Neely, look at the beautiful breading on your calamari.

2ManyDiversions, I'm envious. You have Taco Bell and I don't. We don't have one here in the area. I think the closest is in Nanaimo and it shares space with KFC. Been a long time since I've been to a Taco Bell. When we lived in Sault Ste Marie, I use to take Matt and all of his friends over the border to the Michigan side just so they could get a feed of Taco Bell. We made that trip often.

Amazing when I think about it. No one ever questioned me at the border as to whether I had permission from their parents to take them into the US.

I'm sure that would not be the case today.

Chinese again for Moe's breakfast. Spicy Pork with eggplant over rice. Will take the same to work for lunch.

Ooops. What a difference a half hour makes. I had my alarm set on my watch being a gorgeous day and outside loving yard work. brioche buns rising, chickpeas roasting...

Brioche was perfect, then wasn't. Kitchen temp near 80º (usually 65º)...over-risen. But still tasty and crusty.

Roasted corn salad a nice change for Spring.

Roasted vegetable bisque. Really good mid-week cold rainy day. Darn chili oil is just way too spicy. I started a Butcher&Packer order a few times but they erase my cart since I keep pausing on ordering. They have some more mild ground peppers I want to try as well as the mustard seed...

It looks too thick but was not at all. I don't care for thick bisque.

Having fennel and a celeriac has been a nice change from the winter rut. New flavors in our fresh salads and slaws.

Had another taco night....

2ManyDiversions: I see you bought the IP. Congratulations. One of the biggest headaches with it is the dreaded "burn" that can happen after browning meat and not getting a full deglace to clean the bottom. To solve this, I brown on the stove top. I clean the pan while the IP does its magic. Also, take a look at your own tried and true recipes and adjust them for the IP. Glad you are enjoying it and remember, it makes really good cheesecake.

Out of all these amazing meals (yes Annie your hamburger on sandwich bread), I have to comment on Sleevendog's rosemary plant!! Wow! Every year I buy a rosemary plant to keep on the balcony. It never amounts to anything though.

We christened a well-done beef roast in the cast iron chicken fryer/small dutch oven. It was excellent.

Such great looking meals!

Ann_t, I remember wishing for an Arby’s and when we finally got one it was pretty awful! I don’t care for Taco Bell here in the States, but DH likes it. Your spicy pork and eggplant looks delish, sans the spiciness/chile! I’m such a wimp, or rather my reflux is : )

Sleevendog, your brioche doesn’t look overrisen to me – it looks perfect. I have stopped trying to find meal perfection on beautiful yard days! I always ruin something. Hard to leave the yard-work! I’ve only just begun roasting corn, but found it adds that extra flavor to corn-based salads, and yours looks so good. Your bisque doesn’t look too thick to me, but I like them thick, and love your presentation. And as you know now I’m a fan of your prep photos, but this time, your entire taco photo blows me away! From presentation to the components – work of art and looks mouthwatering!

pkramer60, As you say, I did find brown meat left some burn on residue but thus far I’ve deglazed most of it. I’ll do as you suggest and mostly use the cooktop – when I get one! I’ve tried only one of my recipes with the IP and am glad you mentioned this – ann_t said she does this too. I am finding online IP recipes to be somewhat not to our usual tastes (although a beef tip recipe ‘as was’ was darned good!). I intend to find similar recipes online and use those for cooking times. I’ll have to get a cheesecake form for the IP and try that (it’s DH’s favorite!). Again, I’m so thrilled you and ann_t brought this to my attention because it’s been a lifesaver during the reno! Even just steamed veggies as I had no way to do that! But it does so much more. The IP will always be useful to me, well after the demo/reno!

Oh Jasdip… your pot roast makes my mouth water… I cook mine in the DO too and it’s always so tender and tasty. I’ve yet to make a mid-rare, cut that’s next on the list when the kitchen is done : ) This forum makes me want to try things I’ve been previously unaware of or worried I’ll mess up!

No photos again, just fast-food of late and far too much of that, too tired to consider cleaning up and going out. Hope to get my temp-temp kitchen uncovered by week’s end.

Neely, the seafood risotto is impressive, but that avocado toast looks just perfect. I like avocados, but they are definitely not "native" and so they are very "iffy" here. Once in a great while I find a perfect one.

AnnT, Moe's breakfast looks delicious, Elery would love that, and he'd eat the hot peppers first. I'm sure you are right about the border crossings. We used to go to Canada every summer to visit Grandma and it just wasn't an issue. Once all three of us kids rode in the back of the pickup with a "topper", all the way to Buckhorn and nothing was said. We couldn't do that today either. Well, that probably is a good thing for that particular action. (grin)

Taco Bell? Elery loves Taco Bell, he especially likes the bean and rice burrito that's on the Dollar Menu, so it's a cheap meal for him. I usually pass, for some reason it gives me heartburn so badly that my girls used to call it "Toxic He!!", LOL.

2many, the next time we get to Tennessee, I'll definitely give you advance warning, it would be fun to meet for lunch or something. I'll wait until after your kitchen reno, though! At least you're back to really good coffee, so that's always something to look forward to.

Jasdip, your roast looks moist and delicious. As for that burger of mine, well, it was actually not bad after I threw the nasty bread away and just ate the burger!

Sleevendog, all your meals look fresh and good, even the flattened Brioche. I know what you mean about taking advantage, though, because we had our first nice day here in a long, long time. I put all my flats of plants outside, then cleaned the brooder for the ducks, and then the one for the chicks, they are both a week old now. Dug holes and planted three trees, 2 pear trees and a Stanley plum. I still have two fig trees on my front porch, waiting for a little nicer weather. Fixed the fence where the deer grounded it, walked around the pond to check for muskrats and fed the fish, mulched the rhubarb and checked the asparagus, but no peek of green yet. Then I went and talked nicely to my tiny little celeriac, I love the stuff and have never been able to grow it very well, so this year I started it inside. I think tomorrow Elery and I are going to start building some raised beds for strawberries, so I can screen them to protect them from the deer. As a result, supper was leftovers because I spent all day fiddling around outside! Elery had a corned venison "Reuben", with some beans and corn. I skipped the venison and ate cole slaw, baked beans and corn:

Yesterday Mother was here, along with Amanda and Dave and the kids. Elery made burgers on the grill, and I made baked beans, corn on the cob and coleslaw, along with roasted potatoes. I baked a raspberry pie for Mother and flourless chocolate cake for Amanda. Mother took the pie home and Amanda and the kids ate the cake. I didn't take pictures.

Saturday we spread manure....um.....compost, and so I made dinner for Dave and Amanda and the kids then too. I made some corned venison last week, so it seemed just the thing for supper:

We also had baked potatoes, green beans, garlic rolls, deviled eggs and The Princess made a no-bake type cheesecake with a chocolate layer, a vanilla layer and a chocolate ganache topping. Well, kind of, but I didn't have cream so it had a rather sturdy chocolate layer on top made from melted chocolate chips.

Please excuse the prescription bottles in the photo, they belong to our 15 year old dog with arthritis and congestive heart failure, she has more medication than I do. The Princess wanted to EAT that dessert, so she snapped a quick picture and sent it to me, LOL, no messing about with lighting or fancy plates.

I made gluten free lemon bars for Amanda, and made her take them home, they are one of my weaknesses and I'd have happily eaten more than one of them.

Annie

I like just about anything lemon, even desserts. Corned venison? yum...

Weather is going to hit 80º today. DH surprised me with yet another rosemary plant and a few trees he wanted. He seems to think we can over-winter rosemary but forgets how often I have tried. My mother lost her 5ft, 7ft wide rosemary this year. I used to bring home a few dozen big branches and freeze them. Sage also freezes beautifully.

Still laughing about the sad little packet DH bought at Easter....what the heck is 'pure organic flavor', lol. Our market usually has big 18" dozen or so branches near the meat counter at Easter for a dollar...but he came home with this....

All veggie meal and Salmon last night.

Sleevendog, do you plant the rosemary in the ground, or keep it in the pot all summer? I always buy a little 4" pot or so, and keep it on the balcony. It doesn't grow much it seems.

My goodness sleevendog, that looks so good! All of it! Shrimp, salmon, artichokes... I want my kitchen back (she yells)! Soon...

Got a good chuckle at the Rosemary packet your DH brought home because that's the only type of herbs our grocery offers and I embarrassingly bought some basil earlier this year... it was so sad looking and barely any taste! Basil is in the ground now, but a month before I can think to harvest any.

I read something about using rosemary branches for skewers when grilling... is that what you did? I can't see. I'm thinking it would take something sturdier than my rosemary's stems for anything other than shrimp. I also read sage bundles on the grill keeps mosquitoes away and smells nice (can vouch for the scent, I used to burn wild sage bundles when I lived in NM to freshen the house). My sage struggles, so I never have enough to just burn : )

Jasdip, I'm clearly not sleevendog, but I planted my Rosemary in the ground (eastern TN) and in it's 2nd year is now doing very well. Not the huge plants Sleeve's are, but it started very small.

We had subway sandwiches last night. I'm going to only look at photos now, quit posting on the WFD thread until I actually can cook again : ) Concrete dust is insidious... just had to make that comment!

Jasdip, great looking pot roast dinner.

Sleevendog, what press are you using for your corn tortillas? They are perfect.

Now I have a craving for Mexican. I think I will try and hold off until Saturday if I can.

Big beautiful shrimp.

Annie, I would skip dinner for the no bake cheesecake.

A catch up post.

Tuesday's Breakfast.

Winged a quick stir fry.

Pork tenderloin thinly sliced and marinated with Shao Hsing, cornstarch, and sesame oil and then fried in peanut oil.

The remaining ingredients were onions, garlic, ginger, and a couple of Thai red chili peppers, stir fried in peanut oil and then
Yu Chow Sum added, cooked for a minute or two, the pork added back to the wok along with a splash of chicken broth and
some garlic chili sauce and a little Chinese black pepper sauce.

Simmered for a few minutes until the Yu Choy Sum was tender.

Didn't bother with rice or noodles. Will definitely make this again soon.

Monday's dinner:

We started the month off with homemade Halibut Fish and Chips and we finished it the same way.

Sunday night's dinner.

I bought a rotisserie chicken on my way to work with the idea of using some of it to make a sandwich for lunch. Instead I just ate one of the legs and brought the rest home.

For dinner, I removed the breasts and then added the back, other leg and wings to a cast iron pan and roasted the bones for 30 minutes, on high heat, just long enough to get some drippings and brown bits in the roasting pan.

Removed the bones, added a little butter and made a gravy using chicken broth, flour, lots of pepper and some sage.

Was pleasantly surprised that I could make a gravy off of a rotisserie chicken. Gravy was so good that I made mashed potatoes rather than our traditional french fries to go with a hot chicken sandwich.

This was Saturday's breakfast. Grilled pork chops with potato gratin made with chicken broth, roasted butternut squash and sauted Yu Chow Sum with garlic.

Gosh, I love your dinner for breakfasts. I do that often, but it doesn't look as pretty, usually involving storage containers, lol!

AnnT, it all looks delicious, and I'd never even thought of trying to make gravy from a rotisserie chicken. As for that cheesecake, I'd have happily had a piece of it for supper in lieu of anything else but we're supposed to be "getting healthy", and that probably isn't health food, LOL. Elery would have given me "that look", the one that says "I just can't believe you're doing that". I get it regularly, so I'm familiar. (grin)

It's the halibut that really calls to me, though, I just love those fish and chips.

Nothing here worth taking pictures of, we've been busy planting fruit trees and building raised beds for strawberries and getting the garden ready, so dinner has been rather haphazard.

Annie

So much fabulous food being cooked.

AnnT, that is pretty much how I do a stir fry even add the chicken broth and sometimes a scant dessert spoon of sherry.

We have been having fairly easy meals lately, mainly good old Aussie fare of lamb chops, mash potato and peas. No pictures.

Had a hamburger this evening with wedges sprinkled with a concoction of smoked paprika, turmeric,salt and pepper sprinkled over.

The following are breakfasts with roasted pumpkin. If this is a new trend may I say you saw it here first Hah!

A bought loaf of bread... not mine unfortunately.

Not tomato sauce but sriracha, spicey hot. Perhaps Annie, we are channelling Elery.

Love the food porn!

And I love Sriracha ... on eggs, avocados, in Pad Thai, etc.

Neely, I think we use more sriracha than mustard/catsup/mayo combined, he loves the stuff. I even made and canned my own, which Elery claims is better than that "rooster sauce". I wouldn't know, I don't eat any of it, LOL. I tasted it once and it mostly tasted like vinegar and hot peppers.

I have been looking for recipes that fit into our "program" and found a perfect one. AnnT's salisbury steak! I didn't make 5 steaks from 2 pounds of beef, I made half a batch and made 4 "steaks", so about 4 ounces each, which is considered one serving.

We had that with some salad and the ever present cauliflower rice. I didn't have green peppercorns, so had to omit those, and Elery said he didn't usually care for salisbury steaks but he LOVES AnnT's version. Turns out the only salisbury steaks he's ever had was in frozen dinners. I'm not sure what that stuff is but it sure isn't salisbury steak!

This was really good and the sauce made the cauliflower actually...not bad!

Annie

I tasted it once and it mostly tasted like vinegar and hot peppers.

That's what Tabasco other hot sauces taste like to me, but not sriracha.

Cindy, along with my other "pickinesses", I do not like hot sauce, hot peppers, hot pickles, if they are very hot. I'll eat it just a tiny bit spicy, but not so hot that the enamel on my teeth bubble, which is how Elery likes it. I've never tried a hot sauce that I liked, it all tastes like vinegar and hot peppers, which must be the dominant ingredients in many/most of them. I will eat a tiny bit of chipotle, like the chipotle mashed potatoes, and I can chipotle catsup and habanero gold jelly because I can use about a teaspoonful on a bagel with cream cheese, LOL. I don't even eat my own salsa, usually and a taco at Taco Bell is plenty hot for me with no sauce at all. Yeah, I'm a wimp, I admit it.

Here we were building the second raised bed for strawberries and we hauled another truckload of composted manure for fill. Shovel it in the truck, shovel it back out, get lots of exercise. Fortunately, it's been composting for about 4 years, so it doesn't even smell, it's just rich black dirt. Anyway, I came home, took a shower and made a fast supper, chicken breast and asparagus. Elery had a big salad with his, I passed.

That wasn't really picture worthy, except that the asparagus was really good. It was fresh and crisp and nice thick stalks, but no indication at all of where it came from. I know it wasn't local, because we're still a couple of weeks off, at least, and it wasn't snapped, it was cut, so it wasn't from Michigan. It was really good, though, roasted with just salt and pepper.

Annie

Yep, got to make Salisbury steak, looks good Annie.

More lamb (roasted) , boiled potatoes and boiled Brussels. Yes it's meat and 2 veg but still tasty with gravy and mint sauce.

Now that is a meal perfection. Nice looking sauce. Now that my grill and rotis is up and running I need to get a leg of lamb...

I prepped some white beans ahead and black beans for a Saturday crowd....Derby and Cinco. Lots of rosemary. SousVide two giant London Broils. (cut in half for 4 chunks). 1.99Lb. Sous vide is great for cheaper cuts, especially pork.

*I did plant one of the rosemary plants up in a front bed. Deck plant will stay in a pot. No way either will survive the winter indoor or out but I will freeze some before Fall frost. And yes, I have big branches for skewers.

*I have a love/hate with corn tortilla making. I can easily make a dozen and use all the tricks. Perfection half the time. : ) ...I bought 200 at the Mexican market last week. No way could I make that many without 'potty mouth'. I have two presses and one is perfect by chance.

First grill fire was fun. Brisket, the londonBroil, and two dozen chicken thighs. I only had taco fixings and beans...and a pasta salad. Lots of salad greens, guacamole....

Way too much food but we prefer that all guests are happy and full. Horrid to run out..extras/leftovers fine.

Great meals while I’ve been away : )

Ann_t, amazing you made gravy from a rotisserie chicken (bones) and I’m noting that! Thanks for explaining how you accomplished it!

Standouts for me: Ann_T’s grilled pork chops – I’ve yet to grill chops, but that’s on my grill list next, chops in freezer await! Hope they taste half as good as yours look! Neely, everything on your lamb plate looks delicious to me. Annie, your Salisbury steak (I know what it tastes like!) makes my mouth water, and again with the cauliflower rice – I need to make some as I love it (clearly, more so than you!). Sleevendog, wish you’d posted your London broils, but the I’m thinking baked cod over white beans is a perfect flavor match – again something I’ve never tried. I’m incredibly envious of your outdoor oven! How wonderful that must be to use!

Relying on the grill quite a bit now when I have time to cook:

Thursday night was Ann_t’s Greek ribs again… so tender and we love the flavor.

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Friday night’s meal: I’ve never grilled salmon, and though I left it on a bit too long (DH’s was perfect but larger) this was the best-tasting salmon we’ve both had. Marinated for a couple hours in sesame oil, fresh grated ginger, soy, minced garlic, and a smidge of dark brown sugar, seasoned with lemon pepper before grilling. Could eat this every night I think. DH requested grilled corn again, and the potatoes were also grilled in a grilling basket. Easy meal.

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Enjoyed a sunset margarita before dinner just because it was Friday : ) Yep, resorting still to plastic cups. Made myself another half drink as it was so refreshing and the weather lovely.

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Saturday was awful to-go pizza… long week, hard day.

Sunday finally tried the pellet tube as a smoker substitute, and other than initially not grilling the chicken long enough due to poor temp probe placement, it was wonderfully smoky! ETA: The not-clear juices running from the chicken should have been my first clue it wasn't to 165 F!

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Needed to cut back my mint as it was crowding the rosemary, so made glazed carrots with mint. Potatoes in the electric skillet this time, and more time consuming than on the grill, not nearly as good.

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sleevendog, I LOVE your fireplace/oven, I'm envious! And I agree, I'd far rather have too much food than to ever run out of anything. Guests often take home leftovers and are happy to do so.

Neely, I really like brussels sprouts, now I need to pick up some more.

2many, I like grilled salmon and yours looks delicious, as does everything else.

We had leftovers for supper, I had to take Mother shopping for shoes while Dave changed the oil in her car. The oil change took half an hour but the shoe shopping took all afternoon, LOL, along with a stop at Biggby Coffee for her favorite Raspberry Mocha.

Yesterday we ate at Wendy's, we drove to the Lansing area to watch Elery's granddaughter play soccer. I had half a plain baked potato and a cup of chili and then went to one of my favorite places, Horrock's Farm Market. Sol loves it there too. I bought a Carolina Reaper pepper plant, avocados, celery root, golden beets, parsnips and cabbage, so lots of vegetables this week. Plus, I found this in the garden this morning:

It looks like we'll have asparagus for Mother's Day!

Annie

Not sure what locally grown asparagus is selling for in your area Annie, but it is $8.00 a pound here. And as much as I love asparagus, not enough to pay $8.00 a pound.

Annie, happy that Elery likes my version of Salisbury steak. I haven't made that recently. Should do.

Neely, your leg of lamb looks perfectly cooked.

2ManyDiversions, all your meals look wonderful. I have a craving for a roast chicken.

A few of these dinners were actually breakfast.

I poached four New Zealand Honey Belle Pears. They are small but very sweet.

They were suppose to be for dessert, but instead made Salted Caramel Pear Puffs for breakfast.

and I took it work with me for lunch.

A Meatball Sandwich for Moe.

AnnT, here asparagus is about $1.69 a pound, but it's mostly not local yet. I'm one county East of the self proclaimed "Asparagus Capital". They even have an Asparagus Festival in June, with an Asparagus Queen and a "Taste of Asparagus" event. https://www.everfest.com/e/national-asparagus-festival-hart-mi

When local asparagus "comes in" it's about $1 a pound, I used to be able to get it right from the farms for 50 cents a pound but only small farms now sell directly, the big places all sell to packagers.

I don't blame you, I wouldn't pay $8 a pound for asparagus either, wow.

Oh, and the pears look lovely. I actually like pears, although I only like most fruits and vegetables cooked.

Elery and I spent the day fixing the duck coop, repairing fence and pitching hay. Supper was chili, Elery's request. I didn't take pictures.

Annie

Beautiful and delicious looking food there AnnT.

2many you are doing so well with your temporary set up. The grilled salmon looks great as do your other meals.

Sleevendog your cod over white beans looks yummy. I am still yet to experiment with miso sauces. I do like a bowl or cup of miso 'broth' but haven't as yet gone further, though you are tempting me to try.

Annie...Good on your mother having raspberry mocha. Haven't tried this but occasionally I will go for a hazelnut long black. DH just looks as though I've lost it. You bought some good vegetables at that market. I keep meaning to try and source some golden beets... haven't tried them yet.

We had San choy bow style beef mince with fresh hokkien noodles. I bought a packet of fried shallots for sprinkling over the top. I like these better than making my own and last a long time too.

I know it's a nuisance with the different names we call things eg San choy bow but I guess that's just the way it is.

Whatever that is looks good, Neely. I do like golden beets, but I really like the dark red ones best. I have said that golden beets are for people who don't really like beets, LOL, but they are very mild.

I always urge Mother to get some kind of tall and calorie laden drink, with full fat milk. She's 82, has osteoporosis, and weighs about 85 pounds. I swear she gets smaller every time I see her, and so every chance I get I order a raspberry mocha with whole milk AND whipped cream, and I always try to convince her she needs a muffin with it. She and my brother live together and he has been learning to cook, but left to her own devices she'd have a cup of yogurt for breakfast and a cold hot dog, no bun, straight out of the fridge, for supper. That would be her food for an entire day, so I always try to cook/bake/take her out and feed her.

Annie

Thoroughly entertaining … again. It goes so fast. Wonderful art folks!

Great looking meals again... ann_t, I think I died a happy little death looking at those pears. I died a bit more looking at your pan fried chicken and mushroom sauce : ) Neely, I agree with Annie, whatever that is, it looks delicious!

Sleevendog, I was so disappointed! Had my mouth set for your version of Nasu Dengaku... found everything but the miso paste and bonito flakes (of course). I'll have to order it online (sigh). I'm sure DH would have liked it as well. Thank you for taking the time to go over the ingredients and how to make it, and adding the info about making miso soup. Perhaps it was just as well. By the time we got finished Wednesday night it was full dark with no lights for the grill other than the tiny one affixed to it (we'll remedy that!). Marinated salmon again, rather crispy outside, but nicer on the inside this time - still overcooked it a bit due to grilling in the dark! Portabella and asparagus risotto made in the IP - best risotto I've ever made! Loving the IP : ) Had to let it sit a bit while waiting on the salmon, but still so good. Sorry, I took a few bites before remembering to get a quick photo!

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Neely, I'm really in to making Chinese and other Asian style dinners, and yours really appeals to me.

Annie, around here the local farmers charge big premiums for their produce.

When the tomatoes are in season, they sell anywhere from $3.50 to $5.00 a pound at the local farmers markets. And I pay it because I love tomatoes. This year I'm going to try and grow them. Or I should say Matthew is. I bought 30 tomato plants the other day and Matt planted them. He is going to be responsible for them.

2ManyDiversions, you did a wonderful job grilling that salmon in the dark. And I Would be happy with your nacho platter.

I fed my sourdough starter this week. Hadn't fed it since the first week of February. Fed with fresh milled Canadian Organic Rye. It doubled in less than six hours. Made a biga using some of the discard and used it in a batch of dough on Monday.

Baked one boule in a dutch oven Monday night.

Moe had poached eggs on toasted sourdough for breakfast on Tuesday.