The What's For Dinner Tonight Chat

[IrishHeart]

Looks like burgers and asparagus on the grill tonight. It's a glorious day here!

And even though I shouldn't have it, we're having champagne anyway----as our building loan was approved and well, it's Kentucky Derby Day!

(and I do not like mint juleps)

[Adalaide]

WOOOOO!!!!!!! Congratz!

[IrishHeart]

WOOOOO!!!!!!! Congratz!

 thanks, Addy!  appreciate it!

[notme]

Looks like burgers and asparagus on the grill tonight. It's a glorious day here!

And even though I shouldn't have it, we're having champagne anyway----as our building loan was approved and well, it's Kentucky Derby Day!

(and I do not like mint juleps)

that is awesome!!!!    i like derby day, too!  we were there for a show on derby weekend once - the energy is out of this world.  i was hooked after that.  want to go and wear a big hat

[IrishHeart]

that is awesome!!!!    i like derby day, too!  we were there for a show on derby weekend once - the energy is out of this world.  i was hooked after that.  want to go and wear a big hat

 

We've been to Churchill Downs twice for the Breeder's Cup races, but never for the KD.

And I have never, ever worn a big hat there or at Saratoga where we have seats for the season..(too afraid I'd take out others in my wake if I turned left or right----you know, "the celiac agility" we all have and all) 

the Lucy Ricardo in me might have my wide brim giving others black eyes  er, sorry? might not cut it.

[notme]

 lolz yeah, i am uber co-ordinated, too - you and i can take out a whole row just watching the race!!  

 

tonight is:  northern nj chicken chow mein, 80's take-out style, rice and crispy tink noodles.  i'm eating mine with a shovel.  (oink)

[IrishHeart]

 lolz yeah, i am uber co-ordinated, too - you and i can take out a whole row just watching the race!!  

 

tonight is:  northern nj chicken chow mein, 80's take-out style, rice and crispy tink noodles.  i'm eating mine with a shovel.  (oink)

 

gawd, that sounds DELICIOUS!! (northern NJ chow mein sounds "intriguing") so..... have you posted this dinner recipe anywhere??...and OINK!

[notme]

here you go!  i stole it off a chat room, so i have no idea who to give credit to.  it is pretty much dead on.  (but i make it with chicken and not cat...)(LOLZ)

 

 

 

chicken chow mein (NNJ style)

 

Growing up, my best friend's family owned the most popular Chinese restaurant in the area (Northern New Jersey). Here's their basic recipe for Chicken Chow Mein:

 

1. Peanut Oil in heated Wok

 

2. Minced Garlic

 

3. Ground Pork .....browned

 

4. Sherry / Shao Xing Wine

 

5. Chicken Stock

 

6. Vegetables.....Celery, Onions, Bok Choy Cabbage (White Only) and Bean Sprouts

 

7. Season ......Soy Sauce, Salt and a pinch of Ground White Pepper

 

8. Cornstarch Slurry

 

9. Topped with Diced White Meat Chicken

 

This was the classic preparation for Cantonese cooking in NY/NJ area restaurants and take-outs in the 50's- 80's.

 

As an added bonus, if you use the basic preparations above....garlic, ground pork, chicken stock and slurry, once thickend, add a broken egg and sliced scallions and you now have Lobster Sauce. At the time of the step where you add the ground pork, if you add shrimp, you will have Shrimp in Lobster Sauce. If you add a cut up Maine Lobster, you will have Lobster Cantonese.

[notme]

for the crispy 'tink' noodles:  i use the tinkyada fettucini noodles, but you could use any that you like.  make noodles as package directs, then lay them out in a single layer on a rack for like, 2-3 hours.  then i toss them in cornstarch and fry them in canola oil.  sprinkle with salt after you fry them.  

 

husband likes them better than the 'real' thing

[IrishHeart]

sounds awesome, except for the soy sauce. I'll have to sub in coconut aminos..but, all "do-able"....... thanks, sweets!!

[GottaSki]

 

Yep...stole it from Addie -- but heck -- HIP HIP HOORAY....the first corner of the multi-compound is underway....i do have my own bathroom, right

 

Dinner tonight is Peter's French Onion Soup and some sort of meat...had a date with my boys at the movies today and forgot to pull something out...off to defrost and run to check on Mom.

 

Congratulations IrishHeart....will toast with a bit of wine when I return!

[IrishHeart]

Thanks, dear Ski and yes, a guest room with full bath is in the plans.

[shadowicewolf]

Oh i wish i could have some of the stuff you guys are making. Too busy to cook at the moment.

 

I've got... 3-6 papers to do (ranging from 2 -21 pages), going over homework i thought i was fully completed, studying for three finals, and doing one take home final.

 

This stupid cold really set me back. I had planned on doing most of the papers this past week, but no

 

I'm not much of a procrastinator though. I get a lot of homework during the week and weekend. And reading. Lots and lots of reading.

[GottaSki]

You can do it Shadow...isn't this the semester with over 20 units?

 

So dinner got changed around while I was taking care of Mom -- Hubby didn't hear me when I laid out da plan.   So the fresh bread I made in prep for French Onion Soup will keep until Monday for a redo. Good news is he defrosted stew meat (he did here the "we" need to defrost meat part of my instruction) and is now creating beef stew...who I am I to stop progress.

 

Poured my wine to toast Irish -- Cheers!!!!

 

In my comfy chair with swollen tooties up in the air while I search for these cool hot pink carrot seeds!

[GottaSki]

for the crispy 'tink' noodles:  i use the tinkyada fettucini noodles, but you could use any that you like.  make noodles as package directs, then lay them out in a single layer on a rack for like, 2-3 hours.  then i toss them in cornstarch and fry them in canola oil.  sprinkle with salt after you fry them.  

 

husband likes them better than the 'real' thing

 

cool!!!!

 

gotta try this soon

[shadowicewolf]

Well i just put the cake in the oven.

 

I subbed oil for butter and it appeared to be a bit more thinner. However, in the past it has always been a bit more dryer when it was like that, so maybe this fixes that issue.

[GottaSki]

i just put a 9x12 pineapple upside down cake in the oven -- happy men circling the kitchen island

 

The rest of dinner is Mexican as it is Cinco de Mayo!!!

 

Crispy Carnitas

Corn Tortillas -- usually let the hubby have flour with carnitas...but with Dad and Sis at the table -- well just too many glutenie fingers hanging about for my comfort.

Homemade Refried Beans -- hubby makes pintos from scratch then smashes the hell out of 'em.

Salad

 

Oh and of course -- Margaritas -- blended for Dad and Sis -- and I think oldest is going to have his first today.  On the rocks for hubby -- may have to have an itsy-bitsy taste of his -- we'll see after I check the margie mix -- haven't made them in WAY too long!!!

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo Dinner Peeps

[IrishHeart]

i just put a 9x12 pineapple upside down cake in the oven -- happy men circling the kitchen island

 

The rest of dinner is Mexican as it is Cinco de Mayo!!!

 

Crispy Carnitas

Corn Tortillas -- usually let the hubby have flour with carnitas...but with Dad and Sis at the table -- well just too many glutenie fingers hanging about for my comfort.

Homemade Refried Beans -- hubby makes pintos from scratch then smashes the hell out of 'em.

Salad

 

Oh and of course -- Margaritas -- blended for Dad and Sis -- and I think oldest is going to have his first today.  On the rocks for hubby -- may have to have an itsy-bitsy taste of his -- we'll see after I check the margie mix -- haven't made them in WAY too long!!!

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo Dinner Peeps

 

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

 

I make margaritas from scratch, but I am sure the mix will be okay for you.  

 

I am making chicken nachos for the hubs, grilled tilapia and mango salsa for me.

I have been avoiding carbs, but today, I'm going for some black beans and rice.

(between the gym and dumpster hurling, I'm really hungry and needing something with "oomph" )

 

Wish I had some pineapple upside down cake....  this is when I really really really wish we lived in that compound

thinger...imagine the dinners we could "pot luck"? zoiks.

[shadowicewolf]

Just took the cake out of the oven. It raised a lot more than previous ones did. I'm impressed. The cooking time was longer though (1 hr 15 min). I bet it would cook to the time that the box says if i lived at sea level.

[GottaSki]

lol...silly me...I meant a 11"x15" lasagna pan sized....plenty for everyone!!!!

[shadowicewolf]

Oh wow, that came out good. I subbed 1/2 a cup of olive oil for the stick of butter required. While you can kinda taste the oil, its a heck of a lot lighter than the butter version. I only added butter to the crumble on top.

[LFitts]

hey! that's a great idea! how did it turn out? how was the crust - what would you compare it to? thin crust? squishy? fluffy?

my daughter's friend used to be the manager of our local domino's - i bet she could get them to sell to me...

Well, the crust was ok. Not as good as Pamela's mix. I'll have to post our Pamela's modifications in the recipe section. But it was good enough. Thinner than most and got floppy during cooking. Next time I'll do it on the griddle.

Tonight was a family feast. Ribs, fried okra, hash brown casserole, sweet potatoes and roasted root veggies, green beans, and flourless chocolate cake. Whoa. Fed 18 people in our house and not one of them missed the gluten. Life is good.

[GottaSki]

Well, the crust was ok. Not as good as Pamela's mix. I'll have to post our Pamela's modifications in the recipe section. But it was good enough. Thinner than most and got floppy during cooking. Next time I'll do it on the griddle.

Tonight was a family feast. Ribs, fried okra, hash brown casserole, sweet potatoes and roasted root veggies, green beans, and flourless chocolate cake. Whoa. Fed 18 people in our house and not one of them missed the gluten. Life is good.

 

Yum!

 

Life is good.

[Adalaide]

My chicken nuggets were okay. They weren't fantabulous, but they good. The sort of thing I think I could stand to keep around for when I am just not feeling up to cooking. My spicy blackberry mustard sauce was awesome. I was a little worried because when I first tasted it I thought I was going to take the roof of my mouth off, but a little honey smoothed it out and it isn't like you're eating it from a spoon on a nugget. I cooked a pot of brown sugar apple sauce to go with it.

 

Nothing fancy like cakes, but I keep telling myself that one of these days I'll work up the enthusiasm to make apple muffins.

[GottaSki]

You will.