Whats for Dinner Tonight?

[Eupher]

Supper for tonight: Meat Loaf

3 lbs. of ground chuck - 90/10
1 large onion, finely chopped
minced garlic to taste - I go with about 4 cloves
3 ribs of celery, cleaned and finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
~2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs of whatever type
1 14 oz. can of tomato sauce
various dried herbs - thyme, rosemary, whatever-you-have and like

Sweat the onions and celery in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium-low heat until soft. Add garlic, s&p to taste, cook for 1 more minute.

Transfer sweated veggies to a large bowl. Add ground chuck, beaten eggs, seasonings and herbs, half of the can of tomato sauce, and bread crumbs. Combine, making sure there's enough bread crumbs to bind everything together.

Form into loaves (I usually get about 3) and put onto a rack in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

Place in a 350 deg. oven for about 50 minutes. Cover with foil if the loaves get too dark.

In a small bowl, combine the rest of the tomato sauce, s&p, a couple pinches of whatever dried herbs you like. Paint the loaves with the tomato sauce. Back in the oven for about 15 minutes or until internal loaf temps are about 150 deg.

Let rest and serve with your favorite sides - garlic mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, whatever.

[RuralNc]

Nothing fancy tonight for dinner.

Grits. Bacon. A loaf of fresh baked Sourdough.

Keep'n it simple.  Fortunately, the missus is able to eat more solid foods now, compared to just a couple weeks back. Halleluiah. 

[RuralNc]

Pizza. Found a couple frozen in the back of the freezer.

Hard to go wrong with "surprise-its-frozen-pizza-in-the-back-of-the-freezer-for-who-knows-how-long" pizza.

[Eupher]

Chicken thighs on the barbie tonight. Nothing special - just marinade for a bit, season 'em up, and 25-30 minutes later, they're ready. Maybe some kind of rice pilaf to go with and a salad.

[Dblhaul]

Cooked a 14lb turkey today so guests can make turkey sandwiches as they join us to watch the superbowl.
Simple roast, S&P over the bird and a cup of beef stock to baste with.
I can say already that it came out tasty!

[Eupher]

Cooked a 14lb turkey today so guests can make turkey sandwiches as they join us to watch the superbowl.
Simple roast, S&P over the bird and a cup of beef stock to baste with.
I can say already that it came out tasty!

No brining? I gotta say, I won't roast a turkey without brining it first. I never quite mastered the art of roasting a turkey to doneness without the white meat getting dry. Brining fixes that.

Faux chili (quick, easy, and painless, and yeah, I know, it ain't a bowl of red):

2 lbs. ground chuck or 90/10 ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cans Rotel tomatoes with chilis
2 cans kidney beans or chili beans of your choice
beef broth or stock as needed
Ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes, s&p to taste.
Cooked macaroni or rice.
Cilantro (optional)

Sweat the onion in a little olive oil. Season with s&p.
Add ground chuck and brown off till all the water is cooked off. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
Add Rotel and seasonings, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add beans, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add stock or broth as needed to yield a chunky faux chili.
Ladle over macaroni or rice; garnish with cilantro (chopped or whole leaf)

[Dblhaul]

No brining? I gotta say, I won't roast a turkey without brining it first. I never quite mastered the art of roasting a turkey to doneness without the white meat getting dry. Brining fixes that.

I typically brine my yard birds and turkeys, this time I knew I was cooking and slicing a day ahead of time so any moisture retention would not be gained.
White meat was great for sandwiches!( I saved the dark meat for my leftovers *G*)

Stewed the bones for broth, turkey soup coming soon!

[RuralNc]

Tonights dinner, Meatloaf and Sweet Potatoes.

Growing up, Mom always made hers with Ground Beef, which ill admit is the more common meat to use. But, for the last couple of years I have been using Ground Pork. Honestly, I like it better. Sorry Mom.

1 Pound Ground Pork
Small Onion diced.
Couple Garlic Cloves finally diced.
1 Slice of Old Sammich Bread.
Heavy pinch of Salt and Pepper.

Glaze: Couple tablespoons of Ketchup mixed with a tsp or so of Soy Sauce, and a pinch of sugar.. Seems weird, but dang tasty.

Soak the slice of bread in about a tablespoon of water. Enough that when you break of the bread it becomes pasty. Combine all the ingredients and bake as per usual. Mix up the glaze and baste during the last few minutes.

Interestingly, no egg is needed as a binder. I believe it has to do with the higher fat content of the pork. But not entirely sure about that. None the less, it works.

[RuralNc]

Tonight we dine on Pasta Carbonara. And some dinner rolls from the freezer that were wrapped in foil and refreshed in the oven.

[RuralNc]

Roasted Gnocchi and Italian Sausage.

Now, there are about a thousand variations on this recipe. Heres just one.

One package of fresh gnocchi.
One container of Marinated Mozzarella Balls, sometimes called Mozzarella Salad.
Pint container of Cherry Tomatoes.

Combine Gnocchi, Cherry Tomates, and Oil from the Mozzarella. Liberally salt and pepper. Spread out on sheet pan. Roast at 425, for about 15 minutes. Place mozz. on top of pasta tomato mix. Roast for about 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

While this was in the hot box, I pan cooked some Italian Sausage links.

Ciao!

[Eupher]

Tonights dinner, Meatloaf and Sweet Potatoes.

Growing up, Mom always made hers with Ground Beef, which ill admit is the more common meat to use. But, for the last couple of years I have been using Ground Pork. Honestly, I like it better. Sorry Mom.

1 Pound Ground Pork
Small Onion diced.
Couple Garlic Cloves finally diced.
1 Slice of Old Sammich Bread.
Heavy pinch of Salt and Pepper.

Glaze: Couple tablespoons of Ketchup mixed with a tsp or so of Soy Sauce, and a pinch of sugar.. Seems weird, but dang tasty.

Soak the slice of bread in about a tablespoon of water. Enough that when you break of the bread it becomes pasty. Combine all the ingredients and bake as per usual. Mix up the glaze and baste during the last few minutes.

Interestingly, no egg is needed as a binder. I believe it has to do with the higher fat content of the pork. But not entirely sure about that. None the less, it works.

I've seen meat loaf made with a mixture of ground beef and ground pork -- as you point out, it works well, no matter what you use. Kinda like potato salad -- everybody does it differently.

As to egg in meat loaf, I never thought of egg being a binder. It adds nutrition, but not necessary a "binder" unless you count the egg white as being a binder, but I'd posit that bread/bread crumbs/panko/flour/oatmeal/whatever non-meat or non-seasoning acts as the binder. The egg provides more nutrition, but there just isn't enough egg white to "bind" anything together.

YMMV.

[Dblhaul]

Tonights dinner, Meatloaf and Sweet Potatoes.

Growing up, Mom always made hers with Ground Beef, which ill admit is the more common meat to use. But, for the last couple of years I have been using Ground Pork. Honestly, I like it better. Sorry Mom.

I typicaly use a mixture of half ground beef and half ground pork and go from there!

[Dblhaul]

Tonight was grilled tri tip steaks, baked potato and a green salad.
It was good!

[Eupher]

We have a glut of homemade chicken broth, so Mrs. E promises to make a batch of soup. The type of soup is still under discussion though it MUST have some sort of meat in it.

[RuralNc]

Homemade Pizza is on tonights menu.

Pizza at home can be a challenge. Good Pizza at home is far more challenging. I have a recipe that was designed by a pro in the Pizza business. Have had it for years. It produces a 16 inch New York style pie.

One of the biggest hurdles, the home oven. Most home ovens only reach 500 degrees, for safety reasons. The best way to work with that is pizza stones. You want 2. Position your racks about 4 inches apart, place a stone on each rack, and that simulates a deck oven. Well, kinda. A lot of NY places run their ovens at around 600 degrees. So, you have to work with what you have.

[ABC-2]

Homemade Pizza is on tonights menu.

<skip>

One of the biggest hurdles, the home oven. Most home ovens only reach 500 degrees, for safety reasons. The best way to work with that is pizza stones. You want 2. Position your racks about 4 inches apart, place a stone on each rack, and that simulates a deck oven. Well, kinda. A lot of NY places run their ovens at around 600 degrees. So, you have to work with what you have.

Oh Mercy!  Please don't tell the DUmmies ...

They can't even deal with a 425 deg. oven; and am sure a safe-enough-for-them-to-use hot pad  has not yet been invented!   

~ ABC

[RuralNc]

Oh Mercy!  Please don't tell the DUmmies ...

They can't even deal with a 425 deg. oven; and am sure a safe-enough-for-them-to-use hot pad  has not yet been invented!   

~ ABC

Nah. Let them at it. 

Tonights dinner, since were here anyways.

Keeping it real simple. Ziti with some Rao's Marinara, and a couple links of Italian Sausage.

Done and done.

[ABC-2]

Nah. Let them at it. 

Tonights dinner, since were here anyways.

Keeping it real simple. Ziti with some Rao's Marinara, and a couple links of Italian Sausage.

Done and done.

"Let them at it."      

As for what *I* made for dinner earlier on tonight ...

Crab stuffed salmon, sweet potato, and thin young  spears of  asparagus with real butter!  Yummy!

Mr. ABC ate all the asparagus first!  As I knew he would!     He loves the way I make fresh veggies, bless his heart!   

~ ABC

[ABC-2]

Should have written ...

Even if the asparagus most likely came from Mexico???  or wherever at this time of year ...

Was delicious anyway!!!

~ ABC

[Eupher]

Mrs. E made some of her potato soup last night.

Sweat some onions and celery, add chicken broth and diced Russet potato. Season with s&p, simmer for maybe 10 minutes, add heavy cream. Top with chopped, fresh chives.

Some chopped, cooked bacon woulda been nice, but this soup is rich enough. Small bowl is plenty.

[RuralNc]

Tonights offerings, An oven roasted Chicken, and some sorta veggie. No idea what. A Sweet Tater does sound good. Or maybe a Baked Potato. Just have to wait and see on that.

The Chicken is a simple affair. Salt and Pepper all over. Breast side down. Covered with foil until done, remove foil to brown up the skin. Although its admittedly a moot point. Do to health issues, I have to cut back on such delicious treats as crispy chicken skin. Dang it.

[ABC-2]

Hi RN, my closest neighbor here in CC ! 

Mr. ABC loves sweet potatoes & I do them in a small crockpot, scrub them thoroughly first, put 2 of them in with the water still dripping off them ... Important!

Cover &  cook for 6 hours at low, and they are done to perfection!  Takes a long time, but is worth it!

~ ABC

[ABC-2]

As for tonight's  dinner I made good old fashioned fried in a pan, pork chops, freshly cut fries in deep fryer, boiled and then dabbed with butter, brussell sprouts ...

Served with applesauce  on the side. 

And NO, I do not always make everything fried for dinner, but he didn't have such a good day today so I did it to cheer him up, and the smell of the pork chops frying in the pan, did the trick!  It did!  It did!

[RuralNc]

Hi RN, my closest neighbor here in CC ! 

Mr. ABC loves sweet potatoes & I do them in a small crockpot, scrub them thoroughly first, put 2 of them in with the water still dripping off them ... Important!

Cover &  cook for 6 hours at low, and they are done to perfection!  Takes a long time, but is worth it!

~ ABC

Never thought of Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes. Im a fan of baking them though. Assuming that its winter, cause I hate heating up the house for a couple potatoes .

[RuralNc]

As for tonight's  dinner I made good old fashioned fried in a pan, pork chops, freshly cut fries in deep fryer, boiled and then dabbed with butter, brussell sprouts ...

Served with applesauce  on the side. 

And NO, I do not always make everything fried for dinner, but he didn't have such a good day today so I did it to cheer him up, and the smell of the pork chops frying in the pan, did the trick!  It did!  It did!

Nothing wrong with Fried Food. Well in moderation. Thats my problem. 

Anyways, nothing finer then a fried chop. Been a while. I would buy the thin chops for frying. Lightly dust with seasoned flour, then fry in baking drippings. Now im getting hungry. Dang it. Guess Ill go have a healthy snack..