The Official "What's for Dinner" Thread!

[LVG]

LOL. Was Fresh and Easy mac and cheese.

Look for me in three days in the exercise area of this forum.

Funny you should mention that. I haven't been on a scale for about a year and a half now (really ever since I came back from San Diego). Had to go to the doc because I blew out my back, got on the scale, and found that I had actually lost weight from then till now. I was convinced that I had gained 30 lbs since San Diego.

I think it's (I would like to think that it's) eating at home, eating healthier, and not eating processed crap all the time. I also found that I eat a lot less when I make stuff at home. My portion sizes are smaller.

-----

Thinking about using the Italian recipes in this thread to make an Italian meatball meatloaf tonight. With fresh veggies, and a loaf of french bread from Albertsons.

And maybe some pudding. It seems like a chocolate pudding night.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Funny you should mention that. I haven't been on a scale for about a year and a half now (really ever since I came back from San Diego). Had to go to the doc because I blew out my back, got on the scale, and found that I had actually lost weight from then till now. I was convinced that I had gained 30 lbs since San Diego.

I think it's (I would like to think that it's) eating at home, eating healthier, and not eating processed crap all the time. I also found that I eat a lot less when I make stuff at home. My portion sizes are smaller.

-----

Thinking about using the Italian recipes in this thread to make an Italian meatball meatloaf tonight. With fresh veggies, and a loaf of french bread from Albertsons.

And maybe some pudding. It seems like a chocolate pudding night.

I love chocolate pudding!

 

[schutd]

a buttload of Pacificos, my daughters quesadilla burnt ends, and a late night drunken trip to the roof for some burger grillin. order fire.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Big night out last night at Mastro's City Hall with clients.... Way too much food and WAY, WAY too much red wine... Uggghh... I'm seriously dragging today and can't wait to plop myself on the couch. Don't care if I eat at all tonight!

 

[O]

Guinness braised short ribs cooking as I type.

Horse radish mashed potatos to accompany.

 

[LVG]

Guinness braised short ribs cooking as I type.

Horse radish mashed potatos to accompany.

NICE!

I'm trying my hand at meatloaf again. Last time didn't go so good.

This time, it does not look good either. By the time it was out of the bowl and into the pan, well, it just didn't look right.

But we'll see in a bit.

 

[LVG]

It wasn't bad, per se. Edible, but I didn't care for how it came out. I was trying something different, using 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of raw mild Italian sausage, along with some garlic, onion, fennel seed, parsley, bread soaked in tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning, to go for a meatball flavor (I love meatballs).

Lesson: If you want meatballs, make meatballs. Not meat loaf.

On the plus side: I didn't make meat jelly again. The stuff held together. And while I could tell that my wife really didn't care for it (she's a trooper for enduring my cooking adventures, though she's been pleasantly surprised by eggs in a basket and my chicken / sausage / rice dish), the little one went to town on it.

Maybe it will taste better in sandwiches tomorrow.

 

[O]

Look at Schutd's recipe about half way down, it rocks.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f39/meatloaf-recipe-131041.html?highlight=meatloaf

 

[FArting]

Went to Great Wall. 35th ave and camelback

 

[LVG]

Look at Schutd's recipe about half way down, it rocks.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f39/meatloaf-recipe-131041.html?highlight=meatloaf

Thanks!

 

[LVG]

Ok, someone tell me how I messed up.

Soaking red beans for a dish, put the beans (1 pound) in a bowl w/ 8 cups of water. 9 hour soak.

50% of the beans didn't hydrate at all, still hard as rocks. I picked a few to bite through, hard as rock in the general. All 3, and they look like they hydrated fine.

 

[Linderbee]

Ok, someone tell me how I messed up.

Soaking red beans for a dish, put the beans (1 pound) in a bowl w/ 8 cups of water. 9 hour soak.

50% of the beans didn't hydrate at all, still hard as rocks. I picked a few to bite through, hard as rock in the general. All 3, and they look like they hydrated fine.

How much water was there when you were done? They don't become mushy after soaking, anyway...you still have to cook them.

 

[LVG]

How much water was there when you were done? They don't become mushy after soaking, anyway...you still have to cook them.

A pretty fair amount, the beans were still covered in water. About an inch. It's not that the beans were raw, about half didn't hydrate at all, the looked the same as when I put them into water. The few I sampled were rock hard in the middle, not just raw.

Just curious, I left them out overnight, and the ones that appear to have hydrated are now fully soaked through. Still a lot of unhydrated beans though.

 

[Linderbee]

A pretty fair amount, the beans were still covered in water. About an inch. It's not that the beans were raw, about half didn't hydrate at all, the looked the same as when I put them into water. The few I sampled were rock hard in the middle, not just raw.

Just curious, I left them out overnight, and the ones that appear to have hydrated are now fully soaked through. Still a lot of unhydrated beans though.

My only thought then (and I have fairly limited exposure to cooking with dried beans--maybe 9 times with pinto and a few times with red beans) would be the age of the beans...which, coming off a store shelf, gives you no guarantees.

 

[LVG]

My only thought then (and I have fairly limited exposure to cooking with dried beans--maybe 9 times with pinto and a few times with red beans) would be the age of the beans...which, coming off a store shelf, gives you no guarantees.

I'll sort them this afternoon and see how they turn out. Maybe I'll take the unhydrated ones and do a hot soak to see if that works.

 

[LVG]

I'll sort them this afternoon and see how they turn out. Maybe I'll take the unhydrated ones and do a hot soak to see if that works.

By this evening, most of the beans had hydrated. So I needed a 24 hour soak, not an 8 hour soak. Must be all that rocket fuel in the lake mead tap water.

 

[schutd]

Linderbee's is correct. Commercially produced beans are OLD, come from different batches and have varying soaking times due to age.

Nobody likes to spend a bunch of money on beans. But if you do, you may find it worth it.

Check out ranchogordo.com or cporganics.com.(who I buy from.)

 

[Linderbee]

Linderbee's is correct. Commercially produced beans are OLD, come from different batches and have varying soaking times due to age.

Nobody likes to spend a bunch of money on beans. But if you do, you may find it worth it.

Check out ranchogordo.com or cporganics.com.(who I buy from.)

Yay!!! I was right about something...going to go mark that on my calendar!

Lately, I've been buying my beans & rice from the bulk bins at Sprouts...what's your thought on that? No better?

 

[LVG]

Linderbee's is correct. Commercially produced beans are OLD, come from different batches and have varying soaking times due to age.

Nobody likes to spend a bunch of money on beans. But if you do, you may find it worth it.

Check out ranchogordo.com or cporganics.com.(who I buy from.)

That is good to know. I bought the beans from Albertson's in a standard 1 lb package, so I didn't think there would be a problem. But next time I'll look at those websites first.

Thanks!

 

[schutd]

Might be in for some sticker shock. but man are they delicious!

Its hard to tell, Linderbee. My guess would be that most high volume production beans have the same issue. Different harvest times, different storage times, hence different levels of dryness.

It is what it is. I have the benefit of a boss who lets me buy the one from Cayuga pure organics (cporganics.com)

They are small scale, relatively, and all their beans come from the same harvest, less than 6 months old, so they rehydrate well, and cook wonderfully.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Going to a tapping party at Gordon Biersch tonight, so hummus, pita and beer is on the menu.

 

[Heucrazy]

Random dinner for me and the family. I had artichokes, I had sausages, I had a baguette, and I had havarti. I just threw em together and enjoy.

 

[schutd]

isht from the fridge burrito surprise.

 

[LVG]

Chicken rice w/ mushrooms and mild chicken sausage.

 

[AZZenny]

Lamb chops, broiled rare. Homegrown steamed Kale w olive oil. Homegrown asparagus w lemon and a bit of butter. Good chardonnay.
Later, some homemade lemon custard ice cream.

I decided to drop all grain products for a month to see if I could lose a few lbs. That was the only rule. So far (1 week) I have at least reversed the upward-spiralling weight, and maybe even lost a couple lbs. And no suffering -- well, almost none.