Dinner - What Are You Having? - Page 7

[Ragana]

Cool - the roasted garlic is done the same way as potatoes then. I wonder what else can be "baked" in the crockpot like that. Hmmm...

[kitchensqueen]

I would think any kind of root vegetable - like if you wanted to do mashed rutabagas or parsnips or something? I've also done bread in the crockpot that came out fairly well, though you don't wrap it in foil, you just place it in the bottom. It doesn't really brown on top like it does in the oven so it looks a little pale and insipid but the flavor and texture are great - it's like a mini stone bread oven. I'm also a big fan of molten chocolate cakes, and I've seen a few recipes for them that I'd like to give a try. Though in my opinion you can't beat the classic Tunnel of Fudge bundt cake done in the oven.

Dinner is kind of a bust here tonight... I was planning to do veg-only stuffed peppers (stuffing of rice, Swiss chard, onion, and carrot) but we had a bit of a late lunch of last night's leftovers, so we're not super hungry. And my husband and I are both having a wicked sweet tooth for chocolate, so I whipped up a chocolate icebox pie. It's looking like we're going to do a junk food graze this evening while watching a DVD. Good thing the baby is so young he won't realize what a bad example we're setting! But it's been a long, not so great week, so we're taking a little indulgence for ourselves this once.

At any rate, the Swiss chard and bell peppers are heading south, so guess what we'll be eating for dinner tomorrow? And we'll need the veggies after today!  

[kitchensqueen]

Originally Posted by Imakcerka 

How do you do the Baked potatoes in the crock pot?  TELL ME!!! 

I think tomorrow its turkey breast in the crockpot, but I have another crockpot... just sitting there.  Needing some baked potatoes! 

Oh and spinach salad.

Tonight we had fried potatoes and onions.  We went to a late lunch at Jasons Deli.   DH wanted their broc and cheese, so did DD2. 

Wait, I just realized that you said you have TWO crockpots. Insert envy here! In complete nutcase sensibility, I would love to one day own FOUR crockpots. Just think - you could do a main dish, bread or side dish, dessert and beverage all at the same time! But maybe I could get by with just two. :-)

[Ragana]

Two are a must! I have one large, round stoneware one and one metal one where the top dish with lid is removable from the base. I guess you can use the base as an electric skillet, but I have never done that.

I promised DD2 burgers tomorrow night, so I'll give vegetarian DD1 leftover lentil soup unless I have energy to mix up some falafel. Maybe I still have some frozen ones. Any good burger suggestions for a juicy, tasty plain-ish (non-spicy, no cheese) burger? DD1 likes things pretty plain, but I don't want it to be flavorless.

[Ragana]

PS One of the recent issues of Everyday Food has a recipe for crockpot brownies. I'll have to give that one a whirl!

[kitchensqueen]

Originally Posted by Ragana 

Any good burger suggestions for a juicy, tasty plain-ish (non-spicy, no cheese) burger? DD1 likes things pretty plain, but I don't want it to be flavorless.

We like to add a dash of Milwaukee Iron to ours for a little kick. Not too spicy in small quantities. Or you could mix in some crockpot roasted garlic, maybe with a little Wocestershire sauce and Dijon mustard... and some fresh parsley? 

[rebirth]

Our menu this coming week:

Seafood green curry
Curried chicken soup w spinach and red pepper
Butternut macaroni casserole (vegan)
Lamb stew with winter veggies and barley
Salmon croquettes

[Imakcerka]

Looks like it's

Chicken/spinach sausages

Beef sausages

And fried potatoes with red onions. 

Girls weren't sure if they wanted beef or chicken so I made a few of both.  Every ones full from eating a tub of hummus.

[MommyofNRM]

I was going to make chicken parm with pasta tonight but my bil and sil decided to come over to watch the football game last minute so i didn't have time to run to the store. we ended up just ordering a pizza which was awful and now i feel like i need to go run a mile. I'll make the chicken parm tomorrow and I have some steaks, pork, and a whole chicken for the rest of the week. 

[Wolfcat]

Crockpot chili with bakery overstock rolls, cheddar cheese, and crackers (DS, 5yo, is apparently carb loading for a marathon or a growth spurt).

Lunch was sweet potato fries (baked) and popcorn...

Last night was homemade veggie pizza.

[kitchensqueen]

We fired up the grill for bratwursts and sweet peppers stuffed with rice cooked in chicken stock along with some diced onion, the diced pepper tops and thyme. I'll never eat stuffed peppers done in the oven again; the flavor of them grilled is far superior - can't beat roasted peppers! 

[Ragana]

Did the hamburgers the other night according to Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything: ground beef and salt, don't handle them too much, make them kind of big. They came out great! DD2 is having the leftover one for dinner tonight while the rest of us have rice, tofu and Greek cuke and tomato salad w/ feta. Trying to think of a way to make Greek-flavored tofu. Might mix up an oil, lemon, garlic, oregano marinade, or something like that.

On the rest of the menu for this week:

French bread or pita pizzas, depending on which store I get to, salad

Pasta with red sauce and squid, salad

Thai red curry with tofu and vegetables, rice

Chicken, noodles, vegetables, peanut sauce

&

Sat. nite - cheap takeout curry w/friends, a tradition with them

[kitchensqueen]

Hamburgers sound so good... I'm going to have to put those on my list soon! I might even be insane enough to do home made fries if husband is home so he can watch the baby for an hour... hm, Saturday dinner for that maybe. 

Tonight we're using the last of the freezer meals I made before the baby was born - barbecue pulled pork. I'm going to make some roasted potatoes and cornbread to serve with it. 

[Ragana]

Homemade fries sound delicious! Do you have a fryer? I have never really been brave enough. I'm kind of afraid of frying things. Did make one perfect recipe of onion rings once from a Rachael Ray recipe, but have never made them again, thinking they wouldn't be as good as that one special time (last dinner before a friend of mine had her 2nd baby - we sat around, ate yummy onion rings and tossed around baby names.)

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by Chicky2 

Last night we had raccoon baked in a balsamic vinegar/dijon mustard/red onion sauce which was then reduced and I added sour cream and fresh parsley.  Served over rice.  Grilled zucchini and sausages, grapes and carrot sticks.  My middle dd had trapped one and we said we'd cook it and try it if she caught one.  She was very proud to provide food for her family.  It was quite tasty, but we are adventurous, too.  Had the mouth feel of goat meat, and tasted very clean, and not wild or gamey at all.

Wow! Maybe I should pioneer "urban trapping" - there's a giant raccoon who's working our neighbourhood.

Tonight we're having chicken with 40 cloves of garlic (brown a chicken all over, deglaze with white wine, add the unpeeled cloves and sprigs of rosemary and parsley and braise covered in the oven), bread and salad.
Tomorrow we'll have a chickpea, tomato and spinach stew with garlic mayo and roasted cauliflower.
Can you tell we love garlic! It's so, so yummy and fresh right now.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by Megan73 


Wow! Maybe I should pioneer "urban trapping" - there's a giant raccoon who's working our neighbourhood.
Tonight we're having chicken with 40 cloves of garlic (brown a chicken all over, deglaze with white wine, add the unpeeled cloves and sprigs of rosemary and parsley and braise covered in the oven), bread and salad.
Tomorrow we'll have a chickpea, tomato and spinach stew with garlic mayo and roasted cauliflower.
Can you tell we love garlic! It's so, so yummy and fresh right now.

Why not?  My son trapped one after my daughter did.  It was much bigger and a bit tough so I deboned it and ground it and made spaghetti.  Could NOT tell the difference between that and ground beef.

Last night we had a roasted small pig (the size of a big rabbit), honey baked pumpkin and apples, and a potato/swiss chard/celery gratin of sorts.

Not a clue what is for tonight because I feel like crap.

[Ragana]

Chicky2,

How do you, umm, "dispatch" the raccoon once it's trapped? City girl here and just wondering.

[philomom]

Tonight I'm doing waffles and bacon. I have a 7 p.m. meeting at the PTA and need to get dinner done quick and easy.

Tomorrow, I'm doing beef stroganoff, my son's favorite.

[rebirth]

Oh goodness... Racoons! That is adventurous, but awesome and all too.

[kitchensqueen]

Originally Posted by Ragana 

Homemade fries sound delicious! Do you have a fryer? I have never really been brave enough. I'm kind of afraid of frying things. Did make one perfect recipe of onion rings once from a Rachael Ray recipe, but have never made them again, thinking they wouldn't be as good as that one special time (last dinner before a friend of mine had her 2nd baby - we sat around, ate yummy onion rings and tossed around baby names.)

No fryer - we do it the old school way with a stockpot full of fat. It makes a riotous mess, but's it worth it every once awhile. There are two keys to not getting major grease burns while frying this way - first, do everything in slow motion. Gently slide the food into the pot - no plunking! And two, do not fear the fat! Boiling fat can smell your fear, and retaliates with nasty splatters. :-)