I used to love that old thread for ideas. Can we start another one?
Last night I made pan seared sea bass, which turned out amazing. Expensive, but delicious. Essentially you pan sear it on both sides in olive oil, transfer it to a baking dish. Add some butter to the oil, as well as a mixture of parsley, chives, dill, and white wine, pour over fish, and bake at 400 for 10 minutes or so.
DH loved it.
Tonight we are grilling burgers on the grill-no buns, accompanied by sauteed cabbage and some fresh strawberries.
I’ve been on a soup kick - filling the freezer for any and all upcoming storms! Last night I made a quick tomato bisque and french onion soup with a crustless spinach and mushroom quiche. On the stove for tonight is a butternut squash and corn chowder and a potato leek soup. I think there will be a garlic cheese loaf to go with it and some of that leftover quiche. Of course I multiplied the recipes so I have plenty frozen for future dinners!
Last night, I had sardines marinated in tomato sauce with steamed brussel sprouts and golden beats on the side, as well as a little red pepper and eggplant spread and fresh garlic.
Nrdsb, I should have made it more clear: I am envious because my oven (or shall I say Mr B?) had the “Seahawks moment” as he was reassembling the control panel. It was soooo close to being fixed, but the cat intercepted the last pass so to speak. The panel fell on the floor, and some little thingy broke. So no oven-baked dishes for me in the nearest future.
Last night was oven-baked salmon with lemon and basil, leftover mushroom risotto and peas. Tonight is the night we eat out before church choir practice. I’m thinking Mexican (at least what passes for Mexican here in London). Oh, and I baked sugar cookies for the choir!
I think I’m making split pea soup today and/or something with pork chops. We’ve had a run of good meals. Butterflied leg of lamb marinated for days in lemon and rosemary and olive oil with a cooked on the stove in my cast iron frying pan that pretends it’s the grill. I served it with a taboule like salad that was made with quinoa and some roasted cauliflower dusted with raz al hanout. We’ve also been eating a white bean chili made with turkey. Unfortunately that one doesn’t agree with my kid, so I won’t make it again until he’s out of the house.
Last night I made one of my new go to meals. I baked bone in chicken breasts. My new method- I heat a cast iron casserole at high heat with nothing in it. When it reaches the temp I put my breasts that I have rubbed with a spice mix and olive oil skin down. I cook at the higher heat for 15 minutes. Turn beast over and lower temp. I take whatever hearty vegetables cut in cubes and add fresh herbs. Toss them in the pan with the chicken. The chicken juices and far from the chicken give the vegetables a nice flavor and I don’t have a 2nd pan to wash. Last nights vegetables- sweet potato, cauliflower,onions, carrots and garlic.
Served with some leftover homemade bean salad.
Tonight is roasted cauliflower soup, baked chicken breast (bone-in, skin-on) with pistachio-cilantro pesto, a salad (with beets, fennel, and oranges), pita bread with za’atar-olive oil dip, feta and olives.
-I made a very simple lentil soup a day ago that I really like, I’m going to make soup more, I haven’t been making any lately.
-I always have seasoned shredded chicken in the freezer and a package (yes) of enchilada sauce in the cupboard for one house member who never tires of chicken enchiladas. I made up a pan last night. We always have cheese and corn tortillas.
-I have some Asian style peanut sauce leftover from when I did seared steak and spinach over noodles. So I am going to do some chicken cubes in a pan with a glaze or mirin and soy sauce with broccoli and pea pods over brown rice. Green beans are another veg that goes really well. Here is the super simple sauce. I’d like it with grated fresh ginger but someone here doesn’t like it.
1 garlic clove
½ cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
hot garlic chile sauce like Sriracha, or chile oil, to taste (start with ½ tsp)
Whirl the garlic clove in a blender or food processor until minced. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Let sit ½ hour for flavors to develop. Will likely need to be thinned with water, especially after refrigeration. Keeps about a week.
Everything sounds delicious. I have to wonder sometimes if these menus are a LITTLE embellished for healthfulness. Isn’t SOMEONE out there throwing chicken nuggets and tater tots on a cookie sheet and calling it dinner!!?
My favorite comfort food meal is planned for tonight - spaghetti and meatballs. Whatever veggie is in the crisper for a side and if D2 has input, probably something bread-ish dipped in garlic olive oil.
@Kajon I have had fish tacos with different kinds of fish - mahi mahi is popular around here (NYC), white fish, tilapia, etc. A lot of times there will also be some guac in the taco, sour cream, cheese, different types of salsas, maybe roasted corn or cole slaw. There are a lot of variations, but they are all delicious!
@abasket not sure about other posters, but I know my goal has been to get rid of highly-processed foods. I am not a cook - I don’t like cooking and have no time for it either. So, basically, I just use fresh veggies that don’t require prep time - broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, eggplants, carrots, tomatoes, etc. and either boil them, sautee them, or bake them. So, for a quick (less than 10 minutes prep) dinner, those are my side go-to’s plus, some sort of main protein (peas, fish, lentils, etc. (canned) - I am a pescetarian, so no meat. So, those are my solutions to quick dinner
Well I did use a jar of pre-made spaghetti sauce that my contractors gave me as a part of a holiday gift basket last week, but in general I cook real food from scratch. DH won’t eat most carbs. But I think the people who tend to post on these threads like to cook. I’ve never cooked a chicken nugget or tater tot in my life.
So no oven-baked dishes for me in the nearest future.
