Weekend Six

D

dawnnys

Well-known member
Hi everybody! TGIW

I made Greek tilapia Friday night. I don't usually like cooking fish because it stinks up the house, but this was worth doing - filets stuffed with bread crumbs, feta, chopped tomatoes, and thyme (it called for oregano, but I don't like that herb - I think the only one that I don't!). I miss the Lenten fish fries...

We went to the farmer's market on Saturday morning and then hit the overrun store on the way home. There were some good finds at both, so there goes the cleaned-out refrigerator! I bought homemade lemon-basil orzo by the hippie baker ($8 a lb!), some hot pepper sauce, and a couple of HANDS of ginger (only $2 for both!). I had to get it at that price, but not sure how I'll ever use all that up. 'Hope it stores well before it shrivels up on me.

I have 2 pounds of vacuum-packed prunes in the pantry (they call them "dried plums" now, don't they? They aren't your grandmother's prunes... really juicy and flavorful) but I haven't a clue how I would use them once I open the package. I suppose I could freeze them. Any ideas for what to use them in?

We had record-breaking cold last night, record-breaking heat last week... whaaa? Hot chocolate or iced tea? ;o) It felt like a baking day, so I spent this morning baking cinnamon muffins. I also went a little nuts at the dollar store and bought some fun stuff (new kitchen gadgets, colorful watering can, 3 little cookbooks on frilly little finger foods for a tea party - will make nice presents, a box of tea, ranch crackers, and a straw hat! among other things). Saw a cute little Hawaiian hula girl that danced in the sun via solar power. Made me smile, but I decided no.

We've been wanting to try an Indian restaurant since last summer and so are planning on going for the Sunday buffet. I hear it's really good, especially the Chana Dal. And I just love cardamom rice.

Finally, I defrosted some blueberries from last summer and made some blueberry-rhubarb honey sauce to go over pound cake and ice cream, which probably calls for an extra mile or two at the lake after dinner tonight ;o)

 
To save your ginger peel it and put in a jar and cover with sherry or white wine

then store in the fridge. You can also use the liquid to substitute when it calls for Chinese Wine. Not exactly the same, but still good. The ginger keeps a long time this way.

 
Hi Dawn. Nice to see you too. I think with the prunes if I couldn't eat

them all I'd make prune filling for sweet rolls/coffee cake and freeze that. Usually just chopping and cooking down with a little water, sugar and spice.

 
My weekend six

1. The outside Farmer's Market is open again, second market yesterday. It's good to be back.

2. I have five pounds of lamb bones to make stock with, it will have to be tomorrow. Then I have to figure out a recipe to use the stock.

3. The antique store lost their lease so now we are moving to a new location. It might have an actual kitchen in it to cook from, we shall see what the health department says. They will reopen on June 1, so I have a little time to get caught up with everything.

4. It's a rainy day today, and it puts me in the mood to bake. I think I will make up a batch of No Knead bread dough.

5. I am working on a recipe for fideo-stuffed peppers in the crockpot. I have the recipe done, but now I have to photograph them.

6. I am very happy with my wraps and hummus for the market. I have an avocado-cilantro, sriracha, garlic, and will bring a chipotle sweet potato next week. I am not using any tahini, I use a bit more extra-virgin olive oil. I love making them.

 
Other way to save ginger

I wrap it tightly in plastic(like the bag from the grocery store), then store in freezer safe ziploc. Then take out and grate it (frozen) on my microplane. Keeps forever as long as you have it wrapped pretty tight to prevent freezer burn. I haven't used it too much where it need large pieces of ginger, but it seems to work pretty well. May be a bit mushier after freezing due to cell walls breaking due to water expansion. Just thought I'd share

 
Dawn, you could use the *dried plums* in

an English sticky pudding or in a Kentucky prune cake. I've made them both before. Really good. I think I know which stack the pudding recipe is in and I'll look for it later. The cake is a whole nother story, no clue. I googled and quite a few came up.

 
My weekend six

A quiet one with only 2 grandchildren on Friday night for sleepovers
Defrosted chicken soup and matza balls for lunch.
We went out and had sushi for dinner.
Sat. morning we made cookies. Simple sugar cookies cut out in rounds and then very small
cutouts - hearts, stars, birds, flowers, fish.
We glued the small ones on the rounds with frosting and painted them with frosting as well. Fun.
Also planned the cinco de mayo dinner, as you know!! I think I love the planning as much as the
cooking.
Had simple pork steak for lunch with cauliflower
as discussed last week. Very filling and I have enough for tomorrow as well.
Thats all. A quiet weekend was nice.

 
Weekend Six, and how to deal with perennially late family members?!

Dawn, that all sounds terrific. I love prunes.

We're having my brother and his girlfriend over for tea tonight (for which they are now 30 minutes late (edited to add: 45 minutes late*), and counting GRRRR ANGRY HOSTESS HULK SMASH). Menu: curried chicken salad or Sonoma chicken salad on croissants, sliced cucumbers, sliced strawberries, candied-walnut scones. Assam tea. Very simple, and, sad to say, I didn't make either of the salads. I'm sure it wouldn't pass muster as Serious English Tea, but it's relatively light and (if people ever show up to eat it) should be ok.

Went for our customary Saturday Pad Thai yesterday. I could eat Pad Thai until it came out of my ears, but I'm beginning to think it's a Thai version of a sweet kugel-ish sort of thing. Noodles, plus sweet sauce. (Oversimplifying, I know.) Maybe we just need to find a better Thai place.

I made Morning Glory muffins yesterday in the hopes of solving the fifteen-minute morning debate of what to have for breakfast during the week. I need protein, so no muffins for me, but J. will eat anything...except protein in the morning. So...muffins it is. (Edited to add: Anyone else have breakfast-compatibility issues with his/her significant other?)

Went to a diner on Friday for a surprise birthday dinner with a couple friends. I was totally shocked, because normally you'd have to drag my husband into a diner by his ankles, but the food was great--and I shot down all attempts to order me cake and a singing crew.

Been in a cooking and baking rut lately... Not entirely sure how to get out of it. smileys/frown.gif

Hope you all had a good weekend--
Erin

*Edited yet again to add: They ended up being an hour late. And (because my brother does this all the time) I said, "I thought we agreed on 5:30?" His reply was, "I know, we just got a late start." I had no idea what to respond, especially since they came bearing gifts. But this is really frustrating--every time I think I can give him a set time, it backfires. Sure, it's not like I was holding a dish that would be overcooked, but...it's still rude, and he was raised better than this. So how do *you* deal with friends/family who do this? smileys/frown.gif

 
When dealing with this problem, I always tell them the time to show up is half to one hour earlier

than I actually want them them there... depends on how late they usually are...

We even had to do that at our wedding, we had to have one invitation printed separately with a differnet time for her - but guess what, she got there on time!

 
Erin, at some point, you have to tell him he missed the party. When you invite them for tea,

you can also mention another commitment in the same conversation, even if it's only that you have an early Monday to prepare for.

Then if he's an hour late, you graciously accept his gift at the door and tell him how sorry you are that he missed the tea. Tell him you hope he'll be able to make it another time, be all smiles, and don't invite him in! I mean, he really did miss the party.

This might be easier to pull off with acquaintances than with close relatives who know you well, but it's worth a try.

 
OMG - dealing with perenially late family! Hot button!!!

My step mother-in-law is a piece of work in this regard. We have to tell her everything an hour ahead just to get her here anywhere near the right time. The time that really got me was a 6:30 Christmas Eve dinner when I made a special meal (soft, not have-to-cut or chew much) for HER ancient mother who was visiting over the holidays. When they didn't show by 7:15, the rest of us (15 people) started eating. They arrived about 7:45 and were royally pissed that we hadn't waited for them. So rude of us! (The excuse given by hubby's dad and this step-mom is that she has issues stemming from her childhood that prevent her from ever getting ready on time.) adding an edit: She brought the rolls and was angry that no one wanted them at the end of the meal. smileys/tongue.gif

 
I have to ask, did she start arriving sooner after this incident? It would bolster my case.

 
Seriously, you have to tell them at least a half hour earlier than you want them. My closest friend

was perpetually late and it was either the friendship or some other solution and so I would come at least a half an hour later than planned and still wait a few minutes.
If they ever come on time - well - they will wait and you can say you got a late start!!

 
I can relate Erin. My younger bro' John (I call him Johnny/Johnny come lately) is very lax

about getting in touch/visiting with me from south Jersey/anywhere/anytime for sooo many years.

I can't change him and you probably can't instill better behavior from your bro' anymore than I can.

Johnny come lately. Yep, that's what they are.

 
Yes, but

... The next time they were invited, I said very plainly that the event started at a certain time and we would begin eating when the food was ready, and we would not wait for them ever again. She got a bit better but not reliably so. So sometimes, we eat without them. *I* feel better!

 
I remember a Dear Abby letter, where she had advised someone in this predicament to invite the guest

an hour earlier than planned. Another reader tried the advice, but apparently the chronically late guest had just been chewed out by someone else for his tardiness, and arrived right on time for this next party, only to catch the hostess undressed and running for cover. Apparently they all had a good laugh and the guest learned his lesson.

I dunno, I'm not willing to lie about my party hours to counteract someone else's lateness. That's too much work and I know I'd get caught and then hove to explain the two different start times. I'm willing to wait a little while, but people have to learn that when they're late, they miss out.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top