The What's for Dinner Thread - August 2014 (recipe index in OP)

[PrincessInOz]

it was 16 this morning here, i might need some warmth soon.

I need some cool soon! LOL

It is going to snow tomorrow, YUCH!

It never snows in Melbourne. Might be -cool- to see some.

I went to bed at 1:20AM so no I didn't see any moon.

I think I got to bed at 2.20 am. Saw lots of moon.

Instant Pot

I had to google to see what an Instant Pot is!

Looks like an interesting device.

 

[franandaj]

I had to google to see what an Instant Pot is!

Looks like an interesting device.

It's all the rage in the US and Canada. I think when you stayed in 2013 at De Soto, the pot was sitting on the stove in #2. She ordered it and I had no idea what to do with it. When we moved I put it in the Laundry room pantry and it stayed there until about a month ago when I was intrigued by everyone who kept posting about it.

I finally made my Chicken Tikka Masala tonight and while it was good, it wasn't anything remotely awesome due to the use of the pot. It involved sauteeing in the pot, pressure cooking and then thickening the sauce in the pot. I didn't find any of that life changing as I usually do stuff like that in one skillet, minus the pressure cooking.

I have a few more recipes to try before I make a decision on the pot.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Richard Wagner biography.

 

[Nancyg56]

PIO- Snow is gorgeous, especially after the sun comes out and shines on it. I complain a lot but there are days when I am in awe. The snow or ice on the tree branches across a field are beautiful. If the storms cooperated with my now more complicated schedule (work gets in my way!!!) and fell on weekends I would be as happy as can be. My house all clean, something hot on the stove, and coffee in hand, or wine....mostly wine or brandy! LOL, I just sit in front of the fire and watch the snow fall. Buddy cleans it all up outside, so no extra work for me.

But lately the snow is during the week, and while there has not been a lot, I have to get down the mountain, and I am not a great driver on a good day, so I hate that part.

Oh well.....

 

[Nancyg56]

This afternoon is our Instant Pot Cook-a-Thon. I picked up baby back ribs for my contribution, and will thaw out chicken JIC we have an extra pot show up. Marisa is making a French Onion soup casserole, and she also made 2 cheese cakes last night. They need to sit overnight, so she already prepared them. Donny is making a potato soup, my friend Jeannie is making macaroni and cheese, and I dont knwo what Dan and Erica are making.

My niece and nephew may join us. They got an IP for a wedding gift in July and have never used it, so if they bring their IP I have ingredients for butter chicken and for the coconut soup that I did not get done the other night.

Wish me luck because I have never done anything like this, and am not at all sure how this will turn out. I am one of those control freaks who likes the meal all prepared when guest arrive, and all we need to do is snack on whatever they bring until I put the food on the table. I am not good at chaos so I hope we can all manage this!

 

[dgbg100106]

last night was pizza friday so that was great.
tonight is Green Chili with Chicken, which I am making in the instant pot.

• 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 3/4 pound tomatillos, quartered, husks discarded (about 4 tomatillos)
• 1 pound poblano peppers, roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded (about 3 peppers)
• 6 ounces Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers, roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded (about 2 peppers)
• 2 Serrano or jalapeño chilies, roughly chopped, stems discarded
• 10 ounces white onion, roughly chopped (about 1 medium)
• 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seed, toasted and ground
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

1. Combine chicken, tomatillos, poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, Serrano peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and a big pinch of salt in a pressure cooker. Heat over high heat until gently sizzling, then seal pressure cooker, bring to high pressure, and cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure.
   
   
2. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to a bowl and set aside. Add cilantro and fish sauce to remaining contents of the pressure cooker. Blend with a hand blender or in a standing blender and season to taste with salt. Return chicken to sauce, discarding skin and bones and shredding if desired. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with tortillas and lime wedges.
   

 

[dgbg100106]

I didn't find any of that life changing as I usually do stuff like that in one skillet, minus the pressure cooking.

I have a few more recipes to try before I make a decision on the pot.

Alison, I too do not find it much of a time saver on most recipes, but what I find is that now I can do other things and not have to check on the things I am cooking. For example on Sundays, I always make a big pot of soup for lunch thru out the week. I have gotten busy doing laundry or something before and had something stick to the pot, but in the pressure cooker, I can literally walk away and not think about it and know that nothing will burn or stick. So for me, it is a time saver, in regards to how much I can get done in a day.

I also make yogurt in the pot, and that happens mostly overnight, again I don't have to worry about it.

 

[franandaj]

I was almost on board with the green Chile chicken recipe until you got to jalapeno, and then the cilantro. But even the Serrano peppers might be too much for us. I have a Green Chile chicken recipe that we had in a pinch two nights ago.

1 Boneless chicken breast
Salt & pepper to taste
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
4 oz mild green chilies
1 cup + Monterey Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and spread in an 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl mix cream cheese, garlic powder, cumin, and green chilies. Spoon over chicken evenly, top with Monterey Jack Cheese. Bake for 35-45 minutes until top is slightly browned. Serve over rice, greens, or potatoes.

 

[Nancyg56]

Good Morning!! I want to share our results from the IP cooking marathon yesterday. Success!!!

The hit for entree was my ribs, Yes, youi heard me....Novice that I am, I won entree by a mile!

I bought USDA Prime baby back because they were on sale, and removed the membrane. Dry them and linreally use a good rub. I used Bone Suckin Sauce dry rub, but I would make my own next time Let them "marinate" a while.

Add 1/2 cup organic apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp liquid smoke, and about 3/4 cup water to the IP pot, and tehn teh trivet. Wrap two racks of ribs around the pot, on the trivet, and set for manual 25 minutes. I set 30, and they were fall off the bovine tender, so I would reduce just a tad. Natural release 10 minutes, and then place on a disposable pan, glaze with your favorite BBQ sauce and broil til the glaze is bubbling. Freakin' delicious!!!

Marisa brought two cheesecakes she made the evening before: peanut butter cup and Cheesecake #17 topped with cherries. YUM! She won dessert!

Marisa made the Onions soup casserole, and that is on my list. I have to buy more ingredients because she had so much chicken she doubled the recipe, so I am adding them to my Peapod list. It was outstanding, but truely, I would make my onions soup and call it a day. Her "gravy" was delicious!

Jeannie made Mac and cheese, and that also was a game changer for me. She added bacon, but said that she has added lobster to make it extra special.

Donny made potato soup. It was okay, but he followed a recipe that gave the option for thicker or thinner, Anna asked for thicker. As it cooled the texture got weird, too much starch, I think. He is going to try it with a sweet potato next.

Dan and Erica made honey garlic chicken. Outstanding!!!

I had gotten all the ingredients together for butter chicken, but there was just too much food, so we skipped it. I sent the chicken home with Marisa, and stored my mis en place till this week.

Today is pot roast for Bud and me. I am trying the Mississippi recipe that Jeannie uses, and like her I will sub out the pepperoncini (sp) for mild banana peppers. I am old school with pot roast, so this is a huge leap for me.

 

[Nancyg56]

Okay, enough from me! WHat are you all making for game day, or as in my house Commercial day?

 

[dgbg100106]

We are not making anything special for the game, we have already watched all the commercials so there is nothing for us wait around for. lol

Tonight for dinner is fish for David and roasted asparagus, baked potatoes, peppers and cucumbers

The green chili from last night turned out really good, I thought that there would be more heat but I will add more next time. The lime juice at the end put it over the top.

Nancy, how was the tomato coconut soup?

Can you share any of the recipes?

 

[Nancyg56]

We are not making anything special for the game, we have already watched all the commercials so there is nothing for us wait around for. lol

Tonight for dinner is fish for David and roasted asparagus, baked potatoes, peppers and cucumbers

The green chili from last night turned out really good, I thought that there would be more heat but I will add more next time. The lime juice at the end put it over the top.

Nancy, how was the tomato coconut soup?

Can you share any of the recipes?

You are not going to believe this: I still have not made it! LOL!! Marisa got caught on a call 5 minutes after we were done work ( we commute together and work together) and was tied up for 90 minutes. I have a 40 minute commute home, so I made Campbells and grilled cheese. I like Campbells, so that was okay, but my grilled cheese were not so good. I did not realize I had used most of my American, so I put the rest on Buddy's sandwiches and I used grated mexican mix on mine. Don't do it.

I did not want to make it yesterday becuase Donny had soup as his contribution to IP day.

Anyway, I plan on it today if I have time, so I have lunch for this week. I also saw a hot and sour soup recipe that looked really good. I am adding the ingredients to my shopping list and plan to make that as well after my next shop. You know how I roll though.....Erica used to check this thread daily to see what was NOT for dinner! LOL!

 

[dgbg100106]

You are not going to believe this: I still have not made it! LOL!! Marisa got caught on a call 5 minutes after we were done work ( we commute together and work together) and was tied up for 90 minutes. I have a 40 minute commute home, so I made Campbells and grilled cheese. I like Campbells, so that was okay, but my grilled cheese were not so good. I did not realize I had used most of my American, so I put the rest on Buddy's sandwiches and I used grated mexican mix on mine. Don't do it.

I did not want to make it yesterday becuase Donny had soup as his contribution to IP day.

Anyway, I plan on it today if I have time, so I have lunch for this week. I also saw a hot and sour soup recipe that looked really good. I am adding the ingredients to my shopping list and plan to make that as well after my next shop. You know how I roll though.....Erica used to check this thread daily to see what was NOT for dinner! LOL!

This made me laugh!. I will not make grilled cheese out of Mexican blend grated cheese. lol

Well, I look forward to hearing about the soup.

I am interested in the Mac n Cheese, and the onion soup casserole. And those cheesecakes. yummy

 

[Nancyg56]

This made me laugh!. I will not make grilled cheese out of Mexican blend grated cheese. lol

Well, I look forward to hearing about the soup.

I am interested in the Mac n Cheese, and the onion soup casserole. And those cheesecakes. yummy

I stink at posting links, btu I will ask Marisa to help. The mac and cheese was super easy though, and since my attempt at spaghetti was a bust, I was happy to see it.

 

[pooh'smate]

WFDT was stuffed green peppers and french bread. I hope you are all doing well.

 

[dgbg100106]

Last night - Asparagus, cucumbers, bells and I cooked David a veal cutlet with lemon and capers.

 

[Nancyg56]

https://twosleevers.com/indian-coconut-tomato-soup/

http://pressureluckcooking.com/recipe/instant-pot-french-onion-chicken/

I willl get the mac and cheese recipe from my friend

 

[dgbg100106]

WFDT - Veal for David and Broccoli with bells and cucumber.

 

[franandaj]

I dont know what's for dinner. I had it all planned out but that was before i realized i was having a root canal in a week. Now i want something li ke soup or pasta. Since it will be 82° today, soup doesn't sound all that great.

 

[Nancyg56]

It is snowing/sleeting/freezing rain today. WE are having tacos with Welby and the girls.