What's for supper tonight?
04-30-2025, 08:04 AM
#111
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Peoria, IL -- Midwest Transplant
Posts: 7,293
Well, good thing I did enjoy the porch and smoking the meat last night, today the rain has begun for the next several day. The latest storm of concern around the middle of the states should not get close to me.
This morning I chopped up the pork shoulder and decided it was too much for one meal, so the Chile Verde is simmering now. I know it's early but hubby is (long term temporary) on an evening shift so eats in about an hour. I started with a prepared fresh salsa verde, it was very tart and not much heat so added in a couple of jalapenos, an onion, and more cilantro. Tomatillos were common in the Seattle area, is harder for me to dependably find here so I've been trying some options -- like next time I'll get a huge food service sized can of canned tomatillos.
The hubby eats so much meat in his Ketovore life style, that I have to cook pounds at a time, or small portions need to be cooked all the time -- he does do a lot of his small own cooking, but I usually do the large cooking.
The other half I will cook in a more pulled pork style. Since it is already mesquite smoked and spiced, I will continue with that flavor profile. All I have to do is take some chicken broth, half a cup of vinegar (I usually use apple cider but I'm usually using hickory smoke so will consider), and I'll add in a (dried) ancho chili.
This morning I chopped up the pork shoulder and decided it was too much for one meal, so the Chile Verde is simmering now. I know it's early but hubby is (long term temporary) on an evening shift so eats in about an hour. I started with a prepared fresh salsa verde, it was very tart and not much heat so added in a couple of jalapenos, an onion, and more cilantro. Tomatillos were common in the Seattle area, is harder for me to dependably find here so I've been trying some options -- like next time I'll get a huge food service sized can of canned tomatillos.
The hubby eats so much meat in his Ketovore life style, that I have to cook pounds at a time, or small portions need to be cooked all the time -- he does do a lot of his small own cooking, but I usually do the large cooking.
The other half I will cook in a more pulled pork style. Since it is already mesquite smoked and spiced, I will continue with that flavor profile. All I have to do is take some chicken broth, half a cup of vinegar (I usually use apple cider but I'm usually using hickory smoke so will consider), and I'll add in a (dried) ancho chili.
04-30-2025, 09:12 AM
#112
Power Poster
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,889
I use to be much more frugal and leftover heavy cook before retirement. I use to have an outdoor kitchen with pizza oven. Now I don't want to spend my time making a meal. I still cook and bake from scratch 85% of the meals but it's how I cook it that has changed. Air fryer, insta pot, and electric bakers have cut the cooking time.
05-01-2025, 04:26 AM
#114
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,727
Tonight I'm going for a recipe that I haven't tried yet, but sounds nice and light.
https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/rec...kpeas-couscous
I'm on the hunt for a good sorbet recipe to go with it for dessert.
https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/rec...kpeas-couscous
I'm on the hunt for a good sorbet recipe to go with it for dessert.
05-01-2025, 05:25 AM
#115
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Peoria, IL -- Midwest Transplant
Posts: 7,293
It was challenging to adjust our tight budget to "meat needs". Prior to Covid, I had 3 local (within 5 miles) supermarkets I would check on the best mark-down days and times. Could never plan meals, depended a lot on what was on sale. During Covid there was very little meat available and you were limited to 5 pounds (total) at a time. We started shopping at a restaurant supply house (open to the public), we had to buy large quantities (primal cuts) and I had to learn to butcher it down, but the price was good and it was available. Sadly, we haven't found a good local replacement to that -- but they have locations in many states!
https://www.chefstore.com/
I kept having to repeat to myself things about "different economies". But the truth is, once my husband wasn't doing his "secret" expensive junk/fast food eating, that saved close to $20 a day and made it much easier to budget. But goodness, is hard for me to spend $100 on a slab of meat even knowing how many meals and how much I'm saving!
Covid taught us a lot about what we needed in terms of emergency preparedness. I've always had "pantry supplies" to get by on in a tight budget month, but now that I can't have carbs and he doesn't eat them, storing rice, pasta, grains, etc. doesn't work too well for us, nor do many prepared foods. Frozen meat and vegies is what we need to have on hand.
He eats a lot of eggs in various forms. We buy local farm eggs and have not been hit by shortages or high prices. We were paying more than going rate here, but still less than the stores. With egg prices dropping, we will be maybe paying slightly more. But again, we moved here to be close to our suppliers.
Right now we mostly depend on sales. When something is good price, we buy it! So I currently have a leg of lamb, a turkey, and a ham all in the "large" category. With Turkey, I think pre-ground is $5/pound?? you can get a turkey on sale (true you have to grind it yourself) for less than a dollar per pound. Cooking an empty turkey without all the Thanksgiving sides is pretty darn easy. We do have a second refrigerator in the garage since we bought a new one for the house, but will be buying a "dead body" freezer, the big sort! We will be buying "shares" of animals from responsible local producers, so typically half an animal at a time. This will not be cheaper, but the quality and treatment of the animals is greater. We have two local butcher shops, the one is higher end producers, the other more general and the prices are pretty darn close to Kroger's for things like ground beef. I want us to get a backup power generator before I have a huge freezer full of thousands of dollars of meat.
https://www.chefstore.com/
I kept having to repeat to myself things about "different economies". But the truth is, once my husband wasn't doing his "secret" expensive junk/fast food eating, that saved close to $20 a day and made it much easier to budget. But goodness, is hard for me to spend $100 on a slab of meat even knowing how many meals and how much I'm saving!
Covid taught us a lot about what we needed in terms of emergency preparedness. I've always had "pantry supplies" to get by on in a tight budget month, but now that I can't have carbs and he doesn't eat them, storing rice, pasta, grains, etc. doesn't work too well for us, nor do many prepared foods. Frozen meat and vegies is what we need to have on hand.
He eats a lot of eggs in various forms. We buy local farm eggs and have not been hit by shortages or high prices. We were paying more than going rate here, but still less than the stores. With egg prices dropping, we will be maybe paying slightly more. But again, we moved here to be close to our suppliers.
Right now we mostly depend on sales. When something is good price, we buy it! So I currently have a leg of lamb, a turkey, and a ham all in the "large" category. With Turkey, I think pre-ground is $5/pound?? you can get a turkey on sale (true you have to grind it yourself) for less than a dollar per pound. Cooking an empty turkey without all the Thanksgiving sides is pretty darn easy. We do have a second refrigerator in the garage since we bought a new one for the house, but will be buying a "dead body" freezer, the big sort! We will be buying "shares" of animals from responsible local producers, so typically half an animal at a time. This will not be cheaper, but the quality and treatment of the animals is greater. We have two local butcher shops, the one is higher end producers, the other more general and the prices are pretty darn close to Kroger's for things like ground beef. I want us to get a backup power generator before I have a huge freezer full of thousands of dollars of meat.
05-02-2025, 02:51 AM
#116
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 2,853
Last night I blackened some Mahi Mahi from the freezer. I have a Paul Prudhomme cookbook, and adapted that recipe for the seasoning. To get the best results, I must melt butter in a dish and dip fillet before adding blackening seasoning. Then, turn on exhaust fan to cook on high! Turned out delicious.
05-02-2025, 04:46 AM
#117
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,687
I made salmon in a cast iron skillet from frozen. I googled a few methods and it came out great. Crisp on outside and moist on inside. We both prefer it cooked all the way through but not dried out. Also mashed some potatoes and a heated a bag of mixed vegetables.
05-02-2025, 07:14 AM
#118
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 5,727
I'm hankering for fresh seafood. It's time for a drive up the coast to the seafood market in the harbor. It's run by an all-women team that runs a fishing boat and the market. They also bring in fresh and live fish, oysters and crabs from up and down the coast. The drive up there is really nice too. The prices are reasonable for what you get. It's a treat. I don't know what I'll get, but something yummy.
05-03-2025, 02:39 PM
#119
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,889
Tonight will be family supper with the kids and grands here. We are having Creamy white Chicken Enchiladas with a side of rice and a salad.
Missouri Star sent this recipe in an email some time ago. It has replaced the one I use to use. My family loves this. I took a pot of the sauce with added chicken and cheese as a soup to my quilt group sew day and the pot was scraped clean.
I tweaked the recipe so my changes are in (),
White Chicken Enchiladas
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 (4) Tbsp. butter
3 (4)Tbsp. flour
2 (3) cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies undrained
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25 min or until golden brown. May want to broil the last few minutes to get a cheese crust.
I used a big can of chicken breast when I don't have any leftover chicken.
Missouri Star sent this recipe in an email some time ago. It has replaced the one I use to use. My family loves this. I took a pot of the sauce with added chicken and cheese as a soup to my quilt group sew day and the pot was scraped clean.
I tweaked the recipe so my changes are in (),
White Chicken Enchiladas
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 (4) Tbsp. butter
3 (4)Tbsp. flour
2 (3) cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies undrained
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25 min or until golden brown. May want to broil the last few minutes to get a cheese crust.
I used a big can of chicken breast when I don't have any leftover chicken.
05-03-2025, 03:12 PM
#120
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,687
Tonight will be family supper with the kids and grands here. We are having Creamy white Chicken Enchiladas with a side of rice and a salad.
Missouri Star sent this recipe in an email some time ago. It has replaced the one I use to use. My family loves this. I took a pot of the sauce with added chicken and cheese as a soup to my quilt group sew day and the pot was scraped clean.
I tweaked the recipe so my changes are in (),
White Chicken Enchiladas
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 (4) Tbsp. butter
3 (4)Tbsp. flour
2 (3) cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies undrained
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25 min or until golden brown. May want to broil the last few minutes to get a cheese crust.
I used a big can of chicken breast when I don't have any leftover chicken.
Missouri Star sent this recipe in an email some time ago. It has replaced the one I use to use. My family loves this. I took a pot of the sauce with added chicken and cheese as a soup to my quilt group sew day and the pot was scraped clean.
I tweaked the recipe so my changes are in (),
White Chicken Enchiladas
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 (4) Tbsp. butter
3 (4)Tbsp. flour
2 (3) cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies undrained
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
Bake 25 min or until golden brown. May want to broil the last few minutes to get a cheese crust.
I used a big can of chicken breast when I don't have any leftover chicken.
min making this. I changed recipe to add some chicken Italian sausage diced before the garlic, the entire can of tomato paste
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...an-tomato-bake
