What is going to be on the table tonight.

[table1349]

Angel Hair pasta in an olive oil, parsley, garlic sauce.

Ingredients:
1 lb angel hair pasta
1/4 cup of good quality EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf (italian) parsley
4-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped. Depends on how much you like garlic
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Pepper and finely chopped basil to taste.

Cook angel hair pasta to al dente

While pasta is cooking heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley and sauté in oil. When pasta is done drain well and put in a large bowl. Pour oil with parsley and garlic over the pasta and add 1/2 the grated parmesan cheese, mix well in the bowl. Sprinkle the other half of the parmesan cheese over the pasta, grind fresh pepper to taste on pasta and sprinkle basil on top. Serve with grated Asaigo cheese on the side.

 

[Gary A.]

I just finished fixin' up a turkey loaf. Tossed everything in it, parsley, oregano, savory, peppers, basil from the garden, spices, cheeses, Gary Famous Homemade BBQ sauce, panko, egg, tons of mushrooms and a mushroom sauce.

 

[table1349]

Never had turkey loaf but I love meat loaf. I make mine with three different meats for additional flavor and texture.
I use ground beef, ground pork and ground lamb. Many recipes call for veal, but veal doesn't have much flavor. Lamb adds a complex flavor as well as a nice texture to the loaf.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 thick slices white bread, torn into large pieces
• 2 slices of sandwich bread (used to soak up grease)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lb ground beef chuck (90 percent lean)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse bread in a food processor until finely ground. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs.) Transfer to a medium bowl.
   
   
2. Pulse garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley in food processor until finely chopped. Add to breadcrumbs. Add meats, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; mix together using your hands. Shape meat into a loaf and place in a baking dish on top of the 2 slices of sandwich bread.
   
   
3. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup ketchup and the brown sugar until smooth; brush onto meat. Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 160 degrees, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

 

[table1349]

If you would like to have a bacon cheese burger without the bun this is a great recipe from Paula Dean.

Bacon Cheese Burger Meatloaf
Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture.
Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

 

[Gary A.]

The Loaf.

 

[table1349]

Tonight dinner offering is very simple. What ever the waiter or waitress puts in front of us.

It's date night and I don't cook on date night.

 

[KmH]

Tonight was a portion of homemade Cowpoke beans (pinto), and corn bread, I made a few days ago.

1 pound dry pinto beans
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 2/3 cups canned stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1/4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

• Soak pinto beans overnight with plenty of water to cover. Drain, remove to a large cooking pot, and cover with fresh water, chicken stock or a combo of. Add the bacon, red chili flakes, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 3 hours.
If you use stock instead of just water the beans would be pretty good all by themselves. For this batch I had some homemade ham stock & chicken stock I needed to use up.
I added about 16 ounces of water after the beans had been cooking for 2 hours.

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in butter until tender. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, marjoram, and salt. Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes to blend the flavors

•When beans are tender, drain off any remaining water. Pour in the tomato mixture, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

I put a fair amount of Tabasco sauce on my beans once I get them in a bowl on top of a warm hunk of corn bread.

For tomorrow night I've got Chili Verde (cubed pork shoulder (2lbs), tomatillos, and seasonings) going in the slow cooker that's just about done.
I'll be making corn (masa harina) & flour tortillas (with lard) tomorrow to go with the Chili Verde and some other taco/burrito fillings I usually have on hand.

 

[Gary A.]

I've have enough tomatillos for maybe a pint or two of salsa verde. Are tomatillos hard to find in Iowa?

 

[Advanced Photo]

Entree: Creamy roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

Main course: Prime Rib, baked potato with sour cream and fresh cut chives, fresh fruit and a fresh garden salad.

Desert: Lemon chiffon pie with gingersnap crust.

Beverage: If I drank it would be a Cabernet but since I don't I opted for cranberry and pomegranate juice.

 

[Gary A.]

Leftovers.

 

[KmH]

I've have enough tomatillos for maybe a pint or two of salsa verde. Are tomatillos hard to find in Iowa?

Only in the winter months.
One of the reasons I was willing to move to this part of Iowa from Tucson was the sizable Hispanic population that ensured grocery stores in the area would have the ingredients needed to make authentic Mexican food.
The local Walmart has lots of the right stuff, and there are several mom & pop type grocery stores that cater specifically to the local Hispanic population.

 

[jcdeboever]

Thick juicy Dearborn ham steak, green beans, pinapple slices, and cottage cheese. The dog wants the bone but it's going in split pea soup later this week.

 

[Advanced Photo]

Thick juicy Dearborn ham steak, green beans, pinapple slices, and cottage cheese. The dog wants the bone but it's going in split pea soup later this week.

I have I haven't had split pea soup since I was a kid and my grandmother made it.

 

[jcdeboever]

Thick juicy Dearborn ham steak, green beans, pinapple slices, and cottage cheese. The dog wants the bone but it's going in split pea soup later this week.

I have I haven't had split pea soup since I was a kid and my grandmother made it.

Got the recipe off of the internet. Will see, I am not a cook at all but I can follow directions for the most part. Slow cooker recipe.

 

[Advanced Photo]

All recipes? I like slow cooking, as I am a slow cook.