What’s for Dinner #25 - 09/2017 - the Autumnal Edition

True! Non soggy substitute for pork rinds.

Here’s a few meals this week.

Super thick chicken breast, with cream, wine and mustard. Surprisingly the result was great: I would say it was similar to the effect of sous vide, very tender, still a bit pink, it was cooked oven for 20 minutes and higher heat for another 3 minutes. So good!

Some more Vietnamese meals.

Braised pork with five spices and caramel.

Tonight a bun cha, with meat balls and the leftover braised pork.

Even made some dark truffle chocolate.

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Carnitas & Pozole

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Today was Ripe Avocado Day! I found some of the tasty thicker handmade corn tortillas i love in the freezer. They’re rather small, like a street taco size. I decided to make a veggie quesadilla! Sautéed some garlic and onion, then added in mushrooms and part of a bell pepper with penzey’s version of taco seasoning. The tortilla got a layer of semi-smashed black beans, and the veggies , then the other tortilla and seared til golden while i made a quick guacamole from half the avocado. Very tasty! I was snacking on some sliced cucumber while cooking which thankfully was fine so more crunchy raw veggies are in my near future (it’s been killing me to avoid them!! I usually snack on raw sugar snap peas, cucumber, and bell pepper nearly every day)

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Hey what’s up with Avocado prices?

Hass are running 3 bucks a piece.

Wildfires get the orchards?

No pictures, but some very traditional Santa Fe food has been eaten. I am finding that I am extremely fond of the green chili option and have had quite a bit. Time for some lighter, perhaps more “modern” versions now.

There will be no problem finding chilis and chili powders to bring home.

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Ohio needs to learn it’s fall, 90F and humid today. I am thrilled the sun is setting earlier. For this early to bed girl, it’s been a struggle moving to Ohio at the edge of a time zone where in summer the sun seems to never set. So dinner was something refreshing and summer inspired.

I seared up chicken breast, dressed with a balsamic basil vinaigrette, topped with provolone and mozzarella, quick trip to the oven and served with marinated cherry tomatoes.

I also learned my youngest kitto will eat tomatoes. There’s not much that cat won’t eat, but I thought she had some limits

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Loin Lamb chops, Greek cauliflower (Kounoupithi Kapama), rice pilaf, green beans

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On the road to my cooking retreat. While in New Haven I tried a pizza with clams - clam casino actually.
I picked up my slice and took a bite. Look around and saw I was the only one not using a fork and knife. Crust quite crisp with some char, thinner in the middle. Really good bacon on it, clams just read as chewy to me. I’d try it again if I was in the area but I don’t think I’ll be craving it.

Picked up my friend in Portland. Picked up provisions at a nice co-op. Both tired so we snacked on nibbles with wine. She’s feeling a bit off tonight so suspect we’ll nest in our airbnb apartment and just nibble on provisions again. Tomorrow we reach PEI!

I hope to be eating lobster, oysters and mussels for the week!

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Where did you have the clam pizza?

Modern Apizza in New Haven.

Well there are many who would disagree with me but I love Pepe’s clam Pizza, with grated cheese only. The second pic is of one of their signature pies spinach, mushroom, mozz, gorgonzola, I added bacon so I’m attaching the pic so you can see the bacon. Can’t go wrong with either … My rec is for the New Haven location only. Have a wonderful trip!

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I had read about issues of the other Pepe’s locations so opted for Modern Apizza. Your photos look good - guess I’ll have to make a comparison!

M.A. wasn’t slammed since I went on the early side of dinner. My server was much more interested in the tables with groups rather than a solo female diner. Not bad service but a noticeable difference and a definate lag in providing napkins, etc.

Sorry, I hate that … having been a server I learned to take care of my " two tops" when occupied by deuces or singles $$$$
The pics of the clam pizza are from New Haven, the other one I ordered in Yonkers, it’s impossible to mess that pizza up. The New Haven location will only serve the clam pizza when they are in season, the Yonkers location serves it year round. I also got lucky on my way up to MA when I stopped, Pepe’s was very quiet. Once again have a great time … your description leads me to believe this will not be difficult

It was a shit-ton kind of day.

A shit-ton of dragging my ass out of bed when I’m dead-tired.
A shit-ton of unexpected “gotta be done NOW!”
A shit-ton of “Seriously? Are you kidding me?”
A shit-ton of “OGMAFB.”
A shit-ton of trying to manage on the fly.
A shit-ton of somehow getting it done (or at least most of it).

So I countered when I finally got home tonight with a shit-ton of easy-peasy. Which was:

A shit-ton of spaghetti.
A not-so shit-ton of sauce on top.
But there a shit-ton of grated Parm-Reg cheese.
A crusty roll with a shit-ton of butter.
And yeah, there was a shit-ton of wine.
I’m still working on the 2nd shit-ton glass of wine.

Thank goodness it’s the weekend. 'Cause there’s gonna be a shit-ton of work on Monday morning.

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Jealous. Have fun!

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More wine Linda. Shit loads works wonders. I feel ya.

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I’ll second this - the clam pizza from Pepe’s (I’ve only had it in Yonkers) is good, although in general I prefer to just eat my clams with butter (or in a buttery pasta, or in chowder…). We’ve tried Modern Apizza as well and really liked it, but we just had pepperoni there, no clam.

We had the worst rotisserie chicken I’ve ever had tonight - under seasoned and overcooked to the point of choking on the dry white meat. And to add insult to injury, it was cold. Blech. The cats ate some of it but even they didn’t want much of the breast. I really need to start planning better so I don’t get stuck eating this crap!

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I had a similar experience with a Costco chicken last week.