What’s for Dinner #52 - the Continuous Feasts Edition- December 2019

Been having problems not seeing all the pictures I posted. I take pictures from my Phone, then send it thru the photo section of my lap top computer. Last week, I was requested to send pictures of my kitchen by 3 HO members, first try was fine using subsequent pictures sent, only one was shown. I used the personal message file.

Thanks! Sounds good, creative, and easy. I’ll have to give it a try - my husband is a big fan of anything with Italian sausage.

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I once tried to make wanton. LOL eatable, but not as good as I had wished, size was too big too, the taste was way off just when the size was not right. Since then, I gave more respect to the restaurants made their own dumplings! :rofl:

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I made wontons once. They turned out fine, but it took way longer to make them than it did for people to eat them. Not worth the time and effort, IMO!

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I find that for all types of dumpling, including Italian raviolis, the time involved is long, more interesting if one makes a bigger batch and freeze some for future meals.

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We had friends over for dinner. I served mala peanuts with Italian rosé sparkling and pork dumplings, followed by sweet and spicy Sichuan butternut squash, Japanese chicken curry with carrots, potatoes, and onions, steamed rice, and fennel slaw in orange-sesame dressing. We had an aromatic Italian white I got from Naked Wines with the main. They brought homemade sugar cookies for dessert. I think everything went over pretty well. They are both chefs so cooking for them is a bit intimidating.

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wow, beautiful! Impressive menu, execution and photos!

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We’ve been told over and over that chefs LOVE being asked out. Most of their contacts feel exactly as you do so they are seldom invited to a home. They LOVE it and appreciate anything you provide. And your plates look fantastic!

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Thanks to @LindaWhit and @Presunto , chicken paprikas was on the menu tonight! I seared eight thighs, then removed from the pan and sauteed two sliced onions, two sliced shallots and half a bulb of fennel in the fat. Added a few cloves of garlic and three tablespoons of paprika for a brief bloom, then deglazed with a touch of white wine before adding one cup of stock. Thighs and juices back in the pan and then into a 400 degree oven for 20 mins, plus 3-4 under the broiler. I took the chicken out again and stirred in about a cup of sour cream to finish.

I was patient while searing the skin side of the thighs and was rewarded with super crispy skins even after the braise. My home grown Szegdi peppers made beautiful, bright red, fruity, sweet paprika - I added just a touch of Kashmiri chile powder for heat and it was perfect. Homemade duck stock elevated things further. Served with spaghetti squash - not as delicious as egg noodles or spätzle but satisfying nonetheless! DH, who doesn’t generally love paprika, declared it one of the best things I have ever made. :blush: (To be fair, he says that about a lot of things when he is hungry, but this was pretty damn good!)

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I hadn’t thought to put fennel in paprikas, but it sounds good.

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Slept late. Well, as late as the boyz would allow (which seems to be between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. before their tummies say “ENOUGH WITH THIS SLEEPING CRAP! TIME FOR YOU TO WAKE UP AND FEED US!”) Whiskers up the nose can be very insistent.

I power-watched the rest of Season 4 final season of “The Man In the High Castle”, then a cheesy movie.

Dinner was chicken breasts in a mushroom and sherry cream sauce, rice pilaf, and TJ’s roasted corn and some peas with wine alongside. I’ll have some chocolate salted caramel ice cream for dessert.

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I wasn’t planning on it, but when I was rummaging in the fridge I discovered a half bulb needing to be used and figured why not? It was delicious - just added a subtle freshness.

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Iceberg


Pork country rib in style of osso buco, tube pasta

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We had a spectacular dinner at Il Nido in Marlboro township, NJ. It was our first time there and worth the almost 1 hour trip. Below is a link to the details and mouth watering pictures for those that are interested.

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Totally agree. Every thing looks fab

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After spending a lot of the day making 8 loaves of Christmas bread, dinner was a quick pasta with Italian sausage, tomato sauce, and spinach. A quick one bowl meal for a rainy night.

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Was the most succulent chicken I’ve ever had .

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Made Alison Roman’s vinegar chicken with Castelvetrano olives, and Chef John’s Potatoes Romanoff. Both very good, although I wish the vinegar flavor came through more in the chicken. I’d add capers to the olive mix next time as I’d like the whole thing a little more briney. the potatoes were something the BF and I saw on Chef John’s youtube channel and drooled over. They’re essentially, cheesy, sour creamy, baked hash browns, with shallots. The recipe called for 3 Idahos which you bake the day before and cool completely in the fridge and then shred. I made 2 big ones but ended up only using one and it was more than enough for us, with leftovers for the BF’s midnight snack. Salad was fennel, radish, celery, candied pecans I made, cara cara orange/juice, s&p, and walnut oil.

Brunch was this wonderful truffle omelet with chanterelles the BF and I shared.

And meet Avi, one of my goat charges, from this morning. Yes, i kissed that little pink nose!

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That looks fan.TA.stic! I wouldn’t mind fennel in this one.

Your husband is a bit like my partner… vehemently “I don’t like blue cheese” etc. Then when I make something with it, “It’s good. What is/in it?” :triumph::joy:

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Sounds a bit like funeral potatoes, classic Midwest potato bake.

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