What's For Dinner #113 - the Holiday Cookie Frenzy Edition - December 2024

biondanonima · December 31, 2024, 2:01am

Posole won (https://highlandsranchfoodie.com/simple-posole-recipe/):

Served with Serious Eats’ browned butter cornbread (https://www.seriouseats.com/moist-and-tender-brown-butter-cornbread-recipe - just reduced the sugar to 2.5 T)

I used dry posole - soaked for 6 hours, then simmered for about 2 hours in salted water, then another two hours with my pork in broth. A few “bloomed,” but most were still intact at this point. Nicely tender/al dente, though - I think I prefer this to the softer “bloomed” texture. Mr. Bionda was in heaven.

Madrid · December 31, 2024, 2:14am

looks so good!

Desert-Dan · December 31, 2024, 2:24am

I found cans of Turkey Chili on clearance (for 25 cents) at Dollar Tree, so I picked up a dozen. Tonight, I mixed some pearl barley with that Turkey Chili and topped it with chopped broccoli. We both enjoyed our dinner. Sunshine liked her “Blate”, as I used them for dinner (for the first time).

MunchkinRedux · December 31, 2024, 2:31am

A new-to-me recipe from Jacques Pepin for sriracha-mayo brushed chicken breasts. Served with bacon-studded (leftover) mashed potatoes, and salad greens in vinaigrette. It was an excellent meal all around, and will make again.

Phoenikia · December 31, 2024, 2:47am

Tuna, snow crab and shrimp stew, based on an Oregon Bouillabaisse and a Serious Eats Bouillabaisse. I kept the tsp of oregano, the chili flakes, black pepper and bay leaf, but omitted the dried basil called for in the Oregon recipe, and included the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, onions, Pernod called for in the Serious Eats recipe. I used a local Riesling for the wine and Mutti canned cherry tomatoes.

biondanonima · December 31, 2024, 2:48am

Gratuitous photos of the two braises (one in my beautiful new Staub deep oven!). Destined for the freezer or maybe dinner later this week. My future self is already thanking me!

linguafood · December 31, 2024, 2:51am

Thank you

It’s long become a house favorite. That sauce

mariacarmen · December 31, 2024, 2:55am

BF made us beef kofte, hummus, grilled tomatoes, my leftover tzatziki, and a small salad for me.

mariacarmen · December 31, 2024, 2:56am

that IS a beautiful Staub!

mariacarmen · December 31, 2024, 2:59am

beefalicious!

honkman · December 31, 2024, 5:55am

Zucchini and Feta Pasta with Za’atar Breadcrumbs from “Anything’s Pastable” - you pan-fry zucchini slices until they get nice color. 1/3 of the zucchini get pureed with pasta water, lemon juice and zest and butter to build the sauce. You mix the sauce with the remaining zucchini, pasta, sautéed garlic, red pepper flakes and feta. Finished with za’atar breadcrumbs (sautéed panko mixed with za’atar)

ChristinaM · December 31, 2024, 1:17pm

Would you recommend it?

tomatotomato · December 31, 2024, 2:35pm

I hope you will love using your Staub as much as I love using mine. While I bought mine (waited for a sale) with the intent of breadmaking, I did bread only once or twice but quickly realized that I liked that oven for as many other purposes as possible.

I even prefer it to a larger pasta pot for preparing things like ravioli and pierogi. I’m typically cooking for two, so that oven is well-suited for me to do things like caramelize leeks first, then wipe out the pot and boil water to cook filled pasta. (I do keep a wooden spatula at hand to dislodge any sticking.) One-pot workhorse!

Phoenikia · December 31, 2024, 3:48pm

My cousin gave me a small Staub Dutch oven for Xmas a few years ago and I haven’t used it. Hopefully this coming year.

ChristinaM · December 31, 2024, 10:39pm

I brought 7-layer dip and tortilla chips to a daytime party:

Then made a veggie biscuit pot pie for my friend whose family has flu:

And we’re heading to our friends’ place for apps, dessert, Belgian Christmas beer, and bubbly.

TheLibrarian28 · December 31, 2024, 11:31pm

You should start writing The Sunshine Cookbook!

Amandarama · December 31, 2024, 11:42pm

Acapulco style shrimp cocktail

Guacamole with charred tomato, pumpkin seeds, and habanero

Tortilla chips
Adult beverages

linguafood · January 1, 2025, 1:02am

Well, my afternoon First Night gig almost didn’t happen, as this old lady here managed to screw up her back somehow — nope, didn’t do anything athletic or interesting, just… kinda went on with my day and suddenly I could barely breathe in. A tele-health appointment & Rx for 800mg metaxalone propped me up long enough for the one-hour set! Better living through chemistry

Immediately got into my xmas pajamas when I got home, as festivities don’t start until 9pm.

Plenty of time to steam a few dim sum & a couple of bao from the Chinese market, make a couple dipping sauces & nosh on them.

Despite the steamer being greased up like a show-wrestler again, the chive dumpling would. not. let. go.

The bao were alright, I don’t care for them much & deconstructed mine by only eating the stuffing, which was well-seasoned 5-spice pork & bok choy. Sated & ready for a few drinks at the PARTAY. Might even finish another NYer issue before we head oot

Can we just stay in 2024 forever, though, please?

LindaWhit · January 1, 2025, 1:12am

Well, THAT sucks the Big One! Hope your pot pie helped revive them for the new year!

LindaWhit · January 1, 2025, 1:57am

Life.

It kind of kicks you in the ass when you least expect it when you’re not paying attention to the signs.

Busy at work with managing our office move after the 2023 flood and just regular life in general, I didn’t pay attention to those other signs as much as I should have.

So Life thankfully smacked me upside the head (and heart!) and said “Hey! Pay the hell attention to ME, you idiot!” And thankfully, I did. And caught what was a life-threatening situation just in time.

Modern medicine is amazing. I cannot be any more thankful for the doctors and nurses who took care of me. This year ended on a good note (for the most part).

I’m still here. I still get to bug the hell out of my coworkers, still get to love on my two orange cattorists, I still get to cook foods and create dinners that bring me such joy.

Life.
Pay attention.
Live it.
Love it.
Be it.
And be kind.
Because you haven’t a clue as to what someone is going through.

And now, dinner…I went similar to many other years for NYE: Tapas. First around 2pm (since I didn’t have lunch) was a small plate of Manchego cheese, membrillo and Marcona almonds, with proscuitto, green grapes, and dried apricots.

For dinner, I made a version of Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp) and Catalan-Style Spinach with garlic and Mediterranean pine nuts. Supposed to have raisins, but since I have no idea what my sister did with them when she “straightened up” my kitchen while I was hospitalized, they were left out.