Food and Recipes while under Coronavirus quarantine

[mickey2942]

Cold and rainy today, so I thought I would make grilled cheese and home made tomato soup.

When I make grilled cheese I spread Hellmann’s mayonnaise on the outside the bread instead of butter, and some cracked pepper too.

Dang, that sounds super good. I have a marble rye bread I bought yesterday, might add salami for hubs, and tomatoes for me.

Yesterday I bought two packages of vegetables and fruit, a store here does "Fill it fresh", you get a bag of whatever fruits and veggies on the list for $15. I filled TWO bags! Bananas, pineapple, apples, all sorts of goodies. Lots of soup in our future.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Looks wonderful, but I'd like for someone else to make it for me.

Today I'm making beef stew with red wine, beef broth, onions, garlic (carrots and potatoes soon to go in) plus some bay leaves, some chopped fresh tomato and fennel, a wee dash of balsamic vinegar. I'll drop off most of it for a friend recovering from hip replacement surgery.

Your beef stew sounds delicious, and it is so thoughtful of you to share it with your friend. I make beef stew a couple of times each winter and usually add Bisquick dumplings during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking - that's the way Mom made it. I made dumplings from scratch once, and they were like rocks

It seems rather early in the season for Nino's to have bone-in rib roasts on sale, but DH bought a single rib (about 2.5#) that we had last night with roasted fingerling potatoes. It was enough for a generous slice for each of us, and there is enough meat left on the bone for a pot of beef-barley soup today. It's cold, raining, and windy - a perfect day to have a pot of soup simmering on the stove.

 

[PayrollNerd]

My friend who lives outside Atlanta sent me this message below. I wonder if the meat industry is having an overload of product also.

"I went to COSTCO and got a ton of meat, 12 pork chops of $12 and two big chuck roasts for $15 and then 8 lbs of hamburger for about $15, it was unbelievable."

 

[MimosaMornings]

My friend who lives outside Atlanta sent me this message below. I wonder if the meat industry is having an overload of product also.

"I went to COSTCO and got a ton of meat, 12 pork chops of $12 and two big chuck roasts for $15 and then 8 lbs of hamburger for about $15, it was unbelievable."

Costco usually has an abundance of meat and in larger quantities in each package. Grocery stores seem different, used to be stacks of 1-2lb ground beef packs, now only 3-4 packs in the case.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Local family members have determined that it is best for us to stay in our own homes for Thanksgiving. I will prepare a simple dinner for DH and myself, and he will take dinner to my brothers who live about 15 minutes away. They remember the turkey meatballs in gravy that I made a couple of years ago instead of roasting a turkey. Instead of breadcrumbs or panko, I used prepared sage stuffing in the ground turkey mixture, and I made my own turkey gravy. The turkey meatballs can be served with mashed potatoes or on slider rolls with homemade cranberry sauce. I don't make pierogis from scratch, but one of my brothers loves them, so I will saute a dozen or so in butter and serve with sour cream. I'll assemble a simple green salad with mixed greens, cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes, and I will bake a pumpkin cake this weekend. This isn't a typical Thanksgiving spread, to be sure, but this year's holiday celebrations aren't going to be typical, either.

 

[anneg]

Local family members have determined that it is best for us to stay in our own homes for Thanksgiving. I will prepare a simple dinner for DH and myself, and he will take dinner to my brothers who live about 15 minutes away. They remember the turkey meatballs in gravy that I made a couple of years ago instead of roasting a turkey. Instead of breadcrumbs or panko, I used prepared sage stuffing in the ground turkey mixture, and I made my own turkey gravy. The turkey meatballs can be served with mashed potatoes or on slider rolls with homemade cranberry sauce. I don't make pierogis from scratch, but one of my brothers loves them, so I will saute a dozen or so in butter and serve with sour cream. I'll assemble a simple green salad with mixed greens, cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes, and I will bake a pumpkin cake this weekend. This isn't a typical Thanksgiving spread, to be sure, but this year's holiday celebrations aren't going to be typical, either.

The turkey meatballs with sage stuffing sound good! I'd like to try that.

Our family members live in other states, so we often have Thanksgiving dinner with a group of old friends who live in the area. Sometimes at our house, sometimes at another couple's house. Everyone contributes something to the meal. Sadly, not this year. We'll have our regular Zoom gathering on Friday.

I bought a whole frozen chicken at our Farmers Market and plan to roast it on Thanksgiving. I'll make a couple of side dishes in advance. Possible sides: mashed potatoes or dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry salad. But there are just two of us, so probably not all of the above. I plan to make a pumpkin pie and freeze half of it for later. DH will be happy with whatever it is.

I'm having trouble working up enthusiasm for the holidays. They are going to be hard for so many people this year.

 

[Laughing]

Monterey Ranch Chicken this evening.

Skinless boneless chicken thighs marinating in ranch dressing
Cook bacon strips, but not to crisp
Brown chicken in bacon fat -- or cook on the grill

After turning the chicken over, criss-cross the bacon strips & cover with a slices of Monterey Jack cheese & finish in the oven.

BTW - check for Monterey Jack before you leave the house, or you may end up with Havarti Ranch Chicken...don't ask me how I know.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

The turkey meatballs with sage stuffing sound good! I'd like to try that....

I first made the turkey meatballs with stuffing a few years ago when I did not feel like roasting a whole turkey. We had a spiral-sliced ham accompanied by some of our traditional Thanksgiving sides: deviled eggs, pierogis, cranberry sauce, Waldorf salad, mashed potatoes. I got a couple of different deli cheeses for ham sandwiches, assorted breads, and slider rolls for meatball sandwiches. I don't think anyone missed the typical turkey feast: Thanksgiving is more about family gathering, watching football, playing Scrabble or chess.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

How exactly to scale down Thanksgiving this year if you’re cooking for 1 or 2

We’ve all had to get creative when it comes to celebrating holidays this year, thanks to COVID-19, and Thanksgiving isn’t looking any different.

With governors across the country recommending that families keep Thanksgiving gatherings to just their own households, cooking up a giant turkey packed with stuffing might not be as realistic for some, especially if you live alone or with a roommate or two.

You could always scrap a traditional Thanksgiving meal and make whatever your heart desires, but if you still find yourself craving turkey, potatoes, stuffing and the rest of the Thanksgiving goodness, here are some ways that you can scale down your menu so you don’t end up with a fridge full of leftovers...

 

[PayrollNerd]

How exactly to scale down Thanksgiving this year if you’re cooking for 1 or 2

We’ve all had to get creative when it comes to celebrating holidays this year, thanks to COVID-19, and Thanksgiving isn’t looking any different.

With governors across the country recommending that families keep Thanksgiving gatherings to just their own households, cooking up a giant turkey packed with stuffing might not be as realistic for some, especially if you live alone or with a roommate or two.

You could always scrap a traditional Thanksgiving meal and make whatever your heart desires, but if you still find yourself craving turkey, potatoes, stuffing and the rest of the Thanksgiving goodness, here are some ways that you can scale down your menu so you don’t end up with a fridge full of leftovers...

It is me & my 2 girls this year but only 2 of us eat meat. The turkey I was given is 21 lbs!!!! I texted my friend that has a big family to feed. She was given a 13 lb turkey. Help! Please trade me! LOL! So we are swapping birds this weekend. She's so excited to have a big bird and I'm so excited to have a little bird!

I bought a carton of low sodium turkey broth so that we can freeze the leftovers in it. The plan is to try to keep it from drying out and getting freezer burned before we can eat it all.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Do you guys have turkey at Christmas as well?

I just had to google pierogis!

 

[weepingangel]

Christmas is kind of anything goes (family tradition/ethnicity/religion playing a huge part imo)

we usually have clam chowder - a minor nod to the feast of fishes thing- but mainly we just like chowder lol

eta- we’ve also done a ham or chile

Do you guys have turkey at Christmas as well?

I just had to google pierogis!

 

[Quiet Time]

It is me & my 2 girls this year but only 2 of us eat meat. The turkey I was given is 21 lbs!!!! I texted my friend that has a big family to feed. She was given a 13 lb turkey. Help! Please trade me! LOL! So we are swapping birds this weekend. She's so excited to have a big bird and I'm so excited to have a little bird!

I bought a carton of low sodium turkey broth so that we can freeze the leftovers in it. The plan is to try to keep it from drying out and getting freezer burned before we can eat it all.

That's so cool that you have someone to trade birds with...

 

[PayrollNerd]

That's so cool that you have someone to trade birds with...

I am so glad too. We swap, trade and share all the time. That way the food we are allergic to doesn't go to waste. There’s foods she doesn’t eat because that’s her culture so she gives me that stuff.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Do you guys have turkey at Christmas as well?

I just had to google pierogis!

I know what those are! (Finally a food I recognize lol)
Years of living in PA, eating them. Yum.

We’ve done turkeys, hams, take out when it was too hard to coordinate cooking with people flying in and unable to bring food.

 

[mickey2942]

Do you guys have turkey at Christmas as well?

I just had to google pierogis!

We normally have ham on Christmas, and I always made macaroni and cheese. The "real stuff" with six kinds of cheese, cheese sauce made with cream. Rich and delicious. Add a green salad..easy dinner.

This recipe is similar to what I make, except I add Worcester sauce, dry mustard and a bit of Tabasco, a can of green chilis, and I put scallions on top.
Delilah's 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese

 

[HongKongPhooey]

We normally have ham on Christmas, and I always made macaroni and cheese. The "real stuff" with six kinds of cheese, cheese sauce made with cream. Rich and delicious. Add a green salad..easy dinner.

This recipe is similar to what I make, except I add Worcester sauce, dry mustard and a bit of Tabasco, a can of green chilis, and I put scallions on top.
Delilah's 7 Cheese Mac and Cheese

Loving the idea of a ham with mac'n'cheese!

I have a turkey crown on order but I'm eating less and less meat. So I've also ordered a ready made veggie Wellington thing in case I have a naaaaahhh day on the turkey. I will eat the pigs in blankets tho

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Do you guys have turkey at Christmas as well?

I just had to google pierogis!

Traditionally, turkey for Thanksgiving, ham or roast beef (prime rib) for Christmas. I've also served ham or roast beef for Thanksgiving.

Pierogis are a Polish/eastern European delicacy. They are little pockets of dough filled with cheese, potatoes, and/or sauerkraut. The little filled pockets can be baked, boiled, or sauteed in a skillet and are typically served with sour cream.

 

[Really?]

This is the first year no turkey for us. Mom lives next door with a grandson, so I will be cooking for four.
I have also ran across some too good to be true meat prices.....so....I’ve bought 3 .....5.5lb ..prime rib roasts in 2 weeks. So it’s roast prime rib this year !

this is a recipe I found online and have used it since.

let the meat come to room temperature ( 4 hours ish )
preheat the oven @ 500 degrees F

In a soup bowl let 1/4 cup of unsalted butter soften

Mix in herbs.....I used oregano, salt, pepper and paprika.
Smush the herbs into the butter and lather the roast up all over.

Put the roast in the preheated oven and let cook for 25 minutes. ( 20 for a 4 lb roast)

Turn the oven off ....and.....NEVER .....open the oven door for 2 hours.....BOOM....best recipe ever

on a side note....the last time I made this I had an emergency and had to let the roast stay in the oven an hour longer......but is was still hot and delish !

 

[Tbone144]

Quick an easy side dish that seems elegant enough for Thanksgiving. I made it the other night to have with dinner and it ended up being my dinner:

Sautéed asparagus with goat cheese and balsamic reduction;
Tablespoon of olive oil in 12” pan, add asparagus,1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove asparagus and sprinkle it with the goat cheese. In empty pan add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Cook until reduced to syrup consistency, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. Stir to melt, then pour over asparagus/cheese.

I used a package of frozen asparagus which was good, had to cook it a bit longer to get it to thaw. I can imagine it would only better with fresh.