The theme of this weekend's cooking seems to be taking care of people. :-)

Carol has a graduation dinner to host tonight, but she got sick on
Thursday, so I offered to cook the food ahead and leave it in her fridge
for today. Her guests are vegetarians, and she was just completely
baffled by what she might serve them, so I thought I would fix up some
stuff, and she was grateful for the help.

So yesterday I made six quiches (using the basic recipe for the one of
mine on the signature page, but three kinds: caramelized onion and goat
cheese; green chili and cheddar; and pesto/mozzarella/parmesan. We
tested one of the goat cheese ones (YUM!) and she'll have the other five
to serve tonight.

Then I made a big pot of mushroom barley soup. For six quarts or so of
soup, I used 5.5 POUNDS of mushrooms. The stuff was amazing. I have to
duplicate it at home. Three onions, three carrots, garlic, three stalks
of celery, the mushrooms, water, salt, pepper, butter, a cup of barley.
I think that's all, but man, was it good. I think the key was cooking
down the mushrooms, garlic, and onions in butter first, before adding
everything else.

And I bought six pounds of heirloom tomatoes and three pounds of fresh
mozzarella, along with some green and purple fresh basil, so she can
make a caprese salad to go with it. I think she's also planning on
making a relish tray and putting some salami on that, because really,
she and Guy cannot imagine eating a meal without meat. ;-)

Today, I'm making spicy cioppino for James, who has a cold. One onion, a
whole head of minced garlic, a little celery seed (I'm out of celery),
canned diced tomatoes, water, salt, a TON of black pepper, a BIG squirt
of Sriracha, and a bag of frozen mixed seafood (mussels, squid, octopus,
shrimp, scallops, and something else I'm forgetting).

Smells really good. I'll serve it with a bit of homemade bread. James
says the smell is already helping clear his sinuses. I'll take that as a
compliment.

Tonight is punk rock chickpea gravy over potatoes, with steamed
vegetables. I think my arteries need a break. ;-)

Serene
--
42 Magazine, celebrating life with meaning. Issue 2 is here!
http://42magazine.com

"I tend to come down on the side of autonomy. Once people are grown up,
I believe they have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of their
choosing." -- Pat Kight, on alt.polyamory

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> The theme of this weekend's cooking seems to be taking care of people. :-)
>
> Carol has a graduation dinner to host tonight, but she got sick on
> Thursday, so I offered to cook the food ahead and leave it in her fridge
> for today. Her guests are vegetarians, and she was just completely baffled
> by what she might serve them, so I thought I would fix up some stuff, and
> she was grateful for the help.
>
> So yesterday I made six quiches (using the basic recipe for the one of
> mine on the signature page, but three kinds: caramelized onion and goat
> cheese; green chili and cheddar; and pesto/mozzarella/parmesan. We tested
> one of the goat cheese ones (YUM!) and she'll have the other five to serve
> tonight.
>
> Then I made a big pot of mushroom barley soup. For six quarts or so of
> soup, I used 5.5 POUNDS of mushrooms. The stuff was amazing. I have to
> duplicate it at home. Three onions, three carrots, garlic, three stalks of
> celery, the mushrooms, water, salt, pepper, butter, a cup of barley. I
> think that's all, but man, was it good. I think the key was cooking down
> the mushrooms, garlic, and onions in butter first, before adding
> everything else.
>
> And I bought six pounds of heirloom tomatoes and three pounds of fresh
> mozzarella, along with some green and purple fresh basil, so she can make
> a caprese salad to go with it. I think she's also planning on making a
> relish tray and putting some salami on that, because really, she and Guy
> cannot imagine eating a meal without meat. ;-)
>
> Today, I'm making spicy cioppino for James, who has a cold. One onion, a
> whole head of minced garlic, a little celery seed (I'm out of celery),
> canned diced tomatoes, water, salt, a TON of black pepper, a BIG squirt of
> Sriracha, and a bag of frozen mixed seafood (mussels, squid, octopus,
> shrimp, scallops, and something else I'm forgetting).
>
> Smells really good. I'll serve it with a bit of homemade bread. James says
> the smell is already helping clear his sinuses. I'll take that as a
> compliment.
>
> Tonight is punk rock chickpea gravy over potatoes, with steamed
> vegetables. I think my arteries need a break. ;-)
>
> Serene

Busy weekend for you - I get the night off we're bringing in take out from
our local Main Street Grill.

Can't decide between beef ribs or pulled pork or their Monster Burger.

More company comes in the morning............

Going to be a tough week ahead.


--
Dimitri

Penne Rigate Autunnale

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

Dimitri wrote:

> Busy weekend for you - I get the night off we're bringing in take out
> from our local Main Street Grill.
>
> Can't decide between beef ribs or pulled pork or their Monster Burger.

We had take-out last night, which we rarely do, but I wasn't hungry and
I knew a couple of hamburgers would be welcomed by the burger-eaters in
the house, so I went with that. :-)

>
> More company comes in the morning............
>
> Going to be a tough week ahead.

Hang in there. Are you doing a lot of cooking for their visit?

Serene

--
42 Magazine, celebrating life with meaning. Issue 2 is here!
http://42magazine.com

"I tend to come down on the side of autonomy. Once people are grown up,
I believe they have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of their
choosing." -- Pat Kight, on alt.polyamory

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> Dimitri wrote:
>
>> Busy weekend for you - I get the night off we're bringing in take out
>> from our local Main Street Grill.
>>
>> Can't decide between beef ribs or pulled pork or their Monster Burger.
>
> We had take-out last night, which we rarely do, but I wasn't hungry and I
> knew a couple of hamburgers would be welcomed by the burger-eaters in the
> house, so I went with that. :-)
>
>>
>> More company comes in the morning............
>>
>> Going to be a tough week ahead.
>
> Hang in there. Are you doing a lot of cooking for their visit?

I have not decided yet - I think I'm going to cook breakfast for supper -
bacon, sausage, hash browns, & eggs - not forgetting toast, butter & jam.

The company is my voice teacher & his wife we let him use the house for some
of his other students in the area as well.

Its a long story.


--
Dimitri

Penne Rigate Autunnale

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:27:35 -0700, "Dimitri" > wrote:

-->
-->"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
-->> Dimitri wrote:
-->>
-->>> Busy weekend for you - I get the night off we're bringing in take out
-->>> from our local Main Street Grill.
-->>>
-->>> Can't decide between beef ribs or pulled pork or their Monster Burger.
-->>
-->> We had take-out last night, which we rarely do, but I wasn't hungry and I
-->> knew a couple of hamburgers would be welcomed by the burger-eaters in the
-->> house, so I went with that. :-)
-->>
-->>>
-->>> More company comes in the morning............
-->>>
-->>> Going to be a tough week ahead.
-->>
-->> Hang in there. Are you doing a lot of cooking for their visit?
-->
-->I have not decided yet - I think I'm going to cook breakfast for supper -
-->bacon, sausage, hash browns, & eggs - not forgetting toast, butter & jam.

Went that way as well, two bowls of cereal...and of course chocolate mouse