What's for tea at your house tonight?

So good!! I would definitely share!

 

Have a team building dinner tonight at the pub.

With a magnum of champers? 

Same artichoke and feta pizza tonight. 

Tomorrow, though, is 'homecooked by friend' surprise meal with (lots) of red wine!   

With a magnum of champers? 

Hehehehe 

Hmmm... no clue. Maybe just a cheese plate or something. 

Hmmm... no clue.

Same here - lol!  DH has been cooking all week, it's my turn tonight & I've got lots of other stuff to get done today...want something good but something that isn't going to require lots of shopping/prep/cooking time.  Casting about for inspiration.  Cheese plate wouldn't go at our house - DH would say that's an 'afters' thing, not a main course. 

No idea here either. I was hoping we'd go to the pub, but that was shot down. 

Same here - lol!  DH has been cooking all week, it's my turn tonight & I've got lots of other stuff to get done today...want something good but something that isn't going to require lots of shopping/prep/cooking time.  Casting about for inspiration.  Cheese plate wouldn't go at our house - DH would say that's an 'afters' thing, not a main course.  

You're right, DH might still be starving after a cheese plate.   What about omelettes? That might be nice, actually. FIL gave us some fresh eggs, and I've got some Gouda and spring onions left in the fridge. Maybe I could make some homemade redskin potato wedges to go with them, since I have some left that I need to use. Oh crap, now I've turned it into actual work.  

Lol - good luck with your omelettes!  Here - can't do that either, as DH doesn't like eggs.  I'm making him sound terribly picky, but honestly he's not - he likes far more foods than I do actually. 

I'm hungry for spag bol - but the way I do it, it would just take too long.  I make my own sauce that takes at least a couple hours to simmer down.  And I generally use homemade chicken stock in it, which I haven't even made yet & it takes about 2-3 hours to do.  Granted, both of these things cook while I do other stuff, but it just sounds like so much work - whine!

I'm thinking it might be an easy Tex-Mex night! 

I'm hungry for spag bol - but the way I do it, it would just take too long.  I make my own sauce that takes at least a couple hours to simmer down.  And I generally use homemade chicken stock in it, which I haven't even made yet & it takes about 2-3 hours to do.  Granted, both of these things cook while I do other stuff, but it just sounds like so much work - whine!

I'm thinking it might be an easy Tex-Mex night! 

WOW. You are serious about spag bol, woman! I just open a jar of Lloyd Grossman when I need to.  Honestly, I do like to make my own with roasted garlic, which takes some time, but I'm usually too lazy or don't have time to do it that way. Plus, DH never seems to notice either way. 

But Tex-Mex always sounds good to me!!! 

With a magnum of champers? 

   And, this is just a glimpse into the life and times of me misunderstanding things.  My friends and family could tell you LOTS of stories. 

Friday is what my mom calls "Movie Friday" which means we go to a movie and out to dinner.  I'm going to let her pick the movie and then push for Sushi- but since she's paying I won't push it. 

WOW. You are serious about spag bol, woman! I just open a jar of Lloyd Grossman when I need to.  Honestly, I do like to make my own with roasted garlic, which takes some time, but I'm usually too lazy or don't have time to do it that way. Plus, DH never seems to notice either way.

Yeah, it's worth it to me.  DH says my spag bol & my chili are the best.  Once when I was in the US on a family visit & he stayed behind in the UK that time, he made some (can't remember if it was spag bol or chili) for himself in the style that he used to make it - when he was on his own.  He said he cried a little (not sure if he was kidding about that or not!) because it was nowhere near as good as mine, and he really missed me then.

 

We usually have the chicken stock already made up in the freezer, but I just haven't gotten around to making a new batch - may do that today, however.

Yeah, it's worth it to me.  DH says my spag bol & my chili are the best.  Once when I was in the US on a family visit & he stayed behind in the UK that time, he made some (can't remember if it was spag bol or chili) for himself in the style that he used to make it - when he was on his own.  He said he cried a little (not sure if he was kidding about that or not!) because it was nowhere near as good as mine, and he really missed me then.

 

We usually have the chicken stock already made up in the freezer, but I just haven't gotten around to making a new batch - may do that today, however.

All right, I want this spag bol that makes men cry recipe. Pretty please.    Tomatoes are my favorite food and I can just eat spaghetti sauce with a spoon.  Mmmmm. 

All right, I want this spag bol that makes men cry recipe. Pretty please.    Tomatoes are my favorite food and I can just eat spaghetti sauce with a spoon.  Mmmmm.  

It's essentially a Mark Bittman recipe (from How to Cook Everything).

I tend to use all beef (not mixture of pork & beef).  I include crushed garlic (to taste) in the early bit when sauteeing the veg & pancetta.  I also tend to use red, rather than white, wine too.  I often use just 2% milk because that's what we usually have on hand, but creamier does make it thicker in consistency.  Sometimes I add mushrooms, but they make it runnier sometimes.  Oh & I add Italian herbs to taste - usually just basil and oregano.

It takes time to make though!

Yummy!  I'm making this the next time I get a Spag Bol craving. Thanks!

All right, I want this spag bol that makes men cry recipe. Pretty please.   

OK, now can we have the chili recipe that makes men cry. Pretty please.   

OK, now can we have the chili recipe that makes men cry. Pretty please.    

Ha ha - it's different every time!  And I could make it in my sleep.  

Saute chopped onions, garlic, fresh chilies, and ground beef mince (1 pound).  Add seasonings to taste:  chili powder, little bit of cumin, bit of cayenne, sometimes chili flakes, sometimes chipotle chilis if I have them (just pretty much throw in as much of different kinds of hot chilies that you fancy really! and I ain't shy with the chilies - we like it HOT ).  Sometimes I add a dash of lime juice to taste.  Sometimes cilantro.

Also, I'm not a chili purist - so in goes 2-3 tins of pinto beans (or kidney beans) & a tin of crushed tomatoes.  If the tins of beans say they have sugar in them, I let it be.  If there isn't any sugar packed with the tinned beans, I usually add a wee bit (1/2 or 1 tsp) of sugar.  I let it simmer away until it's reduced & thick.  Taste & adjust seasonings (more chilis!!!!  ha ha - naah, I usually dump enough of a load of chilis in to begin with, don't usually need to add much, maybe a bit of salt & pepper).  We usually have it over rice or jacket potatoes.

Garnish with your choice(s) - sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro.

DH says it gives him a chili-gasm.  He feels like lying back & needs to breathe fresh air afterwards, cos he gets all sweaty & flushed from eating it (and his nose all runny) - but that it's a good rush!