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Topic: What's for dinner?  (Read 10715 times)

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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #165 on: December 13, 2017, 09:30:32 AM »
Oh. Yesterday was kind of a "pits" day. Went to  NHS dentist, that was fine. Like her, got my teeth cleaned for 11 pounds, all well there. Basically skated to the appointment and back, tho - the sidewalks had the sidewalk equivalent of black ice all over them. Started to rain and sleet heavily half the walk home, after I'd stopped at Waitrose to get some groceries and stuff for supper. Came home, put the fish and the chips in the oven, turned it on, set the little polar bear timer, went to sit and have a break while warming up.  Half an hour later the timer goes off, I go in, and the whole oven unit is off. Checked the breaker, it had thrown. (ehhhh?) Reset the breaker, turned the oven back on - looks like it made it halfway through cooking supper.  Set the little polar bear timer. Dinged. Came back, oven is blowing only cold air. (sigh)

Microwaved everything (the fish came out surprisingly well), phoned the after-hours fix-it number, on hold 10 minutes, they can't do anything but pass the info on to the letting agent who will contact the sub-contractor who will contact us to have someone come deal with the oven. So, maybe by next week, if they are true to form.  Fortunately I had already done my week's bread baking, and I can live without the oven really. But now that it doesn't work I have an overwhelming urge to bake cookies!   ::) :-\\\\

At least the thermometer-stuck-to-the-outside-of-the-third-floor-window says it is now above freezing and the white has gone from the poor frozen grass, and the streets appear to be primarily just wet rather than stealth-frozen. I may have to bundle up significantly and sneak some bread crusts/popcorn to the birds and McSquizzies over at the Botanic in a bit. That will guarantee that the repair place calls so that I can miss their call and play phone tag for several days.  ;)


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #166 on: December 13, 2017, 07:04:13 PM »


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #167 on: December 14, 2017, 06:21:47 AM »
Thanks!!!


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #168 on: January 16, 2018, 09:33:57 AM »
In the slow-cooker:  Zuppa Toscana!

Apparently this is a popular soup at Olive Garden in the US.  I've never been to an Olive Garden before, but this copycat recipe came up on my FB, and it looked incredible, so it had to be tried... and we even have a butcher here in my little town who makes US-style Italian sausage with a good hit of fennel!  Can't wait to get home and nosh on this tonight!


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #169 on: January 16, 2018, 11:56:41 AM »
Olive Garden... I loved their salad!  Gawd, my family would, like, three bowls of it (there were six of us!). We barely touched the breadsticks. The day I learned you could buy their dressing changed my life.  I stopped eating at Olive Garden (I couldn't afford it) and started eating SO much salad at home.

I'm sure the soup is good, too.  Let us know!
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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #170 on: January 16, 2018, 12:09:59 PM »
In the slow-cooker:  Zuppa Toscana!

Apparently this is a popular soup at Olive Garden in the US.  I've never been to an Olive Garden before, but this copycat recipe came up on my FB, and it looked incredible, so it had to be tried... and we even have a butcher here in my little town who makes US-style Italian sausage with a good hit of fennel!  Can't wait to get home and nosh on this tonight!
That is so good! I hope you enjoy it. I've made copycat recipes a few times :)

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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #171 on: January 17, 2018, 01:38:14 PM »
OMG, that soup last night (and leftovers for lunch) was *SO GOOD*!!  Possibly the best soup I've had in many a year!  If you have access to the 'right' kind of Italian sausage, I thoroughly recommend making this 'Zuppa Toscana' (Olive Garden copycat).  I'll definitely be making it again!


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #172 on: January 17, 2018, 01:49:41 PM »
OMG, that soup last night (and leftovers for lunch) was *SO GOOD*!!  Possibly the best soup I've had in many a year!  If you have access to the 'right' kind of Italian sausage, I thoroughly recommend making this 'Zuppa Toscana' (Olive Garden copycat).  I'll definitely be making it again!

What sausage did you use?  After that other discussion, this is a really important question!  Is it merely okay, just as good, or better as leftovers?  I'd like to make it in advance for a weekend lunch.
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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #173 on: January 17, 2018, 05:36:10 PM »
We have a local butcher that makes his own Italian sausage.  Bearing in mind I've been away from the US for quite a long time, to me it tastes just like the 'Italian sausage' you'd get on pizza in California...that fennel flavour.  I just took them out of their skins and dropped them into the soup in bits.

Years ago, Sainsburys had fennel 'Sicilian' sausages in their premium range, but I've not seen them for ages.

I'd say the leftovers rate a 'just as good'.  The only thing stopping it from being 'better' is that the kale is a bit limp in the leftovers.  Still tasted great, but the texture was slightly different.


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #174 on: January 17, 2018, 08:00:46 PM »
We have a local butcher that makes his own Italian sausage.  Bearing in mind I've been away from the US for quite a long time, to me it tastes just like the 'Italian sausage' you'd get on pizza in California...that fennel flavour.  I just took them out of their skins and dropped them into the soup in bits.

Years ago, Sainsburys had fennel 'Sicilian' sausages in their premium range, but I've not seen them for ages.

I'd say the leftovers rate a 'just as good'.  The only thing stopping it from being 'better' is that the kale is a bit limp in the leftovers.  Still tasted great, but the texture was slightly different.

I need a car.  Getting the bulk of my groceries from Tesco delivery is really hurting my culinary game.  I need to get into town so I can check out the local butcher's to see what I can get near me.  You guys with your fancy butchers and Polish shops... I have so much envy.  But I don't have close neighbors, so I guess I take the bad with the good.
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
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14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #175 on: January 17, 2018, 10:16:57 PM »
I made pot roast with veg and gravy for dinner, in my instant pot.  45 total minutes under pressure.

M&S has Italian sausage, btw.

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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #176 on: January 18, 2018, 12:02:29 PM »
I need a car.  Getting the bulk of my groceries from Tesco delivery is really hurting my culinary game.  I need to get into town so I can check out the local butcher's to see what I can get near me.  You guys with your fancy butchers and Polish shops... I have so much envy.  But I don't have close neighbors, so I guess I take the bad with the good.

I have no culinary game.  I really need to figure out what’s for dinner tonight...   ::)


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #177 on: January 18, 2018, 01:21:35 PM »
I have no culinary game.  I really need to figure out what’s for dinner tonight...   ::)

Well, I cheat a bit.  I only have to cook three nights a week.  When my husband is away, I 'slum' it with microwave pizza (I know, right?  Pizza oven out back, and I zap a Chicago Town!), salads, and leftovers.  And I don't have food intolerances or children's palates to work around.  (Well, I can't have onions or peanuts, but that's been the case my whole life, so I don't even notice anymore... I just throw in a bit of celery or fennel for texture and asafoetida for flavour... it usually works well enough.  And I just don't eat Thai food.)  But my point is, I have less to work around so I can try more things.
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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #178 on: January 18, 2018, 01:38:36 PM »
And I just don't eat Thai food.

I am sorry.


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Re: What's for dinner?
« Reply #179 on: January 18, 2018, 01:49:05 PM »
I am sorry.

Yeah.  But it is like the one cuisine in the world that would cease to exist without onions and peanuts.
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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