What's for Dinner, Sat., Jan. 4, 2014

[NJCher]

I'm trying to figure out what to do with a gorgeous fresh bunch of radishes I bought. Some type of radish salad is in the making...

Hope Lucinda is OK. Hi, Lucinda!


Cher

[bif]

1. I'm thinking of some kind of risotto.

Maybe Italian sausage & fennel.

[bif]

10. Change in plans. Risotto with shrimp, feta, and spinach.

Had a gyro for lunch and I don't eat much meat. So seafood works for me!

[rdharma]

2. As to your radish "problem".......

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 12:24 PM - Edit history (2)

I recently had such a "problem". Beautiful little radishes at the "use 'em or lose them" stage.

I made some delicious open faced "sammiches" with an "imitation Zwieback/Melba toast" that I made with a double baked leftover and thinly sliced baguette.

I spread guacamole on the hard baked bread, followed by a few chopped red onions and crumbled feta cheese, and topped this all with radish slices.

[livetohike]

4. Oh that sounds delicious!

[cbayer]

3. I have the fixings for this radish salad:

APPLE, RADISH, WATERCRESS SALAD WITH PISTACHIO AND CHILE DE ARBOL
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 bunches watercress, rinsed, dried and the tougher ends of stems removed
1 green apple, rinsed, and cut into thin wedges
1 bunch radishes (or about 4 ounces, or 1 cup already sliced), rinsed, stems and roots removed, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
2 chiles de arbol, toasted, chopped (seeding optional)
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt , or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (natural, unseasoned)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
TO PREPARE
Place the apple and the radishes in a bowl. Place the watercress in another bowl.

Heat a a small 6 inch skillet set over medium low heat, add the pistachios and toast anywhere form 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until they are nicely toasted, but don't let them burn. Remove form heat. In the same skillet, toast the chiles de arbol anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, flipping sides, 1 or 2 times along the way, remove from the heat.

Remove the stems from the chiles de arbol. In a chopping board, chop the chiles de arbol. You may remove the seeds once they are chopped or keep them. Add the pistachios and chop them along with the chile de arbol creating a pistachio chile de arbol mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, rice vinegar and lime juice with a whisk or fork. Slowly, pour in the oils and whisk or mix very well until thoroughly combined. Pour half onto the apple-radish mix and half onto the watercress.

To serve, on small appetizer plates, add watercress, top with the apple-radish mixture and sprinkle some of the pistachio-chile de arbol mix on top.

[livetohike]

5. Manicotti, tossed salad and garlic bread

[FarPoint]

18. Hey! me too!

Making the crepes now.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. The last of my turkey breast and dressing.

[pinto]

7. Baked potato with broccoli, cracked black pepper, scallions, bacon crumble and sour cream. Or -

A deli roasted chicken from the supermarket and go from there.

[pinto]

15. I'm doing the potato mix. Roasted chickens were sold out.

Nice walk though.

[NJCher]

8. Oh yum!

I'm doing both!

My fellow whatsfordinnerians are terrific!


Cher

[msanthrope]

9. Meat gravy, rigatoni, salad, and vanilla ice cream. nt

[fizzgig]

11. i don't know if i'm making a late lunch or early dinner

it's 330, haven't eaten today and have a pot of soup on the stove using leftover chicken and rice. i added potato, zucchini and a can of rotel. i just threw it together using what i had on hand.

[rdharma]

12. Cornish game hen - FAIL

Chalk this up as a learning experience. Not the tasty juicy roast hen I was hoping for. Soft outer skin and rather bland.

I did make some mini-apple pies using frozen filling I made last fall. Pretty good with whipped cream.

Hopefully the other half of the game hen will make a decent chicken "sammich"!

[cbayer]

19. So sorry to hear that.

What do you think went wrong?

[rdharma]

25. I got lazy and.......

....... just stuck a meat thermometer in it and left it. I should have basted and turned as recommended.

I cut the little bird in half and put the remote thermometer probe where I thought it would give an accurate reading. When it read the correct 165F I tested for "doneness". Not near done. So I stuck it back in and continued to roast at the same temp until thermometer read 180.

I've got another one to "practice on" ..... so all is not lost

BTW - The second half that I didn't eat last night, turned into a pretty good chicken salad.

[cbayer]

26. They require a little more care and attention than a chicken.

But it's worth it once you find the method that works for you.

Give it another shot!

[rdharma]

27. I will!

This time I'll cook covered until the last ten minutes. Then pull and baste with buttery baste. Crank up the oven to 450 and cook uncovered.

I'm not ready to go back to my slow cooker "game hen with cream of mushroom and veggies" .... I want a crispy roast bird.

As famous philosophers Friedrich Nietsche and Kelly Clarson would say, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

[cbayer]

28. I've used a maple syrup/orange marinade and baste that I really like.

That maple syrup really helps crisp up the skin.

Totally agree about staying away from the slow cooker. Too many bones and not enough meat to make that a worthwhile endeavor. Game hens are for skin lovers like us!

[maddezmom]

13. My mom is making her chili

Smells wonderful!

[pinto]

14. What's her take on it? I'm always looking for ideas to play off of. Love chili.

Stay warm...

[maddezmom]

16. Pretty basic from what I can tell...she won't give us the recipe!

Canned whole tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, kidney beans, green peppers, white onion, coarsely ground beef, chili powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and a small amount of cumin.

[FarPoint]

17. Going with an Italian choice.

Making cheese manicotti. Crepe style from scratch. Filling of ricotta and parmigiano cheese. Sitting in a bechemel sauce topped a fresh made tomato sauce.

[cbayer]

20. Decided to save the radishes and go for a guava and tomatilla salad.

Will add cheese and a lime and jalapeño based dressing.

And more of that persimmon bread. Can't get enough.

We went to the market today and ate food from the stalls, so not terrible hungry but very happy and well stocked.

[pengillian101]

22. Enjoy your outdoor market shoppping.

We're expecting 20-30 below zero temps the next few days in northern MN, so I'm very jealous of outdoor market shopping - enjoy!

Have you ever tried slicing radishes very thin and frying in a bit of olive oil/butter and S&P? Dang good crispy - they turn sweet!

[cbayer]

23. I am so so sorry.

I've escaped and will never go back.

I'm going to try that with the radishes. I love them, but a little goes a long way. These are really delicious and I would love to try something new with them.

Thanks!

[Galileo126]

21. A burger BLT

with classic deviled potato salad and a Caesar salad side.

[Blues Heron]

24. chick pea and potato curry wih basmati rice

came out well, very hot cuz I used a new jar of different curry powder

2 cans chick peas drained and rinsed
1/2 large onion
4 large cloves garlic
1 cup chopped tomato
2 TB curry powder
2 small potatoes

fry onion (chopped) and garlic (finely chopped) in oil on low for 10 minutes or so. mix curry pwdr with 2 TB water and add to onion and garlic. Continue to fry a few minutes. Add tomato and chick peas, add water to almost cover. bring to boil and add potatoes (peeled and diced) simmer covered for 20 minutes. yum.

For the rice, rinse 2 cups basmati rice under cold water, bring rice and 3 and 1/5 cups water (5:8 rice to water ratio by volume) to boil add pat of butter , pinch of salt, simmer covered on low for 20 minutes. fluff with fork.