TGIF and a holiday weekend to boot. How are you starting it off - Friday, August 29, 2014

[cbayer]

We are having pork loin braised in milk. This is something I was completely unfamiliar with. Basically you cook it in a cup of milk at a time. when the curds brown up and the liquid is gone, you add more milk. This goes on for about 3 hours. So far, it looks great.

And some smothered cabbage, cooked low and slow in olive oil.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. wellllll............

we had a nice morning shopping trip to the local farmers market and trader joe. So many good leftovers in the fridge that the next big cooking adventure will be slow cooked Mexican spiced chicken thighs over rice and various accompaniments (avocado, scallion, pico de gallo) we will bring to our daughters' for dinner Sunday.

I keep thinking it's Saturday. Nice slow day so far!

have a wonderful holiday weekend!

[cbayer]

2. It's not a holiday here, but then again, every day is a holiday here.

Your chicken dish sounds great. Enjoy your time with your daughter.

[msanthrope]

3. Curry chicken spring rolls. Rhett's trhead gave me a hankering for curry chicken. nt

[fizzgig]

4. who knows

maybe i'll actually eat the leftover chicken i've been meaning to get to.

we've been eating pretty much nothing but chicken for the last week and change and that's all that i have in the freezer, so we'll eat it for another week. i wish i had a giant hunk o' dead cow.

i think i am going to do beans and cornbread this weekend, though.

[NJCher]

7. beans and cornbread

Are wonderful for fall.


Cher

[fizzgig]

12. i have a couple fat ham hocks i bought specifically for it

we're already getting fallish here and i'm happy about that

[pinto]

5. Broiled pork chop, Klondike Rose potatoes, asparagus, portabello mushrooms, thick onion slices.

Pepper, salt and whole thyme. Some tarragon. All slathered with olive oil.

[NJCher]

8. innovation

The RG has been working in the kitchen most of the afternoon. He has come up with an interesting idea for tonight. He gets these things in his head and mulls them over for a few hours, then goes to the supermarket, and then puts his idea into practice. Here is what he did for tonight:

Marinade of garlic, onion, catsup, and brown mustard, also buttermilk.

He bought three Vidalias and put them in ice water, having sliced off the bottom so they would lie flat. On top of that were layered (having been in the marinade) turkey slices and pork slices. Vegetables in between. They are held together with kebob skewers that were cut to size. They are roasting in the oven now.

There is also some type of arugula mixture to go over the top after they come out of the oven.

I have pics. Hope to post later or tomorrow.

Can't wait. So hungry. Been enjoying wine out on the patio for an hour or so. Nice start to the weekend.


Cher

[cbayer]

17. So, how was it?

It sounds interesting, but I am having trouble picturing it.

[NJCher]

6. the RG does that now and then

pork loin braised in milk

I'm pretty sure he learned it when he lived in Italy.

I will check and mention the answer in a future post.

It is heavenly.


Cher

[cbayer]

16. It came out really well.

The curds from the milk browned up and the resulting sauce was delicious. The pork just fell apart and was also perfect.

I will definitely do this in the future.

[Galileo126]

9. Grilled lamb chops

I remembered this afternoon that I was out of propane for the gas grill. <Whew!> That was close. Now the grill is ready to go.

I'll probably go with a baked spud and either green beans or broccoli as sides.

Hope all have a great, long weekend!

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. Made the trip to White Fence Farm to get some fried chicken.

I'll be eating it for a few nights, may have leftovers to freeze when I get tired of it. Also got cole slaw.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

11. strawberry lemonade marinated chicken with sharp white cheddar cauliflower.

Then I went out and mowed much of the backyard, which had become a total jungle over the last couple of weeks when I hadn't bothered to mow it. Have to let the mower recharge before I can finish it off, the taller grass really chews through the battery charge. I startled a young rabbit out of the strawberries, which was nice to see. The rabbits had disappeared from the area back when the feral cats were around and hunting. Now that they're gone, we're starting to see rabbits around again.

Also just saw a couple of hot air balloons floating past overhead, which is always pleasant.

[NJCher]

13. lovely!

Sounds like a nice day.

Do you have a weedwacker? That might help on the tough areas and might spare the mower a little.

Rabbits in the strawberries, balloons overhead. What else could you ask for?


Cher

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

20. No weedwhacker, although Dad has one.

I tend to just leave things high at borders. Along fences, the edges of sheds, etc. I figure that actually provides more habitat diversity. TBH, if I wouldn't get in trouble with neighbours and the city, I probably wouldn't mow at all. I don't have a fetish for proving that I 'control' nature

[Luminous Animal]

14. Given that all the "cool kids" in San Francisco have disappeared into the desert for Burning Man

a bunch of us nerds are getting together at our local watering hole for a bbq brunch.

I'm going to bring my iron pans to cook a scrambled tofu dish that I love and even though I don't eat meat anymore, I'll make New Mown Hay which is scrambled eggs with caramelized onions, red bell pepper, chopped cooked bacon, thyme and, because it is summer, blistered cherry tomatoes at the finish.

It's an egg dish that was popular in the farming community that I grew up with and dubbed New Mown Hay because it smells as good as new mown hay.

[bif]

15. Craziest weekend ever!

We have an old pal in from NYC. Tonight we heard the Bad Plus with Joshua Redmond at the Detroit Jazz Fest in the early evening. Then had dinner at a mediocre restaurant we've never been to before. Then had beers and wine at an old converted gas station, out in the Michigan cool evening air. Different kind of evening. Sucking down a nightcap. Great evening overall.

[japple]

18. Went out early, before it heats up, and picked a large basketful of tomatoes. Came

in and decided to have a bagel with a plate of salad caprese for breakfast. Got the bagel toasted, salad assembled, using small globs of the pesto I made on Thursday. When I went to grind the salt over the plate, the top came off and pink sea salt spilled all over the whole plate, counter, floor. I quickly grabbed up another plate and shook as much salt as I could off the tomatoes and put the salad on the other plate. Then I cleaned up the salt mess. The tomatoes were overly salty, but I ate them anyway. Still grateful for the taste of summer tomatoes, which will be gone before long. And the dollop of pesto on top of the fresh moz was very good, although I think the traditional caprese with basil leaves, olive oil, etc. rules.

[cbayer]

19. No!!!! Just as my mouth was really beginning to taste the final product….

I am glad you were able to salvage your tomatoes.

I love caprese and am getting some amazing tomatoes and mozzarella right now. Plus, growing my own basil.

Live is good. Today's lesson - buy the best olive oil you can afford.

[japple]

21. After the ruination this morning, I made another for lunch and it was much better.

[cbayer]

22. Yum! A perfect caprese!

I hope it was a good as it looks, because it looks really good.

[japple]

23. It was so good I might make another one for supper!