What's for Dinner?

[Boatboy24]

I sat around for hours trying to decide what I was in the mood to have for dinner.

Then I saw an IKEA advert.

AH-HA!!! Swedish Meatballs!!

I made mine off of a recipe I quickly downloaded from the internet. I made mine with 5 different types of mushrooms (shitake, Portabella, Oyster, button, and porcini).

NAILED IT!!! They were simply awesome. Even better than IKEA's meatballs. Amazing how much better it is without the sawdust

Served with a nice, crusty, buttery garlic bread.

MMMMMMMM!

View attachment 47365

Did you get a new phone? I think that is your best food pic yet!

 

[ibglowin]

He did say his wife is away for two weeks........ LOL

Did you get a new phone? I think that is your best food pic yet!

 

[ceeaton]

Maaaaaaybe it was beef. Also wouldn't be baaaaaaad if it was lamb.

 

[GreginND]

Vegan fare from a seafood place. It was delicious.

Paired well with a CA cinsault.

 

[JohnT]

And perhaps the horse meat!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/02/25/horsemeat-scandal/1933037/

MMMMMMM, Trigger....

He did say his wife is away for two weeks........ LOL

My wife has actually been away for the last 7 weeks. She first had to work at getting her parents condo sold (Florida), then had to stay with my mother who just had shoulder replacement surgery (Florida again).

It is GREAT to have her back finally!

While she was away, I was a good boy. No major purchases and no booze (for the last 36 days).

 

[sour_grapes]

A little blackened shrimp tacos! (Ate out, obviously!)

 

[JohnT]

For some reason, I always crave steak on a snowy day.

Before the storm, I stopped off at a local known for "upscale" items. This usually means that they sell what everyone else sells, only at a criminally high price.

This time, however, things were different. I found this 2 pound WAGU beef London broil. It was $20, expensive but reasonable given the quality.

Just check out that marbling!!!! melted like butter on the mouth! yum.

 

[geek]

 

[ceeaton]

Hard to post a simple chicken after the last two posts! Spent all morning at my local church, they had a "clean up" day. Unfortunately we were stuck inside and they decided to clean up the youth Sunday school area. Yikes. I left at 12:45 to get some lunch (and a beer) and decided I'd rather buy a grill than go clean up more stuff. I was tired anyway, and in the long run it was a good decision on my part (will be in bed within an hour, I'm that tired). So anyway, Weber 22" kettle grill on sale for $149. Wanted the charcoal baskets since I like cooking using the indirect method, so that added $17 to the cost, but left with their last one of that model (pre-built since it was on the floor), for $179 (that's with the tax). So I had to use it, since it was a beautiful day in central PA. Weis had two beer can-able chickens for $9 (in the 5 lb range each, perfect), so fired up the grill to burn off the "new" smell, and proceeded to cook a beer can type chicken (with tangerine soda can, GF kid can't stomach the beer with gluten). Turned out nice, only issue is that the built in weber thermometer is 50*F too low, so I had to aim for 300*F or below, got a bit too browned, but was moist, juicy and nicely smoked (used left over oak staves rescued from an earlier red wine batch (I think it was a Syrah)).
Served with a ho-made mac 'n cheese batch (used European butter and Wisconsin cheddar cheese, so stuck with the regular milk or it might have gotten a bit too rich) and sauteed spinach in some sesame oil (with some seeds thrown in for good measure). All I can say is yum (and I'm so fricken tired)!

 

[geek]

My son has a soccer tournament in MA, so we stayed overnight and went to Outback Steakhouse last night.

I had the 12oz ribeye.

 

[ibglowin]

Celebrated our youngest daughter's 31st BD yesterday. 2nd smoke using the PartyQ. Set it to 275 and it held solid for over 4 hours. Did a spatchcock chicken, my first ever stab at pork belly (OMG is that stuff AMAZING) and then at the end I tossed on a 2lb link of HO-made sausage (not pictured). Love love love the Pit Boss K24. I used the heat deflector this time around. No water pan. Everything turned out fantastic!

 

[Boatboy24]

Since you're doing pork belly, Mike; you need to try some ho-made bacon.

 

[sour_grapes]

From a few days ago:

Spinach sauteed with garlic and EVOO; corn cut off the cob and then sauteed with garlic; a piece of fresh red snapper grilled and smothered with (store-bought) mango salsa; and stone crab claw meat floating in melted butter!

 

[sour_grapes]

For tonight:
Escarole sauteed with lots of garlic and EVOO, seasoned with marjoram and a kiss of red pepper, then braised with sherry; mushrooms sauteed with garlic, thyme, and butter, then served over angel-hair pasta; and a nice, marbled piece of tenderloin, dry-brined then pan-fried in butter. I was really worried that I overcooked it, but my fears were unfounded, and it was delicious!

 

[JohnT]

Paul,

Can you tell more about "dry brining" your filet?

 

[sour_grapes]

Can you tell more about "dry brining" your filet?

Sure! I put on way too much kosher salt, almost like a crust. Then you set your timer for 10 minutes (or 8 for thin cuts, 12 for thick). After that time, you wash the excess salt off with water, then dry the meat with paper towels. This alters the structure of the muscle fibers near the surface, and it also introduces the "right amount" (IMHO) of delicious saltiness. The surface browns and sears better after this treatment. I generally don't use any salt to season the meat with after cooking.

 

[Boatboy24]

I've wanted to try dry brining, but simply haven't yet. I purchased some Pinot Noir salt a while back and have come to really enjoy finishing my steak with that, once sliced. Big, flaky pieces of salt with that wine infused give you a burst of deliciousness.

 

[sour_grapes]

I've wanted to try dry brining, but simply haven't yet. I purchased some Pinot Noir salt a while back and have come to really enjoy finishing my steak with that, once sliced. Big, flaky pieces of salt with that wine infused give you a burst of deliciousness.

One more time won't hurt anything:

 

[ibglowin]

Evidently is's all in the wrist! LOL

 

[sour_grapes]

Here is tonight's fare, with a special picture for @JohnT : I found a so-so but Mike-approved Kroger Woo-hoo T-bone. I dry-brined it, and took a picture of the salt for John.
I also came across Maitake (or Hen-of-the-Woods) mushrooms on sale. I was torn between two preparations, so I tried them both: half roasted in oven with thyme, garlic, and EVOO, and the other half seared on the stovetop with EVOO and garlic. (Report below.)
I am batching it tonight, so I made eggplant (that DW does not like). I salted that ~1/2 hour, rinsed, then baked it at 400F with a topping of garlic/EVOO/parsley (recipe from Mark Bittman). Also made plain, ol' baked redskin potatoes.
Report on dinner: I made errors, it appears with the mushrooms. The half I roasted was way too salty, despite my barely thinking I threw some salt on. The half I seared was not seasoned enough. They were both tasty; it helped for me to eat just some of each in every bite. I was not so familiar with Maitake/Hen-of-Woods 'shrooms; I was pleased -- they had a pretty intense flavor. The eggplant turned out a bit salty, too, but not too bad. Beef was fine, but noting to write home about.