Topic: What Did You Cook/Eat Today?

[Skhilled (OP)]

Sausage gravy and biscuits...with slow cooker BBQ ribs on the side! 

[Ken]

 

[Skhilled (OP)]

I may die from it but I'll die happy! LOL

[Ken]

Kay is picking up some take-out for us! 



Me having the Carne Asada from the Tlaquepaque Mexican restaurant & Grill in King NC
 

[Skhilled (OP)]

Is it me or do they pt shrimp on almost everything? LOL Otherwise sounds good! I'm just not into shrimp.

I made sauteed diced chicken thighs in a modified mornay sauce, seasoned buttered noodles, and roasted cauliflower with shredded parmesan cheese.

[Ken]

Yeah, they do seem to be serious about their shrimp!

And... I need to come and stay with you for a week or two! 

[Skhilled (OP)]

Mornay sauce (a classic French cheese sauce) is easy but sooooo satisfying! You make a bechamel sauce (white sauce, same as a regular brown gravy but with warmed milk or cream) and then add gruyere and parm cheeses...or add your own mix of cheeses! But sorry...you just can't beat gruyere!!! 

Me...I modify it by adding a bay leaf or a sprig or two of rosemary when adding the milk/cream (I remove it when the sauce is almost finished) and then add the following after the dairy is added. A pinch of nutmeg, up to a tablespoon of dijon mustard (start with a teaspoon and up it if needed), white pepper (so you don't see the black pepper flakes). Trust me! ou'll LOVE it!!!

If the sauce is too thick, do not add water! Add more milk or cream. If it is too thin, make a slurry using a tablespoon of cornstarch (not flour or you'll get a floury taste) and about 1-2 tablespoons of milk, stir and pour it into the sauce and let it come to a boil. It will thicken it nicely!

[Skhilled (OP)]

I make chicken alfredo with premade ingredients and a bit of embelishing. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone! LOL

I buy these precooked chicken piece chicken, which are pretty good and usually make chicken salad with them. Yesterday, I decided to do something different with them. I bought some Francesco Renaldi Alfredo sauce. The sauce on it's own is pretty average...as expected. So, I added some of the things I normally add when making a white sauce to spice it up. I added a bit of dijon mustard for a little kick, some dried parsley, onion and garlic powders as well as salt and white pepper. Still didn't taste quite good enough. Then I remembered I had some smoked gouda in the fridge and grated some of that into it. Bam! Hit the mark!

[Ken]

Ha! That sounds to good to be true!
You needs to send me some so that I can verify! 

[Skhilled (OP)]

LOL

[Ken]

Kay is picking up some take-out for us! 



Me having the Carne Asada from the Tlaquepaque Mexican restaurant & Grill in King NC
 

While reading you post about your chicken alfredo I noticed my post from Aug 2020 where I talked about our food from the Tlaquepaque Mexican restaurant & Grill in King and Kay happened to walk by as that post was pulled up and we talked about that food. Turns out that we didn't very much at all, even-though we has always found it to be very tasteful in our previous visits for in house or take out.

It's tempting to try them again, but that last take-out causes great hesitation. 

[Ken]

BTW!

Tonight we are having left-overs from last night! 
Kay made some Salisbury steak with buttered noodles... but it's way more special than that sounds. The noodles she used are wide egg noodles, with butter of course, but the steak it where her artistry kicks in. Her sauce is the main event and for that she used tomatoes, mushrooms, yellow onion and tomato sauce and after adding her special blend of spices she cooks this mix down for a while and then adds the steaks which have been marinating for most of the day.

The end result was amazing last night and I'm siting here drooling, anxiously awaiting the second round tonight.   
... and, as you know, Salisbury steak can be rather tough, but with Kay's recipe you only need a fork to cut them.

[Lesmond]

I love 'Salisbury steak' Steve started me on them a while ago, even Lisa like them and she is not a big meat eater

I used this recipe
https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/best-salisbury-steak-recipe/

[Skhilled (OP)]

Been eating them since I was a teen prolly.

[Skhilled (OP)]

Not making this today but going to make ham and bean soup. But am VERY happy cause I FINALLY found a SMALL 3lb. ham portion!!! 

Every time I look for a SMALL ham portion I see a 8-10 lb. one. Me...I mostly want the ham bone itself so I can use it for dishes like this or soups and stews, etc. Of course, you can't just buy them around here. 

They had a big selection of bone-in hams and I actually found a small one for the first time. Made me so happy! LMAO Now, I don't have a ton of ham to slice off the bone and store in the freezer taking up too much space.

To be clear, what I usually do is cut most of the meat away from the bone...leaving a little for more flavor. Then I simmer the bone in water or stock and spices for about 2-3 hours until I extract all of the flavor from it. I remove the bone then proceed with the rest of the dish. I also do this for beef marrow bones. You will get much more flavor this way. Unfortunately, you can't get pork bones like you can beef bones in the supermarket. 

After I let the bones cool off, I give them to the dog next door. He goes nuts over them. LOL