Yummy photo from JeffreyW
Had a busy day, part of which was taking the dogs to see their favorite person so she could trim their nails. So lucky to have found her: $5, plus tip per dog for nail trimming and they adore her. Then they got the treat of wandering around the local feed store while I picked up cat and duck food. Both pups are crashed on the couch after so much adventure. I’m debating on working tonight or crashing myself.
On to food…
This menu tonight is from my Kids Night series. I loved chili-mac as a kid and it’s still one of those quick comfort foods I make when it needs to be easy and tasty. And Friday nights it almost always needs to be quick and easy. Even this cook is over being in the kitchen by then.
On the Board:
- Chili-Mac
- Corn Muffins – recipe here
- Raw Vegetable Tray
- Apples*
Chili-Mac
- 12 oz elbow macaroni (or try something fun like radiatori or farafalle shapes)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ green pepper diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 15 oz can kidney beans
- 1 tsp to 2 tbsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 qt. saucepan, skillet
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. While macaroni is cooking, heat oil in skillet, sauté onions & peppers. Add hamburger, brown & crumble. Add hamburger, tomatoes, beans, chili powder & salt to drained macaroni. Stir, let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
*I have been able to buy the freshest, most amazing Honey Crisps I’ve had in years. An apple a day is easy when they are this good.
This menu and recipes are featured in my cookbook: What’s 4 Dinner Solutions Cookbooks: Summer into Fall
The cooler weather means I am always in the mood for fruit crisps. This week it was Apple Crisp and Blueberry Crisp.
What do you crave when the weather turns colder?
What’s on your plate this weekend?
Talk amongst yourselves. Food, recipes, meals, or whatevah…
Mnemosyne
I made this low-FODMAPS chicken cacciatore recipe in the Instant Pot, though I was a bad FODMAPper and added some artichoke hearts. It came out great, though the chicken fell apart. ?♀️
Also, I have decided that the Instant Pot is the ONLY rational way to make Irish oatmeal since it’s so goddamned finicky.
mrmoshpotato
What’s the saying – An apple a day keeps you pooping ok?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mnemosyne: We used the Instant Pot for Samgyetang*, turned out perfect.
*Stuffed Cornish game hen stuffed with rice, ginseng and other goodies, aka Korean chicken soup.
Roger Moore
@mrmoshpotato:
I would think a fuzzy logic rice cooker would be the best choice for making Irish oatmeal. They do grains other than rice very well, so I see no reason they’d mess up oats.
Sab
I’ve missed the Friday recipes. Being midwestern, I have never had chili-mac. Our macaroni casserole is more Italian American. I am looking forward to this. Bought the ingredients for your skillet lasagna today. I think we’ll try this instead.
My husband makes a beanless chili. He serves it over mashed potatoes (urk), so I always make rice as an alternative side dish . The macaroni might be a good compromise.
Mnemosyne
@Roger Moore:
The Instant Pot does a good job with rice, so I don’t think we need a rice cooker in addition to it.
You can do quite a bit with a rice cooker. I think Roger Ebert published a whole cookbook based on that.
mrmoshpotato
@Roger Moore: Good to know. I’ll relay your message to Mnemosyne. :)
Sure Lurkalot
I made my first batch of green chili for dinner. I bought a half a bushel of roasted green chiles last month, half medium half hot. I peeled, seeded, bagged and froze them…this is the first recipe I’ve used them in and…um…it’s a little incendiary. But tasty!
chopper
$5 a dog for nail trimming? daaaaaaang, what is this, the 30’s?
Yutsano
@chopper: Nice work if you can get it eh?
Am much improved. Aiming to be sprung by Sunday.
TaMara (HFG)
@Sure Lurkalot: If you want, I’d love to read your recipe. I’ve been intimidated to make it.
Sab
@Roger Moore: I make oatmeal in my hundred-year-old double boiler inherited from my grandmother. Just put it on and check it in half an hour to an hour. Effortless.
Check antique malls and estate sales for them. The new ones aren’t so tight, so the bottom pan tends to burn dry if you don’t watch it.
MomSense
I had a grilled cheese sandwich with creamy tomato soup and it was just the thing for a cold rainy day. Tonight the temps drop to the 20s. Might be time to make split pea soup.
Sure Lurkalot
@TaMara (HFG): can you access my email from the sign in and I can forward it along. If that’s not copacetic, I’ll type it out here.
It’s easy!
secret Russian anarchoRex
We’re trying out a “fancy” Thanksgiving spread this year, a bit of a departure from the normal menu. Each dish is sort of a 1 to 1 replacement for what we normally have. I’m testing a different dish each week to see if they go. Last week was sweet potato casserole = sweet potatoe slices roasted in sage butter. This week it’s mashed potatoes = Hasselback potatoes au gratin, following this recipe from serious eats: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/12/hasselback-potato-gratin-casserole-holiday-food-lab.html
the Conster
I’ve been doing Keto for 3 months and can’t eat anything I like, but made a recipe for keto cookies that are amazingly satisfying. Unfortunately there aren’t any substitutes for noodles or bread or potatoes. Riced cauliflower is an acceptable stand in for rice, and thank god for Rebel ice cream.
?BillinGlendaleCA
The youngin’ put up a pic on IG of the market in Barcelona where she was dining.
raven
My birthday/retirement party was a big success! I seared most of the tuna from my recent trip and my buddy made a huge Paella. The turnout was awesome and the photo display was great!
RAVEN
Hmm, I wrote a post about my bday party that vanished.
mrmoshpotato
@MomSense: Mmmm grilled cheese and tomato soup.
MMMMMMMM split pea soup!
mrmoshpotato
@RAVEN: Presto! Disappearo!
debbie
@raven:
I see it. Glad it was a good time and that you seem to have enjoyed yourself!
neldob
Yes to grilled cheese and tomato soup! Tonight I made persimmon muffins, a fall favorite, along with the cookies.
RAVEN
@debbie: Huh, oh well. It was very nice, lots of really good friends sniff great food, I’m a lucky dude,
RAVEN
@RAVEN: and
Sab
My husband went anticarb a few years back. Beentheredonethat a generation ago. when my doctor dad went low cholesterol.
My husband cheats all the time. We eat these horrible meals every time we go out, and then in restaurants he eats whatever.
Men are lovely people their wives love but also jerks and actually will kill themselves with bad diatary habits.This is who they are.
TaMara (HFG)
@secret Russian anarchoRex: Oh, that all sounds delicious. I love hasselback potatoes. Also, if that’s too much work, JeffreyW turned me on to Smashed Potatoes. Less work intensive, but that same buttery crisp style.
TaMara (HFG)
Hey, are you guys posting links in some of your comments that are disappearing?
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
@Mnemosyne:
Anyone else?
rikyrah
@MomSense:
Yum????
Mary G
@raven: Happy party! We need pictures.
secret Russian anarchoRex
@TaMara (HFG): I LOVE SMASHED POTATOES
Sab
Made it for Saturday night dinner. Delicious. EVERYONE had third helpings. I used black beans instead of kidney beans because that’s what I had. I think I will dump the leftovers into my kale lentil soup (with ancho chiles) because the soup needs a starch and some meat.
Great recipe. Thanks. It’s interesting how different the basic foods are around the country. A childhood staple for you in the west is a complete novelty to me in Ohio.