What are you making for dinner?

Brie

I don't care if it's mid week - Taxco had discounted pork joints and I got a nice one for £6 so we're having that with some potato cakes that Lidl sell - they've got broccoli and rebochon cheese in them.  So not quite a roast dinner but almost.  Sorta meal you eat at the dining room table instead of while watching reruns of BBT.

JIL

@Brie I will be popping in lidl tomorrow to see those potato cakes, they sound interesting.

Chinese new year, so I made slow cooked belly pork. Vege chow mein and prawn fried rice.

I'm on a mission this week, I have loads of eggs bought over Christmas, about a week out of date but passing the float test.
I have been making some big tray bakes each night when the oven goes on, portioning up and freezing in individual slices/squares.  It's also getting rid of lots of open bags of nuts and fruit. 

sams247

My butcher makes up tray dishes with various meat off cuts.  I bought a small one of Teriyaki chicken and put that with rice and cucumber wedges.  Very nice, quite spicy but nice.

Brie

JIL said:

@Brie I will be popping in lidl tomorrow to see those potato cakes, they sound interesting.

Chinese new year, so I made slow cooked belly pork. Vege chow mein and prawn fried rice.

I'm on a mission this week, I have loads of eggs bought over Christmas, about a week out of date but passing the float test.
I have been making some big tray bakes each night when the oven goes on, portioning up and freezing in individual slices/squares.  It's also getting rid of lots of open bags of nuts and fruit. 

Sorry but I didn't see any of the potato cakes in Lidl today - it's one of those things that comes in maybe 3 or 4 times a year.  The ones we had were in fact bacon and reblochon but they do broccoli ones and a couple of other varieties as well.  I always figure they are an easy all in one to go with something meaty.  4 to a pack so the OH likes to have 2 and I have 1 and then he grumbles as there's no extras for him.  (there's a reason he's a big lad.....)

JIL

Thanks @Brie I didn't get to lidl as there were traffic lights and I avoided the area.

Tonight daughter and I had tuna pasta bake and husband had actifry fish and chips.
Last cake made tonight. I now have 78 slices of cake in the freezer.  

MakitaToolGirl

4th Feb 2025.  I am feeling lazy....now defrosting Tesco's Lincolnshire sausages.  I halved sweet peppers, which are now in the oven in my favourite cast iron skillet.  Once they are bit softened, I will stuff the skinned sausage into the sweet pepper dusted with flour inside.   I will put them back into the oven so that they all cooked through. I'll make couscous and salad to serve with the stuffed peppers. 

JIL

I made a nut roast in individual squares. I had one for my dinner and 8 went in the freezer.  Husband and daughter had lamb shank. Served with Ratatouille, green beans and roasted parmesan potatoes.

If anyone is interested, I made the nut roast, by sauteing leek, grated carrot and celery, herbs and garlic in butter, boiled some red lentils about a cup full, then drained them.

Whizzed up a 100g bag of mixed nuts, 6 small slices of granary bread also whizzed and some bits of cheese, also whizzed.

Combined it all with two eggs then put it into a tray that had nine compartments.  Pressed it down, topped with a little grated cheese and baked at 180 for 30 mins.

Tastes nice with a tomato sauce.



While the oven was on I cooked up something that turned out to be  beef and liver, the dogs will be pleased, I have no idea how long its been there and its created a space.  

Brie

Treated ourselves by going out to a fish and chip restaurant.  Local social media had suggested it was good and they were right.  And the first time in about 10 years I've seen any place offering huss/rock.  Not only was the cooking nicely done it was a treat to have it straight from the fryer on to our plates and no washing up afterwards. 

£27 total for 2 portions with chips, 1 buttered roll for him and a couple of pots of tea.  Not quite as cheap as getting a take away but it would have been a good 10 - 15 minute drive from this place to home so like I said - nice to have things piping hot!!

We have agreed to have one dinner out or one really nice dinner in at least once a week rather than just doing things that can be eaten in front of the TV.  I like it because we end up spending more time talking rather than just grunting over our grub.

sams247

Brie said:

We have agreed to have one dinner out or one really nice dinner in at least once a week rather than just doing things that can be eaten in front of the TV.  I like it because we end up spending more time talking rather than just grunting over our grub.

It really does make a difference doesnt it?  Its nice to have the conversations you have, instead of just staring at a screen

I got some food from Community Food Shop and the prawns had to be eaten today, so made a tandoori prawn dish with mint yoghurt on naan.  I'd eaten half before I remembered to take a pic!

JIL

Agree completely @Brie Its nice to be out and have time to chat.  We have a bean to cup coffee machine but we do still pop out and have coffee in independent local places. I do take a sharp intake of breath as they ask for between £6 to £8 for two coffees, but it's a nice treat and it's good to support locally.

So tonight, husband had the beef stew I made last night with mash and broccoli. I bought some brie today for 20p and I had some vege bacon that needed using, so I made a bacon, brie and tomato quiche.  I had it with salad. I really dont know what I'm going to do with the other 3 slices, it was nice but the brie taste was very strong, perhaps the label saying very ripe was the clue.

Lasagne tomorrow night, the leftover Ratatouille will be the tomato sauce.