What's Cooking (Take Three!)

[Jenise]

So I actually had enough energy to make dinner tonight. Am currently on such high dose of prednisone that I sweat like a whore in church around the clock, and haven't been able to stomach the idea of a hot evening meal. Tonight, three pokes: Alaskan weathervane scallop, ahi, and octupus. A lime, white and green onions, a serrano chile and various flavored oils plus a few other things nailed the set in about 15 minutes prep time. Perfect.

Jenise, sorry you are not well. I think many of us here wish we were a little closer so we could cook for you! Is Bob engineering any sandwiches for you
Hope you are mending rapidly.

[Jenise]

Jenise, sorry you are not well. I think many of us here wish we were a little closer so we could cook for you! Is Bob engineering any sandwiches for you
Hope you are mending rapidly.

Thanks, Barb. I sure hate not feeling like cooking. But my body temps are all over the place and merely lifting a ladle sounds so tiring. I have never had so little energy in my life.

No, poor Bob really can't cook. His skills stop at peanut butter sandwiches. While on our trip, already at a low point (though not knowing why yet) and heading home, he had to make dinner in our little home on wheels while I whispered instructions from three feet away on the sofa step by step how to boil chicken broth and add pasta. (Hardly a real dinner plan, but all I could be talked into eating at that point.)

But I'll get over it. Here's what to feel sorry about: we had tickets to last night's U2 concert in Vancouver and I had to give them away. I will NEVER get over that!

You poor thing!

Prednisone for pneumonia?

[Jenise]

You poor thing!

Prednisone for pneumonia?

I've had a long flareup with asthma since March. Then came a cough that wouldn't quit, which made more asthma and somewhere along the way it all turned into pneumonia. So yes, prednisone like the trusses in your roof--opens up airways and provides strength while other meds do the real infrastructure repairs.

Creepy thing is this was the same trip to Los Angeles that put me in the hospital two years ago with another nasty condition. What's up with Los Angeles?

So I actually had enough energy to make dinner tonight. Am currently on such high dose of prednisone that I sweat like a whore in church around the clock, and haven't been able to stomach the idea of a hot evening meal. Tonight, three pokes: Alaskan weathervane scallop, ahi, and octupus. A lime, white and green onions, a serrano chile and various flavored oils plus a few other things nailed the set in about 15 minutes prep time. Perfect.

Sounds delicious!

And I love the term "Sweat like a whore in church". Haven't heard that one before. Hope you're feeling better and off the prednisone quickly!

asparagus-salad.jpg

It's asparagus season, yay! Last night I took a bunch of fresh green spears, trimmed the tough ends and cut them into 2-inch lengths, and separated the tips from the rest. Simmered them in salted water until they were crisp-tender - about 4-5 minutes for the stalks, putting the spears in a couple of minutes later so they cooked less, then drained and poured them into a big bowl full of ice to stop cooking and keep them green. I made a tangy vinaigrette with three parts olive oil, one part lemon juice, and S&P, and whisked in a couple of tablespoons of Dijon, adding a little at a time and whisking until it emulsified. Toss the chilled asparagus in the dressing, add thin-shaved slices of Parmigiano, and it's good to go.

Wow that sounds good Robin, love asparagus and Parmesan

Ooh, Barb, you are scaring me. I can't remember the last time -- if ever -- there was halloumi in my fridge.

Even scarier Jeff, I had made the haloumi a couple of days before, on whim, to use up some cheese milk. No thought as to what to do with it. I am so not a kitchen goddess.

[Jenise]

And I love the term "Sweat like a whore in church". Haven't heard that one before. Hope you're feeling better and off the prednisone quickly!

That's a Bobism. A Texan, he shares Dan Rather's penchant for catchy comparisons like that.

[Robin Garr]

Wow that sounds good Robin, love asparagus and Parmesan

Thanks, Barb. It really was a great combination! It's nice to have fresh local asparagus in the spring. We get asparagus from Peru for much of the year, and it's actually very good, but it just feels good to know it's fresh. Do you get imported asparagus in Oz when it's not in season?

[Jenise]

Tonight: bangers. Cuz I opened the freezer door and that's what fell on my foot.

I'm easy.

Tonight: bangers. Cuz I opened the freezer door and that's what fell on my foot.

I'm easy.

...and now my toe looks like one.

We haven't gone out for Mother's Day since, I believe the year 2000. This year I was thinking "Norman Noshes", so we had latkes with Fuji apple sauce, scrambled eggs, and Ikea gravlax. I bought croissants, pain au chocolat, and a gorgeous Breton Kouign Amman from Manresa bread, and made levain French toast, scented with Alisier eau de vie. Also a fruit plate with cherries, local strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and grapefruit. Beverages were fresh-squeezed orange juice, prosecco, and Norman pear cider.

IMG_4840.JPG

Wow! That is a great looking spread, Walter. Good to have Manresa bread nearby but what you've augmented that with looks amazing.

How's the Ikea gravlax? I've not tried it.

Wow! That is a great looking spread, Walter. Good to have Manresa bread nearby but what you've augmented that with looks amazing.

How's the Ikea gravlax? I've not tried it.

Thanks, Mike. The Manresa pastries and beads are great, as you would expect given the cost and pedigree, but they are really big, so I ended up cutting them in half. And, to be fair, the crust on the French toast was too chewy, and I had brought no maple syrup, so some people had theirs with a steak knife and Log Cabin Lite. Oh well, they can't all be perfect.
The IKEA gravlax is good, though sweet and light on the dill. It's MSC-certified and, as you can expect given the source, very keenly priced. The nova lox was OK, but I will get some more gravlax the next time, as it keeps more or less forever in the freezer.

Sorry you're not well, Jenise.

Yes, we seem to have asparagus in the shops nearly all year. I resist, as it usually looks tired and I kno
W I will be disappointed as I have the good fortune to be able to buy top quality.direct from the farm here, spoils one for anything else.

It's a delayed Mothers' Day meal tonight, with Mom's request ofor meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus.

I've had a long flareup with asthma since March. Then came a cough that wouldn't quit, which made more asthma and somewhere along the way it all turned into pneumonia. So yes, prednisone like the trusses in your roof--opens up airways and provides strength while other meds do the real infrastructure repairs.

Creepy thing is this was the same trip to Los Angeles that put me in the hospital two years ago with another nasty condition. What's up with Los Angeles?

If you're prone to asthma, it's all too easy to get into a positive feedback loop: irritated airways constrict, causing you to cough, which damages the airways more, so they constrict more, which makes the cough worse. . . . Prednisone's anti-inflammatory effects break the vicious cycle.

What's up with Los Angeles? Probably smog. It's not as bad as it was in the 1950s, but the city still has a major air quality problem.

I hope you feel better soon.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

If you're prone to asthma, it's all too easy to get into a positive feedback loop: irritated airways constrict, causing you to cough, which damages the airways more, so they constrict more, which makes the cough worse. . . .
-Paul W.

Sure does. But hey, pneumonia was by far the best choice of all the things they might have found on an x-ray, so I'm good! Feeling better every day.

Even cooking again. Tonight we're going to have roasted chicken leg-thigh combos with whole baby cauliflowers. The chicken's marinating in sauv blanc, olive oil, garlic and fresh rosemary, and all will go into the oven together later.

[Jenise]

Tonight, I will fashion dinner out of a single thick pork chop and dino kale. No particular plan yet on what to do with either. The abysmal weather has me wanting something saucey, though.

Simple night with 2 options. Filet and New York. We just cut it up and shared. Sauteed some criminis with a little garlic and white wine. Filet done rare and the NY done medium rare.




Jason

[Jenise]

What a close-up! I can taste it.

I'm going to grill a small boneless pork loin roast cut from the prime-ribby end. Serve that with baked zucchini. We're skipping carbs this week!

I'm going to be travelling for work next week so I'm making a mini-coulibiac for Pumpkin to serve himself. I wonder what he'd resort to otherwise?

[Jenise]

I'm going to be travelling for work next week so I'm making a mini-coulibiac for Pumpkin to serve himself. I wonder what he'd resort to otherwise?

Frozen burrito?