Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

On the topic of sandwiches, the wife stopped at Panera on the way home from work for dinner. We VERY rarely do take-out, but after spending 4 hours on the lawn tractor grinding up leaves today and cleaning gutters, I was whooped. I had the Napa Almond Chicken Salad sandwich. Really tasty.

 

Ms. Jan’s a real fan of Panera’s!

 

We enjoyed our Mongolian Beef and vegetables enough last week we decided to fix it again for our supper tonight.

Another beautiful day here today but enough cool weather to knock these skeeters back would be greatly appreciated.

The back porch is open and fully re-stocked.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

With the 3:30 kick off I didn’t want to fool around with the grill or get tied up in the kitchen. So going with a roast beef sub tonight. I have developed a liking for this London Broil roast beef from our deli… when it is available. It’s not bloody like most roast beefs, which was always an issue with me.

I lightly toast the sub roll and melt the provolone with roast beef. Add shredded lettuce, slices of hot house tomatoes, very thinly sliced sweet onion, a drizzle of Italian dressing, coarse black pepper, a pinch of oregano and horseradish aioli …boom! I don’t know why I don’t do sandwiches more often. An underrated meal.

 

The house is smelling good from the big pot of spaghetti sauce I have simmering on the stove for supper this evening.

Our sides will be a freshly made Caesar salad and Five Cheese Texas toast.

Overcast here all day here today with an 80% chance of rain—so far no joy.

The back porch Yeti is restocked and Ms Jan’s wine is chilled.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

Defrosting some leftover chili (the classic kind) from a batch made a few weeks back. As per usual, topped with diced sweet onion, grated cheddar Jack cheese, picked jalapeños slices and saltines on the side. A small side salad as well.

 

Any of you foodies into Chinese food? I love it.

I've wondered how they get the beef so tender so I googled it.

The answer is they "velvetize" it by sprinkling baking soda on the meat.

Any of you ever try this?

 

Like any other food specific to a particular region-we like good Chinese food-however, neither of us care anything about sushi.

 

Yes, with chicken & beef (not pork) when putting together a Szechuan dish. Definite game changer.

I also do this with my chili. About 3/4 a tsp baking soda mixed with an oz or 2 of water and mix in with the beef and sit for 15 minutes. It retains some of the fat when browning. Essentially tenderizing the meat. Again, game changer.

 

Only thing out of salt water I like raw is oysters—and I prefer them to be Appalach

 

Have you ever had chili over a bed of angel hair pasta? Really hearty and perfect winter dish!

I'll sprinkle parm cheese over mine sometimes too.

Saw the Bush Beans guy who played Kevin in The Office yesterday morning promoting his book - 101 chili recipes - or some such. I was yelling at the TV "But I don't like beans in my chili!" LOL...

 

Can’t say I have Baz. I have heard of that …and the whole Cincinnati chili thing. It was just something I never thought appealing enough to try.

As far as beans go, I prefer it. When I make it it’s generally a classic chili with beans and coarse ground chuck. But every now & then I’ll go Texas style bowl o’ red with chunks of chuck and beans. Though the meat/bean ratio has to be just right.

 

LOL-recipe for Texas Chili:
Make it like real Texans do
Bowl of vanilla ice cream….

That’s so in the morning you can say-“Come on ice cream!”

 

Happy post Halloween. Glad it’s over.

Made a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, a pot of slow simmered green beans and a cucumber salad on the side for last night. I thought I made enough for leftovers but once my kids found out what we were having they both swung by the house to make a plate. Nice. Nothing left. Which throws off my dinner plans this week by a day.

So tonight, just doing a simple taco salad. Cheers!

 

Tonight I’ll be grilling bone-in country cut ribs indirect over cherry wood smoke and seasoned with coarse black pepper and Everglades seasoning.

Inside we will have a pot of fresh zipper peas and a pot of white rice topped with Rotel tomatoes.

Sunny and 80* here today.

The back porch is open and ready for your leisure. Adult beverages are available as desired.

Life is good in Gator Nation!

 

74, how do you fix Mongolian beef? I'm sure it's delicious.