[homevintner]

It's been so long since I made a pizza crust I'm not sure that would help or not.

[Palomine]

I was at a fancy pizza place the other night and while my dinner companions (I was the youngest one there by at least 15 years) were discussing things and people I knew little about I was watching the guy working the dough by the wood-fired oven. I think I picked up some pointers and my next pizza on the BBQ will be the better for it.

Tonight: I never order nachos when I'm out or eat them at home... nothing wrong with them, I just prefer other kinds of comfort food. But I got home from work tonight and since I had three avocados all ripe at the same time, I had little choice. The only non-standard ingredient is the substitution of chorizo (which I usually have a bit of in the fridge for eggs) with diced smoked bacon ends.

I know it looks a little gross, but I am a bachelor so I hope you'll forgive me.

[solvegas]

I know it looks a little gross, but I am a bachelor so I hope you'll forgive me.

I think it looks pretty good. What kind of cheese did you use and what salsa ? 

[Palomine]

Sorry not to have replied earlier... um, I think it was smoked gouda and cheddar, which is what I had in the house at the time.

I'm sitting out here by the BBQ, laptop in lap, wheat beer in hand and Dylan on the radio, while dinner is started on the grill. A big grill pan is filled with a couple pounds of new white potatoes and Italian squash, along with red onions, garlic, red bell and jalapeno peppers, and rosemary and cilantro. That'll take a while since I didn't par-boil the potatoes first, but simply cubed them. When that's close to done, I'll throw a couple of chicken breasts on (they've been marinating in oyster sauce and a bit of chili) and there's 3 cups of Basmati in the ricemaker ready to go.

Long day painting the house and pruning trees (I now have a blister that's cutting at least 30wpm from my normal typing speed)... happy to be showered, wearing clean clothes and heading towards sustenance.

Looking forward to the third 'Case Histories' with the Kate Atkinson's detective Jackson Brodie on Masterpiece Mysteries tonight.

[homevintner]

Home made choc. chip cookies and a glass of skim milk.

[luvdemwhoppers]

budget tight
Don Q rum and a half a box of CHEEZ ITS hot and spicy, they were on sale

[Palomine]

No dinner guests (for a change) the past couple of days, so just me myself being cooked for and frankly the following 10-minute dinner (assuming some leftover rice in the fridge, otherwise add 15 minutes more for the rice cooker to do a couple cups of Basmati or whatever you prefer):

Filet (previously frozen) of Swai (aka Basa): dusted with Cajun seasoning, sauteed in a bit of (grapeseed) oil for just a couple minutes per side in a very hot pan. Served with Pico de Gallo on top. You could substitute any firm white-fleshed fish that you like, but IMO Swai/Basa is miles ahead of Tilapia or Pollock or other similar 'basic' frozen filets in terms of both taste and texture. A 5 lb. bag of individually frozen Swai filets can be had for as little as $10. on sale and just left in the freezer for when you're in the mood for fish.

Brussel sprouts: two minutes in the microwave with a dab of water and salt, then just a bit of butter when done. If you're using the rice cooker, and it has a steamer tray on top like mine, whole sprouts (don't halve them, just trim the stems) cook just right in the time it takes to do 2 cups of rice.

Rice (the aforementioned leftovers) sauteed in the pan with the fish... a little bit of water helps re-hydrate (though I like the crisp bits) and tonight I added a little dollop of Hosin sauce too (last night was crumbles of Queso Fresco).

Beer (from Trader Joe's in my case: TJ's Dark Lager with lime... the extreme maltyness cut with the citrus is like Kool-Aid for adults).

Two nights in a row: I scarfed, marveling yet again at how delicious (and frankly, suitable for guests) it was considering it took no more time than making a pasta. While I like to cook and love to eat, I do at times worry about enjoying my own cooking a bit too much given my metabolism isn't that of a teenager's anymore.

[pedonbio]

Family night out at Chipotle. Sinfully good food made simply.

[Palomine]

Perfectly al dente Pennette with young asparagus and shreds of smoked ham, quickly carmelized with onions and yellow peppers in a very hot pan. A wee bit of butter and just a dusting of parmesan and viola: ecstasy. Served with a nice Merlot from Trader Joe's and Joshua Tree (an earlyish U2 album).

[pedonbio]

Farfella smoothered in homemade Alfredo sauce.

My perverted brownies for dessert. "Perverted" because they are legal in all 50 states.

[Bad Kitty]

I had ramen noodles, a multivitamin, and a protien shake.

(trying to fit into some older clothes )

[mcgarp]

There can never be to much said for ramen!  I'm 32 and I still love it!   Chicken "flavor" only!

[pedonbio]

Today I baked some gingerbread; but this evening the daughter insisted on rotini pasta with my homemade marinara sauce. It's hard to make a gingerbread dessert work with that.

[Palomine]

I worked through lunch so by 7pm I was ravenous. I didn't have patience to make my usual big pot of pasta with carmelized veggies, etc... so I instead opted for making just one (large) portion of angel hair, which was drained al dente and then tossed into a hot pan with butter, garlic, pepper and Parmesan. Stirred furiously for 30 seconds and then mixed in two scrambled eggs... as soon as they set up, coating all the strands, the whole thing poured into a bowl to be scarfed by me with a Diet Pepsi while watching 30 Rock.

Ah, the exciting life of a bachelor!  

[Palomine]

Since cheeseburger last night, veggies over rice tonight, with a Guatemalan lager and lime: