What's for dinner tonight?

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I’m still on my stupid diet here, so nothing spectacular yet I refuse to eat rabbit food 24/7. I spatchcocked a chicken, threw in wedged potatoes, carrots and onions. I also splurged and made a loaf of potatoe bread in the bread machine. That probably was not diet wise but I’m still averaging a pound a week loss so I guess all is good.
 
Brent S said:
I’m still on my stupid diet here, so nothing spectacular yet I refuse to eat rabbit food 24/7. I spatchcocked a chicken, threw in wedged potatoes, carrots and onions. I also splurged and made a loaf of potatoe bread in the bread machine. That probably was not diet wise but I’m still averaging a pound a week loss so I guess all is good.
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Slow and steady wins the race.
 
We are going to have BBQ pork ribs tonight . Hope to have time to get in a little dove hunting . This morning Me and the Wife went to town and had Cracker barrel breakfast , funny thing the Waitress had Her sales pitch going on their new $$ coffee She sold My Wife on it so I got one too . A grouchy old Guy came in and Waitresses went to His table started giving Him the pitch and He interrupted Her and said I want a bowl of pinto beans, corn bread and a glass of water . But She's going to do Her job , She redirects Him to the menu and starts telling Him about todays special . He closes then menu and bellows I WANT A BOWL OF PINTO BEANS , CORN BREAD AND A GLASS OF WATER . I tried to keep from chuckling and told My Wife I saw that coming as soon as He walked in . When We left He was sitting there with His Beans and corn bread .
 
Dinner without using electricity.
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For breakfast I had 2 eggs with cheese and mushrooms, homemade potatoe bread toast, and some thick sliced chicken breast I had roasted a couple days ago.
Lunch was a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a peach.
Dinner was a salad
Not too bad for diet food, and I dropped a little more weight.
 
Friend of my son and daughter n law is a chef of a restaurant he owns, the 3 of them gone to Montana to ranch that’s owned by a Japanese cattlemen to pick up some beef, any way, the son brought me back 50lbs of Wagyu last night, the wife and I are having parts of that for dinner tonight.
 
Pork sausages with onion, sweet potato, yellow pepper, a touch of garlic and a dash of thyme. Lunch was sweetcorn on the cob now that the local workers' co-op grocery has it in, and a massive plateful of coleslaw, so I'm good for all the foodgroups!

Last time I ate pork sausages, they came from one of the pigs on the Rum croft that I look after occasionally. One of my biggest decisions will be whether or not to get pigs andor goats, and that tasty pork was certainly a tick in favour.
 
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Brent S said:
I just threw all the leftover turkey parts (bones and all) into a pot and cooked it down in some water. I took the bones and fat out after about 40 mins. Then I took some carrots, celery, green onions, and a little bell pepper and chopped them up and simmered them in the broth. I also threw in the tiny bit of leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes and green beans that I had left in the fridge, along with some garlic and pepper. At the very end I threw in a bag and a half of wide egg noodles. Right now it's a nasty cold and wet night, but I'm enjoying a big pot of really good turkey noodle soup, next to a good fire and a pit bull that's glued to my side. It dosent get much better. I feel even better knowing that most would just throw out the leftover bones, but with a little time they make another great meal.
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I can see that being the way to eat if the SHTF. That is why I have a f ew big pots stored away. May need to feed several people and the easiest way is to fix up a big pot of what ever you have on hand. May need to keep it going for a few hours. Big cook pots are in my prepper supply. Actually just purchased a good used pot last week at a yard sale for 8 dollars.
 
Gazrok said:
That's just it, we need to feed 5 in the household, so eating out is an EXPENSIVE option. So, we have a home-cooked meal pretty much every night. Sadly, the kids (well adults, but...) aren't fans of crocked meals, soups, or stews, but this isn't a restaurant. My wife and I work and get home late, so we like having a meal ready when we come home. Wish they could cook, but they can't really, at least not like we do.
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Never to early to learn to do things like prepping, etc. Who said if you don't work you don't eat? It's part of being in a family.
 
Brent S said:
It amazes me how few of the people that I work with cook at all. Even most of the women don't have 'time' to bother in the kitchen. I guess someone has to keep Burger King and Taco Bell in buisness. Chicken soup is one of the easiest things to throw together, and is so hearty! They all think I'm some kind of gourmet chef or something from the lunches I bring. I'm far from anything close to that, but I do like to eat real food, that's not only healthier, but is a lot cheaper too. I have to admit though, I can cook a mean steak!
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Aloft of people no longer cook. I always felt that eating out was a luxury, not something to do daily. Also I feel the reason some people have high food bills is that they are buying foods that are already prepped. such as already chopped, sliced, etc vegetables. It adds a lot to the expense. I don't believe in the I can't afford healthy food because it costs too much crap.
 
I don't believe in the I can't afford healthy food because it costs too much crap.
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Sorry, but it's absolutely true. It has to do more with the shelf life of produce. (and the time available to do things with it).

It's far cheaper to buy canned or frozen vegetables than fresh. (which is why we will be growing our own as much as we can). Worse though, is that I simply don't have the time or money (yet) to invest in using preserving methods for purchased fresh produce.

I'm up at sunrise to take care of the horses, then commute an hour to work, work all day, then commute an hour home. By the time I'm home, it's 7pm, and we're just cooking dinner. (well, she's cooking, while I then do the pm chores with the horses). We both can cook, but she prefers it over feeding, turning out the horses.

But...we do actually COOK most nights. THAT is more economical then going out to eat. Especially now, that our son is back living at home. Found out that adulting kinda sucks.....and there's a much bigger story there (for another time). Still though, even cooking, there are some great ways to use convenient foods and still have a home-cooked meal.

Example, last night, we got a couple boxes of Zataran's Jambalaya mix, a green pepper, and some cajun sausage and chicken (that was on sale, as shelf life was eminent). Adding a bit of our own spices too, etc., and this whole concoction was fantastic (and cheap, at about $4 per person total, and with more than one helping per).

Even though doing steak and salad tonight, it was still pretty cheap, at about $7 per person (ribeyes on sale at Winn Dixie for $4.99 a lb). Steaks marinated overnight and all day today, so we'll grill 'em up tonight. We just buy enough produce for that week's meals (store is really close), so we don't have it go bad.

We also MEAL PLAN, can't stress that enough. That way, you know exactly what you have, don't have, and can maximize the stuff you have laying around, and actually USE it.

Compare the prices above though, to eating out, even at McDonalds. I mean, sure, I can eat at McDonalds for $7, but compared to steak and salad at $7? Not even close.
 
Tomorrow, we're crocking some Mojo Pork. Basically, a pork loin, seasoned and crocked all day in Mojo marinade, along with diced onions. Then, shred it up after it's crocked all day, and serve over yellow rice. Nice thing is, she'll only have to make the rice when we get home.

Then from 8-11, we'll binge watch some TV show. :D
 
Wed, we're taking some (McCormick) mesquite marinated pork tenderloins, pan searing them in the mesquite sauce, and serving them with Knorr Cheesy Garlic Shells, (we add some minced garlic and parsley to em, as well as some shredded cheese to melt in with 'em). Again, doctoring up some store bought.... ;)

(then hoping our boarders pay us over the next couple days, or we have to go to the fallback meal of frozen fish fillets and mushroom rice on the side...or dip into prep stock foods). - We both get paid end of the week this week, so we're right at the end of the budget, hehe....
 
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Never to early to learn to do things like prepping, etc. Who said if you don't work you don't eat? It's part of being in a family.
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Normally, I'd agree, but while he was adulting, my stepson burned several of his (and his sister's) pans, broke nearly everything, and simply has the attention span of a gnat. I hate it, because the kid is smart, but he just has issues. I also can't afford to have him ruin meals left and right. Sad to say, but I can't even depend on him to help with things around the house.

I even have to flip the breaker for the oven, and keep the fuse box locked (while we're gone for the day), because I can't depend on him remembering to turn the stovetop/oven off if he uses it. So microwave and toaster oven only (as both have timers).

He wants to go into JobCorps, and thinks that will help. I tend to agree. But while he's going about it, we basically have to support him, or he'll be even worse. (mental health, depression thing). Hard for me to deal with, as I'm of the "suck it up buttercup" persuasion.
 
At 6 am this morning I put a tri tip steak in the smoker. Actually it was more like a roast. I had it marinading over night in the fridge. Anyway, I just took it out after 5 hours in the smoker at 200 degs and sliced it. It was tender, juicy and had great flavor. Probably one of my best. It's going to make plenty of leftovers for the next few days too.
 
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