What's for Dinner Tonight?
 

I had five big boys to cook for (ages 18-21) besides me and Eddie. Whew!! They can put away the food. I cooked ravioli and also cheese tortellini, with meat sauce. They ate both huge bowls down to the very bottom!! I also made Chocolate Majesty, or Four Layer Delight as we always called it.

If I had to cook for this many every night, I would be worn out! How in the world did women do this two or three times a day, without modern appliances? I filled the dishwasher twice!

I made homemade vegetable soup...I know that may seem strange this time of year, but it was almost as good as it was in the winter!!

I make that all year long. Anytime I have a roast, I have homemade soup the next day, made with the leftovers.

I had Lima Beans and Cornbread.

Actually, I would have been happy with lima beans and cornbread, but no one else in my house will touch lima beans, including Eddie.

I love lima beans and cornbread, too....We have a garden this year (but husband didn't plant lima beans)....Hubby can eat lima beans but not his favorite type of legume...I can make cornbread and so can my husband. He used to make it with sweet milk, until I taught him to use buttermilk.

Well, I didn't grow up with cornbread in Illinois, so I didn't learn how to make it at all. I finally found a Martha White buttermilk cornbread mix that you just add milk to and Eddie likes it better than homemade. The only cornbread I had ever had before we were married was sweet, so the first time I made it for him, I made that sweet Jiffy mix from the box. He was gagging because he said it was like eating dessert with your meal! I learned that night that southern people do not eat sweet cornbread, but they do eat lots of sugar in everything else, including all their veggies and their icea tea.

Just stay away from Jiffy Muffin Mix that stuff is nasty.

NO sugar for me in veggies and iced tea, Sherri. Southerners have to have their sweetened iced tea, I suppose.

I had never had a glass of iced tea in my life until Eddie and I were dating and his mom poured me some, just assuming that everyone loves it. I drank it to be nice, and found out that I actually liked it! I make a gallon of it now about every other day or so. My kids have always loved it too. Now that I have three big boys living here all the time, it's a lot cheaper than buying Dr. Peppers.

We had Taco Bell at our house.

I went today and bought a new Digital SLR camera. We live 15-20 miles from any store of any size, so I went this morning and got the camera. I took my mom, my niece and one of my daycare girls. We ate at DonPablo's for lunch.

Then I brought the camera home and discovered that there was no possible way that the camera and the equipment would fit in the camera bag that came with the deal. So I made another trip to Toledo to exchange the bag. While I was there, I drove through Taco Bell and brought it home for dinner.

did I mention how much I love Mexican food? (and calling Taco Bell "Mexican food" is definately stretching things. Probably the same with Don Pablo, but I love their queso dip)

cactus pads?????? Is that a regional thing?????

Cactus Pads????? EEEEEEEWWWWWW

http://www.nopaltrade.com/images/cacti5.jpg

There is a whole process, but I don't remember it all, and it would take FOREVER!!!
I bought them prepared in a jar. They are sliced into small strips...
You can eat the as is, but they are great with beef, chicken, or pork.. in a sauce.

FYI: Cut and Paste Info re cactus pads
 

When you hear the word cactus and picture trying to eat it, you might feel a bit wary. It just doesn't sound all that appealing. But don't make the mistake of judging this book by its cover - the sweet red fruit and tart, juicy cactus pads have been a valued part of Mexican cuisine for thousands of years. They can make a delicious addition to your summertime table too.

The prickly pear cactus is one of just a few plants that we use as both a fruit and a vegetable. The fruit, which is about the size of a small pear, is known in Mexico as tuna and in the US as prickly pear or cactus pear. The cactus pads, or nopales are often mistakenly referred to as cactus leaves, but are actually the stem of the plant and are eaten as a vegetable. The whole pads are the size of a woman's palm and bright green. When cooked they turn olive green, have the consistency of green pepper, a slightly acidic flavor or lemony flavor and are quite tasty.

A half-cup serving of cooked nopales is only eleven calories. Cactus pads contain no saturated fat or cholesterol and are a very good source of fiber, the vitamins C, A and K and the minerals magnesium and manganese. They were historically used topically for skin irritations and sun burns and researchers are currently looking into their effectiveness at treating type II diabetes.

The pads are in season in the spring and early summer and can be purchased at farmers' markets and Mexican or gourmet grocery stores. Organic cactus pads are available on-line from Rivenrock Gardens in California at www.rivenrock.com/ediblecactus.htm.

When buying nopales, look for small, green, firm pads that are free of blemishes and have no fibrous coating at the base. When you get them home, they will last for a week or two in the refrigerator, wrapped in damp newspaper to keep them moist and to protect them from getting too cold.

Many varieties are spineless but you may come across pads that have spines. If so, just hold the pad using tongs and slice the spines off with a paring knife. The eye where the spine attaches should be trimmed out as well. Next, trim the edge all the way around the pad and scrub it with a vegetable brush under cold water and it is ready to go.

Nopales can be eaten raw, but uncooked they contain a slippery viscous liquid similar to okra or aloe. Cooking them dries the liquid up and many cooks prefer to lightly sauté, grill or roast them before using them in salsas and salads. To pre-cook nopales:

Clean, trim and cut them into strips and then sauté in vegetable oil for five minutes or until they turn olive green. They can also be cleaned, trimmed and left whole, then brushed with oil and grilled. Once cooked, they are diced or sliced and added to almost any dish that you would use cooked green pepper in.

In Mexico, nopales, (nopalitos when cut into strips or diced) are traditionally served as a salad and dressed with lime juice, cilantro, onion and tomato, or they are scrambled into eggs, or breaded and deep fried. They are also a great addition to chili and stews.

Cactus pads aren't just for Mexican cuisine. When Columbus sailed back to the old world he took with him corn, tomatoes, potatoes and prickly pear cactus. Cultures around the globe embraced the cactus, which is now cultivated in Italy, the Mediterranean, India and Australia as well as Mexico, California, Florida and the southwestern United States.

I STILL LIKE OKRA MUCH BETTER!!!

I went to Sizzler's steak house

Buffet?

Yall be good ,I must leave the playground now.But The Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise I'll see yall again.
Happy Trails to you ,till me meet again.

Three RECIPES using Cactus Pads
 

Classic Mexican Nopalito Salad
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
2 medium nopales, cleaned
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped green chiles, canned or fresh
1 or 2 finely minced Serrano chiles
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons finely crumbled queso fresco blanco, queso fresco or feta cheese

Method
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut nopales in strips about 1 inch wide. Brush on both sides with vegetable oil and arrange on a cookie sheet. Roast for 10 minutes or until they have become olive green, then turn piece over to cook the other sides. When cool, slice each strip into pieces the width of a wooden matchstick and half as long. Combine in a medium bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve on lettuce leaves or as a stuffing for hot-off-the-griddle corn tortillas.

Grilled Chicken with Nopalito and Pineapple Salsa
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 raw, cleaned prickly pear pad
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup canned crushed pineapple packed in its own juice
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, including some tops
1 tablespoon chopped canned green chiles
1 finely minced Serrano chile (optional)
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro
4 large boneless chicken breasts
8 medium-sized flour tortillas
4 cups finely shredded leaf lettuce


Method
Cut prickly pear pad into 1-1/2 inch squares. Film a heavy frying pan with the oil and add the prickly pear pads. Cook over low heat, turning occasionally, until pieces have given up much of their juice and are slightly brown. Remove from pan, cool, and chop into pieces as wide as a matchstick and about 1/4-inch long.

Transfer to a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except for chicken), stir to combine, and set aside for flavors to mingle.

Grill chicken breasts until done. Warm tortillas while you slice each chicken breast crosswise into eight pieces. Divide chicken and lettuce evenly among the tortillas and top with salsa. Fold tortillas to enclose stuffing.

Victoria's French Fried Cactus
Makes 4 servings
Serve with spicy salsa dip or barbeque sauce.

Ingredients
2 prickly pear pads, cleaned
1 egg
3/4 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper
cumin (optional)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or enough to cover the bottom of a frying pan at least 1/4-inch deep)

Method
Cut cleaned cactus pads into strips about 3/8-inch wide. Crack egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork until frothy. Put cornmeal in a shallow bowl and season with salt, pepper and cumin if desired. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Dip cactus strips in egg, then roll in cornmeal and place into the hot oil. Turn to brown on both sides. When coating is crisp, lift from oil with tongs

Spaghetti....with the mother in law...

Please pray for me!

:lol

Well, if you have some recipes using cactus pads that are good but "non white folk" recipes, post 'em, Bro.

I went to Chili's. Love their steaks, burgers, buffalo wings, southwest egg
rolls, yum, yum. But, tonight I ate healthy, choosing the turkey sandwich.

Went to eat at my friends, Robert and Donna's place.

We had dirty rice... and we had a great study of the Word.

It was awesome fellowship.

I enjoy Chili's. That's one of my favorites to stop at when we're out shopping. I like their chips and salsa because their chips are so thin! Add a little Tabasco to their salsa and it's ok. And their broccoli soup is good. That's what I usually order when I go there. Chips and salsa and broccoli soup. Then if I'm really splurging, I get their choco chip paradise pie. Mmmmm

Not a bad meal for a Saturday lunch :)

To quote my friend Dannyboy...


http://www.dennisdaigle.com/hand.jpg


lol

:eek:

lol
The dirty rice was from Zatarain's. I couldn't tell you how many different kinds of rice are in it for sure....

The study tied Psalm 55:22 and 1Pe 5:7 together using the original languages.

It was phenomenal.

We went out tonight. They just opened a Macarroni Grill next to us. Had a very good meal....Chicken Marsala Ravioli....OOOOOH MY WORD!!!!! Excellent!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

I told someone....when you go to the bathroom, you get an education.

Hello.....(Italian translation)
I am going to the movies. (Italian translation)
I am listening to the music of Andrea Bochelli (Italian translation)

....and it goes on and on.

Yeah, I didn't want to leave the bathroom :lol

You are bad! :toofunny

:sly

We had Red Beans and Rice. I am still tasting it though............