Dyson's Delectables

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

November 14, 2011

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 14, 2011

My creative energies this week are focused less on what this menu will be and more on what I will feed the family next week. They eat a lot….and Thanksgiving is the most festive day in our calendar.

The key to survival and sanity is very simple. It’s called planning. I will need to have my menu set, my shopping lists for Monday and Weds. set and most of the housecleaning done. (It’s the latter that I really dread…) And also all of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped so I can send them home with them . (We don’t get to see them over Christmas). It’s a lot but we manage. And we do so enjoy having everyone here….

Mon. AM Pea Soup

Mon. PM Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Steamed Rice, Tossed Salad, Peasant Bread

Jacob's Creek Cabernet Shiraz

Tues. AM Grilled Bratwurst with sauerkraut

Tues. PM Pan Roasted Salmon with Red Wine and Lentils LBCBR 198

Tossed Salad, Peasant Bread
Los Vascos - Chili Colchagua Valley Chardonnay 2008

Weds. AM Chicken Lo Mein AP

Weds. PM Beef Gratin Parmentier ECWJ P 123

Steamed Broccoli
Rosemount Shiraz

Thurs. PM Baked Flounder with Parmesan Crusts FW 2003

Pasta with French Tomato Sauce

Baby Peas
Los Vascos - Chili Colchagua Valley Chardonnay 2008

Fri. AM ~~Ham and Cheese Panini~~
Costco Pepperoni Pizza

Fri. PM Bistecca Maremma

Tossed Salad, Peasant Bread
Rosemount Cabernet
The recipe and a far more detailed account may be found
here. Details of this new feature may be found at the bottom
of this entry.

Sat. AM Gumbo

Sat. PM Marinated Herring on Crackers

Madeline Kamman’s Tian of Lamb on a Bed of Potatoes WFWC

Sautéed Green Beans
Terra Nobel Cabernet

Sun AM Ham and Cheese Panini

Sun. PM Boursin & Crackers

Bone in Pork Roast with Honey & Mustard FW 12/99

Red Wine Pan Sauce

Mashed Potatoes
Yellow Tail Reserve Cabernet

Steamed Carrots
Mon. AM Gumbo

Mon. PM Grilled double pork chops in tomato BBQ sauce
Baked Potato
Green Salad
Rosemount Shiraz 2008

We don't give the nieces, nephews and their children much at Christmas. Oh the children do get something but there really is no exchange among the adults. Last year Virginia knit all 17 of them hats.

However one thing we are is a family that enjoys food, so we decided to share some of our favorites. We make one or two of these in the course of a normal week, taking pictures, writing a blog entry, perhaps some sort of publishing at the end and though that isn't an end.

The blog entry for a recipe won't be here, it will be at my blog The Art of the Pig http://blog.charcuteire.com/ after all, doing a 25 picture essay with recipe for Bread and Butter pickles is kind of over kill for this blog.

These are our recipes, the list may have come from one of the greats, although the Bread and Butter pickles actually is mine, but the text and the pictures come from us.

The working title is From the Kitchens of North Ridge Road and at some point the blog entry there, and perhaps here, will include a link to a PDF version. In any case feel free to down load and share, just if you use our text and pictures
give us credit.

Virginia L. Dyson & Warner W. Johnston

Monday, November 7, 2011

November 7, 2011

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 7, 2011

As I see the calendar slip into November, I begin my annual panic. With less than a month I’ve got a large house to clean so it will be able to house 13 people in an upscale tenement style. I have to come up with a drop dead menu for Thanksgiving – and the meals that surround it. And we do another big dinner (not leftovers) the night after Thanksgiving.

Much as I love cooking and entertaining. And much as I love all our nieces and nephews – at this point in time, it all looks to be a tad overwhelming. I’m thinking I need to simplify. I’m thinking perhaps a couple of kegs with pizza for the kids and sushi for the grownups. Yeah I’m thinking about it. Paper plates and plastic classes instead of the Spode, Wedgewood and Waterford…Stay tuned….

Mon. AM Winter Borscht with Fresh Dill and Sour Cream f/i

Mon. PM. This Spaghetti with Baby Scallops

and Fresh Bread Crumbs CICII 128

Tossed Salad
Wolff Blass Yellow Label Chardonnay 2010

Tues. AM Cheese Omelets with Warm Ham

Tues. PM Balsamic Roast Chicken

Steamed Rice and Pan Gravy
Penfold Koonaugah Hill Cabernet Shiraz 2009

Weds. AM Barbara Kafka’s Split Pea Soup BK-S

Fresh Crouton

Weds. PM Spare Ribs Baked With Sauerkraut CCI 142

Hot German Potato Salad

White Asparagus

Tossed Salad
Jacob's Creek Cabernet Shiraz 2007

Thurs. PM Mistral’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic BC-PW

Steamed Rice, Tossed Salad

Peasant Bread
Rosemount Pino Grigio 2010

Fri. AM Huevos Rancheros

Fri. PM Shrimp, Andouille and Potato Pot Pies BA 3/09 91

Tossed Salad
Penfold Koonunga Hills Cabernet Shiraz 2009

Sat. AM Pea Soup revisited

Sat. PM Shrimp Pancakes

Julia’s Sauté of Lobster with White Wine, Cream and Madeira WTC

Fresh Pasta

Broccoli Puree
Wolff Blas Yellow Label Chardonay 2009

Sun. AM Lobster Omelets

Sun. PM Buffalo Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip BCFS

Roast Beef with Madeira Pan Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Green Asparagus with Parmesan
Greg Norman Cabernet Merlot 2008

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

October 31, 2011

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 31, 2011

This has been quite a week and its only Tuesday…. The rain predicted for Saturday was instead snow. In October! And 17 inches of it here. We lost power at 7 on Sat. and did not regain it until late Monday afternoon – for which we were very grateful. There are a hell of a lot of folk in the area who will not get their power back until the end of the week.

To put it in perspective, I mentioned to Warner that our first frost was two feet of snow. He replied that he didn’t think we’d had a killing frost even yet. He was correct. As the snow began to melt my parsley reappeared growing in my pots on the deck. So although Monday was Halloween, the frost was not yet on the pumpkin…

It was rustic living to say the least – and you can have it. We kept reasonably warm by keeping large stock pots boiling on the Garland and the oven on. But candlelight ceased to be romantic very quickly. And the cat sorely missed the space heater by her bed. Cooking was not a problem as the Garland is totally gas. Seeing to cook was something else. Candelabras in the kitchen may sound pretty, but they don’t help you to see to cook!

We were concerned about the freezers, but they came through. The refrigerators, however, were not very happy. And of course, Saturday we’d cooked 20 quarts of chicken stock. That and the big beef stew ended up in the snow to keep them chilled. Ugh! Then there was the matter of ice….

Mon. AM Pasta with Bolognese Sauce f/i