It's the Dear Other's birthday. Rather than any big celebration or even a night out, his option was for a home-cooked meal. Specifically: Pernil. And pernil it was, complete with yellow rice and tostones that he handled. Mine was the meat, the beans, and tomato salad. Terry and Andy were here and are handling the cleanup. Gotta' love those kinda' friends. We're in the office (aka the smoking room), and he's fielding the emails and texts. Dinner was really great all around, complete with some nice Pinot Noir.

OH! And for eggs... if they are fried or poached, they've got to be with runny yokes. Love the messy and gooey, even on sandwiches. Today we started with Eggs Benedict Florentine, before the pernil and fixes.










We're all full. And happy.

Sean, the birthday dinner looks great! Happy Birthday, Miguel!! 🍷🍷

Best yet... at least the dining room looks like it should. As for the other rooms, well... check the background.


Perfrct now

Yes, it looks like Miguel had a wonderful birthday! Well done, Sean!

Hi Yall!

yes, the birthday breakfast and dinner look, and taste,
like the start to a great year! :smily:

Tom, your dinner looks tasty too!
I would enjoy it,
and so will my German friends!
Wish we could be your dinner guests!
We will gladly wash dishes!

My friend isn't eating too well!
Primarily snacking she said.
I brought home food I took her
that was still in the fridge.

She wants to go out to eat, to the buffet.
I told her that is only one meal,
and she needs to eat better every day!
I took her hash brown casserole and
she was cutting up her deli chicken.

My meal was pre-made food,
though still many dishes to wash!

I turned on the oven, warming kitchen.
I made a chicken casserole from the
deli chicken that cooked with broth and noodles,
Made a saltine cracker topping.
After the "soup/broth mix" was spicy,
the casserole may have been bland.
So I sprinkled S&P on the leftovers.
Also heated the squash and corn casseroles
and hash brown potatoes.
So this will be the weekend meal and work lunch.
Also have the taco soup broth to add more beans.

Sally, sorry you didn't have green peas. Sounded soup-er!

For the eggs, I need advice if I can use eggs that were at "room temp"?
I say "room temp" since I left them in the car and it has been "cold"
When I realized they were in bag in car window, I thought about time.

Bought them Sunday, found them Thursday, 4 days later.
Most days were probably fridge temps, though did get 40-60 degrees.
I bought them Sunday with my friend.
When we came home cold wind blowing, she was freezing!
I took out cold foods, then covered the plants.
Then worked night shift. Found eggs when finally waking up!

I heard fresh eggs can be kept at room temp.
I brought these eggs in the bag to the fridge.
Though wondering if it is best to discard them?

Does cooking well kill bacteria?

I forgot to say that while I had oven on,
I also baked brownies!

So New Year, New You (Me) Plan
needs new start date:

Monday, 01/10/22!

PS: Info about washing, storing, cooking eggs!
Fresh eggs have membrane, cuticle, that helps prevent bacteria.
In US, washing eggs, removes the membrane,
so eggs need refrigeration.

In Australia, where it says don't wash eggs,
it says cooking eggs until solid, removes bacteria.

https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.a....

I had to skip,ahead it's midnight.
Crunchy but like for the teeth to stick together when biting through the crunch

Combination... well fruit cocktail in the turkey dressing mix is a must and delicious...shhhh nobody knows it's in there except if they run into a grape

Sometimes I mash a quarter to half a banana in the yams .. the kids like... more than that it takes over ..then it's banana with yams...

We had left over sausage and peppers and mushrooms tonight

I found the best authentic tomato bruschetta topping today at Publix .. I think the brand was Rose or la Rose .. really authentic..

We ate out at a fave wine bar tapas restaurant today for lunch
I have a photo but not in this iPAD ... I had fresh pear drizzled with honey and balsamic ..served with a wedge of blue cheese and a mixed green salad ..there was a few slices of toasted ciabatta on the plate .. I skipped that .. there was also a side of sautéed mushrooms with a wine sauce.. I thought the sauce could have used less wine and a bit of salt

I had to skip,ahead it's midnight.
Crunchy but like for the teeth to stick together when biting through the crunch

Combination... well fruit cocktail in the turkey dressing mix is a must and delicious...shhhh nobody knows it's in there except if they run into a grape

Sometimes I mash a quarter to half a banana in the yams .. the kids like... more than that it takes over ..then it's banana with yams...

We had left over sausage and peppers and mushrooms tonight

I found the best authentic tomato bruschetta topping today at Publix .. I think the brand was Rose or la Rose .. really authentic..

We ate out at a fave wine bar tapas restaurant today for lunch
I have a photo but not in this iPAD ... I had fresh pear drizzled with honey and balsamic ..served with a wedge of blue cheese and a mixed green salad ..there were a few slices of toasted ciabatta on the plate .. I skipped that .. there was also a side of sautéed mushrooms with a wine sauce.. I thought the sauce could have used less wine and a bit of salt

Dinner tonight was pan seared strip loin steak, med rare for me, DH a little more done but still pink ,the way he likes it, best tasting steaks we have had in awhile, and a lovely mixed salad with grapes. We both had red wine.

Sean, you made your DO's day very special. Great job. Everything looks nice.

TT, Crack open an egg and smell it, and look at it to see if it's clear, and the yolk holds together. If so, it should be fine. Eggs can last a quite a while at room temp, but if it was cooler in the car, they should be fine.

Rosie, I may have to try fruit cocktail in stuffing some time.

Margaret, sounds like your steaks were tasty. I love a good steak.

What I read about eggs is that, commercial ones are washed and then refrigerated. Those should stay refrigerated, because warming and cooling them can draw outside bacteria into the egg, because the natural coating is gone (But what contamination, if the egg got washed and then put in a carton?)
My friend from South Africa says they don't refrigerate them there at all, I bet many other places are the same.
I think your eggs will be fine, TT.

Thanks, Tom and Sally!

I've heard about you can check eggs
to see if they sink or swim to check freshness!
Now I will pay attention when I crack 'em!

When eggs advertise more vitamins and Omega 3,
and less saturated fat, such as these vegetarian fed
and/or organic chickens and eggs, does that make
big difference in quality, health, and taste?

Rosie, thanks for tips about fruit cocktail in stuffing
and banana with yams. May try both new ideas!

I heated taco soup broth with a large can of chili beans
in slow cooker overnight. Not much meat, so mostly a
vegetarian bean soup with corn and taco seasoning.

TV just did a review of new tech advances.
I think BMW has a car where you can use button
to change the color of the outside of your car.
Said it can be useful in different temps.
White to cool and black to warm car.

They are also making advances in tele health.
I may have to find a new job, with new salary,
to help me buy that new color changing BMW.
I can't act old after that holiday birthday!

Hope everyone stays well over the weekend,
and finds tasty treats to stay warm!

Hope Jill finds us at the 2022 Chow Time table!

I just had to look that up-- the changing BMW
https://www.cnn.com/videos/bus...
I couldn't imagine the paint changing. It's not the paint actually, but a 'wrap' coating with e-ink (whatever that is, I can just guess ). Fascinating. And I shouldn't say it could not be the paint. There's so much new tech..

Wow - so much in only a day or two so this will probably be a long reply!
Cookies: I am ashamed to say that though I can whip up a batch of puff pastry with no recipe and one hand tied behind my back I am incapable of baking cookies. Any cookie. So I don't even bother trying any more. My favorite is a spiced oatmeal cookie made with hazelnuts and dried cherries that a friend (used) to make for my birthday every year. Best with slightly crisp edges and gently yielding centers. But give me any homemade cookie and I would likely be happy.

Pirl - Egg Foo Yung souffles? That has piqued my interest...do tell.

Eggs - I like them in most fashions but don't like them overcooked. Sunny side up (just ate one for lunch on toast, in fact) is fast fare here as even at this time of year with just four hens (two of whom are a bit older and less reliably productive) I gather more eggs than one person can eat; especially as I haven't been doing any baking. Properly scrambled eggs are actually harder than people think. Thinking back to one of my favourite old mystery author/books to whom I have referred before; Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe there is a scene in (I think) "The Mother Hunt" in which Wolfe is forced out of his home and ends up staying in hiding in the home of a NY socialite who is the paramour of Wolfe's assistant, Archie. I'm paraphrasing from my forty year old recollection of the scene in which, as something of a thank you to his host, Wolfe says he will fix scrambled eggs for their breakfast the next morning asking "Do you know how to scramble eggs, Miss Rowan?" She replies affirmatively.
"How long does it take you to scramble eggs, Miss Rowan?" She demurs and basically says a few minutes.
"I knew you didn't know how to scramble eggs. In order to scramble eggs properly you must set aside 45 minutes."
For those who want to give it a try here is the recipe as published in the 70's Nero Wolfe Cookbook:
--
Nero Wolfe's Scrambled Eggs (From The Nero Wolfe Cookbook, 1973.)

•6 large eggs
•1 cup light cream
•½ teaspoon salt
•2 grinds black pepper
•2 tablespoons butter
•4 tablespoons clarified butter
•several drops tarragon wine vinegar

Bring water in double boiler to simmer. Mix eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, whisk vigorously. Melt butter in double boiler, then add egg mixture. Cover double boiler, leave for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook clarified butter in a pan on extremely low heat until brown. When done, and off heat, add vinegar. After 15 minutes, open double boiler and begin stirring continuously until eggs are at desired texture. Serve, spooning butter-vinegar sauce on top of eggs.
----
Egg storage - yes, leaving the cuticle in tact protects against bacteria and makes room temperature storage possible. It is illegal to wash eggs in Europe and they are not refrigerated in markets/stores nor in homes. One additional step taken here that is (or was) not in the US is that hens here are vaccinated against salmonella. The US chose not to require vaccination saying it was 'inconclusive' that it provided protection...and egg producers lobbied against the additional effort and cost. Not coincidentally, shortly after the decision the US faced one of its largest salmonella related egg recalls in history. Hmmm. As with so many decisions - follow the money.

TT - I would use those eggs, but then I live on the edge. Certainly would not be a concern for me if using in baked goods.

Rainy, blustery grey day...I should be doing something productive indoors...unlikely.

My, so much comment. I can't possibly do justice to all with a response, but I'll see what I can remember. I'm on my phone; so can't easily open another tab.

AG, what a mess with the appointment mishap. You were right to be upset. I hope the rescheduled appointment works out.

I certainly recall the unrefrigerated eggs in grocery stores when we lived in Germany, though I stored them in our tiny fridge once at home. Only learned about the washing later.

Sean, that meal looks great. Happy belated birthday to the DO.

Decided to open the package of prosciutto and do baked eggs this morning. Perfectly cooked for me is with the yolks starting to thicken but still runny enough to coat the cooked white which I don't really like. For that reason, my usual eggs are scrambled. This was breakfast today.

Good Morning all,

Had a good 2 hour nap yesterday. Husband woke me because I was snoring loudly. Well...I was tired. Also had I stayed asleep much longer I probably would have had no desire to go to bed. Did not eat dinner yesterday. Just had a salad. Was still tired and went to bed about 9 and slept well until 6 this morning. Feeling much better and much better rested.

Tom....your pork and dumplings looked delicious. I'm sure it was a tasty meal and sounds like you'll have plenty left for another go. Good for you.

Margaret...Thank you. Yes, very frustrating with Dave's appointments. Had a feeling they would mess things up over the holidays and they did. Spent a long time getting things worked out yesterday but that added another week of delay. Next procedure won't be until the 18th. Grrrrrr! Sorry your weather is so cold and uncooperative. It sounds like you and Serge are making the most of it and enjoying some good eats. Yummy sounding muffins and steak is always a treat. Big yum on dinner.

Sean....Congrats on a delicious dinner and beautiful setting. And a very Happy Birthday to your DO Miguel!
Sounds like you had a lovely day with friends and I am glad.

TT....I am sure the eggs are fine but if you worry then don't eat them. I have a motto, "When in doubt throw it out." Is food poisoning and a trip to the hospital and doctor's bill worth that $2, $3, or $4 or whatever you paid for the item?

Which is why I am now throwing out 4 large containers of chili I just made the other day and taking a package of ground beef back to Fry's today (Kroger). Thank goodness I bother reading the news. Major beef recall on 97/3 extra lean ground beef sold on December 20th. Since I can not remember when I bought the beef and put it in the freezer and the garbage was already picked up so I couldn't check the packages for information well....that left me wondering. Did I buy the 97/3 beef around that time or not. Yeah I only made the chili the other day BUT I bought the beef a while ago. So all the chili is getting tossed and the one pack I do have in the freezer is going back to the store. They will 'exchange' it for me since I don't have the receipt. (Seriously? Who keeps food receipts for a month?)

Salmonella, E-coli and/or food poisoning along with the doctor's bills are not worth the cost of 2 pounds of ground beef, an onion, a green bell pepper and some beans and tomatoes that I used to make the chili. NOPE. Rather just toss it all and start a new batch that won't make me wonder and worry about getting sick.

So guess what I'll be doing today? Yep. Making chili again. I'll put some away for later in the freezer and that is also what we are having for dinner today along with the ubiquitous sides of garlic toast and salad.

JB....Cookies your friend used to make you sounds Heavenly. Hazelnuts and dried cherries in oatmeal sounds like quite a taste treat. As for scrambled eggs while I am sure the way you describe them is a treat there is no way I would ever take 45 minutes to make them. Way too much time and work for this woman and I have enough to do every day.

Will catch up with all later.
Happy Day.
AG

Love the presentation of ViolaAnn's breakfast!

JB - I did use a comma!

Margaret - also add some of my homemade orange-cranberry marmalade on the homemade bread toast!

Ann, that sounds great, I love marmalade, and I bet with the cranberries it is extra delicious, very nice brekkie.

I browned the ground beef from Costco that I had in the freezer and put thawing yesterday. Made a sauce for it with a can of Manwhich Sloppy Joe Mix. Did a taste test and it tastes great.

This morning I made some popcorn, with plain kernels and just a liiiiiiiiiitle butter.

Max was not at all scared of the air popper machine, in fact, he sat in front of it the whole time.

With my small bowl of popcorn, he continued following me. Usually Max doesn't like popcorn. He only likes the fresh warm stuff with a little butter smell.