Meal No. 1263: Turkey & Provolone Panini

Some nights the dinner just has to be food:

Meal No. 1262: Simple Beef Chili with Beans

It was a crew of folks here tonight for a mix of pool playing and streaming of a popular TV series, so I put on a pot of chili. We scarfed it down.

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"Simple Beef Chili with Kidney Beans," from Cook's Illustrated, Number Sixty-One [March-April 2003], p. 10-11.

Meal No. 1261: Fried Shrimp & Hushpuppies

When I made shrimp po'boys last week, the recipe for the fried shrimp was so good that I've been craving it again ever since. Tonight I decided to just do a plate of cajun-spiced shrimp with a side of hushpuppies.

The peeled shrimp gets a good coating of spices, then I dip it briefly in buttermilk, and then dredge it in a flour, corn meal, and spice mixture. Then it goes to the fryer for just a few minutes. It comes out delicious.

The hushpuppies, however, were somewhat off...perhaps because the mix was out of date...

The creole dipping sauce made up for the disappointment of them, though.

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"Shrimp Po'Boy," in Bon Appétit, June 2011, p. 118-119.

"Cajun Remoulade Sauce," by Remoulader. Found online at Food.com.

Meal No. 1260: Roasted Breast of Turkey

Sunday night at the Roediger House took on the feel of a feast when the roasted herbed turkey breast was sliced and served. The marinating and roasting of the turkey were from recipes that are new to me but I think they're going to be worth reaching for again.

I'd promised that we'd have some sweet potato casserole to go with it, so I dug out a good-looking version of it from the North Carolina Baptist Foundation Family Favorites cookbook:

It was also a chance to try out another recipe I came across in the Southern Living annual recipes collection, passed on to me by friend and CRISS colleague Peggy Clark. This one was for a simple creamy wine sauce, and it was a big big hit with the turkey.

No green vegetables on the plate...just a lump of corn casserole that was sweet and tender and good. We all did not seem to lack for enough sustenance this night!

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Guidance for marinating the turkey breast came from "Marinated Turkey Breast," by Danielle and published to allrecipes.com; and for roasting it from "Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe," from Taste of Home online.

"Creamy Wine Sauce," by Lynda Sarkisian of Seneca, SC. Published in Southern Living 2001 Annual Recipes. Birmingham, AL: Oxmoor Press (2001), p. 81.

"Sweet Potato Casserole," by Ella Rae Roberts of Hendersonville, NC. Published in Foundation Family Favorites. Cary, NC: North Carolina Baptist Foundation (1993), p. 204.

"Jiffy Corn Casserole," found on Facebook. Also known as "Corn Soufflé," as found in Stirring Performances, from The Junior League of Winston-Salem, Inc. (1988), p. 219. Online recipe (called "Spoon Bread Casserole") can be found on the JIFFY Mix website from Chelsea Milling Co.

Meal No. 1259: Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Thighs

First of all, today was a special treat, because my oldest friend in the world stopped by with his wonderful wife Tracy and their adorable new addition to the family, Emmett.

Jay and I grew up across the street from one another but it had been far too long since he'd been able to stop by the Roediger House. They were on their way from Asheville back home to Raleigh, after celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.

Their photos of Emmett, by the way, are pretty awesome...check out Tracy's Instagram feed or Jay's Instagram feed.

As for dinner on this unusually quiet Saturday night at the Roediger House, I dipped into an old Southern Living recipes annual (gifted to me from friend and CRISS trainer colleague Peggy Clark from Florida), and I tried out stuffed bacon-wrapped chicken thighs. It was somewhat involved and I wouldn't have minded a boost in the flavors and seasoning, but it was still a good Saturday supper.

Cherrywood-smoked bacon wrapped all 'round, dipped in egg and lemon juice, dredged in lemon pepper-seasoned flour, fried for a bit, and then baked.

Stuffed inside with Swiss cheese, honey dijon, roasted red pepper strips, and some cubed stuffing...

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"Stuffed Chicken Thighs," by Lee Ann Ray of Pilot Point, TX. In Southern Living 1982 Annual Recipes, Birmingham, AL: Oxmoor Press (1982), p. 84.

Meal No. 1258: New Year's Day Meatballs

Tonight was just one of those great gatherings with good friends. With six folks around the table, I whipped up a batch of what we in the Jones family call "New Year's Day Meatballs" (a moniker assigned because of the holiday when we first had them). Other Jones family favorites filled out the plate: layered green bean casserole and company mashed potatoes. The menu choices were driven by a desire to have dishes that could cook while I enjoyed being upstairs joining in on the pool playing. I've found myself doing that sort of culinary decision-making quite a bit these last couple of months. Addendum: When it was announced that it was nearly 2 am, catching me completely off-guard, we finally retired the cue sticks for the night.

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"New Year's Day Meatballs," from Carol Fultz of Indiana (2001).

"Company Mashed Potatoes," a Jones family favorite.

"Layered Green Bean Casserole," a Jones family favorite (received December 2001).

Meal No. 1257: Baked Dijon Salmon Fillets

Baked Dijon Salmon Fillets

Back in February, when I tried this recipe for the first time, I was pretty pleased with the results. Tonight was little different, although I'd go back in time and fix two things: thicker stalks of asparagus would stand up to the cooking better, and I let the salmon bake at least five minutes too long.

What I wouldn't change? How good it still was. This take on salmon is a keeper at the Roediger House.

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"Baked Dijon Salmon," by Esmee Williams. In AllRecipes Magazine, February/March 2015, p. 21.

Meal No. 1256: Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops with a Fried Egg

Well, look what kind of topper I found for this evening's delicious pan-seared and bourbon-glazed center cut pork chop:

That's what I ended up making for dinner after a grueling three days working on tax stuff!

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"Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops and Fried Eggs," by Sydney Oland of Somerville, MA. Found online at seriouseats.com. [Posted January 18, 2014.]

Meeting Room with a View

In over two decades of providing professional development and training to educators, I confess to having taught in all kinds of presentation and classroom spaces. That means lots of media centers, no small number of classrooms, occasionally in cafeterias, every once in a while in a central training room, from time to time in a hotel ballroom, and a handful of times in recreation club spaces. Perhaps twice I've taught in church facilities.

Last week, I got to conduct a training session for aspiring principals from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in a gorgeous room with the best views ever: the Neill Board Room of the Burress Center in the new offices of the Winston-Salem Foundation:

Here's a shot of the group, and you can see how those floor-to-ceiling windows offered a wide-ranging view of the Winston-Salem city skyline and downtown:

And looking in on the room through the glass wall:

Now, has your attentive eye picked up on why I'm posting about this on the Roediger House blog? Yep: I spent the whole day, for the first time ever, teaching in a room that looked down on the house I live in. (See the first and third photos above.)

That's right: the Winston-Salem Foundation is located in the new 751 W. Fourth building, about which I've blogged in the past. That building with the wonderful amenity floor on top with a rooftop deck for relaxing breaks from trainings:

...and from which, if one looks south while enjoying that top-floor view, one can spot the wonderful Roediger House, which itself has a pretty snazzy view of the downtown skyline:

A friend of mine was in town that week and snagged this photo looking back at 751 W Fourth. If you look at the third floor, over to the right, you'll see a session facilitator leaning against the glass of the presentation room during his session with aspiring principals:

Turns Out Cyprus Really Was Too Sweet

Regular readers of the blog, and any visitors to the Roediger House, are well acquainted with Cyprus. She is sweet, precious, loving, gentle, and sleepy. She loves women, especially, and poses a modest threat to any who get close enough to her for a kiss to be attempted.

In recent months, this sweet girl of the house has ballooned to over 80 pounds. She turned into quite the porker, as some of the following pictures might attest:

I've been between vets the last few months and I'd let her thyroid medication run out. Between the weight and a terrible infection in one eye that she contracted, I was propelled to action on a Friday when I was off the road and got her in to see a new doc.

The eye infection was termed "idiopathic" and was cleared up with drops, although it's left her with a ghost eye and limited vision. Once she started again on the thyroid medicine, though, she underwent a tremendous period of weight loss. In less than two months, she shed nearly 20 pounds. She was listless, eating only a little bit every two or three days, and she'd become quite weak. I've been carrying her on the stairs and lifting her up into the truck. Another vet visit was called for.

There's now a new diagnosis, after some tests were run: Cyprus is diabetic. From now on, she'll need insulin shots morning and night:

Update: after almost a full week, Cyprus has really rebounded. She's got her appetite back (and how!), she's got more energy, she's returned to her loving personality, and I'd say she's going to be just fine. In fact, I'd say she's almost ready for her learner's permit:

Meal No. 1255: Grilled Shoulder Lamb Chops

It was one of those rare occasions where I forgot to photograph the dinner, but this evening the beautiful weather compelled me to grill. Featured on the plates: shoulder lamb chops, baked sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli. Another fine meal here at the RoHo!

Meal No. 1254: Shrimp Po'Boys

It was all good, but the shrimp was especially amazing tonight.

There was still enough blue cheese coleslaw from earlier in the week to contribute to how these po'boys were dressed.

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"Shrimp Po'Boy," in Bon Appétit, June 2011, p. 118-119.

"Rémoulade," online at bonappetit.com.

"Blue Cheese Coleslaw," from Ina Garten. Available online at the Food Network website.

Meal No. 1253: Peanut Butter Bacon Burgers

Left to my own devices, I do indeed get a hankering from time to time to make this incredibly flavorful and filling meal that represents an interesting combination of ingredients: peanut butter bacon burgers. But more often than not, what propels me to action is the request-slash-demand for them from Roediger House regulars (who very kindly and perhaps overstatedly will proclaim these as consistently the best burgers they ever eat anywhere). Regardless, it's hard not to be happy and content after a satisfying evening munching down a homemade Roediger House version of the peanut butter bacon burgers made famous by Yo Mama's in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

And yes: I absolutely grind the beef fresh just before frying up the burgers:

A review of key points about peanut butter bacon burgers:

• Inspired by Yo Mama's in the French Quarter of New Orleans
• First Made: Meal No. 180
• Last Made: Meal No. 1133
• Homemade Peanut Butter
• Fresh-Ground Beef, typically from boneless beef short ribs and top sirloin
• Homemade Classic Burger Sauce (recipe below)
• Labeled Sample Finished Burger: Guide to Meal No. 234
• Some guidance, inspiration, and tips are based on Cook's Illustrated, No. 93 (July/August 2008), p. 10.

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Classic Burger Sauce

from Cook's Illustrated, July-August 2008, p. 11.

4 T mayonnaise
2 T ketchup
1 tsp sweet pickle relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Meal No. 1252: Filipino Chicken Adobo

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"Introducing Chicken Adobo," by Bryan Roof. In Cook's Illustrated, March & April 2012, p. 6-7.

April Gallery Hop Cookies

For a while, I was in the habit of making cookies for the first Friday gallery hop openings at Delurk, a local co-op art gallery in the arts district of downtown Winston-Salem. I'd gotten away from it for a while, between travel and a diminished demand to provide goodies each and every time.

For the April show opening, I got back on the job and brought in two kinds of cookies. One was a completely new recipe for me: chai-spiced oatmeal cookies with caramel bits. They were a pretty big hit. The other was a second attempt at making Cap'n Crunch cookies with the new Chocolatey Crunch cereal. That plate was also well-received.

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"Caramel-Chai Oatmeal Cookies," in Cuisine at Home, September/October 2013, p. 47.

"Cap'n Crunch Cookies," found online at The Capitol Baker, with credit going to The Sugar Plum Blog for inspiration and the source of the adapted recipe.

Meal No. 1251: Indoor Pulled Pork Barbecue

It was just one of those Tuesday nights where eight was enough around the dinner table, and it called for a healthy mess of indoor pulled pork barbecue with some gorgonzola blue cheese coleslaw alongside.

Half the crew enjoyed getting caught up on some missed episodes of a favorite show, while the other half indulged in quite a few rounds of pool:

But before we headed back upstairs, there was some chocolate éclair cake to make us all just a bit oversugared:

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"Indoor Pulled Pork," by Bryan Roof. In Cook's Illustrated, January & February 2010 (No. 102), p. 6-7.

"Blue Cheese Coleslaw," from Ina Garten. Available online at the Food Network website.

Meal No. 1250: Beef Tenderloin with Bernaise & Madeira Sauces and Madeira Vegetable & Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Oh my gosh. This meal was a monster and a masterpiece. I don't often go to such great lengths for a quiet weeknight evening supper but when I was looking through the latest Tupelo Honey Cafe cookbook, this recipe called my name.

The first step was making a beef broth gravy, which was itself just an ingredient in a long-simmering Madeira vegetable sauce. I also prepared a homemade Bernaise sauce. And the homemade mashed potatoes were jazzed up with some of the Madeira vegetables and goat cheese. And it's all topped with crispy Vidalia onion rings. Somewhere in there is a delicious cut of beef tenderloin. Yep. A weeknight feast.

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"Beef Tenderloin with Bernaise & Madeira Sauces and Madeira Vegetable & Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes," by Elisabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus. In Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing (2014), p. 156-158.

Meal No. 1249: Lamb Köfte

The lamb köfte that I made tonight is a pretty cool combination of flavors: nicely spiced lamb meatballs served on a bed of caramelized onions resting on a lemon tahini yogurt sauce on top of pan-sizzled flatbread, and flavored a little more with a nice roasted red pepper and pomegranate molasses muhammara sauce on top of it all.

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"Lamb Köfte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara," from Bon Appétit, January 2010. [clipping]

Meal No. 1248: Rainbow Trout with Spinach & Roasted Red Peppers

I recently received the latest cookbook from Asheville's Tupelo Honey Cafe. It inspired me to make something that's completely brand new to me: rainbow trout. I'm not sure I remember ever even eating any trout. It just hasn't been on my radar.

It was a good move to give it a try, because it sure was delicious. The creamy spinach and roasted red bell peppers on top, and a bed of creamy southern stone ground grits below, added up to a fulfilling Saturday night dinner at the Roediger House.

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"Sautéed Sunburst Red Rainbow Trout with Spinach and Roasted Red Bell Peppers," by Elisabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus. In Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing (2014), p. 144-145.

"Creamy Grits," from Luquire Family Stone Ground Grits, milled in Greenwood, SC.

Meal No. 1247: Herb-Roasted Whole Chicken with Savory Pan Gravy

The first Friday gallery hop was this evening so it was a good reason to have some folks over for a special early dinner. I'd come across a large oven stuffer on a good sale, and even though I made this same meal just last week, I'm glad there was an occasion to make it again.

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"Herb-Roasted Whole Chicken with Savory Pan Gravy," in Tupelo Honey Cafe: Spirited Recipes from Asheville's New South Kitchen, by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC (2011), p. 136-137.

"Best Potluck Macaroni and Cheese," from Cook's Country, April/May 2007, p. 11.

"Campbell's Classic Green Bean Casserole," from Campbell's Kitchen. Recipe available online.