Monday (hers): Poor Man's Beef Stroganoff

This is another recipe that I clipped from the local paper, but that was many, many years ago! I've been making this for the last 8 years I suppose. It's wonderful comfort food, and I keep thinking I'll make regular beef stroganoff one of these days, but this really is so much cheaper and easier. I have enough leftovers for 2 more meals.

Sunday (His): Chicken Fried Rice and a Salad

Not much else to say. I had leftover rice and leftover chicken, so the logical thing to do was make some fried rice. I had a salad too for good measure. My "repertoire" is already repeating itself.

Sunday (hers): Caesar Salad, Hummus, Wheat Pita

I ate a California stereotype for dinner. Salad, artichoke and spinach hummus, and a wheat pita. All I need is an avocado and some sprouts.

Just in case what I had for dinner isn't enough, I've got some chao cooking on the stove. Mmmm. Making chao was my way of celebrating the arrival of my 25lb jasmine rice bag. I feel so happy and safe knowing that I have enough jasmine rice to feed me for the next several months. Of course, eating the chao won't be the same without my His by my side. Who will I save the gizzard for now?

Saturday (His): Pork Ribs with Fried Okra at Pearl's Country Store and Barbecue

Me and three other dudes hopped in my friend's Buick and drove to nearby Micanopy for some barbecue. I had 1/2 lb of barbecue pork ribs with a whopping side of fried okra. I sort of spoiled my dinner by having some instant noodle late in the afternoon, but the ribs and okra were quite good. What added to the dining experience was, as their tv spot below says, the "country charm" and somewhat unusual setting of Pearl's Country Store and Barbecue. Imagine the inside of a gas station convenient store, but with a little restaurant area and you'll get the picture. Sort of reminded me of the Chinese grocery story inside the Gas Station in Madison. This must be a genre of restaurant and grocery store.

You can check it out for yourself:

Friday (his): Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken

Friday's meal was made possible by Publix: Lemon Grass Rotisserie Chicken, True Bleu Salad Mix and Coca-Cola. I cooked the rice and added the fish sauce. Friday's entertainment was the "First Inning" of Ken Burns' Baseball. It was a quiet and pleasant meal and movie!

Saturday (hers): Miya Sushi

The wait for this sushi was horrendous and the service in general was just bad, but the sushi delivered in terms of freshness and deliciousness. Yum. The soy sauce was also amazing. Apparently Miya's makes its own soy sauce, which is lower sodium than traditional soy sauce, and they infuse it with a citrus taste. Really, really delicious and well priced.

Friday (hers): Instant Noodles, haw flakes

Not much to say here other than that it was late and this was the best option.

Thursday (hers): Homemade Caesar

Mmmm, I love anchovies and I love caesar salad. I made my first homemade caesar dressing a few weeks ago from a Tartine recipe I found in the local newspaper. I didn't like how the dressing had egg in it, so I searched for an eggless recipe. Martha Stewart saved the day. No croutons because I was too lazy, but the salad was tasty.

Thursday (his): Rice and Watercress

Wanted to make beef and broccoli, but found myself crunched for time (there's a reading tonight) and hadn't bought the beef yet. Oops! Tomorrow, look for beef and broccoli here. Instead, I ate left over rice with the ground up peanuts, sesame seeds, and peppers (at least that's what I think it is) made by my grandmother. It tasted very healthy. I'll have an red delicious apple for dessert.

Wednesday (his): Not a sandwich

That's Chinese sausage with rice, lightly seasoned with cilantro, onions, and fish sauce. Hey, at least it wasn't a sandwich, right?

Wednesday (hers): Beef and Potatoes

After treating myself to a chocolate shake from mcdonald's on my walk to the subway station, I decided to cook myself a "real" meal for the first time in awhile. By real, I mean with rice. And by real, I mean something that's viet. Beef and potatoes is a classic recipe that my grandma used to make. I always miss her when I make and it eat it, but in a good way. It took me over an hour to cook this entire meal, so I'm posting three photos.

Monday and Tuesday (His): Buddha Belly Fried Rice and another sandwich

 

Tuesday: Another Sandwich?

Not much time for dinner today because I was finishing up a poem. So of course I make myself a sandwich. This pictures sort of makes my turkey, bacon, lettuce, sprouts and tomato sandwich look scary. I vow not to eat another sandwich for dinner for the rest of the week!

 

Monday: Fried Rice

Had a fried rice craving yesterday (Monday) night so I went to the only place in town that I know that makes decent fried rice, a place called Buddha Belly. It's not "authentic," but very flavorful. I guess you can say it's "inspired" by, say, Vietnamese or Chinese fried rice. I usually get the pork fried rice, which is really more like pulled pork. This time I tried the chicken fried rice. Pork is better.

Tuesday (hers): Homemade nachos

I totally forgot to take a picture, but I had nachos with cheddar cheese, shredded boiled chicken, sour cream, green onions, and jalapenos. I was so hungry that I completely forgot about the blog! I'll remember tomorrow, promise!

Monday (hers): Eggs, rice, brussel sprouts

I still don't have jasmine rice (when will I be in the mood to carry that 20lb bag home on the subway?) so I'm using long-grain. What has happened to me? I made two fried eggs with onions and fish sauce (mmm) and brussel sprouts with tons of parmesan cheese on top. I liked that, and I still have 5 left in the fridge for a "rainy day."

Sunday (hers): Tacos

Ok, so I haven't technically had my dinner yet, but I'm going to attribute that to the very big late lunch I had (4 tacos). This is my second time making carne asada, and it's slightly better this time because I used the right kind of meat. I overcooked the meat, however. I like it a little rare. There are plenty of leftovers so I'm excited that I'll have a decent lunch tomorrow.

Sunday (His): Chili for a Chilly Sunday

I loaned a book to someone in my seminar and in exchange she brought me some homemade chili. I do believe I got the better part of that deal. And it was a good Sunday for chili too, being kind of chilly--like 40 degrees chilly--here in Florida and all. I ate it between football games today, after the Packers beat the Bears, and before heading back to the bar to watch the Jets get massacred (they're still playing now). The chili had lots of beef, green and red peppers, mushrooms, some kind of beans, and other good stuff I can't remember. I'll have to get the recipe. 

Saturday (hers): Yeah, I'm not proud of me either

Ok, I'm feeling under the weather today so I didn't have the energy to eat. On the menu was carne asada tacos, and in the fridge is marinating carne asada meat. Tyler Florence says that overmarinating your meat will break down its fibers and make it taste disgusting, so I'm hoping he's wrong since I won't have the energy to cook the meat till tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm eating one of my roommate's fuji apples and two unpeeled carrots. At least I didn't eat out again?

Saturday (His): Five Guys Hamburger and Fries

Stopped in at Five Guys before watching "True Grit" for the second time. It was a good decision. The hamburger was better than I remembered. But then again, I was probably hungry. I didn't have all the fixings as the above stock photo, but had the double burger with raw onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. The fries were what I remembered, good but not great. It did make me think fondly of Madison, however. It was so easy just to walk to Five Guys and so many other places. And "True Grit" was just as good or even better than I remembered from the first time.

Friday (hers): Brisket Sandwich

Ok, I ate out again. at the same place I was 2 days ago. Horrible! I mean the food was good, but I definitely can't eat out again for the next week. I'll try to cook a big meal tomorrow to hold me over for the next few days.

Friday (his): Egg Roll Vermicelli

Not as impressive as it might look, but still an improvement on instant noodles. I didn't make the egg rolls, of course--you did! They are part of what remains of the batch of egg rolls you made for me when I visited you in Brooklyn for the first time. All I had to do was unthaw and fry them, cook the noodles, add red leaf lettuce, cilantro, and for some extra crunch and color, cut up some carrots. Oh, and make the fish sauce. I still can't make the fish sauce right. Oh well. It still tasted fine to me.  

Thursday (his): "Cart Attacks China"

Treated myself to Chinese food made by this cooking wizard at my favorite bar / food cart. Every other week or so the food cart "attacks" a different country/cuisine. Previous ones have included Cart Attacks the South, Cart Attacks France, Cart Attacks Vietnam. Tonight was part of Cart Attacks China: dumpling soup, crab rangoon, sweet and sour chicken, rice, a cocktail and a beer. Hopefully he'll be attacking some food when you visit Gainesville.

Wednesday (his): Instant Noodles and Water Cress

Noodle Boy Strikes Again! Was really hungry after my appointment and grocery shopping at Chun Ching Asian Grocery. Intended to have egg rolls over cold vermicelli noodles, so bought everything I needed, except for a lime (for the fish sauce). Apparently, there's a lime shortage. Apparently, I also can substitute lemon. Well, I'm still learning. This was a quick fix. The water cress was there to neutralize the sodium from the noodles. I wonder what my insides look like?

Thursday (Hers): Pho Beef

Had Pho Beef (i'm pretty sure that's how they translated it) tonight at V Nam Cafe. I was delighted to learn that it is actually owned and run by Viets! The pho was good, not great, and reasonably priced. I had a Coca Cola in a can for an extra dollar. Yum! I have to make sure to eat in tomorrow night. Eating out three nights in a row is completely uncalled for.

Wednesday (hers): a Real Treat

I met up with my roommate tonight for after work drinks at Char No. 4. I had some high quality bourbon for 1/2 off, and then I went to Buttermilk Channel for a burger. Yum! The pickles were delicious. The fries and aioli were superb. The price point was at the "treat" level, but it was worth it, since all that was waiting for me at home was parmesan cheese, biscotti, and yogurt.

Tuesday (his): Grilled Turkey and Cheddar, Carrots and an Orange.

Looks like it's lunch for dinner again! And looks like someone else was eating a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich for dinner too. I've been in a grilled turkey and cheese kind of mood. Maybe it's nostalgia (this was one of the first American things my mom learned how to make). Maybe I'm just lazy (I had just a couple of hours between class and my evening workshop). Well, this tasted good with the sourdough bread I got a Publix. Also, the orange, carrots and yummy ranchy dressing made it appear healthier.

Tuesday (hers): Grilled Turkey, Cheddar & Tomato with Crinkle Cut Fries

My original plan was to eat french fry nachos (fries with melted cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, green onions, diced tomato, hot sauce, whatever else I can find), but felt too ashamed. Instead I had fries, but with no cheese on top, and a turkey sandwich. So lazy. I think I'll eat a Nonnis Chocolate Biscotti now. They taste just like really dry diet brownies.

Monday (his): Publix Deli Italian Sandwich

Dinner tonight was the last half of my lunch: an Italian sandwich made by one of the fine folks at the Publix Deli. When I'm really feeling special, I go for the Boar's Head meat. But this time I decided to save a dollar and just have the Publix-made deli meat. Sorry, I'm cheap! Now that I inhaled this sandwhich, whilst catching up on my current events, what will I eat for dinner tomorrow?

Monday (hers): Lemon Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

I wanted to make Chinese takeout style lemon chicken, but got too lazy. I decided to bake a chicken leg quarter and one breast instead. I marinated with lemon juice, garlic, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, sugar, and baked them at 425. I have been making this chicken for the last 8 years. Really easy if you want to eat something that tastes like you "tried." Oh yeah, I'll be eating this exact same thing for lunch tomorrow.