The Cooking Thread

[leggo PE]

Hahahahahahaha, update on that: I complained to my mom about this, since if my dad keeps putting it off it'll be closer to February when he finally comes out (due to gigs and stuff).  Now my dad is potentially driving out Saturday morning, coming Sunday to help unload/stay the night, and then leave Monday morning when I go to work.  Which seems like a really short stay for a very long trip (he's driving), but maybe he just wants to see how long the trip is?  I'm going to be facetiming my mom sometime this week to help her pack/identify what she should make my dad bring.

Main thing I'm concerned about is that my lease specifically states something about overnight guests/leaving guests unattended (since this is in someone's home, not a normal apartment complex), so I'll need to figure that out with them once I figure out if my dad is serious about coming out or not.

What the heck does it say about overnight guests? Most leases will just say things like you can't have anyone stay overnight for like, two weeks at a time, or for more than, say, 30 calendar days in a year. I couldn't imagine having your dad stay for a night would be a big deal, even if it is someone's home...

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

@leggo PE my last landlord had a clause like that. I was supposed to notify them of overnight guests. Their rules were so invasive. It was so weird and felt like I was living with my parents. I was so happy to move on so many levels

 

[leggo PE]

I've literally never told any landlord I've ever had about overnight guests. And I'm pretty sure my leases have always had some sort of clause like that!

 

[JayKay PE]

I think the lease specifically has that clause because this is literally in their house (like, I’m on the top floor and it requires you to walk through portions of the house to get to it). I talked to them and they’re totally fine with my dad staying over (and I was able to convince him to stay until Tuesday morning instead of Monday). This isn’t a big deal, since I usually don’t have overnight guests/all my conquests are done at their house, but I wanted to make sure it was okay before he drove out here. I think my lease also has something about having more than 3 guests over at a time, since I guess the footsteps are really loud downstairs, but even when I was home and had friends I never really invited them over. Again, a weird lease clause but nothing that really affects me. I’d rather live with lease stipulations that don’t really affect me in all my renting history, for a really nice/safe apartment, than have a looser lease but then be in a real apartment complex with a shit ton of people destroying things around me. 

 

[JayKay PE]

Update on dinner: 

Reheated my rice with my potato soup (I forgot how...unwell that soup thaws). Tastes almost kinda like a risotto? It’s not pretty at all, but I really enjoyed it (please ignore pasty jk legs and concentrate on wonderful potato/rice/tasty carb mush)!

 

[Supe]

all my conquests are done at their house

:rtft:  "Hey baby, lets go back to your place and violate your lease agreement."

Made chili again last night per the wife's request.  Only had stew meat in lieu of the good stuff, and had to leave out the cocoa powder since her mother can't have chocolate.  Can confirm, the cocoa powder and good meat make a world of difference.  It was just good, and not amazing like it normally is.

 

[JayKay PE]

:rtft:  "Hey baby, lets go back to your place and violate your lease agreement."

Made chili again last night per the wife's request.  Only had stew meat in lieu of the good stuff, and had to leave out the cocoa powder since her mother can't have chocolate.  Can confirm, the cocoa powder and good meat make a world of difference.  It was just good, and not amazing like it normally is.

Lol, more like "uh, I don't want you in my space/I don't want you lingering any longer than necessary.  How's 'bout we go to yours, have a good time, and I'll buy a dozen doughnuts afterwards as I scamper off to have brunch."

And cocoa powder/espresso powder makes a world of difference in meat and chocolate dishes!  I use espresso in a lot of my baking stuff, just a tbsp., and it makes everything taste so much more chocolatey/decedent/wonderful!

 

[JayKay PE]

Forgot I had a rotisserie chicken in my fridge from Sunday (saw it this morning when I grabbed my lunch).  Going to pull everything off the bone tonight, since I'm not doing gym, and throw it in the freezer since I have other food in the fridge already.  I feel like I need to get a big dry erase board or something to plan out my meals.  It's so much more difficult when you're cooking/meal planning for one since I keep cooking for 4+.  So I end up eating huge portions or throw everything into my freezer (which is slowly getting more and more full). 

Tonight JK dinner is prob going to be more potato rice soup carb bomb to finish off that thawed-out soup.  I'll take some ground beef from the freezer to thaw out and cook it up on Wednesday if it's thawed.  If not, I think I can make tuna or something since I have celery that looks like it might be going.  Ugh.  This is so much more difficult than wondering if someone ate my food while I was at work.

 

[jeb6294]

Supe's pro-tip - putting it on a rack keeps the bottom from getting soggy, and open air drying in the fridge the night before with a light coat of baking powder dries the skin out and makes it super crispy.

General rule when I do stuff on the smoker too.  Meat gets hit with the dry rub the night before and sits in the fridge.  Next morning it comes out and sits for 1/2 hour or so while the smoker comes up to temperature so the meat can get closer to room temperature.  Lets all the seasoning soak into the meat.

 

[Supe]

Need to come up with a pre-Thanksgiving side dish for dinner with the neighbors.  Green bean casserole, stuffing, potatoes have already been spoken for.  Mac and cheese is the obvious answer, but maybe something a bit different?

 

[JayKay PE]

Sweet potato samosas with cranberry dipping sauce!

 

[Supe]

I hate sweet potatoes AND cranberry sauce, LOL.  Someone else already had dibs on sweet potato casserole anyways.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Sweet potato samosas with cranberry dipping sauce!

That sounds amazing

 

[Booo]

That sounds amazing

Agreed

 

[JayKay PE]

I hate sweet potatoes AND cranberry sauce, LOL.  Someone else already had dibs on sweet potato casserole anyways.

Sweet potato casserole =/= Sweet potato samosas.  I always think the sweet potato casserole is more of a dessert and a samosa is a delightful pre-dinner treat to get you in the mood.

I mean, you could always modify, but you could do like a sweet potato + shredded turkey with a cranberry chutney (maybe with some mint).  Make mini-samosas so they're more of a finger-food instead of a huge part of the meal?  Add some curry to the sweet potato.

Um.  Ignore all that.  I might be attempting this myself.

 

[Supe]

Sweet potato casserole =/= Sweet potato samosas.  I always think the sweet potato casserole is more of a dessert and a samosa is a delightful pre-dinner treat to get you in the mood.

I mean, you could always modify, but you could do like a sweet potato + shredded turkey with a cranberry chutney (maybe with some mint).  Make mini-samosas so they're more of a finger-food instead of a huge part of the meal?  Add some curry to the sweet potato.

Um.  Ignore all that.  I might be attempting this myself.

I will indeed ignore all of that, because it continues to utilize sweet potatoes and cranberry, which, as previously noted, I hate.

 

[JayKay PE]

I will indeed ignore all of that, because it continues to utilize sweet potatoes and cranberry, which, as previously noted, I hate.

I thought this dish was about humiliating the other participants in the meal and show them you are the superior chef?  I didn't realize you wanted to actual like what you made.

Uhhhhhh, Brussels sprouts with candied bacon?  Onion gratin with rosemary?

 

[Supe]

I thought this dish was about humiliating the other participants in the meal and show them you are the superior chef?  I didn't realize you wanted to actual like what you made.

Uhhhhhh, Brussels sprouts with candied bacon?  Onion gratin with rosemary?

I am a fat kid, I am not aiming to impress.

Hate brussel sprouts, but this onion gratin has me intrigued, since I love onions.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

@Supe can you lobby for an appetizer instead?

 

[Supe]

@Supe can you lobby for an appetizer instead?

I can bring whatever I want that hasn't already been "dibbed".