Good news, bad news

[glatt]

Make a big pot of sloppy joes. Serve 3 days in a row. Act like it's perfectly normal.

[Lola Bunny]

Originally Posted by glatt

Make a big pot of sloppy joes. Serve 3 days in a row. Act like it's perfectly normal.

[busterb]

Originally Posted by glatt

Make a big pot of sloppy joes. Serve 3 days in a row. Act like it's perfectly normal.

Last time I made them I added a bunch of bell peppers and other things.
Must to have taken most of anti-acid in house.

[Clodfobble]

Heh, we were talking last night about which families we could get away with serving nontraditional food to. The only one who definitely wouldn't put up with it is my dad. I once told him I was thinking about making enchiladas on Christmas Eve and he kind of flipped. Fox News probably told him illegal immigrants were taking over Christmas, and here I'd gone and proved it...

Anyway, the current bones of the plan are this: I'm making a big batch of mashed potatoes for our regular dinner Sunday night. Leftover mashed potatoes will be saved for my dad's meal. I will also make bacon-wrapped dates way ahead of time, tell him to bring green beans, open a can of cranberry sauce, and that's that.

Meanwhile, Mr. Clod is going to call his mom today and ask how she feels about turkey burgers and sweet potato fries for Christmas Eve-afternoon. We think she'll be into it. She will also get the first half of the bacon-wrapped dates, and a couple of other thrown-together sides.

Chistmas Day, I have scored big in that my aunt has offered to bring a ham. Woo! And my mom gave me a giant bag of tamales that her massage therapist gave to her. (He's Hispanic. Tamales on Christmas are a thing.) This branch of the family is the weirdest, and will eat whatever the hell I throw at them. They once had a soup potluck for Christmas. So it'll be ham, tamales... and some other stuff.

Also, today I'm going to the GFCF bakery and getting 24 overpriced cupcakes in seasonal flavors (pumpkin, apple spice, etc.,) to be spread across all three meals. Hooray!

[Chocolatl]

Clod, how do you make your potatoes? I tried making ours with chicken broth instead of milk/cream for Thanksgiving and they were just kind of... sad.

[orthodoc]

I used to make dairy-free mashed potatoes using water and rice milk ... had to up the garlic and seasoning a bit. I used a vegan margarine at the time. They didn't have that fatty mouth-feel, but they were tasty and went well with sauteed mushrooms etc.

My kids are doing the Christmas menu next week and have decided on ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, devilled eggs, broccoli with cheese sauce, and peppermint cheesecake and creme de menthe bars for dessert. I have a feeling I won't be able to eat any of it, lol ... I have no idea what the Christmas Eve menu will be but can't really care this morning ... thinking about food too much right now is not helping my side effects.

Anyway - I thought it rather funny that they decided a turkey with stuffing was too risky and too much work - after insisting on that for every holiday meal for years! Ditto the duck and goose. However, I do appreciate them choosing something they feel comfortable doing. It'll be interesting to watch them smash up all the required peppermint candy for the cheesecake!

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by glatt

Make a big pot of sloppy joes. Serve 3 days in a row. Act like it's perfectly normal.

I like the cut of your jib, Glatt. A man after my own heart.

Originally Posted by Chocolatl

Clod, how do you make your potatoes? I tried making ours with chicken broth instead of milk/cream for Thanksgiving and they were just kind of... sad.

I use Olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, egg yolk if you really need to boost the mouth feel. Obviously, mix it with olive oil first and incorporate it slowly into the taters or it will cook. Maybe beans shouldn't be eating raw eggs, but you get the idea. Carmelized onions minced would certainly add that whole Umame angle, Maillard reaction and all that. Oatmilk is another one that has a velvety texture.

Originally Posted by orthodoc

I used to make dairy-free mashed potatoes using water and rice milk ... had to up the garlic and seasoning a bit. I used a vegan margarine at the time. They didn't have that fatty mouth-feel, but they were tasty and went well with sauteed mushrooms etc.

My kids are doing the Christmas menu next week and have decided on ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, devilled eggs, broccoli with cheese sauce, and peppermint cheesecake and creme de menthe bars for dessert. I have a feeling I won't be able to eat any of it, lol ... I have no idea what the Christmas Eve menu will be but can't really care this morning ... thinking about food too much right now is not helping my side effects.

Anyway - I thought it rather funny that they decided a turkey with stuffing was too risky and too much work - after insisting on that for every holiday meal for years! Ditto the duck and goose. However, I do appreciate them choosing something they feel comfortable doing. It'll be interesting to watch them smash up all the required peppermint candy for the cheesecake!

Sounds yummy, but I dig what you are saying about food not mixing with chemo. I'm surprised you can even be around food.

How old are your kids? You make them sound like teenagers in the kitchen.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Carmelized onions minced would certainly add that whole Umame angle, Maillard reaction and all that. Oatmilk is another one that has a velvety texture.

Sounds yummy, but I dig what you are saying about food not mixing with chemo. I'm surprised you can even be around food.

How old are your kids? You make them sound like teenagers in the kitchen.

I'll have to try oatmilk sometime, if it gives a richer texture. And the carmelized onions sound great! I'd like it - my family has tended to insist on perfect white whipped potatoes in the past. They're broadening their horizons gradually.

The kids are 20 - 26 but the younger ones have only lately developed much interest in the kitchen. My oldest prefers low-fat mainly vegetarian and my two youngest gravitate to comfort foods when at home, hence the ham and scalloped potatoes. I'd hoped they'd want to try some novel taste combinations, but it's all good. Once they get cooking more they'll branch out.

As for chemo ... I have two or three bad days (like this weekend) right after a treatment, and then things start to resolve. I'm very fortunate that way, my taste returns to normal within a week. A downside: I have to watch my weight! Who'd 'a thunk you could gain weight on chemo? Because of the steroids and current meds regimens, a lot of women do, apparently. What a gyp.

(Eating well for health actually helps - I've gained a few steroid pounds but not much. Not feeling well enough to exercise consistently is probably the biggest challenge.)

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by orthodoc

A downside: I have to watch my weight! Who'd 'a thunk you could gain weight on chemo? Because of the steroids and current meds regimens, a lot of women do, apparently. What a gyp.

(Eating well for health actually helps - I've gained a few steroid pounds but not much. Not feeling well enough to exercise consistently is probably the biggest challenge.)

Totally a gyp. I was really angry when they told me I would gain weight. and I couldn't exercise. I could hobble, though. Like an old lady.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Chocolatl

Clod, how do you make your potatoes? I tried making ours with chicken broth instead of milk/cream for Thanksgiving and they were just kind of... sad.

Like ortho and foot said, we use milk subs. Our favorite is almond milk, plus salt and pepper, and also sometimes rosemary and garlic if I'm feeling like making an effort.

Update: MIL has politely said that she feels the turkey burgers and sweet potato fries would be too casual. (As a face-saving alternative she offered to bring a cooked turkey with them, but we both know that's silly.) Oh well. I'll figure something out.

[Trilby]

clod----i don't know how you do it.

is it cocaine, clod? Is that the secret?

[orthodoc]

What about telling everyone that you'll provide beef stew for sixty and they are responsible to bring the rest - give each one a choice of two dishes to bring and then strike it off your list?

If each family group is expecting the meal you serve them to be 'the Christmas feast', which is the sense I get from your mil's comment, then you have been had. Very unreasonable. If that's not the case I would suggest feeling free to be casual or go pot-luck.

[Clodfobble]

New plan, new plan! (I picture myself as a be-fezzed Matt Smith Dr. Who, prancing in circles as I say this.)

Originally Posted by Trilby

clod----i don't know how you do it.

is it cocaine, clod? Is that the secret?

The trick is rejecting the idea of complicated, prep-heavy dishes like casseroles and whatnot.

In-laws are now getting prime rib (2 hours in the oven, no big deal,) leftover mashed potatoes (already did the work,) date relish (one of Mr. Clod's specialities, and thus his problem not mine,) cranberry sauce (can opening duties delegated to the stepkids,) frozen peas (microwaved,) and deviled eggs (the one thing I have to make, besides putting the prime rib on a rack.)

Dad's group is getting duck (again, just toss that crap in the oven,) more leftover mashed potatoes, green beans (telling my dad to bring them,) leftover deviled eggs, a second can of cranberry sauce, and bacon-wrapped dates (the one thing I have to make.)

Mom's group is getting ham (aunt is bringing,) steamed green beans with a red bell pepper thrown in for color (the one thing I have to prep,) leftover bacon-wrapped dates, tamales (already sitting in my freezer,) plus guac/salsa for the tamales.


Ain't no thang!

[ZenGum]

I'm still stuck at the bacon wrapped dates.

[orthodoc]

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