Topic: What are you eating / What did you eat.

[8ullfrog]

I know this section is pretty much me, so I've decided to cut down on threads and just post the meals, unless it's batshit insane, like the mint French toast.

So tonight I used the toaster oven to make hot dogs. They were gross, and I won't do that again.

Specifically, I cooked the hot dogs first, and that LOOKED fine, then I toasted the bun, then put them together for a third light toaster ovening, then added ketchup and mustard-relish. It's like, a jar, and they mixed mustard and relish.

https://www.bgpickles.com/product/hot-dog-relish

WOW that is a big and accurate image. I think I like it? Like I didn't, this time, but it seems like a condiment I would enjoy normally?

It just... sucked. The relish went through the bottom of the toasted hot dog bun and it was messier than a hot dog should be.

I never realized what high standards I have for stupid hot dogs. I mean they're hot dogs.

[6pairsofshoes]

I'm eating Crunchmaster crackers.

My grandmother and I made relish once.  We went out to the garden and picked green and red bell peppers.  If you pour hot water over them after cutting them, it helps draw off the bitterness.  You have to change the water a couple of times.  Otherwise, it took some chopped onions and pickling spice, vinegar and sugar.  The relish was delicious.  We canned it.  Red peppers are just green peppers that stay on the plant longer.  The colors were gorgeous, like some kind of confetti you laid over the hot dogs or as a condiment to be mixed with potato salad.

[8ullfrog]

That Relish story is fantastic, and I have nothing to compare it to.

Closest I get is grandpa showed me how to load a gallo salami slice and square of cracker barrel on a ritz and shove it in that very same toaster oven. It's the one thing I asked for when my grandma moved back to the east coast. She'd been using it as a plant stand.

I remember those cracker snacks fondly. Funny enough, I can't stand ritz crackers in any other circumstance.

[6pairsofshoes]

I'm on a marmalade making binge. 

I've never made cucumber pickles, but those sound pretty intriguing.  The relish is a sort of pickle.  I did make pickled watermelon rind but it didn't turn out so great.

Your ritz concoction sounds lovely, particularly because you have such nice food memories of your grandparents associated with them.  My grandmother had me help make cookies and preserves and it was always such a pleasure to hang out with her.  She always had cake for visitors.  Her pound cake was wonderful.  She'd bake two loaves and freeze one so there was always one stashed away in case you got a hankering for some.

[8ullfrog]

Sadly, El Amigo has disappointed me.

I rarely have the dosh to eat out, so picking up an order of Carne Asada fries is at best, a monthly proposition.

Well, The order has increased by one Dollar, the portion has decreased by I would say one Dollar, and the guac and sour cream are doled out in a stingy amount.

Even the hot sauces have been messed with, and you don't mess with Red or Green sauce.

I guess I'll just go with a Carne Asada burrito in future, but to be honest, the whole experience has soured me on the restaurant. They've been my old reliable since 2015, and it's a damn shame they got greedy.

[6pairsofshoes]

There is an excellent Indian restaurant in Berkeley called Ajanta.  The chef was Laachu Morjani, a man from the Punjab who nevertheless relished producing a changing menu with dishes from different regions of India.  I never had a bad meal in that restaurant.  He produced a cookbook that is actually pretty good.

Well, he finally decided it was time to retire.  We went there about 6 months ago and many of the same staff were there, but the food had definitely declined in quality.  We were so sad.  It sounds like maybe your restaurant underwent some kind of change in management.  It's sad that you can't depend on much of anything not to change in that regard.  I'll sign off because I'm so tired I'm stupid.

Maybe you can learn to make some of those dishes.  You appear to have an aptitude for cooking.

p.s.  In answer to the thread, I had some homemade pasta sauce for dinner over spaghetti.  Mario Batali's basic sauce with grated carrot and fresh thyme.  I use lots of garlic.  It's pretty reliable and it freezes well.

[8ullfrog]

I had the opportunity to purchase a home fryer at an obscene discount once. I asked why it was so cheap. Owner died. 'Nuff said, I realized I'd follow the same path if I could fry at home.

There's a pretty good video on youtube about making a California burrito, shows the level of work I just never feel like at home, and why I ever eat fast food (So I don't cook)

Mom also said she saw a Microwave in the place. That's damn near an obituary for a Mexican food place.

This morning we had some stupid Belgian mix pancakes. They were good, but tiny. Better to mix up our own giant flapjacks from scratch.

I don't know what we're gonna do for dinner, I'm fading. I'm thinking grilled cheese at the moment. Isn't Batali the Harvey Weinstein of the cooking world?

I'd say my burrito skills are pretty good, but the office had a great bit where one of the secretaries says she loved working at a taco bell express, but when it turned into a full service taco bell, she couldn't handle the pressure.

Sam the cooking guy also did a pretty good california burrito vid, where he roasts purists by using TATER TOTS!

[6pairsofshoes]

Isn't Batali the Harvey Weinstein of the cooking world?

That's my understanding, yes.  Our use of his sauce recipe comes from long before this behavior was made public.  Tonight we had simple dinner because I was tied to my computer doing homework.  Chicken thighs baked with Weber rub, some baked potatoes and a salad.  It was easy to prepare and good.  I was up working until about 1 when I knocked off to watch some Curb Your Enthusiasm.  I'm exhausted so I'll go to sleep.

God I hate the switch between time zones.
p.s.  I'm up super early now and get no credit for the extra industriousness because it's now an hour later.  Bog-us!!

[8ullfrog]

Last night was leftover spaghetti, heated on the stove, with the rest of the sauce from the bottle. It was good, obviously not fantastic. Did toaster oven garlic bread, that added about 3 points, so 8/10 (home scale)

Tonight was pulled pork sandwich on those same rolls, once again toaster ovened. That thing is getting a lot of work. About a week ago mom forgot to make a tin foil insert (The tray is lost to the ages) and caused a fire. I thought it would just be a permanent scorch mark on the elements, perhaps slightly reduced performance.

Turns out the "Self Cleaning" label wasn't just advert nonsense. Slowly but surely, the scorch mark is fading away.


The sandwiches were decent, I ate two when I really should have just had one. That dang medication has me all over the place. Hungry, not hungry, FOOD NOW.

Thirsty, not thirsty, god why is my throat so dry, I don't even want to look at liquid right now.

[6pairsofshoes]

McVities Digestive Biscuit.

[6pairsofshoes]

Sandeman's Port and some walnuts.

[8ullfrog]

Manwich isn't very good. I usually make sloppy joe's from scratch, but once the meat was cooked, I decided Eff it, went to the dollar hole and bought a can of Manwich.

I am not impressed. I like my sloppy joe's kinda sweet, and it seems like Manwich is aiming for some shitty southwest style, like Arizona. Those weirdos put bell pepper in EVERYTHING.

Anyway, the hamburger buns were stupid small, so I had 3. First one I toasted the bun and tossed some Havarti on. Second one was just the Manwich by itself, and I didn't care for it.

Third one I buried in shredded Mozzarella. I enjoyed the cheese.

Well, lesson learned. Manwich sucks. The Havarti is ok I guess.


Eh, mom liked it. That's a small victory.


Last night I was so lazy I just ate a jar of pickles. Small jar, but still, that's pretty slovenly.


Can't tell if it's allergies or if I'm sick.

[8ullfrog]

I'm kinda sick of blue bonnet, so I hit my sandwich with a bunch of tapatio to murder the taste. Then Muenster cheese.

Made a pretty decent toasty.

Didn't feel like baking enchiladas tonight.

[6pairsofshoes]

Sometimes grilled cheese is all you need.

I'm eating Safeway Open Nature Flatbread with sesame seeds.  They're tasty as a late night snack.  They have a light dusting of salt.  Safeway (Albertsons/Vons) is ending its yearly Monopoly deals this week.  They have these crazy giveaways once a year.  They give out tickets and you can win all kinds of stuff, money, gift cards, and products like aluminum foil, batteries, potato salad, aspirin, bagels/donuts.  The stores have been giving out huge handfuls of the tickets.  I don't know that I'll ever have to buy aluminum foil again.  It's sort of a big adventure, shopping for free.  Since there is a store a couple blocks from my house, I pop in nearly every day, less often when this game isn't going on.  Do you have one near you, 8ully?

[8ullfrog]

We lost our Albertsons a few years back, unsurprisingly. They do like to desert communities. I've actually seen about six Albertsons betrayals.

Vons, is like, I dunno, people made jokes about whole foods being whole paycheck, but I think $6.50 for a pack of hot dogs is like, pants shitting insane, and their intercom system is deeply unpleasant to experience.

I'd say their produce area is nice, but certainly not in the affordable zone.


They used to have the wrapped sandwiches go on sale on Fridays, but they've since kicked them up to around $10, and that's just stupid.

Affordable groceries seem to be a thing of the past. Our dollar hole doesn't sell hotdog buns, and CVS wanted $3.19. I'll go up to $2.50, but $3.19 is a "golly you" price.

Like how whenever gas hits $5, the government "does nothing" but the price somehow lowers.

Pain threshold.