What's for Dinner, Mon., Jan. 24, 2022

[NJCher]

Cup of leek potato soup.

Plate of seafood--shrimp, smoked salmon, whitefish salad.

Rye crackers and pumpernickel.

Dessert: Sweet 'n spicy Good Earth tea with slice of white cake, yogurt, and blueberries.

[MontanaMama]

1. Corned beef cooked in Guiness beer the instant pot...

Mashed garlic potatoes and a Napa cabbage salad on the side.

Corned beef in winter?? This is our non-traditional St Patrick's Day dinner. We have a small locally owned grocery store that makes the best homemade corned beef...the butcher that works at the store uses his Irish grandmother's recipe...they make huge quantities of corned beef because the secret is out and demand is high. I buy 4 of them to get us through the year because they're so darned good. This is my last one until I can place an order for 4 more in early March.

[hippywife]

2. Roasted chicken ala America's Test Kitchen

Spatchcocked, dry brined and refrigerated uncovered for several hours (not as long as I wanted, but it will be fine) and roasted according to this recipe (sans bread salad and with ground rosemary leaves added):

How to Make Zuni Café-Style Roast Chicken with Bread Salad - best roast chicken I've ever eaten!

Sweet potatoes according to this recipe (without the topping):
https://food52.com/recipes/84388-baked-sweet-potatoes-with-maple-crme-frache-recipe

This method makes perfect baked sweet potatoes. They come out so creamy and virtually string free, they practically slip out of the skins.

Also, brussels sprouts steamed with butter, salt, pepper and a big pinch of sugar.

Dessert: we're still working on the brownies I made the other night. (Recipe is for an 8x8" pan, and I made a 9x13", doubling all but the sugar - kept it at 2 cups instead of doubling to 2 1/2):

https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/best-cocoa-brownies/#comment-6361266

ETA: also made a boule of no-knead wheat bread today to have with dinner.

[NJCher]

3. I just printed out that sweet potato recipe

Might do the prep on it tonight. I have all the ingredients except for the peanuts, but I could get them tomorrow. Or substitute pecans.

That brownie article was a fun read. I got a laugh out of her comment about the people who may like them the most (box people).

[hippywife]

4. I can't vouch for the sauce on the sweet potato recipe.

I've never made it because I prefer them with butter and bleu cheese. Tonight just ate them with butter.

That line from the brownie recipe is about the only one I can recall reading. I usually just scan that stuff for tips on the recipe and leave the rest. They are excellent brownies, tho. Have been making them for years. I even underbake them just slightly to make sure they're nice and fudgy.

How are your water pipes? Hope there was no damage.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Broiled Salmon and Shrimp Fried Rice

Salmon was marinated in garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, scallions, garlic and then broiled. Quality fish.

Shrimp Fried Rice was restaurant quality and paired well with main dish. Used broccoli instead of carrot and used brown rice.

Sincerely good.

And two hours later, the kitchen and the entire apartment smell divine!