Bought some goodies back from a recent trip to Florence so todays lunch will be 30 month aged Parmesan, Bresaola, Parma Ham, 20 year aged Balsamic and Ciabatta. Really deserves a big glass of Chianti but I'm at bloody work!

A Kashi Granola Bar. Which is gross I might add.

I'm so pleased you noticed the potatoes .... that is really astute of you as believe they are the star ....

I steam peeled charlotte potatos until soft. I let the steam evaporate off. I then add a rediculous amount of butter ie nearly a pack with some milk and an over the top amount of grated mature cheddar and mash it. I then bake it in the oven. This further intensifies taste. When the top starts to catch, I mix it so the whole dish has caramelised bits all the way through and carry on baking. I normally make two portions at the same time and use the second dish in a day or two. My favourite use for the second dish is to take some really good sausages eg red onion pork or something else with character. I skin the sausages and cut them into small bits say each sausage into 6, roll them into small balls, fry them, mix them with the cheesy potato and rebake.

To me the potato is the star.

I've been dealing with a cold and a migraine for the past few days, but my lovely kiddo has been kind enough to square away dinner for the two of us while I've been laid up. Of course, these dinners always seem to involve my car, my credit card, and way too many carbs, but I'm really not complaining

Last night: In'n'Out (double-double with raw onions, fries well-done)

Night before: Taco de carnita (street style), chile poblano relleno with chunky salsa estofado, traditional lard-cooked frijoles pintos refritos (must say, it was an especially delicious batch)

Just finished my last midterm. So I got back into bed, I have my little lap table with a breakfast burrito of sausage, eggs, muenster cheese (all I had in the fridge) and a mango salsa. Life is good ^

There are far too many people going for a sympathy vote here. And using too many foreign words. Far too much showing off.

Bwuahahahahahahaha! I confess to showing off � bragging on being so blessed to have a teenager who's willing to take care of mom (even it it is somewhat self-serving )

Translations:

In'n'Out � do a google search if you've really and truly never heard of this ^

Carnitas � slow-braised pork shoulder that's been chopped and fried, served on steamed corn/maize tortillas with minced white onions, cilantro and spicy red chile salsa (hopefully y'all know what a taco is )...

Chile poblano relleno with chunky salsa estofado � stuffed poblano chile pepper (with Mexican cheese in this case) dipped in egg batter and fried, topped with a chunky stewed vegetable sauce (tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.)

Frijoles refritos � known as "refried beans" in English, they are boiled beans that are then further cooked (or, more traditionally, recooked from leftovers) and mashed with lard � note, however, that the term "refried" is one of those inaccurate translations that stuck, and refritos actually means something more like "well cooked" (the beans are not actually fried)

I was only joking .... honest!

One good steak deserves another:

Lunch
"Steak Salad" consisting of:
6 oz flatiron steak
mixed greens
balsamic caramelized onions
small red beets
point reyes blue cheese
homemade dijon vinaigrette

Dinner
barbecue chicken pizza drizzled with hoisin sauce
salt and pepper kettle chips
A handful of sierra nevada torpedos ^

Went to a local bar called The Federal for post-midterm drinks. Had a couple beers, some steamed clams and some french fries. Much needed ^

I made pizza tonight.
I'm not a fan to be honest but the missus loves them.

Good work!

I was convinced your footer said " my onions are just those of a leisure flyer"

It looks a little gooey for my tastes - I like the cheese to be crisp on my pizzas.
Howevere I'm rather envious of the oven !

I think this is exactly what we're going to do tonight. I tend to like mine just a little bit charred and crunchier, so we do do them on the skillet. Seems like most restaurants serve them sort of soft-baked, when you can find them at all.

It does.

By the way how were the ribs after cooking? As I said up thread mine were a disaster as I got the heat all wrong and didn't have any tin foil.

Yes I like my cheese crisp as well but have to do what the wife tells me. Plus the cheese I used wasn't the type that crisps up well anyway. The oven is great and very versatile. However for future pizzas I shall use a pizza pan rather than cook them straight on the bricks.....too much faffing about and they taste the same anyway.