Sunday Dinner, June 1, 2008

As I mentioned in the post prior to this one, I've been mentally tossing around ideas for Sunday Dinner for a few days, and I knew that a whole chicken was going to be the star of the show but I wasn't sure how I was going to dress it up or what side dishes I was going to serve with it.

Evidently the Cooking Fairy tapped me on the noggin and inspired me, because I have most of the menu settled now. I'm making homemade chicken and rice and a big pot of dried blackeyed peas. I have some smoked hog jowl trimmings that I'll add to the peas for seasoning.

I'm still kind of hazy on any more side dishes but I'm leaning towards steamed broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash and carrots from a bagged frozen veggie mix. As usual, a lot depends on how many show up to eat. As of right now, I'm expecting Jessica, Jason and Emmy, my sisters Ducky and Cecil, and of course Lamar and I will be here.

I cut up the whole chicken and have it stewing now. When it gets falling-off-the-bones tender, I'll remove the chicken pieces to a platter to cool so I can pick the meat off the bones. I'll let the broth boil down and reduce to make it richer, then refrigerate both the broth and the chicken meat until I get home from church at noon. I'll toss the raw rice into the broth and cook it until the rice is tender, then add the chicken and let it heat through.

I'll cook the blackeyed peas tonight and cool them, then refrigerate them until I get home from church. They'll be reheating while the rice is cooking and the mixed vegetables are steaming. Everything should be done at about the same time.

If you'd like to participate in Sunday Dinner this week, share your menu/plans in the comments. Come on - you know you want to! :o)Continuing with the food theme, last Saturday when we were at Danny and Mikki's for the fish fry, Danny gave us some ground deer burger and some deer steak.

Thursday night I made a double batch of homemade chili with the deer burger. It turned out really well and I was just putting it on the table when Jason arrived to pick up Emmy. I asked Jason if he'd like to stay and eat supper with us and he accepted. Jessica told me not to mention to Jason that the chili was made with deer, so I didn't. Jessica likes deer chili but didn't want any at that particular time.

Apparently Jason liked it well enough because he ate 2 bowls full and told Jessica later that it was really good. Jessica told him that the chili was made with deer burger and Jason just said, "Hmph. Well, it was really good!"

I have enough of the chili left in the fridge for another meal or to freeze for a quick meal at a later time.

Friday night I cut up the deer steak and browned it, then added some water and seasoning salt. I boiled it until the deer meat was tender, then added some canned tomatoes and mixed vegetables and called it deer soup. Emmy was getting hungry so before Lamar and I sat down to eat I dipped out some broth and vegetables, minus the chunks of meat, and let them cool, then mashed it all up with a fork.

Emmy ate a big portion of the broth and veggies. She loved it, and she ate until I was afraid she was going to make herself sick! Jason came in just as Emmy was finishing up so I offered him a bowl of the deer soup to take home with him for his supper.

Jessica doesn't like soup of any kind that I know of, so I gave Jason a big Rubber*maid bowl of soup that he had all to himself. Jessica said Jason liked the deer soup too, but there was something about there not being enough of it, LOL.

Which brings us to our Saturday night supper. Cecil and Sue came up this afternoon and visited with me, Lamar and Emmy for a couple of hours. When Jessica got off work, she came to get Emmy and visited with us for an hour or so before she left for home.

After Jessica and Emmy left, Cecil, Sue, Lamar and I went to Jonesboro. I sat in the car while the other three went into Ko*hl's to shop a little, then we all went to Col*ton's Steakhouse & Grill. I'd never been there but I'd heard some good things about it and wanted to try it.

Our waiter was a little frenzied and we didn't get the best service. I don't know if they were shorthanded and he was trying to cover too many tables or what the problem was but we could barely catch him to get refills on our drinks.

The food was good, but mine had been sitting a while and was lukewarm when I got it. I ordered the steak and shrimp with a baked potato. The potato was wonderful, and the steak and shrimp was good, but as I said, it was lukewarm at best. Lamar said the mesquite grilled salmon he got was okay but not really worth the price.

If the rest of my food had been as good as the hot rolls that came with our meal and my baked potato I'd rank it as great. It's worth at least one more try although it was a little pricey for the portions and the quality of the food and service.I've been tagged to do another meme and I plan to post it either Monday or Tuesday. Notice I said, "plan" and we all know what happens sometimes to the best laid plans.

In the meantime, y'all have a great Sunday. May God bless you by meeting all your needs, and may you have enough to share.