Saturday, May 31, 2008

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.

25 comments:

Our Home Schooler and Jen said...

what a good little eater Emmy is :)

have a good week my friend

Jen

Nancy said...

I am from PA deer country...known as "Potter County, God's Country." That's what's on the big signs as you enter that county. My parents owned a country hotel and hunting lodge from 1945-1962, and my mom kept hunters for years, from the time I was just 7 or 8 months old. I grew up playing poker with the hunters (for nickels) and always won. I'm sure they just let me win, though. LOL But I never acquired the taste for venison. Those who do like it, say it is really good.

For my Sunday dinner this week, I am having leftovers from Thursday night's meal that I prepared for relatives from AZ. (Check out my blog for my Thursday's menu as I just posted again tonight). There is only me here, so I don't cook like I used to. My daughter is going to come on Sunday for the dinner of leftovers, but I think she really is coming more for the fresh strawberry shortcake! LOL

Your meal sounds so-ooooo good! I have a recipe that uses tortillas cooked in the chicken broth and chicken pieces like you are preparing, and they taste so much like dumplings. I just created another blog tonight called
"Cooking with Nancy" as I would like to add a recipe to it as often as I can, at least twice a week. I have gathered up a lot of really old ones from an older lady who was in her 80's when I was just in my 20's. I used to be Suzy Homemaker, but since my divorce, I have had no one to cook for, so it's not much fun to cook, anymore. I do enjoy baking yet, as I can share my baked goods with others.

Wish you didn't live so far away, as I think I would invite myself to dinner! LOL

You are so sweet...I just love reading your posts!!! Have a blessed Sunday with your family and little Emmy.

(((HUGS)))

Nancy said...

Oh, I forgot to mention that my mother would cook and feed approximately 100 men every night. She would feed her own 50+ hunters, and then she would be open to the public. She was quite the cook! She never ran out of anything and had very little food left over. She knew just how much to cook. And dinner was served homestyle with bowls refilled many times over. She handled her kitchen in such an organized way, and never had to rush. She had the ball in her court, I guess you could say. I loved waiting tables during hunting season when I was in high school, but Mom did all the planning and cooking!

Jess said...

Hey mom..fixin to do the meme... getting on here late..guess I will see you in the morning and thanks for the buttons...love you

Susie said...

Hi Diane,
We just got back from dinner, so it's hard to even think of eating again. I think I'm going to make some chili and cornbread if it's not a real warm day.
If the kids stop in then they'll be extra, but it's not our regular Sunday to eat together.
Your meal out sounds less than memorable. Hopefully it will be better next time!
Have a great week.
xo

Lucy Stern said...

Your chicken and rice sounds wonderful. I haven't even thought about dinner tonight, so I had better get on the stick and get something out of the freezer...lol. I will probably cook some chicken, rice, cabbage and a salad. I will make our favorite chocolate pudding pie for dessert.

My daughter Bonnie will be coming home from Florida, a quick weekend trip, and she will enjoy some of the pudding pie. She still had some frequent flyer miles and she flew out to watch the space shuttle launch. She was so excited that it launched this time. She went last December to watch the launch and it never did launch. She also got to visit with her grandparents while she was out there so it was a very full trip.

TF and I went out to a place called Gringos last night and it was wonderful. The food was very good and the service was amazing. The prices were good and we will definately good back.

Jason is lucky to have you for a MIL, you feed him so well....lol

Have a great week, Diane!

Nancy said...

Diane, it's me....AGAIN! I haven't posted any recipes yet, but I will start on that one soon, so keep watching! Still wish I lived close enough so I could "pop in" for Sunday dinner at your place! (You know I'm just teasing!) You sound like quite the chef!!! Bet your son-in-law is glad he married your daughter! You don't have an older son, do you? LOL (Guess not since I am a lot older than you!!! LOL)

BDG-admin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BDG-admin said...

Ummmmm, I be lovin' Steak.. (even if I do put a little A-1 on it...

Happy June... :)

Hove, Luggs and Blisses... Gib

Barb said...

You know, as seldom as we go out to eat, poor service really upsets me. And lukewarm food really, really upsets me. I know they do get understaffed and overworked, but still I have a hard time being nice about it. I should know better after having a daughter who waitressed all through college. She probably hated customers like me. :-)

I'm making a big thing of taco salad with hard rolls this evening. We're going to work in the yard all day and a nice light, easy dinner is just the thing for today. And I love the leftovers which is why I make enough for an army. No one else will go near wilted taco salad. To me, it's right up there with cold leftover pizza.

I know leftovers are just your favorite. LOL

Happy Sunday and I hope you have a nice new week. xoxo

Lisa Sherrill Roach said...

We're having a big pot of pinto beans, cornbread, fried potatoes, and fried zucchini. We haven't figured out what meat we'll have yet. I'm hungry just thinking about it. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Lib said...

Hi,
I just Love visitng with you,feel so Welcomed.:o)THanks!
Your dinnner sounds yumo!:o)
I have deer meat in the freezer, we too have to cook it and not always tell what it is.lol
Have aBlessed day!
Love&Blessins',Lib

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

As usual, YUM! For "dinner" we had a picnic at church. For supper, we're grilling hot dogs and bratwurst. Not as yummy as chicken and rice, but perfect for a summer Sunday.

I've never eaten at Coltons before. Sorry about the service and the lukewarm meal. :(

Looking forward to another meme from you!!

Hope your week is blessed.
Meredith

Cheryl said...

Our Sunday dinner was bacon, scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits and gravy and cut up oranges. Thanks for all your prayers!

Dawn said...

Two weeks in a row of going out for a light lunch - really nice not to have to cook. I had put a small pork roast in the oven at very low heat, so when we decided to go out, I put it in the fridge and we'll have it tomorrow. Well, he'll have it tomorrow because I have to start fasting (for a lovelyh colonoscopy - doesn't that sound like fun?!)

Tonight we had a barbeque dinner at church as a fundraiser for the teen mission trip this summer. DC and the quarter he sings in sang for over 30 minutes - they really did great. They've been singing together for over 20 years - good old southern gospel tonight mostly.

Have a great week!

Mountain Mama said...

I grew up eating venison and other wild meats. My dad was a good hunter. He even took mom duck hunting on their honeymoon. LOL

Mom used to make a wonderful venison pot roast. She always dredged the meat in flour, salt and pepper then browned it on all sides before adding Potatoes, carrots onions and garlic and putting it in the oven. OH MY!!! I still remember how delicious it smelled when it was cooking!
Your chili and soup sound wonderful as does your Sunday dinner. You sure put a lot of time into cooking. I used to but not anymore unless I have company.

I have noticed that my two little year old great grandbabies really love table food too. I am wondering just what the jars of baby food taste like...

For my dinner today I made a lovely vegetable salad with romaine, radish, celery, cauliflower, orange and yellow peppers, onion and chunks of baked chicken breast, all topped with honey Dijon dressing.

Have a wonderfu week Diane.
Hugs!

MightyMom said...

now I love me some venison!

liked the meme button! too cute.

did you soak those peas before cooking?

Girl Raised in the South said...

'Smoked hog jowl trimmings' - wow. I dont even know what those are, where to get them, how to fix them. You amaze me with your cooking. I seriously sat on the sofa last night, eating a bag of popcorn that was 'dinner' and thought of you and 'Sunday Cooking'. So that was it, a bag of popcorn before I tucked myself in - way too tired to cook this weekend!

Anonymous said...

Our Sunday dinner was cheating as we just had some hotdogs at a gas station back home from Sweden, but Saturday: You know: Diane's lovely poached salmon on vegetables!

Wishing you a great week too!

PS: Hope I could inspire you with hot waffles and ice cream as you saw in my last post :-)

Betty said...

Hi Diana,

Your Sunday dinner sounds really good. I have a really good recipe for a chicken and rice casserole, and your menu made me hungry for some of that. I haven't made it in a long time.

I have never eaten deer. Not real sure that I ever want to, ha.

I hope your week has gotten off to a good start.

Hugs,
Betty

Cecil said...

Hey Joe.. lunch was good yesterday! See ya tomorrow... Love, Cecil

Brenda said...

Hi Diane,
We had a big yard sale, so I just made a big crockpot of pinto beans. Gotta love 'em!
My dad, in my opinion, makes the best fried venison (sp?), and the only way I'll eat it. With his special white gravy made from the drippings over toast. Yummy, makes me homesick! No the healthiest being fried and all, but all things in moderation!
God bless,
Brenda

auntpearl said...

Your Sunday meal sounds like a winner for sure!!!
It is so disappointing when you go out for a meal and it isn't hot.
Service is sometimes forgiveable but I don't like to pay for food that isn't fresh or hot.
I know what you mean about those rolls....yummy and a tummy saver.

Hugs,

Rachel said...

Oh gee, I'm just now getting here and do you think I can remember what I had for Sunday dinner?? No way!! Yours sounds mighty good though!

I hate getting bad service at a restaurant and then getting lukewarm food. Geesh!

Dick said...

Why do you write things like Ko*hls for the store name? I am just wondering.

We had a great roast with potatoes & gravy and corn along with a green salad for dinner Sunday. We had had one of my son's & his two kids here over the weekend and we were ready to crash. I sure know now why old folks like me do not have small (or even medium sized) children of our own!