Even my commited carnivore of a husband really like this. I found it online:
https://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/food/1342
You’ll have to copy and paste the URL – too lazy to create html code at the moment!

It calls for 1 1/2 lbs tofu, but I just use a 14 oz package (make sure it is the firm type!) and use about 10 oz of sliced mushrooms and keep the other ingredients the same.

Last time, I used eggless “egg” noodles – which are great. But, wanted more fiber in this meal so am using that Healthy Choice – can’t remember the brand name at the moment – comes in a brown box and most supermarkets around here (north of Boston) has it – whole wheat blend pasta – the rotini kind.

I’m serving it with Maple-Ginger butternut squash. YUM! Let’s see if I can find the link again…

Here it is:
https://www.epicurious.com/cooking/menus/cooknow/recipes/103193

I actually roasted the squash almost a week ago because I roasted a turkey to have on hand for holiday guests. Things ended up very informal and I never used the squash. BUT, you can roast the squash anytime and have it on hand to mash up for at least a week. Well, let’s see if Steve and I are still alive tomorrow 🙂

I just peeled off the skin, and mashed it up with the grated ginger, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and have it heating in the double-boiler right now. Actually, I have to go make that stroganoff now before my husband gets too hungry and thus cranky. 🙂
I can’t remember if I posted about the super roast turkey I made last week. Quite tasty. And, thanks, Lori, for lending me your roasting pan and rack! <3

I did an herb paste thingy and lifted up the skin and rubbed in all over under the skin as well as in the cavity and on the outside. High heat, too – mostly at around 400 degrees, but had to tent with foil to prevent the breast skin from getting too brown. I did the breast down first thing, too.

Shaw’s had free-range turkeys from Vermont on sale. Still pricy, but I think worth it. I don’t feel nervous using the giblets (especially the liver) in free range birds – less junk to build up in there.

I actually made really good gravy for the first time ever… Dang, I hope I wrote down what I did…. I didn’t do it in the roasting pan because the pan was non-stick and had some chips. But I have another smaller pan that fit under the rack to collect drippings and I used them, making the gravy in a saucepan. I used cornstarch… I guess I was patient enough. I can always make a great white sauce, or “roux,” but somehow I’ve been missing the gravy “touch’ until now.

Always something more to learn about cooking!

Ooops, speaking of cooking, I had better go finish making dinner!!!

Okay – here I am, experiementing in the kitchen again – which I love to do. BUT, I have two issues.

1) I find myself taking a lot of time on meals, and sometimes I resent interupting my work for Breton Electric, my freelance jobs, or my volunteer stuff for up to 3-4 hours each day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) to “feed the husband” when there are times I really just want to work for 3-4 hours straight. It is hard to find that kind of chunk of time in between meals or after dinner and cleanup…. Sigh. It is not like Steve is hanging around watching TV. At this moment I hear him shoveling gravel to put around the garage… BUT, sometimes meal prep is a big pain in the butt, timewise.

2) I could make quicker meals or we could do more take-out…but that usually isn’t healthy except for soup and salad things – I’d be fine with that since I can survive on grazing, but Steve is used to a MEAL for dinner and will buy a sub for lunch if there are no good leftovers or a nice sandwich prepared.

ANYWAY – I do love to cook, but how do I stop feeling resentful – or guilty (I always have plenty of business-related or volunteer work I could be doing) for spending the time on it?

I think I have the answer. I do want to write a cookbook and get a cooking column gig, so I do need to experiement. Also, now that Steve has the doctor’s orders of lowering bad and raising good cholesterol orders with medication as a threat, I have even more reason to experiment for a genre cookbook about “healthy meals for meat lovers.” There! It is all an investment (Maybe I can even write some of the time and ingredients off as R&D, especially if I get off my butt and get a writing gig. Hey, why not? I’m going to check that out. I’m a bookkeeper, remember?

Okay – now I have to go check my two 1/2 veggie 1/2 meat meatloaves – one part tofu and one part tempeh. That saga will be in the next post.

WELL! I am not posting much…. but have been thinking about somehow getting a food writing column gig at one of the local papers…THAT would get me writing more.

Anyway – fish tonight. I’ve done baked fish with the breadcrumbs, etc., but tonight it is pan-seared scrod fillets and sea scallops (will probably cut them at least in half since so big) with a sauce from pesto, chopped sundried tomatoes (stored in oil) and – the recipe calls for heavy cream, but I will use 2% evaporated milk. I can always add a little corn starch if it needs to be more thick! No cholestorol in corn starch!

Serving with swiss chard (would prefer asparagus, and it is even on sale at Farmland, but I bought the chard yesterday and need to use it!) and brown rice pilaf. Well, not really pilaf since I cooked it in water and not a stock of some sort, but I added a diced carrot, some fresh chopped parsley and some diced onion.

That pesto/sundried tomato sauce sounds really yummy. Hopefully I’ll remember to post as to the results. 🙂