h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sunday supper:

I still have some cocktail shrimps and some torn up crab meat left from the fish monger's pie. So try this on for size?

Two large portabella mushrooms brushed with veggie oil and lightly seasoned. Two fair size Cremini mushrooms chopped and into the bowl of the larger fungi. Bake this at 400F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Into the shrooms, split the shrimps and crab - chopped, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, then top with coarse grated mozzarella. Put these back into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to heat the meats and melt the cheeses.

Serve with a side dish of rice and perhaps some mixed veggies from frozen.

Supper will be vegetarian chili, to which I have added beef and cheese.

Around 1996 or so? One of the burger chains came out with a veggie burger. I was curious, so I asked for one. With bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion . . .

I got some funny looks.

Corned beef slab with pineapple, candied yam macaroni and cheese, mustard greens, cornbread.

The "stuffed" portabella idea didn't turn out pretty, but were they tasty.

Supper will be the last serving of Pasta Fazool with meatballs, made from the recipe in a guide entry.

Yesterday I picked a pound of green beans in my garden. Tonight I used them in a stew that also contained sausages, noodles, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spices.

Tomorrow is my bride's birthday. As it turns out, it is also the birthday of a buddy of ours. So to celebrate a little, I am taking these two out to dinner this evening, and we will be accompanied by another couple. I planned my dinner quite some days ago, it being:

- a tray of 7 escargots, baked in garlic butter and smothered with melted cheese. (comes with a hunk of toasted garlic breads).

- a tray of 8 mushroom caps, stuffed with garlic butter and shredded crab meat and also smothered with melted cheese. This appetizer also comes with garlic bread and will be shared with my bride.

- my bride will probably have an appetizer of Caesar salad, which we will also share.

- my entree will be a 6-oz filet mignon, seasoned and wrapped with bacon and then flame grilled to a cook of medium-rare. This topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions. There will also be 5 or 6 very large, crispy and breaded shrimps, probably french fries (with beef gravy) and the obligatory vegetables that I will probably disreguard.

- as I am driving us, no wine, beer or spirits for me. They do make very nice coffee which will be enjoyed black.

Our pre-birthday celebration dinner went wonderfully. Our table for 5 quickly became a gathering of 6. A nearly 85 year old friend of everyone was there alone, and that is just wrong. Over 2 hours of easy flowing conversations, exaggerations and loads of wonderful food.

Her actual birthday supper (Mrs Rev) was her choice. Over 2 lbs of sirloin steak cooked to her liking on the propane BBQ/grill, a good load of seasoned and sauteed mushrooms, a large bowl of our version of potato sala and an equal sized bowl of pasta salad with baby peas and home-baked salmon added.

We have eaten very well this week-end.

(Side-note: in my mind, it was also a bit of celebration of 50 years since 2 good men stirred up some lunar dust)

Two chili rellanos, refried beans with cheese, Spanish rice, wheat flour tortilla.

The last serving of my sausage and green bean casserole.

Home-made hamburgers of lean ground beef, fine chopped onions-mushrooms-bacon, hickory BBQ sauce, egg, light seasonings and bread crumbs. They were danged moist and tasty. Accompanied by simple french fries from frozen, done up in an air fryer.

Tonight I will be making Greek bean soup.

Tonight I will turn a car key. Take out fish and chips (large size), gravy for the chips, and some breaded and deep fried mushrooms. We have worked hard to eradicate maybe 1,500 lbs from our house. 20 to 40 years of odd tools, work-bench rubbish and loads of other stuff.

I'm about to start fixing the Greek bean soup.

Entirely unrelated to food:

We have a brand new great-grand-daughter ! Born around 2:30 AM Newfoundland time. ( 1:00 AM EST )

That brings my direct lineage to one daughter, two grand-daughters and two grand-sons, and two great grand-daughters. I also count a woman as my daughter, and she has one each - a son and a daughter.

Thanks for the idea, Paul . . . I think chicken for supper.

I have never had chicken schnitzel, and certainly never made any from scratch. So I think that is a good experiment. Accompany with lightly seasoned and fried small cubes of potato - black iron pans for both. A side dish of peaches & cream corn from frozen, a small garden salad . . . Tasty and filling.

The Mrs Rev was out with church choir friends all afternoon Saturday, and arrived home too late to cook off the schnitzel and stuff. It was all in the fridge quite some time before she came in the door.

But everything fried up really nicely (except the corn ) for Sunday supper. For Monday, everything can be simply re-heated, or ?

How about cutting some cutlets to size and gently warming. Then take common hamburger buns - slather with mayo that has taken a little mustard, apply a piece of the chicken, top with shredded iceberg lettuce . . . Voila, chicken burgers.

( Crispy bacon and/or cheese being optional )

An idea for a Tuesday supper?

A couple of large ( 7 to 8" ) pork sausages, imbued with honey & garlic. Remove the filling and add some egg, fine minced onion, fine grated parmesan cheese, bread crumbs. Make meat balls to brown off in an iron pan then into a crock-pot with a honey/garlic sauce that cooks down to a sticky glaze.

Serve up with a veggie mixed rice or simple mashed potatoes.