-=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=-

 DD> I take the e-edition of the daily. And they mail out a collection of
 DD> grocery adverts, coupon flyers, etc. I get the grocery ad delivered to
 DD> my in-box for all of the stores in town. The only flyer I get any use
 DD> from is the Dollar Gererous. They often have really good deals on
 DD> stuff I can (and do) use.

 RH> Wish we got a packet of coupons, etc. They used to distribute one but
 RH> Covid put an end to that.

Someone should pull their coat and tell them the panmdemic is officially
over.  Bv)=

I get, also, around the first of every month a packet put out by an
outfit called "Mail South" with all manner of coupons and specials
that you didn't know your couldn't live without.  Bv)=  When we had
the satellite store we used to do a flyer every three months. And we
got a fair amount of business from that.

 RH> We've been getting greeting cards from them the past few years.

 DD> From the dollar store? Never had anything from them in the mail.
 DD> Except the advertising flyers that are a part of the newspaper's
 DD> mailing. But, certainly, nothing "personalized".

 RH> No, we're buying the cards. (G)

Oh. OK. It all becomes clear now.  

 DD> Or use a pot that's wide/deep enough to submerge the sticks in one go.
 DD> I still do the "pan length" as it's easier to wind it onto my fork at
 DD> table. But, That's me.

 RH> At least you don't cut it into 1" or less pieces. (G)

 DD> Only pasta I do in that size range is elbow macaroni, rosemarina, cous
 DD> cous, etc.

 RH> My MIL treated us (3 kids, 3 spouses) to dinner last night at an
 RH> Italian place, only one person didn't leave with a "leftovers" box. I
 RH> had veal and eggplant parm with a side of penne pasta & marinara sauce.
 RH> The size of the piece of veal was almost the whole dinner plate, with 2
 RH> roughly 6" rounds of eggplant on top of it. Penne pasta was good, maybe
 RH> about a cup and a half (cooked) with a good amount of marinara. Starter
 RH> was a salad so I only ate about 1/3 of my entree. Steve had Italian
 RH> jambalya over liguini and a salad; I think he took about half of his
 RH> entree home.

 DD> Sound like they are philosophically on board with my recently closed
 DD> Sweet Basil cafe. I always told people "If you're going there - go
 DD> HUNGRY". One of the few places I ever had to get a "go box" to bring
 DD> home my leftovers. Even if I showed up ravenous.

 RH> I get a "to go" most every time I eat out now, and usually plan on
 RH> eating only half (or less) of my entree, especially if I start with a
 RH> salad.

I'm mostly a member of the "clean plate club"

 DD>       Title: Casablanca Chicken Couscous
 DD>  Categories: Poutry, Pasta, Fruits, Dairy, Vegetables
 DD>       Yield: 6 Servings

 DD> I was hesitant to serve a dish using cous cous to my brother since
 DD> he's had this "thing" abou rice ever since his tour in Vietnam. But,
 DD> he knows the difference and enjoyed it. I keep hoping he'll mellow out
 DD> of it like Steve did with pork. But that hope is dwindling.  Bv)=

 RH> Don't hold your breath waiting. (G)

 DD> I present this recipe as written - but with the question "How can a
 DD> bird be both free range AND corn fed"?

 RH> Free range during the warm parts of the year, corn fed in the colder
 RH> parts. (G) More likely was supposed to be "free range OR corn fed".

 DD> My personal opinion is that free range means just that. They'd have
 DD> been better off using "cage free". When I kept chickens the girls were
 DD> cage free and had a trough for "chicken feed" as well as scratching in
 DD> the pen for bugs and seeds, etc. And the fence was more to keep the
 DD> predators out than to keep the chooks in.

 RH> We never kept any, just raised cats & dogs. (G)

We had cats and dogs. And a 3-legged raccoon. My grandfather trapped 
the raccoon in the sweet corn patch. It was strange, he had railed over
"those 'coons stealiong his my corn" for so long then going to the corn
to bring fresh sweet corn back for Cappy to munch on.

I asked him about it and he said "That was stealing. This is giving."  Bv)=

My friens Les' send-off (funeral) is today. I made this for the after 
funeral meal at Temple Israel. But then I realised that I had meat and 
dairy in the same dish do it wasn't kosher. Dennis and I will eat well 
for a couple of days.

MMMMM----   Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Classic, Savory Cottage Pie
 Categories: Beef, Potatoes, Vegetables, Wine, Herbs
      Yield: 8 servings

MMMMM---------------------MASHED POTATOES----------------------------
  3 1/2 lb (1.6kg) russet potatoes;
           - peeled, in 1" pieces
           Salt
      6 tb (85g) unsalted butter; in
           - cubes

MMMMM------------------------MEAT SAUCE------------------------------
  1 1/2 c  (360mL) chicken stock
    1/2 oz (2 env)unflavored gelatin
      2 tb (30mL) oil
  2 1/2 lb (1kg) ground beef
      1 lg Yellow onion; diced
      3 md Carrots; diced
      2    Ribs celery; diced
      2 cl Garlic; minced
      2 tb (30mL) tomato paste
      1 c  (240mL) dry red wine
      2    Sprigs thyme
      1    Bay leaf
      1 tb (15mL) Worcestershire sauce
      1 ts (5mL) Marmite (opt)
      2 tb (15g) A-P flour
      8 oz (225g) frozen peas
           Salt & fresh ground pepper

MMMMM-----------------------TO ASSEMBLE------------------------------
  1 1/2 c  (360mL) heavy cream
           Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
           - cheese; for topping

  FOR THE MASHED POTATOES: Set diced potatoes in a colander and rinse
  under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a large saucepan
  and cover with cold water by at least 2". Season water with salt until
  almost as salty as the sea. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then
  reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until a knife easily pierces
  potatoes with no resistance, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in
  colander, then rinse with hot running water for 30 seconds. Transfer
  potatoes to a large bowl.

  Using a potato masher, food mill, or ricer, mash potatoes with butter.
  Press surface smooth, then press plastic wrap directly against surface
  to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside until ready to assemble.

  MEANWHILE, FOR THE MEAT SAUCE: Place stock in a 2-cup liquid measuring
  cup, sprinkle with gelatin, and set aside.

  Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add
  half of ground meat and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pot,
  until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes; use a potato masher or large whisk
  to break up meat. Add remaining meat and cook, breaking up with masher
  or whisk, until reduced to small bits, about 3 minutes; lower heat as
  necessary to prevent scorching. If meat has rendered an excessive
  amount of fat, use a metal spoon to ladle most of it out, leaving just
  a few tablespoons in the pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic
  and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pot, until just beginning to
  soften slightly, about 4 minutes.

  Add tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute.
  Add red wine and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cook, scraping up
  any browned bits, until almost fully evaporated. Add reserved chicken
  stock, thyme, bay leaf, Worcestershire, and Marmite, if using.
  Sprinkle flour over ground meat in pot, then stir in. Bring to a
  simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is reduced and
  thick, about 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in
  peas and season with salt and pepper.

  TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Adjust oven rack to center position and set oven
  to 425§F/218§C. Before assembling, heat cream in a large saucepan
  until simmering. Add potatoes and stir gently until completely
  incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Potatoes are now ready for
  assembly.

  Set a 9" by 13" baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Add
  meat sauce, being careful not to fill more than halfway. (You might
  not need all of the sauce, depending on the exact size of your baking
  dish.) Top with mashed potatoes, spreading them with a spatula to
  cover surface completely. Using spatula, create a dappled pattern on
  top of potatoes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if using.

  Transfer to oven and bake until top is browned and casserole is fully
  heated through, about 20 minutes. For deeper browning, place casserole
  on a rack set about 6" under a hot broiler for the last few moments of
  cooking. (Monitor closely to prevent potatoes from burning.)

  Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

  Serves 8

  RECIPE FROM: https://www.seriouseats.com

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen

MMMMM

... Another holiday based on gluttony and candy.
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