"Blinky the Shark" > wrote in message
news
> jmcquown wrote:
>
>> With everything that has been going on this week (Mom's funeral was on
>> Tuesday, had to meet with her attorney on Thursday) I was quite relieved
>> when my middle-brother suggested we eat out for Thanksgiving. Oh thank
>> bast, I don't have to cook!
>>
>> My brothers and I went to Barbara Jeans, which is a local area chain.
>> They
>> offered their regular menu but also had a few "specials" for
>> Thanksgiving.
>> I really don't like turkey but I knew they were also offering roasted
>> pork
>> loin. Okay, I can live with that But when we got there they'd added
>> another "special" to the menu: salmon & shrimp "scampi". I ordered that.
>>
>> I'm not normally a big fan of salmon fillets, either. (I think when they
>> became really popular some 15 years ago they were done to death in every
>> possible restaurant.) The salmon was pan seared. It almost seemed to
>> have
>> some sort of glaze on it. It was crispy outside (but no sort of breading
>> <shudder>) and fork tender and juicy inside.
>>
>> They also seemed to know "scampi" doesn't mean shrimp in butter/garlic
>> sauce! Both the salmon and the shrimp were topped with a lovely herbed
>> cream sauce, served on a bed of rice. But hey, this is the south. I
>> also
>> had to select two side dishes (and no, macaroni & cheese wasn't one of
>> them
>> LOL). I chose broccoli casserole and spinach. It never occurred to me
>> I'd
>> get a double whammy of rice since broccoli casserole, which I've made
>> many
>> times in the past, also contains rice. But no matter. I couldn't eat
>> half
>> of my dinner anyway. So I <gasp> asked for a to-go box.
>>
>> This place routinely places a basket of bread on the table. It includes
>> delicious pumpkin bread which tastes a lot like gingerbread to me. Also
>> jalapeno cornbread and huge whole wheat rolls.
>>
>> Anyway, it was a very good, albeit rather odd, Thanksgiving meal. I
>> couldn't quite identify what herbs were in that cream sauce. I've made
>> basil cream sauces in the past but this wasn't basil. And not quite
>> strong
>> enough to be tarragon. Since technically I'm from out of town I plan to
>> call the restaurant just before they open for lunch today to see if I can
>> get the recipe for that salmon/shrimp & sauce. All they can do is say
>> no.
>> And sometimes, if you ask nicely, they will actually give you their
>> recipes.
>
> Odd? I made liver and onions.


I made creamy smooth polenta, cooked with butter, garlic, stock, milk and
thyme. Cut into wedges, dredged in flour and fried.
Italian spinach cooked with olive oil, garlic parmesan and bread crumbs - so
delightful with the polenta served on top
roasted portabella mushroom caps filled with humus topped with caramelized
sweet onion and feta cheese
roast honey glazed ham (for me the only carnivore present)
home made refrigerator dinner rolls (had to do something traditional)
pumpkin pudding served with whipped cream laced with cognac

Not traditional but a huge hit.

Paul