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Post by gracoman on Dec 3, 2018 9:22:20 GMT -5
I should have started a thread on this long ago but as me sainted "Mither" used to say "Big bodies move slow". I realize the title of this thread is not politically correct I spose but I don't care about any of that so whattaya gonna do. Shoot me if ya want but I ain't gonna change it. You can change it when you get it home if you like. After all, it's your dinner, but this one is mine. I'm seriously thinking about using a local restaurant for the bulk of this. Work is nutz right now and it made a tough time with Thanksgiving this year and I don't really want to go through that again. Watercourse is tough to beat but Native Foods is currently topping the list with their Christmas (Holiday) roast for no other reason than it is closer and easier to get to. Just had their Poppin' Jalapeno Burger with fries, onion straws and split a plate of Nachos yesterday with my kids. Whole paycheck also offers many vegan options and sides. We'll see what I wind up with.
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Post by gracoman on Dec 3, 2018 21:07:31 GMT -5
Ugh, Native Foods is no longer accepting orders for their "Holiday" Roast. I'm screwed. screwed/skro͞od/ adjective 1.(of a bolt or other device) having a helical ridge or thread running around the outside. 2.informal
in a difficult or hopeless situation; ruined or broken.
Yeah, that's the one
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Post by gracoman on Dec 4, 2018 22:26:48 GMT -5
I called a local Whole Foods today (I have three) and asked to speak to the Holiday table about ordering an Xmas dinner for 4-6. Their set up will not be open for another week, week and 1/2. I asked if there would be vegan options and the answer was yes so I may be off the hook after all. I'll check the website for whole foods plant based when the time comes but I'm not hopeful about that. Vegan has come a long way but plant based and whole foods plant based are still skirting the edges of current civilization. I wuz afraid I wus going to have to settle for super colossal king crab leg meat warmed in butter with thick reverse seared Costco prime rib eye steaks smothered in sauteed onions and mushrooms. For those lookie loo's out there, believe it or not, I've lost my taste for such things. GROSS! That said, it's so easy to back slide. After all. I'm only human and we are all hardwired with a desire for fat, salt and sugar. This comes from a time when such things were in short supply. You know, 1,000,000 years ago until 1950. Give or take a few years . Given the option, we will all jump right back in and I'm no different. We are like alcoholics, meth addicts. Not even one.
In many ways, holiday's are a blessing and a curse. I've never done a plant based Christmas dinner but I'm pretty sure it will be accepted well because this is good stuff and good food is good food. Let's not discount the power of when your belly is full...
That and alcohol
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Post by gracoman on Dec 5, 2018 9:27:45 GMT -5
Recap: Two days ago I called my local Native Foods to order a "Holiday Roast" and was told they were no longer accepting orders . I guess it was a Thanksgiving thing that was never removed from the web site. This morning I was greeted by an email from Native Foods stating the "roasts" are up for grabs once again and I can order one online. So online I go and cannot order one . Probably gonna order two but that's not important here . Any who, It's nice to know there is no shortage of incompetence in the restaurant industry . And here I was thinking all those people worked at Home Depot . I'll try calling again today. Nuthin's easy. The saga continues.
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Post by gracoman on Dec 6, 2018 8:51:22 GMT -5
I called Native Foods Boulder yesterday and spoke to a young man named Jarrod who informed me they have had 34 "roasts" in the freezer for weeks. This is after 2 separate employees (phone answer guy didn't know and asked another guy) said they weren't doing the roasts any longer and were not accepting any orders. Jarrod sez they have 34 roasts but I can't reserve one. First come first served he sez. Not that I believe there is going to be a massive run on plant-based roasts, but in a town like Boulder it's possible. Any who, Jarrod changed his mind about the roast reservation thing when I offered to pre-pay for them. I just can't make it there until the weekend. So, barring any as yet unforeseen issues, 2 Christmas, I mean Holiday "roasts", are mine. Now on to Whole Foods for sides which I may just do myself along with the plant based gravy that is supposed to come with the roasts but Native Foods sez they are out of . I realize I'm probably just turning into an old crank (next stage in life ) but it sure seems like, more and more, I have to tell people how to do their jobs . If I don't watch it, next thing you know I'll be keeping the neighborhood kid's Frisbee's and footballs when they are accidentally tossed over my fence and standing in my door way shaking my fist yelling "darned kids" . If it falls apart this time I'll either just go with whatever Whole Foods is offering or bite the bullet and make a mushroom wellington. If you are not familiar with mushroom wellington google it and you'll finds a recipe bonanza.
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Post by gracoman on Dec 7, 2018 9:00:38 GMT -5
It looks like I'll probably be cooking a few sides. A few? I have a tenancy to go overboard with this sort of thing. Especially when incoming guests have been warned and the menu was received with some reservation. My daughter is fine with it. Son, not so much. Last minute stragglers (happens more often than not) are in for a big surprise. A traditional Charles Dickens Christmas Carol anniversary spread it ain't gonna be.
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Post by gracoman on Dec 9, 2018 21:10:54 GMT -5
Or... I may go with Whole Foods vegan holiday for sides. I'm sure I'll be working Christmas eve and the day after right up until and including New Year's eve so this option is looking better and better. Somebody shoot me cause it will start all over again for the final holiday of the year
I spent the better part of the day today with my son, Kyle, in the emergency room at my local hospital. His mouth and tongue are white and loaded with canker sores and his hands and feet have dark purple rashes. The doctors haven't a clue why this is happening but they still know how to issue ridiculously high invoices. Imagine that. We were sent home with something similar to "take an aspirin and go to bed" because they don't know what to do Poor Kyle's mouth is so sore he can't eat and hasn't eaten much more than ice cream for two days. Hospital sez "It sucks to be you. Please pay as you exit."
So I missed my appt (show up sometime today) at Native foods to pick up my pre-paid holiday "roasts". I call Native Foods to explain the situation and phone answer guy sez they aren't doing holiday roasts anymore . I bite my tongue and politely inform phone answer guy that "Yes, indeed they are still selling holiday roasts" and "They have 34 of those suckers in the freezer." Phone answer guy goes to ask his manager about this and comes back with (in his happy voice) "It's first come first served for these "roasts" and I'd best hurry down if I wanted one" . Look, I get it. I understand sales as well as the next guy who is not a Millennial but come on. But I already bought two and I've already told him that. So, once again I've got to tell some twerp how to do his job. "I've reserved and prepaid for two of these "roasts" so might I please have a reprieve and pick them up next weekend?" Phone answer guy goes back once again to ask his manager because, why place a phone answer guy on the the phone who can actually answer questions?. Manager sez "Why of course" without ever asking my name, what I've ordered or knowing if whatever I've ordered is actually available. Yikes! I give up! After sitting in the ER for hours with doctors and nurses who have no answers and speaking on the phone with restaurant people who have no real answers I give up.
Might just be a Spaghetti-O's Christmas dinner. Hope I can find the cans with meatballs cause they taste better than the plain
To be continued......
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Post by gracoman on Dec 9, 2018 22:41:53 GMT -5
While we're waiting, let's have some 32 bean and vegetable soup Made in my favorite small crock pot with added rutabaga, potato, celery, mushrooms and canned no salt added diced tomatoes with juice.
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Post by gracoman on Dec 10, 2018 8:41:17 GMT -5
Reminder: Because there are no restrictions on fat, salt or sugar, and no fruit, vegetable or fiber requirements, vegan food does not necessarily mean health food. Oreos are vegan. People are generally surprised at how good it can be. And by good, I mean similar to what they are already eating. Good for the planet? Yes. Nutritionally sound? Maybe, maybe not. Mostly not. All Whole Food Plant Based food is vegan but not all vegan food is Whole Food Plant Based. It is important to distinguish between the two. This cookbook was 5 years in the making. Lot's of great recipes in here
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Post by gracoman on Dec 12, 2018 21:45:36 GMT -5
Early this morning, before I left for work, I ordered everything Whole Foods had on it's vegan holiday menu. Some were double orders. I will make scalloped potatoes and that's it. Gotta pick the whole mess up 8:00am Christmas eve. Go to work, come home and drink a bottle of bourbon. My traditional Christmas day hangover will be dulled by our traditional Christmas day mimosa's. I'm psyched. Very little cooking Christmas day? Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle I'm in. This might be the best Christmas ever.
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Post by BBQ Butcher on Dec 14, 2018 10:16:42 GMT -5
Soup looks good This Christmas will more than likely be the last major holiday that I'll be cooking for company, so I'm going to keep it simple, yet still have goodies Shrimp or crab (maybe both) cocktail, Prime rib, baked white or sweet potatos, a green veggie which will be either garlic broccoli or brussels sprouts with maple syrup. Company is bringing dessert and no clue what it will be, but something good and decadent, I hope The wife has finally, YES FINALLY, decided to check out the plant based food and agreed to not argue with me about it. Baby steps, baby steps and some progress. Not much, but that is better than nothing. Merry Christmas
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Post by gracoman on Dec 15, 2018 22:05:29 GMT -5
Take her to a local vegan restaurant. These folks aren't fooling around and the food is generally fantastic. I've never been to a vegan restaurant I didn't like. That said, expect to pay to much. It's not as bad as it used to be, times are a changing, but they are all still expensive.
As far as baby steps go.. yes and no.
The palette must first be changed. Penn Gillette (spelling?) did it with a diet of only potatoes. Engine 7 does it differently and I strongly recommend that method. It works.
Good luck.
And a Merry Christmas to you my man!
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Post by gracoman on Dec 16, 2018 20:46:36 GMT -5
I picked up my 2 reserved holiday roasts this afternoon from Native Foods without incident. Yay!
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Post by gracoman on Dec 25, 2018 9:31:34 GMT -5
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Post by gracoman on Dec 31, 2018 11:39:35 GMT -5
Sorry for the late reply and the bad pic but this is the best I could do under my present circumstance. I didn't get a plated pic of my vegan dinner on Christmas day. There was too much going on for that. This pic was taken of delicious leftovers the day after. We were presently surprised by this dinner. It was better than just good it was fantastic and, aside from heating it up, I didn't have to lift a finger. What a wonderful variety of tastes and textures. The Cremini Mushroom Stuffing with Kimchi was outstanding. I mean, really outstanding. Many comments on this stuff. The orange-cranberry sauce lived up to it's description and then some - "Plump cranberries cooked with ginger, orange juice and orange peel. Sweet, tart, sublime. Vegan." The ginger added a bit of flavor and unexpected heat to the sauce. Wonderful stuff. The vegan mushroom gravy, s rich gravy made with vegetable stock, mushrooms and herbs, was glorious. I knew it would be. Vegan gravies are easy to make and always impress. I doubled this order and was glad I did. The Charred Escarole with Tomatoes and Chickpeas added a bit of tomato sweetness to this rich and varied dinner. It would be excellent on it's own. The Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pepitas (fancy term for pumpkin seeds) were awesome and had a bit of char to them. I love Brussels sprouts and these were exceptional The Roasted Fingerlings with Garlic and Parsley were about what anyone would expect them to be. Mmmmm....garlicky. Nothing out of the ordinary here other than the fact I didn't have to cook them. The Green Beans with Crispy Garlic and Parsley were okay but then I'm not a huge fan of green beans so whoever made these had their work cut out for them. I was eating them so that counts for something. Now here's where it gets a bit tricky. The Romanesco Cauliflower Roast with Miso Bagna Càuda was excellent but Whole Foods forgot to pack the lemony Miso Bagna Càuda sauce with it. It was still excellent but what the heck Whole Foods. 1 demerit. Tricky part #2. Whole Foods left the Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple and Hazelnut Dukkah out of my order completely. What the heck Whole Foods? I didn't notice the missing items until I took it all out Christmas day to re-heat. I'll not make that mistake again. Line of angry order people behind me or not. And there was such a line. The Holiday Roast from Native foods was just what it should have been. It had a meaty texture and rounded out the meal wonderfully. Especially with that excellent gravy poured over it. That said, these roasts went on sale 2 days after I picked mine up. Could have saved $10.00 if I had waited 2 more days. The rosemary rolls were fantastic. Best dinner rolls I've had in a while. The Frosted Sweet Potato Blondie with Spiced Cashews dessert was top notch. I mean really, really good. This was also expected. Vegan desserts are, for the most part, indiscernible from their eggy, dairy filled "normal" counterparts. Here's the bad pic of leftovers. I wasn't concerned about making it pretty. I was more concerned with stuffing it in my starving gob.
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