Eating Dinner With My Family

I love, love, love arugula, so it is no surprise that I loved this dish.  My family, ate everything on their plate, but didn't rave like I did.  The only criticism I had was the tomatoes.  Tomatoes are another favorite of mine, but they seemed odd in the dish.  Maybe because they weren't part of every bite?  I would for sure cut them smaller next time.  The original recipe (which as always is linked from the recipe title) has homemade pasta.  My pasta machine has lost a couple parts and is not an option.  I know I need to replace it but since I hate dough making...  Oh and this dish is lightning fast!  I bought whole wheat spaghetti, oops:)  but despite the fact that the wider would have held the pesto better the spaghetti worked fine. Whole-Wheat Fettuccine With Arugula Pesto 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 T  pine nuts 2    packed cups baby arugula (2 ounces) 1/4 c  freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1    garlic clove,chopped 1 c  halved cherry tomatoes 3/4

This was a huge pain to make.  Pre make the lentils and couscous. The patties were difficult to shape and cook. Lots of work for what I see as very little return.  I didn't care for how sweet the patty was; the raisin flavor dominated.  I will give it this, I'm sure it was healthy.  I will also give it that it was a new and unusual flavor.  I didn't hate it, but I don't plan on keeping the recipe.  I haven't had a lot of vegan food, but I have to believe that there are better vegan burgers out there. Veggie Burgers With Pomegranate Ketchup 1/2 c  Raisins 1/4 c  roasted almonds,chopped 1/2 lb white mushrooms 1 c  steamed shelled edamame 2 1/2 c  cooked green or brown lentils 2 c  cooked Israeli couscous 2 1/2 t  curry powder 1 T  fresh lemon juice 2 t  ground dried porcini Kosher salt 1 1/2 T  canola oil 3    burger buns,split and toasted 1/2 c  ketchup mixed with 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses Mesclun greens tossed with lemon juice and sautéed

These were just alright.  I love brie and the brie and burger was pretty good; the scallion paste was the best.  The burgers were a pain to make and really got the grill dirty because they leaked a bit.  I don't have a lot to say about it except the paste is good. Scallion-And-Brie-Stuffed Burgers 1 1/2 lb ground beef Salt and freshly ground  pepper 4    ounces Brie,rind removed, cheese cut into 4 slices 1/4 c  Spicy Scallion Paste (recipe follows) Vegetable oil,for brushing 1/4 c  mayonnaise 4    hamburger buns,split Tomato slices and lettuce for serving 1. Light a grill. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and form into eight 4-inch patties that are slightly thicker in the center. Top 4 of the patties with a slice of Brie and a scant tablespoon of the scallion paste. Top with the 4 remaining patties, pinching the edges to seal. 2. Brush the burgers with oil and grill over high heat, turning once or twice, about 8 minutes for medium-rare meat. 3. Meanwh

Evil!  That's the best description of this recipe.  It's easy to make.  Delicious and addictive!  And it lurks in the freezer, out of sight true, but it waiting.  It will surprise you with it's presence when you are weakest, and you can take just a little piece.  This morning when I was getting a pancake out of the freezer, (I always make a big batch of pancakes and freeze them of weekday mornings) it whispered,"you know you want me."  And damn if I didn't.  I hadn't even had my coffee yet; I couldn't be expected to have all my resistance yet.  Besides it's so good with coffee.  I saw a picture of this on pintrest and thought my husband would like it.  Everyone loves it.  I got a text from a friend I sent some home with and it read, "I just ate the last piece and already I'm going into withdrawals".  Evil! I wasn't sure if it was from a blog or not so just to be safe, I put a link to the easy directions!  I don't know if you

Another progressive dinner in the neighborhood.  It was an around the world theme. (Olympic opening ceremonies was just a lucky coincidence;)  No recipes here just pictures.  Forgive the low lighting but it was a party:)  We started with Spanish  Croquettas & Champagne Mojitos. Then we had American bean, corn and spinach egg rolls Then we had Vietnamese  Bahn Mi Then we had an English Sausage Roll and beer. And I have to note here, I hate beer but I had a lager and lime and it was really great!  Then we had this lovely fruit salad with onions and cilantro. Then we had a French Brie and Sidecar cocktail. Then we had a Thai red curry Then we had Italian Taramisu. No picture because I got there late and it had been devoured! It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood:). Oh and one last shot of the mushroom bahn mi that was a really tasty alternative to the pork one!

I have never cooked okra.  I have had it fried and didn't really like it, and I believe that if you don't like an item fried, you just don't like it.  This proved that to be untrue; I have found that it isn't true for a few things actually.  Scallops I love and not a fan of fried.  This okra was really great.  So, yet another benefit to my Front Porch Picking basket , second chances for veggies I wrote off.  I added a little more salt, and for the dredging in flour, I put the okra and flour in a bowl and put a plate over the top and shook to coat.  I thought it worked really well.  We also splashed a dash or two of hot sauce at the table.  My son thought it would make an excellent salsa.  I thought that was a pretty good idea:) Okra And Tomatoes 4    bacon slices 1    (16-ounce) package frozen sliced okra,thawed 2 T  all-purpose flour 1    large onion,chopped 4    plum tomatoes,seeded and chopped 2 t  sugar 1/2 t  salt 1/2 t  pepper Cook bacon in a large skil

I saw some steaks on sale at Publix the other day, so I wrapped them in paper towels and did the Alton Brown aging of them.  Tonight we grilled them and topped them with a little blue cheese I had laying around.  For our side I made this broccoli dish.  It was perfect broccoli.  It was crunchy & yummy; I think the stalks might have even been the best part! (I know?!)  I attempted, yet again, to become a bread baker, but other than this brief mention, it will be never seen or even mentioned again.  My husband took great pleasure in stabbing it before we disposed of it in an unmarked grave in the compost bin.  I hate all things dough!!!!  Back to the tastys:)  The steak and broccoli were wonderful:) Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli 1  stick  unsalted butter,softened 2    large garlic cloves,very thinly sliced 3/4 c  freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 lb broccoli,cut into long spears and stems peeled 1/4 c  plus 2 tablespoons extra-v

Another beautiful bunch of eggplants from my Front Porch Pickings basket. One of the beautiful things about getting this basket (aside from the obvious fact that it is local, seasonal and fresh) is that variety is find of forced on you.  For example, I love eggplant, but the rest of the family doesn't.  Oh they eat it if I put an eggplant recipe on the menu, but it gets the cold shoulder.  Couple that with my mission of a different dinner every night, I get to enjoy veggies I like in new ways.  This recipe is one of those.  I loved my dinner.  (it had just a smidge too much garlic and heat for a perfect dish but easily tweaked and totally tasty as is)  I loved the fact that this recipe made the eggplant unrecognizable to my son whose attitude toward one of my favorite veggies is hostile.  We did the ingredient guessing game and he got all but eggplant.  The 1/4" dice made the eggplant break down into a sauce by the end of the cooking process.  I had Roma tomatoes I needed to

I had gotten some potatoes from my Front Porch Pickings basket.  I know that the potatoes were going to be the last thing that would spoil, but today is Sunday and I had more time to play with the dough.  Dough is my nemesis.  I hate making it, it is always too sticky and flour enjoys messing with my measurements and doughs.  I avoid dough making at all costs.  At least the dough that needs to be kneaded. (giggle)  I enjoyed this dish despite the fact that my kitchen looks like a flour and dirty dish bomb went off.  The boy was liking it, but said when he dipped it in some of his salad's balsamic vinegar it became a tasty favorite.  I could never count it as a favorite just because of my battle with the dough; also my Lithuanian great grand father always made pierogies with beef and mushroom filling and that is kind of what I think of when I think of pierogies.  All in all tasty if someone other than me makes it:).  This recipe is from Grant Achatz  via Food & Wine magazine. 

This recipe is from the blog More Fruit Please .  I have no problem copying recipe from big food sites like F&W or the Food Network. They get plenty of traffic and if you google the recipe there's is usually the first link or two that shows up.   I give a link to the original when I know it, I don't want to do that to my fellow bloggers.  I think I first saw this on pintrest (or it could have been food buzz).  I gave you a list of  the ingredients so you will know what is in it and to give you an idea of what it's like, but for the recipe and amounts, you will need to click the link to the blog I got the recipe from.  I enjoyed this.  The boy ate two bowls.  (He really loved it!) My daughter like it too.  The husband was working.  It was quick and easy to make too. (bonus!)  It isn't a favorite, but that's just me.  I, personally, thought the yogurt and tomatoes together were a bit too... tangy for lack of  a better word.  Not bad mind you, just not a home run f

I wasn't sure what to expect from this.  We all like lentils and Giada has always delivered on her recipes.  I have been holding off on trying this also, since the long list of ingredients seems like it might be an ordeal to make.  It was delicious and surprisingly easy.  I did use 2 oz more spinach since it came in 6 oz bags, and I'm sure I used a bit more cheese.  My veggie broth was unsalted, so I needed a bit more salt too.  I couldn't fit it all in one pan, so I split them between 2 pans.  It was really, really good and really filling.  It was a bit more liquid than I expected from "meatloaf" but it so didn't matter.  Even the boy, who had been snacking while waiting for dinner to be done, ate heartily.  I think this is a must for any vegetarian and a should have for everyone else. I really liked the raw tomato in the sauce too.  I'm glad I skipped making a salad;  it really filled you up! Veronica's Veggie Meatloaf With Checca Sauce Checca Sau

The title lies. I made the recipe for Scarpetta's Spaghetti With Tomato And Basil I got off the web and it was a million times better than this one.   I thought it would be at least similar, but even after an hour and a half of cooking it was still pretty thin and the oil was a pale imitation of the original.  I hate to be so down on it but it promised the world and didn't even deliver a city.  If they hadn't raised my expectations, I probably would have liked it more.  I see no reason to keep the recipe.  I will give it this, it is much easier than the original.  I like the idea of using a rich mushroom broth to help boost the flavor, but I didn't see the results I expected. $4 Spaghetti That’s Almost As Good As $24 Spaghetti 4    ounces white button mushrooms,thinly sliced 3/4 c  peeled garlic cloves (4 ounces,from about 4 heads) 2/3 c  extra-virgin olive oil Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices Salt Freshly ground pepper 1 lb spaghet

Having pomegranate molasses from last night's recipe, I decided to pull out this one from my to try file that has been passed up because I didn't have the molasses.  I hate to get an ingredient with only one use for it.  Well unlike in school house rock, it seems two was the magic number.  This one was vastly superior to last night's dinner.  My only complaint was with mother nature.  I did not enjoy the woody aspect of the pomegranate arils.  Loved the tart pop but that woody crunch after was a texture issue for me.  I kept thinking that I was getting a fish bone.  I learned to work with it and over the course of dinner, I found myself enjoying it more and more.  The flavor of the fish was awesome.  I even enjoyed the mint.  I usually have an issue with mint in savory dishes. Pom egranate-Glazed Salmon With Armenian Rice Salmon 2 T  soy sauce 1 T  extra-virgin olive oil 1 T  fresh lemon juice 1 T  fresh lime juice 1 T  agave nectar 2    garlic cloves,smashed 1 1

This dinner was a split decision.  I liked it somewhat and thought it was good enough to try and fix the issues we had with it.  My son loved the fish, but my husband didn't.  My husband thought the rice was the star, the carbohydrate kid, not so much.  The little girl liked the fish too.  I loved that this recipe was a real challenge on the ingredient guessing game.  The boy beat the husband by one.  I will admit when it came to the spice blend, I gave hints;).  I just want to advocate again that the ingredient guessing game is a great meal time activity.  It can be played by any age, it's fun (really it is, not just for food geeks:) and connects the diner with the meal and the process of cooking it. Ok back to the meal... It was a bit of a laborious pain.  The pomegranate molasses took way longer thant AB said it would in his recipe.  You can buy it, but why? It's $$$$ and hard to find.  I did it the day before.  I didn't make my own thahini but other than that, I fo

OMG, what a total pain in the butt, and dang it if it wasn't really delicious.  We were trying out this recipe we had at Restaurant Marrakesh in EPCOT and got from their cookbook.  I was a bit annoyed at it's vague instructions.  (it's an ounce by volume not weight FYI) and no instructions on how to substitute phyllo dough for the bastilla leaf but my annoyance faded at the tasting.  It was great.  Super great!  I have never been a fan of sweet and savory, but this recipe makes me a believer.  The sweet, cinnamony meat in the crisp shell is perfect.  I love Moroccan food and this is a perfect example of why it is so wonderful.  The rolling of it is fraught with annoyance and curse words but all is forgotten by the time you taste it! YUM Beef Brewat 1 lb Ground Beef 1/2 md Onion,Diced 1 oz Cilantro,Chopped 1 oz Parsley,Chopped 1/2 t  Cinnamon 1 pn Ginger 1 pn Saffron 1 t  Salt 2    Egg,Whipped 1 oz Peanut Oil Bastilla Leaf,Or Phyllo Dough Powdered Sugar And Ci

I think this is the first of the F&W staff favorites that disappointed us a bit.  It was alright but not particularly memorable.  We did alter it a bit.  I only used a pound and a half of meat.  The burgers were plenty big with less meat.  The only blue cheese at the market was  danish style and probably stronger than what was recommended, but the burgers weren't overwhelmingly blue cheesy.  I don't care for brioche and we had some buns already.  And lastly, there weren't the right peppers at the market and a quick search on my phone suggested cubanelles as a substitute.  It was tasty but I can't see us making it again.  Maybe we have become a bit too picky, but we have plenty of recipes we love so... It was different and that is something:) Green-Chile Burgers With Fried Eggs 2 1/4 lb ground chuck,preferably organic Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 lb mild American blue cheese such as Maytag Blue Cheese, cut into 4 slices 4    large eggs 4    brioche buns,s

I decided to make some Popsicles to beat the heat after a swim.  We love coconut so these sounded ideal. My son and daughter loved them.  My husband and I didn't.  They were too strong with the lime.  Also we can't eat anything sweet, cold and coconut without comparing it to the most amazing coconut ice cream from Hershey's .  It has ruined us for anything else!  I don't see me making this recipe again, but I am totally happy that I invested in some Popsicle molds because I am looking forward to trying out all kinds of flavors. Coconut Pops Puree a 14-ounce can of coconut milk with the grated zest of 1 lime, the juice of 2 limes, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup shredded coconut. Pour into small Popsicle molds or 3-ounce paper cups; insert wooden Popsicle sticks. Freeze several hours, or until firm

I have finally used up the last of the miso paste.  We all really loved this dressing.  My biggest issue was that I thought it was a bit sweet.  I think that next time I will halve the sugar.  It was really worth it even when though it was too sweet, but for my taste, I would like to tweak it towards the savory next time. Miso Sesame Vinaigrette 2 T  Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar 3 T  Water 2 T  Miso Paste,Red Or White 2 T  Sugar 2 T  Fresh Ginger,Finely Grated 4 t  Tahini,Well Stirred (or Nerigoma) Japanese sesame paste 3 T  Vegetable Oil Sesame Seeds,For Garnish Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until smooth Dressing can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.  Bring to room temperature before serving

I have been slacking on the recipes as we are in Tennessee enjoying the mountains. While we have been cooking dinner every night, they have been recipes that were already on the blog.  I have cheated a bit by scheduling posts of sides and snacks I made before we left.  I am not sorry, I am loving my vacation. (can you say white water rafting!!!)  However, tonight we are making this grilled pork tenderloin that we love but somehow neglected to make during the blog era. This is an Alton Brown Recipe.  (always good)   We are having it with my black beans recipe and rice and a salad. The post marinade is genius; the combination of pork and lime, sublime.  We all ate way too much.  This was the first time we actually cooked it on a grill.  (Usually we just cook it under the broiler). Yummy! It was also nice that our salad had lots of local veggies we got from a road side stand. Grilled Pork Tenderloin 1    whole pork tenderloin approximately 1 pound 1    lime,zest finely grated 1/2

It may not be pretty, but it's good:) I love this versatile dip.  This is the "bare bones" recipe.  From here you can build it to your taste or occasion.  I like adding cumin, curry power or Greek seasoning(just be mindful of the salt.  add seasonings with salt before you add salt).  You can even add some tahini if you want it to be more hummus like, but I happen to like it this way, not just for flavor, but it is a little lighter with out the fat and calories of tahini.  It is simple to make and fast.  I often whip up a batch before the beach or pool and take it as a snack.  I like to use it as a dip for veggies and as the "meat" in a sandwich in addition to the bread or crackers. I usually don't add the hot sauce to the dip, (ok maybe just a dash or two)  I sprinkle it over each portion.  It lets you adjust heat for every one's preference. White Bean Dip 2 cn of cannellini beans [white kidney beans] drained and rinsed 2 ea of garlic,put throug

I had a variety of gorgeous eggplants from my Front Porch Pickings basket.  I decided rather than puree these beauties into Baba Ganoush, which everyone would eat, I was making them all for me.  I had been wanting to try this recipe anyways.  The sauce was good but very garlicky, so go light.  The biggest issue with the dish was totally my fault.  Some of the eggplants in the basket were babies and not ideal grilling fodder. That kept the recipe from being great.  I also hate to not to do justice to a great product so that's a double grrrrr for me.  Oh added bonus, the high sugar content of the sauce make it quite a chore to clean up the grill. (or grill basket as in my case) Easy Thai Grilled Eggplant 1 Chinese eggplant (other types of eggplant will work too) 4 T soy sauce 4 T oyster sauce 2 T fish sauce 2 T brown sugar + 1-2 more tsp. 7 -8 cloves garlic,minced 1 fresh minced red chili,OR 1-2 tsp. chili sauce (optional) 2 T white wine or cooking wine (or sherr

With the lovely butter beans I got from my Front Porch Pickings basket, I decided to try a butter bean hummus recipe.  My son, who would have turned his nose up at the beans themselves, really liked it.  My husband and I did too.  The only thing I found, for me, was it kind of like taking a big swig of what you thought was Coke only to find it Root Beer.  Both taste good but it flavor difference was hard to get over at first.  Now that I expect it, no problem, but in the beginning it some getting use to. We had a cocktail hour with some friends and I served the hummus with some garlic hot sauce, olives and wasabi almonds.  Mmmmmm.  Butter Bean Hummus 1 lb dried butter beans (Lima beans) 4    garlic cloves 1/3 c  tahini 2 t  kosher salt 1/2 t  black pepper,freshly ground 1/2 t  cayenne 1 c  olive oil 1/4 c  lemon juice,freshly squeezed 1Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water.2Drain and discard the soaking water.3Put the beans in a pot and cover with cold fresh water.

We have family in town.  They are all gathering here before we all take a  trip to the mountains. It has been strongly suggested we have our famous (and secret recipe) Fish Tacos.  Well, as we can't share that recipe and technically it is a repeat, so I thought I would make a hot sauce for them. I got this sauce out of the free iBook from the iTunes store.  It's called Bobby Flay's Bold Flavors . It is an amazing hot sauce.  It's funny, every member of my household (ok not the 2 year old) has their own hot sauce.  My son loves the Chipotle Tabasco, my husband Crystal and Sriracha for myself, however everyone loves this sauce.  If pureeing an entire can of chipotles for 2 tablespoons worries you, and you think there won't be another use for it, do what I do with tomato paste.  Portion it out (1 Tbsp for tomato paste, and 1 tsp for the peppers unless you like spicy) and freeze it. Then put your little frozen nuggets in a ziploc bag and viola.  No waste and easy porti

Well we are getting ready to go on vacation and I need to clean out the produce in my fridge that won't make it the week.  I am, again cheating, by baking cookies as my "dinner" and making clean out the fridge black beans.  While they were tasty, they are too similar to my black bean recipe to count as a new dinner so.... cookies.  This is a recipe I made for some of my Husband's employees when we were first married.  It is from a Martha Stewart magazine.  Everyone loved these cookies, and as I am not a baker, I was super pleased that they were well received.  I know they were a favorite of my husband's but I haven't made them in a long, long time. So, while he often curses the blog because he will have to wait too long before he can have a favorite meal again, he can thank it too for unearthing some old favorites. I made half the batch with raisins(for my mom) and half with chocolate chips (for me;) Oatmeal Cookies 1 c  packed light brown sugar 1 c  granu

I know I said no more burgers for a while.  Its a long, boring story, so sufficed to say I had some ingredients I needed to use.  This Bobby Flay recipe was, as expected, very tasty.  Even my husband didn't complain that we were having burgers again after a bite.  The recipe is really for the chipotle mayo.  The rest of the slider was kind of up to the individual.  We diverged from the recipe by replacing salt and pepper with adobo seasoning. Also, because my chipotles in adobo were frozen, I didn't have much of the adobo once thawed, so I added a dash or two of chipotle Tabasco and some garlic powder. Sliders With Chipotle Mayonnaise Chipotle Mayonnaise 1 c  mayonnaise 2    chipotles in adobo sauce 1 T  adobo sauce 1/2    lime,juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sliders 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck,80/20 Salt and freshly ground black pepper Cheese slices,

My friend's husband is a wizard at the grill.  I don't know if it is the sauce or the fact that he stokes this monster fire of different woods to get that amazing smoke flavor, or even that he had just caught the shrimp himself.  All I know is I didn't have enough room for all I ate but I didn't get enough! On the menu tonight was: grilled shrimp, grilled veggies, steak, kielbasa, baked beans, coleslaw, watermelon and mojitos. The Famous Mug!  I was having too much fun to ask for all the recipes, but as I didn't want to neglect the blog completely, I got the recipe for his sauce.  He starts with an old and beloved mug with Garfield on it.  He adds 1/2 c of butter, 1/2 cup of toasted sesame marinade and about 10 drops of lime juice.  He then fills the rest of the mug with some water.  (about a 1/2 cup)  He microwaves it for 30 seconds or so and them brushes them liberally over the shrimp skewers.  He also makes a similar sauce I love but instead of the sesame he

Well yet another burger.  My husband has strongly requested we back off the burgers for a while.  I can't promise it.  I get a bit obsessive.  I have found so many amazing variations of the classic burger and I want to explore it's many infinite possibilities until I feel I have attained some mastery.  My husband argues that we have many we have mastered and that is true but by no means equals burger mastery.  And here is the thing, I love variety and we could eat all manner of "burgers" and the only thing that lumps them in to the same category is the  bun. (if that see the Crunchy Kimchi Burgers ) I have just seen that we have had 20 different kinds of burgers this year.  Most of these have been in the last few months.  Ok, honey I will try to back off but I can't promise:).  These burgers were really good.  I did have a little mistake that I made that I think ending up making the burger better.  When I saw chile I read chili .  So in the burger I used the cumi

My husband thought I was nuts.  I told him repeatedly that I have seen grilled romaine many time on cooking shows, but he thought I was just being silly.  But as we were grilling tonight and had romaine in the fridge, I insisted.  I loved what the grill did to the lettuce.  It gave it this slight smoky char that was really something.  The dressing was great too.  The boy devoured his and the husband had to admit that he was wrong and that it was really great.  That was almost better than the meal;). Grilled Romaine Salad 2    heads romaine lettuce Extra-virgin olive oil Citrus Caesar Vinaigrette (recipe below) Parmigiano-Reggiano Rinse and pat dry the lettuce. Cut the 2 heads in half lengthwise. Brush surface with olive oil and grill about 4 to 5 minutes total, turning occasionally. Place each wedge on a salad plate and drizzle with Citrus Caesar Vinaigrette or your favorite Caesar dressing. With a vegetable peeler, shave some pieces from a wedge of Reggiano-Parmigiano over