The last week has been so so busy. Out almost every night - my birthday - travel - no time to cook. But yesterday I had my veggie delivery and tonight I wanted to cook. Something easy and delicious.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
TOO BUSY TO COOK -
The last week has been so so busy. Out almost every night - my birthday - travel - no time to cook. But yesterday I had my veggie delivery and tonight I wanted to cook. Something easy and delicious.
I know that adding a fried egg to everything is so over - but! Cooking up some Rainbow Chard and topping is with a fried egg is such an easy and healthy dinner. Very delicious and satisfying. Tomorrow night there is an asparagus salad with scallions in my future. Looking forward to that as well.
The last week has been so so busy. Out almost every night - my birthday - travel - no time to cook. But yesterday I had my veggie delivery and tonight I wanted to cook. Something easy and delicious.
Friday, May 17, 2013
FRIDAY WITHOUT PIZZA
Friday pizza has been my routine for a long time - but tonight I wanted something different. I had asparagus in the frig that was calling my name. So i decided to try something different.
An omelet with asparagus. Paul used to grill the asparagus over charcoal and I loved that but I was not going to do that. So I decided to try cooking it in my cast iron skillet. High heat - sprinkled with coarse salt, dry asparagus. Cook and turn for just a few minutes. Plate - drizzle with olive oil - almost as good as over a charcoal fire.
As for the omelet - I haven't made one for a long time. I forgot how much i love them. They are easy and elegant. A perfect, easy, healthy Friday night dinner.
Friday pizza has been my routine for a long time - but tonight I wanted something different. I had asparagus in the frig that was calling my name. So i decided to try something different.
An omelet with asparagus. Paul used to grill the asparagus over charcoal and I loved that but I was not going to do that. So I decided to try cooking it in my cast iron skillet. High heat - sprinkled with coarse salt, dry asparagus. Cook and turn for just a few minutes. Plate - drizzle with olive oil - almost as good as over a charcoal fire.
As for the omelet - I haven't made one for a long time. I forgot how much i love them. They are easy and elegant. A perfect, easy, healthy Friday night dinner.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
SUCH A BUSY DAY
I was feeling like my house was totally out of control - I am usually super neat (some people have mentioned it as a fault) and put things where they belong. But over the last two weeks i just have not managed that and it finally made my CRAZY. So I spent the day organizing, tidying, cleaning, planning and finally - Cooking.
After all of that I deserved a good meal.
I went to the grocery store and totally could not resist the colorful cauliflower. I wasn't sure how the colors would hold up when it was roasted - but it just looked so pretty.
This photo really doesn't do the meal justice. The cauliflower was very pretty and I made a tricolor rotini the go with the cauliflower ad steak. It was all very delicious.
And now I am fueled up to go for an 8 mile hike tomorrow on Sugarloaf Mountain. The weather is supposed to be lovely - sun and temperatures in the mid 60s - perfect for hiking.
Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies out there.
I was feeling like my house was totally out of control - I am usually super neat (some people have mentioned it as a fault) and put things where they belong. But over the last two weeks i just have not managed that and it finally made my CRAZY. So I spent the day organizing, tidying, cleaning, planning and finally - Cooking.
After all of that I deserved a good meal.
I went to the grocery store and totally could not resist the colorful cauliflower. I wasn't sure how the colors would hold up when it was roasted - but it just looked so pretty.
This photo really doesn't do the meal justice. The cauliflower was very pretty and I made a tricolor rotini the go with the cauliflower ad steak. It was all very delicious.
And now I am fueled up to go for an 8 mile hike tomorrow on Sugarloaf Mountain. The weather is supposed to be lovely - sun and temperatures in the mid 60s - perfect for hiking.
Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies out there.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
PLANTING AND PLANNING
I have been busy putting in my garden. I can only to plants in pots on my narrow strip of deck - otherwise the deer and the groundhogs eat everything. This year I am concentrating on herbs and flowers. The tomatoes never work out - either they don't produce much or they do and the squirrels eat them. The peppers and eggplant never seem to be worth the work. So this year everything will be pretty, have a lovely fragrance and some of it will taste good.
Tonight I made "Sunday Dinner". I know it is Sunday and what else would I make - but when Paul said he wanted Sunday Dinner he meant he wanted a traditional Sunday dinner. Roasted meat, a vegetable and a starch. Gravy was always appreciated.
A roast chicken is always a good choice because then there will be options for more dinners during the week. I was going to do something more interesting than a baked potato but I ran out of energy and inspiration. The green beans (I love Trader Joe's green beans) I made with the same Shallot and lemon dressing that I used for the asparagus salad last week. I poured it over the hot green beans and let it sit until all else was ready. It was a room temperature by then and was perfect.
Have a happy healthy week.
I have been busy putting in my garden. I can only to plants in pots on my narrow strip of deck - otherwise the deer and the groundhogs eat everything. This year I am concentrating on herbs and flowers. The tomatoes never work out - either they don't produce much or they do and the squirrels eat them. The peppers and eggplant never seem to be worth the work. So this year everything will be pretty, have a lovely fragrance and some of it will taste good.
Tonight I made "Sunday Dinner". I know it is Sunday and what else would I make - but when Paul said he wanted Sunday Dinner he meant he wanted a traditional Sunday dinner. Roasted meat, a vegetable and a starch. Gravy was always appreciated.
A roast chicken is always a good choice because then there will be options for more dinners during the week. I was going to do something more interesting than a baked potato but I ran out of energy and inspiration. The green beans (I love Trader Joe's green beans) I made with the same Shallot and lemon dressing that I used for the asparagus salad last week. I poured it over the hot green beans and let it sit until all else was ready. It was a room temperature by then and was perfect.
Have a happy healthy week.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
LET'S DO DINNER
Dinner was not entirely the amazing taste treat I was hoping for. The roasted sweet potatoes were wonderful. The asparagus salad with shallot lemon dressing was amazing. What I expected to be the best part - the scallops - were underwhelming. They were plump and pretty. They should have been briny and sweet, but they were almost tasteless. And for what I paid - that is a crime. I don't usually complain to a store about this sort of thing, but this time I may have to.
The asparagus salad almost made up for it. I have never made a salad of raw asparagus and this was delicious. i found the recipe in a book I bought about cooking for one person.
At the time I was hoping for a book that would help me cook once a week and recreate all week - basically eating well with no effort. This book does not tell you how to do that. But now I am ready to actually make delicious meals for myself and this book is terrific. And it follows the format that I am so in favor of now - it is organized by season.
Happy cooking to all.
Dinner was not entirely the amazing taste treat I was hoping for. The roasted sweet potatoes were wonderful. The asparagus salad with shallot lemon dressing was amazing. What I expected to be the best part - the scallops - were underwhelming. They were plump and pretty. They should have been briny and sweet, but they were almost tasteless. And for what I paid - that is a crime. I don't usually complain to a store about this sort of thing, but this time I may have to.
The asparagus salad almost made up for it. I have never made a salad of raw asparagus and this was delicious. i found the recipe in a book I bought about cooking for one person.
At the time I was hoping for a book that would help me cook once a week and recreate all week - basically eating well with no effort. This book does not tell you how to do that. But now I am ready to actually make delicious meals for myself and this book is terrific. And it follows the format that I am so in favor of now - it is organized by season.
Happy cooking to all.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
I THINK THERE IS A THEME HERE
I really do love cookbooks that are regional. The focus on a specific location, culture and readily available ingredients is enchanting. Also, I have a particular fondness for this book because the writer is from Harford County Maryland where I grew up. Her husband and my brother went to school together. The geography, the people, the food are all like home to me. AND it is a good cook book.
There are touches of contemporary ingredients and techniques; but at heart it is a down home cookbook. The crab cakes and sweet potato biscuit recipes are authentic. I am sorry there are no recipes for squirrel pot pie or fried muskrat - a real Maryland experience.
You will enjoy the stories of small farmers, millers who make stone ground grains, small cattle operations, family orchards, traditional oystermen, and dedicated restauranteurs who are dedicated to local ingredients and authentic preparations. Maryland has mountains, plains, sea coast and all of the varied cuisine this entails.
Take a look at the book - it is lovely.
I really do love cookbooks that are regional. The focus on a specific location, culture and readily available ingredients is enchanting. Also, I have a particular fondness for this book because the writer is from Harford County Maryland where I grew up. Her husband and my brother went to school together. The geography, the people, the food are all like home to me. AND it is a good cook book.
You will enjoy the stories of small farmers, millers who make stone ground grains, small cattle operations, family orchards, traditional oystermen, and dedicated restauranteurs who are dedicated to local ingredients and authentic preparations. Maryland has mountains, plains, sea coast and all of the varied cuisine this entails.
Take a look at the book - it is lovely.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
THIS IS GOOD STUFF
This is the weeks veggies. Not sure what I am going to do with them. Tonight was a late night getting home from work; so cooking is not in the picture.
I hope to find interesting ways to use the lovely produce I have in my frig.
Going back in time - i wanted to give a shout out to my Griswold cast iron skillet. I have three. I have bought them and given them to my children. They are the best and if you are ever at a thrift store, flea market etc and you come across one - buy it. They are much light than any other cast iron skillet and totally wonderful to cook with. When I first start buying them I could find them for $10 - $15. Now a number 8 skillet is more like $90. However, if you like cooking in cast iron, this is a purchase for the long haul - just do it.
It is a beautiful thing.
I hope to find interesting ways to use the lovely produce I have in my frig.
Going back in time - i wanted to give a shout out to my Griswold cast iron skillet. I have three. I have bought them and given them to my children. They are the best and if you are ever at a thrift store, flea market etc and you come across one - buy it. They are much light than any other cast iron skillet and totally wonderful to cook with. When I first start buying them I could find them for $10 - $15. Now a number 8 skillet is more like $90. However, if you like cooking in cast iron, this is a purchase for the long haul - just do it.
It is a beautiful thing.
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