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.

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.

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.

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.