Meals 25-31

01/25 we're still digging our way out from the remnants of last weeks winter storm. so chili seemed an appropriate meal for this evening. a vegetarian friend of mine used to bring quinoa chili in to work whenever we had potlucks. and since this is a meatless monday meal? it seemed like the perfect time to try it out! i was pleasantly surprised at how hearty the chili was. quinoa adds a nice texture to the dish. and the rest is filled with black beans, corn and a whole host of veggies.  even a carnivore would appreciate this chili.

i topped the chili with avocado, cheddar, scallions, cilantro and sour cream. i made a side of sweet corn cakes (like the kind you get at most chain tex mex places) to go with it. a little lighter than the standard corn bread. and an excellent accompaniment!  it's hard to even see the chili through all the toppings, but i promise the flavor came through loud and clear!

01/26 i've had a  craving for seafood the last few days, so wanted to try a salmon dish tonight. this is a recipe i came across on ye old pinterest.....salmon topped with an herbed cheese and onion mixture. it sounds a little odd. but it does look most enticing, so i decided to give it a shot. this year is all about new recipes after all! since the salmon was so rich, i kept the side dishes simple. a little of the left over cole slaw from sunday, and some green peas.

01/27 the snow days are over, and it's back to work today! tonight's meal was one for the crock pot. garlic and brown sugar chicken with broccoli over brown rice. my expectations for this meal were rather low. i was worried it would be overly sticky. or too garlicky. but i was pleasantly surprised. the tender chicken was easily shredded into a well balanced sauce. not too sweet, not too spicy, not too salty. the texture was like a barbecued chicken. but the flavor was a little more to the asian side. it's always a treat to find a recipe that is so easy and so good!

01/28 with the leftover brown rice from last night's dinner, i made one of my personal favorites. stuffed peppers. specifically red peppers stuffed with seasoned lean ground beef,  tomato sauce, brown rice and just a little touch of parmesan. they taste like comfort food, but are actually reasonably healthy. i always add a packet of "good seasons italian dressing mix" to the ground beef. it adds an amazing depth of flavor!

i usually serve these with a simple garden salad. but since this year is about trying out new recipes? i opted for a "massaged baby kale salad" instead. yes. i was in my kitchen giving a spa treatment to a bowl of leafy greens. tip-if you ever put kale in a salad, it helps to massage it with just a touch of olive oil and salt for about 2 minutes. this will soften the tough fibers in the kale and make it much more pleasing to the palette. i tossed the newly relaxed and tension-free kale with the shallot-dijon vinaigrette i've become so fond of lately. think of that as the aroma therapy part of the massage. then i threw i some slivered almonds and dried cranberries.  a most delicious alternative to a garden salad! (stop rolling your eyes mom....you wouldn't have even known it was kale). and i wasn't the only one who thought so, tony went back for seconds!

01/29 it's friday, and time for me to take a night off from the kitchen. tony had a wicked burger craving tonight, so we went to foster's grille. i got their lil char burger with bleu cheese and barbecue sauce, and a small side of onion rings. healthy? no. worth it? YES!!!!! it was the perfect way to end the work week!

01/30 as we're approaching the lunar new year, tony and i went to a "tet festival" tonight. so many vietnamese vendors and musicians! it was great people watching. they had table after table of local vietnamese cuisine. some familiar, some completely unrecognizable.... and none of it described in english.  we were both curious to try the food, but it was just a little too chaotic and noisy to stay and have dinner. but the hankering for asian cuisine was in place.

we stumbled upon "cheng's asian house" in a nearby strip mall. i was expecting standard americanized chinese food. but we were both surprised by some amazing (and much more authentic) chinese offerings! we split scallion pancakes and potstickers as appetizers. i love anything dumpling-ish..... i had the shredded spicy duck, and tony had the "spicy pungent noodles". which sounds a little scary. but they were amazing!!! both dishes were wonderfully flavored, and the perfect level of spicy. you could feel the heat, but it didn't overwhelm the tastes of the meal. http://chengshouse.com

01/31 for tonight's meal i made one of tony's favorites. baked ziti. i lightened it up a little. a lot actually. i used whole wheat pasta (and about half the amount the recipe calls for). and in place of ground beef or sausage i used turkey meatballs. i cut way back on the cheese the recipe called for. i actually enjoy the lightened up version better than the original.

and thus ends my first month of my goal!!! i've had some favorite recipes from the past, and have tried some new ones as well. i'm enjoying the way this plan forces me to break out of culinary ruts. eleven more months to go!!

Meals 18-24

this week marks the start of my training for a 10k i'm planning to sign up for in march. so carbs are back on the menu!! i need the fuel to get me through the grueling schedule i've set for myself. of course i pick the coldest week of the year to start this nonsense. silly, silly me....

01/18  i wanted something quick and simple tonight. i boiled some whole wheat tortellini and tossed them in a sun-dried tomato and cream sauce with wilted spinach. a little fresh basil on top? and it was an unexpected success. sometimes the simple dishes really are the best!

01/19 i love, love, LOVE this dish!!! chicken in a creamy tarragon dijon sauce served with garlic  mushrooms. and since i had some left over green beans? i threw those on the plate too. tarragon is an amazing flavor. every so slightly reminiscent of anise. native to hungary but prominent in the cuisine of southern france. it is a distant cousin the sunflower! maybe that's why i like it so much. apparently there is a soda in armenia flavored with tarragon. if i'm ever in armenia...i will make sure to seek it out. the sauce on this dish really is outstanding. definitely a 4.5 on the TRS. i'm already thinking what other dishes i can put this sauce on. halibut, a seared filet, potatoes.... you will definitely see the sauce from this meal more than once this year!

here's the recipe:
Tarragon Chicken
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp olive oil
3 lbs chicken breasts
3/4 c minced shallot
1/4 c brandy
1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 c cream
4 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp dijon mustard

-melt butter and oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
-season chicken with salt and pepper.
-cook chicken in skillet 4 minutes per side.
-transfer chicken to a plate.
-add shallots to skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. sauté 3 minutes.
-add brandy to shallots. simmer 2 minutes.
-whisky broth into shallots and brandy.
-return chicken to skillet. cover and cook 20 minutes.
-removed chicken to serving plate.
-add cream, tarragon and dijon to sauce. increase heat to high. boil 3 minutes (until thickened).
-pour sauce over chicken.

01/20 a friend of mine let me borrow her "recipes from the phillippines" cook book when she heard about my goal for this year. she knew i was looking to try different styles of cuisine. i pulled one of the quintessential dishes of pork adobo to try first.  i served it on a bed of stir fried vegetables.  i was a little wary of the recipe, because it is deceptively simple. onions, garlic, soy sauce, water and vinegar. a LOT of vinegar. but i was surprised at how flavorful the combination turned out to be. the recipe called for a pork shoulder, but i used a pork loin to try to cut out fat. i didn't get the "crisp" it should have. but the flavor and texture was on point!

01/21 i was on my own tonight, tony is out of town for work. so i figured it was a good night to clear the fridge of some leftovers. so the trick here is how do i use leftovers without repeating a meal? my solution was a simple garden salad, with the last of the shredded brisket from sunday night on it. i topped it with a bbq ranch dressing. nothing fancy. but tasty all the same.

01/22 tonight is the start of what looks like it will be a record breaking blizzard in this area. the snow has just started, and right now the world looks pristine and white. like we're standing inside a little snow globe. since we are likely going to be house bound for the next few days, tony and i took the opportunity to walk to a local bar to grab dinner. we figured we should get out while we had the chance! we went to "the breeze". a favorite haunt of ours with a mediterranean flair. i'm sure we will be back more than once this year. and there's plenty on the menu to chose from! tonight i had their chopped salad. it was surprisingly busy as everyone within walking distance had come out for a pre-storm drink. here's a picture of the street outside as we were walking home. and this is only the beginning!

01/23 with this weather, dinner tonight had to be something warm and comforting. cheeseburger casserole. i've been wanting to try this recipe for a while now. i saw it on the website "skinnytaste" and was intrigued. most of the recipes i've gotten from this site have been amazing. i love her combination of flavors, and ideas for substitutions that make meals a little friendlier to the waist line. i was a little dubious of a recipe that involved dill pickles. it wasn't "gourmet". but it was really tasty. and definitely a good snow day meal.

here's a link to the recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/cheeseburger-casserole.html

i recommend adding a little hot sauce to the recipe. just to kick things up a notch. and don't be scared by the color the pickles add.....

01/24 the snow has finally stopped, but this entire area is covered in mountains of white. tonight i'm thawing some leftover brisket and macaroni and cheese i had squirreled away from thanksgiving. i had said i was saving it for a "snowy day". and this would definitely qualify! i made up a big ole batch of coleslaw to complete the meal. macaroni and cheese.....is there anything better?

despite the weather, i've managed to stick pretty closely to my training plan. thank heavens for treadmills inside! we'll see what next week brings. other than lots and lots of shoveling......

Jonas vs NOVA.....Jonas Wins

we are buried this weekend under winter storm jonas. all the creatures at la casa de gaio are hunkered down for some gnarly winter weather. we've been hit with about 30 inches of snow.

before-as the first flakes begin to fall. a normal suburban street.

during-remember those cars from the last picture? they're still there....somewhere...lumps of white under more white. if you look really closely? you can see the rearview mirrors sticking out. but nothing else. with the winds, it's near white-out conditions. and we still have five hours of snow to go....

i'm sure in a few days i will be sick and tired of staring at white, but for now i'm enjoying the winter landscape. and appreciating that mother nature is forcing me to spend a few days inside. all plans have been canceled. the heated blankets are warm, and the jammies are on. i foresee many naps and snacks in the near future!

first order of business, i came up with a new cocktail to celebrate the weather! i call it "the snow drift". it's so very crisp and refreshing! and the prettiest of colors. i made them with our brunch to add a little warmth to the blood before going out to shovel. the first of many shovelings.

Snow Drift
3 oz pink grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed if you can)
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz st germain liqueur

-shake with ice
-strain into cocktail glass
-garnish with maraschino cherry

tony was vigilant with keeping the back of the house shoveled so that our poor lil hound had a place to go when she needed to. here you can see exactly how high the snow has piled. when she tried to jump into a snow bank? she sank almost up to her ears!

we always keep a coat on her during winter weather. she's a florida girl. she doesn't like the cold. this is her face of "whisky tango foxtrot people......WHY??????"

cash faired far better. he has discovered that mahjong's dog bed makes for a nice warm spot to spend the day. he's doing well these days. healed from his injuries and becoming a snuggle bug!

other activities for the weekend will include making muffins, napping, making casseroles, snoozing, making chili, dozing, making cookies, and.......doing my taxes ('cause i'm a badass like that).

i'm sure the novelty of this madness will wane quickly. but for now? in this moment? i'm grateful for the hunkering!

Meals 11-17

our streak of low carb cooking continues into another week!

01/11 once again i face the double challenge of a meatless meal that is low carb. the answer tonight was eggplant napoleons. stacks made of roasted eggplant layered with tomato, roasted red pepper and mozzarella. a little pesto and balsamic drizzle and these tiny beauties are most satisfying. the taste is reminiscent of a pizza, and you can never go wrong with pizza! besides, they look so pretty after they've been assembled.....

01/12 i had a hankering for "tex mex" tonight. so i made a jalapeño popper stuffed chicken with mashed black beans and southwest squash casserole. for the chicken i took chicken breasts that had been tenderized and flattened and rolled them with a filling of cream cheese and jalapeños. i brushed the top with bbq sauce and put just a sprinkling of cheddar on top. a little spicy. and a lot tasty. the squash was baked with green chilies, sour cream and cheddar. the individual components of the meal were all ok...but something about the combination of all three together? very tasty!!

01/13 tonight we met up with tony's friends that have formed a "dinner club". once a month they meet together to try out a new restaurant in the area. tonight we went to neyla. a greek style restaurant nearby. i did have to cheat a little on my "low carb" restrictions. this place makes its own pitas. and i do so love a good homemade pita! i got the dip sampler and was most pleased.  http://neyla.com

01/14 maybe it's my irish heritage....but i always love a good shepherd's pie. it's always so comforting and savory. perfect on a winter's night. in trying to make the meal a little healthier i used a mash cauliflower on top instead of mashed potatoes. and served it with a side of the oh-so-delicious roasted brussels sprouts. not the most exciting of meals. but a solid classic!

01/15 the very first time i ventured into the world of low carb recipes, i put together a chicken stuffed with spinach and sun dried tomatoes. much like the jalapeño popper chicken, i start with a chicken breast that has been tenderized and flattened. this time i rolled it with a stuffing of spinach that had been sautéed with shallot, garlic, sun dried tomato, feta and balsamic vinegar. over the years this has been a go-to favorite at la casa de gaio. i've learned the magic that a few carefully added herbs can bring to a simple chicken dish. a drizzle of balsamic salad dressing on top and then a pinch of salt, pepper, thyme and oregano really bring the flavors of this dish up several notches. i usually serve this with a simple garden salad. nothing fussy. just fresh crisp vegetables.

01/16 harris teeter had a sale today on some beautiful tuna steaks, so dinner tonight was a nicoise salad. tuna seared to a rare-medium rare on a bed of greens with hard boiled egg, olives. green beans, tomato and red peppers. i went back to the shallot and honey dijon vinaigrette i made a few dinners ago. the light dressing paired perfectly with the strong flavors of the tuna and egg. a very filling and high protein meal!

01/17 i had a boss a few years ago that would always bring shredded italian brisket to every pot luck. when i finally got the recipe from him, it was embarrassingly easy, but amazingly delicious. a 4 lb brisket with one can of beef stock and one packet of good season italian dressing mix in a crock pot on low for 10 hours. the brisket is so tender it falls apart. he would always serve it with italian rolls, but i usually serve it with mashed cauliflower as a healthier option. for a side i made a green bean casserole (it's not just for thanksgiving!). over all a comforting winter meal.

another week done! looking forward to next week, where fruits and whole grains will be back in the rotation!!

Meals 4-10

with the holidays over, i'm trying to get myself back on track with eating healthy. the next two weeks will be more of an emphasis on low-carb meals (pretty much the phase one of south beach). this always resets my mindset away from the sugars and snacks. i always find this takes a little creativity to stay healthy without getting bored. and i do love a challenge!

01/04 since tonight was also a monday, i needed a recipe that was not only low carb but vegetarian.  so i made a simple frittata with zucchini, mushrooms, leeks and fontina cheese. i did a batch of tomatoes roasted with balsamic and garlic as a side, and garnished both with fresh basil. the bonus of this meal is that the leftovers will reheat quite nicely for breakfast!

01/05 one of my favorite carb-free meals is chicken in a creamy sun dried tomato sauce. we had a friend of tony's staying with us tonight, so i didn't want to make something "too diety". it must have served it's purpose, because everyone's place was clean. i also recommend making this meal with a side of rice or polenta to soak up the AMAZING sauce of this dish.

01/06 going back to my love of all things made in a muffin tin, tonight was mini kale pies. the "crust" is italian sausage formed into muffin tin. the filling is ricotta cheese mixed with kale, parmesan, garlic and onion. for a side i roasted zucchini with parmesan and italian seasoning. another meal that will double as a wonderful breakfast in the morning.

01/07 i was out of town tonight for work, and left to the mercy of an industrial cafeteria. luckily the food here had enough variety i could cobble together a meal that didn't break my diet stride. a simple salad and a very sad piece of flounder. it took all the will power i could muster not to take advantage of the free cookies here!!

01/08 this recipe is straight out of the south beach diet cook book. "turkey burgers with fennel". i always add a cup of shredded zucchini to the recipe because i often find ground turkey to be a little dry. i topped the burgers with tzatiki and served them with a greek salad. it's one of the simpler meals i can always rely on to be good and super healthy. the creamy texture of the tzatiki makes the meal feel so much more decadent than it really is!

01/09 tonight we had an invitation to a friend's house for a dinner party. she wanted to do a "raclette" dinner. which i'm ashamed to say i had to google. how is it with all of my love of cheese i had never heard of this???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette

apparently raclette is not only a type of cheese, but a style of preparation. it's basically a really fancy and amazing delicious fondue. everybody gets little trays that they can put whatever combination of meats, veggies and bread onto. then you cover it with cheese and heat it until it melts. delicious!!!! i highly recommend you if EVER get the chance to try this? DO IT!

01/10 i ended the week with a meal inspired by something i had a few years ago at a small restaurant in brooklyn. seared scallops over wilted collard greens on a bed of cannellini beans. it sounds....odd. and a combination i never would've imagined that i would like. but something about the way the flavors all meld together? it's actually become one of my favorite meals. the white beans are tossed in olive oil and old bay (a personal touch....i am from maryland after all). the greens are wilted in bacon that's been cooked with shallots and garlic, then tossed with hot sauce and cider vinegar. the scallops are seared in butter, garlic and red pepper flakes. all very simple. but i promise you when it comes together? it is amazing!

i feel pretty good after this week. no more holiday sugar hangover! i've always felt that as long as food tastes good? and flavorful? you don't notice that it's *gasp* healthy!!!!

Meals 1-3

01/01 for my first meal of the year, i made lasagna rolls. if you've never tried these? i'm a huge fan. just like my love of things cooked in muffin tins....making "lasagna rolls" instead of classic pan lasagna allows for equal portions. this particular recipe has a filling that is made of caramelized onions, mushrooms, garlic, kale and ricotta cheese. the sauce is a bleu cheese and cauliflower puree. to be honest? the sauce is the reason i made this meal. i've been curious to try it, and i was not disappointed! it had the pleasing texture of an alfredo sauce, but with much more depth of flavor. i put the recipe for the sauce below. for a side i roasted some asparagus with just a little bit of lemon zest. it looks like a rich and decadent meal, but it was actually light and refreshing.

Bleu Cheese Cauliflower Sauce:
1 Tblsp butter
1 Tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c white wine
1 1/2 c chicken broth
4 cups chopped cauliflower
1/2 c bleu cheese (or parmesan if you prefer a more traditional alfredo taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

-heat butter and olive oil over medium
-add garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté 1 minute
-add wine, broth and cauliflower
-turn heat to high and bring to a boil
-reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 minutes (cauliflower should be fork tender)
-puree using an emersion blender until smooth
-add bleu cheese and stir until melted
-if consistency is too thick? add a little bit of milk until desired consistency.

**side note, i mixed the leftover sauce with some buffalo sauce....HIGHLY recommend. next time i'm making the sauce and pouring it over chicken to bake. maybe with a little bacon on top. the meal was a 3 1/2....but the sauce? 4 3/4.

01/02 tonight was comfort food. i've had several people recommend this recipe to me, saying it never fails to disappoint. i have a niece who makes it for her family, and they always love it. a "loaded potato and chicken casserole". layers of diced potatoes, chicken, bacon, cheese and scallion mixed with spices like garlic, paprika and cayenne. i figure any recipe that has cheddar cheese and bacon? must be good! a little sour cream for texture, and some fresh tomatoes as a garnish. served with a side of my beloved roasted brussels sprouts. a solid wintery meal!

01/03 i decided to go on the fancy and every-so-slightly-french side tonight. steak au poivre served with mini bleu cheese soufflés and pear/endive salad. this is why i started the goal....to push myself to try new meals. new recipes. new flavors. and tonight i was most pleased with the results!

the salad was simple and delicious. bartlett pears with endive, spinach, dried cherries and candied pecans.  the dressing was a honey dijon and shallot vinaigrette. which makes me wonder, why don't i make my own dressings more often? it was tangy and sweet and light and wonderful. as heavy as the rest of the meal was, it was nice to have this crisp balance.

i very rarely pan-sear steaks. i'm a fan of grilling for red meat. but tonight i really wanted to try the classic au poivre style with cream brandy sauce, and that called for the sauté pan. it turned out much better than i imagined! i used a cut of beef tenderloin (thankfully on sale) done to medium rare. a wonderfully tender cut. and a nice base for the decadent sauce of shallots, cream and brandy. gotta love the french and their sauces!

but the best part of the meal was definitely the bleu cheese soufflés. this was an adaptation of a recipe for a bleu cheese-cheesecake that my mom sent me a while ago. i pared down the recipe for individual portions baked in ramekins. these. were. amazing. so creamy. so rich. so savory. so perfect with steak. and actually relatively simple. since i've given the bleu cheese sauce recipe? makes sense to give this one too!

Bleu Cheese Cheesecakes (for 2 ramekins):

4 oz cream cheese (softened)
4 oz bleu cheese (softened-i used my favorite, maytag)
2 Tblsp sour cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper
2 Tblsp scallions (chopped)

-whisk (or beat using a stand mixer) the cream cheese, bleu cheese and sour cream until almost smooth.
-beat egg into the cheese mixture.
-add spices and stir to combine.
-pour into ramekins.
-top with scallions.
-bake for 45 minutes at 350F.

this meal is a solid 4. maybe a 4 1/4.... and it makes me very please that i've taken on this endeavor!

Happy New Year!

so here it is. 2016. time to start my ridiculous goal. the entire purpose of this blog is to track that obsessive goal that i set for myself. an entire year where i never have the same meal twice for dinner.  this will force me to try the recipes i've been wanting to try. to attempt new styles of cuisine. to broaden my culinary horizons.

so here are the rules i have set for myself:

i can have the same main dish more than once (i.e. chicken). but it must be prepared in a different way. or served with different sides.

mondays are vegetarian. i like the idea of "meatless mondays". so i want to try to hold to that idea. i was a vegetarian for about 8 years, so a lot of my early recipes are already meatless....this caveat isn't too difficult.

dining out is a part of life. and i'm not a hermit. not to mention as much as i love cooking? i do need a break from the kitchen every so often. i do want to try to explore new and different restaurants, but i know there are some go-to favorites tony and i will frequent more than once (i'm looking at you ford's fish shack). so if i go to the same restaurant more than once? i have to order a different dish every time i go.

there will be nights, many nights, where i just don't feel like setting foot in the kitchen. and though i have carefully planned a year's worth of meals? sometimes that is going to be set aside while i have a cupcake for dinner. which is perfectly acceptable. as long as i don't have the same cupcake more than once. also i feel that cheese is an acceptable main course for dinner. and there are so many varieties of cheese.....

lunch and breakfast are fair game. i can eat the same thing everyday for lunch if i want. usually this will be the meal that takes care of all the leftovers i'm going to have. (again, an open call to any one who wants to help with this particular and very first world problem).

i'll do my best to track each night. i might not blog daily....but i'll attempt at least a weekly update.  and if there's something spectacular (anything higher than a 4 on the TRS) i'll share the recipe!

366 days of different dinners. of course i have to pick a leap year to do this crazy business. and if you are wondering? yes...there is a spreadsheet.

i'm sure with travel and vacations, many of my meals will be postponed. so this will likely stretch into next year!

if anyone has any request, i'm open to suggestion! and my table is open for guests!!

cheers to you all, here's to an adventurous 2016!