Meals 53-59

02/22 another meatless monday, another wonderful meal! tonight i made a baked ravioli. layers of boiled raviolis (i used three kinds: cheese, spinach and mushroom), tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. then baked until the cheese bubbles. it was basically a simplified lasagna. easy and comforting. to balance the richness of the main dish, the side was a very simple garden salad.

02/23 a few years ago i was in mexico city with a friend of mine. we had a dinner that has always stayed in the back of my mind. it was at a lovely restaurant in a gorgeous courtyard. the main dish was a coconut crusted tuna. i've had coconut shrimp, so the idea of coconut and seafood wasn't entirely strange to me. the taste and texture of this dish worked so well, i filed it aways as "something to try" in future meals. so i finally got around to it tonight! unsweetened coconut coating a thick tuna steak, seared in olive oil. for a side i made up an asian slaw and some snow peas. even though i had this meal in mexico? i always felt like it had a vaguely asian flavor to it. the entire meal had a wonderful texture, a sort of crunch that was incredibly pleasing. and full of good nutrition!

02/24 tonight was a meal made in a muffin tin!!! mini chicken pot pies. a simple recipe that is always a success. pillsbury biscuits are formed into cups in a muffin tin. then filled with a mixture of rotisserie chicken, frozen mixed vegetables, shredded cheddar and cream of chicken soup (one can of condensed, undiluted). baked for 15 minutes at 400, and voila, individual servings of chicken pot pies!

i served these wonderful savory treats with a side of baked apple slices. tossed with cinnamon and brown sugar, mixed with a few raisins and pecans. i always use granny smiths for that extra tartness to the dish.

02/25 i needed to clean out some of the leftovers from the fridge. there's was still a little bit of chili from sunday. so i used the last of it to make a type of "taco salad". instead of corn chips, i topped it with crispy onions. and put just a little ranch and cheddar to balance the spice of the chili. cleaning out the fridge never tasted so good!

02/26 i had some pre-party preparations to work on tonight, so it was carry out from "the breeze". they make an outstanding chicken souvlaki. served with a side greek salad.

02/27 tonight was the annual february party, so we feasted on a variety of appetizers and desserts! i put a up a separate post with all the goodies from this years table....

02/28 with all the leftovers from last night's soiree, i wanted to utilize them for tonight's meal. i had some buffalo chicken dip, which i put onto a whole wheat tortilla, heated up on a skillet, and turned into a quesadilla! this may be my go-to for using up leftovers. if it won't work on a salad? i'll put it in a quesadilla.

Feb Fest 2016

for many years now i have had a sort of tradition. the last saturday in february, i throw a party. good food. good drinks. good friends. laughter. conversations. music. a casual evening of light-hearted enjoyment.

people who are new to this tradition always ask me.....why? is it somebody's birthday? some little known holiday? what is so special about this time of year?

the truth of it is, i hate february. it is a cold, dark and dreary month. the holidays are over, so nothing is covered in pretty sparkly decorations. but the weather hasn't started to warm, so there are no cook outs or winery trips to plan. in past years, i found that this month was when i was at my lowest. depressed and lifeless. and i began to realize that many other people were in the same doldrums.

to keep myself from succumbing to this horrible downward spiral, i decided to throw a party. this was many years ago when i was in undergrad. i made a cheesecake. and invited a handful of people over to enjoy it with me. it kept me busy, it kept me active and it kept me motivated. and it gave my friends something to plan. something to look forward to.

and so a tradition was born! this party (or SJ Fest as it has come to be known) serves as a wonderful platform for me to try out new recipes for appetizers. and i do so love appetizers! and i'll be honest, this is a totally self indulgent opportunity for me to gorge on all the things i crave. the day after they party? it's jammies and leftovers on the couch. and it is an absolutely wonderful day. second only to the day after thanksgiving.

there are a few recipes that over the years have become turned out so well they've become permanent fixtures. and a CLASSIC party favorite is crockpot meatballs. the kind you make with chili sauce and grape jelly. which is the strangest sounding combination. but we all know this dish. and we all LOVE this dish! sometimes i do meatballs. sometimes i do lil smokies. this year? i threw all convention to the wind and put both IN THE SAME CROCKPOT!!!!! madness! chaos! deliciousness!!!!! there was another crock pot warming with a buffalo chicken dip, but i totally forgot to snap a picture of that one!

the biggest hit from this year was the platter of "mini chicken and waffles" i set out. this was a test run for something i want to serve at a brunch i'm making for my parents later in the year. it's super simple. chicken nuggets (we got a tray from chick fil a, 'cause let's be honest, there are no other nuggets worth eating) on mini waffles (eggo freezer waffles heated in the oven until crips work quite nicely). i had maple syrup and chick fil a sauce on the side for people to have options for dipping. sooooo gooooood! i'm very excited to make these again!

i wanted to sneak some vegetables into the mix. so i made "spinach balls". i was thinking these would be untouched. who wants to eat something green when there are crockpot meatballs to be had? but they were surprisingly successful! savory bites of spinach mixed with onion, parmesan and egg. the secret to these? is stuffing mix. the cheap boxed kind. it serves the purposed of bread crumbs (soaking up excess moisture) while providing a nice herbed flavor.

i like to have at least a few relatively healthy options laid out. this year i made up a "mediterranean 7 layer dip". a lighter, and in my opinion tastier, version of a mexican 7 layer dip. instead of refried beans? there's hummus. instead of sour cream? tzatiki. instead of cheddar? feta. then green pepper, cucumber, red onion, tomato, and kalamata olives. i guess that makes it an 8 layer dip? all the same, very filling, and actually really healthy. look at all the layers of veggies! and with pita chips? it almost stands on it's own as a meal.

following on the tastes of the mediterranean flavors, i made some "antipasto" cups. made in....muffin tins!!! slices of salami are baked into cup shapes until they becomes crisp. then filled with a mixture of marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and pesto. i drizzled a little balsamic glaze over them just to add that final touch!

one of the recipes from the past i get multiple requests for is "bacon wrapped dates". i mean, anything wrapped in bacon is fantastic. and these dates are stuffed with maytag bleu cheese, which takes a delicious morsel and multiplies it exponentially!

my other bacon-y dish this year was a sriracha bacon cheese ball. this one has a fair amount of heat, so not for the weak of palette!

i made the little brie/phyllo cups as well (which i posted about previously). this time i used cherry preserves mixed with a little balsamic as the fruit base. always a popular option!

my taste buds lean to the savory, but of course i had options for sweet teeth as well. this recipe is one i am very proud of! mini chocolate mousse parfaits. layers of chocolate mousse, whipped cream and dark chocolate ganache. set into 2 oz shot glasses, so everyone gets their own individual portion. these are super rich, but not overwhelmingly sweet. a wonderful and decadent few bites are the perfect end to the night. and even better start to the day after!

ever since "cake bon-bons" became a popularity, i have been obsessed with them. this fits so perfectly with my love of individual, bite sized servings of dessert! the endless combinations of cake/frosting/coating flavors is so fun to experiment with. tonight's cake bon-bon was a special request from tony. devil's food cake and buttercream frosting on the inside. butterscotch coating on the outside. (tip. if you're using butterscotch chips as a coating for something? mix a bit of creamy peanut butter into them when melting....it makes them a little smoother and works so well with the flavor!)

as big as my love for chocolate is, i like to offer an alternative dessert. i find that lemon-flavored sweets are an excellent counter. something tart and light. this year i made lemon cookies. small, wafer style cookies topped with a very thin lemon glaze. just a taste of sweetness and citrus to cleanse the palette!

and a party isn't a party without drinks! to keep things easy, i usually stick to having wine, beer and a pre made punch or two. this year i put out two punches. the first was a bourbon punch made with white grape juice and ginger ale.

 the second was the "snow drift" that tony and i came up with during our last big snowstorm. i laughed at how many people started the night saying "no thanks, i don't like the taste of gin" but ended the night happily drinking a glass (or three) of this happy pink punch!

so mark you calendars. the last saturday of february, next year and every year. stop on by!

Meals 46-52

02/15 i have a deep and abiding love.....of fritters. crispy wonderful fritters. of all kinds. and i've found they are a great way of getting lots of vegetables into a meal. tonight's variety was a mediterranean inspired version. a mix of couscous, feta cheese, red and green peppers, garlic and oregano. held together with flour and egg as a binder. served with a small greek salad on the side side.  i'm finding that the meatless monday meals are some of my favorites! and look at how vibrant the colors of these are!!!

02/16 i love the flavors of thai food. so tonight i made a panang chicken curry. a wonderful sauce made of coconut milk, tamarind paste and red curry. it was loaded with vegetables like broccoli, red peppers, onions and mushrooms. it was delightfully flavorful. with just enough heat to feel it, but not enough to overwhelm the dish. it was surprisingly easy to make, so i'm hoping a few variations of this will appear in future meals!

02/17 we were supposed to join up with our monthly dinner club tonight, but i'm feeling a bit under the weather. a porcupine seems to have taken up residence in my throat. so instead tony and i stayed in and ordered carry out from a local guatemalan chain here. guapo's. we split an order of carne asada tacos and pupusas (a nice reminder of our trip to la anitgua). and plantains. delicious delicious plantains. the one's at guano's are my favorite. they manage to get them so crispy!

02/18 one of tony's favorite things, is a spinach quinoa patty. like the couscous fritters, these are an excellent way of hiding vegetables. and also sneaking fiber and protein into a meal. this is another recipe i found on skinnytaste. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/06/quinoa-and-spinach-patties.html

these guys are hearty enough to stand on their own as a main dish. but tonight i had them as a side for some spicy garlic shrimp. i made a simple sauce of sour cream, lime juice and sriracha to add a little texture and spice to everything. and for a little bonus, i made a side of the beloved ginger glazed carrots. these patties are going to be even better reheated tomorrow for lunch!

02/19 this has turned into a week of fritters. tonight i made a version using cauliflower. it's basically a potato pancake that uses mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potato. i started using the same recipe for mashed cauliflower i've previously posted, and then mixed in the following:

3 cups mashed cauliflower
1 cup flour
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup sharp cheddar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp hot sauce
2 eggs beaten
salt
pepper

then i dropped the mixture onto an oiled skillet and fried until browned. they even look like potato pancakes! and the smell is out of this world.

these served as a vehicle for the world's easiest (and most tender) pork chops. slow cooked on low for 6 hours. they're covered in one packet of ranch dressing mix and one can of condensed cream of chicken soup. that's it. three ingredients. one step. and the chops are fork tender. everything else turns into a delicious and savory gravy. that was extra tasty on those fritters! and since i made pork chops, a side of apple sauce seem appropriate! a simple unsweetened apple sauce. i realize that everything on this plate is a rather uniform shade of yellow. but the tastes were all quite diverse. and most pleasing!!

02/20 the devil throat porcupine seems to be taking a strong hold this weekend. i have named this porcupine "chauncey". why chauncey? well, why not? so tonight tony and i took it easy. we went to a local bbq place called "sweet heat" to get some pulled pork and shredded brisket. with sides of cole slaw, sweet potato fries, macaroni and cheese, and kale salad. yes. this bbq place serves kale salad. and a damned good one too. oh the healing powers of macaroni and cheese!!!

02/21 tony took over the kitchen today and made a hearty and spicy beef chili. definitely good for clearing out the sinuses! as i was on a fritter roll this week, i made some corn and scallion fritters to go with the chili. we topped everything off with shredded cheddar, scallions and sour cream. i have to say, this was a very successful collaboration!

i am most pleased with the outcome of all the different fritters. and look forward to many more variations in the future!

Meals 39-45

02/08 for the evening's meatless monday meal i made a twist on french onion soup. this "swiss onion soup" was made with vegetable broth, caramelized onions and gruyere. it's a creamier version of the classic french style. topped with garlic buttered croutons (made with some leftover sourdough bread i had). since the soup was so rich, i served it with a very simple green salad. a decadent way to start the week!

02/09 since last night's meal was so rich, this night's meal i made much lighter. bruschetta chicken with a side of roasted zucchini. it's a very simple meal. the chicken is roasted and topped with diced tomatoes, shallot, basil and balsamic. everything that is wonderful about bruschetta as an appetizer, but done as a main dish!

02/10 tonight was a "girl's night out". i have a friend who is getting married in may, so the bridal party needed to get together and discuss strategy. dresses. shoes. hair. makeup. etc... we met at a local korean bbq place. honey pig. oh dear honey pig. it is truly a wonderful place. each table has a round grill in the middle where they bring everyone's meat choices out to be cooked nice and crispy right in front of you. the beef bulgogi here is down right addictive. and the spicy pork belly is insanely good (tonight we feasted on the beef rib kalbi and spicy pork belly). definitely not a place to take a vegetarian!! one of the best parts of dining here is the atmosphere. they have k-pop videos playing constantly every where you turn. the bright colors, crazy costumes and dizzying animation are hypnotizing. a big part of why we keep coming back here!

http://www.eathoneypig.com

02/11 tony is out of town for work, so i was looking for a meal that was simple and wouldn't overwhelm my fridge with leftovers. i made a quinoa crusted chicken with a side of curried cauliflower and asparagus. i toasted the quinoa and mixed it with a few spices out of the cabinet. then i dipped chicken breasts in beaten egg before coating it with the spiced quinoa. it had the juicy tenderness of breaded chicken, but was much lighter. not the most exciting meal i've made this year, but it was pleasing enough.

02/12 tony was held up at wallops, so i was on my own for a quiet friday night. i had an abnormally stressful week at work, so desperately needed something simple and comforting for this night's dinner. a cobb salad from chick fil a fit the bill perfectly! i try not to eat fast food too often, and this meal doesn't fill me with too much guilt. that being said....i'm sure a big mac or filet o' fish will show up on this blog at some point!

02/13 it is absolutely ARCTIC outside this weekend. bitter cold and biting wind. so it seemed like a good night to try a type of beef stew. i've been wanting to try a recipe for boeuf bourguignon (you know that julia child's voice just popped in your head) for years. i have the most wonderful memory of when i first had this savory french beef stew. i was at a window seat in a cafe in paris. down the street from the world's tiniest hotel room in montemarte. it had such an amazingly rich flavor to the broth. so wonderfully comforting. beef slow braised in dry red wine with herbs and vegetables. tonight i did my best to recreate that delightful experience. i got a bottle of cote du rhone, some boneless short ribs, all the vegetables and herbs, and pearl onions. what other recipe calls for pearl onions? and who knew they would be so tasty? tony (who is home safe and sound) and i both very much enjoyed the outcome. served over egg noodles it really was the ideal dinner for this blustery night.

as a side i wanted to try something i had never made before. beets. i've had them pickled out of a jar on salads, but have never tried to make them fresh. i boiled them, peeled off the skins, cubed them and tossed them with butter and tarragon. and wow. these little roots have the most RIDICULOUS colors. i was not expecting that everything in my kitchen would be hued magenta. i mean really mother nature. how did this happen??? it was a nice change up from the roasted sweet potatoes i usually make as my root-vegetable-go-to. and look how pretty!

02/14 "singles awareness day", "boo appreciation day", "valentine's day". call it what you will. it's february 14. tonight we had an invitation to my brother's home for dinner. to celebrate and appreciate the love that is family. they set up "make your own taco" stations. and made the brilliant decision to use navajo fry bread in place of tortillas. if you haven't spent time out west, you may not be familiar with fry bread. it is a decadent piece of fluffy bread that is fried in a skillet. i've had it served as a dessert with honey and butter. but i have to say, as the base of a taco (let's be honest, it was open face, i way overstuffed that piece of bread) it was even better. all the components of the meal were amazing on their own. tender pulled pork. cheesy been dip. fresh guacamole. i've already begged for the recipe of the fry bread so i can add this to my rotation of meals!

a wonderful evening to end the week. good food with good company! it's  a luxury to have my family so close that i can spend moment like this with them.

Meals 32-38

02/01 it was a grey and rainy day today. so tonight was total comfort food. i made a tomato basil bisque. and nothing goes better with a tomato soup.....than grilled cheese! the soup was delicious. i only used a fraction of the cream the recipe called for. just enough for texture, but not so much that it was too heavy. it was seasoned with fresh basil, oregano, a little garlic and some salt and pepper. the canned tomatoes i used were the "fire roasted" which added a lovely depth of flavor. for the sandwiches i used sharp cheddar and tomato on a sour dough bread. tony was sous chef tonight and handled the grilling of the sandwiches. and did a damn fine job i must say. he got the perfect toasty brown on the bread!

02/02 tonight i made an attempt to appeal to tony's polish ancestry. kielbasa served over cabbage and sweet onion. the dish was tossed in a vinegar and dijon sauced that added a delicate balance of flavor to the cabbage. it was a considerably simple meal to make. but quite tasty all the same! tony went back for seconds. and then second seconds. so i take that as a sign of a successful meal!

02/03 this is a recipe i came across about a year ago and instantly fell in love with. buffalo chicken casserole topped with tater tots. i've done my best to lighten it up without losing the wonderful cheesiness and spice that makes this dish so enticing. i use about half of the cream cheese a third of the cheddar cheese the original recipe calls for. i snuck in green peppers and scallions for extra veggies. and i topped it with sweet potato tots instead of regular tater tots. the magic in this dish? is a packet of ranch seasoning. i sprinkle it over the top before baking. it lends such a wonderful tanginess to the meal. this never photographs well. it's a messy looking casserole of a dish. but trust me when i say, it is truly delicious!!

02/04 tonight i splurged and made a meal with halibut. not the cheapest of fish. but every so often i get a craving for the dense white fish. i covered the halibut with a ginger orange sauce, and served it with brown rice and ginger carrots. a very bright and happy looking plate!

these carrots deserve a shout out. it's a variation on a recipe from alton brown. they make the most wonderful side dish.

1 bottle of ginger beer (i used fever tree-it has a sharp spiciness to it)
1 1/2 lbs baby carrots
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
-put all ingredients into skillet on high heat.
-cover and bring to a boil.
-uncover and continue to boil over high heat until the sauce is reduced almost entirely. (about 15-20 minutes)
be VERY careful not to overcook. the sauce will quickly go from reduced to charred.

02/05 hallelujah it is friday! thanks to a very generous gift card given to us by my parents at christmas, tony and i had an amazing meal out tonight. one of our go-to favorites is ford's fish shack. an outstanding restaurant nearby that has never failed to provide absolutely fantastic meals. it's new england style seafood. and it is always on point. this is one you will probably see pop up multiple times over the year. but since everything on their menu is wonderful, it won't be hard to order something different each time!

tonight i had their blackened mahi mahi tacos with an appetizer of their "maine chips". house made kettle chips smothered in bleu cheese, tomatoes, red onion, pesto and lobster. it sounds ridiculous. but i promise this is one of the happiest things in the world for me. tony had the special of the night. grilled rock fish served on mashed cauliflower with a side of asparagus. and damn, but that rock fish was cooked to perfection. and pretty sure it was seasoned with fairy dust and unicorn smiles. because it was ridiculously tasty. a big thanks to my parents for a wonderful friday date night!!

02/06 tony always told me that "golabki" or stuffed cabbages was one of his favorite dishes that his family would make. i never had them before, so searched many recipes until i found one that would appeal to his palette. they're a little bit of a pain in the rear to make (so i'm kind of glad we're only having them once this year). but they are worth the effort. the stuffing is a combination of ground beef, ground pork, rice, onion, garlic and spices. the sauce is a sweet and sour tomato sauce topped with a touch of sour cream when served. and this is one of those meals that only gets better with time. already looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!

as a side i made "smashed potatoes". a wonderful twist on the average tuber. i used fingerling potatoes, but any small potato will work for this recipe. boil them until they are soft. then smash them with a spatula to flatten them. the skins will stay intact, and the inside of the potato will sort of "smoosh" out. toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs of choice (i used thyme and rosemary). roast at 400F for 20 minutes (until they get nice and crisp). if you're a cheese lover like me? throw on a little parmesan and finish under the broiler. they make an amazing savory side dish. crispy. buttery. flavorful. i highly recommend!

02/07 we ended the week with a simple healthy meal. salmon baked in a mustard dill sauce served with red quinoa and roasted asparagus. the sauce was simple. a little bit of greek yogurt mixed with dijon mustard, fresh dill, lemon juice and just a splash of vermouth. light enough to keep the meal healthy, but still flavorful enough to keep the meal pleasing. the entire meal took less than 30 minutes, and it was still delicious. a good way to end the week!