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!