Meals 263-269

09/19 it has been too long since i've made a fritter!! tonight's version was a combination of sweet potato and zucchini. flattened and fried up in a style similar to a latke. crisp and delicious. and full of vitamins!! keeping with the latke tradition of serving, i used both apple sauce and sour cream as topping. these worked well as a main dish for meatless monday, but i seem them making another appearance as a side dish elsewhere!

09/20 tony and i decided to splurge tonight and treat ourselves to a dinner out at ford's.  i decided to order something off the menu i had never had. in this or any other year! the "oyster blt salad". a wedge salad served with six fried oysters on the side. my mom loves fried oysters, but i've really never given them a chance. the texture takes some getting used to. but once you are accustomed to them, they are pretty tasty. and worked very well with the bleu cheese!

09/21 back to back date nights with my boo. yay! we returned to ray's the steaks tonight to settle our annual NHL bet (i won this year.....as the sharks beat the blues in the western conference finals...woo!). tonight i ordered the house special. the strip side of a porter house crusted in pepper and served with a brandied mushroom sauce and bleu cheese crumbles. since i had a wedge salad last night, for a starter i chose the crab bisque. which was amazing!! but the food and experience here is always amazing. made even more so by the pleasant company of tony!

09/22 my dear friend julia was in town this week, so tonight i met her at a latin restaurant near her hotel for dinner and conversation. "paladar" is known for it's rum selection, but we went for their tasty food! i had two appetizers that together made for a very filling meal. the "ropes vieja" was shredded beef served on sweet plantains with shredded yuca. the "mojo pork tostones" were rounds of mashed and fried plantains (like a fritter) topped with slow cooked pork. both very different ways to serve plantains, both every tasty!

09/23 tonight we had a "girl's night" at paradise, the local indian restaurant i always rave about. they have a ginger chicken that is delightful. a little bit of heat, but a whole lot of flavor. strong ginger and curry in a simmered sauce served with tender white meat chicken. i can't say that i've ever seen this at another indian restaurant? but i recommend trying it if you do!

09/24 tonight i am up at my parents house, and they hosted a family dinner. mom made a big batch of maryland crab soup with sides of rolls and cheese. a very maryland feast!

09/25 my niece rachel is up here staying with my parents, and offered to make dinner tonight. she made one of her favorite recipes "alfredo lasagna roll ups". i do love lasagna roll ups, for the same reason i love things in muffin form. individual servings!!! and i have to admit, it's a luxury to have someone else preparing the meal.

it has been a crazy busy week of running around, hence all the eating out! and full disclosure, i'll be out of town for the next four weeks for work, so it may be a while when i post again. this will leave a lot of recipes to try next year!!

Meals 256-262

09/12 tonight we met some of tony's friends at mellow mushroom for dinner. wanting to keep to the "meatless monday" tradition, we ordered one of the vegetarian pies we hadn't tried before. the "kosmic karma". sundried tomatoes, pesto, feta cheese and spinach. as this year has forced us out of our comfort zone of always ordering the holy shitake pie, we are gradually working our way down the mellow mushroom menu! this one was very tasty, and i would highly recommend it to anyone. vegetarian or not!

09/13 i wanted to do a simple salad tonight. so made a buffalo chicken green salad. nothing fancy. just rotisserie chicken tossed with buffalo sauce and drizzled with bleu cheese dressing. most restaurant versions use a breaded and fried chicken, but i actually prefer the taste and texture of roasted chicken. and it cuts the calorie count down significantly!

09/14 i previously made asian meatballs in a ginger soy sauce, but tonight's version had more of a thai influence. ginger and thai basil turkey meatballs in a coconut milk and curry sauce. served over soba noodles and accompanied by broccoli. a drizzle of sriracha completes the dish! i will admit, these aren't as amazingly good as the other "meatballs and soba" i made, but they make for a very close second! my only regret is not doubling up on the sauce. the combination of coconut milk and red curry was so pleasing!

09/15 for months we've been trying to coordinate dinner with one of our friends. she has been promising to make us phillipino style oxtail. tonight the fates aligned and we finally had our meal! i can't remember that i ever had oxtail before. but was very excited to try. it was delicious! slow cooked in a broth and vinegar base. served with bok choy and rice. the meat was tender and falling off the bone. a very hearty beef flavor. delicious!

09/16 this was another "twist on a classic". a variation of a previously made meal. and to be honest? i may like this even better than the original! the "ranch pork chops" i made, i decided to replace the pork chops with chicken breast. i was quite happy with the result! since it's now september, the stores are full of delicious apples fresh from the farms! i loaded up on granny smiths and braeburns, which i believe are the perfect apples for baking! and to mix things up just a little? when i made the requisite zucchini muffins, i replaced half the zucchini with shredded carrots and red pepper. so many veggies, and you would never even notice! an amazing meal perfect for ushering in fall.

09/17 tonight tony hosted a "herndon pub crawl". a walking trip down elden street to stop at the many fine watering holes and enjoy the company of friends. once again we found ourselves at mellow mushroom (twice in one week!!) at just about dinner time. going down the list of options we hadn't tried, tony and i settled on the "philosopher's pie". portobello mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives and shaved beef. it tasted like a greek take on a philly cheesesteak sub.

09/18  after a heavy meal of pizza last night, tony and i opted for something simple and light tonight. i picked up a kale and white bean soup from the store. (mom....seriously....stop making faces....kale and white beans taste really good together!). nothing fancy, but perfect for a simple night in!

Meals 249-255

09/05 tonight was definitely an "easy cheat" meal. i have been wanting to make spanakopita for a while. i know tony loves the combination of spinach and feta. but i just wasn't craving the heaviness of the phyllo dough it's traditionally baked in. so as i was researching different varieties i came across the "easiest spinach feta pie". spinach, feta and red onion placed into a pie tin. then covered with a mixture of 1/2 cup bisquick, 2/3 cup milk, 2 beaten eggs, salt and pepper. and dat's it. baked at 400 for 30 minutes. and behold, a golden light and fluffy pie with the taste of spanakopita but with a lighter texture.  this plus a salad made for a good meal. but i'm also thinking it would be fantastic for a brunch. or a side dish for an oregano chicken. many options for this to be made again!

09/06 i used to live in the most adorable and quaint (real-estate code for "dinky") apartment in old town alexandria. i love that neighborhood, and i loved my apartment! i also loved that there was a balducci's right across the street. an expensive high end grocery store that i would never be able to buy all my food from, but did splurge on the occasional treat. one of my favorite things that they made in house was their turkey and black bean chili. i don't know what magic combination of ingredients they put in there? but it is the best chili. i happened to be in the old 'hood the other day, so picked up a quart for old times sake. heated up on the stove and served with a dollop of sour cream and some scallions? perfection!

09/07 tonight was a happy hour for tony's job. it was a delightful group of people, and the happy hour turned into several hours of chatting and laughing. not wanting to break up the festivities, tony and i stayed at o'sullivan's (our local irish pub) through dinner. i had a cobb salad with a side of onion rings. something about putting onion rings on salads.....such a wonderful addition! i know, it defeats the purpose of an otherwise healthy salad....but a little cheat isn't so bad? right?

09/08 a few weeks ago i promised that there would be more variations on the butternut squash mac and cheese. tonight i changed the recipe to add a little bleu cheese and gruyere to the sauce, in place of the cheddar. then i added slivered pears and bacon crumbles. i mean, anytime you combine bleu cheese and bacon it's magic, right? and pears always seem to compliment butternut squash so nicely. it turned out quite lovely! a side of asparagus, and a very comforting meal.

09/09 tonight's meal is one another one i happened to stumble upon in my pinterest trolling. pork loin all focettina. don't ask me what focettina means....i have no clue. but these delicate medallions of pork loin in savory herbed sauce are phenomenal! i served them over polenta cakes and with a side of parmesan zucchini. the polenta made for a perfect accompaniment to soak up all that wonderful sauce that comes with the pork! here's a link to the recipe i used.

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/debi-mazar-and-gabriele-corcos/pork-loin-alla-focettina.html

09/10 a while back i made sweet potato nachos and was amazed at how well the sweet potato took to being married to "tex mex" flavors. so tonight i did a slight variation, and made mexican stuffed sweet potatoes! this ended up being a vegetarian meal, and i didn't even notice! i'm sure it would be lovely with pulled chicken or seasoned ground beef. but it was still awesome without!! i started out with roasting my sweet potatoes, then splitting them in half and scooping out the "meat". i mashed that with chopped chipotles, shredded cheddar and a little greek yogurt. then i put it back in the skins, and topped with black beans and more cheese. i put them under the broiler just until the cheese melted. to finish, i topped with sour cream, salsa, avocado and cilantro. amazing!!! and so filling!!!

09/11 so i realize that this dish isn't one of my prettiest, but it is definitely one of my tastiest! it's one i learned to make on my sabbatical to tuscany, where i spent a week in a cooking school. "beef carbonada" (not to be confused with carbonara) is beef that has been slow cooked in chianti with onion and garlic. simple right? and yet so good!!! it comes out this strange purple color.....i recommend serving in candlelight so people don't notice! a mushroom rosemary polenta works well as a vehicle to soak up all the extra sauce that creates itself from the wine and beef. and roasted tomatoes complete the dish!!

Meals 242-248

08/29 since i had such success with last weeks bbq chicken flatbread, i decided to try my hand at another tonight. this was my attempt at recreating the "holy shiitake pie" from mellow mushroom. now i know i'll never make one as good as the original, but i was very happy with the overall result of my creation! sautéed portobello and shiitake mushrooms. caramelized onions. a drizzle of roasted garlic olive oil. a mix of parmesan, asiago and fontina cheese. but the part that really bring everything together? is the drizzle of garlic aioli added when it comes out of the oven. such a wonderful grouping of flavors. and vegetarian friendly! next time i'll have to try to make my own pizza dough....the store bought i've been using is ok.....but i know it can be better!

08/30 i had a half a jar of salsa verde from last week's chicken that i wanted to use up tonight. i ended up making a tex-mex/low carb take on a shepherds pie with it! i took a lean piece of pork tenderloin and slow cooked it with the salsa verde, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, pinto beans and a handful of spices. once the pork was tender enough, i shredded it and put it into a baking dish. rather than top it with mashed potatoes, i used mashed cauliflower mixed with cheddar and scallions. as filling a meal as this was, you would never thing it was actually relatively healthy!!!

08/31 for tonight's meal i attempted a recreation of the "mongolian beef" that's served at pf chang's. now it's been a while since i've had that dish? but if memory serves, this was pretty close! even if it wasn't close....it was really tasty. and that's what counts! thin slivers of flank steak tossed in a sweet and salty sauce. the sauce was actually fairly easy. soy sauce, brown sugar and beef broth. a cup of each. boiled down until think and glossy. a giant handful of green scallions completes this dish. i served it over brown rice with a side of snow peas. very happy with the meal!

09/01 tonight i met a friend of mine for dinner at a local restaurant called "sweet water tavern". they consistently have served simple and delicious meals. nothing fussy, just good quality and good portions! i had their southwest chicken salad. tender roasted chicken on a bed of mixed greens with avocado, corn, tomatoes and tortilla strips. it sounds so simple, but it really is a fantastic salad! it all hinges on that chicken of theirs. always cooked perfectly!

09/02 tonight was another homemade modified take on a chinese take out favorite. sesame orange chicken. rather than the heavily breaded deep fried variety, i sautéed chicken breast with sesame oil, ginger and garlic. then made a very simple, and very delightful sauce. 1/2 cup each of orange marmalade and toasted sesame salad dressing mixed with one packet of french onion soup and 1 Tbsp of thai chili paste. a sweet and spicy sauce that was such a wonderful combination of flavors. rather than serve on rice, i made a batch of soba noodles. and a side of steamed broccoli. much better than strip mall chinese carry out!

09/03 my parents were over for dinner tonight. and i was having an internal dilemma. do i make what i know is one of their favorites? chicken piccata with lemon basil spaghetti? or do i make them one of tony's favorites? smoked brisket and apple bleu cheese cole slaw? being the ever indecisive cook i am......i ended up making both. two dinners. as different as you can imagine. and yet, it all got devoured!

oh....and i threw in a side of peas. because i know they're dad's favorite. and i needed a green side!

09/04 tonight we went to a friend's for a labor day weekend bbq. he had the usual fare laid out. hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst and all the sides you can imagine. i spent so much time nibbling on the various salads (pasta, potato, corn, fruit) that i never made it to the main dishes! it was a gorgeous evening to be outside with friends. it's finally cooled off a bit, which is perfect for a long weekend!

Meals 235-241

08/22 i could go on for pages about my love of macaroni and cheese. and tonight i bravely attempted one of the "guiltless" macaroni and cheese recipes i saw on pinterest. this recipe replaces half of the cheese normally used with pureed butternut squash. as much as i love butternut squash, i was dubious. and i will tell you this.....the claims that you can't tell the difference? are bunk. you can definitely tell it's not your regular macaroni and cheese. however. it was, on it's own merit, amazing. a the texture is a little grainier than regular macaroni and cheese. and it has a type of sweetness to it. but it is really quite lovely. and VERY filling. this plus a side salad made for a satisfying meal! i want to try some varieties on it. add pear? and bacon? and maybe bleu cheese? the possibilities are endless!!

08/23 there were some lovely tuna steaks at the store tonight, and i was looking to make a light and simple meal. i marinated the pretty red tuna in olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. then coated the steaks with toasted sesame seeds and pan seared them. for simple sides i made edamame and roasted cauliflower. classics that are always well received on the plate!

08/24 i was so very, very happy with how tonight's meal came out! it was exactly the flavors i was hoping for. to recreate the bbq chicken pizza that california pizza kitchen is known for. i know, purists out there will say that chicken has no business being on a pizza. and if we were talking new york pizza? i'd agree.... but this is more of a "flat bread". and with those? no restrictions to the toppings!!! i did cheat, and use a pre made pizza crust. i'm sure homemade would've been better, but i was short on time tonight. the toppings consisted of rotisserie chicken, cheddar, bbq sauce, chopped red onions and cilantro. a very happy combination of flavors!

08/25 tonight's experimental meal was chicken salsa verde. chicken breasts slow cooked in a mild tomatillo salsa topped with queso fresco, scallion and cilantro. i've had it in restaurants before. always served with tortillas. but the chicken has so much flavor that it stands on it's own! not too spicy. and fork tender. for sides i made some mashed black beans and sweet corn cakes. you know, the kind you get at most tex-mex chain restaurants? those sweet corn cakes. such a great accompaniment to the chicken!

08/26 it's friday night, and time to explore our local restaurants!!! tonight tony and i went to "mesab cafe", a newly opened ethiopian restaurant nearby. i've only had ethiopian a few times, but i love the atmosphere of it! the fact that utensils are replaced with bread? brilliant. i had a starter of injera and tomato salad followed by an entree of awaze tibs. injera is the ever present bread of the cuisine. a soft, spongy flat bread that is a scary shade of grey, but quite pleasing to the palette. torn to bits and tossed with tomatoes and seasonings, this is sort of the ethiopian version of italy's panzanella. awaze tibs are pieces of beef tossed with the most amazing assortment of spices and onions. it's hard to compare it to any other cuisine, the flavors are so unique unto themselves. all i can say is that if you haven't had the opportunity? try it!!!!

08/27 i have very vivid memories of the first time i had coconut shrimp. it was an appetizer i ordered at duclaw brewery just north of baltimore. one bite, and i was hooked. crispy. sweet. salty. and served with the most amazing sauce! it's a delicacy i don't often indulge in. then i came across a recipe for BAKED coconut shrimp. all the flavor, with a fraction of the caloric guilt. peeled and deveined shrimp dusted with flour, then dipped in beaten egg, and rolled in a coconut panko combination. baked at 425 for 15 minutes (turn half way through) and these were every bit as crispy as their fried brethren!!! now the key is the dipping sauce. for these beauties i mixed mango chutney (from trader joes) with a little rice vinegar, a bit of thai chili sauce, and a touch of mayonnaise. it was....perfection. a side of glazed carrots and fresh pineapple complimented the flavors wonderfully!

08/28 tonight we had an invite to our friends home to sample some of his culinary experiments. happy to support another person with kitchen interests, tony and i meandered down the street for some fresh off the smoker chicken and pork belly. the chicken was tender and juicy, the pork belly was crisp and flavorful. both smoker successes! not one to show up empty handed, i made a batch of the mexican street corn salad i've become so fond of, and an avocado citrus salad. refreshing sides to a lovely summer meal. a very happy sunday indeed!