Broccoli & Cheese Chicken Grillers with Florida Corn- June 3, 2010

Mmmmmmm..... chicken grillers. These are from Roche Bros., and I used to get them from the butcher, but I finally found them in the prepared meat section. They are chicken breasts stuffed with cheese and in this case broccoli and wrapped in bacon. Again another easy meal that I often use on Friday nights in the summer when everyone is coming down but there's not a lot of time to cook. They are big and my mom and I often split one, but tonight I ate almost the whole thing! I served some fresh Florida corn which was my first of the season- yummy!

Chicken Curry with Cauliflower- June 2, 2010

Again, a quick, weeknight favorite. I used the Coconut Curry variety of the typical store-bought fresh curry I use. It is not as spicy as the one I typically use, so its just right for me, but a little mild for my husband. I added cauliflower tonight which is very healthy and works very well with the chicken. And don't forget the naan!

Fish Chowder- June 1, 2010

I made a simple fish chowder with the remaining sea bass filets tonight. I like my chowder thin and not too creamy. In fact, if it calls for cream I usually use whole milk as I did here. I also add more potatoes than it calls for (love those potatoes) and don't forget the oyster crackers! I've never found a fish stock I liked, so unless I'm going to make it myself I use chicken stock which works fine. I used this recipe for this chowder, which hit the spot.

Filet Mignon with Baked Potatoes- May 31, 2010

Ah yes, from BJ's of course. I think I've also mentioned how important trimming the tenderloin is. Not something I would attempt, but there is definitely an art here!

Fish Tacos- May 30, 2010

We headed out on the boat this morning for some bottom fishing and came back with quite a few sea bass. I love sea bass as its firm enough to easily cook and very tasty. Considering the amount of tortillas we had left over (I may have overbought...) we had fish tacos. My husband did a light seasoning on them, sauteed one and then just grilled the rest of the filets. We didn't add much too them as they didn't need much. Just a little salsa and sour cream. I served some Mexican rice and refried beans along side.

Summer Kick-Off BBQ- May 29, 2010

Today was our big summer kick-off bbq. We served more delicious fajita meat as well as sausages, slider burgers and hot dogs. Kids love hot dogs. Well, mine doesn't but that's no big surprise! I thought the sliders would be better than full size hamburgers seeing as how there were so many other options as well. A friend also brought a ramen noodle salad which I hadn't had in a while... so good! It was a great day, even though it started pouring right when we served the food. Thank goodness for the barn (and the keg!)!

Grilled Lamb- May 28, 2010

Have I mentioned my dad's favorite place is BJ's? Its pretty funny considering we have a family of four (well, there are a few more now), but there definitely are things that it pays to buy in large quantities. Like tenderloin, for example, or in this case lamb. We had a grilled leg of lamb as well as a rack. A Coonamesset Farm salad to go with it- perfect summer meal!

Chicken Parmesean Burgers- May 27, 2010

I made these before a couple of months ago. Once again- delicious!
http://foodiesdinner.blogspot.com/2010/03/chicken-parmesean-burgers-march-26-2010.html

Stir-Crazy Takeout- May 26, 2010

Again one of our favorite local spots I've mentioned before. Tonight my mom and I split the bar bong (which was perfect- its huge) and my husband had the lemongrass steak, one of his favorites. And don't forget the Bopha fingers!

Grilled Chicken Breasts and Chipolte-Cilantro Carrots with Feta- May 25, 2010

This is an epicurious recipe that was light, healthy and delicious. Chipolte chilis are delicious, but I've made the mistake of using way to many of them before. Warning: they are VERY spicy! They are usually packed in adobo and canned. This recipe called for very little, so I was sure to rinse off the adobo, de-seed the pepper and I used probably less than half of just one of them. It added exactly the kick and flavor the carrots needed.

Panzanella- May 24, 2010

Mmmmmm..... bread salad. What could be better? Panzanella is quick, easy and you can do so many variations on it. Tonight I used cubed, toasted ciabatta bread, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, goat cheese & sausage. I tossed it with a red wine vinaigrette.

Chapoquoit Grill, May 23, 2010

My dad offered to babysit while we went out tonight (another joy of the summer) so we went to one of our favorite local spots, the Chapoquoit Grill. When we lived down here year round, I swear we used to go here once a week. They're known for their thin-crusted wood-fired gourmet pizza, but Chappy has it all. Their special list is long and diverse (and we pretty much always order from it). Some of our regular favorites are the fig jam pizza (which you've seen me duplicate on the blog), the antipasto and the chocolate icebox cake. Tonight my husband had the special pizza- duck sausage & aioli, and I had the lobster papparadelle.

Filet Mignon with All the Trimmings- May 22, 2010

As my busy season begins the hardest thing for me is having less time to cook, and just when all the wonderful things come into season! Luckily, my husband and pretty much my entire family also love to cook. So tonight was a classic example of a family meal. My dad picked up a tenderloin, which he filleted out, we made some grilled potatoes, and my aunt made cauliflower au gratin (so yummy...), sauteed carrots & caprese salad. We even ate outside! Summer is here!

Blackened Grouper with Tropical Fruit Salsa- May 21, 2010

My mom picked up some grouper from Captain Marden's in Wellesley today. I think I've mentioned before what a fantastic fish store this is. My husband blackened it with the usual red fish rub he uses. I made a very simple tropical fruit salsa to go on top (jalapeno, green pepper, pineapple, mango, tomato, cucumber, red onion, salt & a little vinegar) and we served everything over white rice.

Roche Bros. Kebabs- May 20, 2010

I didn't feel much like preparing anything tonight so I purchased some meat & veggie kebabs at Roche Bros. One was chicken and one was beef but they were both marinated in their bourbon marinade, which is always yummy. We grilled them and served them with a simple rice pilaf.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Sauteed Fiddleheads- May 19, 2010

Last night I marinated my pork tenderloin (I try to do so overnight to get the most out of the marinaded) and tried a little something different. I did a mustard-based marinade with a bit of soy sauce, honey & garlic. The mustard flavor definitely came through. We grilled the pork and sauteed fiddle heads to go along with it (the same recipe I used a few weeks ago with the red pepper flakes). I also made oven roasted potatoes. These are one of my favorite sides from childhood- simple and a great side to so many mains. I usually just toss halved or quartered baby potatoes in some olive oil and add salt, pepper and whatever herb best compliments the main. 375 for about 40 minutes.

Florida Pepper Blend Seasoned Flounder with Risotto & Sauteed Soft Shell Crab- May 18, 2010

I picked up some flounder and a soft shell crab for myself (my husband is allergic to them) at Kyler's Catch in New Bedford on my way home from Providence today. My husband sauteed my crab (after I lightly doused it in some flour, salt & pepper) in oil. Just the way I like them! He breaded the flounder in a delicious Florida pepper/spice blend we have and lightly sauteed that as well. I made a simple risotto as a side.

Coonamesset Farm Salad- May 17, 2010

We picked some fresh greens and edible flowers today and made a delicious grilled chicken salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. We also added roasted peppers, onions & goat cheese. Windfall Market in Falmouth actually carries a lot of the farm's fresh produce if you can't make it their yourself. They also carry (as does Jack in the Beanstalk in N. Falmouth) their bagged greens- a mixture of lettuces, Asian Greens & edible flowers.

Cheesburgers- May 16, 2010

We always love a good cheeseburger! I'm not sure I've mentioned my favorite type of fries on the blog yet. They're the Alexi brand sea salt fries. All of their products are delicious and all natural, but these are my favorite.

The Chart Room, May 15, 2010

We made our first trip to the Chart Room just down the street in Catuamet this year last night. We went early and didn't have a reservation, and its also early in the season, but usually on a Saturday night? Forget it. I had my favorite (grilled cheese and tomato on Portuguese bread) and my husband his favorite (rack of lamb). Always a treat!

Steamed Mussels with Jalapeno Sausage- May 14, 2010

Steamed mussels are one of my favorite dishes. This time we did them with a tomato base (canned, diced San Marzanos with their juice) with wine, sauteed onion and some jalapeno sausage. You have to serve them with bread to enjoy all the yummy sauce. These were good, but I didn't love the tomato base. I prefer them with just white wine and some herbs.

Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes & Olives- May 13, 2010

This was one of those "what's in the fridge/pantry" meals. I sauteed the spinach, olives & tomatoes, tossed it with the pasta and a little pasta water and topped it with Parmesan and toasted pine nuts. Easy and delicious.

School Lunch in France Article

I read this the other day and found it fascinating. Having taught for seven years I would be known to weekly go on a diatribe about the school lunches and the many issues with them. Its interesting to see where other culture's loyalties lie as far as funding schools. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1967060,00.html

Lettuce Wraps with Soy-Ginger Chicken- May 12, 2010

I got this recipe again from the Whole Foods site (actually their app). I modified it a bit as I just used a chicken breast and sauteed it. I also added rice. It was light and tasty, but the lettuce leaves were a little small to actually manage making a wrap out of. I might try this again and get the lettuce leaves from the farm so I can just pick the big ones! My husband also made a peanut sauce to go on the wraps which really added some flavor.

Quinoa & Chorizo Stuffed Peppers- May 11, 2010

I love stuffed peppers as a meal. You can usually make them ahead and pop them in the over (although they do take a while in there). This is a Whole Foods recipe that contains all sorts of wonderful things for your body. Of course I had to go and add chorizo sausage to it, but not very much. These were delicious and you don't need your V8 when you have one of these!

Bocadillo Tortilla My Way- May 10, 2010

When I was in Spain in college we ate lots of bocadillo tortillas (yes, tortilla refers to an egg based tort in Spain). My friend and I referred to them as "carbohydrate bombs", consisting mainly of potatoes, bread and some egg. Although in retrospect I think it was less the carbo bombs and more the candy bars and alcohol that made me return home at my historic peak weight (okay pregnancy doesn't count). So inspired by these sandwiches, which I always did enjoy, I made a potato torta and served it on grilled ciabatta bread. I loosely used this recipe but used less potato and more egg (farm fresh!). My husband felt the need to spice it up with a dill-mustard he created ("It deserves an aioli"), but I enjoyed it with a little tomato and arugula.

Olive & Garlic Tapanade Pizza with Fleur Verte & Tomatoes- May 9, 2010

This is my husband's creation. We used our typical dough (I think I've now exhausted my frozen supply) and he bought the tapanade. Fleur Verte is a mild, soft cheese that many grocery stores carry. It was perfect on this mild and tasty pizza.

Coq a Vin- May 8, 2010

Aka- "Rooster in Wine" this is a very traditional peasant-style meal that we sometimes make when we have to use up some wine my husband didn't like. It does take about a bottle of wine, so its not a bad use for wine that just didn't taste quite right to you. It is a very simple dish, not quick, but few ingredients and relatively inexpensive. We just used the Joy of Cooking recipe, but they are all fairly similar.

Authentic Beef Fajitas and Stuffed Jalapenos- May 7, 2010

One of my husband's vendors, located in Laredo, Texas sent up an unbelievable amount of fajita meat, ribs, fresh tortillas and other authentic Mexican treats from his local specialty grocery store. We have only scratched the surface of all he sent and definitely need to have a party to even come close to using the rest, which is now in the freezer. Everything was unbelievable, from the flour tortillas that came raw and we cooked ourselves to the fajita meat and the jalapenos- stuffed with cojito and cream cheese and wrapped in bacon. So our Cinco de Mayo feast came- just a couple of days late!

Portuguese Kale Soup- May 6, 2010

This is one of my favorite standby's. It is quick, easy, and in this part of the country chorizo and linguica are readily available (so much so I think our local convenience store stocks them...). The farm had kale, so we picked some for the soup. I don't really follow a recipe anymore, but any basic one will do... Joy of Cooking, etc.

Stir-fried Asian Greens over Pasta- May 5, 2010

I didn't go for Mexican this Cinco de Mayo considering how much we've had it in the past week or so! The community farm we frequent, Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth is open and we picked some fresh Asian greens today. I followed this recipe and stir-fried them and put them over pasta. Yummy and healthy!

Sloppy Joe's- May 4, 2010

This is my grandmother's recipe. I have the original she typed on her typewriter. Its classic 50's if not earlier. These are the only sloppy joe's I like- they key ingredients- sugar, grated onion, and cornflakes.
Here's the recipe:
1 lb. hamburger (ground round)
1 onion (grated)
1 egg
Beat egg, add meat and fry.
Sauce:
1 c. ketchup
1 c. water
1 TBSP vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp. mustard
salt & pepper
1 c. Cornflakes

Mix ketchup, water, vinegar, sugar & mustard in small saucepan. Simmer 10 min. Add Cornflakes. Add sauce to hamburger & simmer 10 min.
Serve in hamburger rolls.

Sicilian Fisherman's Stew- May 3, 2010

We still had fish left over even after giving some away (a fish that size will easily feed 8+ people) so I tried a tomato-based stew. This was yummy and so quick and easy. I followed the reviews on Epicurious and was not disappointed. I will make this again for sure.

Chicken & Rice Burritos with Boracho Beans- May 2, 2010

I had so much of that rice salad left over we used it for some grilled chicken and rice burritos tonight. My husband made a fajita-type rub for the chicken, grilled it, and filled the burritos with the leftover rice salad, chicken and black beans. He served some boracho beans (Spanish for "drunken beans" as they're basically just red beans cooked in beer) on the side.

Fresh-Caught Butter-Poached Striped Bass with Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing- May 1, 2010

My husband caught his first striped bass of the season this morning. There is nothing better than fish so fresh it was caught just a few hours before you eat it. In fact, once you get used to it its hard to eat it any other way. When it is so fresh he usually doesn't do much to it, so he butter-poached it on the grill and topped it with some fresh chives. It was perfect and went well with the Southwest rice salad I had made. Here's the fish!

The Lobster Trap Restaurant, Bourne- April 30, 2010

This is our local fried fish spot and since they've redone it they now open even earlier! I noticed they also have several broiled options on the menu now. I stuck with my favorite, clam strips, and my husband had the whole belly clams. I need to take a lesson from him and order the clam roll and just not eat the roll, as the plate was WAY too much food. Much to my surprise though my son loved them too!

Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches with Lime-Chive Sour Cream and Black Bean Salsa- April 29, 2010

If you like some spice, blackening is a good alternative to frying. Although usually its done with butter, but still better than fried! We use the Paul Prudhomme Seafood Magic. I picked up some delicious brioche rolls and my husband made a sour cream sauce to go on the sandwiches, which was perfect. A mayonnaise would also have worked well here. I did a black bean, pineapple, tomato and cilantro salsa that was actually more like a little side salad which complemented it well.

Shrimp & Arugula Salad with Manchego Cheese- Woodland Golf Club, April 28, 2010

I was visiting my parents and we ate out at their golf club, Woodland Golf Club in Auburndale. The food is always great! I had a shrimp (see, every chance I get!) and arugula salad with manchego cheese. It was a great idea and something I definitely need to try!

Korean BBQ Beef Stirfry- April 27, 2010

I usually end up buying the entire cut of flank steak from the butcher, which is about a pound, and typically more than I need for two of us. We took the other half from our tacos last week and marinated it in a Korean BBQ sauce we had and then froze it. I pulled it out this morning to make stir fry. My husband first grilled the beef (which was key) and then stir fried some assorted veggies and added them together with some additional Korean BBQ sauce. We served it over rice.

Potato Gnocchi with Tomato & Lamb Sausage Sauce- April 26, 2010

I made some fresh gnocchi today (see here for the recipe as previously posted) and picked up a can of San Marzano's as usual! We added some lamb sausage from Blood Farm in Groton (one of my brother's favorite spots) as well.

Filet Mignon with Fiddleheads- April 25, 2010

My dad had picked up a tenderloin at BJ's that we didn't end up using last night, so my husband cut it into filets and we grilled some up tonight. My brother had brought me some fresh fiddleheads from a local farm. Have you ever noticed what ferns look like just before they explode into their familiar leafy selves in the spring? Fiddleheads! They're little spirals about the size of a half dollar. I sauteed them with some garlic and red pepper flakes. Yummy!

Shrimp, Beef & Vegetable Kebabs, April 24, 2010

My husband is allergic to shrimp, so I don't make it often. Sometimes he'll make it for me when he's making something he can substitute shrimp for, like a simple chicken dish or in this case kebabs. My parents and brother were here so I used this simple but YUMMY recipe from Epicurious and then did some beef kebabs as well with just a simple rub on the beef. I used tips for this. I modified this a little and added more veggies on the kebabs. The couscous was delicious. The Israeli style is a little bigger and more like a rice.

Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto and Sage and Grilled Asparagus- April 23, 2010

Using up the rest of the prosciutto from last night as well as some asparagus, this was a quick and easy meal. I like to grill asparagus or roast it unless its going into a pasta I might blanch it.

Parisian Sandwich with Arugula Salad- April 22, 2010

Last week we ate lunch at French Memories Cafe in Duxbury. My husband had a Parisian sandwich, which consisted of a fresh baguette, butter, pit ham and cornichons (tiny gherkins pickles). It was so simple and delicious, we decided to try our own version. I had trouble finding whatever the type of pit ham they used there was (although in retrospect I probably could have bought it there...) so we used coppa ham and prosciutto instead. Served with a simple green salad, it was ALMOST as good as the French Memories version.

Flank Steak Tacos with Avocado & Cilantro- April 21, 2010

I think I've mentioned I'm not a huge fan of really any cut of beef besides tenderloin (I do like a good burger though), but flank steak definitely works for many recipes. The key to cut it the correct direction otherwise it is very tough. My husband did a simple mexican-style rub on the beef and grilled it. Since its so thin, it cooks quickly. I'm also not a big fan of the taco shells you can usually find at the grocery store, so I stick with the soft tacos (corn tortillas). The avocado was perfect with it and I opened my last jar of salsa I made & canned last summer. Guess I'll have to wait until August for another jar!

Fettucine with Peas, Asparagus, and Pancetta- April 20, 2010

Another springtime pasta dish from Epicurious. I purchased some fresh fettucine for this.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza- April 19, 2010

Using my regular pizza crust (actually one that was frozen), I was planning on doing a BBQ chicken pizza, which is a favorite of ours. I had all the ingredients to try a Buffalo chicken pizza instead though. We made the hot sauce according to the bottle (Frank's Hot Sauce- always!) as if we were making wings. I think this may have been a mistake- the pizza was WAY too rich. All that butter was just too much. It tasted good, but was very spicy and rich. I'd say next time we'd just do the sauce and no butter, but I think this would be way too spicy. I'll have to think on this one because minus the richness it was good. We grilled the chicken and used the sauce as the pizza's base and topped it with blue cheese, of course.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Baked Potato- April 18, 2010

My mother-in-law uses a simple but delicious and fail-safe recipe for marinating pork tenderloin. I can't say I know the exact measurements (Unless I'm baking I'm not very good about measurements), but its mainly soy sauce, a little honey, garlic (a clove or two crushed) and teriyaki sauce, which I actually omit. I find even with the soy as the main ingredient it doesn't take on too much of an Asian flavor and goes well with just about anything. I've also been craving a baked potato, and I mixed the sour cream with some fresh chives from the yard. SO good.

Horne's Mixed Green Salad Du Jour- April 17, 2010

Tonight it was another one of our mixed grilled chicken salad. This time we went with a red wine vinaigrette and some yummy mixed cherry tomatoes that Whole Foods and often Roche Bros. carry. We also used blue cheese.

Rice & Beans with Sausage- April 16, 2010

I had bought mussels to cook tonight, but unfortunately when we went to cook them about 70% of them were dead. This was pretty frustrating, but my husband came up with a rice dish on his own- somewhat like a jambalaya- that was actually very good! He used a boxed Goya rice & red beans mix and added some onions, peppers and sausage.

Asparagus Mushroom Tarts- April 15, 2010

Although I think these were actually designed as more of an appetizer, they were also delicious and decadent as a main. We made the entire recipe and froze the remaining tarts to try a as an appetizer sometime.

Chicken Curry with Eggplant, April 14, 2010

As always on busy nights we go for the curry! This was what I had left (I'd frozen it) from Bopha's Green Curry. Delicious!

Grilled Corvina with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa and Pineapple- April 13, 2010

I've made this recipe before, and it actually calls for Mahi Mahi. I was at Whole Foods and they didn't have Mahi, but they had something that looked very similar. The fishmonger told me this was "the most sought after fish in the USA". I have no idea if this is accurate, but the Corvina was delicious and grilled up just like Mahi if not better. This meal somewhat made up for all the junk we've eaten this week!

BBQ Ribs & Smoked Sausage- April 12, 2010

In an attempt to clean out the freezer/fridge, I grilled some sausage and ribs tonight. The sausage was delicious. The ribs were not. I don't even really like ribs, and these were the pre-cooked & sauced style my husband purchased at some point. Had I slow-roasted them I'm sure they would have been better!

Graziella's Pizza, April 11, 2010

With the move going on its been take-out city! We tried http://www.graziellaspizza.com/ up the street in Pocasset. This changed hands I believe last year or so. I'm more the gourmet pizza fan but this is the good-old traditional kind!

The Courtyard Restaurant, April 10, 2010

We met up with some family tonight at http://www.courtyardcapecod.com/ in Cataumet. I enjoy their sandwiches and salads in particular. I had a craving for a turkey club tonight. Yummy!

Eggplant, Red Pepper, and Fontina Panini with Spinach Salad- April 9, 2010

This is an http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Eggplant-Red-Pepper-and-Fontina-Panini-with-Spinach-Salad-354309 that was easy and quick. I don't have a panini press but used a cast iron pan to press the sandwiches down on the grill. I love fontina cheese because its mild enough to not drown out the rest of the ingredients, but it still has its own distinct flavor.

Hola Takeout- April 8, 2010

It is our last night in Marshfield so we ordered out from Hola. Always yummy!

Vegetable Pot Sticker Soup with Garlicky Greens- April 7, 2010

This recipe also came from the handy little magazine at Whole Foods. This was yummy and very easy. Basically you grab a bag of the frozen veggie pot stickers (VERY good), sautee those, sautee some garlic, spinach, jalapeno & yellow pepper, heat some vegetable broth and put them altogether in the serving bowls. It was ready in about 25 minutes.

Red Quinoa, Brown Rice & Chicken Salad- April 6, 2010

Whole Foods was handing out a little spring magazine which is where I found this recipe. Quinoa is yummy and very good for you, as is brown rice. I don't usually make brown rice because it takes so long to cook, but I discovered Whole Foods carries it frozen. You just microwave it for two minutes and its done! This recipe was vegetarian but I added some rotisserie chicken. Basically you had the rice, quinoa, chicken, some asparagus, canned artichoke hearts, feta cheese and then you added a light vinaigrette to that. It was very yummy as a side or a main.

Border Cafe in Cambridge, April 5, 2010

I met some friends for dinner tonight in Cambridge at our regular spot, The Border Cafe. The best thing about the night was the fact that I found a metered parking spot (well, besides spending time with my friends, of course!). I had the chicken soft tacos, which did not disappoint, but I should have stuck with my favorite, the fish tacos. The margarita was exactly what I needed though!

Orecchiette with Vegetable Pesto & Watercress Salad with Peppered Salami & Parmesean- April 4, 2010

Happy Easter! We usually celebrate more traditionally with ham, lamb and some family, but being in the middle of a move we kept it simple. I had planned a pasta dish but realized that half of the ingredients I needed had already been moved, so this is my husband's improvisation. This is where he far trumps me in the kitchen. I can follow just about any recipe, but I'm not great at winging it. He roasted some veggies (ramps- which are like a scallion/leek, yellow pepper and some other veggies we had) and pureed them with some roasted pine nuts, olive oil, salt & pepper. He tossed the orecchiette with the pesto and added a few reserved roasted veggies. I like using orecchiette for this kind of sauce as it kind of grabs it and tucks it in its little pockets. I had purchased some watercress just basically because it looked so good, and I made a side salad with a light champagne vinaigrette.

Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Asparagus- April 3, 2010

Another Whole Foods purchase was this marinated chicken. Although I usually like choosing my own marinade as I find the ones at the store can get old after a while (old like boring...), these fantastic warm temps (its only April- wow!) dictate grilling, so this was a no-brainer. I found a recipe for roasted potatoes with asparagus and Parmesan, which paired perfectly with the chicken.

Filet Mignon & Dry Aged Rib Eye with Haricot Vert- April 2, 2010

My husband love the dry-aged rib eye steaks from Whole Foods. I still prefer filet, so I usually just get us one of each. As I've mentioned before, I don't cook good cuts of meat for fear of over/under doing them. So when my husband grills them he usually adds a slice of butter on top just before they're finished- so good! I also sauteed some of the haricot vert I had from the other night.

Slow-Roasted Halibut with Shaved Asparagus and Fennel Salad- April 1, 2010

This is another epicurious recipe. It was very yummy and the salad was light and refreshing. We are moving in a week and packing up a lot of our dinnerware for the time being. I'll miss these plates in particular.

Chili- March 31, 2010

I often use the Bush's Chili Starter on busy nights. You add ground beef, chopped onion and diced tomatoes, and in about 15 minutes you have dinner. I serve it with corn bread (Jiffy Mix, of course) or tortilla chips. My husband usually spices his up a bit but their spicy one is fine for me.

Pepper, Onion & Salami Calzone- March 30, 2010

Mmmm... I love calzones. I usually use store-bought pizza dough, as you need more than my recipe makes and it makes it very easy. Just remember to take it out of the refrigerator several hours before you roll it. I sauteed the onions and peppers and added thinly sliced peppered salami. My husband says the key to a good calzone is lots of cheese and we used a lot of shredded mozzarella. I served it with store-bought pasta sauce. Yummy and easy!

Whole Grain Encrusted Roasted Rack of Lamb with Hariot Vert and Fingerling Potatoes- March 29, 2010

I again neglected to photograph my husband "frenching" the lamb, which is almost an art. He trims it so the bone is exposed and the fat is gone, leaving little fat and making it very easy to eat. Tonight he topped it with whole grain mustard after pan searing it and roasted. I added haricot vert (green beans) that were very thin that I just steamed lightly and added some shallots to. We also had steamed fingerling potatoes, cooked similarly to the haricot vert, but I used chicken broth.

Chicken, Poblano, Avacado & Shallot Quesadillas- March 28, 2010

Going on the Mexican theme again, I decided to try a different quesadilla. Quesadillas are very easy and fun to experiment with. Use a nonstick pan or butter/oil the tortillas in a regular pan. Add whatever you like, but just remember to use a cheese that will melt and bind it together. For example, if you're using goat cheese, use something else mild in addition, like mozzarella, to bind the quesadilla together. This combo was delicious. We roasted the poblanos, sauteed the shallots and grilled the chicken. Then its just as easy as assembling them and cooking (and flipping... which I left to my husband) them. I usually serve them with salsa & sour cream. They are great the next day too.

Tu Y Yo Mexican Cuisine in Needham, March 27, 2010

Last night I visited friends in Needham and we went to Tu Y Yo Mexican Cuisine. It is less like a typical Mexican restaurant and more authentic/gourmet, with things like mole sauce and even grasshopper tacos. I love chili rellenos and so I tried their spin on one- a poblano filled with shrimp & goat cheese and topped with a red pepper sauce. Delicious!

Chicken Parmesean Burgers- March 26, 2010

This is from the March issue of Bon Appetite. I am not a fan of ground chicken in burger form, since I prefer white meat (and this is usually what is available in ground) and I often find it doesn't have enough fat, and gets dry. Of course an easy solution to that is to add some kind of fat- oil, salt pork, etc. This recipe covered that. These were yummy and easy. I served them with a side salad of mixed field greens with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Beef Stir-Fry- March 25, 2010

Tonight I made a quick stir-fry. I used a flank steak, which I sliced very thin and quickly marinated in some soy sauce and hot sauce. I seared that in the wok in peanut oil and added chopped bok choy, spring onions & summer squash. I normally serve stir-fry over rice, but I had some rice noodles I tried tonight. I added them to the stir-fry at the end. I was disappointed in the noodles, and I think I'll stick with the rice or the thicker, wheat soba noodles from now on.

Sushi- March 24, 2010

We stopped by Whole Foods on our way home from the airport and picked up some sushi for dinner. Our typical favorite is the spicy tuna, but tonight they had a "salad roll" that was a vegetarian roll consisting of cucumber, avocado, some sort of lettuce (spinach?) and carrot. It was served with that delicious Japanese salad dressing, and it took the cake!

Pear & Blue Cheese Salad- March 23, 2010

We kept it light tonight with a somewhat wintery salad. I used ripe anjou pears, blue cheese & toasted walnuts. I found a "pear infused" white balsamic vinegar that I made a light vinaigrette with. Simple and quick!

Gumbo Limbo at the Ritz Naples- March 22, 2010

One of my favorite things to do while visiting my parents in Florida is go to the Ritz to catch the sunset. They have a great tiki bar/restaurant there called Gumbo Limbo that overlooks the gulf and is very cute and tropical. We had some yummy appetizers- wings, conch fritters, coconut shrimp- but it was my son's meal that took the cake. The children's meal comes complete in its own little box with their choice (and I've never seen so many choices) of meal, fresh fruit, fries, a cookie and a drink. I would have liked one too.

Linguine with Clams- March 21, 2010

There is a great farmers' market in Bonita Springs every Saturday morning at The Promenade. Of my favorite things there are homemade pasta and (because I don't know what they call themselves...) the clam people. I picked up some of the tiny, hardshelled clams and some fresh linguine yesterday morning. I did a simple white wine sauce which I also added some spring onions and plum tomatoes (also from the farmers' market) to. It was a taste of summer!

Fire Pit City Grill- March 20, 2010

We met up with my brother's fiancee and her parents at the Fire Pit City Grill in Fort Myers tonight. There are more restaurants than you can imagine down here and just about all of them are packed on any given Saturday night! Fire Pit is in Gulf Coast Center not far from the airport. Like many of the large shopping/restaurant centers here they have live entertainment on Saturday nights in the courtyard areas. I had a greek flatbread that was good, but didn't rival my favorite flatbreads at Hola in Marshfield!

Pecan Crusted Tilapia with Twice Baked Potatoes- March 19, 2010

I am visiting my parents in Florida and my dad picked up tonight's dinner from their favorite grocery store down here, The Fresh Market. Its a great spot a lot like Whole Foods but a little smaller and more specialed in produce, meats and fish, mostly organic/high end. So it was just a matter of baking the fish and reheating the potatoes. Everything was delicious!

Burgers and Fries- March 18, 2010

There's nothing like a good burger, especially on a busy night. I usually make them myself but I bought some premade at Whole Foods this time. I prefer the 85%lean meat as opposed to the 90% for burgers. I find the extra fat adds more flavor. We like our burgers no-fuss- just some salt & pepper and American cheese and medium-rare to medium. I used some delicious brioche rolls, although they were really big. I usually buy the sea salt Alexia french fries as well.

Chicken Soup with Rice- March 17, 2010

I'm not much a fan of Irish food, or the American version- corned beef and cabbage. I do love scones though. Anyway, tonight I found a great new chicken soup recipe that was quick, easy and VERY good. I think I've mentioned I'm a huge fan of buying a rotisserie chicken for soup. This recipe actually tells you to do just that. You use chicken broth, but add extra flavor by making kind of a quick stock. Very yummy. And if you buy an organic rotisserie chicken, organic broth & organic veggies you can have an entirely organic soup.
Oh and see, now I just went on Epicurious and found that a great-looking recipe for beef and Guinness pie is featured. Well, maybe I'll have to revive St. Patrick's Day. Stay tuned.

Fingerling Potato, Asparagus & Goat Cheese Pizza- March 15, 2010

I often make my own pizza. Its easy to make the dough and freeze it, as I think I've mentioned before. My dough recipe which I use for both oven & grill pizzas:
2 cups flour (plus more for rolling the dough)
1 TBSP olive oil
1 package quick-rising yeast
3/4 cup warm water
Mix the ingredients and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm area and let rise for 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and divide into 2 balls. Allow to rest 10 minutes more. Use both or freeze one.
When I cook pizza in the oven I use a very hot (500 degree) oven and a preheated pizza stone. I find with this combo I don't need cornmeal even as the stone gets so hot. When I grill the pizza crust again a hot grill is good but I oil it and then turn down the temp on the grill. Once it puffs up I flip it and add toppings, but depending on the toppings I often end up finishing it off in a warm oven.
The sky's the limit with toppings- this combo I found on Epicurious.

Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin with Whole Grain Mustard Glaze and Mushroom & Celery Root Ragout- March 14, 2010

My husband cooked tonight so no recipe as usual- this is his own creation. Of course I am still so into spring food (as you'll see with the posts coming after this) that a winter vegetable ragout wasn't my first choice, but we had the items on hand and it went perfectly with the pork, which was out of this world in tenderness and flavor. Its funny, I often wonder if when he comes home each night he thinks "Well, I really didn't feel like that for dinner..." as I usually choose... oh well!

Vindaloo Chicken Curry with Green Beans- March 13, 2010

With not much time to cook one of my favorites is Maya Kaimal curry that is sold at our local Roche Bros. in the refrigerated section (its usually with the hummus and fresh pasta). My husband likes his curry on the spicier side so I usually get the Vindaloo, but they're all good. You saute some chicken (I've also used lamb, beef, shrimp), add the sauce and simmer it for a minimum of 15 minutes (longer and your flavors will meld a bit more). I added green beans near the end. Sometimes I do cauliflower too. I serve it over white or brown rice and of course don't forget the Naan- also something you can now readily find at most grocery stores in the bakery area.

Tuna Nicoise Salad- March 12, 2010

Can you tell I'm ready for spring? I've been glad to shed the heavier dishes of winter this past week and embrace the lighter fare of spring. Actually Epicurious has a whole spring recipes screen up on their iPhone app that I find ridiculously exciting. I love Nicoise salad and I usually prepare it in the deconstructed way. Tonight I used blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, hard boiled egg, boiled baby red potatoes, spring greens and of course some seared fresh tuna. I tossed the greens with a simple vinaigrette of red wine, olive oil & Dijon mustard and drizzled the rest with it as well. Light, simple and delicious.

Burrata Cheese BLT's- March 11, 2010

Every once in a while our local Roche Bros. has a special treat in the cheese section. Yesterday it was burrata cheese, which I've always wanted to try. It is a very soft cheese a lot like fresh mozzarella, but really just about spreadable and the flavor is a bit different. I found a recipe on Epicurious for a burrata cheese "blt" of sorts that I modified a bit. I only wish I'd had some good summer tomatoes, but those are a ways off still. The cheese, and the entire sandwich, really, was fantastic.

Rack of Lamb with Cilantro Pesto & Sauteed Fingerling Potatoes- March 10, 2010

Again my husband cooked the meat- although I always observe I just don't want to overcook it. He used a store-bought cilantro pesto rub and oven-roasted the lamb. Although I buy the lamb frenched, he always trims it out more so there is very little fat left and the bones are just about completely exposed. For the potatoes, we cooked them whole (they are small) in some butter, chicken broth and whatever seasonings go with the meal. They kind of sautee/steam and are always delicious and pretty easy.

Kurobuta Pork Chops with a Red Wine Currant & Blackberry Reduction & Butter-Poached Young Vidalia Onions- March 9, 2010

Its always dangerous when I go to Wellesley as I end up going to The Cheese Shop or John Dewar! Yesterday I went to John Dewar's for some Kurobuta pork. I don't love pork chops, but these are a whole different world. When meat gets that expensive I don't cook it, I have my husband do it. And you can rest assured whenever there is some sort of sauce involved he's cooked. He has a talent for just coming up with these things, really.

Potato Gnocchi with Simple Tomato Sauce- March 8, 2010

My husband once worked in sales at a local pasta company. The best part was that not only did we enjoy lots of gourmet ravioli, but he learned to make gnocchi amongst other things. It is very easy to make and although my son's a little young to really help yet, I know he'll love making it soon. You can find a basic recipe online but here's what I use for two large servings or three smaller:
1 lb. potatoes, 1 cup flour, 1 egg.
Easy to make more as its just a 1:1:1 ratio.
Bake the potatoes and cool them. Scoop out the potato and RICE them. You can't skip this step. Its key to the gnocchi forming correctly. You can get a ricer at BB&B or Homegoods- WS has them too I'm sure. Add the flour and egg and I find it easiest to mix by hand- its very messy though. Then take about a handful of dough and roll it on a well-floured surface into a log. Cut the log into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece with a fork or your finger once.
I always freeze them on a floured baking sheet even if I'm cooking them that day. Just to firm them up a bit and make them easier to handle. Cook them in well-salted water for 3 minutes or until they float plus 30-45 seconds.
I made a simple tomato sauce from some canned San Marzanos to go with it, but you could do just about anything with them. They're filling though!

Hola Takeout- March 6, 2010

Tonight we had takeout from Hola in Marshfield Center. This is by far our favorite local restaurant. They serve traditional Spanish tapas, some mexican dishes and creative, gourmet flabreads which are like pizza but served on a lavash-type base and very light. We had a regular favorite- curry fried green beans with lemon aioli as well as goat cheese & sweet anise crisps with spiced grapes & fried almonds, roasted dates & bacon with mango vinegar & radicchio and coffee & chipotle rubbed steak with fried potato wedges. We had two flatbreads, spinach, red onion, hot cherry peppers & asiago and mushrooms, asparagus, manchego cheese & truffle oil. The dishes are small so we do usually order that many.

Pork Dumplings with Fried Rice- March 5, 2010

I haven't made dumplings in a while but I'm pretty sure the last time I did I used the same recipe. These are fairly easy and they make quite a few. I use store-bought wonton wrappers. I had enough for at least 7 people with a side of rice. Luckily they freeze well. For the rice I precooked white rice then cooled it, cooked a scrambled egg in the wok with some peanut oil and added minced fresh ginger. Then I threw in the rice, chopped scallions & cilantro.

Steak, Tomato and Zucchini Kebobs- March 4, 2010

While we were in Texas we had some okra and it was so delicious that I was dying to try it again. Of course it is hard to find up here even in the summer, so needless to say I ended up substituting it. I had some tenderloin tips frozen from our last whole-tenderloin purchase. I marinated them overnight according to the recipe and served the kebabs with an Italian couscous mixed with onions, pepper & parsley.

Falafel Rollups- March 3, 2010

My husband introduced me to falafel as he used to enjoy them at one of his favorite spots in college. I usually make them from a mix- there are a few of them out there. I made them from scratch this time. They were good, but a lot of work and not a lot better than the mix. I roll them in lavash with tahini sauce, tabbouleh salad, cucumbers, tomato, hummus & greens.

Wianno Oysters, Charile Trotter Smoked Salmon, Assorted Cheeses & Charcuterie- March 2, 2010

Tonight to celebrate my birthday we had an assortment of some of our favorites. I love doing this- it cuts back on really having to "cook" anything and you can't believe how full you are after all those small plates.

Halibut with Cilantro Pesto and Grilled Vegetables- March 1, 2010

Tonight my husband grilled some halibut filets and finished them off with a store-bought cilantro pesto, which we've had before. He also grilled some peppers & squash and served it all over a bed of cilantro and white rice. It was a quick, healthy and delicious dinner!

Airplane Snacks- February 25, 2010

Yes, that's right, tonight it was an assortment of airplane snacks for dinner en route to San Antonio. MMMMM.....

Rudy's BBQ & Fralo's Pizza- February 28, 2010

Rudy's in Leon Springs, known as "The Worst BBQ in Texas" is nationally known now. We've seen it in magazines and on the Food Network. We ate their for lunch, and as usual the sampling of smoked meats, creamed corn, etc were all perfect. For dinner we tried Fralo's gourmet pizza also in Leon springs. We had the lamb/olive/goat cheese pizza as well as the BBQ chicken. Both were great!

Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Grilled Poblano & Okra- February 27, 2010

One of my favorite things to do while in Texas is go to the grocery store. I love the subtle cultural differences and the fact that they have a much larger variety of produce than anywhere around us at home in the winter. My husband cooked tonight and as usual the filets were cut and prepared perfectly. We got a whole tenderloin at Costco, which we do often as you can cut the steaks yourself and you get more for your money. The okra was out of this world- something we so rarely find fresh at home.

Papa Nachos Mexican Cantina- February 26, 2010

We are in San Antonio, Texas visiting family and we love to eat Mexican here since it is so authentic! We went to Papa Nachos up the street in Leon Springs tonight and we all had Fajitas of some kind. They were delicious as usual and so were the "borracho beans".

Pasta & Meatballs- February 24, 2010

Tonight was a freezer/pantry night. I had a good quality pasta sauce I've been wanting to try, so we had that with some meatballs that I made with pancetta, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper.

White Chile- February 23, 2010

This is one of my standard recipes, so to speak. Its easy and I make it often. I use the Betty Crocker recipe basically, and I usually buy a rotisserie chicken to make with it.

Cod with Hoisin and Ginger Sauces- February 22, 2010

Recently The Summer Shack Restaurant opened up nearby and they also opened a fish market. We've purchased fish there probably 8 times and haven't been disappointed. I used cod for this dish- something I don't usually buy. It was fantastic!
Cod with Hoisin & Ginger Sauces

Horne's Mixed Green Salad Du Jour- February 21, 2010

We often make "meal" salads. Basically, we use a meat (usually chicken or some cut of beef- tenderloin, flank) some mixed greens (spring, baby, mache), grilled veggies (peppers, squash, onion), cheese (goat, blue, Parmesan), nuts (walnuts, pepitas, almonds) and of course some grilled ciabatta bread brushed with goat butter. We always make our own dressing- some sort of vinaigrette.
Tonight we did grilled chicken with a light rub, grilled poblano pepper, grilled onions, a little blue cheese & walnuts. My husband made a blood orange vinaigrette, and we had a pinot noir. Yummy!

Sweet Tomatoes Pizza, February 20, 2010

We visited some friends last night and they treated us to one of our very favorites- Sweet Tomatoes Pizza. This is usually only a summer treat for us since the closest ST location is Sandwich, so it was extra-special. Their Neapolitan pizza is thin-crusted and simple. They have many yummy options, but I just love their cheese pizza!

Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans- February 19, 2010

Friday I decided to finally take a stab at short ribs. Since they have to slow-cook, I needed most of the afternoon for this. They were good, but way too heavy for me. I felt like I had lead sitting in my stomach all night. Probably the black beans were just too much.
We finished up the Stump Jump from the previous night, but this dish had some spice so something lighter would have worked too! The photo shows the ribs after browning.

Tilapia and Mashed Yams with Pancetta-Sage Breadcrumbs- February 18, 2010

Last night I made tilapia and mashed yams with pancetta-sage breadcrumbs. I actually used catfish. The yams were particularly yummy, but the collard greens that accompanied it took the cake. I boiled them for about 5 minutes, drained them and sauteed them in a little olive oil, unsalted butter, garlic & lemon juice for about 2 minutes.
We drank 2008 Stump Jump Shiraz, which is really for tonight's dinner but we didn't have any white.

Bopha's Green Curry- February 17, 2010

I mentioned that we dined at Stir Crazy the other night, and we also bought some of Bopha's green curry sauce. For $12.95 you get a generous container of curry sauce that easily makes 2 meals for us. I divided it up and froze the other half. I sauteed two cubed chicken breast in a little olive oil and added some fresh green beans & eggplant as well as canned bamboo shoots. I seasoned very lightly with salt & pepper and added the curry sauce, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. Served over white rice it was delicious and certainly worth $12.95 as we could never duplicate it!
We finished up the bottle of 2007 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Chardonnay from the other night.
I took the lazy way out and shot this photo with my Iphone, but part of my goal for this blog is to improve my food photography, so I won't be so lazy all the time!

Homemade Bread

My 19-month-old son is a very picky eater. When he was an infant, I used to make all of his own food and serve him things like goat cheese, roasted red peppers & lamb. He'd eat it all! No longer. I find when I make him homemade meals he usually feeds them to the dog. He does, however, love bread. So I found a basic, fairly quick recipe in Joy of Cooking, but I've changed it a bit as I've made it multiple times. I've made it a few times now and its pretty fail-safe. Needless to say my son loves it and and so do we.
White (or Wheat) Bread
Combine in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes:
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm (105-1115 degrees F) water
Add:
3 c. bread flour
2 c. warm water
1 TBSP melted butter
2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP salt
Mix on low speed for 1 min. Gradually add 1/2 c. at a time until the dough is moist but now sticky:
2 3/4-3 c. bread flour
Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over once to coat. Cover loosely w/ plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 1/2 hrs or until doubled in volume.
Grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans. Fold the dough, divide it in half and form into two loaves. Place seam side down in the pans. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hrs or until doubled in volume.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake the loaves for 10 minutes then reduce oven to 325 degrees. Bake another 25-30 min and test loaves by removing from pan and tapping on bottom. It should sound hollow. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For wheat bread, substitute 1 1/2 c. of the bread flour with 1 1/2 c. wheat flour and increase the yeast by 1/4 tsp.

Lentil Soup- February 16, 2010

Its a rain/snow day, so to avoid the roads I went to the pantry. In the freezer I found some Bratwurst, rolls and fries, but I also made bread today and thought we should enjoy some with dinner. So I dug a little deeper and found some lentils. I didn't have any canned tomatoes (and btw if you haven't tried these San Marzano tomatoes you haven't tried canned tomatoes), so I found a recipe that is a bit different than the typical French Lentil Soup. I also wanted to use the Bratwurst, which I'd already defrosted. I followed the reviews and jazzed it up a bit with some oregano, basil, salt & pepper. I also pureed about 2 cups of it.
We drank 2007 Hey Mambo Red.

Pea & Bacon Risotto- February 15, 2010

This is a yummy, quick recipe I've made before:
Pea & Bacon Risotto
My husband made it this time and added some wine in there as well.
We drank a 2007 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Chardonnay
I use Epicurious frequently for recipes. I love the app on my IPhone!

Filet Mignon- Sunday, February 14, 2010

Another Valentine's dinner...
Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Heart Shaped Goat Cheese (from French Memories in Duxbury)
Assorted Pastries (from French Memories as well)
2005 Castello Vicchiomaggio Ripa Delle More Toscana
We typically buy a whole tenderloin and my husband trims it himself. I'm very spoiled this way as he cuts & trims the filet perfectly. He cooks this- not me. I don't like to cook meats when I have to worry about overcooking.

Stir Crazy, Pocasset- February 13, 2010

On Saturday night we were on the Cape and my dad offered to babysit so we headed to one of our favorite spots in Pocasset- Stir Crazy. Bopha is a Cambodian refugee and has incredible inspiration behind her recipes. We ordered a few of our favorites: Green Curry, Chicken Khemara & Bopha Fingers. We even tried the ginger ice cream- also delicious! If you're on the Upper Cape you can't go wrong at Stir Crazy.

Welcome!

Welcome to my food blog! My goal is to post what we've had for dinner each night for a year. We love finding, preparing and styling wonderful dinners nightly. I'll try to include recipes or links as much as possible, and of course photos too!