Grilled Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Caesar Salad

The weather was downright warm yesterday so SP decided to break out the grill. He picked up a few sirloin steaks that we cooked on a very hot charcoal grill simply seasoned with salt and pepper:


They got a nice char on the outside but were perfectly rare on the inside. I also made mashed potatoes with scallions and grated cheddar cheese. We're growing tired of our usual veggies, so SP suggested Caesar salad:


I had to combine two recipes for the dressing because we were out of Dijon mustard. I tossed the dressing with chopped romaine lettuce and croutons.

Caesar Salad Dressing

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or 2 anchovy filets)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/2 cup mayo
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Combine lemon juice, anchovy paste, cheese, mayo, garlic, white wine vinegar and Worcestershie sauce in blender. Blend until smooth and then drizzle in oil while blender is on. Season with salt and pepper.

Pasta with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe for pasta with roasted garlic cream sauce on Food alla Puttanesca and knew it would be a hit at our house. I decided to add broccoli and chicken to make it a full meal.


Easy and very tasty, with plenty of roasted garlic flavor. This is definitely a keeper.

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce
Slightly modified from Elizabeth's Cooking by way of Food alla Puttanesca

1 head garlic, roasted
Olive oil
1 cup cream or half & half
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more at the table
Red pepper flakes, optional
2 broccoli crowns cut into bite-sized pieces
2 chicken breasts
1 lb pasta

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the garlic head in half lengthwise. Place each half on a sheet of tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit about 5 minutes, and then open the tin foil to let the garlic cool.

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add butter and once melted, add flour and cook 1 minute. Add cream and milk, whisking to break up any lumps. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to just boiling, then reduce heat to low. Add cheese and whisk until smooth.

Once the roasted garlic is cool, squeeze the garlic out of the papery skin. Mash with a fork and add to the cream sauce and whisk together. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

While the sauce is woking, cook the pasta according to package directions. About 4 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add a little oil to the skillet and cook the chicken through, about 5 minutes per side. Once the chicken is cooked, cut it into bite-size pieces.

Toss the pasta, broccoli and chicken with the sauce. Add more cheese just before serving.

Cuban Sandwiches

I wanted an easy dinner this week so I put Cuban sandwiches on the menu.


We had them with Terra chips. I love these sandwiches because they're so easy and delicious.

Mushroom Soup

Last Sunday I made a big pot of soup for dinner later in the week. I saw this recipe for Mushroom Soup on Katie's blog and knew it would be a winner since SP is a huge mushroom lover. Here's the pot after I added the mixed mushrooms, thyme (which I subbed for the sage), onions, shallots and garlic:


The end product isn't as pretty as I wanted it to be, but it still tasted great.


I always serve soup with crusty bread for dipping.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions

We went next door for the Super Bowl to hang out with our neighbors. SP wanted to make something fun so he made a huge pot of his delectable sauce for sausage, peppers and onions.


After the sauce cooked for awhile he added cut sausage and sliced green and red peppers and sweet onions to cook. It was absolutely fantastic on soft, pillowy rolls.

Potato Slabs

I saw this recipe for Potato Slabs on Amber's blog recently and thought it would be perfect to bring next door for Super Bowl Sunday.


They were a big hit and really easy to make. I'm sure this will be a party staple from now on.

Potato Slabs
Amber's Delectable Delights

2 russet potatoes
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
1/3 cup colby-jack cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and diced
Green onions for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375.

Clean and scrub potatoes well. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" thick slices. Place potatoes on lightly buttered baking sheet and season each side with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Cook for 30 minutes. Flip potatoes over and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and place a pinch of cheese and bacon on top of each potato slab. Return the pan to the oven and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve with green onions and sour cream.

Aikou

Last Saturday we went to see our friend's son in a play. We met up with C & T and H & T and H's son C for dinner at Aikou, an Asian restaurant near where they all live. T had a spicy tuna avocado salad to start:


I snagged a bite of the tuna and avocado and it was spicy, creamy and delicious. I started with a Godzilla roll (spicy crunchy tuna topped with avocado and red tobiko):


One of my new favorite dishes is crispy jumbo shrimp with honey, walnuts and lemon cream sauce. We got two orders to share between me, SP, T & C since we all love it so much.


SP got two sushi rolls, eel and avocado (on the right) and spicy tuna (on the left):


C loves their Thai basil fried rice with shrimp so we all split an order of that as well:


So much good food, so little stomach space. I wish this place was closer to us, but it's probably a good thing that it isn't or we'd be there once a week (and very poor because of it).

Lunch with Friends

Back in December I got together with four of my friends for a holiday lunch. We had such a fantastic time we decided to do it again in January, this time with a Mexican theme. Jenn was the host this time and she made delicious Texas chicken quesadillas to eat as an appetizer:


... along with chips, salsa and Colleen's garlicky guacamole:


I'm a sucker for guacamole and this was outstanding.


Colleen also made a delicious baked Santa Fe cheesy dip:


We inhaled most of the appetizers before we remembered we had more food waiting in the kitchen. I brought my friend Melissa's Spanish rice:


Lauren was in charge of the main course and she brought a fantastic taco bake with lots of cheesy goodness:


After we were stuffed silly we still had more eating to do. Brooke brought Mexican chocolate crunch brownies for dessert:


We all had a great time with lots of delicious food, good conversation and lots of laughs. Thanks again to Jenn for hosting. I can't wait for the next get-together!

Pan Pizzas

I'm sorry for the lousy photos (still figuring out the new camera) but you get the basic idea. On Friday I made pan pizzas:


... one with pepperoni:


... and one with bacon and sliced garlic:

Sweet and Sour Chicken Redux

The last time I made sweet & sour chicken the sauce was so thick I couldn't toss it with the chicken. But since the flavors were good, SP asked that I try again. I think I'm about three-quarters of the way to perfecting this dish.


This time the sauce was a little too thin and the chicken wasn't as crispy as last time. I should have thickened the sauce more but I was a little gun-shy. Instead of broccoli I decided to saute some peppers and onions and mix that with pineapple chunks, in keeping with how they serve this dish in restaurants.

Ginger, Scallion and Garlic Shrimp

Since we had some shrimp in the freezer SP asked for one of our favorites, Ginger, Scallion and Garlic Shrimp.


I love this dish because not only are the flavors fantastic, it's really easy to make. As always, I used way more scallions then the recipe calls for and probably twice as much garlic and ginger. I couldn't resist taking a photo of the pan full of juicy shrimp:


Quick tip - Be sure to drain the eggwhite and cornstarch marinade before you add the shrimp to the pan, otherwise there will be too much liquid and the shrimp won't get a nice crust.

Macaroni and Cheese

Because I wanted to freeze half the eggplant rollatini for Sunday I needed to clear out freezer space. I took out one of the portions of mac & cheese I'd made on MLK Day and we had it on Monday.


I don't know what I did differently, but this was absolutely the best mac & cheese I've ever made. When it was cooking in the oven I could smell the buttery bread crumbs toasting and my mouth was watering. When I took my first bite the crunchy topping mixed with the creamy, cheesy sauce was pure bliss.


I had a hard time restraining myself from eating the whole pan before SP got home. To curb my appetite I made myself a simple salad with mixed greens dressed with lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper.


I can't wait to make the other batch I've got in the freezer.

Eggplant Rollatini

Last Sunday SP wanted to do something fun for dinner and we thought of rollatini. It's a labor-intensive meal, but the results are definitely worth it.


After we fried the eggplant slices and rolled them up with a mix of ricotta and Pecorino cheeses, egg, parsley, salt and pepper and a few basil leaves they were ready for their closeup:


The recipe makes enough rollatini for two meals so I froze the one above and baked off the remaining rolls with plenty of delicious sauce:


My plate, with two gorgeous rolls:

Refreshing...Like Lemonade Award

Erica over at Erica's Kitchen recently gave me the Lemonade Award. Thank you so much, Erica!


I've seen this award on quite a few of my favorite blogs lately, and I always hate picking just a few people for these awards because I love ALL my blogging buddies. Can I cop out again and just tell you to look at my blogroll on the righthand side of the page for some fantastic recipes? Well, even if I can't, I'm doing it anyway. So there! :P

Pepperoni and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

We had some pepperoni and cheddar cheese leftover from last weekend so I decided to make Pepperoni and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken for dinner on Friday.


Instead of pounding the chicken and rolling it around the pepperoni and cheese I made a slit in the meat and stuffed it in. This worked out better, especially since I ran out of toothpicks. I made the dish with roasted asparagus again and it was delicious, although we both felt it could have used more pepperoni and cheese.

Takeout...Yes, Again

On Thursday I had every intention of making dinner, but when I got home I realized the chicken I'd taken out to defrost was still partially frozen. I also realized I wasn't really in the mood to cook. When SP called to say he'd had a rough day that was all the reason I needed to suggest takeout for dinner. We tossed around a few ideas before deciding on our favorite place, M's. We got the usual suspects, a cheesesteak hoagie for me:


... crispy pizza fries (french fries topped with sauce and mozzarella cheese):


... and a pizza with The Works:


It really hit the spot, as always.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I know this rendition of spaghetti carbonara was the best I'd ever made when SP said it was good. That's usually not his highest compliment but in this case it meant a lot. See, SP really isn't a fan of the dish. It's a shame because carbonara is one of my all-time favorites, but despite the bacon factor he just isn't that enamored of the dish.


My friend Melissa recently wrote an excellent post about spaghetti carbonara which gave me a craving for it. I almost always have the necessary ingredients on hand so I decided to make it for dinner on Wednesday. I didn't do anything different this time since I can make this recipe in my sleep, but something about it really hit the spot for SP, which made me happy since I feel guilty making something I know he has mixed feelings about.

Spaghetti Carbonara
Modified from Nigella Lawson

1 pound spaghetti
1lb bacon (or as much as you like), chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, but since you want it kept al dente start checking it 2 minutes before end of the recommended cooking time.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Put the pan with the bacon back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Take the pan off the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.

Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice

It's been awhile since I made one of our favorite meals, Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice, so I put it on the menu for this week. It was, hands down, the best version of this meal I've ever made. And it photogaphed beautifully:


But this meal comes with a funny story. After cooking the chicken I put the chopped onion, garlic and jalapenos into the pan and almost immediately I couldn't stop sneezing and coughing. When SP got home he started coughing, too. I don't know exactly what happened, but all I can think is the fumes/steam from the cooking jalapenos was irritating our noses/throats. It was like a cloud of spice was hovering in the air. I know some of the hotter peppers can cause reactions like this but jalapenos? I used four of them since we want some spice and I removed most of the ribs and seeds, but usually they're barely spicy so I must have gotten some real doozies. I was worried it would be inedible but it turned out perfect...spicy, but perfect. Be careful...even the milder hot peppers can pack a whallop!

Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice
Modified slightly from Cook.Craft.Enjoy

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
4 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (leave some seeds and ribs if you like spice)
1 cup long grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cans (4.5oz) chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (sometimes I use pepper Jack)
1 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan (with sides at least 2 inches high) over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned but not cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add onion, garlic, and jalapenos to pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute more, then pour in broth and bring to a boil. Boil rice 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pan, and cook 20 minutes.

Return chicken to the pan and cook until rice is tender, liquid is absorbed, and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in chiles, cheese, and cilantro until cheese is melted.

Broccoli Soup

It's been bitterly cold here lately so I thought soup seemed like the perfect dinner. I had a few leftover broccoli crowns and remembered that my buddy Melissa had posted a recipe for broccoli soup recently. I picked up the few ingredients I needed at the store and got to work.


Here's the broccoli, celery and leek cooking away in the pot:


And here's what that lovely mixture became with the addition of stock, salt, pepper, lemon juice, a splash of cream and a few whirrs of my immersion blender.


This was delicious. Absolutely delicious. A real winner. I love broccoli so I wasn't worried about that, but it's actually pretty healthy since it's all vegetables. I added a splash of cream per the recipe but it was completely unnecessary. After the immersion blender pureed most of the vegetables (I didn't bother keeping a cup of florets separate and blanching them for a garnish - too fussy) it was the perfect consistency. The lemon juice brightened everything up. Next time I'll definitely leave out the cream. I also garnished the bowl with a little grated cheddar cheese which was also unnecessary. Next time I won't bother; the soup is good enough on its own.

I rarely make soup since I'm not a fan of hot liquids, but recently I found myself thinking "I should do this more often." Turns out I love a good, hearty bowl of soup, especially with slices of buttered, crusty ciabatta to dip into the bowl. I used three slices as spoons and enjoyed every mouthful. Thanks for another winner, hon!

Broccoli Soup
Modified from Alosha's Kitchen

2 pounds broccoli, separated into florets, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 leek, white and green parts only, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek and broccoli with a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir to combine, then cook for 4 minutes. Add broth to the pot gradually, whisking to work out any lumps of flour. Bring soup to a summer and cook 45 minutes, stirring frequently.

Purée the soup using a stick or regular blender, or let it cool somewhat and pass it through a food mill.

Stir in the lemon juice and cheese then season to taste, and serve.

Making Meals for Another Day

Since I was home on Monday I decided to make a double batch of mac & cheese to freeze for another time. I separated it into two casserole dishes and topped both with fresh bread crumbs:


I wanted to show you guys how creamy this is before the topping goes on. Just look at all that gooey, cheesy goodness:


These are going to make fantastic meals sometime in the future.

Chicken Salad

I had Monday off for Martin Luther King Day, so after running some errands I came home and made myself some lunch. We had some leftover roast chicken and I bought mixed salad greens at the store, so I decided to make chicken salad.


I diced some chicken and mixed it with mayo, salt and pepper. I wanted something else in there so I looked through the fridge and found some mini mozzarella balls and mixed olives. I diced up the cheese and a few olives and added a little lemon juice to both the chicken salad and the salad greens. It seems like a weird combination, but it actually worked.

**This was my first photo using my new camera.**

I Have a New Camera!

Thank you to everyone who answered my camera post awhile back. I finally got my new camera, a Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP over the weekend (thanks, Mom!):


So far I'm totally flummoxed by it. Don't get me wrong, I like it and I know once I get used to it I'll be thrilled but right now it's about half the size of my old camera (a 2004 Sony Cybershot) and is so lightweight I'm afraid I'm going to drop it. I'm not used to setting up shots, the macro setting keeps turning off, and the memory card it came with only holds about 10 photos (I've ordered a 16GB card that should be here by the end of the week).

Now that I have a new camera I really, really need to either invest in or build myself a lightbox. I'm so tired of washed out, yellowish photos. Stupid winter and the sun setting at 5pm. Bring back natural light!

Sunday Breakfast

On Sunday morning I thought I'd use the leftover mashed potatoes to make potato pancakes to have with our eggs and sausage:


Unfortunately the pancakes didn't come out the way I'd hoped. They tasted oddly of flour and not much else. At least the eggs and sausage (and some leftover crusty bread, not pictured) were tasty.

Roast Chicken Dinner

On Saturday our friends C & D came over for dinner. With all the cold weather and snow we've been having we thought a nice roast chicken dinner would be the perfect meal.


I coated the chicken in a mix of butter, oil, rosemary and thyme and stuffed the cavity with smashed garlic cloves, pieces of lemon and sprigs of rosemary and thyme. The smell coming from the oven as it was roasting was intoxicatingly delicious.

To round out the meal I made mashed potatoes, finally breaking out the potato ricer I bought ages ago. It takes a little elbow grease, but the potatoes come out super creamy. I also steamed some green beans and we had two kinds of crusty bread and butter.

C & D brought a variety of pastries for dessert:


I'm not sure what each one is, but we cut these into four pieces and all were great.