Livin it Up

The boys went to visit their grandparents in PA for a week before the four of us headed to Virginia for vacation.  Sadly, both parents had to work that week.  But night can be fun, especially when there's no kiddie restrictions to dinner!

We stopped at the grocery store on our way back and picked up some live lobsters and fresh corn on the cob.   So delicious, and yes, I'm convinced now that steaming is better than boiling.  The plate doesn't get all waterlogged while cracking for lobster meat.  So, so good.

On Monday,  we fixed Brian's "I've never had a margarita" problem by heading to Mezcal in Worcester.  Upon hearing that held never had a margarita, the bartender asked to make us something special off-menu.  We were not disappointed!!!  Add some tuna tostada, chicken mole and steak chimichanga, and of course, their famous homemade guacamole and it was a great night.  No "ew, what's that" or tears.  Just full bellies and happiness. 

Tuesday was some of the biggest stuffed chicken breasts that I've ever seen.  Filled with spinach and feta cheese, they were dinner for TWO nights.  Thursday brought us to pork lettuce wraps with veggies, ginger, garlic,  housing, spicy peanut sauce, along with almonds for crunch.  Oh, and the second trip for ice cream that week.  Followed by a ton of packing for the trip.

On Friday, we began the drive down. But as a last hurrah, we went back to a special place:  Paul's Pasta in Groton, CT.  We hadn't been on about six years, and some of our early dates were there 18 years ago.  Still delicious, relatively inexpensive and so tasty.

So, our week of Food Comas was complete, including a few trips for ice cream.  It was worth it.  

First.

First nice dinner of 2016:  poached salmon with a dijon and herb vinaigrette, roast potatoes and fresh green beans.  Happy New Year to All!

Gettin' Fancy

Last week's dinner menu was more written for the adults than for the kids.  And it's good to do that sometimes.

Two meals stood out:

The chicken and polenta dish looked good enough to offer at a restaurant!  It was delicious to boot....I used to dislike polenta. But now that I know that there's other ways to have it other than a sliced tube at the grocery store, I'm more likely to eat it.  "Tube-y" polenta tastes firm and weird.  This stuff reminded me of mashed potatoes.

And this right here?  Seared scallops over lemony zucchini risotto.  I know, really fancied for a Tuesday night!  Best scallops I've had in a long time.  And this risotto rules, too.  I ate the leftover risotto for breakfast the next two days, with a fried egg on top.  Awesome.

Fish Week

Two opportunities for fish this week.....first, my favorite fried seafood place is open for the season!  Brian suggested that we go there for lunch on Wednesday, and it didn't disappoint.  It never does.  :)  I had the fried haddock dinner and he got a fish sandwich.  We usually go like twice a year so next time I'll have their awesome fried clams.  I don't even eat fried clams other places anymore, they're sad replacements for this real deal.

Now, to balance all that fried deliciousness, we had something healthier the night before.  Swordfish with a grapefruit and avocado salsa.  It was pretty good!  Grapefruit salsa wasn't something I ever pictured myself eating but it was quite refreshing.  I'd definitely make it again.

Weird Cooking Methods

Last week we made a shrimp and pasta recipe that was.....not good shall we say.  It was out of a healthy eating cookbook and featured lemon, red pepper, cream cheese and whole wheat pasta.  First of all, it took forever to make.  That is likely because you are supposed to put the shrimp and cream cheese into the sauce OFF the heat, stir a bit, then cover for seven minutes and let the shrimp "cook."  I took the lid off the pan and found mostly-raw shrimp and cream cheese melted into this unattractive "hunks."  Brian put the whole thing back on the stove and got it made, but the lemon juice (from two large lemons, way too much!) with the red pepper was just overpowering.  We put the leftovers in the fridge, and threw them out a week later.

I guess that not every meal can be a star.  This one certainly wasn't!

Weekend Eats

This past weekend brought to you by the letter "S."  "S" is for salad, salmon and stew.

Lunch on Saturday was a game of "What can we use up?"  A quick scan of ingredients put together a salad of spinach and arugula, sliced avocado and the leftover frozen scallops wrapped in bacon from Valentine's Day last month.  (Of course we cooked them first.  Frozen sounds barbaric.)  A spicy mayonnaise dressing tied it together nicely and it was a lot more filling than I would've surmised.  I wasn't really hungry til dinner!

And DINNER!     Another trip to the Disney cookbook from our trip last year, to salmon wrapped in phyllo dough. It also had a lovely spinach, cream cheese and sundried tomato filling with the salmon.  It was in a oft-used word, awesome.  I can't wait to have the last one for lunch today.

And finally, stew.  There's a new collection of cookbooks at the library from Good Housekeeping, each volume is "400 calories or less."  I brought home the Comfort Foods one and we made the chicken pot pie and "light" beef and broccoli a few weeks ago.  This time I brought home "Italian" and "Chicken Dishes."  Going through the Italian book on Friday night I decided to try the lentil stew with butternut squash.  Lentils aren't something we typically eat, but once I saw the protein and fiber counts I decided to give it a try.  (20 grams each, by the way.)  Fiber is a tough thing for hubby and I to get, but we're working on it.  It was a crockpot recipe, and it took about eight hours.  I didn't have the 2 lbs butternut squash that the recipe called for so I subbed in some carrots.  The result had good flavor and we'll eat it all this week at lunchtime.

So really, it was a good weekend in the kitchen, and all brought to you by the letter "S."  "S" is certainly a good letter for the kitchen.  :)

Date Night!

On a rare night out, we got out to a Japanese hibachi place for a sushi dinner.  Brian and I hadn't had sushi out in ages! 

When the sashimi dinner came out for him, it was incredible.  This thing was more than anticipated.....this tub - like thing filled with crushed ice, shells and color changing LIGHTS under the ice!  And to top it off, raw tuna arranged into a rosebud.  Almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.   

We walked out of the restaurant very happy and with no appetite for the swanky dessert place two doors down.  Now that is a first.  :)

First Meals of 2015

The holidays have passed, and now we're happy to get back to a routine.  And also, cook some healthier, less rich food.  Not that we don't love the rich stuff, because we do.

Brian got a new 30-minute meal cookbook for Christmas put out by America's Test Kitchen.  So far we've had three recipes from it and have plans for more.  Like most things ATK puts out, everything has been good so far.

First dinner:  Salmon with lime and spice, with rice and broccoli.  Nothing too fancy...

Saturday night: white chicken chili.  This was definitely more than 30 minutes, more like 45.  It probably has more to do with the fact that dried hominy was used instead of the canned hominy that the recipe listed...but oh well. Hominy was a new ingredient to us, and took a little getting used to.   Leftovers yesterday weren't quite as chewy, and the flavor was really good.  It's weird eating chili with no tomatoes or beans, I definitely prefer the other way better.

I roasted a chicken on Sunday, and we had baked potatoes and roast carrots and parsnips.  The whole dinner in the oven, yeah!  Roast parsnips are so delicious and sweet.

last night:  meatless Monday!  Tortellini with asparagus and peas, in a tarragon cream sauce.  Yeah, I said healthier and less rich.  Total lie tonight, but no meat, so it's a trade?

Tonight's dinner is scallop risotto with tomatoes.  I'm dying to see if the "thirty minute recipe" is the real deal or full of lies.  We shall see.

Brian's Creations

Brian wrote the menu last week, and it was all based on ideas instead of recipes.  I don't usually cook like that, I prefer a recipe.  But he's good at it.  

First one was his new take on Chicken Parmesan.  He had seen something on a food network gameshow that gave him the idea, and this is the result:

Fresh Chicken Parm with Couscous

Pan-fried chicken cutlet, topped with canned tomato, a slice of mozzarella and a spinach-arugula blend.  Oh, and shredded parmesan.  Couscous was a nice departure from the normal spaghetti, too.  It tasted light and fresh, which while I love traditional chicken parm, one does not describe it as "light."

Seared sea scallops over linguine.

This recipe puts Olive Garden to shame!  I say that because we went to Olive Garden last month and it was truly disappointing.  I ordered a chicken pasta dish that was like sixteen bucks and what was it?  A pound of angel hair with a little butter and wine, couple of pieces of chicken and a whole pepper cut into huge hunks.  Not their best efforts.  This was scallops, a wine and butter sauce, pepper and onion stirfy and some more of that shredded parmesan.  Not to mention, the rest of that spinach and arugula blend, with Brian's own made-up balsamic and lemon dressing!  (Totally made up on the spot, and it was great!)

I wrote the menu this week, and it's back to recipes.  It'll still be good, though.

Chowdah!

I'm finally getting back to my long-neglected Day Zero List, and it was time to make a fourth soup that I've never made.  Clam Chowder!  That's New England Style....not Manhattan.  I'm a lifelong New Englandah and we make it with cream, not tomatoes.  I've had the Manhattan style and it was ok but not great like cream-based.

For my first shot at it, it came out pretty well.  I did NOT want to shuck clams, so we got the frozen ones and drained the juice from 'em.  The recipe came out of Cook's County Cookbook from America's Test Kitchen and I was very surprised with how quickly it comes together.  I've always thought of making clam chowder as a day-long process, but am happily to report that I was wrong.  And the simplicity of ingredients was nice too:  bacon, onion, potatoes, clams, cream, salt, pepper and herbs.  Done!  I will admit that it was thinner than I thought it would be, but that's something that I can work on over time.  It was delicious for lunch on a Sunday, and I'm thrilled that it all worked out.

Next thing on the DZ-List....fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls, next weekend!

Nutty Salmon

This was possibly the best salmon I have ever had.

Pecan Crusted Salmon, courtesy of Taste of Homes "Busy Families Cookbook."

I want to make this one again and soon!

For a Change, Fish.

Moving and packing make for boring eating.  It's all about the sustenance and how quickly you can eat and go back to work, and not about fun and flavor. 

A couple of weeks ago, though, I made panko-crusted cod with a tomato and basil relish.  I couldn't take the bland choices we had been making...we needed to shake it up and create EXCITEMENT!  Ok, not quite.  I just wanted something a little more interesting than meat, starch, vegetable.  And honestly, I've seen enough pizza lately to want  a break from that as well.

Straight outta last month's issue of Cooking Light, this looked easy and delicious.  Breading the fish with the panko, frying lightly and finishing it in the stove:  genius.  The fish isn't super-oily like fried fish can be sometimes, and there's still plenty of moisture.  The crunch was very satisfying, and the relish was cool and refreshing.  (Though the onion flavor was a little heavy-handed.)

One sidenote about the couscous:  normally I'm not a fan.  This was a box mix, and it was a generic brand.  Really, really good!  I'd definitely buy it again.

A "Canadian" Love Affair

I never liked mussels until I visited Canada.

In 2006, I spent a week in Prince Edward Island with my parents, brother and (then) girlfriend and my husband.  It was a beautiful island, with lots of happy memories.  One of these memories was a dinner theater that we went to with everyone, something that Brian and I had done before but the others had not.  My Dad was a little skeptical but in the end enjoyed the show more than anyone else!

The dinner part was served family-style, at long planked tables.  I immediately noticed that the first course had these steel buckets on the tables and they certainly got my attention.  Mussels!  I wasn't fond, after a stinky cooking experience when I lived in New Hampshire six years prior.   (I had a lot of "skeptical" cooking experiences at our house in New Hampshire, this was not a good culinary time for Crafty Mama, or for that matter, Brian.  We learned from a lot of mistakes in this era!)    I was six months pregnant at the time of our Prince Edward Island adventure, and I adore fish.  Mussels and other shellfish were on the short list of fish that is considered "safe" for pregnant women to eat, so I gave them a shot.  Was I ever glad that I did!  They were steamed in a wine broth and were so good, I may have eaten almost a whole bucket by myself!

Last year I got a repeat chance to enjoy P.E.I. mussels with Hubby, dining at a little seaside joint in Saint John, New Brunswick.  We split a bucket of these delightful, albeit ugly, mollusks and I was warm and happy over the experience.

So, when Brian put mussels on the menu for tonight, I was elated!  I even said at dinner last night, "tomorrow is mussels...I'm so excited.  :)"  Brian did not disappoint, turning up mussels in a white wine, garlic, shallot and tomato broth, served atop jasmine rice and asparagus with bacon on the side.  The jasmine rice was perfect for sopping up the broth, and the dinner was absolutely to die for.   What a fond way to reminisce with a food that I fell in love with in Canada.

Day 24: Back to "Normal"

Feeling much better today.  I finally felt like eating, so I made something special.

It turns out that leftover steak tips from the 99 make for excellent steak and eggs on a Sunday morning.

What was supposed to be for dinner last night turned into today's lunch, since the salmon was defrosted in the fridge.  This is the kind of meal that's nice to make when I'm eating it alone, because I'm the only person in the house that will eat it:

Caribbean jerk-seasoned salmon over black beans and rice, topped with fresh mango salsa and avocado!  Another recipe that I found on Pinterest and couldn't wait to try.

OMG!!!  The huge burst of flavor in this was incredible!  The salmon was cooked perfectly and not as spicy as expected.  The spice rib had chili powder, curry, cinnamon, cumin, allspice and cayenne, so you can see why I might have expected heavy heat.  The salsa was so fresh tasting, and not much to it:  fresh mango, red onion, avocado, sea salt and a few squeezes of fresh lime juice.  I felt like I should be sitting at a picnic table on the beach eating this.  I loved it, and am excited for the leftovers at work tomorrow.

When Brian and Will got home from their Philly adventures, we had tacos.  Scratch that.  Brian and I had tacos, kids had hot dogs.  Typical.  :)

Dinner, Day Two

Brian's Day Zero List includes perfecting homemade ravioli, and I get to reap the benefits.  :)

Last night:  shrimp ravioli with alfredo sauce.  The sauce is jarred, but that doesn't make it any less delicious.  The ravioli wasn't bad, just a little undercooked.  It made for decent leftovers for lunch today, too.  

Salmon and Sweet Potato

Maple-Chili Glazed Salmon, and Roasted Sweet Potato.

The maple and chili flavors in the salmon rub complemented each other nicely, it had just enough kick.  For the sweet potato I just used olive oil, salt and pepper since there was so much going on with the fish.  The menu originally had "baked sweet potatoes" on it but when the potatoes are THIS BIG there's just no way it's a weeknight dinner:

Actual size, a monster of a potato!!  I only cut up one and roasted it for dinner, and it was more than enough for the two of us.   The boys turned their noses at the roasted sweet potato, so I knew what to do with the other one:  I processed and pureed and made it into sweet potato mini muffins.  The boys devoured those for breakfast, and Will even made a suggestion to have "sweet potato smoothies."  Hmmm...I don't know how appetizing that sounds but I'll put on my game face for him.  After all, if he's willing to try it, I should be willing to dish it!

DIY "Fishsticks"

Last night's dinner:  Breaded Cod with Basmati Rice and Asparagus.

It's pretty much the "triangle fish" that we sometimes bring home from the market for the boys.  Y'know, Gorton's Fish Sticks.  Only these tasted fresher and didn't come out of a box.  Super easy too, a little egg wash on the cod, roll in panko and then fry in a bit of oil.  Delicious.

The kids?  Not impressed.  Though Sean loved the ketchup so much, he could eat it up with a spoon!

Friday-Night Scallops

One of my favorite dishes:  scallops!  So versatile....last night's were pan-sauteed, and tossed with linguine and a little alfredo sauce.  The veggie of the night was broccolini, something I had never tried before.  It was great, with a little shredded parmesan romano, but I think next time I'd like a little lemon juice.  And there certainly will be a next time.

The boys?  Not big fans of scallops.  But that won't keep us from getting them to try other kids of fish.  And someday, I hope we're successful in finding something that they'll like eating.

Lobster Ravioli Night

Since Brian had the day off from work today, he got to make something that he's always wanted to make:  homemade lobster ravioli.  Both of us love it, especially at Paul's Pasta in Groton, CT.   (This is one of our favorite restaurants from when we were dating.  We went back for our tenth wedding anniversary and the place was as delicious as we had remembered!)

I wasn't home for the making of the dough, or the filling.  So I think that I will just let the photos speak for themselves.  I will say this though:  for Brian's first foray into ravioli, it was deliciously successful.

Salmon Supper

Last Night's Dinner:  Salmon with Grainy Mustard Sauce.  Buying the fish the day that you are planning on using it makes a bigger difference than I ever thought, this was so fresh!

The sauce was divine.  Not heavy, with just enough creaminess.  Onion, fresh chive and mustard all in there for savory flavor.  This tasted what I imagine what eating at a French restaurant would be like.  Garlic and pecan pilaf and sauteed asparagus rounded out the meal.  What a special meal for a Saturday night.  Who needs to go out to a restaurant when you can eat like this at home??