It'll be dinnertime again soon....

Everyday I wonder "what're we gonna have for dinner?" Sometimes I wonder it early enough in the day to make plans and make a good dinner HAPPEN. I think today will be one of those days.

As I've said before, I like to read the food articles on NPR.org. Today's Kitchen Window is all about lentils. I'm not wild about dried beans, but lentils I like. So...the article caught my attention.

There are three recipes given in the article and I'm 'onna try the first one. I can't pronounce the name of the recipe, but it looks pretty yummy. And, the onions on top look JUST LIKE the onions on my "yesterday burger" -- which were very, very tasty.  The other appealing thing about this recipe is that it looks simple enough...and I think I have all the ingredients -- except for the sunflower oil, but do I really have to use that? Maybe.

Mudardara, Or Mejadra

Funny thing -- I went back and read the second recipe and it sounded pretty good, too. And, not too difficult. Hmmmm.

 

Lentil Meatballs With Lemon Pesto

And then there's the Red Lentil Dal recipe.... Oh, my!

What to do? What to do?

Some Drivin' and Some Eatin' and a Teeny Bit of Shopping

Today school was canceled for Sarah and Hannah due to a power outage. That was kinda cool -- well, cool that they didn't have school -- not the power outage. 

So, Harv and I decided to each take a car and a girl and drive to La Conner for lunch. (Kill two birds -- get some driving practice in for the girls and do something fun, too!) One of my foodie friends suggested Seeds Bistro. She and I like similar stuff so I was very excited to try it.

It was so cute and it looked like I was gonna enjoy it. We got there about 11:30 before the rush, but it seemed like it took a little while for our waitress to get to us. And, truthfully, it was a little hard to get her attention when we needed to ask for something.  She wasn't a terrible server, but she seemed a little bit distracted and perhaps she didn't really LOVE serving us. Seemed a little rushed to me.

Decisions! Decisions! There were LOTS of things on the menu that piqued my curiosity. Sometimes, though, a girl needs a burger -- especially a blue cheese burger! And, this one had fried teeny weensy onions on it, too. Sounded DE-LISH. Harv ordered the meatloaf sandwich which came with a thin sliced cole slaw. Hannah got a hamburger, too and Sarah got fish and chips.

Took a while for our order to arrive, I thought. Unfortunately, I didn't specify how I wanted my burger and it was overdone for me. But those onions on top were, in fact, delicious. The fries were good, too. Harv was very pleased with his meatloaf sandwich and Sarah said the fish and chips were tasty with a light, crispy batter. Hannah's burger was kinda boring, but that's the way she likes it. ☺ Oh! And, S & H got a milkshake that hit the spot! Gotta love a chocolate malt shake!

I wouldn't say that I was WOW-ed with the restaurant, but I'm 'onna be goin' back there someday. There were other things on the menu that were calling to me.  Plus, I want to give our server (or the restaurant) another chance to show me how great it is having me there.

The BONUS for today's visit? We got to go to Re-Feather Your Nest  which is right next door (the link is to the main store in Mt. Vernon, but we went to the smaller store in La Conner). I got a fun coat rack that is now hangin' by my front door!

Beets for dinner

Look at how pretty it is!

Tonight we had a very delicious salad using my beets from the produce bin...

The basic recipe is here. I omitted the cilantro and added some roasted chicken. Added toasted walnuts, too. I didn't have any queso fresco so I used cotija. It worked. Marvelously.

The dressing was made with orange and lime juice, shallots, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

I will make this again. And, I might just find myself eating leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Uh huh.

You know it.

What'dju have?

Sunset

The other day I got my Sunset magazine for March.

Not sure what I'm gonna make from it, but I AM gonna find a good recipe and I'm gonna COOK it!

You can find links to some of their recipes here.

What will YOU make?

...but I don't like to bake

Yesterday I told you that I was planning to bake today. And, I did.

I found a recipe on Pinterest for my favorite kind of Girl Scout Cookies, Samoas. So, I decided that I'd give it a go.

I used this recipe.

Before I left the house, I mixed up the dough.

The recipe said to allow it to chill for an hour before rolling it out so I wrapped it up and put it in the fridge.

When I got back home, I decided to roll it out and bake the cookies. They have to cool completely before making them worth calling "Samoas."

While they were cooling, I decided to toast the coconut. Turned out goldeny-delicious.

Next it was time to roll those cookies out. As I was rolling, I realized I don't really like DOUGH. I don't like pie crust or pastry dough much at all. I like to eat it. I just don't like messin' with it. It's sticky. How thin IS 1/8" thick? The flour gets all over the counter and on my clothes and it's just not FUN to me.

 

I struggled through it though.

I decided to skip the hole in the center of the cookie. Yes, it has the potential to be a beautiful cookie, but that's just one more step. I figure it'll still TASTE the same only there'll be more cookie. How can that be wrong?

 And, then, I baked 'em and let them cool.

I might just have to eat that broken one, plain.

The recipe says that I could either make my own caramel -- which I'm sure would taste yummy -- or I could unwrap store-bought ones. Guess which one I chose.

So... after the cookies cooled & the caramels melted, I began to spread the caramel on the cookies.

I think the recipe said to mix some coconut  in the caramel and then top the caramel with the caramel coconut mixture, but DANG! Too much trouble. I just mixed the coconut in the caramel and started spreadin'. And then I added some coconut on top of that.

Then it was time to dip the carameled/coconuted cookies into the melted chocolate.

But that was pretty messy. So I just started spreading the chocolate on the bottom.

And then I drizzled chocolate on top. 

They look pretty good, huh?

But, I decided that it just wasn't enough fun for me to EVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR do again. Plus, I think that the Girl Scouts have the right touch. Theirs are waaaaay better.

Yes, it's true, I didn't follow the recipe completely, but the basic cookie is the same and the topping ingredients are the same. But it doesn't taste like a Girl Scout Samoa. And, I can buy Samoa's way more easily than I can make these cookies.

And, so...

That might be the only time you see me post about cookies. I have some good cake recipes and loaf recipes, but I just do not love workin' with dough.

If you bake these and they come out delicious, please share.

Tomorrow I'm 'onna eat somethin' good...OUT.

***********
POST UPDATE:
Turns out there's another reason I didn't think these cookies were worth the work. I didn't read the part of the recipe for the caramel topping well enough. I should have thinned the caramel with milk... Ugh.
I think there are too many steps in this recipe for me.
I like 5 ingredient recipes that might take 5 steps, max to complete, but are amazingly delicious.
I'm TEMPTED to try this recipe again, but it won't be anytime soon. 
A very sad story.

Potato Leek Fritatta

Got my produce bin today and decided to make a Potato Leek Frittata. I used the recipe from Dandelion Organic's website -- which I think they got from Gourmet.

Here's the recipe.

I started with leeks. The recipe called for 3 cups of thinly sliced leeks, but I didn't measure.

In case you're not familiar with leeks, make sure you wash them really well after you slice them. Lots of dirt gets in there.  You probably don't want to eat dirt so much... Wash them well and then drain them. I drained them in the colander and then on paper towels.

The recipe also called for 1/2 pound of potatoes. S'posed to steam 'em for 25 minutes, cool and then peel. Number 1, I didn't really measure those either. I had some potatoes left from the last bin delivery and just pretended they were 1/2 pound. Number 2, I didn't bother peeling them. We all like peel just fine.

Then I sautéed the leeks in 2 T. (give or take) of butter until they were really soft. Then I added my sliced potatoes.

Meanwhile, I beat 12 (yes, TWELVE) eggs really well. And added my Italian blend shredded cheese that I had on hand... It included Parmesan, but it also had other kinds mixed in there, too.

Then I poured the egg  mixture in the skillet trying not to disturb the potatoes. Turns out, I didn't have fresh parsley either so I just used dried. And, I just plain ol' left out the chives. But, no matter.

Cooked it on the stove for about 15 minutes until the bottom and the edges were set. Then I put it under the broiler on convection for about 5 -7 minutes. And it ended up looking like this.

 

And, this is how it looked on the inside. I think it was the fluffiest fritatta that I have ever made. And, it tasted good, too.

For my side salad, I made an apple salad that my mama used to make. I used apples that came in my bin and instead of raisins, I used craisins. Then celery, pecans and mayonnaise.  It wasn't stupendous, but it was a nice change from a tossed green salad. It was also nice to feel like I was making good use of the things that I had.

And, here you go.

What I like about cooking as opposed to baking is that I can tweak measurements. I can throw some extra "this" or use less of "that" and it doesn't mess up the recipe scientifically. Baking, on the other hand, kinda needs to be exact.

But, tomorrow...I just might do a little baking. Found a Pinterest recipe that I want to try out.

Stay tuned.

Produce Delivery

Today's produce bin delivery day.

It's always exciting to see what will be in the bin and then a bit of a challenge to see what I can use from it to make our dinner.

I get my produce delivered every-other-week from Dandelion Organics. Our family gets the personal bin 'cause we're not quick on eatin' up everything... and my family doesn't always like everything. I have a feeling things will change come summertime. :-)

Tune in tomorrow to see what I used from this bin and how I used it.

What would YOU make with these veggies/fruits?

Happy Wednesday!

Guest Post

Yesterday my friend, Molly, paid me the compliment of saying that I had inspired her to try something new and fun for dinner. (Thanks, Molly!)

I asked her if she'd take photos and send me a review... She did!

Her dinner sounds very yummy and I think I just might try it at my house very soon.

Here is her review:

I have a recipe for Spicy Quinoa Black Bean burgers that a friend sent me a while ago.  Quite a while ago actually. I decided tonight was the night to try them out.  I also had a sweet potato craving so I figured it would be a tasty sidedish for the burgers, so I decided to try making baked sweet potato fries.  Of course, then I had to make some remoulade for dippin'.  I have never made any of these items before but there is a first for everything.

I made some changes: For one thing I didn't have nutritional yeast for my burgers.  I am guessing it would make it stick together better because the burgers were a bit loose, but the flavor and texture was great! I also only added half the chili flakes because I was afraid they would be too spicy for my kids and cause me great heartburn (never good).  It took a few pans to make the burgers; sauté pan, sauce pot, Cuisinart,which made a bit of a mess.  But I was able to make the mix ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator until I was ready to make the patties and cook them, which gave me some time to clean up that mess.  The recipe here.

Next I made the remoulade.  I seem to do a poor job of reading what I needed for my recipes because I also didn't have horseradish for this dish.  Oh well. Nobody seemed to miss it, though I'd like to make sure I have it on hand for next time.  This recipe was easy to make, had a great flavor (I used the sweet pickle juice and cajun spice, by the way) and again, I could make it ahead of time and put it in the fridge.  More clean  up done!  Remoulade recipe here.

About 45 minutes before I was ready to eat I sliced up the sweet potatoes and preheated my oven (and cookie sheet) to 450. After dressing the potatoes I put them on the sizzling pan and into the oven they went.  This recipe was pretty true in terms of cook time. Potatoes were a bit softer than if you deep fried them but had a yummy flavor and had a nice crispy edge to them.  Sweet potato fries recipe  here

I served the burgers on a soft roll along with mixed greens and some remoulade on the bun.  I decided to skip the bun and just put my burger right onto the greens and then spread a small layer of remoulade on top.  Delicious!

Entire recipe was a hit with everyone in my family...and that is saying something special!  Other than taking some preplanning and prep time, the recipes were all pretty easy to make.  My favorite part was that everything was so flavorful and not greasy tasting.  Next time I make the burgers I think I'll add a slice of red onion, tomato and some avocado to the top.  These burgers offer lots of condiment variations , pepper jack and salsa, barbeque sauce and grilled onions, cranberry chutney or red pepper jelly with some zesty greens.  Endless possibilities with these. Definitely a keeper recipe!

Thanks, Molly! Can't wait to try these recipes!

Anybody else out there tried anything new and fun that you'd like to share?

Casseroles

There are times in life when one needs fairly simple food. Sometimes it needs to be food that calls to mind the 1960's or 1970's when condensed soup recipes were very common.

Sometimes --- even for someone who cherishes fine food --- a casserole made from prepared foods is just the ticket. Sometimes that happens "just because." Sometimes it happens 'cause a meal is being prepared for a friend and it's easier to make the same dinner for two families than to prepare two separate meals. And, I find that casseroles are very handy for sympathy meals or new-baby meals or get-well meals.

Tonight is that night.

Tonight we're gonna have a recipe from Anne Byrn's book The Dinner Doctor. 

There are a few nice things about this recipe... It's easy, it tastes good to me (very important) and my family likes it. And, another thing! For my family, I can divide this recipe into two dishes and freeze one. That comes in handy if I'm not at home for a dinner time.

So, there you have it. 

Tonight's dinner for our family and tomorrow's dinner for a friend.

Praying that my friend and her family feel some love in this comfort casserole.

Tonight's version

Deep fried hard-boiled egg with spicy tamarind sauce and fried shallots. 

In a word?

YUM!

Testing it out....

Okay, so I couldn't wait all the way until dinner-time to try deep fried hard-boiled eggs. I just did a quick one a minute ago.

I used a combination of the following recipes 'cause the Son-in-Law eggs didn't appear to have a crust and I wanted one...

Son-in-Law Eggs and Panko-Fried Soft, Medium or Hard Boiled Eggs.

For this trial run, I didn't bother making the sauce. I just used some Sweet Chili Sauce that I had on hand.

Look how purrrrrrrrrrrrty it was!

And, it was tasty, too!

I will make this again. Maybe even tonight.
Woo hoo!

Today's Cooking Challenge

I think I'm gonna try to make this tonight... I'll post later if it turns out well.  It was delicious at Cheese Meat(s) Beer. We'll see if I can make it taste good, too.

Pizza

Thursday night I decided to make pizza. I've been trying to recreate Goat Mountain Pizza's pizza crust, but haven't been successful. Last night I came slightly closer -- though still veeeeeeerrrry far from theirs.

I used this recipe that I found online.  This time, though, I baked it a little longer so it'd get crispier before I added the pizza toppings.

I started with my favorite flour. I noticed that on the side of the package that it said to add 2 T. of  White Lily all-purpose flour for each cup of all-purpose called for in a recipe. I think that contributed to the overall success of this crust.

One thing I LOVE about this recipe is that I can use my Kitchen Aid mixer for the dough. Thank goodness for dough hooks! When I mixed it according to directions, the dough came out SO beautifully. It was (seriously!) soft as a baby's behind. It was LOVELY.

While the dough was doin' its thing, I browned some regular sausage and added some garlic and Italian herbs.

 

This is what the dough looked like when it was ready to go in the oven. Don't be alarmed. I was supposed to make it all bumpy like that. And, that's one of the fun parts.

 

I baked it for about 20 minutes and then I added all my toppings. 

Now, I know if I was really ambitious, I could make my own sauce. And, if I had my own tv show, maybe I would (but maybe not). I really like Trader Joe's pizza sauce, though. And, yesterday was the first time I noticed that it said "fat free." Normally, I stay away from stuff that says "fat free" for fear it won't taste as good. I figured, however, that how fat could pizza sauce be anyway? 

 

First the sausage....

Then the peppers and onions...
 

And, lastly, the cheese...Lots of cheese.

I don't grate my own cheese. I like Italian Blend cheese -- pre-grated, in a package, and lots of it. I used to be able to get a store-brand that had about five different types of cheese in it. Can't find it these days, though.

I like the cheese on top.

I put it in the oven for about 15 more minutes. (I didn't really time everything precisely. And, some people might like their cheese less browned than I do.)

Ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.... The finished product!

We're gettin' closer to a delicious crust. I'd even say it was delicious on Thursday. (Not as delicious as Goat Mountain, but pretty good for a home cook like me.)

I'm pretty sure I'll keep making this crust and sometimes I might even make it just for plain ol' focaccia bread!

Let me know if you try it and if you like it.

Buon Appetito!