Pasta with Braised Kale
I spend most of my commute home thinking about food. It's no joke. I try to remember everything I have in our pantry & fridge and make up recipes in my head while I'm cruising down the freeway. During tonight's commute, I thought I'd make more Kale Chips since I had 2 bunches of kale in the fridge but quickly abandoned that idea because Casey wouldn't be happy eating kale chips for dinner. Me? I could do it. No problem. Then I thought about making the Spaghetti with Braised Kale recipe I saw in Bon Appetit recently. The sheer simplicity of the recipe made that idea the winner. It is a Monday night after all. The last thing I wanna do is spend hours in the kitchen. A half hour after I got home, a very satisfying dinner was served.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Vegans & vegetarians please divert your eyes. In fact, you might as well skip this post since it's all about meat. There's a lovely shot of coleslaw though! And that recipe is pretty awesome!
I don't really eat much meat anymore. It adds a huge weight to our grocery bill so I've been supplementing with beans and the like. Every now and then I get a craving for meat so I give in; this always makes the boys I feed SUPER happy.
Spiced Indian Chickpeas
So now that you made all this garlic naan, what are you gonna serve with it?
Spicy Indian Chickpeas!
Another winning recipe from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys by Lucinda Scala Quinn.
Citrus Beet Salad
Ummm I've been going a little overboard on the juicing lately.....
I've been stock piling fruits & veggies in my house!
This is what my counter looked like a few days ago-via my cameraphone.
I am totally crazy huh? This doesn't account for the stuff that's already in the fridge!
Since I have a surplus of veggies, I decided to make a Citrus Beet Salad for dinner tonight.
I gots to get rid of it somehow!
It's really refreshing, sweet, tangy & delightful! The sweetness is balanced by the tartness of the citrus.That red onion and feta give it such a sharp bite!
The best part is that it is SOOO easy.
Wanna see?
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Simple Caesar Salad
Let me start by saying that I've had a loooove affair with Caesar Salad since the first time we met. When I was a kid, croutons were the only reason to order salad at a restaurant. I'm totally serious! The second I saw Caesar salad on a menu, I immediately ordered it. Even if the dressing was suffocating the lettuce, I was guaranteed the crouton fix I was looking for.
One day in my teen years, I read that Caesar salad was the worst possible salad to eat if you were keeping an eye on your weight. It is like the Haagen-Daz of salads...meaning it's the most fattening salad out there. Like having a Big Mac..or two?? BIG SIGH. What was I to do? As a result, I stayed away from the Caesar for awhile. When I met my husband, his love for the salad rekindled mine. He is the person at restaurants who orders a Caesar with extra anchovies on the side. Total ick, I know. But to see the delight on his face when he bites into one is kinda worth it.
A few months ago, when I was super sick I asked Casey to make us dinner (a total rarity). He chose the lovely Caesar from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Foods cookbook! It is the star player of his cooking "rotation" (which I am secretly trying to add too). He's made it for us a few times and the results have been exceptional! All I have to do is make the croutons, and he's totally ready to make the salad (provided I have all the ingredients for him).
Today I decided treat him to a Caesar Salad for lunch because nothing pleases him more. It's the holidays and it's a Sunday so what better way to indulge? It's has lettuce in it, right?! That's healthy!
So how did it go?
Italian Fries
This recipe really doesn't need much explanation. It's absolutely amazing and you will not have leftovers. One of my guy friends asked me how I got the potatoes soo crispy without frying them. I looked down and realized that the reason why they are soo crunchy is that the coating of browned Romano cheese on top made them that way. I mean how good is that?
Give me a plate of these and a spatula so I can chisel all the cheese & potato crispness from the baking pan and I'm such a happy camper. Seriously, nothing better.
Make your own freezer burritos!
Two words: FROZEN BURRITOS
I found out how easy it is to make & freeze burritos when I was pregnant. When I got the nesting bug (which came mainly in cooking form) I stocked up our freezer with these burritos from Everyday Food. Two months after Cooper was born, I found a batch of them in the back of my freezer and they were like gold! Three minutes in the microwave and this momma was nourished just like that! The best part was that I was able to feed my husband...who really deserved a home cooked meal after all the countless diapers he changed!
Give the gift of Treats!
Let's face it, this year giving presents will be a bit tough with the economy in the crapper. What better excuse to get into our kitchens and make stuff?!! It's fun, rewarding and it's a great way to show people that you care!!
I also find that baking late at night with a cocktail is VERY therapeutic. Agreed?
So I've compiled a little mash up of ideas for you!
If you want to treat your friends & family to some amazing candy, make:
