Simple Dinner for 2

Sometimes it is hard for me to cook for just the two of us. This doesn't mean I want a child, that seems even harder. "No! I only want Macaroni and Cheese!"
I digress.

Last night I did a basic grilled tilapia and some roasted potatoes. I almost forgot pictures...
First I squeezed one lemon over 3 filets, along with about 4 tablespoons melted butter. Salt and pepper. That's it!


I sliced up a few potatoes and put them in a dish with olive oil. Then I sauteed a little shallot and garlic and maybe 2 tablespoons of chicken broth (to get the bits off the pan) and poured that over the potatoes. I sliced a little butter in there. I just couldn't stop myself.Lee grilled the fish while the potatoes roasted. And - Wha-la! Dinner for two that is pretty healthy and really tasty.
Nice grill marks eh?

Too much going on

I just have not been home and have not been cooking! I threw together a quick stir fry tonight that I liked alot. But other than that...

We did get alot of veggies out of the garden yesterday!We had to break down and use Seven Dust on the plants because there were like 15 Stink Bugs all over the place. YUCK.

I will try to be better. I won't be cooking the next 2 nights because Lee is out for work stuff. I will try and get better about at least covering places we eat, trying to snap photos of my plate in the process. Just so crazy busy these days...

I really do still cook...

I have been so bad. I made dinner on Saturday and last night, as well as breakfast yesterday!!

Saturday night we grilled steaks and I made some mushroom ravioli that I then sauteed in butter and balsamic vinegar. I roasted a pint of grape tomatoes and then smashed them with a little garlic, oil, shallot, and worcestershire sauce, served as a topper to the steak. We washed that down with a bottle of 7 Deadly Zins - actually a nice wine!! Sometimes the names are so weird it makes me not want to try the wine...

Sunday we got up and I made Migas. Lee was in heaven.

Then I roasted chicken in the oven for dinner with veggies and whipped up my Depression Recession Brownies.

I will try to post recipes later on for the ravioli (i bought frozen and just amp'd it up with the butter and vinegar) and tomatoes, as well as the Migas! I got to use a bell pepper from the garden but I have to say - not sure if we will plant them again next year. Not really getting very big and taking forever to just get one!!!

Tonight - I am making the chicken enchiladas for us that I made for my boss last week. I will try and remember a "finished" photo when they are out of the oven!

Memorial Day

We had about 8 folks over on Monday for the holiday and Lee smoked some ribs and grilled some sausages. My addition to the day was potato salad.
I don't generally like the old fashioned potato salad full of mayo and yellow mustard, so I am always digging around for other recipes.

I didn't get a photo, but here is the recipe!

Dijon Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes cut into small cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
4 slices bacon
3 shallots minced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons grainy mustard

Boil potatoes, about 20 min, until tender.

Sautee bacon until almost crisp and add shallots. Whisk in vinegar and scrape bottom of pan. Add mustard and and oil and whisk until incorporated and warm.

Drain potatoes and place in large bowl. Pour skillet mixture over top and mix well.

A little butter is nice too....

Saturday in the kitchen

Usually I spend my sundays cooking, but this weekend is kind of busy so I did it today. Lee went to a crawfish boil and I decided that I would have more fun cooking and relaxing with my puddies.

My boss, Alyse, had little baby Ariana about 10 days or so ago and so I wanted to make her some food.
It is scary cooking for her - she is particular. I was thinking King Ranch Chicken, but Jimmy beat me to that one. So I decided on Chicken Enchiladas.

I also decided, since I had all day, to make Bolognese sauce and homemade pasta. I have made homemade pasta before it was not so great. It came out a little dumpling-ish. I finally figured out that I had not rolled it thin enough with my past roller. So I was braver this time and I think it will be great!

I will say I got the idea for this meal from Pioneer Woman. I used her recipe - you can find it here.
I started out getting out my ingredients so that I would be ready.These jars were a great find at Lee's parents house when they were moving. I love the look and how air tight they get. I need a few more for sugar...I got the Bolognese sauce going first. I love my dutch oven, it is great.

Then I got to work on the pasta. This was really easy, actually... again - recipe here. Now, on her site, they just rolled it with a rolling pin really thin, and it looked alot like the noodles I had made this one time... I happen to have a hand crank pasta machine so I rolled mine until almost paper thin. And now I almost want to roll them even thinner because I know they will plump in the water...

The silver kitty holds my ring so i don't get goo all in it!
In the meantime, I was also making Brownie Cookies, which are in this month's Martha Stewart Food and holy crap are they yummy. Just like the name - a fudgy cookie!I am at this point totally worn out, so I think I will throw the enchiladas together tomorrow morning and be done with that! I was also going to make her some Oatmeal cookies, but I know she likes brownies so I thought maybe she will like these cookies. I will make the oatmeal ones later!

Enchiladas and recipe (i made this one up) tomorrow!

Tuesday Night Tacos

I feel guilty that this week will be alot of repeat meals. On one hand, it shows you that you don't need to cook a totally new meal each night to be happy. And I don't want to just not blog when I cook repeats.
Each time I make something - I tweak it a little bit more.

Tonight was Turkey Tacos.

We love turkey tacos. You pretend it is healthy and you don't lose any flavor due to dumping ground beef. I am slowly trying not to use ground beef unless i make a meatloaf or bbq meat balls.

Tonight I used a different kind of chopped tomato - not Rotel. One reason is because I couldn't find it at HEB, the other is because I like trying new things.
I liked this better, actually.

This was more like chopped tomatoes and japalenos, not chilis.
I also added about a tablespoon of chipotle chili powder.
I used about 4 tablespoons of the taco seasoning.
So those 3 things gave a nice kick.
Don't judge me for the 3 taco shells on my plate. I was hungry and had just been on a bike ride!
That is a fresh tomato from our garden in that bowl!I ask again for no judgement on the sour cream... it was a "dollop of daisy." light. Help me out here. Lee had 6!

Then he said "you could make this every night of the week and I would be happy!"
'Nuff said.

Monday Night Porkchops

Last night I made Pork Chops with Mustard Leek sauce. This was my first recipe to post on this food blog. I hate to be redundant, but I often cook things over and over if they are easy and bring us joy and full bellies.

Last night Donald took some photos with his fancy, schmancy camera while I cooked. I thought I would share...
Donald is quite talented with a morter and pesel. He ground the rosemary and tyme into a little powder. Perhaps we should bottle that and sell it.
Hmmmmm....
I served steamed broccolini on the side.
The funny thing is that Donald wasn't real sure what a leek was and what a broccolini was, but knows I have served him both at my house several times. Hopefully, since they were both in the meal, he now knows. Thank you Bunny for taking photos!