My favorite thing to do for a meal is notto plan anything. Just inventory the kitchen and make up something on the spot!

Monday, April 19, 2010

NO salt on this fish, if you please.

My wife does not like much salt on her food. Therefore, I have set out on a quest to make a spice lick Essence or some kind of seasoning that I can have on hand that does not use salt. Paprika, pepper, dried basil, granulated garlic. applied to a nice piece of talipia,both sides, then into a hot pan lightly oiled-I seared it on both sides and reduced heat to medium-It cooks quickly. Top with a Little sage butter.

Sage butter- if you have never experienced this you must. 6 tablespoons pf butter and 8-10 sage leafs. Warm the butter till it melts and let the sage soak in there for 20 minutes, while it warms (sometimes I will add a little EVO to stretch it) I do not know if that is correct or not, but we like it. I spoon some of the liquid onto the fish (or my chicken)

Salad- arugula, string yellow squash, balsamic vinegar, EVO, one tomato cut into 1" chunks.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Cherry tomatoes, Squash Pasta?

My wife loves this pasta dish, but does not always like to eat pasta.

Yea, once again cause my wife really liked it I used that really cool shredder-peeler-looking-thinging-jobby that I bought at the Viking Store. You pull it across the squash and it comes off in pasta looking pieces like spaghetti. I do this to one yellow and and one zucchini-set the plate in the frig. Start a medium pot of water boiling.
Medium fry pan-cover the bottom with olive oil- and then a little bit more; two cloves of minced garlic, fresh thyme or oregano, shallots or onion chopped, cook on medium heat for one minute and then add 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes. cook until the tomatoes just begin to crack-add lots of fresh basil. Turn heat to simmer drop pasta into boiling water for two to three minutes at most. Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture-stir gently add Parmesan-freshly grated, and serve with more fresh chopped basil on top

Very tasty salmon

Salmon - skinless pounded it between parchment paper, salted slightly, sprinkled sauteed Green onions and red peppers; rolled up using the parchment paper-cooled down in refrigerator for an hour or so. Then coated sheet of foil with cracked peppercorns, rolled salmon over coating with corns-sear/cook in fry pan turning frequently-nice peppered outer layer. Slice into small sushi-like rolls with dipping sauce.

Sauce- plain yogurt; cottage cheese; lemon juice; hot sauce; dijon mustard, dill, blend.

Brussel sprouts-parboil til fork tender (stick a fork in it! ) grill/sauteed sliced fennel bulb, combine in a bowl with three tablespoons of fresh oregano-a pad of butter (ok two pads)

Zucchini pasta with tomatoes, basil, garlic, and parma cheese.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Just pull out that packed vegetable drawer and empty it on the counter

OH MAN! This is great- eggplant; yelllow squash, zuchini, red onion, garlic spring onion and more. I pull out three cookbooks and search for eggplant.

Okok I started this post and planned on updateing it later. Well, now I cannot remember what I put together-such is the life of an impromtu Chef!

Oh, yea. I sliced the eggplant into 1/4 rounds and grilled them; chopped eveerything else into matchstick size pieces. Sauteed them with the garlic and a little olive oil.

Sauce-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp hot sauce; minced shallots-two heaping tbls; 2 tsp minced garlic; fresh lemon juice; two spoonfuls low fat cottage cheese. (from In the Kitchen with Rosie-great cookbook everyone should have it)

MAke a sandwich like Rosie says to; or drizzle sauce over the veggies!