Mussels with Miso, Roasted Cauliflower, Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
I am using the excuse of Wordless Wednesday. I guess I don’t have much to say, or I am just too freaking tired to write. Maybe because I spent the better part of my two days off writing this, which is kind of an exhaustive look at my cooking for the month of December. Last night, in a rare occasion, I cooked a meal. As I brought it to the table, Erik and I looked at it, smelled its deliciousness and “oohed” and “ahhed” over the beauty of the two dishes, and decided we were not hungry. We had a huge lunch.
I mean, massive. Read the rest of this entry »
Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Mussels
Not much to say today. I have a lot to do, and not enough time to do it. I am hosting an Indian-themed dinner club where I am making Raita, Laccha, Murgh Makhni (Butter Chicken), Pork Vindaloo, Ghee, Basmati Rice and Naan. Actually, I am buying the Naan. Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. I have never made bread before (don’t judge me) and I am CERTAINLY not going to start with NAAN! That would be a nightmare. It would probably give me an eye twitch, or an upper back spasm which is my new constant companion while cooking for a long time. Read the rest of this entry »
Beet and Avocado Salad with Roasted Chicken
My Mama once told me that her best conversations were had after dinner, picking at the remains of the salad bowl. 
Erik and I have yet to sit at our dinner table for a long time. I think it is the chairs. So, our picking happens in the kitchen during the cleanup. And the conversation, well not so much. For as much as I love to cook, and as much as we love to eat, and as much as we LOVE to talk, it just doesn’t happen at the dinner table for us. We are silently stuffing our faces, and racing to get to the couch to relax after our busy days.
If we need to “talk” about something, or just need time to ourselves as a couple, we go out to dinner. Then distractions like plating the food, photographing, the dirty dishes, or Cashew begging does not get in our way. We sit, relax, and talk for hours while the staff is willing to serve us, clean up after us, and offer us dessert. But, then it is inappropriate to pick out of the salad bowl. Hmmmm…..
Maybe we need to invest in some comfortable chairs.
Three Bean Chocolate Chili
Never, in the history of my MANY Nutcrackers with Pacific Northwest Ballet, has a show ever been cancelled. Until yesterday. Yes! Seattle has 8 inches of snow. Therefore, the city shuts down.
I am from the East Coast, so this “armageddon-like” attitude about snow just makes me laugh, but I did not complain when I got an email from my boss yesterday morning saying that we were not doing the 1pm Matinee performance.
Erik took it upon himself to give me my afternoon plans now that my show was cancelled. He wanted me to bake (pumpkin bread and zucchini bread) and make my classic chili and cornbread. This chili was one of the first successful dishes that I ever made when I first learned how to cook, and a really interesting tidbit it is that Erik adores this chili, even though it is meat-free.
Also, the best part about this chili is the not so “secret” ingredient: Chocolate. It pairs well with the chili powder adding an extra dimension of richness, and depth of flavor. Also, the best way to make this dish is to use 3 different kinds of beans. It makes the chili beautiful in color.
What have you been doing on your snow days?
Six-Spice Hangar Steak
Erik, Cashew, and I have a frequent outing that we take most weekends. We walk from our house to Greenlake (1.5 miles), around Greenlake (3 miles), and back (1.5 miles) . The whole trip takes about two hours because we walk leisurely, but it is one of my most cherished times that I get to spend with my husband.
The first mile, or so, of our walk, we talk about what we are going to have for dinner, or maybe about our plans for an upcoming trip. But, as the time passes we get into topics of child rearing, what we want to be when we grow up, and what city to live in next. I find that walking is very therapeutic. I don’t think Erik and I would have enough patience to sit on the couch for two hours and have talks like these.
I think that my next step after dancing will be something with food. I don’t want to cook in a restaurant, or even own one, but I would love to be a personal chef. Of course my ultimate pipe dream is to be a celebrity chef on the Food Network. Dream big, right?
We ate this meal after our long, therapeutic walk, and it hit the spot. I served the steak with sauteed bok choy and snow peas, and sticky rice.
True Cod with Latin-Stewed Eggplant
Tonight, Erik and I had our good friends Dane and Rob over for dinner. We tend to almost always have a Sunday night “family” dinner. These boys are like my brothers, and of course, I have become “one of the guys”.
This meal was a hit! Light, and delicious, and perfect while watching the Olympics. It would be counter-intuitive to be eating something heavy, and unhealthy while watching conditioned athletes compete.
I got this recipe idea from Daisy Martinez out of the September 2008 Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. I love the Latin combination of sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant, coconut milk, and cumin. This dish was inspired by a recipe that Daisy had in the Dominican Republic.
I tried true cod for this recipe, but there were also black cod and ling cod to chose from at Whole Foods. I am sure you could use whichever one that you preferred.
Island Pork Tenderloin Salad
Fresh fruit and vegetables? A salad? Tropical themes? It must be getting sunny in Seattle.
That it is! And, I am such a happier person when the sun is shining. I take any excuse to walk the dog, sit outside and read a book, or even just leave the house to do errands on foot, rather than in my car.
We also just got back from a fabulous weekend in Quincy, Washington at a winery and spa called Cave B. It was a magical two days. Cashew even befriended the vineyard dog, a girl Lab named Cuvee, who slept with us in our cabin! Erik and I tasted some delicious wines, had an excellent local and organic dinner, got a hot stone massage, and I dare say a little bit of a suntan.
This meal was much needed after lots of wine, and heavy eating. It was just the right amount of refreshing food to keep you satisfied, but not feel too full. And, when it is hot, I hate feeling too full!
What is your favorite summertime meal?
Spring Salad with Feta, Radish, and Cilantro
I think I have just gotten over a bad case of seasonal depression. I never knew I could be in such a good mood just because the sun is out. And, in Seattle, that seems to be a rarity.
I found this recipe over at one of my favorite blogs, Orangette It was a delicious salad with flavor combinations I have never used before. Endive, Radish, Cilantro, Feta, and Avocado. It was a perfect end to a sunny, bright day.
We had Erik’s cousin Ryan over for dinner last night. I made this salad, mypenne carbonara, and an “experimental” dessert that Ryan was a really good sport about. Erik on the other hand was brutally honest, as always (and why I married him), and told me it did not even deserve two stars. Obviously I will not be posting about that one….
Tacos al Pastor
I realized I hardly ever cook Mexican food. I guess it is because we have a Mexican restaurant one block away from us. Tonight, I decided to make this recipe that was inspired by my May 2008 Bon Appetit.
I love this recipe because the marinade used chipotle in adobo. Chipotle in adobo are smoked jalepeno peppers that are stewed in tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, and spices. A can of this can be found in the international foods aisle. They ARE spicy, but don’t be scared. This recipe has just the right amount of subtle spice.
Also, you could add grilled pineapple to these tacos. Erik dislikes warm pineapple (like a Hawaiian pizza), so I opted out of this. However, it would have worked very well.
