I'm not even going to think about what is in sausage.

I should preface this post by explaining that we live half a block away from one of the best butcher shops in town. And we live in Meat City, so that's saying something.

Hubby brought home some sausage the other day, some Kickin' Chicken and some Sweet Italian. Told me he knew I'd only asked for steaks, but we could find "something" to do with it. Then helpfully added that Sausages and Peppers would be good.

Sigh. 

Sausages and Peppers? What? I'm questionable on bell peppers, and the idea of a Meat Lovers pizza makes me want to make immature icky-poo faces ( I don't actually know anything else sausage is good for, other than sliced up and served with hot mustard as appetizers).

And so to the internet I went. I found a couple of recipes that seemed simple enough (I didn't want to get crazy here), and hubs asked if we could add pasta to it (no, I don't know why he didn't just make it himself), so I dug around and found some small elbow macaroni to add to this business.

Turns out it smelled delicious (especially once the basil was in), and it looked gorgeous. Here was the finished recipe that actually made it to the table. And yes, it was delicious. Even for a non meat/pepper lover. Seriously.

Sausages and Peppers with Pasta
Spray oil
4 uncooked sausages (about 1 lb), your choice of flavor, but mild is best
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, halved and sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 orange bell pepper, halved and sliced (or green or red)
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and sliced (or green or red)
1 tsp dried oregano
about 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
1/4 cup white wine (I used pinot grigio)
About 3 servings cooked pasta (al dente; any shape you like)
1/4 tsp salt
good pinch fresh pepper
Parmesan (optional)

Coat a large pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add sausages and brown each side around 3 minutes (let them rest against each other if it makes it easier to get each side.)

Remove sausages to large cutting board or plate.

Add onion and garlic to pan. Sauté about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, wine, and oregano. Stir occasionally, about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, slice sausages.

Add sausage and basil to mix and cook about 3-4 minutes or until sausage is hot and no longer pink. Add cooked, drained pasta, toss well, and cook until everything is heated through.

Season with salt and pepper as needed and Parmesan if desired.

Not much smells better than almond extract.

I did that whole baking thing again tonight. E even helped, if you count helping as him being the best bebe on the planet, patiently waiting to be fed a bite of sweet potato in between each ingredient I added to the bowl.

He's awesome, if I haven't mentioned that before.

This really is the same recipe as one I've posted before, but this time I decided to test the orange extract I bought for a to-remain-unmentioned-because-it-failed-miserably recipe, and and use the sliced almonds I had in the fridge rather than spend the time chopping walnuts. Like I said, I had a hungry baby directly affecting my multi-tasking abilities. And if he's borderline happy, I'm not about to push it.

As usual, I waited for the hubby's review. Because let's face it—if I spend the time making it, most of the time I'm going to happily eat it. Whether it's blog-worthy or not, however, requires a more critical tongue.

"Is it good?" he asked, as I handed him a healthy slice. "It's good," I assured him. Five minutes later he was cutting a second (even healthier) slice. "Uh, yeah," he said. "It's good. Too good."

And so here you go.

Banana Almond Bread
2 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sliced almond

Heat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until just mixed. Pour into greased bread pan and cook for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. If it gets brown too quickly (check after 30 minutes), throw a piece of aluminum foil lightly over it.

Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

Is it still gourmet if it's easy?

When hubby asked what I was making and I told him Prosciutto Spinach Salad, his response was "ooh, gourmet."

Which got me thinking...exactly what makes a meal gourmet? Is there, like, a gourmet qualifier?

Here is how the MacMillan Dictionary defines gourmet:
Gourmet food: of a very high quality.
Gourmet cook: someone who can make very good food. 

Well. Glad we got that straightened out. Thank you, MacMillan dictionary, for that riveting and completely non-subjective definition. Sooooo. I guess the moral here is that this salad is awesome (yet super easy) and you should make it, because people will think you're gourmet and shit.

Prosciutto Spinach Salad
1 3oz pkg prosciutto
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Spray oil
Fresh pepper
Asparagus, trimmed and cut in half or thirds
Baby spinach, one package
About 1/4 cup basil, thinly sliced
Juice from half a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tap brown sugar
Parmesan cheese

On a lined cooking sheet, lay out prosciutto slices and sprinkle with tomato halves.

Coat lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle all well with fresh pepper. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Let cool and break prosciutto into pieces.

Bring some water to a boil and drop in asparagus. Let cook about 5 minutes, drain, and rinse with cool water.

In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: basil, lemon, oil and sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved. (or stick it all in a jar with a lid and shake it til dissolved, like I did.)

On large salad plates, spread out baby spinach and top with asparagus. Arrange prosciutto and tomato, and drizzle with dressing. Finish with a dusting (or more!) of parmesan. Voila.

Happy Baby Daddy Day!

Everyone have a nice weekend? I hope you got to spend some QT with your daddies, baby daddies, or by blissfully ignoring the holiday altogether. My dad's in Costa Rica right now (I know, his life is hard), so I didn't get to call him, but I'm taking Lil' E to visit on Thursday, so I'm thinking I'll be forgiven.

We don't really do much for holidays around here—flowers and a card are pretty much the hubby's MO, which is fine with me. But this new mama was still pretty annoyed when he totally blew off Mother's Day altogether last month. So instead of ignoring Father's Day, I decided to buck up and make him feel guilty celebrate my man.

Whatever, I made him a dinner I knew he'd like and got him a card. It's not like I bought him a gift or anything, come on.

Indian Spiced Pork Salad
1 pork tenderloin (about a lb-or you can use boneless chops)
1 8oz container greek yogurt
About 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper (I used white)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 piece ginger (about 3/4 inch long) peeled and minced
Good shake red chile flakes (1/2 tsp?)
3 celery stalks, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
About a cup of grapes, halved (I used green)
1/2 cup mango chutney
About 1/3 cup light mayo
Juice from half a lemon
Romaine, to serve
Naan bread (I like garlic Naan-check Trader Joes or Fresh & Easy)

In large ziplock, combine yogurt, S&P, garlic, ginger and chile flakes. Seal, and mush together until well combined. Add pork, reseal, and mush around some more until it's well coated. Stick in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

When marinated, heat grill (indoor or outdoor) to medium high. Remove pork from bag and throw away the rest. Cook tenderloin about 6 minutes, roll over, and cook another 6 minutes on each additional side (4 sides total), or until done. Let sit about 10 minutes, then slice. Let cool some more, then pull apart into bite sized pieces and place in large bowl. Add in remaining ingredients (through lemon), and toss gently. Stick back in the fridge for a half hour or more to chill.

Serve over romaine leaves with warm bread. I also served with pilau, which rarely works out well for me, so I guess I should give yesterday's recipe, too:

Pilau
Olive Oil
Half an onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 bay leaves
5 cardamon pods
About 1/4 of a cinnamon stick
2 tsp curry powder
1 heaping tsp cumin
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed well and drained
2 cups chicken broth

Heat a swirl of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, and saute a few minutes until onion has softened. Stir in bay leaves, cardamon, cinnamon, curry and cumin. Saute another minutes, then stir in rice. Saute one minute more, then add broth. When it comes to aboil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 15 minutes, and leave covered until ready to eat. Remove pods, cinnamon, and leaves before serving.

Free food and fame? I'm in.

Yesterday the hubby proposed that I become a professional food critic and take us on jaunts around the world, Anthony Bourdain style, ordering plate after plate of whatever looks tasty, all on someone else's dime.

Let me just say that I am all for this idea. However, I pointed out that not only would I first have to become famous, I'd also need a reason for people to respect my opinion about what makes great food...namely, I'd need to be a professional chef first.

Cooking is what it is for me. It's a little bit fun, it's a little bit experimental, it's a little bit relaxing. Some days it works out better than I had hoped. Other days, I sit chewing, wondering what exactly I did to fuck it up.

Cause yeah, I eat it. Even if it's not the best. Usually. How else would I figure out what was missing/went wrong/I like?

Take my spinach and pork lasagna, for example.

We're trying to save money by not eating out at lunch, so I have been deliberately making things that will produce mass leftovers. However, this round was a bit...dry. And needed salt. Had I used more sauce (and salt), though, I think it would have been great. Still totally edible, but not a total winner as is. (I can post the should-be recipe if anyone wants it, just let me know) I've now eaten it 4 times, and there are 2 more servings left, so I'm guessing I'll be working on it all week. Alone, because Hubby has no imagination when it comes to Italian food and can't just pretend it has extra sauce on it and just eat it anyway.

Maybe he's the one that needs to be the professional critic. Or chef, while we're wishing things. Just sayin.

Insert Pickle joke here...

Oh. good. god. Our curry last night was over spiced. In my own defense, I only have a couple years of experience in this realm under my belt. One day, when perfected, you will get a recipe. Until then, however, you have to listen to my frustrations. And Hubby didn't mind much, since that's basically how he likes it, but it was a bit much for this little white girl. Probably cause I used Madras curry AND garam masala, and it definitely needed more curry than masala, and significantly less of both. Yowsers.

So, yeah, my bad. But what I don't understand, when dealing with flavor-packed curries, is why pickle makes it easier to eat.


Do we not know pickle? (Yeah, I'm asking that kind of like an a-hole, cause I had no idea what it was pre-Hubby.) Pickle is basically a type of relish. Personally, I'm fond of either lime pickle or chili-mango pickle. The Husband likes his garlic pickle, not surprisingly…but no matter what kind you like, it's going to make whatever you're eating alongside it crazy tasty.

I really don't know how to describe it…it's super sour and spicy…like an insanely rich sour chutney? I don't know. It's not something you eat on its own, but I've had it on everything from plain white rice to super intense Indian foods. So if you're into Indian food, or just up for something new, I recommend picking some up and trying it for yourself. You probably will have to go to a specialty store, so if you're interested and don't have one around, let me know…I've got paypal and have a UPS guy on speed dial.

Seriously, it's good. Trust me on this one.

Do we like okra?

If you're like me, your parents grew up with Midwestern parents...who, in turn, never introduced okra into your life.(If not, pretend with me. The point is coming soon.)

Now, I know this is a southern food...cornmeal battered fried okra is kind of amazing, I've found...but I'm not from the south. I'm a Kansas/Oklahoma/ Southern Cali breed. And there's no okra in Southern Cali.

So. When I wanted to try and make this for the first time a couple years ago, I had to rely on the infinite wisdom of my husband to teach me. And let's be honest...that's a whole new realm in itself. But it's true, he knows better than me in some areas. Marinara and lasagna (thanks to his Italian side), curry (thanks to the Indian/Burmese/Texas in-law side) and, well, a whole lot else. Okra included, thankfully. Cause this ish is delicious.


Okra Tomato Stew
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, chopped
12oz boneless/skinless chicken breast, sliced or chopped
Chicken bouillon cube
Water
1 can stewed or diced tomatoes
1 package frozen okra
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes
Turmeric
chili pepper, minced (optional)
Cilantro, to top
Sriracha, to serve

Rice:
1 tbsp(or less) olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken broth

Saute garlic and onion about 5 minutes or until soft. Add chicken, saute a few minutes a side until white on outside. Add bouillon cube and about one cup water, canned tomatoes, and okra. Bring to a boil. Add about a 1/2 tsp salt and as much pepper as you like (at least 1/8-1/4 tsp), 1 tsp or so turmeric, and chili flakes to taste (I do a good shake).

Reduce to low. Cover. Cook about 20 min. Season to taste. (I use a bit of salt and some Sriracha)

In the meantime, cook the rice: In rice pan, heat olive oil, saute garlic a couple minutes. Add rice. Saute about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low, cook 15 min. Let sit a few minutes, fluff with fork before serving.

Serve chicken mix over rice.

I love that he loves his veggies.

So this is pretty much a daily convo at our house:

Pammy: Hey, babe, does anything sound good for dinner?
Hubby: Uhhhh, nah. Whatever you want!

And while I appreciate the agreeableness, it gets awfully old to have to brainstorm every day. So imagine my surprise this weekend when he, seemingly from nowhere, asked his mom what was in her broccoli salad. Why? "I've been craving it."

Uhhh, you have?? Ok...I can totally make that happen. And did, even though my recipe given to me was as follows: Broc, tomato, red onion, mushrooms, Bernstein's dressing, cheese. Hmmm. Cryptic even for me. So I guessed. And judging by his reaction (and speed in which the leftovers disappeared), I guessed well. So for my future reference, as well a little summer delight for you...voila.

Broccoli Salad
Combine:
Medium head broccoli, washed and broken into bite sized piece
About 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and then roughly chopped
Half a package sliced mushrooms*
4oz of cherry tomatoes, halved, or 4-5 campari tomatoes, halved then quartered
A afcouple oz feta (or any cheese, really). I used about half the package
Hefty pour Bernstein's Italian dressing to coat

Let marinate a bit. Even better the next day, so no need to be in a hurry to eat this one.

*For the rest of the meal, I marinated some chicken in the same dressing, and then sauteed some garlic and the rest of the mushrooms. Then sauteed the chicken with the mushrooms until done.

Cinco de Hubby-o

Just want to take a minute to give a public Happy Birthday to the darling hubby. My Cinco de Mayo baby had his big 2-9 yesterday, and we, as always, took advantage of the dual-holiday with Mexican beer, food, and more beer. (Unfortunately this took place on a Wednesday...which we (he) paid for today..it's hell getting old.)

We hit up La Costa Mariscos downtown...if you're into seafood, ceviche, chile colorado and/or 7-seafood soup (yes, I got soup), well...do it. Look at this business. Crab, tilapia, shrimp, scallops, octopus, squid, and mussels.
Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.

Happy Birthday babe. Thanks for being born.

Better with age?

Some things just get better when you're patient. Most wines, cheese, and calla lilies, apparently -mine were kinda wilty at first and have gotten gorgeous the last two days- just need to ripen a bit. Potato salad, stew...most comfort food, really. Maybe cause they have less seasoning so the flavors need longer to meld? Sure, I'll go with that. And btw, I love my phone. I totally took that pic, like five minutes ago, edited it, and uploaded to this page. Magic. (What was I just talking about? Patience? I have none.)

Last night was no exception. I originally made Braised Chicken and Veggies on Saturday, but I ate alone that night and we just BBQ'd Sunday, so there was tons left over.

Unfortunately, on Saturday I wasn't impressed. It was bland, and just missing something. So I figured I'd let it set and then doll it up later. It was definitely better a couple days later (but I don't want to recommend that. It can't be all that...sanitary? Gross, nevermind. Just do it better the first time.)

Here's my recommendation. Add a lot more salt. Like, alot. (But don't over salt, taste as you go) Add more thyme and a dash of cayenne. And I used cornstarch instead of flour, but flour probably tastes better. And use the butter. I only used half, and it could have used more. Serve over rice (substitute chicken broth for water when you make it. If you can. I almost always do.)

The hubby loved it. I thought he'd think it was bland, but he was all over it. Comfort food wins again.


Yeah, it's in Tupperware. I thought it was only appropriate.

Meatballs!

Meatballs in Marinara
1 slice bread, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
About a 1/4 cup shredded Romano or Parm
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Salt and pepper
1 pkg lean ground turkey
Olive oil
1 jar marinara or other pasta sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, drained

Mix bread (gluten free works), garlic, egg, cheese, turkey, and a good pinch each of basil, thyme, oregano and S&P with your hands. Roll into balls, any size you want (up to about 2 inches across.) Stick in the fridge til ready to use.

Heat oil on high heat, and brown the balls on each side as best you can for a couple of minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or til the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve over pasta. About 5 servings.

One Love.

It's safe to say that anyone who knows the hubby knows he has a bit of an obsession with all things reggae. His car stereo is always set to Reggae 'Riddums' on Sirius. Our best man (his best friend) wore a dread cap to cover his dreads at our wedding (he was more concerned about it than we were, he's awesome like that). Our first dance was a reggae jam (Never Let Go, by Half Pint). We named a cat Nesta (as in, Robert Nesta Marley). And my boss oh-so-kindly bought him a gigantor flag (see right) that now hangs in our upstairs window. Siiigh.

I have to say, while I may not be as gung-ho as he is, I get it. And I'm a good sport (for this, I mean). So I go with it. And if he wants to celebrate Marley's birthday (Feb. 6, fyi), it means I get a night of awesome Caribbean themed food...I really can't complain.

The menu this year was not exactly authentic (but as close as I could get, I based the rice and plantains off of Bobby Flay and Jamaican recipes I googled), but it was a really tasty, colorful, overall awesome meal: Jamaican Spiced Chicken with Tropical Fruit Salsa, red beans and coconut rice, and fried plantains. Add some Red Stripe and random rum cocktails and you're good to go. (Oh, and grilled plantains brushed with rum and brown sugar over vanilla ice cream for dessert=yum.)

I actually love this chicken recipe (based on this cooking light recipe) and use it on occasion....seemed somewhat appropriate for our theme. I used boneless thighs this time, but I prefer it with chicken breasts.


Jamaican Spiced Chicken with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Handful minced fresh cilantro
1/2 a small red onion, minced
small handful chopped fresh mint
about a tsp brown sugar
juice of a lime
pepper
pinch crushed red pepper
1 jar chopped mixed tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, mango, etc.). Sometimes all I can find is tropical fruit snack packs, which work, just use a couple of them.
Jamaican jerk seasoning
Salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In medium bowl, combine cilantro, onion, mint, sugar, lime juice, a pinch each of salt and pepper, red pepper, and fruit. Combine and set aside. You can do this even a day or two ahead. (Or stop here and eat it all with chips. Your choice.)

Season chicken with jerk seasoning and salt. Spray with cooking spray and grill or pan-saute til done (6 minutes a side or so). Serve with the salsa on top.
Serves 4. Roughly 250 cals, 3g fat, 2g fiber

I forget things. Gym clothes, salami...you know, the usual.

Well, I was all on top of things and ran to Fresh & Easy at lunch for some prosciutto/coppa to top my brussels sprouts with (F&E has an awesome cured meat selection. Go figure.), and of course left it in my work fridge. So, moving on to plan B. (Though I really wanted to go with plan C, which was to drink dinner at Jacalito Grill...our fave bartender was working tonight, which is always tempting, but I ended up working late, and since we were already there twice in the past 6 days...sigh. Why must a cantina be within walking distance?)

Anyway, I had some herbed goat cheese, shallots and basil, and figured those would be as good as anything else stuffed in a big piece of chicken (have I mentioned how much fun it is to stuff things?). Added some creamy polenta and a veggie, and we were good to go. (The chicken was FAB, btw. I carmelized the sliced shallot first. Sooo good.)

The husband isn't the biggest polenta fan (he thinks it's too much like cream of wheat and I think it freaks him out a little), but I'm persistent, so I'm determined to figure out a way to make it hubby-friendly. I figured cheese would be a good start (plus it tied it in with the chicken, I love doing that)...add some fat free half and half and ta-da...creamy polenta.

Verdict? "Babe, it's ok-I don't have to have any, you don't have to try and make it better."

Whatever. I liked it a lot. (And he still had some!) So if you're down with polenta, need an alternative for rice or potatoes, and/or like goat cheese...carry on.

Creamy Polenta
1/2 cup dried yellow polenta
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/2 tsp pepper
dash of basil (fresh or dried)
1 oz goat cheese (I used herbed, or you could actually just use parm if you want it a little less strong)

Boil liquids in a rice pan (if you don't have half and half, use 1 cup milk and 1 1/2 cup broth-or whatever combination to equal 2.5 cups). Whisk in polenta, reduce to simmer, and let cook about 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Stir in cheese, basil and pepper. Serve hot.
If you want the fat kid portion (half recipe), it's approx. 195 cals, 5g fat, 3g fiber, 31 carbs, 11g protein.

Mmmm, Posole.

I started the day with a ton of ambition-husband had to work all day and I felt bad about it, since my whole giant plan today was to make Posole and start rewatching the first season of LOST. (I'm convinced the 6th season will mirror the 1st, so I need a refresher. I'm a nerd, remember?) So I decided to go to the store and get everything for a perfect hubby-friendly-food Sunday.

He's a giant fan of fat-kid breakfast, which I never let him have at home, so I decided I'll attempt one of his favorites...but as I have zero idea what biscuits and gravy are supposed to taste like (or even look like, really), I turned to Paula Deen for help with a recipe. I figured, for once, I could depend on the butter queen for this one. I'm planning Bisquick biscuits and gravy, hash browns, eggs, and bacon. We'll see how it goes.

And I really wanted to do a good Pad Thai for dinner, since he's been wanting Asian food, but I wanted to try Bobby Flay's recipe for it, and Von's doesn't carry tamarind. Ehh...he'll be just as happy going for sushi, and that's one less thing to cook this week. Cause like I said...ambitious. I'm planning on Orange Salmon, Black Bean Quesadillas, Mediterranean Veggie Pizza, and a lemon chicken thing. All new, all to be documented, natch.

And so, after a ginormous shopping trip, I finally found everything I needed, got to the register, and realized my wallet was sitting on my kitchen counter. At home. Siiigh. So the nice girls at Von's bagged up all my stuff, stuck it in the cooler, and waited for me while I drove all the way home and back. All the while feeling like the biggest jackass in the world. Though it did make me feel better that I had made an effort to get cute before going to the store. (The 60 degree weather meant I could wear a mini and my Steve Madden boots, which the female checker got to see twice. Almost worth it.)

But today, this is about soup. I've been wanting Posole, but we haven't been to Las Salsas in awhile, and theirs is the best I've found (though the Posole Verde at Cazuelas Mary on Oak is also fantastic). I love it. It's totally the Mexican version of Pho. A bit spicy, brothy, and total comfort food. So here it is. Personal Posole attempt #2, and soup attempt of the week #3. Took awhile, but it wasn't exactly labor intensive. And turned out infinitely better than my pho attempt, so I'm happy. Let's hope tomorrow morning's fat-kid food attempt goes as well. I also did all the laundry and cleaned up the house, so he's got nothing to do but eat tomorrow...and maybe go get the massages(plural, one for me, too) I gave him for Xmas. Yes, best wife ever. I know.

Posole
About 1.5 lb boneless pork shoulder
Half white onion
Whole onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cloves
olive oil
1 tsp oregano
6 whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp salt
olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Large can hominy, drained and rinsed
Large can diced green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
Chopped cabbage
chopped cilantro
Chopped onion
Lemon wedges

Take the onion half and stick the two cloves deep into the skin. In large stock pot, put pork, onion half, whole garlic, peppercorn, salt, oregano and cumin seeds. Add water til it just covers the meat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes.

Remove meat and cut into large bite-sized pieces. Pour pork broth into a large bowl. In stock pot, heat a tbsp or so of olive oil, then saute chopped onion and garlic a couple minutes. Add pepper, cumin, cloves and red pepper, mix well. Add hominy, green chiles, pork and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, cover, and cook about two hours. Add more salt and/or red pepper to taste.

Garnish with cabbage, cilantro, onion, and lots of lemon. Goes great with warm tortillas and cold tequila. About 8 servings. About 370 cals, 10g fat, 7g fiber, 30g protein, 37g carbs.

Helen Keller is my favorite musical.

I'm not the biggest holiday person. Ok, that's an understatement. I'm kind of known as the Grinch...and fairly, I have to say. I cringed last week when I heard Christmas music (um, it's not even Thanksgiving yet), and I don't like to decorate. It took the hubby and I three years of living together to finally cave and buy a tree.

But I do like to host. Or, cook, at least. It may have started when my parents went on an anniversary cruise and left my sister and I responsible for prepping Christmas dinner one year. I don't know if it's a sense of accomplishment, or bragging rights, or a bit of a challenge, but I love to be responsible for a big meal. So since my mom left a note on my facebook (heee, facebook. I love my mama) saying she wanted another meal, I've been gunning to be in charge of Christmas.

But in the meantime, it's Thanksgiving. And we have three families to please. And while we truly have fabulous families, we decided to bypass playing the normal holiday shuffle and skip it all to do Turkey Day with our best friends instead. In North Bend, WA, where it will be cold. Very cold. Which I'm hoping will freeze some of my grinchness.

Plus, my best friend likes cooking but likes being cooked for more, so she's letting me take the reins. Here's the menu:

Prime Rib (They aren't poultry fans)
Cornish Game Hen (but I am)
Green Bean Casserole (the old school kind)
Cranberry Sauce (homemade...it's the only thing my hubby has to have)
Twice-baked Potatoes
Cornbread apple-sausage stuffing (omg, my fave)
Broccoli with cheese sauce
Pecan Pie (homemade, thank you)
Either Apple Pie or Cheesecake (whichever looks better at their local Bakery)

Yeah, there are only four people eating. And? We'll be there 3 days. Leftovers work for all of us. Although we're planning on seeing the Bodies Exhibit on Friday, so who knows how much we'll want to eat after that...

Ridiculous. Photos and reviews to come. Gobble Gobble!

Honeymoon over? Never.

Man, time flies.

Somehow an entire year has gone by since I officially became Mrs. H...and I was thinking the other day and laughing at the fact that the past 365 days have been infinitely less stressful than the 365 before (well, more accurately, the 544 days before). Planning a wedding-even a reasonably low-key affair like ours-is not exactly a calming experience.

I guess this means we're no longer newlyweds? Just another old married couple? Hmmm...to be fair, we've acted like an old married couple for five years now anyway...but we still try and spoil each other when we can. He still makes the bed and calls during the day just to say hi and see how my day is going. And I watch football...basketball...and baseball...and happily make his fave foods just cause he likes them. We aim to make each other happy, in other words. So I'm ok with that.

So thanks for being stuck with me, babe. Happy Anniversary!

It's just meat...in a loaf.

So for the third and final chapter of anniversary week happy-husband food, I broke out the turkey/spinach meatloaf, which always goes over well. What is it with guys and meatloaf? I'm convinced it's some Leave it to Beaver/1950's thing that's become ingrained into their DNA over the past few generations. So weird. I mean...it's good and homey, but...it's just meat. In a loaf. (Which freaks one of my best friends out, btw. Some day I'll dedicate an entry to non AW-approved foods...it's quite an entertaining list.)

Ground beef and I don't always get along all that well, so I made the switch to lean ground turkey for pretty much everything long ago. The flavor is a little different, but I really like it, and the fat and cal count are both lower. Which really just means I can serve a more fattening side. Stanky fries, in this case. Mmmmmmm. That said, feel free to substitute beef if you want.

And with that, I'm done cooking for the week. The husband and I are off to the coast for the weekend (many thanks to my fabulous mother-in-law for the room!), which means lots of eating out...I love restaurants. I get to eat well and I get to be served, both of which rock my world. SO excited.

Turkey-Spinach Meatloaf
1 package lean ground turkey (I used Italian seasoned tonight, but I usually use plain)
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
big handful spinach, roughly chopped
big pinch each salt and pepper
small handful basil, thinly sliced
splash of Worcestershire sauce (2 tsp or so)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs*
ketchup (I used low-sugar and it was fine)

*I don't use these, but if you can, I recommend it. It helps the texture a lot.

Preheat oven to 350.
In large bowl, mix everything but ketchup. Use your hands to make sure it's well blended. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray, and press meat mix lightly into pan. (If you don't have one, just spray a cooking sheet and shape it into a loaf on there.)

Squeeze ketchup over entire loaf (maybe a half cup or so). Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let sit a few minutes, and slice into 6 slices. Remove carefully with spatula to serve.
Per slice (without breadcrumbs), about 210 cals, 7g fat, 3g carbs, 20g protein

And lucky for me, he never complains about doing the dishes.

Continuing down the road of hubby-favorites...it's been pretty obvious lately that chicken parm needed to be in the mix this week. The look of desire/jealousy on his face while watching the new Carl's Jr. Parmesan Chicken Sandwich commercials has spoken volumes.

Side note. Being in advertising—a woman in advertising, in particular—I'm supposed to hate the Carl's Jr. (Hardee's for you East Coasters) commercials. I don't. I think they're genius. They have no qualms with marketing directly to the caveman, and make no apologies for it. I respect that. It's obviously effective. And let's face it...if you have to eat fast food, it's the best there is. Even the protein burger (no bun for moi) is deliciously messy. If you're gonna eat fat kid fast-food, go for the gold and get something that drips down your arm. Don't fake the funk like you're eating something healthy just because you look refined while eating it. Seriously, you're not fooling anyone.

So yes, Chicken Parm is one of the hubby's faves, which I'm glad about, cause I love it. Cheesy Italian comfort food? Done. I struggle to keep it reasonably low-fat, cause cheese really is one of the best things about it. But I do my best. Tonight was also hard because I made my half without the delicious herbed-cheese breading, and then got to watch him eat his between two slices of sourdough. He's lucky I love him.


Chicken Parmesan
12oz chicken breast tenders
olive oil
a couple cloves garlic, minced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 jar marinara sauce (whatever you like)
small pour balsamic vinegar (1-2 tsps)
small handful basil, thinly sliced
2 slices provolone cheese, quartered
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
4 servings hot cooked pasta

Chicken breading (optional):
egg, beaten
Italian breadcrumbs, about a 1/4 cup
big pinch dried basil
big pinch dried oregano
big pinch parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Heat a large splash of olive oil (about a tbsp) in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder. If you want to bread them, skip the sprinkling and dip tender in egg, then dip/roll in breadcrumb mix til well covered. Either way, then arrange chicken in skillet and brown each side for about 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Heat a bit more oil in skillet. Saute onion and garlic about 2 minutes. Add marinara sauce, balsamic vinegar and basil, bring to simmer. Add chicken, reduce to low and cover. Once chicken is reheated, arrange provolone across the chicken and sprinkle with parmesan. Cover, turn off heat and let sit about five minutes or until melted. Serve over pasta. Serves four.
About 450 cals (including pasta), 9g fat, 4g fiber, 61g carbs, 27g protein

If you want the husband version, toast some sourdough, throw on some extra provolone and spoon on chicken and sauce. Eat while making happy noises as your wife stares longingly at your sandwich.

Yum. He even got real pasta. Lucky, lucky man.

Feeling loverly.

If you have awesome friends like I do, they pay attention when you bitch about things like not having a meat tenderizer. And buy you one. So K, thank you. I owe you one. I prefer paying in food, beer, and/or dirty martinis. Take your pick, love.

As long as I'm dedicating things to those I love, this one is for the hubby. Our first anniversary is this weekend, so I'm making his favorites this week. Yes, I'm Suzy Homemaker. If he's lucky, I'll even iron something.

Ok, that's not actually going to happen, but maybe I'll wear an apron and heels while I cook. Of course, first I'd have to buy an apron...this could be interesting.

Chicken Parmesan is tomorrow. Can't wait.

Chicken Picatta
10-12oz skinless, boneless chicken breast
About a 1/4 cup flour (I use rice flour or gluten-free baking flour)
About a tablespoon butter
Splash olive oil
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup white wine (chardonnay or pinot grigio are good)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (a little less than one lemon)
2 1/4 cups chicken broth, divided
cornstarch (about two teaspoons)
2 tablespoons capers (I use a bit more, but we really like capers)
6 or so cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
Chopped italian parsley, for garnish

Boil 2 cups chicken broth. Add rice, reduce to simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered til ready to serve.

In the meantime, lay chicken between pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound with a tenderizer (since we have one now) til thinner. On a plate or shallow bowl, combine flour, a pinch each of salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mix.

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 3-4 minutes per side until brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan, place on plate and cover with foil. Add wine, lemon juice, capers, and garlic to pan and bring to a simmer. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup broth and cornstarch, whisk til smooth, then stir into sauce. Cook a couple minutes until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken over rice. Spoon on some sauce and top with parsley.
*I like this with rice, but it's also great over cooked pasta.
Serves three. (Two with leftovers)
About 480 cals, 9g fat, 1g fiber, 33g protein, 66g carbs