Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A Theme

So I was having a conversation with a South African lady I met the other day at a cooking class and we were talking about what type of food we prepare most in our homes.  I told her we like lots of Tex-Mex flavors.  I don't think this could be more true!  Hopefully, my faithful readers, you are not tired of reading about cilantro because here goes...

While menu planing a little while ago, I came across this great looking recipe for rosemary chicken thighs.  They have a fresh rosemary, Dijon mustard, garlic, and honey marinade and are grilled to perfection.  Sounds great, right?  Well, then they had a note about being able to substitute cilantro (or some other herbs) for the rosemary.  Say no more!  I was determined to switch it up to the cilantro because of my love affair with said herb (1. Drew knows all about it and is usually ok with it; 2. yes - I am aware that others are in love with another herb, not me!)

Paired with the chicken recipe was a procedure for sauteeing spinach for a side dish.  We had some Chinese spinach from our CSA box, as well as garlic and leeks.  So I heated up the pan, threw some garlic and the leeks in, and waited a minute or so, then added the spinach.  After the spinach wilted down, I turned off the heat and added salt and pepper.  Great results. 

We had an avocado that was ready, so that got thrown on the plate with the chicken and the spinach.  Easy, simple supper!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Menu Plan Monday: Week of 08/30 - 09/05


This week I finish up my Baking Course (more posts about that to come), so I will have a little more time to work on menu planning!  Getting back on track!

Monday: quick dinner while prepping final exam!

Tuesday: Lunch: Bacon Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches
Dinner: Balsamic Flank Steak, Vegetable, Potato

Wednesday: Dinner: Smoky Pork Chops, Vegetable

Thursday: Lunch: Tuna Salad w/ Lemon Aioli
Dinner: BBQ Shrimp, Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Dinner: Thai Chicken Stir-Fry Salad

Saturday: Lunch: Buffalo Club Sandwiches
Dinner: ? (Gotta keep the mystery somehow!)

Sunday: Lunch: out
Dinner: Chicken, Pesto & Tomato Flatbread

By Request

I am not sure if I have included this recipe on this blog, but it is considered a favorite around here; so I would be remiss not to share it with you. 

How, you ask, does a recipe rise to the level of being prepared more than once?  I am not sure - but most of our favorites have some sort of heat and are usually inspired by Mexican flavors.  But, it is not about what makes a favorite so special.  It is more about recognizing them when they come along!  Drew is usually my gauge for this. 

So, imagine my pleasure that one of our favorites is also incredibly easy to prepare.  It is great for those nights when you just don't want to cook or you don't want something heavy.  We were at the grocery store the other day getting some items for the week, when Drew announced he was in the mood for Mexican Tuna Salad with a specific type of Doritos chip!  I think this is the first time Drew has actually requested dinner (he is really good natured about the food thing and usually eats what is placed in front of him without complaint)!  So, plans changed and we headed home to get started on dinner.

Ten minutes later we had this lovely meal:

Mexican Tuna Salad
2 containers of tuna in water (prefer albacore)
2-3 Tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Serrano pepper, finely chopped (seeded, if necessary)
2 Tbsp.  cilantro, snipped
2-3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Pepper to taste

Drain the tuna (if necessary, not necessary if you have pouches) and put in a medium size bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.  Chill for a few minutes if you can.  Serve with a half avocado per person, with crackers, as a sandwich, or with Doritos (Drew recommends the ones in the purple bag). 

It doesn't get much easier than this!  The above measurements are best guesses, so feel free to adjust them to taste. 

Easy dinner, happy couple!