Kinda Moroccan

I realize proportions in this picture make it look like there is a ton of couscous on this platter.  Sometimes proportions are correct! 

I had a recipe for a Greek Spiced Sirloin and decided to make it.  But, I decided to go a little Morocco with it.  This brought on a conversation regarding how interesting it is that people from completely different parts of the world eat similar foods with very similar ingredients.  Additionally, the way these foods are served is similar in the region of the Mediterranean and Northern Africa.  Imagine that!

I am just happy that the foods and flavors taste so good! 

So,  The steak is pretty much self-explanatory.  Heat grill, add rub to steak, grill, rest, serve!  Before the steak was thrown on the grill (a.k.a. George), I grilled up some red onions and zucchini spears with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.  I also got a box of couscous going  (such hard work!).  The dip in the back is a yogurt, sour cream, cucumber mixture similar to raita (a.k.a. Indian cuisine happiness).  Oh and I threw in some feta, because there is always room for feta (or is it Jell-o?).   The only thing missing was pita! 

Do you like my serving suggestion?  We simply love our dishes made by a family friend.  Go to his website to check out some of his other pottery designs!

Dinner with an 8 Ball

Drew's status update on Facebook said something along these lines.

You know how sometimes parents get their kids to eat new foods by telling them they are some gross thing like brains or eyeballs?  Or they tell them a particularly named food item is actually called something else, like "Princess slippers"?  Note: I made that last one up (oh, parenting is going to be fun!).  Well, I have discovered the grown up version of this game.  Call all somewhat questionable foods by drug names.

I was at a party last night (pot-luck), and someone came up to me and told me to try something.  I asked, "What is it?" and the reply: "Crack."

My response: I took a bite.

Example 2:  This week's CSA box included some squash type thing.  Upon futher research online (don't you think it would be helpful if they put a list in the box?), we found out this particular variety of squash is called 8 Ball Squash.  The response:  Oh, we need us some of that!

The first "hit" (ha) of our 8 ball was a success.  I decided to wade in slowly and go with a tried and true method (roasting with olive oil and a little salt and pepper - can't go wrong with that).  But as I was preparing the squash, I started to get all sorts of ideas for it: vegetarian lasagna, 8 Ball parmesan, etc.  Ahh...you could even scoop out the insides and create little bowls for a soup!  Because of the texture of the squash, I would think this is a vegetarian's favorite.  I hope we get some more in our box next week!

Note: I paired the squash with pork chops (smoky - cumin, paprika, spicy montreal steak seasoning) and some Au Grain potatoes. 

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!

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!