Salad Time…

Well, seeing as we had our fill of meats and cheeses this weekend, I’m thinking of going veggies and legumes for the next few days. Tonight, it’s just a basic salad. I’m thinking of mushroom and spinach burritos for tomorrow, and a beans and tomato type of thing the next day. I meant to make some rice for that last one, hmmm. I’ll do that tomorrow night, seeing as the mushrooms and spinach are prepped and ready to go.

Basic salad ingredients at The Food Groove:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Green Onions
• Cucumbers
• Artichoke Hearts
• A bit of cubed Smoked Gouda that was sitting around

Even when one is a bit meat and cheesed out, there’s still room for a lil bit of cheese. 

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Strawberries…

I am thoroughly and happily enjoying strawberries this season, more so than usual, and strawberries in particular. I like fruits, mind you, but I would never really get too excited over them. Except for blueberries… Blueberries I can get excited over at times. Perhaps it’s because I’m not a big sweets-fan, as a general rule. Even though fruit isn’t super-sweet, I don’t know…

Anyway, I am enjoying fresh strawberries very much right now. Unadulterated, simple strawberry slices. I also enjoy coming home with a new batch, cleaning them, cutting off the stems and slicing them into mouth-popable bites. I’ve become quite adept again at using the ol’ paring knife. And I really have no inclination to cook or bake or mix anything else with them. Just give me some fresh strawberries, all on their own, and call me good!

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So Far, Today…

I’ve done some cooking prep type of things. Little things, but they will save time later on… Onion is chopped, asparagus is rinsed and drying, brown rice is cooked and cooling, shrimp are peeled and deveined… I actually forgot how time-consuming the task of peeling shrimp can be. And how useful my paring knife is for those times! The cat was very interested in what I was doing also… sticking her nose in the bag of shells, continuously walking over my arms as I was working in the sink, and being a kitchen-nuisance, in general.

And I’m now putting together my menu ideas for the next several days. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had an actual menu eeked out in my head, and it’s time to get back on track with that. It’s so much easier to come home and have an idea of what’s going on in the kitchen for the evening. Much better than “What do you feel like for dinner?”, and really having nothing to work with, idea-wise. Even better too when I can have some items prepped and ready-to-go a day or two beforehand. So, off to finish menu planning… and fold some laundry too. It’s a domestic kind of day.

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In Need of some Whole Grain Goodness…

Which, this evening, will take the form of Brown Rice and Veggies. I can feel my body hollering for some whole grains and veggies. I’ve had quite a bit of meat the past few days, more so than I usually do. I’ve been a vegetarian in the past, but nowadays, I do recognize that my body can use some meat protein now and again. It can be overdone however, and now is one of those times.

So, last night I made some brown rice, and this morning I steamed some brocolli, all in preparation. Then I cooked up some more veggies this evening and tossed it all together… Along with some sliced omeletted eggs, and voila… Whole Grain and Veggies with Eggs for dinner. It was just what I needed…

• Brown Rice
• Garlic
• Fresh Ginger
• Mushrooms
• Brocolli
• Onions
• Olive Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Soy Sauce
• Eggs, Omelette-Style, then sliced
• Parmesan Cheese, shredded

I tend to call these types of dishes a Rice Mish-Mosh… sort of tossing in whatever might be on hand, with just a bit of sesame oil and/or soy sauce.  Enough for a bit of flavor, but not so much as to call it a stir fry really.  Then I add some eggs and a touch of cheese for a slightly creamier consistency.  It turns out pretty tasty and is usually just what I need.

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Easter Brunch Menu, a la Granny…

• Ham (Delicious!)
• Scrambled Egg and Ham Casserole
• Veggie Casserole
• Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
• Cinnamon Rolls (Delicious!)
• Fruit Salad

It was all a lovely brunch… And sometimes there is something to other people cooking and baking and not having to do anything oneself.    We just had leftover ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner, and I find myself a bit stuffed once again.  We ended up with ham, cinnamon rolls and fruit as leftovers for our own fridge.  I’m looking forward to the fruit too… that, like salad, is something I adore… and even more so when someone else does the rinsing and cutting and preparation of it all. 

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One Year Old Here…

Technically, as of March 10th. That’s when I wrote my first not-so-exciting-post on here. There are definitely things I’d like to improve, things I’d like to enhance, things I’d like to improve on with my camera… And for the past week, I’ve been feeling under the weather. So, although the thoughts are running around in my head, I’ve yet to put them down on the blog, yet.

I really was hoping to do that sooner rather than later. But a cold, D.’s cold, and a freaking crazier-than-usual week at work has pushed that all off until this weekend. When I do hope to put some more words down here…

Tonight, we went back to a favorite dish, more geared to the summertime but it always seems to taste good. Here’s an older pic of what we had. Quite simple and quite yummy… Lentils, tomatoes, olive oil, green onions and feta, with a bit of seasonings all wrapped in a wrap!

This is a super-duper close-up of our dinner this evening…

It really is a summertime type of meal, but it was a nice tease right about now… And that picture does not at all do justice to the deliciousness of it. I’ll have to get a new one once we’ve got really yummy tomatoes and more freshness to go into it.

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Nuttin’…

I got nuttin’. Though I had been eating more nuts as a snack at work… We got two yummy bags for Christmas, full of hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, walnuts and more! They were very tasty, but unfortunately, they are gone now. I’ve been cutting down on my snacking in general lately. I think probably because I am exercising and doing some yoga on a semi-regular basis. And when I do snack, I tend to want something on the healthier side. So, I’ll call that going in the right direction.

As for meals this week, we’ve been finishing off a batch of macaroni and cheese from Sunday, along with some ham. Nothing super exciting, really. But the macaroni and cheese did turn out very good… the previous batch was too thick. Too much flour I think, as well as too much cheddar (as if there is such a thing!) Anyway, that’s the scoop here. As for nuts, I’ve got nuttin’. I’ll have to find some soon… they were good to have on hand.

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Salad Time…

I have been feeling the need for a salad for quite some time now. However, it being winter and all, I’ve also been feeling the need for something warm when I get home. Thus, the salad idea had been pushed aside, until tonight.

I went with sun-dried tomatoes, instead of the turned-mushy ‘regular’ tomatoes that I had. I wish I could save the taste of fresh tomatoes from the summer into the winter, but alas… We had some leftover ham from the weekend, so into the salad it went. I actually warmed mine up first, the ham only, before adding it. I have no idea where I got that idea, but I actually found it pretty darn good! Drizzled some blue cheese dressing over it all and voila. It all tasted very good, and sometimes more importantly, it felt good…

Next will be Super Bowl Sunday shopping and planning and cooking. That’s what’s in store for the weekend!

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New Year’s Eve Fondue…

The staple of any good meal, in my opinion, is fresh garlic. And fondue is a perfect vehicle for such an ingredient. When doing everyday cooking, I have a jar of minced garlic that I normally use. However, some times simply require fresh minced garlic. I have a rocking chopping knife that is perfect for this task… I don’t know what else to call it. I’ll have to take a picture of it, because it works so well for mincing garlic by hand, as well as for chopping fresh herbs such as cilantro, thyme, rosemary, etc. I don’t use it all that often, but when I do, that means it’s important.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy making (and eating) cheese fondue. It’s a luxurious meal… Perfect for chilly winter nights… And perfect if one is a cheese freak, as I am. I’ll have to do this once or twice more this season, most definitely.

• Butter, one stick
• Garlic, minced
• Emmenthaler Swiss Cheese, 1/2 lb., cubed or grated
• Gruyere Cheese, 1/2 lb., cubed or grated
• White Wine, one cup
• Nutmeg, sprinkles
• Crusty Bread, cubed
• Kirsch, optional

Saute garlic in butter. Add wine and boil. Lower heat. Add cheeses and remaining ingredients. Stir constantly until everything is melted and smooth. Dip in crusty bread, twirl cheese around it, and enjoy!

It works best if you’re able to keep the cheese fondue warm as it’s being eaten. There are also “rules” about not letting your bread fall into the fondue, not touching your lips onto the utensil you are using to dip into the fondue… blah, blah, blah. I’m not the biggest fan of “rules”, so I say eat and enjoy!

Things discovered upon making fondue this New Year’s Eve:

• I no longer have my fondue forks, lost somewhere along the way. While regular forks worked fine for us, some skewer type of fondue utensils might be in order soon.
• My garlic press is also gone. Though they are a pain to clean, that may also get added to my short list very soon.
• I used to have a fondue pot that used sterno as the warming source while eating… I don’t think I’d go that route now, as I think I used the fondue forks more than the actual fondue pot itself, but I may tuck a fondue set somewhere in the back of my mind for my long list. At least something to look into…

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Note to Self…

I have to remember to make this dish again sometime after the New Year… it’s very tasty! It’s a perfect pasta dish to make over the weekend, and toss it in the fridge for a day or so. Then, simply put it in the oven one night after work and voila… a hearty, warm, wintertime meal! It’s a pasta, cheese, ground turkey or beef casserole with a tangy twist…

We’ll be cooking galore this evening… getting ready for Christmas Dinner tomorrow. We went with a simple yet elegant menu. A bit eclectic too, but that’s often a given. It would have been nice not to have to work today at all, but alas… So, this evening it is! We’ve been busy with holiday ‘stuff’ lately, and I fear there’s too much in the fridge… I’m in the process of coming up with some weekend fare in order to use it up in a yummy way. We’ll see how it goes.

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