Roasted Potatoes with Creamed Peas

Moving along to another recipe from a Cuisine at Home magazine. I just got the new issue - April 2012 - and couldn't wait to try something.

Last night we had baked haddock and these Roasted Potatoes with Creamed Peas - very yummy!

The recipe calls for mace, which I do not have, so as recommended, I subsituted it with nutmeg. (Mace is the ground waxy red covering of the nutmeg).

Serves 4

Potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Peas:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 cups frozen petit peas
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet; roast until golden, about 20-25 minutes, stirring midway through.

Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Whisk in flour and mace or nutmeg; cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Whisk in milk and increase heat to medium. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add peas; cook 1-2 minutes more. Stir in dill, zest and lemon juice. Season peas with salt and cayenne and serve over roasted potatoes.

Curried Carrot Soup

Carrot soup is one of those things that when I have it on a rare occasion, I wonder why I don't make it more. It is beyond simple to make.

I was even able to make it last night after I locked my keys in my car with the car running. Lucky for me, I was at home and the local AAA guy was only 2 houses down and I was back in business in no time.

Carrot soup and a roll was a perfect dinner after a trying day!

I'd like to thank 3 people for this recipe. First, Rebecca for sending me the link to it because it reminded her of me, the horses I rode at Hollins who love carrots, and dinner at the French House. << On a side note, Adam and I are going to Hollins in June for my 5 year reunion! I can hardly wait! It's been too long since I've visited beautiful Roanoke!>>

Second, I'd like to thank Miriam for making this soup for Rebecca.

Third, I'd like to thank Martha Stewart and company for creating the recipe!

The recipe below was inspired by Martha Stewart and tweaked by me with inspiration from the first time I had carrot soup at The Kitchen Shoppe during a high school French Club French cooking class.

If you don't have curry powder or don't want to use it, it can easily be eliminated. The half and half is optional too but I like the hint of richness.

I would say this serves about 4-6 people.

2 Tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

3/4 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1 1/2 lbs carrots - I used 1 1/2 bags baby carrots or you can peel and cut large carrots into 1 inch pieces

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup half and half

In a medium pot or dutch oven (with a lid), melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft for about 5 minutes.

Add broth, carrots and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce head; cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Only fill the blender up half way and remove the cap from the blender top and place a towel on top as you blend (to help the steam escape). After each batch is done, pour into a clean sauce pan. You should only need to do 2 batches.

Stir in the lemon juice and half & half. Add more salt if needed.

Friday Night Dinner

After a long week last week, Adam and I had no plans for Friday evening and we were so excited to do nothing and just stay at home. But we couldn't decide what to have for dinner. We wanted something easy and delicious - like always. So we turned to Mary and asked her for ideas. She suggested grilled steak topped with Boursin cheese. We thought that sounded perfect so we stopped at the store on the way home.

Of course we grabbed some asparagus too - Adam's new favorite vegetable - and potatoes.

Our dinner right out of the shopping bag:



And 30 minutes later on our dinner plates:

We got 2 T-bone steaks, seasoned them with McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning and cooked them on a hot grill. We then ate every bite of the meat with Lite Herbed Bousin cheese - very rich and creamy -which you can find in the specialty cheese department of most grocery stores. The Lite cheese was very tasty! And good thing we got lite because we ate over half of the little tub!

I roasted the asparagus in a 400 degrees oven with salt and pepper and olive oil for about 5- 8 minutes.

For the potatoes, I peeled and cubed 3 potatoes. I put them into boiling salted water and allowed them to cook for 5 minutes. While they were boiling, I heated 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After 5 minutes, I drained the potatoes and added them to the hot oil in the skillet. Then I just let them fry for about 15 minutes or until they get to be browned to my liking. Then scoop them out of the oil onto a paper towel lined plate and add salt and pepper.

A great go-to potato side dish for all meals of the day.

This was a very yummy dinner a a little splurge to kick off the weekend. I have been thinking about it a lot since Friday... Are you hungry now too??

Eggplant Parmesan

I bought a very nice, medium sized Italian eggplant at the Farmers Market at the PA Farm Show Complex last week. I bought it specifically for making eggplant parmesan.

I was quick to slice it up to let it sweat because I had a hungry boy to feed so I didn't get a photo of it before it was sliced.



There are so many recipes out there for eggplant parm. I just wanted it to be extra crispy and not soggy. And, well, I succeeded! This was a great dinner - Adam loved it even after being skeptical that there was no meat involved!


Mary found me this recipe that was adapted from Cooks Illustrated.


Serves 2 or 3 but can be easily doubled.


For eggplant:

1 globe or Italian eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil


For assembling the dish:

1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
1 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish


Place a baking sheet on center rack in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees

Toss eggplant slices with kosher salt in a large bowl until combined; transfer salted eggplant to a large colander set over a bowl - make sure the slices are in flat layers. Let stand until eggplant releases about 1 tablespoon of liquid, about 30 minutes. Arrange eggplant slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, then wipe off excess salt.

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/8 salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.

In another shallow bowl, combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Beat eggs in a third shallow bowl.

Remove baking sheet from oven and coat with 3 tablespoons oil.

With each eggplant slice, dredge in flour, dip in eggs and then coat with bread crumbs. Continue with all eggplant slices and arrange on the oil-coated baking sheet.

Bake until eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 25-30 minutes, flipping slices half way through baking.

Do not turn off oven.

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Place a layer of the eggplant slices in the baking dish; distribute 1 cup sauce over eggplant; sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant and dot with some sauce, leaving majority of eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozarella. Bake until bubbling and cheese is browned, 13-15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; scatter basil over top and serve with remaining tomato sauce, on the side if needed.

I received a bottle of La Familia Del Grosso's Uncle Fred's Fireworks Sauce at the Taste of the Nation event in Philadelphia. We used it with the eggplant and it was soo good! I was pleasantly surprised! It has a lot of spice to it but in a very tasty, refined way. I am definitely going to look for this sauce in the grocery store!


And Del Grosso is a Pennsylvania company!

We ate our eggplant with spaghetti.

Broccoli Fried Rice with Candied Bacon

I came across a recipe for Vegetable Fried Rice with Bacon on the Food Network website and thought it sounded good. I had never made fried rice the traditional way with scrambled eggs so I was excited to try it. Not only did the recipe sound easy to make, it was full of flavorful ingredients.

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I made it tonight and both Adam and I loved it!!! The candied bacon is so interesting - a delicious mix with the red pepper flakes and ginger.

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This recipe is a definite keeper and I highly recommend it! You can add any other veggies you want - mushrooms, carrots, baby corn. We ate this as a main course but it would be a nice side dish too.

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I adapted this from foodnetwork.com:

1 teaspoon

1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 head broccoli, florets and stalks cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Place a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil and bacon and stir-fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar over the bacon and toss. Add 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce (watch out-the oil will bubble up) and continue to stir-fry until the bacon is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the drippings in the pan and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the broth and glazed bacon. Toss to heat through.

Push the fried rice to one side of the pan, crack the eggs into the other side and scramble until set, about 1 minute. *** I wasn't able to scramble the eggs in the same pan. I used another pan and once the eggs were done, I mixed them with the rice.

Cauliflower & Spinach Gratin

photo source: Wegman.com

I found this recipe on the Wegman's website and since there was cauliflower and spinach in the fridge, I thought we'd make it. It was soooo good! I altered the recipe a bit - you'll see my notes. Everyone loved it and it was gone in a flash between 4 people!

I didn't have a camera while making it so I added a pic from the Wegman's website.

I highly recommend this dish!

1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (or 2 lbs cauliflower florets)
1 pkg (10 oz) Fresh Spinach, stemmed (large stems only), rinsed - 10 oz is a lot. I didn't use that much. Use your judgement.
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Bread Crumbs, divided - I used panko
1 jar (13 or 15 oz) Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

You'll Need: 13x9x2-inch baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add cauliflower and spinach to large mixing bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, alfredo sauce, and mozzarella; mix well. Set aside.

Make topping: Combine remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and 1 T oil in small bowl. Set aside.

Grease baking dish with olive oil; add vegetable-cheese mixture to dish.

Bake 40 min, uncovered, stirring halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven; sprinkle with topping. Return to oven; bake 15 min, until topping is light golden brown.

Salmon with Browned Butter, Almonds & Green Beans

I was looking through the March 2010 Real Simple magazine and stumbled upon a tempting salmon recipe. I was thinking about the salmon filet I had in the freezer for awhile and thought this recipe sounded like something Adam and I would both enjoy. I made it on Sunday for lunch - and it took only 20 minutes!! I will definitely be making this again and again (but not too close together because it's such a buttery rich treat!). And by pan frying the salmon, it gets nice and crunchy on the outside.

I would even make this butter/almond/caper mix to put over the green beans as a side dish for other meals.

This will serve 4:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons capers

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness of salmon); transfer to plate.

Fill a second skillet with 1/2 inch water, bring to a boil and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans, cover and steam until just tender, 4-5 minutes; drain. NOTE - I used frozen green beans and cooked them according to the package directions.

Wipe out the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until the almonds and butter are golden brown (be careful - will burn easily), 2-3 minutes. Stir in the capers.

Plate the salmon and green beans on dinner plates and spoon butter over all.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Here is a delicious and easy pasta dish from my friend Mary. The balsamic vinegar and touch of brown sugar gives it a subtle sweetness that is quite different. Chicken and other veggies (like peas) can also be added to the dish.

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1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pound penne
1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss w/ the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 mins.

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Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

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Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan

Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms

Yesterday Adam and I wanted to make a few snacks for our friends who were coming over to watch the Penn State/Ohio State game. My mom made these stuffed mushrooms for Adam and I once and he loved them so I thought I'd give them a try. Eventhough PSU lost, the mushroom caps were delicious!

20 large mushrooms (white or baby bella)
1/2 cup brocolli, finely chopped
1/4 c carrot, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon onion, finely chopped (I sliced up 2 green onions)
1 cup seasoned croutons, crushed to 1/2 cup
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean and remove the stems from the mushrooms, reserving the stems. Cut away some mushroom for a larger hole. Place the mushrooms, rounded side down, in a deep dish baker.

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Using a small chopper, chop enough mushroom stems to equal 1/4 cup. I used a small chopper to chop up the broccoli and carrots too. Adam crushed the croutons with the back of a wooden spoon. ha! Whatever works! :)

In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli, carrots, onion, croutons, cheese, salt and butter.

Gently fill each mushroom with stuffing.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes until....

... golden brown.

Pumpkin Soup

As I look back on my past few posts, I realize I've been eating out a lot and not sharing any new recipes. I did make great bacon bleu burgers and pumpkin scones over the past 2 weeks but didn't get posts up of them :( From here until the holidays, it is my goal to stay home and cook more! With our crazy schedule though, we'll see if I can follow through!


This time of the year I think of apples and pumpkins... and more apples and pumpkins! After a weekend in Adams county, I came home with some apples, apple cider and hard apple cider. I'd find myself eating an apple and washing it down with cider. This weekend, I bought a pumpkin scented reed disfuser for Adam's living room, pumpkin spiced coffee creamer and ingredients for pumpkin soup. I just love the harvest season! To me, it's a very comforting, cozy time of year.


I whipped up this soup in no time on Saturday afternoon. Adam wasn't a big fan but myself and a friend of ours had 2 bowls in one evening. Adam's mom and I came to the conclusion that this soup cannot really be consumed in large quantities - a laddle-full for a starter course would be perfect. The actual soup recipe is very basic. The relish, which is sweet, spicy and savory, is wonderful!!! So many flavors melded together makes it very tasty! If you don't want to make the entire relish, I think just adding some sweet Craisins really play nicely with the savory pumpkin.


This is a Rachel Ray recipe from foodnetwork.com

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1 fresh bay leaf
2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme (I used thyme)
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste (I used 1 teaspoon)
6 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used dried ground nutmeg)

For a relish topping, which makes the soup more complex and flavorful:

1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh or Granny Smith, finely chopped (I used a McIntosh)
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons honey (I used orange flavored honey from Aucker's Apiary in Millville, PA. Natalie bought me this honey at the Bloomsburg Fair. I love flavored honey in hot tea!)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
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While soup cooks, assemble the relish: combine apple, onion, lemon juice, cranberries, chili powder, honey and cinnamon.

Adjust seasonings in soup and relish and serve soup in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish.

The relish

The finished product

For Adam's sake, I think I'll lay off the pumpkin for awhile!

Grilled Corn With Cilantro Salt

I'm always hesitant to grill corn. I prefer the method of boiling because it's what I'm used to but the July edition of Martha Stewart Living presented me with some inspiration to try corn on the grill. The recipe says to remove the silks of the corn and tie back the husks, placing the corn kernels directly on the grill. We however, misunderstood the directions (must have been that sangria kickin' in) and put the the husks back over the corn. It still worked out very well. The cilantro salt was quite delicious.


For 4 ears of corn:

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons coarse salt
4 ears corn (in their husks)
Unsalted butter, for serving

Preheat grill to medium. Mix together cilantro and salt in a small bowl.
Pull back each corn husk, leaving it attached to the cob and remove the silk. For each ear, cut off a piece of husk, and tie it around the remaining husk to form a bundle.
Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve cobs with butter and sprinkle with cilantro salt.

Most often, my dinner guests are put to work. Here, Jesse and I are husking and he apparently said something funny which is very typical of him!

The cilantro salt.

After you generously roll your ear (of corn, that is) in lots of butter, sprinkly with salt, but use sparingly. I think Bec can attest to the fact that it's very easy to oversalt with this stuff!

The corn fresh from the grill!

Photos by Bec

Easter Dinner

In an effort to mix things up, we did not have a traditional ham dinner yesterday, but instead grilled steak and veggies! It was a nice summer meal and now I'm so excited for the weather to warm up!

I marinaded some NY Strip steaks in Lawry's Signature Steakhouse marinade for about 5 hours. I skewered up whole button mushrooms, halved brussel sprouts, cubed orange pepper and sliced yellow squash. I added plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper before grilling.

In addition, I made scalloped potato gratin by Tyler Florence. This was so yummy and everyone enjoyed it:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme (used 3 or 4 sprigs)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter (used Pam)
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling (I think I used more like 1 cup - I love cheese!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.
While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes (baked it for about 55 minutes because my potato slices were on the thick side). Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 3 minutes.

I didn't get a solo shot of the gratin but here it is in the center of the photo (that's Greg's plate with a gigantic steak!). To the right of the potatoes is the tabbouleh.

For a salad, I made tabbouleh. I have had this a few times at restaurants but never ventured to make it myself. I also made it as a test because it's on Arielle's graduation party food list. It passed the test with flying colors so I'll be making it again (a huge batch) in June for the party. The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa Parties! :

1 cup bulgur wheat (I found some organic bulgar at my local health food store)

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the bulgur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

I didn't use a cup of each parsley and mint - it seemed excessive.
Finally, I made white wine sangria. A bottle of cheap chardonnay, a frozen melange of tropical fruit and a liter of ginger ale made a refreshing treat to go with dinner. I put the wine in a pitcher, added the fruit and refrigerated it for about 4 hours. Then I added the ginger ale and refrigerated it for another hour. Sparkling refreshment!
Additional Easter Day pictures:

Arielle, Adam, Greg & Hope after we found our Easter baskets.

My dad surprised my grandparents and my mom with this light post in town that is dedicated to Parents Bob & Pat Swenson and Merle & Ruth Adams.

In the photo from left: my dad, grandpa, grandma, me, Adam, Arielle, my mom and Chester in the front. And Greg behind the camera.

Greg and I in downtown New Bloomfield looking like we just rolled out of bed!

NOTE: I am going to be investing in a new camera soon so my pictures will get better...

More Pea Soup!

I bought split peas for a previous post and when I saw them in the pantry the other day, I thought a vegetarian soup would be good for a Friday supper during Lent.

Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks has a Vegetarian Split Pea Soup with these exact ingredients – I just halved her recipe and wrote the recipe based on what I did.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup split peas, rinsed and picked free of white shells/skins
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup water
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Hot sauce, optional

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and slightly brown, 2 minutes. Add peas, stock, water and salt & pepper to taste. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20-25 until peas are tender. Remove half of the peas & broth into a cup/container and use a handheld blender to puree the peas. Return to pot. Add more water or stock if soup needs thinned to your liking. Ladle into bowl and drizzle with olive oil and hot sauce (if using). Sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Serves 2.

I used Wegman’s brand culinary vegetable stock, which added to the body of the soup. Chicken stock would have been good too. Heidi also says you could use water completely instead of any stock but I think that would be rather bland.

To only puree half of the peas, gives the soup texture instead of it being completely pureed.

Greg had the idea to add hot sauce to his soup. I did too but the smell was a little overwhelming and it made me think of hot wings, which was a bit unappealing to me. But Greg liked it.

I still have more peas so I need to think of something to do with them other than soup....

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Last night I made a scrumptous Thai Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry. I got the recipe from the South Beach Diet Cookbook that Angie let me borrow, but I changed it a little. It doesn't call for chicken but I wanted to give it more substance. Sadly, I didn't take a picture last night.

1 13.5-oz can coconut milk (no sugar added)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. grated lime peel (and lemon peel if you have it)
1 cup asparagus, cut in 1-in. pieces
1 red pepper, sliced in strips
1 cup sliced mushroom (I used baby bellas)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry roasted cashews (or peanuts)
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, oven roasted with olive oil and salt & pepper, chopped into bit-sized pieces
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce (preferrably soy sauce but I didn't have any and this tasted good too)
1 tablespoon lime juice (& 1 tablespoon lemon juice but I didn't have it)
2 tsp. dried basil (but a handful of fresh would have been sooo much better)

With a hand blender, combine the coconut milk, garlic and lime peel. Pulse to process (the cookbook says it will turn into a paste but mine didn't, which is ok). Pour into a large skillet. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the asparagus, mushrooms, bell pepper, cashews, and red-pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken, worchestershire sauce, lime juice, and basil and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.




If you have bok choy, you can add some just to give you more greens.

Let me tell you, this was great! I had to add some more salt at the end but it was hot and sweet. It was not quite like my favorite Thai dishes at restaurants, bit it was good enough. The unique combo of coconut milk, cashews and hot pepper flake... so good, I crave it!

You have to be careful not to over-cook the vegetables. I let mine simmer for longer than the recipe calls for because it was my intention to let the flavors meld more, but I guess it's not necessary - I like my veggies a little crunchy.

I cooked up some couscous (we were out of rice) to serve with it for Greg.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs...

... and more eggs!

That sad time has come when I have to go on Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. What this means is no sugar, fruit, carbs, caffeine or alcohol - all of which I love! What I can eat is beef and chicken breasts, vegetables, beans and EGGS!

I originally started this diet last Thursday and was good until Friday when we had lunch at the 3rd Street Deli and then everything went downhill... until yesterday.

So I ate Scrambled Eggs with Sauteed Mushrooms and Feta Cheese for dinner last Thursday, breakfast on Friday and again for breakfast yesterday morning. It was soooo good (sadly, I forgot to photograph it)! By clicking above, you'll find the recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen, a great blog with South Beach recipes. I will be trying more of her recipes in the near future, especially some soups.

Last night for dinner, because I forgot my chicken at home and only have veggies, eggs and turkey bacon at Greg's, more EGGS it was! I get the SELF magazine recipe of the week and yesterday the feature was Veggie Scrambled Eggs. I tried it (minus the carrots because of SBD) and found it quite satisfying.

Below is the origional recipe, which serves 8.

From SELF Magazine

8 asparagus stalks
6 whole eggs
6 egg whites
2 small carrots, grated
1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons sweet chili powder
1/2 teaspon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 slices whole-wheat bread
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (plus sprigs for garnish)

Steam asparagus 1 minute; chop. Whisk next 9 ingredients in a bowl. Add asparagus. Coat a large pan with cooking spray. Add oil; heat on high heat; reduce to medium. Cook egg mixture, stirring, until eggs are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

However, this is what I did for just myself:

5 stalks asparagus, chopped into 1-in pieces, microwaved for 30 seconds
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
a few shakes of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Heat a skillet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and then turn heat to medium-low. Crack eggs into bowl, add spices and beat with whisk until a bit frothy. Add asparagus and cheese. Pour into pan and immediately start turning until done to your likeness.

Three eggs with chili powder, s&p. The chili powder gave the eggs an unexpected kick!

I probably shouldn't have had this cheese on SBD but it's great cheese from Italy that I found at Wegman's.

The final, yummy product! It was a satisfying dinner (well, I am trying to convince myself it was).

I intended to have another egg scramble for breakfast but I think I need a break from eggs for a little while!

Oh and don't worry... lots of yummy things can be made on Phase 1 so I'll have plenty of good recipes/inspirations to share along the way. And I don't do the diet in it's entirety - just Phase 1 for 14 days because it does wonders for the belly! Then I'll be back to chocolate- and carb-filled creations (in moderation, of course. HA!)!

Bacon-Wrapped Halibut with Seared Cherry Tomato Sauce and Smashed Peas

I was starving last night but had no desire to go to the grocery store so I had to come up with something using the ingredients around the house. I flipped through Rachel Ray's Express Meals and found this - you all must think I am obsessed with RR but I do have 3 of her cookbooks and I'm almost always pleased with her creations. I did a lot of substitutions with this recipe because I did not have halibut (but had tilapia), a lemon for zesting, cherry tomatoes or fresh parsley. Nevertheless, I went forward with what I had and it was a hit with my mom and sister!

4 6-ounce halibut fillets
salt and pepper
8 center-cut bacon slices
3 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 10-ounce boxes frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, a generous handful (I used dried)
zest of one lemon (I used a few splashes of lemon juice)
3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream (I used heavy cream)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used 14 ounces of crushed tomatoes)
1 large garlis clove, chopped
1/4 cup white wine (I used cooking white wine - not as strong but still tasty)
1/4 cup chicken stock, plus another 1/4 cup to reheat peas if necessary
1/2 cup fresh basil, about 10 leaves, chopped or torn

Season the halibut fillets with the salt and pepper, going easy on the salt. Arrange 2 bacon slices side by side, overlapping slightly. Place one end of a halibut fillet on the edge of the bacon slices. Working a spiral fashion, wrap and roll the bacon around the fish, pulling gently on the bacon to make both ends up on the same side of the fillet. (This is prevent the bacon from unraveling as it cooks.) Reserve the fish in the fridge while you get the smashed peas working.

To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, once around the pan, then 1 tablespoon of the butter and the onions. Saute the onions for 2 minutes, then add the frozen peas, and raise the heat a bit. Stir the peas to heat them through and allow the liquid to evaporate. When the peas are heated through, add half of the parsley, the lemon zest, half and half or cream, salt, and pepper to the pan and smash all together using a potato masher or fork. Turn the heat off and cover the peas with a lid or some foil to keep them warm.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of the EVOO. Add the bacon-wrapped halibut to the hot skilelt, bacon-end side down first, and cook them for 2 or 3 minutes on each of the 4 sides. Don't turn the fillets until the bacon is crispy looking on each side.

While the halibut cooks, start the seared cherry tomato sauce. Preheat a small skillet over high heat with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO; once it is screaming hot add the cherry tomatoes, season them with the salt and pepper, and sear them for 1 minute without moving them.

Turn the heat down to medium and shake the pan, add the garlic, and continue to cook for 1 minute. Next, add the white wine and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, then add 1/4 cup chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a bubble and remove it from the heat. Add the basil and the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir them to combine and melt the butter.

If the smashed peas need to be reheated, put the pot over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of chicken stock, and stir until the peas are steaming.

To serve, spoon a portion of the smashed peas in the center of a dinner place, arrange a bacon-wrapped halibut fillet on top of the peas, and top it with some of the seared cherry tomato sauce and the remaining parsley.

I must say, this picture isn't too impressive, but it was delicious!

Like I said before, I used tilapia fillets. They varied in size so the larger ones I used 2 pieces of bacon and the smaller, just one. I found that the fish cooked quicker than the bacon so at the end of the cook time, I had to jack up the heat to get the bacon crispy. And the fish was falling apart too!

I had trouble smashing the peas. I couldn't find a potato masher and a fork wasn't working well so I left most of them whole, which worked out fine too. When it came time to serve the peas, they were still very hot but I added some chicken stock just to add more flavor.

Since I didn't have cherry tomatoes, I used about 14 ounces of crushed tomatoes so it turned out to be more of a puree than a chunky sauce like RR intended. But with the stock, butter and basil, it tasted very yummy!

Many flavors come together well in this meal. It hit the spot! Sometime, I will try the recipe again when I have halibut and cherry tomatoes.

From now on, I think I'll prepare peas like this - I love the finely chopped onions, s&p, cream and chicken stock!