EASY Black Bean Lasagna

This weekend was the Six Mile Regional Library District's Friends of the Library annual big book sale at the Wilson Park ice rink in Granite City.  There were close to 600 boxes of books; we set the books out on tables for buyers to peruse.  Only 275 boxes of books were left at the end of the sale, which then went to Greenville for their hospital auxiliary's book sale.  Lots of books, audios and videos were sold!  Yea for the Friend's of the Library!!!  The proceeds from this annual book sale help to fund many of the special events for children during the summer reading program.

Sunday I will be going to the Gateway Regional Medical Center's Healthy Women anniversary event. The special guest speaker is Ali Vincent from NBC's Biggest Loser.  It will be interesting to go to the event and see what all they have there.  Because I'll be at this event all day I won't be cooking Sunday dinner.

But - I did cook dinner tonight.  I made Easy Black Bean Lasagna.  I found the recipe in a book I bought at the book sale: Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks: Meatless Meals from March 1996.  Holy Cow! This recipe was incredibly easy and amazingly delicious!!  A few friends came over this evening and everyone loved the lasagna.  I will definitely make it again.  In fact, I have been asked to make it to take when we have our girls' weekend in July.  Ten of us are going to the Lake of the Ozarks for a long weekend and plan to have a blast.

I also made a drink called Incommunicado.  It is equal parts vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, and grenadine mixed with two times the amount of alcohol of cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and I used papaya juice (it calls for sweet and sour mix, which I honestly am not fond of).  It was pretty tasty.  However, there is a reason it is called incommunicado.  Because after a couple of drinks your words get mixed up and it becomes hard to communicate without laughing.

We had a really nice time this evening.  I hope we have a good time tomorrow too.  Have a great week.  I'll let you know all about it when I next cook dinner.

Bunco!

Well, it's Memorial Day weekend and I'm hosting Bunco at my house tonight.  Because of everything going on this weekend I'm not cooking Sunday dinner.  However, I will have Mom and Dad over for dinner Saturday evening and we'll probably have leftovers from Bunco (assuming there will be a few leftovers; if not, then I'll put together something easy and quick).  So, I figure I'll share what's on the menu for our game tonight.

I made dessert first.  Cake balls!  Easy-peasy but a bit time consuming; I followed the directions in the book Cake Pops by Bakerella.  My dear husband, Michael, baked a red velvet cake for me while I was at work.  The cake is a box mix and you just follow the directions on the box.  Last night I crumbled the cake into a large mixing bowl.  The next step is to mix in 3/4 of a 16 oz container of prepared frosting - I used cream cheese frosting.  When those two are well mixed (hint: use the back of a metal spoon and just keep pushing the two together, eventually it will all mix together and kind of look like a dough).  I then used a Pampered Chef scoop to scoop out the same amount of "dough" to roll into balls.  The recipe states there will be 48 balls; well, I must of used a larger scoop because I only came up with 36 balls.  I put the balls on a cookie sheet with wax paper and when all the balls were formed I put everything in the freezer for about 20 minutes.  I then transferred them to the refrigerator - no frozen balls.  I used Baker's premium white chocolate baking squares to coat the balls - I just followed the directions for melting the chocolate that are on the box.  I needed to use 3 boxes of the white chocolate.  Michael tasted one of the balls this morning and announced them "mmmm, good!"

I also made a black bean, cucumber, jalapeno, red onion, and tomato salad.  I made this very easy salad last weekend also.  Here's how I made it.  Open a can of black beans, rinse and drain them and put them in a bowl.  Peel, seed, and chop a cucumber into bite-size pieces; add them to the bowl with the beans.  Seed and finely chop about 1/2 of a medium-size jalapeno; add it to the bowl (be sure to wash your hands really well after handling the jalapeno - you don't want to get any of the pepper oil in your eyes or elsewhere).  Chop about 1/2 of a red onion and add it to the bowl.  I used Cherub grape tomatoes by slicing about one and one-half containers of tomatoes and adding them to the bowl.  For the tomatoes I actually slice the larger tomatoes into 3 or 4 slices.  Salt and pepper the ingredients to taste.  Mix together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar (or any flavored vinegar that you like) and pour over the salad.  Gently fold all ingredients together to coat all with the oil and vinegar.  Let sit in the refrigerator overnight or at least one to two hours before serving.

I am getting ready to make Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken to use instead of ground beef in Taco Cupcakes.  I'm switching out the black beans in the taco cupcakes for corn since I used beans in the salad.

I also am going to make Green Rice (Arroz Verde).  For the rice I am mashing up a few recipes: from the May 31, 2010 New York Times, from Rachel Ray, from Oprah, and from Bobby Flay.  The only ingredient I am omitting (because I really, really don't like the taste of it) is cilantro.  I'll use brown rice, spinach, garlic, onion, jalapeno, vegetable broth, and pine nuts.

Michael is making guacamole for us.  He uses a recipe from the Joy of Cooking.  We've used this recipe for years and love it!  We have Tostito scoops for the guac, I made Lipton French onion soup dip, and we have Wavy Lays for that dip.  I picked up a bunch of fresh blackberries that are tantalizingly sweet as well as some green grapes and a fresh pineapple - so we'll have some fruit too.

Oh - and I can't forget the Margarita Shots in a Lime!  Sounds like a fine bunco night with the girls.  I'll be sure to come back and let you know how it all really turns out.


HOLY COW!!! These dishes were all winners.  Everyone raved about how much they liked the food.  Especially the cake balls.

For Saturday dinner (see first paragraph about Sunday dinner) we did have leftovers.  We used the chicken for taco salad.  Because there wasn't much Green Rice left, I made another batch.  And, there were just enough cake balls for everyone to enjoy.  Mom said she thinks the green rice will become a staple at my sister's house - she and they liked it that much (me too).  Looks like Michael and I will be eating this for a few days - we still have leftovers.  It's a good thing everything tastes good.

If you can, take a moment to remember and honor those who have died in service to the United States at 3:00 Monday afternoon.  3:00 your time - wherever you are - one minute of silence in their honor.

It's Mother's Day - How About an Encore

When trying to decide what to make for Mother's Day dinner, I looked back to what I made last May.  And, when I read that Mom had said "you have to make that again, soon," I figured that's what we would have today.  Maybe a year later isn't very "soon," but Mom said she was really glad we had this today.  We all liked our dinner very much.  So, I guess you're wondering what I made...here's the menu:

• Asparagus, Artichoke, and Yellow Pepper Fritatta that I made on May 14, 2011.  The hardest thing about it is chopping up the vegetables (actually that's the hardest thing about everything we had today).  Today I used eight eggs instead of seven.
• Tomato, Cucumber, Celery, and Black Olive Salad that includes everything except the bread and cheese from the Tomato Bread Salad that I make all the time and first wrote about April 28, 2010.
• Marsala Glazed Mushrooms that I seem to make every weekend since April 7, 2012.  These mushrooms are truly easy to make and magnificent!
• Punchbowl Cake from last May; the recipe is included with the after dinner thoughts I posted on May 15, 2012.  There's no cooking involved in this recipe - it's just cutting angel food cake, opening a few cans, thawing frozen strawberries, and slicing a banana.  Oh, but today instead of pecan bits I used health bar bits to top the whole thing.  That was a yummy decision.

Everything was mmm, mmm, good!  And, everyone ate it up.  So, we enjoyed a successful Mother's Day dinner.  Happy Mother's Day!

Southern Stir Fry: a long-time favorite

While working on organizing my home office (I've still got a lot of work to do on it), I discovered some cook books and booklets I hadn't seen for awhile.  One is a March 2000 grocery store recipe booklet from Betty Crocker - Easy Vegetarian Classics Go Meatless.  There is one particular recipe that I've been making from this booklet for at least ten years; but I haven't apparently made it anytime recently.  Well, today's the day.  We're having Southern Stir-Fry.  In the recipe the main adaptation I make is in using a 9 or 10 ounces package of frozen spinach that I thaw and drain before adding it to the recipe.  I'll make some cornbread, slice some fresh Kumato tomatoes, and dinner will be served.

Yesterday I went to  the annual Relay for Life chicken dinner, auction, and dance that some friends of ours host.  We've been going to the event for several years and I always look forward to picking up dessert at it.  A couple of year's ago I was the high bidder on a chocolate meringue pie that was to die for!  Last year I picked up a lemon meringue pie (for $100.00!!! - all for a good cause).  This year the person who always bids against me on the pies wasn't at the auction.  But, I didn't bid on a pie.  Instead I bid on this homemade white chocolate raspberry cheesecake with an oreo cookie crust and I won at only $42.50!  Now, I certainly understand that this will completely blow my carbs and calories out of the water today, but I also know that Michael, Mom, and Dad will all be very happy.  Here's a picture of the cheesecake:

I'm very happy to be able to report that our friends' Relay for Life team has raised more than $100,000.00 over the past ten years!  I'm very proud to have been a supporter of their effort.


I'll come back later to let you know how everything turns out.

After dinner thoughts:
Mmmmmm...that was mighty yummy!  In fact, tonight there are no leftovers; we ate all of the stir fry and tomatoes.  This really is one of our very favorite recipes.  I can hardly believe I haven't made this in so long. It's incredibly easy and quite low in calories.  A long time ago, under an older weight watchers points system 1.5 cups of this dish equaled only 3 points!  I don't know what the point count would be today, but it still can't be that much.

The cheesecake was pretty terrific too - and there is plenty of that left.  I'm sending more than half of what is left home with Mom and Dad plus I made a special little container just for my sister Cindy.  I'm sure there are more weight watchers points in one serving of the cheesecake than anyone is supposed to have in one day.  I had half a serving - still too many calories/points, and still quite delicious!

Mushrooms, Asparagus, Cauliflower, and Pineapple - not all in one dish!

I've been semi-following Engine 2 Diet along with Fat Free Vegan Kitchen on Facebook for some time now. Through those two pages I often find intriguing recipes from other sites. That's how I came up with tomorrow's menu. Tomorrow is Easter, but I'm not making any eggs. We're also in the midst of Passover, and I am using some oil. I guess I'm giving a semi-nod to two of the big holidays being celebrated right now.

The only thing that might be considered traditional for dinner this Easter is asparagus, which I plan to roast. We're also going to have either roasted cauliflower or mashed cauliflower. Then, we're going to have Marsala Glazed Mushrooms over wild rice. For dessert we're having Passover Pineapple Crumble.


It makes my mouth water just to think about it. Whatever holiday your family observes, I hope it's all you hope for.

After dinner thoughts...

Dinner was truly yummy!  We had both roasted and mashed cauliflower; I didn't have any half-and-half in the house, so I used fat free plain yogurt instead - I'll do this from now on.  The mushrooms were FABULOUS and I will happily make them again although I may use more than 20 ounces (I cooked 2 ten-ounce packages of baby bella mushrooms).  As you can see in the photos, I served the mushrooms over brown rice; this I would change to wild rice in the future.  The Pineapple Crumble was okay; not something I'll likely make again, but it was alright.

It's Not Sunday, But I Made Dinner

I do plan to make dinner tomorrow (Pasta with Asparagus, Cannellini Beans, and Porcini Cream). However, I've been meaning to make Jennifer Aniston's Favorite Quinoa Salad for quite awhile now. So, I made it today. Although, of course, I switched it up just a tiny bit. I omitted the parsley and added the juice from 1/2 of a small lime. I also used Cherubs grape tomatoes and Sunsweet (yellow) tomatoes instead of regular medium tomatoes. It was DELICIOUS!!! And, easy. And, I will definitely make this again. Unfortunately Michael doesn't like cucumbers so he won't be eating this salad; but lucky me I have leftovers (which is why I added the lime juice - in hopes of keeping the avocado from browning). I highly recommend this salad. It's both refreshing and filling without being too much. Yum!

Limiting Carbs

I'm going to have hand surgery soon. I have what is called trigger finger where, basically, the long finger on my left hand becomes locked in a bent position. I've been dealing with this for some time now and I often wake up with my finger locked and have to use my other hand to straighten the finger. As you might imagine, this is pretty painful. And, as time has gone on it has gotten to the point where the finger hurts all the time whether it's bent or straight. Anyway, when I went to the surgeon I admitted that my biggest concern (after wanting the pain gone) is when will I be able to lift weights again. Which led to a conversation about the weight I've lost over the past year, which in turn led to the doctor giving me a copy of her "diet for life."

The diet somewhat follows The Zone by Barry Sears. I picked up his book A Week in the Zone to learn more about it. It boils down to eating lean protein and lots of vegetables and fruits and limiting carbs - especially those refined carbs. And, it includes eating 5 times a day, at evenly spaced intervals. This "diet" is meant to help a person control peaks and dips of blood sugar levels. So, I'm on a quest to find filling low-carb vegetarian recipes.

I spent today doing the laundry and researching a variety of recipes. After all that online searching I'm going to make a recipe that I found in the March 2012 Cooking Light magazine that arrived at my house this week. I did, though, find some recipes to make in the future.

Tomorrow I'll make Vegetable "Meat" Loaf and Surprise South Beach Mashed "Potatoes". The potatoes are actually cauliflower; we've had this before and have enjoyed it. Interestingly, when I told Michael I was thinking of making roasted cauliflower he asked me to make the mashed - this from the man who at one time in his life wouldn't even consider tasting cauliflower.

So, that's what we're having for dinner this Sunday. I'll come back after to upload a picture and comment on how the dinner turned out.

In a Valentine Mood

I kind of feel like making dinner with Valentine's Day in mind, since it's Tuesday. I also have been thinking about what I already have in the house that I can make. Well, I'm going to end up going to the grocery even though it's really cold outside and I really was hoping to avoid going out. Oh well...

I've decided to make the Tofu Parmigiana that I made just about a year ago. I don't know why, but a parmigiana (or Parmesan) just seems to be a Valentine's-type recipe to me. So, we'll have the tofu, and that's what I have to go to the grocery for. I may also pick up some dried porcini mushrooms to adapt a Porcini Crusted Tofu recipe into the parmigiano. I think the mushrooms might give the dish a little more pizzazz.

Then, I think I'll also make some Mrs. T's Pierogies that I have in the freezer. I'm inspired by the Pesto Pierogies recipe, but I'm going to use a jarred pesto that I already have on hand. I'm not really sure though, again I'm thinking about it. If I don't do the pesto pierogies, I might do Pierogy Primavera. Either way I'm pretty sure we'll have pierogies too.

Hmm, such a dilemma. I guess it'll depend on what I feel like tomorrow. But, I still need to go to the grocery to pick up some tofu. I'll be sure to let you know how it all turns out.

Tex-Mex Superbowl Sunday

I planned to just snack today, until I thought about what I had picked up and what Mom and Dad might actually like. On Friday, Schnucks market had a facebook drive-time special that I picked up. Queso Dip Special, $6.50: 1 10-oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes, 1 2-lb Kraft Velveeta, 1 super Pretzel soft pretzels package, 1 13-oz Mission Tortilla chips, AND 1 Coke 2-liter product. Not exactly diet friendly, but hey it's "Superbowl Sunday"! These drive-time specials are good only on the day they are offered and only from 4:00-8:00 p.m. They have really great deals!

Anyway, in thinking about this, I thought well maybe we could have nachos. So, Michael went to the grocery for me this morning to pick up what I needed to make Shredded Tex-Mex Crock-Pot Chicken. I needed chicken, garlic, lettuce, grape tomatoes, and some condiments. This sounds absolutely yummy to me, and it's something I've not made before. I'll also open a can of black beans and have them with the nachos too. I bet, though, that it's a little shocking that I'm making chicken. Well, while that's a real departure for Sunday dinner, I think we'll all like it.

I'll let you know how it turns out. Happy Superbowl Sunday - have a good time!

So - dinner was yummy! Not very diet friendly though with all that cheese. Tasty!

It's Been Awhile

My last post was some time ago. I've been cooking, just not blogging. Well, I already know what I'm cooking for dinner tomorrow and I have a few minutes, so I figure I'll share.

Tomorrow I'm making an adaptation of a recipe I picked up at Schnucks back in December. I did make the recipe as written and it was yummy. Tomorrow I'm using scallops instead of shrimp. We're having Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits and fresh green beans. I also picked up some already cooked red crab claws and arms that I just need to defrost. It's going to be a mini seafood feast!

Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Grits
Serves 4

1 can (14.5 oz) less-sodium chicken broth (1.75 cups)
1.25 cups milk
.75 cup instant grits
.5 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1.25 pounds raw peeled and deveined 36-40 count shrimp, thawed if necessary
(I'm using 1 pound bay scallops)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 lemons (1 cut in half and 1 cup in wedges)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1- In covered 2- to 3-quart saucepan, heat broth and milk to boiling over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in grits, salt, and .25 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon butter. remove saucepan from the heat, cover to keep warm.

2- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Ass shrimp, garlic and remaining .25 teaspoon pepper and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque throughout and internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove skillet from heat; squeeze juice of lemon halves over shrimp; sprinkle with parsley and toss to combine. If desired, add additional salt to taste.

3- Divide grits among 4 shallow bowls; top with shrimp and its sauce. Serve with lemon edges to squeeze over shrimp.

Each serving: about 420 calories, 15g fat, 36g carb, 2g fiber, 34g protein

I'll be sure to take a picture and to let you know how it all turns out.

Here's the picture:
Dinner was quite yummy. While the dish might be prettier with the shrimp, I think it tastes better with the scallops (maybe because I like scallops better than shrimp). I highly recommend this dish. It's really easy to make and everyone who has tasted it, even those who don't like grits, have liked it.

Pumpkin Lasagna

I was a bit skeptical about pumpkin lasagna, but I must say it is really good. I came across the idea when looking at a cooking magazine my friend Liz had. So, I went online to find the recipe. It really was yummy. The only problem I had was the center noodle "buckled" and was therefore a little brittle. I don't really know what I could do to keep this from happening. I followed the recipe as written except I chopped the mushrooms rather than just slicing them. I recommend this recipe. It's especially good this time of year.

As you can see I paired the lasagna with peas and a slice of warm multi grain bread. I also made brownies for dessert. It was quite a comforting dinner.

Pasta & Chickpeas

Tonight we had a recipe I found in the book Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. On page 67 you can find the recipe, which I copy for you below. It was quite tasty! And, it couldn't be easier. So, I'll count this as another winner and add it to the list of repeats. We had stewed tomatoes and 5-cheese Texas toast. Michael made a cherry cake with cherry icing, so that was dessert. All in all a fulfilling dinner.

Pasta and Chickpeas
with plenty of parsley and garlic

1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus extra to finish
1/2 large onion, diced
a few pinches of hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can, liquid reserved
1 big bunch of flat-leaf parsley, the leaves stripped from the stems (I used freeze-dried parsley, about 1/4 cup)
3 plump garlic cloves
small handful of sage leaves (I used about 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound whole wheat pasta shells (I used a box of tri-colored rotini)
freshly grated Parmesan

1- Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
2- Heat the oil in a wide skillet and add the onion and pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes, then add the chickpeas. While they're warming, chop the parsley, garlic, and sage together, then toss a third of it into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, add a little water or chickpea broth to the pan, and cook slowly, adding more liquid as it cooks away.
3- Salt the pasta water and cook the pasta. When done, drain and toss it with the chickpeas, the rest of the parsley mixture, and extra olive oil to taste. Taste for salt and season with freshly ground pepper. Grate some cheese over the top and serve with additional pepper flakes.

Potatoes, Mushrooms, & Eggs

Tonight's dinner was terrific! The inspiration recipe came from the book Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. On page 120 is a recipe for eggs baked on a bed of sauteed mushrooms and croutons. I changed it up a bit. I wanted to use a couple of baked potatoes we had in the refrigerator instead of croutons. Here is the recipe as adapted by me:

2 tablespoons butter
2 baked potatoes, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 container sliced "steak" mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 generous teaspoons tomato paste
3/4 cup burgundy wine
4 eggs

1- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray a shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it on a sheet pan.
2- Melt half the butter in a medium skillet, add the cubed potato, and toss it about the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until it's golden and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes, but not hard. Put the potatoes in the baking dish.
3- Heat the oil and remaining butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic. Raise the heat, then add the mushrooms, most of the herbs, and a few pinches of salt. Saute until the mushrooms have started to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the wine and immediately scrape the pan to release the juicy bits. Lower the heat and simmer until a few tablespoons of juice remain. Season with salt and pepper and add the mushrooms to the baking dish.
4- Break the eggs over the mushrooms and add a pinch of salt and some pepper. Bake until the whites are set, about 15 minutes, and the yolks are as firm as you like. Remove, sprinkle the rest of the herbs over the top, and serve.

We had sides of asparagus and komato tomatoes, along with a nice sourdough bread. Yummy!

After Dinner Thoughts

Hmmm...another good meal. Mom and Dad really enjoyed the new dish. I thought it was fine, Michael hasn't had it yet - he's out watching football. I don't know if I'll make this again, though. It is fairly labor intensive; there are quire a few steps and it takes more than an hour of constant cooking (not counting prep time). Having made this I just might try to tackle real risotto some time.

Have a good week and I'll let you know what's for dinner the next time I cook!

Reverse Risotto

For some reason I've always been intimidated by the thought of risotto. I like risotto, have had it once or twice in a restaurant and enjoyed it, but have felt it will take more patience than I have. That is until I came across this recipe. Also, my friend and hairdresser, Karen tells me she is confident I could handle risotto. So, I'll start down the risotto path with this recipe that is in the October 2011 Vegetarian Times magazine.

The recipe comes from Chef Keith Pooler of Bergamot restaurant in Somerville, Mass. It incorporates garlic, green beans, mushrooms, fresh thyme, shallots, sweet potato, parsnips, and (of course) rice. It sounds lovely.

Tomorrow is Mom and Dad's 52nd wedding anniversary. Wednesday is Michael and my 20th wedding anniversary. Sunday dinner will be our celebration together. I'll be sure to let you know how it all turns out!

After Dinner Thoughts

Mmmm, that was different. Good, but different. I should have added salt to the water when I cooked the lentils (I didn't use canned lentils). Michael felt something was missing. Also, we ate the Eggplant Lentils by themselves: no pasta, rice or other grain. It really didn't need anything more. And, it was quite filling. I may make this again with a few minor adjustments.

As you can see, we also had corn on the cob and a tomato salad. For the salad I cut up three farm fresh tomatoes and a cucumber, added salt and pepper, sprinkled about 2 ounces of feta cheese on top after putting a little bit of fat-free Caesar Italian salad dressing. Such an easy and truly delicious dish!

So, while not a complete hit, dinner was pretty good. And, as stated above with a few minor tweaks this could make another appearance on our dinner table.

Skillet Eggplant and Lentils

I came across this recipe recently and thought it sounded good, so today I'm trying it. Skillet Eggplant and Lentils - sounds intriguing. I think I'll also make some type of tomato salad.

Yesterday my sister and brother-in-law hosted a "last pool party of the summer." We had a terrific time! Our friends Liz and Darren, Andrea and Aleah, Cassy and Timmy and our Aunt Linda and Uncle Richard all stopped by; of course, Mom and Dad were poolside too. Liz made a fabulous tomato, cucumber and feta salad that I'm going to try to replicate today. All the food was really god - that salad just stood out for me and I'd like some more.

I hope the folks on the East Coast are fairing well. The weather in Midwest has been beautiful this weekend! In a few weeks Liz, Darren, Michael and I are taking a trip to the Grand Canyon. We will be celebrating my 50th birthday (earlier this year) and our 20th wedding anniversary (we've actually been together for thirty-two years, we just waited awhile to get married). We're staying one night at Bright Angel Lodge on the South Rim of the Canyon, then several nights at The Orchards Inn of Sedona. We're all very excited for this trip!

Anyway, as ever, I'll be sure to let you know how dinner turns out.

After Dinner Thoughts

My that was tasty! It's too bad, though, that mom didn't feel up to coming over for dinner. There is plenty leftover; I may have to take some to them tomorrow.

This was a wonderfully easy dish to make with ingredients I already had on hand (oh, okay, so I might not normally have fresh grilled tuna steaks on hand, but canned tuna might do in a pinch). Michael and I both enjoyed tonight's dinner.

I don't know what will be up for dinner next week, but when I figure that out I'll let you know. Have a great week!

Making It Up - Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

I didn't make Sunday dinner last weekend; instead we went over to Cindy's & Dave's house and enjoyed a really nice summer Sunday. While the weather is nice again today, I am making Sunday dinner and bringing Mom and Dad over to enjoy it. I'm needing a fairly low-key Sunday.

So, I've made it up myself today. Michael grilled some tuna steaks the other day; they are in today's dinner. I'm calling dinner Mediterranean Tuna Pasta. Here are today's ingredients:

Cheese tortellini
Marinated artichoke hearts, chopped with marinade
Sundried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped
Medium-size black olives, halved
Tuna - chopped

The artichoke marinade is the sauce (with a little of the sun dried tomatoes marinade - just however much looks right). Everything, except the tortellini, goes in a large bowl. Add the tortellini right after cooking and draining so that it warms all the ingredients. Serve.

I could easily also add:
Red onion, chopped finely
Fresh spinach, chopped
Parmesan, mozzarella, feta or goat cheese
Pine nuts
Basil
Cannelloni beans

Green beans with sliced almonds is our side today. Sounds yummy! I'll be sure to let you know how it all turns out.

After Dinner Thoughts

OMG! The fresh tomato pasta is wonderful! It is lovely; if you like tomatoes try this recipe. The locally grown tomatoes gave the pasta a slightly sweet taste. I used fresh spinach for my greens. It truly is a mouth-watering recipe.

We also had a sliced cucumber brother-in-law David gave us. Oh, and bread - I picked up a loaf of Artisan "take, bake, & share" Italian peasant bread. The bread was nice and crispy on the outside and deliciously warm on the inside.

To top things off I made brownies from a Ghiradelli mix - yum.

Have a great week.