two for two going on three for three

This week marks our third week of new recipes.

We’re making it a priority to try one new recipe per week.  Cooking is one of our favorite things to do together and this is a fun way to make sure our weeknights don’t get away from us.  (Read this morning’s post for more on the background here.)

So far we’re two for two on choosing good recipes and recreating them well.

The first week we made a recipe I’ve been wanting to make for like 3 years: Rachel Ray’s Greek Beef Tenderloin in Togas.

This was a great, balanced meal and though it looks difficult, it really wasn’t.  It was a little time consuming but so worth it.  And the recipe made 6 servings so we had lunch for two days in addition to this dinner!

I loved that the steak, orzo, and vegetable salad recipes were all listed in one.  It was a complete meal in one recipe–no need to worry about finding multiple recipes to complete a meal.

Last week, our second week, we made Seared Scallops over Wilted Spinach and Parmesan Risotto from SkinnyTaste.

This dish was so satisfying.

Mike’s thoughts:

“one of the best meals we’ve ever made”

“This is restaurant quality.”

I agree. It was delicious. And again, relatively simple. We love risotto so that wasn’t a problem and the scallops and spinach were super easy in a skillet.

Tonight, we’re trying Tyler Florence’s Cheese Fondue recipe! Hoping we go three for three!

a new recipe for balance

If there’s one thing I want in my life it’s balance, something that’s not always easy to come by.  My weeks are always packed and I find myself at one of two extremes: either go-go-go or zonked out in front of the TV until bed.

But I recently found a new way to create balance during the week.

A few weeks ago I made Jessica‘s BBQ Spiced Salmon with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa.  It was the first time I had cooked in months–or cooked something new. Ok, kind of both.  No, I don’t count pancakes.

It felt so good.

I’m telling you, cooking is good for the soul.  Or good for mine anyway.  There is just something about cooking, especially something new, that grounds you in the present moment.  The brightness of the foods, the fresh smells while prepping and the hearty smells while cooking, the sound of onions and garlic hitting a hot pan, the feel of actually doing something with your hands.  It’s awesome.

I was so happy to serve Mike a delicious dinner, impressed with the finished product, and completely energized by the whole process.

It was then that I decided that I need to prioritize this.  If I don’t make room for it in my life, my week nights will get away from me.  In our discussion about the dishes, when I asked Mike if it was about something bigger like wanting to spend more time with me, he said that he did miss us cooking together.

I decided that we should make one new recipe a week together.  Mike liked the idea so it’s our new thing.  One new recipe a week is my new recipe for balance. One new recipe a week to keep me grounded and to connect with my husband.

It’s great.  We’re making new meals and we’re spending quality time together. Win-win.  (You know I love win-wins!)

And we’ve been sitting at the table to eat which is so nice and not the norm for us.

I love this idea! It’s really helped me to be present on weeknights and has actually made my evenings seem longer and more energized. I hate when I feel like I just come home and do nothing.

Check back this afternoon to see what we’ve made so far!

I’d love to know:

What do you do to balance your weeks?

what's for dinner? wednesday: 2 for 1

Saturday morning I put buffalo chicken in the crock pot. Isn’t making lunch on a weekend such an accomplishment?

After my favorite Saturday morning activities I went to the grocery store to get a few things for lunch and thought “we should go for a picnic!” I ran home, packed up everything for lunch, and called our friends John and Mindy to see if they wanted to meet us. They agreed! Isn’t calling a friend at the last minute and saying “hey-what-are-you-doing, do-you-want-to _____” and having it all work out just the best?

We had a picnic in Lafayette Park across from the White House. The weather was GORGEOUS. We had our buffalo chicken sandwiches, caught up, and then had a frisbee toss.

The next day was the 5k for Girls on the Run. When I got home we used the leftover buffalo chicken and made a pizza! Isn’t using leftovers in a different way so satisfying??

Between the 5k and eating a heavy pizza, I was kind of a zombie after that.  Regardless, the pizza was delicious and the sandwiches the day before were yummy!

Here are the recipes for both. (Do I owe you because it’s been so long since my last what’s for dinner wednesday? post?)

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Make this buffalo chicken recipe in the crockpot.

When the chicken is finished, put it on some nice big rolls.  Sesame seeds add a nice touch.

Serve with pickles, blue cheese, and maybe some potato chips.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Make this buffalo chicken recipe in the crockpot (or use leftovers from the sandwiches above).

Saute some about half a red onion, chopped.

Make a Pillsbury pizza crust according to package directions. After you pre-cook the crust it a bit, top with blue cheese dressing, onions, buffalo chicken, monterey jack cheese. Cook until the crust is done.

Top with watercress for a pop of freshness. Some chopped celery would add a nice crunch too!

Let’s chat:

What do you usually do for lunch on the weekends?

Have you turned leftovers into something special recently?

To see what we had for dinner tonight, like Things After the Rings on Facebook!

A Wonderfully Ordinary Wednesday Evening

Last night was a really good night.  It may seem like it’s nothing special because it was just a Wednesday night at home but these kinds of nights are kind of out-of-the-ordinary for me. So, this ordinary, run-of-the-mill Wednesday night filled with normal things and with a blend of relaxing and productivity is very special to me.

Warning: this post is full of digressions and small details.

I got home from work and immediately sat down at the computer to do some writing.  I even sat there with my jacket on for a little while.  Usually I come home and change my clothes first. thing. But I was motivated and wanted to jot my ideas down while they were fresh so I did.  I wrote for about 20 minutes or so until Mike got home.

I greeted him: “Hello! What are you doing?”

He responds: “Just walking in the door.”

Me: “Why are you laughing?”

Mike: “Because I just walked in the door, that’s what I’m doing.”

Riight.

Usually we get started on dinner right away but I suggested we get in bed for a bit. I took off my skirt and cardigan and climbed into bed in my underwear and blouse. It was one of those ahh, this bed is soo comfortable feelings where you just melt into the bed and your stress falls away. Mike changed out of his work clothes and joined me and had the exact same reaction until he said “can you move over? I’m not liking this…” I readjusted.

We basked in the glory of our comfortable bed and our little reprive. Mike said “My feet are cold, let me get in here” as he put his cold feet between mine.  We snuggled in together.

I was about to doze off when he asked me how my day was.

“It was good,” I said sleepily.

“Now’s not a good time to chat?”

“No, I’ll chat.  If I want to chat at all I better do it now since the Flyers are on tonight and you won’t be available then.”

I told him about my day, a small accomplishment at work. Then, he shared about his day.  Then…

“Do I still have that thing in my nose?” I ask holding my nose open and pointing.

“What thing? I don’t see anything.”

“Like right there. I can feel it, it hurts kinda.”

“Close your nostril.”

We stayed in bed for a while chatting briefly and cuddling.  This 30 minutes in bed was such a nice break from the usual.

I volunteered to make dinner while Mike relaxed on the couch. He was excited when I offered and I was happy to do it.

While making dinner I boiled some eggs, something I’d been meaning to do all week.  And when I cracked them for breakfast this morning they were perfect.

Here’s the method we used from Real Simple. Yes, we had to Google because neither of us knew the right way and when I called my mom she didn’t answer.

It’s funny–that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I imagine my mom not being here anymore and me wanting to call her for something. That I won’t be able to call her to tell me how to boil an egg. And I never wanted to Google it because of that. But as I was thinking about this last night I’m like I Google a million other things. It’s fine to Google things there’s a method for.  What will be really sad is when my mom isn’t there for me to call when I’m sick (like I did every day I was sick last week–she’s probably glad I’m better) or when I’m upset or need help with my future kids. It’s fine to Google how to boil an egg.

We watched an episode of Modern Family while we ate BLT’s.  We’re watching from the beginning on Netflix. It was the Valentine’s Day episode in the second season.

Then I hopped up to do my project: make chocolate chip cookie dough peanut butter cups for book club on Friday. Mike did the dishes quick while I read through the recipe and collected the ingredients.

I worked happily on these little gems, squealing with delight as they started to come together. Mike was yelling in anger at the Flyers.

In between the three phases I wrote a blog post and did the dishes. I finished the peanut butter cups, finished the dishes, finished the blog post and got in bed to read.

Lights out at 9:55. Good. night.

I’d love to know:

What’s a great Wednesday night for you?

What are some things you call your mom for?

 

What's for Dinner? Wednesday: BLTs

We hosted some friends for a small brunch on Easter Sunday. I think it was the first time we’ve hosted that we were actually ready for the guests when they arrived. We had a minor spat and were super flustered prepping for our Super Bowl party, and when we hosted a Christmas party a few years ago we were rushing to finish homemade spanakopita triangles as the start time drew near. Oh, and we had friends staying with us at the time that witnessed this stress. Nothing like getting frustrated with your spouse in front of a friend.

Though this was a huge victory for us, being ready in time wasn’t the only way we prepped for success. We  invited a great group of friends. We planned a full menu: blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, porkroll sandwiches*, homefries, and dessert pizza. We also told our friends exactly what to bring: stuff for mimosas and a fresh fruit platter.

Breakfast turned out great and everyone had a nice time.  I love hosting friends (hence my resolution to host once per month), I love feeding people. It was a good day. [I intended to have pictures taken at brunch so I could post about it.  I delegated this task to Mike.  He didn’t take any pictures and I totally forgot while the brunch was happening. Working on that.]

How does this relate to What’s for Dinner? Wednesday, you wonder. Well, we had about a pound of bacon leftover. So when we made our grocery list and menu for this week, Mike suggested we have BLTs.

A classic American sandwich, the simple BLT has a nice combination of flavors and textures.  You have the crunch of the lettuce and toast, the juicy tomato (must add a touch of salt to truly bring out the flavor), the crisp, salty, meaty bacon, and that special something that mayo adds.  And yes, you must use real mayo. [No, Hellman’s did not sponsor this post.]

Mike gobbled these sandwiches right up.  And then ate a third of my sandwich that I didn’t want. He now has a stomach ache.  I’m not sure if that’s from the 2.33 sandwiches he ate or from the mayo that was “best before Jan. 24, 2012.” Oops.

*Porkroll is a breakfast meat common in SE PA and Southern New Jersey. It’s like ham but much better. When we moved to DC we realized we had friends that had never had porkroll and we wanted to share the goodness. Oh, and this is my specialty.

Talk to me:

What’d you have for dinner?

Have you ever had porkroll? If you came over for breakfast, would you try it?

What's for Dinner? Vegetarian {Giveaway}

While Mike was away, I had to fend for myself when it came to meals.  (I realized how much I rely on Mike for things like meal planning, grocery shopping, and laundry. Boy, I am grateful.) Without meaning to I ate vegetarian for Monday through Wednesday lunch.

Instead of eating pancakes for every meal like I usually do when Mike’s out of town, I took this opportunity to make a meal that Mike doesn’t really care for: black bean soup in the crock pot.

This soup is super easy, super cheap, delicious, and filling. It makes a ton and yields leftovers. (Believe me, it’s better than it looks in the picture!)

Enjoy!

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Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

4 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 14.5 oz cans of vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup of salsa (not pico de gallo)

optional toppings: monterey jack cheese, cilantro, lime

Combine beans, brother, and salsa in crock pot. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low 4-8 hours. Puree with an immersion blender. Top with cheese, cilantro, lime juice.

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My First Giveaway!

In honor of my vegetarian meals, I’m giving away the cookbook How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.  I’m giving away my copy so it’s slightly used (slightly just because we don’t often cook vegetarian) but it’s in very good condition and is a great resource for people looking to make vegetarian meals on a more regular basis.

There are three ways to enter:

1) leave a comment telling me your favorite vegetarian meal

2) Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment telling me you did “@thingsafterings is giving away a vegetarian cookbook. I want to cook vege!”

3) like Things After the Rings on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you did

I’ll pick a random winner on Sunday at 6pm.

Weekend in the city

Hey there!  Happy Monday! Have a good weekend?  I certainly did! Take a look:

1. Flags blowing outside the Old Post Office Sunday afternoon
2. Scattergories with friends Saturday night
3. Sunday dinner: homemade chili
4. Browsing in Barnes and Noble (so many books I wanted to buy!)
5. Girls on the Run training on Saturday afternoon
6. Grilled veggie and goat cheese sandwich from U Street Cafe
7. Homemade bacon and spinach omelets
8. Window seat and writing at U Street Cafe

not pictured: bagel and cafe au lait at Modern Times Coffeehouse with Mike (finally caught up) and guacamole lunch with Jordan at Oyamel

I’d love to know:

What’d you do this weekend?

What's for Dinner? Butternut squash stuffed shells

I just finished my last bite and had to share this meal with you immediately.

Butternut squash stuffed shells.

We made Jessica‘s Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna a month or so ago and absolutely loved it.  So I was excited to try the stuffed shell version and it didn’t disappoint. You take a bite and the squash is creamy and buttery and garlicky. Delicious. If you’re more of a penne person, try the penne version.

I think this is going to be a go-to recipe in our house.