Another Link

http://www.marthastewart.com/food

Yes, yes I know its Martha but there is a really good, quick and easy lasagna recipe found here:

And if a good recipe is sufficient for a good cookbook, then it also good enough for adding a link.

Yumm...New Link

Cool site added: Yummly. Enjoy!

5/20

Nothing makes a quick meal like precooked ingredients. I grilled chicken over the week-end and grilled a couple of extra.

Tonight, Basmati rice (actually a Texas version called Texmati) nutty and sweet smelling it cooks in about 15 minutes. Tonight I added a tsp of chicken bouillon granules for a change. This rice needs little help to be tasty though and the teen-ager loves it.

While the rice cooks I make Tomato-Rosemary Chutney from the Conscious Cuisine cookbook my neighbor picked up from a garage sale. She said she originally bought it for herself but figured she would have a better chance of  trying it if she gave it to me. :-)

1/2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of a sauté pan.
Add 1 cup finely chopped red onion (1 large) and cook till softened.
add 2 tsp minced garlic ( I like Spice World's)
Mix in 4 cups diced peeled tomatoes (about 4 mdm)
and 2 T balsamic vinegar
and  1 T finely chopped Rosemary

Simmer for about 15 minutes till tomatoes cook down

Season with 1/4 tsp of sea salt

Store in airtight container in fridge for 4-5 days

I halved the recipe and did not peel the tomatoes.

After the rice was taken off the heat ( it stays covered for 15 minutes off the heat) I added the chicken to warm it up (since it was already cooked)

Serve the rice and chicken and chutney with a salad.

Note* Teenager like the chutney
Wife liked it but was not overwhelmed, nor was I. But it was good enough to try again (maybe peel the tomatoes and use a full recipe). The sauce is good for pasta or chicken.

5/19

Filet Mignon - (See how to cook a steak) Cracked black pepper and sea salt.

Scalloped potatoes

Green Beans

Ice cream, Strawberries and chocolate morsels

I am not a cooking snob. I am not above using things from a box or that are already prepared. I am however kind of picky and I don't like to eat things that taste like they come from a box or straight out of the can. Fortunately there are an increasing number of options along these lines that save time and unless you confess, no one will know. We are trying to eat healthier too. Often, the two goals are not exclusive.

Case in point was tonights meal. I used Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes (100% real potatoes) Good stuff, ready in 20 minutes (mix and bake) and in a 1/2 cup serving 130 calories only 30 of which are fat. Kid favorite.

Green Beans from a can. Kid favorite. Wife favorite. Me, not so much. So I use the bacon off my filet and add to my portion. ( so much for healthy but I do try- most of the time). Chopping up a few onions in a batch helps too. The kids can pick around them and I get more flavor.

How to Cook a Steak

Cooking steaks on a week-night? Yup- and in only about  16 minutes. You can find many "how to" sites out there regarding this method. Here is the one I used:

First, you will need to have a large skillet and one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Pour the oil in the large skillet, preferably one that can be place in the oven as well such as an iron skillet. Heat the oil until you notice small wisps of smoke appear, then place your mignon steaks in the skillet.

Cooking Filet Mignon (Searing)

Sear each steak for 3 minutes on both sides. This helps to hold in the natural juices of the filet steaks and also aids in keeping your steaks tender.

Now, place the pan in the oven and bake in a pre-heated oven on 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Cooking times for Filet Mignon then are:

• Rare  4 to 6 minutes, for
• Medium 6 to 8 minutes, and for
• well done you will want to bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

This is the easiest way to prepare beefsteaks that everyone will enjoy. The best part is you did not have to slave over a hot stove to serve your family a wonderful and yummy meal. You can also add other sauces to the prepared steaks like butter sauce or steak sauce. Either way, your meal will be delectable. from the steak guide

November 2002- La Cartuja de Cazalla

La Cartuja de Cazalla was a monastery and is now a national monument operating more like a guest house, rather than as a hotel. Cartuja in Spanish means “charter house”.

The building slab dates from the 700 hundreds and the actual dining room ceiling, from the 1400’s. Undoubtedly, this is a unique place in a privileged location. Here you will find, peace, tranquility and silence combined with breathtaking views. There is a choice of room types in the Cartuja de Cazalla: The traditional but simple ones, in the building at the entrance just before the courtyard and authentic former monk cells in the older quarters, next to the inner garden. By the way, here at the Cartuja de Cazalla, they grow their own produce, so you will with Carmen in her home, sampling local dishes (often made with home-grown produce) and chatting around the table afterwards, a forum for sharing knowledge and ideas. (more)

5/18 - Dessert

Sometimes you gotta do quick. HEB lean BBQ brisket. Microwave. Nice buns from Central Market. A salad.

For dessert- a scoop of vanilla ice cream with strawberries (from a few nights ago- rum and balsamic vinegar- even better after a few days) and Nestle tiny dark chocolate morsels.

Simple ingredients. Outstanding results.