A Doe Dinner

It was Zach's turn to make a meal, and boy did he make a meal!
I was trying to be Vegetarian, and this scrumptious sandwich certainly complies, with large, lucious chunks of avocado, thick slices of tomato, half smiles of red onion, thinly spread mozzarella, topped with smart 'n healthy spinach, sandwiched between slices of the buttermilk bread, toasted together to form a more perfect panini--not to mention the mango treat on the side!

Complimentary Colors

An impromptu meal, easy and ridiculously cheap ($5 for the groceries, feeding two)
Tea for two (green and herbal lemon)
Wheat toast spread with roasted tomato paste, black and green olive tapenade.
Salad:
Spinach
Cilantro
Onion
Tomato
Kiwi
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil/Balsamic Vinegar

Three Cheers for Improvising

Butternut Squash soup from TJ's, heated over stove with added herbs
Topped with Cinnamon, and complimented with bananas.
Surprisingly delicious.
Tea--a new obsession, hot and filled with antioxidants? Done.
(Standard artisan bread, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt/pepper and broiled on low in oven)

 

Fresh Take

This recipe was simple:

Any type of your favorite pasta

Fresh cut tomatoes

frozen basil --

(a new fav find at TJ's, you pop little squares of it out into ANYTHING YOU EAT, I think it is better than fresh)

minced garlic

all tossed with a little EVVO

fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

topped with grated sheep cheese

The bread was also a delicious find, a rosemary loaf lightly sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic, topped with cheese. 

Dangerously Cheesy

A pasta I have been dying to try my hand at for some time, this recipe was a cinch, and quite delicious.  Olive oil is heated up in a pan, a few cloves of garlic is added and sauteed until a light brown, 28 oz of pulsed italian plum tomatoes, crushed red pepper and salt to taste are added.  This mixture is brought to a simmer for ten minutes-boil one pound pasta (mostaccili is preferred) simultaneously.  Drain pasta, add tomato mixture and one pound of mozzarella cheese, cubed.  Served with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, it's a crowd pleaser.
Bread was spread with butter, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, and broiled.

Double the Mashed Potato Pleasure!

It was a normal idea, that grew to full on home-cooked meal proportions.

First came the mashed potatoes, with sour cream, butter, and frozen corn (boiled, please)
Next came the sliced tomatoes and red onion (originally planned with avocado as well, but that is a sore subject) drizzled with oil and balsamic vinegar.
And last came the crown jewel of our hearty collection, the pan-seared pork loin, chosen with precision by the professionals behind the meat counter, and finished with a pan sauce made with chicken broth and reduced balsamic vinegar.  Mirrored image, you ask? No, just identical plates of potato and pork perfection.

The morning rolled around, and we had made just enough mash to fill our longing stomachs with the potatoes they desired.  Simply add an egg, and in our case diced red onion to the mix, dollop onto a hot pan, and serve with sour cream and apple sauce.  Hot sauce or ketchup are viable options as well.   

German Pancakes

I don't want to beat the pancake horse to death, but I think I just did.  Sorry you poor, poor pancake horse.                                                                       

These were made extra delicious and thick simply by adding an extra egg. Paired with raspberries, mango, and pear, you really can't go wrong.