riceballs

Okay, we had this meal two weeks ago (the post date above) but I'm just typing it up tonight (13 July) and for the life of me I can't remember what we had with our rice balls. I know I must have had one more dish, but the Haitian must have been here because that memory is bye-bye.

Sooooo, we had rice balls filled with tamago and this cashew-mushroom filling minus the cashews from my Sunset Vegetarian cookbook. They were meh at best. For one thing I forgot to make them out of sushi rice so they were falling apart like nobody's business. And the rice was bland. I'm going to put sushi rice seasoning stuff in them next time. I've made them before but I didn't have the cookbook (I checked it out from the library previously.) and, well, it's just not worth anymore words on this post. I'll make them again...but differently...more like last time.

spanakopita + salad

See that picture? That is a giant, extra-large pizza pan holding one of the world's most delicious dishes, spanakopita. I adore spanakopita. I love it.

Tonight I tried something new. I used a tried-and-true filling but instead of using filo dough, I made my own crust using the directions from my Laurel's Kitchen cookbook. It was crazy and I made it entirely on the faith that Laurel knew what she was talking about because the directions didn't look like it would work. I mean it called for a three to four foot 1-inch dowel to roll it out with. I had to raid my daughters' closet and take out one of their rods! Then you take the dough and wrap it around the dowel and roll it while the entirety of the dough is still wrapped up! Wasn't it going to stick together and I end up with something akin to a wooden bagel dog? But no, it worked fabulously! I ended up with two three-foot see-through-thin-in-some-places crusts in which to encase my spinach/feta filling. This is now my go-to method for divine spanakopita.

The filling is Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) from Allrecipes.com. If I'm following that recipe in its entirety (including phyllo dough) I tweak it in the following ways: I make sure the stems are removed from the spinach and I add the juice of one lemon. I also make it in a 9x13 instead of the suggested 9x9. When it says to remove the spinach mixture from the heat and set aside to cool I also drain it of excess water. Lastly, after I've assembled it and before I put it in the oven I cut the dish into pieces. (It's easier to cut before cooking.)

I'm not going to give you the dough recipe from Laurel. It's pretty in depth and has diagrams and is complicated. If you really want it just ask, otherwise you can get the book and have your own private lesson.

All in all? Total deliciousness wrapped up in gigantic super thin crust! Oh! and I made a salad.

pizza

We had one cheese, one pepperoni, and one cheese, pepperoni, pineapple and olive. But tonight my pie was extra-special. I bought a hydroponic basil plant from the San Antonio Farmer's Market when I was visiting my parents like a month or more ago. We used most of it but I thought I might try planting it and see what happens. Apparently that basil wanted to put down some roots and watch them grow, 'cause it's one happy plant right now.

All of that to say this: fresh basil on pizza is so unbelievably phenomenal. I had sauteed onions, lightly steamed broccoli, olives and after it finished cooking, tossed some of those happy, healthy basil leaves on top. Que Magnifique! Do try it. Do.

enchiladas

Tonight marked a turning point in our family. We demolished an entire 11x15 pan of enchiladas. Either I have to make a 9x13 and the 11x15 from now on or I need to add salad, chips and mexican rice, because what we did would have been more accurately portrayed by a zombie attacking a fresh brain. But there's a definite reason. These suckers are so dang tasty.

Confession: I adore soggy flour tortillas. I'm sure that ranks right up there with overcooked pasta in Chef Law Atrocities. Sorry, it's the way things are. One of my favorite things is to eat the guts out of a burrito and then eat the soggy leftover tortilla by itself with extra hot sauce. Mmmmm, so good. Because of this I make our enchiladas with flour tortillas. I make one batch of my de-hotified enchilada sauce (for the hubby) and pour it over flour tortillas rolled around crumbled queso fresco. That is it my friends. I let it incubate for 15-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven and we are ready to stuff ourselves with delicious enchilada heaven. And we do.

The sauce recipe is here and it is enough for one 11x15 pan, and my tweaks are as follows:

1. I use regular flour
2. Drop chili powder to 2 Tb
3. Increase tomato sauce to a 16 oz can
4. I don't add any extra salt. The onion salt is enough.

"chicken and dumplings"

I really wanted chicken and dumplings but I didn't have enough time to make it. I tried anyway and was rather disappointed. While it tasted okay, I really just should have saved it for another day. Another day with all the best ingredients and the necessary time to do such a delicious dish justice.

No recipe here, just threw scraps together attempting to make something out of nothing. Definitely didn't earn full, or even half, marks tonight. I'm sorry Chicken & Dumplings that I would trade in your true deliciousness for some quick and dirty substitution.

sandwiches + coleslaw

Using the leftover chicken from a few nights ago, I made chicken salad for sandwiches. I made it in the food processor because it's so easy. I think that's the difference between a real foodie and me. A real foodie would make chicken salad with the right chunky chicken texture. Me, I practically make a pate. I'm sure my family would appreciate something with a little bit more consistency than baby food. Sorry, family.

We had a yummy coleslaw from my Veg Fam cookbook with the sandwiches. Officially it's titled Cabbage, Apple, and Raisin Slaw. Apparently I have made it previously because I had little notes to myself in the margins and a smiley face next to the title. (In my cookbooks that means "yummy.") No recollection, but that's what notes are for, right?

Cabbage, Apple and Raisin Slaw recipe

chef salad

Chef salad! You've got to love chef salad. I mean, you're the one making it. If you don't like it, it's no one's fault but your own.

There was nothing unusual about this one. Same ingredients as usual:

• romaine
• carrots
• cheddar
• red cabbage
• grilled chicken
• pickled beets
• olives
• hard-boiled eggs
• sunflower seeds