Sunday, August 02, 2015

Weekend Cooking 8/2

Each weekend, Beth Fish Reads hosts Weekend Cooking.  This is perfect for me since I love food and cooking almost as much as I love books!

We are finally back home after a month of trips back and forth to Rochester, NY. My dad's memorial service was Tuesday, so by Wednesday we were back home and trying to resume our normal lives. For me, that means also getting back in the kitchen! My friend has been picking up our CSA produce (from a local farm) all month, so she gave me what was left from this week's pick-up. I tried to get back into some interesting, tasty dinners and trying new things.

Spiced Chicken Thighs - Cooking Light
The one night that both of my sons were home for dinner this week, I tried a new recipe, from my favorite source, Cooking Light magazine: Spiced Chicken Thighs. These were a nice, highly-flavored change from our same-old dinners, and everyone liked them. We didn't try the sides pictured in the recipe (we mostly eat Paleo, with no grains, for medical reasons), but I served them with fresh wax beans and zucchini from the farm and some broccoli from the grocery store.

Last night, our younger son was at the beach for the week and our older son was working, so I made one of my husband's and my favorite meals: Green Chicken Curry. This is what we usually order at our favorite Thai restaurant, and I recently tried making it at home - delicious! I mostly followed the recipe at the link, except that for veggies I used bell pepper, green beans, and eggplant, since that is how our local Thai restaurants make it. In fact, this is the ONLY way my husband will eat eggplant! We spent years enjoying Green Curry before he realized there were chunks of eggplant in it. Now I have a use for the eggplant from the farm! We did ignore my no-grains restriction and eat this over brown rice.

Grilled Pork Chops - Cooking Light
And tonight, I am making another household favorite for my husband, father-in-law and me: Grilled Pork Chops with Shallot Butter. The first time I made this, I couldn't believe pork chops could be this flavorful! The fresh herbs and lemon makes them taste like the essence of summer. We'll have roasted cauliflower and steamed green beans on the side. This recipe is great if you are sick of cooking pork chops the same old ways every time.

Now I am looking forward to a full week at home - our first in over a month - with lots of fresh farm produce and some new recipes. It will be mostly just my husband and I this week for dinner, so I can get a little more creative than normal.

Enjoy your cooking and food this week!

12 comments:

  1. Oh those look like great recipes -- I'm adding them all to my to-try list. Hope you have a moment to relax and find some peace now. I too have been traveling a lot to help my mom after my father's death, just a couple of months ago.

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear of your father's death, too - I didn't realize that. I hope the same for you - some peace and a bit of summer relaxing.

      Sue

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  2. I love chicken and pork chops. I might have to give them a try!

    Sorry about your dad. I've lost both my parents (also a sister and my husband) so I know how awful it is. Sending you lots of hugs!

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    1. So sorry to hear you have been through this, too - thanks for the kind thoughts and virtual hugs!

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  3. I love Cooking Light's Spiced Chicken Thighs recipe- it's so easy and tasty.

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  4. I'm sure those home cooked meals hit the spot after all the stress you've been under. Sorry to hear about the loss of your father.

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    1. Thank you. Yes, after grabbing lots of hospital cafeteria food, stopping at quick restaurants, and only occasionally cooking super simple meals, it is nice to be getting back to a more normal routine and back in my own kitchen - especially with all this lovely summer produce!

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  5. All the recipes sound delicious. How did the Memorial Service go? I've been thinking of you during this tender time.

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    1. The service was very nice, Anne - small and family-only, as my dad had requested, but all the family was there. Thanks for asking and for thinking about me.

      Sue

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  6. Love your recipe choices. All simple and incredibly flavorful - especially the Green Curry Chicken. Indian food is my favorite. Wishing you peace and serenity after your loss.

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    1. I love Indian, too! And "simple and incredibly flavorful" is my motto for cooking! That's why I like Cooking Light so much - their emphasis is on flavor and freshness.

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  7. Food looks delicious!I eat chicken and broccoli most days so recipe looks very good. I love spices too! Sorry to hear about your father's passing. May God give you peace in your soul and comfort in your heart. Have a blessed week! .

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