Switch-A-Roo: Meal 4 Becomes Meal 3

We invited our neighbor friends John and Michael over for dinner. However, Meal 3 featured seafood and John is allergic so we did a little switching and Meal 4 (Cantaloupe Wedges with Feta Cheese; Honey-Glazed Chicken Skewers; Summer Squash and Olive Phyllo Tart and Espresso Cream Crunch) became Meal 3.

The Nerve of That Tart

Amazingly enough, I did NOT sustain a major injury while thinly slicing the squash and zucchini for the tart and I praised the Good Lord for pitted Kalamata olives so that I didn't have to do all the dirty work. The tart featured an aromatic mix of Mediterranean herbs that were surviving in my sad, slow-growing herb garden.

That's Not What Martha Said

Due to my inability to properly cut raw chicken thighs into thirds, I deviated from the recipe and placed the chicken thighs in a Pyrex baking dish. After a short internal debate, I followed the directions for the skewers and poured the rest of the marinade over the chicken thighs. I wrong. Because of the amount of extra marinade, the chicken didn't really roast or carmalize. Instead, they were incredibly tender and juicy without much flavor. Oh well, next time I'll make skewers like I was supposed to...

Fruit and Cheese

Interesting combination, but I still don't like cantaloupe that much. Besides, there isn't really much to say about the wonderful combination of salty cheese and sweet fruit.

The Dessert That Keeps You Up at Night

This dessert is one instance that using freshly made whipped cream makes all the difference in the world. It was one of Rick's favorite desserts - ever. The recipe is a little stingy with the chocolate-covered espresso beans, so I added more. That might be why Mom, Rick and I all had trouble sleeping.

All in All

I was somewhat relieved when the company couldn't make it. The chicken was too disappointing. However, I did enjoy the meal with Mom and sent her home with a plate for Dad.

Ketchup

I've been cooking, I promise. I just haven't been writing. Well, I've been writing but not for this. Work has picked up of late, which is a good thing so I've been writing words while the sun shines. So here goes my game of catch-up...

Dinner Two - Still Not a Fan of Tofu

One of the reasons I started this culinary experiment was to challenge my notions of what I liked and didn't like. Before this, it wouldn't have occurred to me to make this meal of Broiled Black Pepper Tofu, Soy-Lemon Dipping Sauce, Soba Noodle Salad with a dessert of Baked Apricots with Almond Topping. That being said, I liked the recipes and thought that everything turned out really well. It's just that no matter how well it's cooked, I'm still not a fan of tofu. It's a texture thing.

Searching for Soba

As a result of reading too many cookbooks and watching too many cooking shows I happen to know that soba noodles are an Asian noodle made from buckwheat flour. I wasn't able to find the soba noodles at my Publix or my mom's Winn Dixie. Two very friendly and helpful employees, one named Hasaam, helped me search high and low for the noodles. One of the guys asked why I needed soba noodles and I told him "because Martha said so". I ended up finding the noodles at World Market a hand-lettered Asian and Latin market on Beach Boulevard. Funny thing was that there were three different size packages of noodles - and all of them were $3.99. So naturally, I bought the biggest package, which was 300 grams of noodles. Let me know if you need any, I have extra.

Sunny Soy-Lemon Goodness

This dipping sauce was certainly the highlight of the meal. Full of zest (lemon) and ginger this flavorful sauce is a new favorite. I'm thinking that I'll use it for marinating chicken wings...

Fruit-Tastic Finish

I shouldn't admit this, but I didn't fully realize that apricots came fresh because I only had ever seen them dried. But duh, if it's dried it has to be fresh at some point. But fresh apricots are smaller than I thought and located near the peaches and nectarines. Once topped with a mix of unsalted butter, brown sugar and almonds then baked in the oven these made for a surprisingly rich dessert with enough tartness to add interest.

Dinner One - Father's Day Dinner

First dinner was simply a success! The menu according to Martha featured: Pancetta Cheeseburgers; Balsamic Mushrooms; Tomato, Basil, and White Bean Salad; Coconut-Topped Cupcakes. Since tomatoes and basil were provided by the generous farmers of Jackson Square Gardens the grocery total was $43.17. However, it was slightly inflated because I was out of pantry staples (chili powder, balsamic vinegar, paprika) and had to restock. But that just might be me justifying how much I spend at Publix - a special talent of mine.

Flirting with Disaster - Cupcake Baking from Hell

I am not a baker. I am not a baker. I am a terrible bak

er. Something about precise measurements and I don't get along. So I start with the cupcakes and the butter is frozen. Boo. So I cut it up to get it to room temperature. However, I lump in the stick of butter for the cakes in with the half of a stick for the icing and cream it with the sugar. Using some of my infamous cooking words and English-major math skills I am able to increase e recipe by half (instead of doubling) for a grand total of 18 cupcakes instead of 12. Disaster averted as I get exactly 18 cupcakes and the uncooked batter tastes just as heavenly as uncooked cake batter does - mmmm... Still, spooning the batter into the baking cups is the very definition of tedious. However, these are now my go-to recipe for cupcakes and icing.

Everything Else

The bean salad featured homegrown tomatoes from The Garden at Jackson Square and basil from my front stoop, whic

h is also from the Garden at Jackson Square. I skimped on the basil because my little plant is still getting established and wanted some left to grow for other meals. The basil is spicier than grocery store basil and doesn't seem as soft. Weird, but delicious nonetheless. The meat I bought for the burgers was too lean and was saved only by Rick's expert grilling techniques. These simple burgers called for chili powder and paprika, which gave them a unique red hue and subtle flavor. Instead of pancetta I used prosciutto and it crisped up nicely in the oven. It had a great flavor especially in combination with the creaminess of the fontina cheese. Mushrooms were simple, delicious, and will be added to our regular menu.

AR's Vote

Given that AR hates ground beef and beans she wasn't a fan of the dinner. We put a little of everything on her plate and nothing got touched, she couldn't even bother to throw it on the floor. We gave in and gave her a scoop of hummus, which promptly got fork-fed to Drake the Dog. AR didn't like the meal but loved the cupcakes and thanks to her dad she got to eat THREE cupcakes for dinner. Drake loved the cupcakes too and ate two off the counter.

The Final Verdict

With the exception of the cupcakes, this meal truly was simple and quick. It would make a perfect meal for any night whether you worked all day or not. The cupcakes weren't bad but took up more time and effort than is normally reserved for a weeknight meal. The favorite part of the meal were the burgers and everyone agreed that the bean salad was missing a little something.

Grand Plans

Maybe I've read too many cookbooks, cook memoirs and watched Julie & Julia too many times-but here goes my foodie challenge. Over the course of the next year, I'm going to make every meal in Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home: 52 Quick Meals to Cook for Family & Friends.

The Rules

We're going through the book and cooking one complete meal as it appears starter, entree, sides and dessert. We're going to go in the order of the book. It is divided into seasons, so our first week's meal will be on Father's Day, the day before the summer solstice.

First Up

I need to plant a robust herb garden. Most recipes aren't that exotic but the price of herbs is ridiculous. Why complain about the price of meat when a pocketful of herbs costs $3. After the herbs I need to get new heating elements and burner catchers for my stove. I've been meaning to do that for awhile and this is just the excuse I need.

The Why

I love to cook, I love to read, I love to write, and I need a new challenge. Hopefully, this challenge will help me expand my tastes (which aren't that adventurous) while giving me new recipes that can easily be incorporated into our daily meals. I always find myself buying the same foods and cooking them in the same old way, which gets BORING. So here goes a year of taking Martha Stewart at her word because if Martha can do it, I can do it.