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.