It really annoys me when I look at a recipe called “Veggie Stuffed” whatever, and find out it’s filled with mushrooms.
Mushrooms are not a vegetable, people. They are fungus. Fungi.
Like athlete’s foot.
Category: Cooking
Recipes and chitchat
Retreat Food
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m getting ready to go on a writing retreat. One of the things I always bring is a fresh fruit salad. Unlike most restaurants, I do not consider melon in any form a fruit, and refuse to use it in a salad.
I make two types of fruit salad: one for family gatherings and another for writers. The writers version is much healthier.
That’s it. No dressing, no sweeteners; just the natural sweet goodness of the fruit.
We eat fruit salad for breakfast, for dessert, for snacks. Some people mix it into their yogurt. It’s versatile. It’s simple.
Retreat!
I’m going on a writing retreat! My best friends–a/k/a the Purples–and I are going away for three full days (plus two travel days) to a cottage nestled in the woods. There’s no Internet (but there is cable TV and our beloved, undefeated Syracuse Orange basketball team will be playing on Saturday), so no distractions, just three glorious days of writing. We do this twice a year: MLK weekend and a weekend in August.
We have this down to a science. We discuss movies to bring–and trying to find something all of us will like can be a challenge, because not everyone appreciates the genius of the Cohen Brothers. Galaxy Quest is on tap for this retreat. I’ll probably throw The American President in my suitcase, just in case. I bring the wine.
Meals are simple: you’re on your own for breakfast and are responsible for either one lunch or one dinner. You are completely in charge for the meal for which you’ve signed up, from buying the food, to prepping it, to cleaning up afterward. Then you’re done for the rest of the weekend. The final meal is always leftovers.
And we really do write between movies and eating and brainstorming–have I mentioned these women are the world’s greatest brain trust when it comes to brainstorming? I’m really looking forward to next weekend.
Cooking from My Pantry
Now that my husband and I are pretty much empty nesters, I’ve refined my meal planning to suit our lifestyle. TV Stevie often works late. I come home from the day job and immediately immerse myself in writing, revisions, editing, etc., so elaborate meals aren’t on the agenda. We also live in a city that gets a lot of snow in the winter–under 100 inches is considered a mild winter–so I keep the pantry and refrigerator stocked.
Last night, I made one of my “pantry” meals: spaghetti beans. It’s so simple to make, it’s almost a joke. Spaghetti beans is one of TV Stevie’s favorite meals (I’m not particularly fond of it, but I’ll eat it). In fact, he’s the one who named the dish. It’s my version of a recipe I found in a healthy-eating cookbook.
put 1-2 Tbs of olive oil in a 10″ or larger skillet on medium heat
add 3 or more cloves of minced garlic (I keep a jar of minced garlic in my fridge, so I use 2-3 teaspoons)
Stir for about a minute, then add:
2 cans (14.5-15 oz each) of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (You can use any kind of canned white beans you’d like)
1 can (14.5-15 oz) petite diced tomatoes (I use the ones with olive oil, garlic, and other seasonings.)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I keep a tube of Gourmet Garden basil paste in my fridge and use this. It’s as good as fresh basil and lasts a lot longer)
Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, giving it a stir once in a while.
While this is cooking, throw together a green salad to serve on the side.
After 7 or so minutes:
Add 1 Tbs lemon juice (I use RealLemon)
Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I keep this in the freezer).
Mix well and cook for another minute or so.
That’s it. All of the ingredients are things I keep on hand anyway. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s healthy.
Keeper Recipes
One of the things I most love about the Internet is access to so many recipes. I love trying new dishes, and my family doesn’t mind at all.
I made garlic pesto chicken with tomato cream penne for the second time on Sunday.
It’s definitely a keeper. Y-Chromo and I ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner on Monday.
Another keeper is one Y-Chromo found during a teach-them-to-cook experiment with my children this summer: Avocado, Mozzarella & Bruschetta Chicken.
We eat a lot of chicken at my house, so having so many delicious ways to prepare it keeps meals interesting.
What’s your favorite chicken recipe?