Wrap Up for 2012

Unknown Dinner Photos

So I am a touch behind on my posting as I am now just finishing 2012.  part of the problem is I would get on a roll and then come across pictures I know I took of Friday Night Dinners but find no notes and would have no recollection of them.  Kind of frustrating.  It would put a stop to my posting as I would try to investigate.  I would eventually give up and move on.  Here are the pictures of the unknown dinners because I just didn't have the heart to delete them.

This would have been just for me a breakfast dinner.  Eggs on toast with sauteed vegetables and sprouts.  Just not sure which Friday it was.

Looks like squash, beef and spinach.  Must have been for company because I wouldn't have been able to sell that to my kids.

 Twice baked potato, pork with ginger and chillies, plus green beans.  I am sure this was close to Christmas while my Mother-in-law was visiting. A plain pork was served to her and the kids.
 

 



This sprout salad looks fantastic.  Trouble is I don't remember it at all.  Lets hope I figure it out because it looks like something I would love to eat.

This was a pizza topped with sauteed leeks, spinach and fennel.  I made it for my husband and I after watching Giada De Laurentiis make it on the food network.  I am just not sure which Friday it was. 

This looks like something I would make just for two,  Must have been a dinner for only my husband and myself.

And last but not least some yummy grilled vegetables.  They must have gone along with something I have posted.






 That is the end of 2012.  Looking forward to many wonderful meals in 2013.

Friday December 28, 2012

Dinner for 5

Leftovers from Christmas

For our last Friday night dinner in 2012 we are having leftovers from Christmas.  The same leftovers we have been having for the last 2 nights as well.  Thankfully tonight we will finish them off.  On to bigger and better meals in the new year I hope.

Friday December 21, 2012

End of Days Dinner for 4

Broiled Seafood in Broth

Fish Curry

Salad with Thai Dressing

It is not often that the world is going to end, thankfully it didn't.  It is also not often that my two adult nephews can come for dinner now that my sister and brother-in-law have moved away.  Tonight the planets and calendars alined so we could entertain both.

Unfortunately my son was not feeling well, maybe it was the ends of days, so he missed a fantastic feast but the 4 of us enjoyed it.  In honour of all the hub-bub around the date we decided to have a spectaular meal with a tonne of delicious seafood, just in case it was our last meal.

The broiled seafood in broth included scallops, shrimp and lobster tail.  So tasty, wish I could afford to have it everyday.

 

Fish curry was fantastic. This is something I should make more often.  If only I could convince my girls to eat curry.

A Nice salad full of Thai flavoring.

Friday December 7, 2012

Dinner for 5

 

Spiced Chickpea and Cashew Mix
Coriander & Mint Chutney with Pappadums
Lemon Cashew Rice
Coconut Cabbage
Lamb & Eggplant Curry
Potato & Cauliflower Curry
Dhal
Naan
Spiced Yoghurt with Almonds

Well it was suppose to be dinner for 6 but one of the group had to cancel at the last minute.  It was a delicious Indian inspired feast for the evening. Even short one of the group it was great conversations and great fun.

Starter of spiced chickpea and cashew mix with coriander and mint chutney with pappduams.

Lemon cashew rice.

Coconut Cabbage is a great way to eat cabbage.

 Lamb and eggplant curry for those that want a little meat with dinner

Cauliflower and potato curry for the guests that don't eat meat.

 Naan and Dhal.  A very simple dahl that I have been making for a long time along with homemade Naan.  So simple.

 

 This has to be one of my favourite desserts now.  I think I may have made it before on a Friday night.  So yummy and not to sweet or rich

Friday Septmeber 14, 2012

Dinner for 4

Larb

Baby Bok Choy with Garlic

 Jasmine Rice

Woot! Guess who found her notes on one of my September meals!

The Hubby is out of town so I cooked this dinner for the kids and myself.  As suspected the kids didn't like it.  My friends always say, 'your kids must really feel lucky eating such great meals all the time'.  My response is, 'they usually they don't like my cooking'.  I do keep exposing them to it and getting them to try some of everything I cook.  Their pallets are already much more exposed than mine ever was at their age so I am hoping some day they will love a large variety of food like me.

I thought my middle child would gobble up the rice and bok choy, as they are a favourite, but she has a cold.  The oldest ate some of the Larb but Thai flavouring is not a favourite of his.  He prefers curry and spicy flavours like chillies more.  Maybe it was the lemon grass, anyways I am happy he tried it.  The youngest left in a huff but came back a half hour later looking for rice.  Guess who was heating up rice and tidying up the kitchen. 

I LOVED IT! Thai is defiantly a favourite of mine.

Friday November 30, 2012

Dinner For 2

Szechuan-Style Scallops
Stir fried Lotus Root and Sugar Snap Peas
Braised Cauliflower
 Noodles in Sesame Sauce

 Warm Banana Compote in Plum Wine with Candied Ginger

A fantastic Chinese inspired feast for my Husband and I tonight.  I love scallops and I love Szechuan. These were delicious.  Our son helped finish them off.

Stir fried lotus root has quickly become a favourite food of mine,  Tonight I stir fried it with sugar snap peas and garlic.  Delicious.

Braised Cauliflower is the only way to eat cauliflower in my opinion.  I received high praise from my husband who said it tasted just like it did when he was in China.

Noodles! Who doesn't love sesame sauced noodles?  Nutty goodness!

Finally to wrap up this feast Warm sweet bananas with candied ginger.

Friday November 16, 2012

Dinner for 2

Fried Mozzarella

Pasta with Chicken, Squash, Spinach, Mushrooms and Pinenuts
Apple Crisp

I am up at my Mom and Dad's this Friday as my Dad is away on business and my Mom doesn't like to stay alone.  My mom is a pretty picky eater (funny how that has turned around from my days of a picker eater as a child) but she does like simple tasty food.  One of her favourites is fried mozzarella.  I learned how to make it a while back and served it up as a starter with sweet chilli dipping sauce.

The main course was pasta with chicken, squash and spinach, a creamy mushroom sauce topped with pinenuts.  Super tasty hearty food.  I don't think my mom loved it as much as I did.

The dessert was apple crisp.  This is by far one of my mom's favourite thing that I cook.  I often make it in small individual serving dishes. That way it is heated fresh when every you eat it.

Apples are finely chopped and tossed with a little cinnamon.  Topping is 1 part butter, 1 part brown sugar and 2 parts rolled oats.  Yummy!

Friday Novermber 9, 2012

Dinner for 2

Ricotta Gnocchi with Fresh Tomato and Morel Sauce
Apple Pie

I have always wanted to make my own pasta but I have not got around to that yet.  Tonight though I made my own Ricotta Gnocchi.  Unlike potato Gnocchi it is light as air.  Although it was very fiddly it was delicious and well worth the effort for a Friday Night Dinner.   I love morel mushrooms and although I have only managed to ever purchase the dried I still think they are delicious.

Dessert tonight was Apple pie.  I am not much of a baker but I do love a nice pie.  Apple pie has always been a favourite of ours.

Kind of a disjointed dinner but great for the Hubby and I.

Source:

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Dinner For 1

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

So It is Sunday not Friday and only dinner for 1.  I had this actual dinner planned for Friday but a last minute change in plans had us heading to my parents Friday night.  After spending the weekend we came home Sunday and I decided to cook Friday night's dinner.

Friday Night Dinners are all about gathering with friends and family but this particular dinner was always planned for one, just me.  My husband, who travels a lot, has been out of town for a long stretch leaving me home alone. (This is why the kids and I made the last minute plan to visit my parents and see some of the glorious fall colours.)  Of course these gatherings truly began when my husband was working overseas regularly and I was living far from family, I would gather with my fantastic friends.  So it is sort of interesting and ironic that this one was always planned as dinner for one.

The raviolli is wonton wrappers and it is stuffed with cooked sweet potatoes spiced with a little nutmeg. They were folded over and sealed them and then carefully cooked them in boiling water. I drained them and topped them with a simple brown butter and sage sauce using sage fresh from the garden.  Delicious!

They froze beautifully too and were great when I needed a quick meal for me.