Bacon and Cheese Make Even Cauliflower Taste Good

Since Jack has become such a huge fan of broccoli ("brock-lee!"), I've been looking for ways to branch out from steamed and roasted broccoli, so last night at the grocery store I decided to buy him some "white broccoli" (a.k.a. cauliflower). I saw a Giada At Home recipe that used bacon, gruyere, and buttered breadcrumbs to make a cauliflower casserole, so I decided to give it a try. The Cauliflower and Bacon Gratin turned out delicious. Brian loved it, I loved it, and Jack ate it. (He seemed to love the country ribs we served with it a bit more.) The casserole is rich and creamy with lots of flavor. The only change I made to her original recipe is using a combination of Panko breadcrumbs and regular breadcrumbs, and I left out the salt because the bacon and gruyere were salty enough. Next time, i wouldn't bother with the capers. They're too pricey for the minimal impact they have on this dish. With these modifications, this is a definite keeper!

Great Summer Meal

Tonight I tried another Giada creation: Spaghetti with Beef, Smoked Almonds and Basil. The recipe sounds bizarre -- smoked almonds on a raw tomato, basil and lemon sauce? Really?! But the results were amazing. The lemon and basil gave a fresh kick and the smokey almonds added some hidden crunch and tasty flavor. We made it with filet mignon, but I would try it again with chicken, too, for an alternative.

Jack ate his spaghetti one strand at a time to savor the flavor. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Not My Grandma's Meatloaf

Tonight I made another Giada creation: Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes. I'm not normally a meatloaf fan, but Brian thought it sounded good so I gave it a try. (I chose to leave out the salt because the feta was so salty, and I'm glad I did because sometimes Giada adds a bit too much salt.) It was incredibly easy -- I mixed it all together and then put it in the fridge until Brian got home from work. Then he popped it in the oven to cook while I was getting my haircut. I mashed potatoes (Idahoes with a little milk, sour cream and garlic powder) and steamed broccoli to go with it.

At first, I wasn't sure that I liked it. It was so far removed from what I thought of as meatloaf-flavor that it threw me off. But as I ate more, it grew on me. Brian says it tasted like pizza. I think it tastes like breakfast sausage patties. Either way, we liked it a lot, and even Jack ate almost his entire slice with a hearty side of ketchup, a definite victory.

Here's Jack polishing off his broccoli (his current favorite veggie). He calls it "brock-leeeeeee".

Copy-Cat Chicken Salad Sandwich

Tonight I tried to reproduce (based on one bite and Brian's memory) the delicious chicken salad sandwich that we had last week at The Soup Spoon Cafe in Lansing. The sandwich consisted of chicken, apples and tarragon with a sharp cheddar cheese and tomatoes on whole wheat. We had some leftover rotisserie chicken, so I thought I'd give it a try. Here's my recipe:

1 to 1 1/2 c. cubed chicken
3/4 of a Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 a lemon, squeezed over the chopped apple
1/4 c. mayo (I used the kind made from olive oil)
1/2 - 1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 T. minced shallot (I'd use more next time)
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon
Extra sharp cheddar
Tomato
Whole wheat bread

I mixed the apples with the lemon juice and then combined them with the chicken. I mixed the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl and mixed them into the chicken. Then I broiled the bread with cheese on top, assembled the sandwich with the tomatoes and chicken salad, and broiled it a bit longer.

Brian liked it a lot, saying it was as good as Soup Spoon's, but I think we need to add more onion next time. After that, I think it'll be just about perfect. And I'm not even a chicken salad fan!

Baking with a Sous Chef

This evening, Jack and I baked some Lemon Thyme Bars that I saw on Giada At Home this afternoon. I started baking on my own, but shortly after I started getting out ingredients, Jack came running into the kitchen dragging his sling, meaning that he wanted to cook with me. So, he assisted with the squeezing of the lemons and the mixing of the butter and sugar. He also licked the beater, quite enthusiastically. All three of us like the results, and I would probably leave off the glaze next time in favor of a more savory dessert instead of being so sweet.

Leftover Ham + Rainy Day = Split Pea Soup

On days like today, I start to crave soups like Grandma used to make. I remember long, rainy afternoons when Grandma would make soup, and often Grandpa would be home because the weather would prevent him from working. Even though I didn't like pea soup as a kid, I loved the atmosphere of its creation.

Since we had a ham bone left over from Easter, I decided to use it to make soup this morning. If found a good recipe from The Food Network by Emeril and gave it a try. I tested the soup at lunch and it's quite yummy. Hopefully Brian and Jack will like it -- somehow I think Jack, our pea lover, will be more enthusiastic than his dad.

I'll try to post their reactions later.

UPDATE FROM DAY 2 of THE SOUP:
Even better the second day... My picky, non-pea-eating husband happily ate a second bowl of soup today without complaint. A success in my book. Jack, however, wouldn't touch it.

Bunny Cake

This Easter, I decided to make a bunny cake, like my mom and grandma used to. I made Grandma's Silver White Cake recipe and a lemon butter cream frosting. Instead of gumdrops and jelly beans, I used fresh fruit to make the ears, eyes, nose, and polka dots. Unfortunately, the strawberries on his ears dribbled juice a bit, making him look like he's bleeding from his ears. Aside from the mildly gory connotations, I'm pretty happy with the results.