Indian-Style vegetable Curry with Sweet Potato and Eggplant

We rated this recipe as "excellent."  The Indian-Style Vegetable Curry with Sweet Potato and Eggplant was very different for us.  The recipe was really easy to make - it cooked in just 30 minutes, maybe less.  It was a bit spicy and very filling for a vegetarian entree.  Because the recipe called for just 1/2 of an eggplant and just 1/2 of a sweet potato, I doubled the recipe.  I divided the left-overs into 4 containers for lunch this week.  Lunch today was even more flavorful than dinner on Friday night.  

Sauteed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

Sauteed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

"Very good," we both said in unison.  This is a hardy entree.  This entree really needs mashed potatoes served as a side-dish.  My tossed salad was much too light to balance the flavorful meat and sauce.  The simple to make sauce "featuring mustard, apple cider, and fresh herbs was the perfect finishing touch" to this easy to make week night meal.   The pork cutlets cooked in less than five minutes.  I would definitely make this dish again but next time I would make mashed potatoes or roasted, mashed cauliflower to serve with the sauce.  Roasted carrots would also make a great side-dish.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

Cooking for Two http://mealstodance.blogspot.com/

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil was the side dish tonight.  Really Gluten-Free Linguine with Garlic and Olive Oil served with Salmon (Market Day) and fresh steamed asparagus was the menu.  We both gave this side-dish an excellent rating.  The pasta  was easy to make and tasted fabulous.  I used a fresh gluten free linguine that I found in dairy section of the grocery store.  I followed the recipe as published - six cloves of garlic, fresh parsley. pepper flakes,  lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.  This would  also make great meatless entree.  I am sure the Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil and Fennel variation of this recipe would also be excellent.

Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives

Voted "very good" by the team, this chicken dish was an interesting combination of favors.  Onion, garlic, green olives, and figs were combined for the sauce that was poured over boneless, chicken thighs.  It was very tasty.  This was also a "light" recipe which means that nutritional information was included in the back of the cook book.  One serving of Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives contained 270 calories (we split the recipe into three servings), a cup of rice, and streamed broccoli - about 325 calories for the entire dinner.

Pan-Roasted Lamb Chops with Mint Relish

Cooking for Two http://mealstodance.blogspot.com/

Pan-Roasted Lamb Chops with Mint Relish

"A fresh mint relish with shallot, vinegar, and a little honey is the perfect complement to tender, juicy pan-seared lamb chops,"  The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, p162.  This recipe was easy to make and tasted "very good".   The lamb chops were pictured in the cookbook served with green beans or snap peas, I added color by serving the lamb chop with roasted carrots. The carrots are easy - just a teaspoon of oil and a tablespoon of brown sugar into a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  This Pan-Roasted Lamb Chop with Mint Relish  recipe is a keeper and certainly worth a repeat.  It would be great to serve to guests.

Pasta and Asian Noodles Dishes

Beef Lo Mein with Broccoli and Bell Pepper was tonight's dinner.  Rick and I gave this entree a "basic" rating.  It tasted fine but really was a hands-on prep with little time to do much else while cooking.  The recipe required four separate bowls for prep - way too much clean up for the taste of the dish.  My advice is skip this recipe and order out.  

Pan Roasted Thick-Cut Fish Fillets

Tonight's entree was Pan Roasted Thick-Cut Fish Fillets with Roasted Red Pepper, Hazelnut, and Thyme Relish - really it was chicken breast with roasted red pepper, hazelnut, and thyme relish.  Rick made the relish while I steamed broccoli and prepared the chicken breasts for the counter top grill.  Such an easy dinner - there was really no time to practice our dancing.

Spiced Swordfish with Avocado-Grapefruit Salsa

We don't even like grapefruit but we loved this dish.  Rated "excellent" by both Rick and me, the Spiced Swordfish with Avocado-Grapefruit Salsa was not only great eats but really easy to prepare.  The salsa was quick.  Just grapefruit, avocado, shallot, fresh mint, and a little lime juice.  I made the salsa prior to putting the fish under the broiler.   The swordfish had to cook for only 8 minutes. I served it tonight with steamed asparagus, prepared in the microwave.  I added a little grapefruit zest and salt to the veggies when they came out of the microwave.   This recipe would be great for guests.

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Easy to make and it tasted great.  We gave the Chicken and Chorizon Paella an "excellent" rating.  Please keep in mind that I used cumin for the saffron.  I did plan to buy the "pricey saffron" based on the directions, but I forgot.  Next time, I want to experience "just a pinch of pricey saffron was enough to give our paella authentic Spanish flavor."  Guess we could try practicing a Latin dance step while this cooks on the stove.

Baked Sole Fillets with Herbs and Bread Crumbs

This entree was rated "Excellent."  However, I did make several changes to the recipe.  First, I used a halibut steak that I bought at the fish market just down the street from Brad and Leanne's house.  I also didn't add the bread crumbs.  I thought about using instant potatoes but the halibut steaks looked so good - I decided to pass.  Easy, easy to make.  I served the halibut with garlic potatoes.  They were easy to make, too. I added the remaining "mixture" as the butter in the instant potatoes.  As a side, I added cut up watermelon for color.  And I added a few cucumbers slices to the plate for some green.

Baked Sole (Halibut) with Herbs and Bread Crumbs

Baked Manicotti

Baked Manicotti was the entree today.  I served it with steamed broccoli.  I did the prep work yesterday.  Rick put it in the oven so it was just about ready to eat when I walked in the door.  Preparation requires that you soak 6 no-boil lasagna noodles in boiling water for five minutes prior to making the Manicotti.  I had to soak the gluten-free noodles about 10 minutes so they were pliable enough to roll each noodle around the filling.  The Manicotti baked for a total of 35 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  This would be a great entree to dance to - too bad I wasn't home.  Overall rating - Excellent.

Baked Manicotti