Weekly Menu

Well, we put the CSA on hold - Andrew is going to look into getting a 1/2 batch of veggies.  It only lasted a month but I learned a lot:  how to roast beets, pulled some old zucchini recipes out of the box, how to cook with eggplant but mostly that farm fresh veggies taste SO good.

Our best dish last week was the Veggie Wraps with Pesto and Goat Cheese.  This is what Beth fixed for us for my lovely shower in Chicago.  So yummy and brought back wonderful girly memories! 

This Week:

Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes, Herbed Cracked Wheat, and Pesto'ed Zucchini & Onions

Tamales & Gazpacho

Thai Stir-Fry

Breakfast Tacos for Dinner

Fourth of July Indulgences at Uncle Jeff's

Happy Birthday Mom and Happy 4th of July Everybody!!

Weekly Menu

I was a busy-bee cooking this weekend to use up all of our vegetables!  What should I do with a head of cabbage???

In store for this week...

Eggplant & Chicken Parmesan (Cooks Illustrated Light) with Carrot+Zucchini "Fettuccine Alfredo"

Garden Vegetable Pasta (Cooks Illustrated Light)

Grilled Veggie Wraps with Pesto & Goat Cheese and Strawberry Spinach Salad

Soho Crusted Salmon with Banana Pepper Quinoa & Gazpacho (Cooks Illustrated Light)

Cabbage Dish! (Something Asian?!)

"Date Night Special" :)

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture

We joined the Austin CSA through National Instruments (NI - Andrew's work) a couple of weeks ago.  Basically, a local farm delivers their fresh produce to those who sign up through the program.  We are not completely won over to the program & system after the first 2 weeks that we have been involved.





Pros:  Organic & fresh from the farm, supporting local business, conveniently delivered to NI, get to taste and cook with produce that you would otherwise not buy, tastes better than produce from the grocery,  I made a vegetable hummus tart:

Cons: produce is more expensive than purchasing at the grocery, do not get to pick quality/quantity/type of produce.

Hmmm, we'll see.  For now it's like Christmas from the farm every Thursday when Andrew brings the box of goodies home!

Weekly Menu

The BEST Blueberry Muffins were baked this weekend!  Our friends and future Austin neighbors Rob & Lisa were visiting this weekend, so what a great opportunity to show off my baking skills ;)  This will definitely be my new "go-to" muffin recipe - chock full of yummy fruit!! 

Here's what I plan to dine on this week:

Carmelized Salmon & Green Beans Amondine

Roast Pork (in the Crock Pot) with Roasted Broccoli

Goat Cheese & Spinach Quesadillas (had them at Iron Cactus this weekend and I bet I can make copy-cat recipe)

Tamales & Black Beans

Roasted Vegetable & Hummus Tart

Smokey Goes to Rehab

Smokey!  He's our wiener dog.  Approximately one year ago, we found Smokey at the Buda Wiener Dog Races.  From the moment Andrew laid eyes on Buddy Boy (as he was named at the time), he knew that we had to have him.  Within a week, we paid the adoption fee, signed the papers and were proud parents of a tweenie dachshund.  We share many joyful moments with Smokey and some stressful too.

Joyful:  doing tricks for treats, furiously shaking his "squirrel" until he nearly gives himself a concussion, rolling around in the grass immediately after getting a bath, the classic running to greet us at the door when we get home, cuddling on the couch, licking us when we're trying to exercise on the floor, Andrew and I making fun of his quirky noises.

Stressful: enduring separation anxiety whining every time we would leave the room, cleaning up countless "accidents" both when we're home and not home, and most recently his incessant barking at other dogs from "fearful aggression."

I'm so happy to state that we began rehab on Sunday!  We are enrolled in "Barking & Growling."  In just one session, we learned many tips that will quell both our stress when walking him and Smokey's stress towards other dogs.  By the end of six sessions we hope to be able to take Smokey on a walk in the neighborhood, and take him out to friends houses, dog parks, and dog friendly bars without him going bonkers barking defensively and pulling/lunging at other dogs.  I never thought that I would pay good money to take my dog to a psychologist, however I am confident that this will be money well spent.  I'll report back how we're doing!

Weekly Menu

We have not eaten any recipes that we consider keepers in a week or so - hopefully this week will be yummier!!

I forgot:  I did make King Ranch Chicken for the second time ever last week and this version turned out way better than my previous attempt.  The secret is green enchilada sauce, I think. 

The Plan:

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts (Cooking Light May 2010), Red Bell Pepper Rice, & Broccoli

Soy Chorizo & Egg Breakfast-for-Dinner Tacos with Refried Black Beans

Parmesean Crusted Chicken/Tofu & Spring Onion Pasta (Cooking Light May 2010)

Chicken/Tofu Stir Fry

Blueberry Muffins (Thanks Susan!)

Weekly Menu

Our favorite dish last week - Carmelized Salmon!  Pretty easy (the hardest part was finding all the ingredients - had to go to Central Market) and OH SO YUMMY!  Definitely our new favorite salmon recipe too, thanks Court5203 :)

This week we're having...

Mediterranean:  hummus, tabouli, grilled chicken & spinach

Curried Coconut and Chicken Soup (in the Crockpot)

Veggie Lasagna & Salad

Pizza-dillas

(Packaged) Lobster Ravaoli with TBD Sauce :)

Leftovers