The Contender

Well, tonight’s dinner is the leading contender for the overall winner. It was DELICIOUS.

Beef Tenderloin with Mustard and Herbs

Ingredients

• 1 (2 ½ pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed (ask the butcher s/he will do this)
• Olive oil (as needed, approximately 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Prepare grill. You want a HOT grill, 450° or so.
2. Lightly coat beef with olive oil; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place beef on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Reduce heat to medium, about 350°. Grill 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145° or until desired degree of doneness, turning to brown on all sides. Let beef stand 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle parsley, thyme, and rosemary in an even layer on an 18 x 15–inch sheet of plastic wrap. Brush mustard evenly over beef. Place beef in herb mixture on plastic wrap; roll beef over herbs, pressing gently. Slice beef.

Ravioli with Spinach

Ingredients

1 pound cheese ravioli (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (heat a skillet to hot, stir nuts quickly for 1 minute or less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced or minced

2 bunches fresh spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)

kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Drain and divide among bowls.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the mixture over the ravioli.

And dessert, easy, delicious, sweet ..

Lemonade IcedTea Sorbet

Ingredients

2 cups boiling water

4 regular-sized English Breakfast tea bags

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

1 cup ice water

Mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and tea bags in a large bowl; steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add sugar to tea mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Stir in juice and 1 cup ice water; chill 1 hour.

2. Pour tea mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Rating: This rated a 9.7. Flavors danced lightly on the tongue. The tenderloin was tender and PERFECTLY seasoned—no one added salt or pepper to their plate. The ravioli dish was garlicky, crunchy (pine nuts) and creamy (cheese in the pasta). This dish could be a main dish with some crumbled bacon or left-over grilled chicken. The sorbet, what can I say. The addition of this 78 calorie dessert was GENIUS. Sweet and tart, light and satisfying. Brilliant

Note: Timing in the preparation can be tricky. Don’t be tempted to cook the ravioli before the meat is cooked. The water can be boiling, but put the pasta in when the meat comes off the grill.

You’ve Been Holding Out On Us …

Fruit and Walnut-Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup dried sour cherries

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup chopped dried plums (I used fresh)

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 (1-ounce) slices French bread

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Cooking spray

Parsley sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes or until fruit is plump. Drain mixture through a sieve, reserving fruit mixture. Combine fruit mixture, walnuts, shallots, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and rind.

3. Combine 3/4 teaspoon salt, French bread, and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until fine crumbs form.

4. Cut pork in half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open halves, laying the pork flat. Starting from center, cut each half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open halves, laying pork flat. Cover with plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness. Discard plastic wrap. Spread fruit mixture over pork, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up pork, jelly-roll fashion, starting with one long side. Secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle outside of pork evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; brush evenly with mustard. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pork; press gently to adhere. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 155°. Let pork stand 10 minutes. Remove wooden picks. Cut into 16 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Unlike the above photograph, I served with roasted vegetables (eggplant, summer squash, mushrooms, onion). French bread with olive oil (special spread that includes olives—yum) and a beet, goat cheese spinach salad.

The variety of flavors complimented one another, creating an explosion on the palate (Andrew waxing poetic).

Rating: This is a 9.5. However, it is not a beginner recipe and somewhat time consuming—lots of prep for a week night dinner. There were lots of “hmmm.” “This is delicious.” “If this is what we get when we finish projects we are going to finish a lot more.”

This meal has spurred us to designate categories, beef, chicken, pork, and vegetarian with an overall “grand” prize winner. So right now, this is the pork winner. Too early to tell if it’s the grand champion.

10 Days

Work at the Mental Health Center begins in 10 days. I am very much looking forward to this work.

My new boss, Kitty deKieffer is a strong, gentle woman with a varied life experience—both work and personal.

I am very much looking forward to getting to know her even the more.

The mission of the Mental Health Center, “In partnership with others, we improve quality of life and reduce the burden of illness by providing comprehensive, community-based mental health services for those with the greatest need” is a purpose I can wrap my heart around.

There is so much to like about this statement. “In partnership with others,” ALL recovery, healing happens in community. It truly does take a village and not just for raising children.

“Improve quality of life and reduce the burden of illness” ... my own life and the lives of so many around me are affected by both mental and physical illness. This statement beautifully encompasses the hope and the weight of the work that seeks improvement, hope.

“Providing comprehensive, community-based … services” there is no one answer, no one way to meet the myriad of need that our community faces. My faith is NOT the answer to the practical problems that illness reveals. BECAUSE of my faith I want to be part of the force that provides the hands, the effort, and the work that creates solutions to problems, both individual and community-based.

“for those with greatest need.” What a beautiful statement. Weak, hurting, smelly, odd, these are adjectives that we spend hours of effort to make sure do NOT describe us. To serve those among us that are unlovely is an effort that requires me to tap into reservoirs that do not originate in myself.

This is going to be a fun job. http://www.mhcbc.org

The Aroma Makes My Mouth Water

This is a beautiful meal, very "company" in presentation.

Sauteed Spinach with Pecans and Goat Cheese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, halved, and thinly sliced (I used less)

1 1/4 pound baby spinach

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 cup soft goat cheese (about 2 ounces), crumbled (I used feta)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach; cook, tossing, until spinach has started

to wilt, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.

Add vinegar to skillet and heat 5 seconds. Drizzle over spinach and onion. Sprinkle with pecans and goat cheese. Gently toss. Serve immediately.

Hummm. This is DELICIOUS.

Unboring chicken -- Lemon and Rosemary Golden Chicken

Grill (or saute in 1 tsp. olive oil) a boneless chicken breast until cooked through, 5 minutes per side; set aside. In the same skillet, combine 2 tsp. olive oil, a small chopped clove garlic, 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I used more) and the juice of one lemon. (Use less, it was a smidge too lemony). Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle over chicken. Serve with slices of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

THIS was a superb meal. Easy -- 45-60 minutes from start to "dinner is ready!" And that includes the chicken being frozen (microwave defrost).

Wine: Stella Italia, Pinot Grigio 2007

RATING: Mark says, "you can cook this again." Andrew rates it an 8.5 (only because there was the too- much-lemon) and I give it a 9.5 -- easy, delicious, aromatic, pretty.

Stellar meal. It's simplicity, complexity and over-lapping flavors, we WILL have this meal again. And again. And again.

And again.

Fast Food

This is DELICIOUS. Mark says he has 3 ratings, don’t cook this again, it’s okay and we can have this again.

Poached with capers and chives

¾ cup dry white wine

1 pound sole (or other white fish)fillets, cut into spatula-size pieces

Sea salt and pepper

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons chives

Heat the wine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fish, drizzle with the oil, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle the capers over the top and cook, covered, until just cooked through, opaque, and beginning to flake, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives. Divide among individual plates, spooning the wine and caper sauce over the top.

Rating: 9.5

We will have this again.

I went to a birthday party last week. A friend of mine turned one. Yes, she’s a friend of mine, but her parents are the ones that are most familiar with me.

She had the BEST birthday cake. I almost (almost) cannot wait to have another birthday so I can have the same kind.

A few birthday celebrations standout in my mind. Under 10 years old I had a Barbie cake.

My mother and Mamaw made a cake skirt for the doll. I really don’t remember, just saw the pictures.

For my twenty first birthday my dad took me out for my first “legal” drink at the El Presidente restaurant on the corner of Devonshire and Reseda Blvd.

The rest of the birthday was not so memorable—I just don’t remember it (and not because I drank too much). I think you should remember your 21st birthday, friends, partying, being the center of attention, something should stand out. But, alas the memory is shared with my dad. Upon reflection, not so bad I guess.

There was the birthday when I got a romance novel from my children and husband.

Being a book snob I was surprised they thought I would like a book covered with a Fabio impersonator in a bend-her-back embrace with a busty wench, but the things a mother thanks her children for …

Well, the kiddos insisted I look through the book and so I did. The pages were cut out to hold a ring box which held a pearl anniversary ring—a vintage ring I had lovingly admired at a darling little Niwot jewelry store. Mark had told me the ring had been purchased. I remember glaring at him as if to say, “You said the ring was sold.” As if reading my mind he said, “It did sell. I bought it.”

I love that ring, but I think I really, really love the memory of the delight on my children’s faces as they truly surprised me. Even Andrew kept the secret.

Tonight's Dinner

Steak with golden zucchini

6 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds strip steak

kosher salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds small zucchini, halved lengthwise

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil)

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Heat 3 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook to desired doneness, 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, return the pan to medium heat and heat 2 teaspoons of the oil. Season the zucchini with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, cut-side down, covered, until browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and divide among individual plates. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest,garlic, herbs, bread crumbs, and the remaining oil. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the zucchini and serve with the sliced steak.

Rating: 8 The lemon zest was forgotten. Probably would have warranted a 9 maybe 8.5. But this was quick, easy and delicious.

If you are wondering what's going on with the food posting. It is developing into a weekly post. Andrew, Mark and I are looking for nutritious, delicious meals we can prepare after a long day of work instead of "fast" food. Some are good, some are not. We will only post those 8 or above.