We have started packing up for our move since we have sold our house. Imagine running a cooking business at the same time you are packing everything up in a box. Yikes!
"Everything alwasys works out", as my mother says. "Maybe not like you thought it would, but things always work out." After already chosing an apartment, we are going to look at a house tomorrow. The apartment we chose is upstairs. Which means it will be hard if not impossible for my mom to get to when she comes to visit. And, it's going to be a pain schlepping all my cooking "stuff" up and down the stairs (just a little whining). We'll see where this leads....
Between working as a nurse and making lunches and meals for clients, it's been a busy week. Today was a good cooking day, though. Tuesdays are my personal chef gig. I do try and make myself stretch to improve by not making the same old meals all the time.
Today I made Pork Chops Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach;
Duchess Potatoes; (And here I need to add a disclaimer: Duchess Potatoes are piped onto a cookie sheet and look very fancy. But I forgot my pastry bag and tips so I used a ramekin instead. They still taste good that way!)
Almond-Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing (the nectarine looked so pretty sitting on the lettuce, I just had to take a picture of it before I added the chicken!);
Fresh Tuna Salad with Pineapple;
Grilled Lamb Kebab Salad with Cucumber, Tomatoes and Pita;
Grilled Thai Beef Salad; Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Couscous;
Chicken and Cilantro Pesto Pasta (say THAT fast three times!); Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallions;
Pasta Carbonara and for dessert: Raspberry Lemon Pudding Cakes.
It all looks yummy! The Raspberry Lemon Pudding Cakes were easy. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp melted butter
Zest of one lemon
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
12 oz raspberries (2 2/3 cup), divided
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set six ramekins (about 1 cup size) in a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and granulated suar until thick and creamy. Whisk in the flour, butter, lemon zest and juice and the milk until well-blended.
3. In a deep bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar untl the whites hold stiff moist peaks when the beater is lifted. Stir one quarter of the shites into the yolk mixture until blended, then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. Gently fold in half of the raspberries.
4. Spoon the batter into the ramekins. Pour enough hot tap water into the baking pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake until cake layers are set and tops are golden-30 to 35 minutes. Remove ramekins from water and let cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with more berries on top and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Make ahead: Chill airtight up to 1 day, pudding layer will become more distinct.
