Since returning home from Maui, I have worked almost every day as a nurse. I have gotten some cooking in, though. It is very relaxing, a good therapy for whatever stress I have.
In honor of Valentine's Day, I made Chocolate Raspberry Brownies. Heavenly! The secret ingredient? Raspberry jam!
Jordan and I did not go out to eat for Valentine's Day. He is not a big believer in what he calls invented holidays that make you spend a lot of money. (He gets cranky about some things, but likes to gifts when you least expect it, so that's not so bad.)
I started cooking meals again for my biggest client, recently back from Maui. It is always a pleasure cooking for someone who has an adventurous palate and who gives me a lot of room for experimentation.
On the menu were things like Eggplant Pmodoro woth Pasta,
Rice and Lentil Salad (it calls for brown rice but I only had Jasmine rice so used that instead. Still healthy!)
Baked Ravioli (a quick dinner when you start with frozen ravioli).
Spiced Lamb served with Root Vegetable Mash and Pureed Peas. A good sauce does wonders for a meal. I just love experimenting with unusual flavors.
And let's not forget dessert! Zesty Lemmon Pie, made creamy by using sweetened condensed milk. Yum!
Over the weekend I made a Lemmon Layer Cake. We were invited over to a friend's house for a Bagna Cauda party. Bagna Cauda (which means "warm bath" in Italian) can be served hot or cold, but in this case, olive oil, butter, LOTS of garlic and anchovies were melted in an electric skillet. One the mixture is hot enough, you can cook meat, seafood, poultry and vegetables in it. Quite tasty, but in no way low-calorie, lol.
I brought dessert since three people with birthdays in February attended this party. Yellow cake soaked with lemon simple syrup, then layered with lemon curd between the layers. It was finished off with Italian Buttercream flavored with Limoncella and more lemon curd. No specific recipe, but a culmination of recipes and techniques.
Monday afternoon I was back working as a personal chef. Lots of good dishes this week! Spicy-Sweet
Pork Tenderloin woith mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. (I found rainbow carrots at the market and could not resist buying them rather than baby carrots for the glazed carrots!)
Dessert was an Applesauce Tart (inspired by watching an old Julia Child program). Served with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
There was also Saltimbucco alla Romana, Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables, Proscuitto Stuffed Chicken Breast with Green Beans, Shrimp Cocktail Salad, Southwestern Salad and Taco Salad.
I've also been working on finding the best granola recipe. Since starting my Nutrition class, I have been tryng to eat a healthy diet, including eating foods that do not have lots of preservatives. We have been learning lots during this class. Time will tell whether or not I can make it stick!
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