While there’s technically a few more weeks of summer left, and the sunny hot weather this week is nicely dragging it out, there’s still a chill creeping up in the evenings. Fall’s going to be upon us before we know it and I’m not quite ready. Because you see, I’ve been putting off my summer to do list something fierce!
One thing I’ve managed to keep up on is Masterchef – the only reality show I watch (I sometimes check out Survivor, but without cable I really have to seek out and remember to watch it each week) and the stunning, scrumptious dishes they keep cooking up call out to me each week. I love to cook. I love to eat. I’m not anywhere near a chef like those contestants and my phone screen protector gets a good run while I spatter it in oil trying to follow a recipe. But. I told myself I’d try at least 5 new recipes this summer and that’s one item on the list I’m making good on!
We had an enjoyable dinner the night I scrounged in the cupboards to make this Italian chicken and chickpea recipe, and I’d been meaning to try out cookie dough bars since someone brought them to our house concert earlier in June (so, so good – both the concert and the bars!)
This sweet broiled salmon recipe was pretty quick and pretty good, and we enjoyed these apple zucchini muffins last week, with a few lurking in the freezer still, so hopefully they thaw out and taste ok.
Tonight’s dinner blows it all away though! Baby J had some kind of weird neck/ headache today and was quieter than his usual self. He seemed ok – no fever, but was saying ow! and telling us that when he looked up, it hurt. I debated taking him in to the doctor and I will if he feels the same tomorrow, I think. He was happy enough to play at the park in the warm summer weather though.
And then, he watched cartoons with his Daddy as I whisked around the kitchen. Preparing a great meal is a nice dose of ‘alone’ time for me. I don’t know if it’s the focusing or the making but I just love it. Today’s new recipe was this Parmesan Garlic Quinoa (I found it just by Googling ‘quinoa side dish’) which went nicely with our steak, roasted tomatoes and asparagus. I wanted to try it since the recipe called for toasting the quinoa in garlic before cooking it.
The result? Pretty tangy and cheesy, garlicky and good. I recommend it! And mixing in the balsamic tomatoes on my plate was a good move too.
So full and so happy. What have you been cooking lately!?