...do the mashed potato

Rather than taking on three big cooking projects and ending up with 5-6 extra servings, this weekend I tasked myself with organizing my almost-overflowing freezer and minimizing half-empty containers. That resulted in finishing off spaghetti sauce made weeks earlier, and reorganizing mere spoonfuls of 'valuable' sauce I had saved and incorporating it into a few dishes already in my freezer or fridge that could use a bit extra. So, not as much new cooking was on the docket this weekend. But, I did have my weekly fish dish to get it in, which is featured further below.  Oh, and the reference to "do the mashed potato"...someone was extolling the virtues of mashed potatoes, and how grateful they are for them. I'm also grateful for mashed potatoes, so I made sure to incorporate them into my cooking today as well. Those are toward the bottom of today's post.

To start, here's my spaghetti: 

 (Fresh oregano, compliments of my herb garden.
Cornbread, compliments of  my freezer/
a baking binge months back.)

(Flowers, compliments of my yard.)

Today I moved on to breakfast...good old-fashioned eggs and toast. 

One piece of bacon, a serving of cheese, and a plum. 

A delicious plum.

And chocolate milk.

Next, appetizer course for lunch: scallops. 

(Yes, I'm experimenting with an artsy look

with my balsamic reduction sauce.)

And then...the primary course: Halibut and an herbed white wine reduction sauce with mushrooms over mashed potatoes, and a side of broccoli.
I should have taken more pictures of the steps... It was one of my first attempts at a white wine reduction sauce and it turned out beautifully. I'd made lots of 'white' sauces for for pasta, and plenty of broths, but this was one of the first white wine reduction sauces. It's always fun to try something new...and more so when it's delicious =)

I'll provide a little more description, since you can't see much of it in the picture.

I took finely chopped Vidalia onion and garlic and sauteed it in olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. I added a splash of white wine (1/4 cup?), a little chicken stock (a tablespoon or two?). I added sprigs of fresh herbs from my garden- lemon thyme, and lavender-and added those in (whole, not chopped). I simmered everything a bit longer, and then added a splash of white balsamic vinaigrette. Then I added thinly sliced mushrooms, simmered (lots of simmering, yes) everything together on low heat as it thickened. Finally, I removed the sprigs of herbs...and ladled it over my mashed potatoes, and my halibut.  Pictures below. Yes, I ate every bite. Yum.

a little heat, calls for a little heat..

I met the heat, with some more heat! I made spicy (relatively spicy) enchiladas!   But that's not all... keep scrolling!

Enchilada Prep:

More prep...

Enchiladas!

Now on to brunch and dinner!

Scenic Sharon Memorial Park

Today I went for a walk after work at Sharon Memorial Park. Amazing.

Lost Time

Okay, well, I tried to make up for lost time today. I was traveling for work Sunday-Wednesday so that put a dent in my free time last weekend.  Here's what today looked like in my kitchen:

1. Roasted grape tomatoes, roasted Vidalia onions (both with herbs, garlic, and olive oil):

2. From there I made home made tomato sauce, it went from the soup looking mixture on the lower left to the decadence on the lower right and in the upper picture. Delicious.

3. Then I made sweet corn:

4. Which I used in two different bulgar salads. One which I can serve warm, the other best served cold (like tabouli):

This is the cold one, with lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and scallions:

(I garnished for the photo with a slice of lemon.)

This is the one which I can reheat and serve hot (edamame added). 

I think I will add spinach when I do that, and a touch of lemon.

4. Then I made lunch:

Tilapia spinach and the chilled bulgar salad.

5.  Then I made stuffed mushrooms and roasted eggplant (from my garden!). I used the tomato sauce I made earlier in the day.

Flowers collected from the assortment in the yard.

6. Finally, pizza!

A bit sloppy but delicious.

Now it's time for a little more wine....

Food & the 4th

It's been a busy and relaxing weekend. Everyone knows that food and the 4th of July go together so, of course, it was another great reason to do some cooking and baking.

Prep for a savory breakfast crepe (above)....
Toasting pine-nuts and herbs, making compound butter,
sautéing garlic and onions, and spinach from my garden!

Breakfast crepe below:

A healthy lunch of tilapia and salad before heading to late afternoon cook-out.

The shirt I wore to the cook out =) (ha!)

Beautiful sunset.

Rhubarb squares!

A cheeseburger with some "Inner Peas",

carrots, berries, and lemonade.

And finally, RED WINE with FISH! 

(Yep, it's okay.  I promise =)) 

I love New England....

... but there are a few key things that are tell-tale food signs that I am not a native New Englander. Or, if I was, I am not indicative of the average. Here they are:

1) Lobster. I think I've had it twice. It was fine. But it isn't anything I crave, and I will probably never order it on a menu. This includes things like lobster rolls, lobster mac-n-cheese, and anything else that a New Englander thinks might be made better by lobster. Let's be clear: I'm not a hater, I just am saving my portion for the native New Englanders who will appreciate it more.

2) Yellow mustard. I like yellow mustard. I'm sure there are many New Englanders that like it, too. However, it is not the default mustard and I must ALWAYS clarify that I want yellow mustard and/or verify its availability. Often it is not available at cook-outs and such. In my opinion, it is a key ingredients on burgers and hot-dogs. To the point that I've considered bringing my own...just in case. Haven't done that yet, though.

3) Clams-bakes. I've never been to one. It sounds like a fun time. Invite me and then I can update this post on my opinion.

4) The importance of pickles. A good kosher dill pickle can't be beat. Yes, there are pickles in New England. But for some reason, again, they are lacking as an important topping to a traditional, delicious cheeseburger.  Also, they should be a staple on your relish tray. Especially if you're including olives. Then there is no excuse to forget about the pickles. Cornichons work there very well, too (in addition to, or in place of, dill).

5) Dunkin Donuts coffee. The lines you will wait in for this... I sometimes wait in the line, but I've only gotten DD coffee a handful of times. I like their breakfast sandwiches...

I'm sure there is more. Therefore, I will update this post periodically to include them =)