He Cooks, She Cooks

Tonight, with my parents out for the evening and my little brother satisfied after a bowl of Cap’n Crunch, I set out to make dinner for my sister and I. My mom had suggested we make some BLTs, and though that sounded more like lunch than dinner, the idea stuck.

When I saw some orzo pasta in the cupboard, I decided it would be perfect for a warm and hearty reinvention of a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

I crisped the bacon, then cooked tomatoes and garlic and wilted some arugula in the sauce just before tossing it with the pasta and serving with a little parmesan. To me, it was exactly what I wanted from a dinner adaptation of the lunch classic.

Continue reading »

Just give me a beet
And I’ll bring the heat
After an hour, it gets real sweet
Fennel’s a treat
And blue cheese I’ll eat
Sure, call me elite
But this dish is replete
It’s one I’ll repeat
Next time with penne, I’ll call it complete

Continue reading »

I don’t think I’d ever made anything with leeks before this. They’re not something my mom cooked with often and I haven’t eaten them much otherwise. That’s why I bought a bunch of them the other day.

Leeks are in the onion family and actually look like a larger version of scallions (aka green onions, aka spring onions). I searched recipes to get an idea of what they’re often paired with and how they’re prepared. Since leeks are a light flavor, they often accompany rich ingredients. I decided to make a sauce for pasta using leeks, butter, cream, white wine, garlic, parsley white pepper and nutmeg. Bacon would have been a good addition but I didn’t have any.

The result was rich, but not too thick or heavy. With a crisp green salad and light vinaigrette, it’s just right. Now I’m looking for other uses for leeks. Any ideas?

Continue reading »