Author Archives: diningwithdinks

Weekly Menu — 5/4/2013

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Week of May 4th

This is going to be another goofy week in terms of menus and cooking. I am headed out of town for the weekend so expect very simple work-week dinner plans. I usually do most of my cooking and prep work for the week on Saturday and Sunday, but I won’t be around to accomplish anything this weekend.

Saturday:
  • I have no clue. I will be out of state visiting an old college buddy and former teammate. We used to eat a lot of vegetable stir-frys with plenty of rice and home-made sugar cookies coated in frosting — all of which we burned off on the basketball court. 

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Sunday:
  • Same as above

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Monday:
  • Thai curry lime chicken with brown rice. I have altered this recipe quite a bit over the years.  So much so, in fact, that I have even changed the name of the recipe. It is good as is, but I will share my secrets: I use boneless chicken breasts or thighs and do the entire thing in a big skillet on the stove — much easier and faster. Sometimes I cube the meat or sometimes just halve the breasts, it’s really up to you. I also often quadruple the amount of red curry paste — we like it HOT. And finally, I omit the brown sugar and add the juice of several limes at the end. Dump in fresh broccoli or bok choy to create a healthy, one dish wonder. 

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Tuesday:
  • Surprise night out for my husband’s 40th birthday — yes, the celebration continues. But this is it! Sheesh. 

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Wednesday:

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Thursday:
  • Leftover curry lime chicken & salad

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Friday:
  • Date night! 

Dining al Fresco

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Dinner on the Deck

Dinner on the Deck (Swordfish & grilled mushrooms)

The weather begs for grilling and eating on the deck. So that is exactly what we’ve been doing. Simple, fresh food prepared with just a few ingredients — we adore this time of year.

Swordfish with a simple topping of kalamata olives, garlic, capers and parsley. Weird pom-pom mushrooms that had the consistency of a wet sponge. Oh well, now we know.

Grilled Swordfish

Grilled Swordfish

Olive Sauce

Olive Sauce

Pom Pom Mushrooms
Pom Pom Mushrooms

Mushroom Feast

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What do you do when somebody hands you three large brown bags filled with fresh, gorgeous mushrooms? Get cooking and eating, that’s what. And these weren’t just any old fungi. These bad boys were from Kennett Square, PA., otherwise known as “the mushroom capital of the world.” Who knew a fungus could be so utterly delicious?

I started with the trumpet mushrooms, which I sliced and sautéed in just a splash of olive oil with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and sea-salt. The browned shrooms were then folded into mushroom omelets for breakfast. So good. Sigh. I could use another bite right now.

Trumpet Mushrooms

Trumpet Mushrooms

Sauteed Trumpets ready for omelets

sautéed Trumpets Ready for Omelets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We then enjoyed grilled beech mushrooms for dinner. These were delicious and held their own as a side dish with leftover party food — Chinese BBQ pork and soba noodle salad. I made an Asian soy basting sauce to brush on the shrooms and I look forward to applying the same treatment to all sorts of vegetables on the grill this summer. The tare (basting sauce) keeps in the fridge for a few weeks, so make a big batch and use it liberally on grilled meats and vegetables.

Grilled Beech Mushrooms with Tare Basting Sauce

Grilled Beech Mushrooms with Tare Basting Sauce

Leftovers -- BBQ Pork, Soba Noodles & Mushrooms

Leftovers — BBQ Pork, Soba Noodles & Mushrooms