Sommer Designs

Dare I mention the weather?

Saturday evening we went down to Laguna Beach to meet some friends for (my birthday) dinner. The weather was stunning. Seriously. It's been freezing for the last three months, and then all of a sudden we have (near) record highs. Before dinner we met for cocktails on the patio at Las Brisas, and the view was simply spectacular.

In retrospect, an evening out in Laguna, as wonderful as it was, was probably not the best idea the night before a market. Because the next morning, I had to get up 5 a.m., and that wasn't pretty.

Once again, the weather was spectacular - tank tops and flip flop weather and white, white, white legs peaking out of skirts. It was all I could do to make it through the morning - actually, the morning wasn't so bad, and luckily the day ends at 1 p.m. I was a basket case, however, by the afternoon and even with an afternoon nap (can you believe it?), I was in bed by 8 p.m.! I am so out of market shape! The back hurt, the legs hurt - oy, me!

As part of my early-in-the-year organizational triumphs, I am dedicating Mondays to paperwork and bill paying. I even put it on the calendar, and having put the time aside, yesterday was so productive. I feel so much better and in control of those nagging things. My desk is still a mess, but at least the mortgage is paid.

After last week of not cooking one single night (thankyouverymuch), I am back at the Dinner Challenge. It has been so helpful to plan everything out, and blogging about it keeps me accountable, even in the smallest way. Last night, I made Pasta with Turkey Sausages, Red Bell Peppers & Basil, and the unofficial recipe is up. Unofficial, because I couldn't find the actual recipe, and just winged it.

It's super easy - take a look!

Small discovery - when cooking, it's especially important to have a kitchen staff. Mine just follows me around...

They're better at clean up duty than anything else. I always disappoint though...poor babies.

About my little outburst...

Thank you for dealing with me, and thank you for the many words of support and encouragement - you are too sweet! I get burned out in December and just want to veg out in January, but it never happens that way. In January, I get a bug that I want to add new things to my line, but then to keep the momentum going in my business, I have to keep selling. It's hard to experiment and prototype when I'm just trying to keep my head above the water - I know, a nice problem to have, but as a one-person operation, a little overwhelming sometimes. I can't complain...I am so happy to be doing something I truly love, and am so grateful that others like my products.

And then when the keyboard died, it was the last straw. I am so, so dependent on the Internet! It's essentially my entire livelihood. My sweet Scott brought me home a new keyboard, that plugs in no less (I'm so done with wireless devices!) and I really love it. That's right, I love my keyboard.

Another thing: I started a separate blog for Dinner Challenge because I really want to keep it going, but I don't want to clutter this space with poorly taken pictures of my dinner. My intent was to make it an open blog where the other participants of Dinner Challenge could also post as guests, and there would be one central location for all the Dinner Challenge recipes. But (always a 'but'), it turns out that my Typepad account does not allow for guests and I would have to upgrade the account (from $8.95 to $14.95 month). I'm not quite ready for that, so that idea is on hold. In the meanwhile, check out Dinner Challenge and the yummy recipe for Chicken Penne in Smoky Chili Cream Sauce.

Dinner Challenge: Bowties with Toasted Walnuts & Basil

Bowties with Toasted Walnuts & Basil - originally printed: Family Circle Magazine, May 16, 1995.

Gather:
1 lb. pasta, any shape
1 cup walnut pieces, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
1 tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 tbl. grated parmesan cheese

Prepare: Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Mix walnuts and oil in microwave-safe serving bowl large enough to hold pasta. Microwave, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly toasted, stiring after 2 minutes. Add garlic; microwave 20 seconds. Stir in basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add pasta and combine. Add parmesan cheese & serve.

Note from me: I've made this in the microwave as directed, but last night I toasted the walnuts in the oil in a skillet. The only difference is that you have to watch everything because it can burn. This would be another great meal in minutes. It's good too!

**Whew! It's over and I did it! 5 meals - 5 nights. I planned it, and made it without any subsequent trips to the market. Now, at least I know it can be done! Have you visited the Flickr Group? There are so many yummy looking dinners over there - and everyone has provided links to their blogs with the recipes!

This has been such a great show-and-tell ,and I'm so happy so many people joined me and did this too! If you've been lurking around, please feel free to join in anytime. I'm going to try to keep planning our meals, and now that we have a virtual cookbook to look through, it should be so much easier.

Thank you to everyone who commented and blogged about this and came along for the ride! I hope we can keep it going!

Guess what I'm making for dinner tonight?

Reservations!

Har! Har! Har!

Dinner Challenge: Turkey Chili & Cornbread

Last night was nearly a cop out. Well, depending on how you look at it, it was a cop out. Tuesdays and Thursdays are difficult dinner nights for me because Drew has a class from 4-6 and I have to leave to pick him up around 5:40. This means I have to make dinner around 4:30 or 5 and have it ready, because when we get home, everyone wants to eat NOW.

And, I was planning on another pasta night (can you tell we do a lot of pasta?), but remembered we had the Pasta Salad last night, and rather than deal with a mutiny, I had to come up with something different. We had ground turkey in the fridge, and chili mix in the cupboard, as well as cornbread mix.

Soooooo, as boring as it might seem, I present....my loser dinner of Turkey Chili and Cornbread. All from a mix.

An actual recipe? Okay, people, listen up:

Gather:
1 lb. ground turkey
Lawry's Chili Mix
1 can (16 oz) red kidney beans
1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Sour cream, if desired.

Prepare according to package directions.

Cornbread: I used Marie Callender's mix - good to go.

Here's the thing: my family actually likes this cop-out meal.

Another variation of this is to prepare the chili, prepare the cornbread mix, and then put the chili in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish, add a thin layer of cheddar cheese, and then top with the cornbread batter, and bake according to the cornbread directions. It's like a chili casserole.

It's simple, but the kids like it. I can't complain with that.

I'll try to do better tonight.

Dinner Challenge: Szechuan Chicken Pasta Salad

Szechuan Chicken Pasta Salad, origin unknown. Serves 4.

Gather:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breat halves, cut into thin strips
3 tbls. light soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbls. sesame oil
1/2 lb. vermicelli, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup seeded and grated cucumber
1-1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 tbls. sesame seeds

Dressing: recipe follows

Prep: In a glass bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar and red pepper flakes. Add chicken strips, turning to coat; cover and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes. In frypan, place sesame oil over high heat. Add chicken strips and stir-fry about 5 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Remove chicken from frypan and cool. In a large bowl, place vermicelli, chicken, green onions, carrots, cucumber and bean sprouts; toss gently to mix well. Pour dressing over mixture and stir until well coated. Refrigerate 30 minutes, arrange on platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Dressing: In small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup water, 6 tbls. light soy sauce, 3 tbls. peanut butter, 2 tbls. cider vinegar, 2 tsp. sugar and 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes.

Note from me: I hadn't made this in a long time, and totally forgot it was a cold salad. However, if you leave the bean sprouts off until you are ready to serve it, it's totally fine and good warm. This is really good for a potluck or party, and you can even dice the chicken into chunks instead of strips. My kids really like this, so that's a huge plus!

Dinner Challenge: 5 Spice Tofu & Vegetable Stir-fry

5 Spice Tofu & Vegetable Stir-fry - orginally printed January 1994, Bon Appetit Magazine
2 servings - can be doubled (I did).

Gather:
8 oz. firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
3 tbl. vegetable oil
8 oz. mixed broccoli & cauliflower florets (about 3 cups)
4 oz. thinly sliced carrots (I didn't cut the mini carrots)
3 oz. snow peas, strings removed (about 1 cup)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped (mmmm, garlic)
1/3 cup canned vegetable broth or water
1 tsp. five-spice powder
3 tbl. soy sauce

Arrange tofu on double-thick layer of paper towels and drain well. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add tofu in single layers and fry 3 minutes, until brown on bottom. Turn over tofu and fry 3 minutes. Transfer tofu to plate.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over high heat. Add broccoli, cauliflower and carrots; stir-fry 1 minute. Add snow peas and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add broth and five-spice powder. Cover skillet; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and tofu; toss until heated through.

Notes from the magazine: The key to keeping this vegetarian entree simple is to use precut packaged vegetables. Serve steamed rice alongside.

Notes from me: I was in a serious rush last night, and it was a test of my will to not stop for take out. I did double this recipe, quite easily, and it cooks up really, really fast. The key, I think, is the prepackaged vegetables. I didn't buy them prepackaged, but gathered them pre-chopped in the produce section, only buying what I needed for this meal. I firmly believe in buying prepackaged if it helps me out, even if it costs just a bit more. The rice cooked a rice cooker while I got the meal going.

::If you haven't heard, I started a Flickr group for the Dinner Challenge - all the meals with links to the recipes (or the recipes themselves) are over there! Check it out - join us (I hope you do)!

Dinner Challenge: Penne Alla Vodka

Good thing I'm not a food photographer, huh?

Penne Alla Vodka, originally printed in Glamour Magazine, March 1985.

Gather:
1 16-oz. box penne
1 medium onion, diced
4 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 16-oz. can tomatoes, drained (I used diced)
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
2/3 cup Vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb. ham, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta according to label directions. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion in hot butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add vodka; cook 5 minutes. Blend in cream; heat to boiling. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Toss with hot drained pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan Cheese.

Makes 6 servings - calories: 580 per serving.

Note: Your choice on the addition of vodka. I believe alcohol does burn off when cooked, so I don't worry about serving this to kids (or, should I? Two of them ate it, and they were fine. Relatively speaking, that is.)

I totally remember when I clipped this recipe! Obviously, it was 1985, and I think I was living in Brentwood with my best friend Karen (who was my college roommate). I remember being so happy to have my own apartment, and I would cook dinners for Scott all the time - long, complicated dinners that cost a fortune in ingredients! Glamour Magazine always had great recipes that were usually 30 minutes or less.

How'd you do last night?

It's 5 c'clock. Now what? Easy Cheesy Enchilada's to the rescue!

This happens to me more times than I'd like to admit. I try to plan ahead, I try to be prepared, but every once in awhile, 5 o'clock rolls around and I haven't done anything for dinner. This happened last night, and while I hadn't done anything for dinner, at least I was somewhat prepared. This is my friend, Toni's, family recipe for Cheese Enchilada's - it's yummy and it's fast and it's easy-peasy. Better yet, my kids like it.

Gather:
1 doz. corn tortillas
1/4 cup +/- corn oil
Small container of Cottage Cheese
2 cups grated Colby Jack Cheese (I buy prepackaged to save time)(frequently)
1 yellow onion
1 can Enchilada Sauce
Spanish Rice mix, if desired
1 bottle wine (variety & vintage - your choice)

First, pour yourself a glass of wine. If you are making this ahead of time, at, say, 10 a.m. (and you can), this is at your descretion. If you are making for immediate serving, also preheat the oven to 350.

Lightly fry tortillas in hot oil, do both sides - a couple of seconds. You just want to coat the tortilla, not cook it. It needs to be floppy. Drain on paper towels.

Dice onions.

Put a handful of cheese in tortilla, a heaping tablespoon of cottage cheese, and a heaping teaspoon of onion. I don't measure - just plop. Fold tortilla, squish down and fold tight and place in large rectangular baking dish.

Cover with foil. At this point, if you are making this ahead of time, you can place it in the fridge. Otherwise, place covered dish in your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. If you have made this ahead of time, bake for 30-40 minutes.

While the enchilada's are baking, you can make Spanish Rice - from scratch, or if you are like me, from a box.

10 minutes before serving, remove foil and pour Enchilada Sauce over, and finish baking with the foil off.

This is a good time to have another glass of wine and relax. Or, you can set the table. You can see what I'd rather do. Better yet, have the kids set the table.

Round it off with chips, salsa, guacamole, salad, etc. (not shown, because, um....) and you're good to go!

This is the basic recipe. You can vary this and add chicken or different kinds of cheese. I've also substituted tofu and soy cheeses. Very easy!

A recipe for warm and cozy.

We are still on storm watch, and while we did finally get some rain last night, it was nowhere near the torrential downpour they were predicting. I heard Northern California got slammed, but as usual, by the time it makes it down south, it's petered out over the ocean. Today is cold and gloomy, just the way I like it! I've been holed up in my workshop cutting out new aprons and shivering. Just the way I like it!

This is soup and stew weather! I love soup and stew weather - I just hate watching the pot! Or, realizing it's five o'clock and I haven't done anything about dinner - there are just so many nights of grilled cheese and tomato soup you can get away with!

This is something I literally threw together a few years ago. It sounded good; I made it up as I went along, and really, there's nothing to it. I like to call it Masala Chicken, but you can call it anything, and dump chicken is probably a lot more appropriate (although not as appetizing!).

Gather: A crock pot (large enough to fit a whole chicken); 1 whole chicken, 1 onion (I'm partial to the Sweet Maya variety, but any will do), carrots (in any shape or form you like), 1 cup frozen peas (for later), 1 package Near East Couscous (I like the Parmesan style, but you could use any) and the secret ingredient:

Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce. If there is not a Trader Joe's in your area, I don't know what to tell you. This stuff is gold. Search online, or beg your friends to send you a bottle. Unless you know of a similar sauce, and really, any sauce will do here (but this is my fav).

Slice onions about a 1/4" thick and place on the bottom of the Crock Pot;

Place whole chicken on top and then scatter carrots around;

Check over both shoulders to make sure nobody is watching, and then pour the Masala Sauce over everything. When the jar appears to be empty, add a little bit of water, close the cap, give it shake, and then pour that on top of the chicken as well (good to the last drop!).

Cook on 'low' all the live long day. I usually get this going around 9 a.m. and then fuggedaboutit.

About an hour before serving, or a half hour, or 15 minutes before you have to serve dinner and you just remembered that you have to serve dinner, turn the crock pot off. Add the cup of frozen peas, and close lid. Then, make your couscous - the Near East Couscous is fabulous, and it only takes 5 minutes.  So, theoretically, you could procrastinate another 10 minutes and still get dinner on the table on time.

Plate the couscous, add some chicken, open a bag of salad (if you're ambitious), serve your family, and sit back and reap the gratitude. With a glass of wine, of course. You've worked hard.

Enjoy!