Earlier this week Brian was away at a budget/strategy retreat for his company, so it was just me and urchins.  This generally means our life is more rushed than normal, so Mommy tends to cut corners so she doesn’t go crazy.

They got macaroni and cheese on Monday, and Tuesday was a take and bake pizza that we all summarily disliked.   Daddy got back into town on Wednesday night, so then we had real food.  I made smothered halibut (new recipe below), risotto and raw broccoli with ranch dip.  Anya really didn’t want me to cook that broccoli, so I acquiesced to her little will.   I sent the leftovers to school with her the next day for her “healthy” snack.  Well, it would be healthy if you didn’t include the dip, at least. 😉

Anya is really interested in helping me cook these days, which I am more than happy to allow…to a point.  Much of my food preparation requires chopping vegetables, so this is difficult to have small children help out with.  She has her own little child safe knife that I bought from Pampered Chef, so it allows her to help me out in the kitchen.  She helped me make this salad last night, which is carrots, radishes and apples from the CSA, along with a fig balsamic vinaigrette and Gorgonzola cheese.  Sweet, salty and tangy blend of flavors.  This accompanied grilled burgers and jalapeno poppers.  Can you guess how much of the salad the children ate?

Carrot, radish and apple salad:

2-3 carrots
1 apple
1-2 radishes
1/4 cup Gorgonzola crumbles
2 tbsp balsamic
4 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Cut the carrots, apple and radishes into “straws” or thin strips.  Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper together and pour over the veggies.  Add the cheese on top of each serving.  If you have small children, they probably won’t want any of that stinky cheese.

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In my quest to use up the veggies from my CSA I made a grilled eggplant and beet salad on Sunday night.  I made a lemony vinaigrette dressing and put feta cheese in the cut up grilled veggies.  It looked a bit weird, but it was tasty!  I believe Brian said something like, “I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat this, but it tastes good.”  Then he proceeded to send me different eggplant recipes from Zester.  I can take a hint. 😉

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Smothered Halibut – Version 2.0

1 lb or so halibut, I usually cut them into 1.5″ filets

1/2 pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp dill weed

Put the halibut on aluminum foil that has been sprayed with Pam.  If you don’t want to save the other half of the lemon, cut it in slices and put it under the fish.  Place the fish on the foil.  Mix the remaining ingredients together, and place over the top of the fish in an even layer. Seal up the aluminum foil.  Grill on medium heat – off the direct flame – for about 20 minutes.  Allow the fish to cool a bit before serving.  Enjoy!

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Oh!  We (as in Brian) also FINALLY made this snack creation that Kailan has been asking me to make him for a good two months.  They made it at daycare, so he asked for the recipe so his Mommy could make it for him.  Unfortunately, Mommy was just not on the ball (though, I did buy the ingredients), so Daddy finally made it on Sunday while I was at a photo shoot.

1 bag of popped popcorn (I got the no salt, no butter one – you will see why as you read the ingredients)
1 cup soy nuts
2 sticks of butter (!!!!!)
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 TBSP vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pop the popcorn, meanwhile stir the rest of the ingredients except the soy nuts together in a large pan over the stove.   When all warmed up, mix the popcorn and soy nuts into the caramely mixture still over the stove.  When everything is covered, pour into a large flat jelly roll pan.  For your own sanity, it would be good idea to line the jelly roll pan with aluminum foil before spreading the mixture and baking at 250 degrees for an hour.  Just ask Brian.

When it is all done, take out of the oven and eat as a nice warm dessert and allow the remainder to cool.  If you didn’t line the pan, wonder how you will get all the caramel off.

😀