Lentil Soup

From Giada De Laurentis via Foodnetwork.com



Ingredients:
EVOO
onion
carrots
celery
garlic
salt & pepper
diced tomatoes
lentils
chicken stock
thyme
pasta

Comments:
While doing research lately I've learned that beans and lentils are high in protein, low in fat, and generally pretty good for you. So I decided to take a shot at cooking them. This soup was easy to make, didn't take too long, and was very tasty. I left off the parmesan the recipe says to add to the top since I'd had some ice cream at lunch and didn't want to push the dairy threshold. I can't wait for leftovers for lunch this next week.

Adam Makes Beignets

From Emeril Lagasse via foodnetwork.com



Ingredients:
corn oil
flour
baking powder
salt
sugar
eggs
canola oil
milk
powdered sugar

Comments:
Obviously I did not make these. We were watching a "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" episode and they made beignets. So Adam's like, "Those look good, we should make them." And I was like, "Have fun!" So I found him a recipe and he made them. They are pretty good. Bigger than I expected, but that's ok.

Oven-Fried Catfish Sandwiches

From Cooking Light, April 2008



Ingredients:
flour
paprika
garlic powder
salt & pepper
egg whites
cornmeal
catfish fillets
cooking spray
rolls

Comments:
I did a little modification on this one since I totally spaced and forgot to get rolls and Adam didn't want the special mayo or veggies on his sandwich. This was simple to make, a basic breading and baking process, and Adam liked it. I used regular mayo, made it an open-faced sandwich on a hotdog bun, and added some cheese. Not exactly how it was meant to be, but it works.

Pepperoni Lasagna Roll-Ups

From Taste of Home April & May 2008 (I don't see it on their site so no direct link is available.)



Ingredients:
lasagna noodles
ricotta cheese
chives (left these out)
oregano
basil
pepperoni
swiss cheese (I used mozzarella)
spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese (I'm still out so I used more mozzarella)

Comments:
There was this recipe in the "Taste of Home" issue and a similar recipe in the "Cooking Light" magazine and Adam flagged them both. I tried this one since it sounded easier and more fun. It's very simple and an interesting idea. My only complaint might be that it had a little more pepperoni in it than I would have liked. But that's a personal preference. It makes single serve lasagna portions quicker and a lot easier than a full-sized version. Thumbs up, will definitely add this to our regular rotation. Now I just need to get that bigger pasta pot...

Peanut-Crusted Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

From Cooking Light March 2008



Ingredients:
pineapple
cilantro (left out)
red onion (left out)
dry-roasted peanuts (used almonds)
bread
salt & pepper
chicken cutlets (or in my case boneless, skinless breasts pounded thin)
canola oil

Comments:
Yeah, yeah, what's with all the alterations? I forgot I had thrown out the big container of peanuts when I cleaned the pantry out a little bit ago so I had to improvise. I also hate cilantro and didn't have an onion. So I guess this is really "Almond-Crusted Chicken with Pineapple." It works. This recipe takes very little brain power and tastes delicious. I threw some green beans in the microwave and the first thing Adam said was "I hate green beans." Sigh. (He ate them anyway...) Anywho, another simple variation on the crusted chicken theme.

Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta

From Cooking Light April 2008



Ingredients:
gnocchi
pancetta (I used bacon)
shallots (I used an onion)
asparagus
garlic
lemon juice
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese (I forgot this)

Comments:
In my kitchen, it's "Cooking (Not-so-)Light". Heh. Other than the alterations mentioned above I pretty much followed the recipe. It's totally simple, really quick, and tastes great. The combination of textures, colors, and flavors is nice. And really, how can you go wrong with bacon and potatoes? Yum... So if you can tolerate the noxious stinky pee that asparagus is known to cause, this is a good dish to try.