Supper for one

Growing up, my mom fixed supper every night. Not hamburger helper or easy mac, but real home cooked meals. I looked forward to what mom was cooking all day. As soon as I got in the car from school I wanted to know what we were having. My favorites are lamb or steak on the grill, zucchini spaghetti with ground turkey meatballs, or fish-- usually fresh from the gulf and frozen--ready to go at our convenience, we always had delicious dinners from a true chef.  In college, I rarely cook for just one. My idea of a quick supper is butternut squash thrown in a pot with some water and blended for a fall soup. 

Well tonight I changed it up. Salmon is on the menu, just for me. Its weird to cook for one person, I usually throw some butternut squash in a pot with some stock and call it a night but not this Monday. I decided to treat myself tonight, made a list, and headed to the grocery to pick out the best piece of salmon our little Kroger has to offer. This was ridiculously fast. ridiculously. I seasoned the fish with salt and pepper a dash of dill while the olive oil was heating in the pan, as soon as the oil was smoking I tossed the fish in,  waited maybe 2 minutes,  flipped, re-seasoned and it was time to eat. So much for a night to myself cooking, I blinked and it was over. 

Bowen's Birthday Bash

 Well I have 2 test this week, starting tomorrow, and im on my couch flipping back and forth from the chew and ina. (the chew is a new day time talk show/food show on abc with Mario Batalli, Michael Symon and a few other celebrity chefs and tv personalities) It’s a great way to avoid my communications law notebook sitting on the coffee table. In avoidance of studying and a way of faking productivity,  I thought i'd do a little updating on SPICE. I have to say Bowens bday was Friday and I think it was my favorite day ive ever had because of how happy it made the birthday boy. I prepared for his bday party non stop all week and Friday was filled with the finishing touches. I was up late Thursday having nightmares about party mishaps and up early Friday morning, finishing last minute errands. I could almost put my money on it that I made more walmart/Kroger/ace hardware trips in this one week than in the entire semester. Lights, cups, flowers, balloons, tacks, drinks, more food, flowers, votives, vases, wicker baskets and the list goes on forever. But this is what I love to do. And seeing Bowen’s face as he walked in to his party was so priceless. I have never felt that kind of excitement for anything in seeing his happiness, that happiness wrapped up in his birthday party was worth every little last detail

Bowen's birthday present (yeti) and all the supplies on Monday, ready and waiting

practice run through on Tues-plates from Oxford floral/mirror was hanging on my wall in my bedroom 

Mollie made a chicken satay the day of the party and I grilled sausage for a sausage cheese plate

grilled sausage, basted with bbq sauce and finished with rendezvous rub-plated with sharp cheddar and pepperoni

all filled up and ready for the bday boy

heres a view of the room before the candle and lights were up-at this point the excitement was overflowing

cupcakes out along with spiced cheesenips (baked with ranch packets, dill, and crushed red pepper) and chocolate covered pretzels ( orange of course for Halloween)

Chicken satay with a homemade honey mustard sauce along side a  sausage cheese plate 

Bowen's man cave cups-i had these made a few weeks ago for his garage his is turning into a "man cave", thought they went nicely with his cooler-im sure he loved the bow (or maybe didn't notice)

Sunday supper and a birthday week

Because it’s a birthday week and I have trouble saying no to anything and yes to everything. Let me paint you a picture-Ole Miss v. Alabama game started at 5, we were groving by 2 and at the library for over 6 hours. I did not move all day Sunday, slept from 4-6 which is quite a feat because I have probably napped a total of 5 times in 10 years. I was so looking forward to pizza delivered to my door, a movie and then more sleep. Instead, a little birdie has a little birthday (BIG 25) this week and he wanted stuffed cannelloni. Not easy, peasy pasta but stuffed, homemade, baked golden brown manicotti and of course, I said yes. I loved making this. I pretend it was a task and it was, but so worth it and so rewarding. Ooey gooey cheese covering tender pasta with a velvety red sauce running through each rib of pasta. gosh I love to cook. I love to create and I love to eat good food. This recipe was a mash up of ideas I found on tastespotting, so not much of a recipe at all. I used my go to tomato sauce and turned it into a vodka sauce. Sautee garlic, onions, deglaze with a splash of vodka, reduce then add tomatoes and crushed red pepper and simmer for at least ½ an hour. Finish with cream.  AND ENJOY with every sort of pasta you can find.

            Boil the pasta until al dente (they will continue to cook in oven), mix together fresh mozzarella, 1 container of ricotta, spinach, and ¼ c. Parmesan

Filled the pasta with the back end of a spoon, cover with vodka sauce, top with remaining cheese.

Onions & garlic simmer in butter/olive oil until translucent (onion first so garlic doesn't burn), followed with a splash of vodka, simmer until reduced, add tomatoes and finish with cream

I used my nose not a timer, when this starts to bubble its ready to SIT then serve

Almost looks (and tastes)  like lasagna but much easier to assemble and serve

once again (MOM) a real camera would show  the deliciousness much better than an iPhone

a much needed break

Oxford is wearing me out. I am still recovering from the Georgia game 2 weekends ago. Mollie and I had guests, which for us is more exciting than the actual game. 

starting the weekend off with celebratory balloons at our little cottage

this is the reason I needed a break from the grove, games, and library, I'm
talking about the skinny girl seasoned cheese crackers, of course.

Oh my gosh did we eat this weekend. I am not used to 1. Having my mom’s kitchen to myself 2. Having any and every ingredient on hand-the combination of these two things led to a Saturday in the kitchen.  I knew I had to do a big breakfast for bowen in the kitchen sat morning, I did not know he would be taking over my duties and then passing up my kitchen skills. This is how every cooking venture starts with us two. “Bowen how good would sausage, bacon, hasbrowns be this moring??” yea that sounds awesome (eyes glued to tv). As soon as I start chopping I hear “can I just chop one thing?” I respond with OF COURSE!!! Yes !!! I love you want to do it!!! And then he takes over and im at the butcher block sipping orange juice watching my meal slip out of my hands. The thing is he cooked the best breakfast, his patience far exceeds mine and that is important when forming a crust on hashbrowns or waiting to flip the bacon. So there I said it he won.  

With that said. Around 2 oclock I attempted to regain control of the kitchen. “OH! I see avacodas in the fridge! How about guac chips and dip for the football games??” yeah sounds great. I get out all the ingredients, slip on my gloves, pull out my knife and then here comes a little birdie “can I chop one thing”. I am laughing as im typing because as much as I love cooking  I love that he loves to help more. 

I cant believe after chips and dip and then a cupcake tasting we wanted dinner but we did and so we ate. We ate the best supper we both had ever had. Ever. The most perfectly cooked steak (thanks to bowen) and the truffled risotto, not just truffle oil, but real black truffles mom brought back from Italy. I would like to recreate that meal and share with everyone I love because it was one of a kind

toasting the arborrio rice in garlic garlic and shallots

black truffles fresh of the plane from Italia

After at least 30 minutes of slowly adding warm chicken stock one little ladle at the time,
 I added 2 tablespoons of warmed cream, the truffles, a healthy handful of parmesan, and a drizzle of white truffle oil

I've lost all privileges of cooking my own steak from here on out,
 because mine was perfect and I had nothing to do with it

My "go to" supper

Once again, steak was whats for dinner, not that I'm complaining. Maybe its because its Bowen's favorite or because he's gotten so good at cooking my filet, we have had steak at least twice a week for the past month or year ( i lost track). Surprisingly this has SAVED us money.  Charlie's meat market in memphis has awesome steaks for almost nothing. My little baby steak is around 4 dollars. So $10 for steaks along side homemade fries with aioli on a Tuesday night after RZproject?? Yes!!! Why would you do anything else for supper?

charlie's meat market filets are $5-take that Kroger

saving a few calories by baking, that were put back in with the aioli

garlic, rosemary aioli in the work

i need a camera for Christmas (MOM) these iPhone photos do not do this garlicy mayonnaise goodness justice 

hot oven baked fries tossed with chives parmesan and truffle oil

Add caption

once again, tasted much better than it looks!