sesame garlic green beans

Adapted from several recipes you too can find if you google "Sesame Garlic Green Beans"

I cannot find the original I made for Steve's birthday dinner, but it has seemed to work out okay. I am usually headlong into the rest of the meal prep and referring to a recipe isn't exactly a possibility.

Prep: ZERO
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: Not nearly enough

1 bag of ready to steam green beans
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBL sesame oil
1-2 TBL soy sauce
salt and pepper

Steam green beans until bright green.

Heat oil in saute pan, add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add grean beans to saute pan.

Add sesame oil and toss to combine.

Cook 5-8 minutes.

Add soy sauce and toss to coat.

Cook for an additional 5 minutes until soft, but still crisp.

MY SON WILL EAT THESE GREEN BEANS! GREEN! BEANS! GREEN!

Citrus Butter Salad

adapted from Rachel Ray's Spinach and Arugula Salad with Oranges

1 bag of Butter Lettuce (Dole Butter Bliss) or 1 head of Boston Lettuce (spun to dry)
1/2 small red onion diced

1 heaping TBL orange marmalade
pinch of salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to emulsify

Optional: 1 navel orange, peeled and sliced into discs arranged on top of tossed salad

Pour Salad into large bowl, add onions

In small bowl create dressing with whisk seasoning to taste

Toss

Add oranges and Serve

Spinach Saute

(Sandra Lee from Food Network)

7 minutes

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 cup frozen onions
• 12 ounces pre-washed baby spinach
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.

Add garlic and onions and saute for 2 minutes.

Turn heat up to medium-high and add spinach in handfuls, constantly tossing and moving with tongs as it wilts down.

As soon as spinach has completely wilted remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

I knew that I would be the only one who really enjoyed the spinach part of our meal, so I reduced the amounts by more than half and guesstimated ingredient amounts, but I feel like I got the same overall effect. With the exception of one salty bite, Steve is happy to have this a second time this week as he packaged the remaining spinach up in a ziploc. Spinach WIN!

Greek Panzanella

(from Ina Garten, http://foodtv.com)

10 minutes to prepare
30 minutes to set

For the salad:

- olive oil
- 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
- Kosher salt
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper, large diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, large diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, sliced in half rounds
- 1/2 pound feta cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Add more olive oil as needed. (and it will be needed)

Place the cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a small bowl. While still whisking, add the olive oil and make an emulsion.

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.

Add the feta, olives and bread cubes and mix together lightly.

Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve at room temperature.

NOTES:

Steve doesn't do tomatoes or olives, so I eliminated those because they would have just ended up in a pile on his plate which is a waste of delicious ingredients. I can't do feta right now, so we didn't put any cheese in the salad at all and it was still yummy.

It makes 6 servings so I only tossed half of it together with the dressing on the night we were having it and saved the other half (veggies and bread stored seperately for another dinner).

Good enough to get a round 2 and upon getting round 2, was declared good enough to make again. Even Caroline enjoyed it.

avocado and grapefruit salad

From Ina Garten (Food Network Episode Blueprint Lunch)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
4 ripe Hass avocados
2 large red grapefruits

Place the mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Before serving, cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the seeds, and carefully peel off the skin. Cut each half into 4 thick slices. Toss the avocado slices in the vinaigrette to prevent them from turning brown.

Use a large, sharp knife to slice the peel off the grapefruits (be sure to remove all the white pith), then cut between the membranes to release the grapefruit segments.

Arrange the avocado slices around the edge of a large platter. Arrange the grapefruit segments in the center. Squeeze the remaining grapefruit membranes over platter.

Spoon the vinaigrette on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nonie/Kiki's Cheesy Potatoes

• 32 oz bag of Ore Ida Frozen Hash browns (defrosted overnight in refrigerator)
• 8 oz bag of shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 pint light Sour Cream(not fat free)
• Chopped onion and Chives optional
• 1 can fat free Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 Cup of Cornflakes
• 1 to 1½ stick of butter

Mix potatoes, sour cream, cheddar cheese and chicken soup together in a large bowl.

Spray a glass pan with PAM(do not use aluminum pan)

Crumble cornflakes on top.

Pour butter on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Done when bubbly on sides.