{menu ideas} grilled lamb, smashes, & garlic green beans

It all started with a sale on lamb chops. A few spudded out potatoes and some green beans.

Some garlic seared green beans in olive oil. Basic "more healthy than not", smashed potatoes: chicken broth, milk, salt and pepper and yes a little butter.

A little olive oil on the chops and some rosemary from the garden. Of course salt and pepper too.

But this is where the dinner took a turn, a learning experience, a bouncing off point... in a few seconds my grill was aflame. WOW! I took them off, did my best to salvage my dinner.

A little crisp on the outside but actually the perfect med. rare on the inside. YEEEeeeHAAaaa!

{menu ideas} healthy and hearty

grilled chicken, lentils and a light caesar salad by ann west

Moms in town and she is always inspires me to eat healthy. Her new kick is veggies in the morning on whole wheat toast. Ok I am not sure I am ready for that but I love how enthusiastic she is about eating well. See I am still learning by example from her!

Our first meal together was grilled chicken, lentils and a light ceasar salad. It was delicious and hearty. My youngest even exclaimed, "ohh I love lentils." If you can get your kids to try them... they will like them. I promise.

Here are the recipes for our dinner.

lenitls

click here!

grilled chicken

we marinated this chicken in lemon olive oil and some rosemary, salt and pepper and grilled it.

caesar salad

heart of romaine and parm with a light dressing.

Mix 1/3 cup olive oil, juice of one lemon, garlic, 1 tsp anchovy paste, dash or 2 of worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

As our piggyback meal we are going to add some yummy spicy sausage to the lentils and serve them with a salad and some tortillas tonight!

{menu ideas} a week with mom

Mom is coming this week. I can't wait. It has been a long time since I spent a week with mom. We will shop, go to a movie, rent a movie, talk, talk, talk and of course we will cook. She has been my inspiration in the kitchen my entire life. Really her life is just darn inspiring.

She cooks wonderfully. Her meals are healthy and always good. My mother has been cooking for herself for a long time. Just her. She has managed to find inspiration in cooking for herself. She is constantly experimenting, exploring and rediscovering recipes. My mom has a way of making even the simple dishes or meals special. I love the way my mother always sets up a tray or sets a place setting. She makes it special even if it is just for her. I can just see her breakfast tray... with a poached egg, whole wheat toast, spinach and a sliced strawberry... and probably a spring of a flower in a tiny vase. I love that she does that for herself!

I hope I can convince her to guest blog for me ... it would be a treat... we will see. This is what I am planning to make for my mom so far.

a week with mom!

chicken with lentils & a ceasar type salad with a soft boiled egg

eat out Thai food - yum! she never gets to eat out

lamb burgers with hummus, tabouli, and taziki & a greek type salad

beef fillets with asparagus, roasted tomatoes, and mashed potatoes

grilled chicken, broccoli, wild rice