May 2024 Recap

May is awesome…it’s also a lot. I’m le tired. We love the start of spring, and being full into sports, with so many fun things with outside weather. It will be OK when there aren’t 3 sports practices on weeknights but we’ve been in our groove.

In the kitchen, I love having the slightest variation of fish in a Crispy Fish Bowls with Lemon Herb Drizzle

This Caprese Pasta Salad was a side that ate like a meal and will be repeated, for sure.

I also had some BLT Burritos since those are fan-favorite flavors here – just add more cheese than I did!

The Big Kid:
He’s sad that lacrosse wraps up this week – he would have played more. We did a big (for him) room declutter and he’s been outside every minute that isn’t raining. He’s glad the neighborhood cat is back after a few months of being MIA.

The Littler One:
She loves the little sister gang at their big brother’s lacrosse games – they play with dolls and ride bikes. It is fun to see her in a little group playing. There were chicks in her classroom but I’m unclear how successful it went. She’s obsessed with chicken wings and it cracks me up.

June brings a million school activities and festive days, I have a weekend away, maybe a yard sale, and we will enjoy the spring weather. Work goes bananas for the fiscal year-end. I think I’ve decided on the birthday burger and some springy meals!

Goals for this upcoming year:
Year of replacements/upgrades! I got nicer pajamas
Restaurant Recreations – nope
Special ingredient focus – I found some fun things but not to cook with – we love some limited edition taco Dorritos & chocolate covered pretzel oreos.
More fish – we put crispy fish into grain bowls over orzo
What I’m reading – I read House of Eve for bookclub and absolutely loved it then I read City of Night Birds and wasn’t that into it.

Crispy Fish Bowls with Lemon

We most often see this crispy fish for tacos and I like to keep the kiddos on their toes. This grain bowl has an orzo base, roasted parmesan broccoli, some fresh tomatoes, and a lemon-butter-herb drizzle.

Some filling grain/rice/noodle base + a protein + a cooked veg + a fresh component + a drizzle = a perfect meal.

Crispy Fish Bowls with Lemon Herb Drizzle
Ingredients: (serves 4)

1/2 pound orzo
8 breaded fish fillets
2 broccoli florets
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
3 tomatoes
1/2 a lemon
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
herbs

Directions:
Cook the orzo until cooked through – then stir in butter and some lemon juice.
Chop the broccoli, drizzle with olive oil, and roast at 400-degrees for 15 minutes. Then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parmesan when removing from the oven.
Chop the tomatoes and add to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil & vinegar or Italian dressing.
Cook the fish according to the package.
Layer the bowls with orzo on the bottom, top with broccoli, and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter and whisk in lemon juice, dijon, and herbs.
Drizzle on top. Enjoy!

We loved it. One kiddo said it was the best dinner ever. Ever? Roasted broccoli is a hit here but could swap with sautéed green beans or brussels sprouts or asparagus! We have this fish all the time as fish tacos with lemonade slaw or salmon would be really good too.

Caprese Pasta Salad

This is such a winner and has great options as a side or meal! Pasta salad is tough to get beyond one that just tastes like oily noodles. It needs a strong flavor – i.e. a dressing that is vinegary, it has to have plenty of salt & pepper – more than seems right, and will need to be tasted a few times & adjusted as it refrigerates for 1 hour – overnight.  

Caprese Pasta Salad
Ingredients: serves ~8 as side dishes

1 pound pasta
2 large tomatoes
8 oz mini mozzarella ‘pearls’ or any larger size, chopped
1/4 cup Italian dressing (or equal oil/vinegar ratio)
salt/pepper/garlic salt
2 tablespoons pesto OR chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Cook the pasta in salty water until al dente – not too soft. Drain and stir a bit to cool it down with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together. 
Chop the tomatoes.
When the pasta is cool, add in the tomatoes, mozzarella, dressing and salt/pepper/garlic powder. 

Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour or over night.
Stir and taste. Add more dressing and salt if needed – if it doesn’t seem strong and bright, add a splash of vinegar (apple cider, red wine, or champagne are all great).

Before serving, add a few dollops of pesto (or torn basil if using).
Enjoy!

This was good – and nice as leftovers. I brought some to work for lunch with leftover grilled chicken and a pile of arugula on top. I liked the sudden pops of pesto versus mixed in. Also, the mini bow ties are too cute.

BLT Burrito

The BLT deserves to take some new formats. I turned that into a burrito which was so fun. It has rice, bacon, greens that can take the heat, and tomatoes. I added some cheese but would use even more next time! Don’t be like me!

BLT Burrito
Ingredients: (for 2)

2 tortilla wraps
~6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2/3 cup of cooked rice/grain of choice
tomatoes
arugula or spinach
cheese (mine was herbed fontina)

Directions:
Warm the rice and chop the veggies.
Spoon the rice onto the tortillas, grate cheese on top, greens, tomatoes, and bacon. Add a 2nd round of cheese!

Heat a skillet or griddle to medium heat. Spray with nonstick spray.
Fold the sides inward and roll the burrito tightly.
Pan fry the burritos until golden on each side and warmed through.

Slice and enjoy!

Add more cheese and this will be delicious. I love the crumbled bacon.

Need some other variations? I have lots.
Buffalo Chicken Burritos
Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Burritos
Thanksgiving Hot Wraps
French Onion Burritos
Chicken & Broccoli Hot Wraps
Burger Burrito
Sausage & Peppers Burritos

April 2025 Recap

April was everything – spring teases, soccer, Easter, vacation, lacrosse, and maybe too much rain.

Easter was fun and full of magic. We ate lots of brunch including these very easy sausage & cheese stuffed biscuits.

When I needed more veggies, I put them all onto a very veggie sandwich with zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, and a spread of pesto and and a smear of blended cottage cheese.

This French white bean cassoulet got a refresh from 2013.

I added a grain bowl with this teriyaki mushroom rice bowl. It has a sesame peanut drizzle that makes it really special.

Our vacation getaway to NYC was the best time. Ellen’s Stardust Diner was my favorite. J had tons of work but was able to do it all.

The Big Kid:
He’s into lacrosse and we’re so proud to see him try new things – a few years ago he wouldn’t have. He’s winding down on the trombone – it was fun to play but not to practice. We got a hotdog slicer and he loves a ‘slotdog’. He got incredibly motion sick coming home from NYC, but he loved navigating the subway, The Empire State Building, and Times Square at night.

The Littler One:
It’s soccer season! She’s having a great time except for some rained out games. Boo. We’ve been to the indoor pool more and she can swim on her own (even though she can’t touch). It’s lovely to supervise without getting in sometimes! She loved the Statue of Liberty and I couldn’t get over how much walking she did without ever getting tired.

Goals for this upcoming year:
Year of replacements/upgrades! I got new perfumes!
Restaurant Recreations – this one should probably
Special ingredient focus – oops
More fish – the littlest requested fish tacos.
What I’m reading – I read Good Dirt which was the best of the year. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating was the town read and I was into it. I loved Berry Pickers and for suspense and Home is Where the Bodies Are.