The Dish

So, I know it's only Thursday, but so far this week's menu included:

Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef & Peppers (Real Simple)

Turkey Larb (Giada De Laurentiis)

Jerk Pork (pre-marinated by Publix) + Winter Blues, Summer Dreaming Salad (Mo Vid)

Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef & Peppers (Real Simple)

This was Monday night's dinner and Wednesday's; however, it seemed to be more popular the first evening. I think I was in a little bit of a hurry Sunday night when I prepped all the ingredients, so the hubby could put everything in during the day Monday, and magically, it would be ready when I came home from my monthly massage appointment. During that rush however, I may not have drained the canned diced tomatoes thoroughly, and as a result, the leftovers, were slightly watery. I was okay with it, it was just extra juicy, but Vladi, not so much. Although, he didn't really elaborate why he wasn't as thrilled with it the second time around. Secretly, I think he just doesn't like leftovers. However, this working girl can't cook every night! Anyway, the remaining portion has been frozen and will be a great single serving when the hubby is out of town.

Turkey Larb (Giada De Laurentiis) - 5 Stars please

Don't let the name deter you, or the fact that this is an Asian dish, made by an Italian living in California. It is awesome! Sweet and tangy, spicy and salty, and just plain full of deliciousness. The recipe calls for serving with crisp lettuce leaves, but we usually opt to make rice with this dish for a little more substance at dinner time. This is Vladi approved. And Vladi has quite the opinion on his food, along with being quite the Asian cuisine connoisseur. If you like Asian food, particularly Thai, salty fish sauce, honey and mint, then start licking your chops! You can make with beef too, but the turkey is a slightly lighter version.

Jerk Pork (a la Publix) + Winter Blues, Summer Dreaming Salad (Mo Vid)

I don't know how the pork was marinated other than the package claimed jerk style; however it was not spicy. We seared, "braised," and then sauteed past the liquid dissipation, so the pork looked like it was slathered in burnt honey. Yummy but rich.

For the salad...I guess I'm dreaming of summer and maybe being on an island in Greece or Italy somewhere because I feel this would be something you could find there; plus it was all things I had in my kitchen stash. So, it's not an exact recipe, but I'm guessing the below are the approximate measurements.

*1/2 of a 15 oz. can Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), drained (you could use all the garbanzos, but I wasn't sure if Vladi would dig all the chickpea goodness)

*3 medium sized tomatoes, cut in 1-inch bite sized pieces

*1/4 to 1/2 C chopped mint (depending on your fondness of mint; I probably used more like 1/2 C)

*1/4 C Feta cheese crumbles

*1/4 C (approximately) pine nuts, toasted

*1/4 of medium sized red onion, diced

*2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

*1 garlic clove finely chopped

*1/2 of a lemon

*1 teaspoon of honey

*2 - 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

*3 Tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

*Salt and Pepper

For the dressing:

Squeeze half the lemon for it's juice into a microwavable safe bowl. Stir in the honey, and microwave for 15 seconds to ensure the honey dissolves and easily mixes. Whisk in Red Wine Vinegar and EVOO. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. I have salt and pepper grinders and used 8 salt twists/turns to 7 pepper twists.

Set aside.

Place the garbanzo beans in a large bowl with the cut tomatoes. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a medium skillet. Once toasted, toss the pine nuts with the garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Using the same skillet as the pine nuts, pour in no more than 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sautee the diced onions, sliced shallots and chopped garlic for approximately 5 minutes on low to medium heat (depending on your range). Add the cooked onion, shallot and garlic mixture to the garbanzo bean mixture. Add the chopped mint and feta crumbles; stir in the dressing and toss to coat. Add more salt and pepper if needed/desired.

The salad was Summer in a bowl for this gal who realizes it's only January and Spring/Summer is still a little ways off.

Happy Cooking & Yummy Eating.....