something that went completely right

I really am not sure what to call this, but I am so excited about the sauce that I made. It is a tomato sauce simmered with Turmeric, a Large Black Cardamom pod, and a little Cumin. There was also some Garlic and Shallots in the sauce as well. The taste is pretty much what I was looking for. I didn't want an herby tasting tomato sauce, that Oregano would give but I wanted strong flavors that are representative of the middle eastern territory. The combination came completely out of no where, and I really was not sure about whether it would work but luckily it was a god combination. About 45 to 1 hour simmering was all I did, though if I had given it a longer time it definitely would have shown more in taste and flavor.

The mashed potatoes had 4 different cheeses mixed in. I had 2 artisan cheeses that I unfortunately cannot remember the name of, one of them was a saltier style cheese made around the bay area and the other was a type of cheddar that actually was made in Santa Rosa, CA, where I grew up. The third was a Parmesan cheese, and the fourth was Mozzarella. I probably didn't have to add the Mozzarella because the strong taste of the other 3 was enough for the potatoes and turned out really good.

The vegetables were an assortment of carrots, squash, and shitake mushrooms that were lightly sauteed in a pan with some salt & pepper, white balsamic vinegar and olive oil. They turned out so good, crispy, light and full of flavor. The balsamic vinegar gave them a little bite that actually went well with the vegetables as far as being refreshing.

Lastly in between the mashed potatoes and chicken is sauteed spinach, which I like to add to meals to help break things up a bit and give some hearty tastes meals.

Strawberry summer salad

Baby spinach leaves, Strawberries, Candied walnuts and blue cheese with a raspberry vinaigrette. Such a great salad during the summer time, before most any meal. The spinach gives the salad more body and makes for a more filling meal. I also like to add Hard boiled eggs to this salad as well for another source of protein if eaten solely as a meal.

Vegetable Medley Breakfast Sandwich

At first glance the Sandwich is just so vibrant and colorful. The flavors and taste is just as vibrant! The bread is once again a Cheddar cheese & Garlic loaf that was pan fried. Then a fried egg, Sauteed spinach, Gorgonzola cheese, Tomato, Red onions, sauteed Shitake mushrooms Squash, and Red bell pepper with garlic. On top to garnish is a bit of Green onion. Very good, simple and easy to make and for breakfast is very nice, light and easy. Doesn't start your day feeling sluggish like typical big breakfasts tend to do.

Pizza #4

The fourth and last pizza, for the night, had Shitake mushrooms, Trumpet mushrooms, Arugula, Mozzarella cheese, Gorgonzola cheese, White truffel oil and drizzled egg. This was so good for a mushroom pizza, although I would have liked to put one more type of mushroom on, it definitely fulfilled my expectations.

Pizza #3

This pizza had Tomato, Red bell pepper, Mozzarella cheese, Gorgonzola cheese and Oregano. The Oregano definitely stood out the most in this pizza but was supported by the strong Gorgonzola flavors. Juicy flavors from the Tomato were the biggest part of this pizza texture wise.

Pizza #2

Smaller, because I was going to try the Truffel oil and have never used it before. However just using the smallest amount proved to make a great impact, especially with the mushrooms. This one had; White truffel oil, Trumpet mushrooms, Shitake mushrooms, Mozzarella cheese and Gorgonzola cheese. Such a good combination, the combination of the few ingredients made for a great taste and a lot of flavor.

First Pizza

Red Bell Pepper, Tomato, Arugula, Squash, Lime infused olive oil, Mozzarella cheese and Green onion. The one item that stood out to me was the lime flavor from the olive oil, and it paired really well with the tomatoes and peppers. This pizza is definitely a good representation of summer time vegetables, with the combination of Squash, Tomatoes, Bell Pepper and Arugula.

Pizza Station

It has been a while since I have made any pizza but have been wanting to for the longest time. The Kitchen wasn't the biggest but it is not the size that matters, it is the cook. The various toppings that I had were Mozzarella Cheese, Gorgonzola Cheese, Tomato, Red Bell Pepper, Yellow Squash, Sauteed Garlic and Onion, Oregano, Egg, White Truffel Oil, Arugula, Trumpet Mushrooms, Shitake Mushrooms, Green Onions and Lime infused Olive Oil. The toppings were very good and from what was a vegetable, was purchased just the day before from the market. All pizzas were brushed with olive oil, salted, and had sauteed garlic and onion spread on them before any other toppings.

Arugula Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast for Nate and I, was soooo good. The bread was a Cheddar Garlic loaf that was pan fried and then topped with a fried egg, sliced tomato, green onion and arugula. On top a bit of Olive oil for drizzle and the breakfast couldn't have been better. On the side was the fruit plate that consisted of Honey Dew, Strawberries, Orange slices and Banana slices.

Steak Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Pretty much the same thing as the previous salad but with the Mozzarella cheese slices in between the salad. Really good, and adds a nice fluffiness tot he salad. The cheese brings in a really nice creamy, milky texture to the salad.

Strawberry Rice Pudding

Yes, it's strawberry season and I am enjoying every bit of it. This is a real simple dessert that can be made even better with some strawberries. Take a basic rice pudding recipe, which I like to use honey and brown sugar in then blend or puree some strawberries and add to the rice and milk. Let cook and it has a very pleasant taste for after dinner. The strawberry flavor is very clear and pairs well with a dash of cinnamon on the top.

Strawberry Risotto

I finally got to try my hand at a Strawberry Risotto! Over all, very nice. A lot lighter then other risotto's that I have made, probably because this one I did not use any cream and very little cheese. The dish also turns out very nice as well, with the rice developing a nice pink color from the Strawberries. Definitely a good summer time dish to enjoy, during Strawberry Season.

Steak Salad

Ok ok, I made a mistake with this by forgetting two things, which I had with me in the kitchen but simply forgot to put them on the plate. I forgot the Buffalo Mozzarella cheese and Fresh Basil leaves. The Buffalo Mozzarella gets sliced and put in between the steak and tomato slices. However, the salad was still a success. The meat was Beef Ribs that were marinated in a balsamic vinegar and red wine with some rosemary. I was not able to BBQ the meat so instead pan fried it which also turned out very well. One quick note before I cooked the meat in the pan I had rubbed it down with some Shallot Salt to help bring a good flavor out of the meat. Once on the plate I drizzled Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar and the left over combination of Red Wine, Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary that was simmered down to thicken. The end result was very tasty. Rib meat is very tender and a nice choice for something like this as well as Fillet Mignon.