Avocado and Orange Salad

Just a fast fly by post today ... it's been a busy couple of days all around between gardening, errands, some housework, and life. You know! You have your busy days too! So what do you make when you've been straight out, the fridge door is wagging, and your hunger is staring you in the face at the end of the day?

An easy roasted chicken and this salad did it for me last evening. I  was initially suspicious of the combination of oranges, avocado, onion, and the French dressing, so I made small salads. We were pleasantly surprised though! The avocados were perfectly ripened and so smooth and silky and the citrus packed a sweet hit ... I used Bibb lettuce because we love the buttery softness of the flavour.

Yum!

Zarela Martinez and a Different Kind of Chile Relleno

I am late posting this tribute to Zarela Martinez. I almost skipped this last week's exercise in researching and blogging to the 47th game changer, but I found a recipe of hers that sounded so delicious and seemed so unique that I had to go ahead ... lateness, be damned.

Image: San Diego RED file photo

If you haven't already visited the other women who have posted their tributes to Ms. Martinez or if you're new to the 50 Woman Game Changer blogshare posts, visit Mary's most recent post at One Perfect Bite to see more about Zarela Martinez and her incredible recipes.

Burnt Sugar Sponge with Sticky Burnt Sugar Frosting

This was one gooey, sweet, soft and crumbly confection ... a total exercise in decadence ... and perseverance. I came across a recipe for a burnt sugar cake in an old Better Homes and Gardens cooking series from the 60's. Had to try it ... however, the cake was a disaster. Really. I followed the recipe to the letter ... against my better judgement, but you know how it is when you're dealing with an unfamiliar recipe? I figured I should stick to it. Surely, it would come out 'okay' and if it was 'meh', then I could play with it. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The cake stuck in the pan and was far too crumbly. It was impossible to go any further, so it got broken up and left on a plate for picking at without any frosting. I retreated to the couch and sipped a strong drink (a good single malt Scotch, to be exact!) ... fuming and thinking how to correct the recipe.

Semolina Pizza Dough

Friday night dinner had to be an easy affair ... time for pizza ... again! This pizza has a semolina dough. That's a change from my usual whole wheat and wheat germ dough ... it's much lighter and has a grainier texture because of the semolina. There is a cornmeal flake on the bottom of the crust and a beautiful white color. It's puffy and lighter than my other whole wheat dough. 

I love pizza for its quick ease. I love that there are any number of combinations of vegetables, herbs, cheeses, meats, and yes, even fruits making for a kazillion new pizza experiences. So many Friday nights - so many pizzas!

Cauliflower and Mushroom Gougère

The quest for new and different vegetable dishes took me in a very different direction this evening. I have been slowly collecting the library of The Cook's Encyclopedia, a series of cookbooks compiled by various editors through Anness Publishing Limited. I like the books, as they have a wide variety of recipes that I have never come in contact with. This recipe is a great example.

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Indian curry is just what the doctor ordered. It's been much slower around the grey cottage the past couple weeks, as I have been laid up with a severely sprained ankle. My leg up with an ice pack and ankle wrap securely wound snug, I've used the time to research and browse for slow cookers. There is a pork butt and some short ribs that are in need of a slooow braising. But first, I require a chicken curry ... my favorite crockpot dinner.

Turkish Carrots and Lentils

Cheap, nutritious, spicy, and good! That's it in a nutshell! Excellent with grilled meats and a plain green vegetable or salad to cool the palate ... make these! Really! I found the recipe in a Diana Henry cookbook called Plenty.

A Classic Pear Tart

The Bosc pears were just so perfect this week ... and pears will be gone for the summer very soon. My sweetheart has not had much in the way of sweet treats of late, so I made him a tart ... a classic French pear tart.