The week that was March 21st, 2022

 The first week in a while with nothing on our evening agenda's except for having the neighbors over for beverages and patio time. I made some very 'ok' chicken nachos that I forgot to photograph. No big loss there but it was a fun snack to catch up with our relatively new friends.

It was a beautiful week that we didn't let slip by without some quality time outside. That means juicy burgers and mandatory Benadryl.

Roasted Eggplant Pizza

I'm always looking for a new pizza to try and this one from our well used 'Tuesday Night's' was just pushing the boundaries for the other 50% of the family. Unfortunately I'm the only big tomato fan in the house. I decided it sounded too good to let it slip by, and I had recently gotten a big bottle za'atar so it seemed like kismet. The pizza turned out great! Everyone really liked it, the goat cheese (the original recipe called for Feta) was the kicker, but the heavily seasoned crust was a big hit at the table as well.

Havarti Stuffed Bison Burgers with Everything Bagel Oven-Baked Fries

When the sun's out the grill is on. I have been getting more comfortable on the grill and decided to take these bison burgers up a notch. A big hunk of Havarti (and more on the bun of course) made this extra special. Plus the fries were perfect. I've doctored these up a few ways and this was right up there with the Cajun seasoned.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon and Asparagus Salad

The salmon for me was the showstopper on this dish. The recipe called for a spread of herbed yogurt to adhere the pistachios which was a new technique for me. It really was tasty and gave the salmon a really delicate texture. The asparagus salad was good but there was just too much of it, and I don't believe I've mastered the art of slicing it thin enough to become noodles. But it did become a really delicious frittata over the weekend so no loss there!

One-Pot Sundried Tomato and Ricotta Pasta

Sometimes the simplest dinners are the most memorable. This fairly simple dish came together easily but packed a punch with the whipped ricotta and many many sundried tomatoes, which I love. They were everywhere in the early 90's and I just can't shake my love of those sweet tangy little shriveled tomatoes.

Enjoy!