Week 2b - Cream Cheese Enlightenment

As I draw to a close on week 2 of this culinary adventure, I amazingly find myself looking forward to the week ahead.  I've started planning my menus further in advance, so as I recount the delicousness of this past week, I also salivate for the one ahead.  But I won't get ahead of myself.  First, a recap:

Thursday morning began with a simple late (always late) breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast.  I've taught my 2 year old how to make scrambled eggs, so what revelation could possibly come from something obviously so easy to make?  Well, slathered on the toast was a nice layer of cream cheese (Deb used goat cheese, of which I am not a huge fan, but graciously offered cream cheese as an alternative).  I've never combined the flavors of egg and cream cheese before, as I usually opt for butter, but the marriage of the two and the chopped scallion ending was a delight I did not anticipate.  That night for dinner I made a gallette - turn here for details.  I admittedly had never even heard of this before, but the zucchini ricotta galette I made was this amazing hybrid of quiche, pizza, and even lasagna with its cheesy creaminess.  And that flaky brown crust..?  Goodness I am about to run off right now and make another.  I had the final surviving slice for breakfast on Friday, woefully wishing there were more.  So simple, yet so delicious.  I implore you - make this as soon as you can.  The carrot avocado side dish was consumed almost entirely by my son, so doubt it was a winner.  In an attempt to start knocking out some of the Smitten Kitchen cakes (because there are a lot) I let a good friend of mine pick one out for a Friday treat (if you're wondering how you can get such special treatment, be the one who gives me a paycheck every other week, then we'll talk).  She chose the root beer float cupcakes, which I cutely topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, minus the cherries.

Friday afternoon I whipped up a meatball rigatoni dish for neighbors of mine who just had their first child.  Before you go giving me any neighborly awards, let me admit to having lived here 3+ years and never having introduced myself.  In fact, not only did I not know their names when I went over there, I did not know whether they had had a baby girl or boy.  I'm happy to say I now know their names as well as their precious daughter's name.  Anyway, I had made this warm dish last year, so I knew it to be a crowd pleaser. I fly solo with the kids on Friday nights, so instead of trying anything new I went over my parent's house and mooched off their cooking instead.  They supply food, I supply grandchildren, everyone is happy.

Remember that first picture I posted on here last week of my shakshuka breakfast?  It's been an entire week - let me refresh your memory.  Tomato, garlic, egg, feta cheese, toast - you know, world's best breakfast.  Well Deb has an earlier more simplistic rendition of this that still made a great start to the day.  No shakshuka, but no short of wonderful.  Later we started dinner off with small bowls of Dominican beans.  This little dish required an hour and a half of simmering.  Really?  I knew people in Tennessee who spoke of cooking beans for days, yet still over an hour seemed extensive.  I mean, they're beans.  But I did as I was told, starting dinner prep at 3pm, and - no surprise here - these beans were fantastic.  I'm talking lick-the-bowl goodness.  Seriously Deb, how do you do it?  I chiastically ended the second half of this week with yet another cream cheese eye opener - blended and baked into a spinach quiche.  A new staple for me.

I've changed things up a bit, as I'm still getting settled into the new site.  If you clicked on any of the above links, you may have noticed it took you to one of my personal pictures.  I will continue to list the dishes with their official names at the bottom of each post, but it's those links that will take you to the Smitten Kitchen recipe.  Click and cook - you will not be sorry.

1/8

- huevos rancheros

- mushroom marsala pasta with artichokes

- martha's macaroni-and-cheese

1/9 - artichoke-olive crostini

- escarole and orzo soup with meatballs

- salted chocolate caramels

1/10 - feta salsa

- grilled lamb kebabs + tzatziki

- crisp rosemary flatbread

1/11 - crisp black bean tacos with feta and slaw

- charred corn tacos with zucchini-radish slaw

- blondies, infinitely adaptable

- acorn squash quesadillas + tomatillo salsa

1/12 - scrambled egg toast

- zucchini and ricotta galette

- roasted carrot and avocado salad

- root beer float cupcakes

1/13 - baked rigatoni with tiny meatballs

1/14 - eggs in tomato sauce

- spinach quiche (includes Dominican beans)

Another 24 recipes down!!