"Real Simple Recipes":Oct and Nov 2009

One of my favorite pieces of mail is the monthly arrival of Real Simple magazine, courtesy of a gift subscription from my mother. My absolute favorite part of the magazine is the recipes which do tend to be simple and healthy. I like recipes that I can cook during the week, but are a little more exciting than dumping two cans of beans in a pot with some canned tomatoes and chili mix.
In the past week or so, I made the following recipes:

Tilapia with Peppers and Olives (Real Simple, October 2009)

LESSONS LEARNED:

tilapia + green olives + lime = awesome
yellow cauliflower IS slightly sweeter than white cauliflower
if you cook tilapia too long, it still tastes good, but it falls apart from the filet

RATING: A-

Seared Lamb Chops with Minted Spaghetti Squash (Real Simple, October 2009)

LESSONS LEARNED:

I don't like squash, in general. But living in New England in autumn makes one want to like squash. Not only did I like this squash, I'd make it again for a Thanksgiving meal. Make it for your friends who do not like squash and see what they say. The mint and scallions made a wonderful combination and the texture of spaghetti squash is much more pleasant than other squashes.
Don't mess with lamb too much. So much flavor right there.

RATING: A, Solid A

Spicy Rice with (Chicken) and Chorizo (Real Simple, November 2009)--not yet available online, but part of their "10 Fresh Ideas for Turkey Leftovers".

LESSONS LEARNED:

Ok, so I used chicken instead of turkey.
Since I used pre-cooked chorizo links (Applegate Farms), I added some salt, garlic powder and a touch of paprika because the flavor of the chorizo wouldn't permeate the rice as much. I also heated the chorizo in some olive oil to help distribute the flavors. This probably isn't necessary with chorizo in crumbled form.
Next time I might add some canned tomatoes to give it a bit more of a spanish rice feel.

RATING: B+/A-

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Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa! This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband. The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty. If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.

COMPLETE MEAL: Dilled Sole with Almonds and Cranberry & Toasted Coconut Couscous

Last Sunday's dinner was one of my better successes in creating an entire meal, by myself. That may seem like a strange thing to say, but what usually ends up happening is that I choose a challenging entrée to which I must devote all my time and attention. When my husband gets home from work, then, the first thing out of my mouth is usually, "Can you make the salad?" Just what everyone wants to hear when they get home from work, I know. (I'm hoping he remembers that time I did have a martini waiting for him when he walked in the door...that's got to be worth something, right? It happened once.) Now, the Lord of Shallots does not go to work on Sunday, but I really wanted to cook something new, but something easy that would allow me to concentrate on the entire meal. Enter sole. Sole, like tilapia and other thinner fishes, is a great fish to cook when you don't have a lot of time. I had picked up some grey sole at the Farmers Market, and found this recipe ...

THE LADY OF SHALLOTS

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