Cooking

I haven't written about cooking in a while. The co-signer is out of town this weekend, so I was left to my own devices yesterday. I decided to treat myself to a decent dinner. All too often I hear friends tell me that they don't like to cook "just for myself" or "for only one person". To my mind, this sentiment is bunk. Think of how many selfish (and I use that in a non-judgemental manner) things we do throughout a day/week/month/year. Think of that new power drill you got because it goes to eleven. Or how about the new shoes you threw down on. Or that latte you got on the way into the office (OK, for some, I realize, the latte was essential).

The point being is that we do things "just for myself" all of the time. Why not make a healthy, good tasting meal a part of that ritual? Sure, it takes time, but you really owe it to yourself to treat yourself right. That's how we justify the other habits such as the ones mentioned above - if others aren't always treating us right, then we should do it because we deserve it. What better way to show your love for yourself than to take the time to make and enjoy a good meal?

Yesterday I looked over items in the house to see what I may want over the next three days then ran to the market. I had decided on fish for dinner last night. It was a hot day and cooking on the grill seemed like a good idea. Some of the fish at the market didn't look very good. If the fish doesn't look right, then I won't buy it. I ended up getting some wild caught king salmon. The co-signer and I had salmon the previous weekend, but I decided that I'd prepare it differently. Last weekend, I marinated the salmon in sake, then grilled it with a homemade teriyaki sauce. This week, I marinated the fish in a sauce using soy sauce, sesame and olive oils, sorghum, Dijon mustard, garlic, rosemary, and lime juice. Yum - to both methods.

The corn looked good at the market, so I grabbed an ear and roasted that on the grill as well. I also roasted some asparagus spears that we needed to use up and topped them with a little balsamic drizzle (reduced balsamic vinegar).

While I was getting carried away, I also made some deviled eggs. The filling had mustard, mayonnaise, a dash of Brother Bru Bru's hot sauce, worcester sauce, finely minced roasted bell peppers, and finely minced fresh basil. I topped them with a sprinkling of smokey paprika. I've got some of them left over for tonight.

For dessert I finished off the last of a cherry clafouti that I made last week. It was a simple recipe to make and it tasted very good. For the custard, I added both vanilla extract and Amaretto.

Tonight's dinner will be artichoke hearts and pasta in a creamy sauce. The sauce is made creamy using ricotta and cottages cheeses. It may sound a little odd, but it's quite tasty and low fat and it's easy to throw together. The co-signer gave it two thumbs up the last time I made it.

Tomorrow's dinner is up in the air. I've been invited to a couple of parties. One of them is a potluck. If I make it to that party, then dinner will be whatever I can forage from the table. I'll probably make a salad if I decide I can make it.