So Many Dishes

Last week, I changed the menu because we found a new recipe we couldn’t wait to try. Tonight, we made a change because we had no choice.

Our son Ben was with us last evening. He was making an engineering proposal presentation locally this morning, so he drove here yesterday afternoon and spent the night with us. It’s always great to have him here.

I made carne asada for last night’s dinner that we cooked on the grill. I grilled red onion rings, which served as an accompaniment, along with avocado slices and fresh salsa. For a side, I made Mexican rice, which is one of Ken’s favorites. I’m kicking myself that I didn’t take pictures, because it was a colorful, appetizing plate.

The dinner was such a big hit that there were no leftovers. That was my problem tonight, because Monday night is leftovers night at our house. It was time for an emergency meal.

I think we all have go-to emergency meals: dinners that can be thrown together with pantry/fridge/freezer staples. For us, that usually involves pasta, and that was the case this time, too. But, to raise the level of tonight’s dinner, I used a package of artisanal roasted garlic fettuccini that I had been given for my birthday. The aroma of roasted garlic was really noticeable, so I didn’t want to drown it in marinara. Instead, I heated a good, fragrant olive oil, then added lemon juice and fresh basil. Simple, and so good! It was a reminder that you don’t always need a long list of ingredients or a complicated process to create a delicious meal. I added a salad of baby greens and tomatoes, dressed with good olive oil and a Meyer lemon-infused white balsamic vinegar. Yum!

Happy eating!