Pomarola spaghetti

Sometimes the most simple of dishes made with only a few fresh ingredients can be some of the most wonderful meals I ever make. This is the case for this recipe, an authentic Italian Pomarola sauce, made from only three basic ingredients, tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pistachios

I  served this salad alongside my skillet potatoes. The kids and I all love pistachios. My little one (Nora, age 4 1/2) can sit for long periods shelling and eating these delicious nuts, so I named her my assistant and had her shell the nuts I needed for this salad. She really enjoyed that!

Skillet potatoes

The other night I put together this little cute meal. It is fairly light, so make this on a day when you don't feel like eating a huge dinner. This would be an excellent lunch as well and the potatoes could even be for breakfast, in lieu of hash browns. They would definitely be a great side dish with steak too.

Rhubarb and Roasted Strawberry soup with cinnamon

This year I have had somewhat of a love affair with rhubarb. I just can't get enough of it. I have always liked it but never actually cooked with it before. There are so many different ways to use rhubarb see my raspberry rhubarb buckle for one, but I have also tried it in pancakes, in drinks, and in yogurt parfaits. But the most delicious dish so far this summer was this Rhubarb and Roasted Strawberry Soup.

Chicken, Green Beans, corn and Farro Salad with Goat cheese

Where is summer? Certainly not here in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This is such a lovely salad perfect for a warm sunny day, eating outside. Unfortunately the day I had decided to make this turned out to be a gray, cool and rainy one. Oh well, I loved this salad anyway! I have become a big fan of using hearty and tasty grains such as farro or quinoa in salads (see also my Wheatberry salad ). They just add such a nice texture and flavor and makes it more filling and satisfying than a regular leafy salad.

Grilled Cheese and Fried Egg sandwiches

This is not your average Grilled cheese sandwich! It is hands down the best one I have ever had! I haven't made anything really extraordinary lately (therefor the absence of postings last week), but I am really excited to share this recipe idea with you.

Fresh raspberry bars with goat cheese

These bars sounded so good I just had to give them a try. Bars are something I got introduced to when I moved to the US. It is a peculiar thing. It is not really a cookie, and not a cake, but a crust made in a sheet pan layered with goodness and cut into individual squares or bars that are easy to eat by hand.

Easy brownie shortcake dessert

For my birthday I was going back and forth weather to buy a cake from a local bakery or make my own.  I had wanted to make this yummy looking cake for a while and decided it was pretty easy and quick to put together. The cake layers were made with brownie mix from a box, the filling from ready made cool whip and then it was just a matter of piling on the fresh berries. Couldn't be easier!

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Oh Boy, this has been a fabulous but busy week with little time for cooking and family dinners. The end of the school year is always a busy time with field trips and art exhibits and pic-nicks etc. The week started on a high note on Sunday with the completion of my first ever 5 mile (8km) running race. I did better than expected and it was so much fun to be a part of. Monday we had a pot-luck get-together and this was the perfect opportunity to make a treat I have have been eyeing for a while, Fresh Raspberry Bars with Goat Cheese (recipe to come).

I spent part of the day on a field trip with my daugthers 4th grade class on a steam boat on the Mississippi river. That was actually quite comfortable. But with no airconditioning in our house, it was brutally hot, not fit for man or beast, and certainly not for cooking. Wednesday we had the end of the year pic-nic at my daughters school. Food was provided there and we inhaled some burgers and hot dogs while following our kids around and socializing with other parents. Fun, but hectic. My two older kids didn't join us for all these events and I barely saw them this week. By Thursday the weather was back to normal and I could finally make a family meal and we could sit down and have a calm relaxing dinner (my oldest still missing from the table!). I had a recipe for Beef enchiladas I have wanted to try for a while and since it was a relatively cool day I decided to go for it. The outcome was delicious! The beef was fall-apart tender and infused with flavor. Everyone, even my 4-year-old liked this. Since it happened to be my birthday I made myself a delicious birthday cake, Brownie layers with Sour Cream Filling and Fresh Berries (recipe to come).

So there you have it. Life is crazy busy sometimes. But it felt good to take a breather and connect again around the dinner table.

Note! Cooks Illustrated used a top blade steak for these. I used a slightly different chuck steak. I think any chuck steak will work. Just cut it into smaller steaks for faster cooking. I also did not end up with enough sauce (evaporation),  so I just added a little extra tomato sauce.

Shredded beef enchiladas

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

Table salt

1 1/2 lbs chuck steak

1 tablespoon grape seed oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or

mild cheddar cheese

1/3 cup copped fresh cilantro leaves

1 small can green chilies

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Combine garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat meat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook meat until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add onions to pot, and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return meat and juices to pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is fall-apart-tender, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Strain beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking meat into small pieces; reserve sauce. Transfer meat to bowl and mix with 1 cup cheese, cilantro and chillies.

With oven rack in middle position heat oven to 35 degrees. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or use 2 smaller dishes). Microwave 6 tortillas on plate on high power until soft, about 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down center of each tortilla, roll tortillas tightly, and set in baking dish seam side down.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and beef. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and wrap with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden, 5-10 minutes more.

Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce and sour cream (which I unfortunately didn't have. I used it all for the dessert!)

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated, Make ahead recipes, 2011

Honey coconut oatmeal with Raspberries

There is nothing that starts your day off right like a nice bowl of homemade oatmeal. I am always happy when my kids ask me for oatmeal in the morning. Then I know they are off to school with full bellies of food that will actually sustain them throughout their morning. I cringe sometimes when I look at the sugary cereal they eat, and I try to hold back on buying them. They complain when I buy less sugary or supposedly healthier varieties. Personally I can't think of anything worse to eat in the morning than a bowl of Cocoa Puffs or Fruit Loops -Yikes!

Blackberry Margaritas

This version of the traditional Mexican drink looked really tantalizing. I am always drawn to color and this deep red had me at the first glance. And how can you go wrong with Blackberries right? I just new these had to be good, and let me tell you they were delicious!

Baked black beans

This dish is really versatile. In addition to being the perfect side for any kind of fajita or tacos, it would be a great appetizer served with chips.

Grilled chicken fajitas with peppers and onions

This is my favorite Fajita recipe. It is from my trusted New Basics Cookbook. Many years ago some friends made these and I was hooked! It has become a favorite summer meal. They do take a little bit of time and planning ahead of dinner time, but the result is incredibly moist and great tasting chicken and vegetables.