Happy Belated Easter Dinner

Because, I'll be honest, holidays these days are more about the fact that I get to cook a big, fun meal for family and try out new dishes. This past Easter weekend was no different - despite the usual spiral ham, all other dishes were left to my choosing this year. This was the menu I settled on:

Easter Spiral Sliced Ham
with Twice Baked Potatoes, Spiced Apple Carrot Casserole and  Steamed Green Beans

I bought a fresh pineapple and cut half slices, pinning them onto the ham with toothpicks. Cherries are a nice addition too!


Before dinner comes appetizers!

What to do with that leftover bunch of parsley?

How many times have you come across a recipe that calls for fresh parsley, for garnish? A lot. Parsley doesn't often change a lot in a recipe, but there are some recipes out there that have convinced me to buy that bunch of fresh parsley from the produce section. Inevitably I end up using a couple TB of it and then have an entire bunch of fresh parsley left, which doesn't last very long in the fridge. Along the same lines as the bunch of cilantro I had left a few weeks ago, I decided to try out a similar concept with my leftover parsley.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a typical Argentinean marinade/condiment - usually served with grilled steak, another Argentinean speciality. The most important part of Chimichurri is using lots of fresh parsley, and since I had it on hand this recipe is a nod to this flavorful green sauce.

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

1 TB white wine vinegar

2 tsp minced garlic

2 stalks scallion, chopped

Ground fresh pepper and dash of salt

1 TB hot water

1/3 cup olive oil

Spice and Rice is Nice!

"Buywithme.com" is a newer version of Groupon - a site that highlights a different coupon each day, often for restaurants, including this place I've been wanting to try out in Inman Square, Spice and Rice. I was so happy to see it on the site because it gave me a reason to definitely get there and thankfully I have lots of friends that enjoy Asian food of all kinds, which I truly appreciate given I could eat Asian every night!

Spice and Rice
1172 Cambridge St, Inman Square
Cambridge
A good 15 minute walk from Harvard Square, the walk to Inman Square is worth it for this restaurant, even if you can find a dozen Asian restaurants a bit closer to the Square. The decor inside is really creative and modern - very colorful. Definitely good for a group with large booths available. The prices were comparable to other Asian restaurants in the Cambridge area and we were all very happy with the dishes we chose. With a mixture of Thai, Korean and Japanese you can make a lot of mouths happy here. The menu is quite extensive - which is why it took us so long to decide what to get. They have the usual sushi rolls, pad thai, bi bim bap and lots of new dishes too. They also deliver, which is convenient to those in the area.

Weekday Breakfast to go

Some people have a routine - they wake up in the morning, shower, get ready, eat the same thing for breakfast every morning and then go to work. I am not one of those people. I enjoy variety - and so, I have something different for breakfast every morning. Now that the weather is starting to get warmer I can add smoothies back into my breakfast routine! It's also a good breakfast item to grab and take with me on my walk to work if I'm running a little behind. I'm always looking for new ideas - so feel free to share your favorite smoothie!

Basic Banana Berry Smoothie

1 1/2 cups ice cubes
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup yogurt (raspberry)
1 TB ground flaxseed
1/2 banana, sliced
1 cup sliced strawberries*
1/4 cup fresh blackberries

*I like to buy fresh strawberries, rinse, slice and freeze in advance.

Directions for any smoothie are easy - put in blender and mix! It helps to put the liquid in first, then the ice. If your smoothie seems too thick, just add a bit more liquid a little at a time. I like the yogurt and flaxseed additions because it gives the smoothie a little more substance and it's more likely to keep me full through lunch.

Last but not least - Red Wine Berries for Dessert!

Despite the fact that it's not quite berry season yet, I had quite a bit on hand and they were good. Not too sour or sweet, and a good price at the grocery store! I thought that making a dessert with berries might be a little healthier and a nice light end to our rich meal. I also had ricotta I wanted to use and seemed to remember seeing berries and ricotta put together before.