Blue Apron ~ Spinach, Parmesan and Parsnip Risotto

Generally, I really like risotto.  This dish, however, did not make the cut.  It was very bland.  It needed more cheese and herbs of some sort.

Risotto is a Northern Italian rustic dish, named for the city in the Po Valley where it originated.  It is typically made with Arborio rice, which I like very much.  This rice should have the ability to absorb flavors of the ingredients that it is cooked with.  I think I like the summer seasonal vegetables better than the winter ones for this dish.

Made December 30, 2015

2 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Mushroom and Swiss Chard Quiches with Gruyere Cheese

This hearty quiche, made with a savory, custardy filling of fried mushrooms, Swiss Chard and gruyere cheese is one of my hubby's favorites.  It was paired with a lemony arugula salad.  Yummy.  

5 Stars

Made: December 28, 2015

Blue Apron ~ Salmon and Lemon Bucatini

After a hiatus of a month, I am back to cooking again.  This pasta dish was made with pan-seared and flaked salmon paired with Brussels Sprouts that were sautéed with shallot and garlic.  The pasta was combined with the salmon and Brussel Sprouts and the sauce was a light Creme Fraiche, topped with toasted Panko breadcrumbs.  The result was delicious.

I supplemented this dish with a Caesar Salad.

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Cavatappi Mac and Cheese

Cavatappi is a cork-screw pasta.  This was not a traditional mac and cheese, but was a casserole that contained turnip and kale.  I found the dish bitter.  My hubby liked it though, and so for that reason will give it 3 stars.

3 Stars.

Blue Apron ~ Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Browned-Butter Grape Sauce and Farro

Instead of White Cauliflower, Blue Apron sent me Romanseco Cauliflower.  I had never heard of this type of cauliflower and it looks so strange.

The directions said to cook it in the same manner as one would cook white cauliflower.

The cauliflower was cut into 1/2 inch slices and roasted.  Meanwhile, the farro and arugula was prepared as a base for the roasted cauliflower.  The meal was topped with a browned-butter, grape and shallot sauce.  The end result was tasty.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Spiced Salmon and Cranberry Chutney

I was really looking forward to this dish and was not disappointed.  As I have previously mentioned, I  have not been a fan of sweet potato, but then I had only eaten them as mashed or in a marshmallow casserole.  I had never had them sliced and roasted.

This dish combined spiced salmon with sautéed sweet potatoes and parsnip.  After sautéing the vegetables, diced clementine was added.  Absolutely fabulous!

In addition, a cranberry chutney accompanied the fish and vegetables.  The chutney was wonderful.  Definitely set the tone for thanksgiving tomorrow.

A very colorful meal!

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Trattoria-Style Cheeseburgers

These Trattoria-style cheeseburgers were prepared with a side dish of crispy rosemary-garlic potatoes.  The Fontina-topped burgers were served on Ciabatta rolls with an aioli sauce and lemon dressed ribbons of Lacinato kale.  Lemon zest was mixed in with the burgers before they were cooked.

The meal was good, but not fantastic.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

I am not generally a fan of sweet potatoes.  In fact, I have never liked them.  I had never had them roasted and tossed with marinated red onions, however.  That combination is very tasty.

I had also never cooked with chestnuts.  The seared chicken was accompanied with a chestnut and brussels sprout pan sauce.  This combination was also a winner.  A very tasty meal.

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ North African-Spiced Shrimp and Couscous.

North Africa has a diverse culinary tradition that blends European, Arabic and local influences.  This dish combined spicy shrimp, lemon, dates and couscous.  The Ras El Hanout gave this dish the punch.  Although kale is all the rage nowadays, I had never knowingly eaten it before.  Kale was wilted and combined with the couscous and carrots.  The spiced shrimp was placed atop.  The result was a marvelous meal.  Definitely a keeper.

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Southern-Style Burgers

Although I have lived in the South for nearly 30 years, I had never heard of southern-style burgers before.  I guess it's the green tomato that made for the Southern twist.  The burgers were served with green tomato chow chow.  The recipe also called for Old Bay oven fries, but I didn't make the fries.

I had never heard of chow chow before.  It is a vinegary relish made with green onion, onion and a spice blend made up of celery seeds, dill seeds, black mustard seeds, turmeric and cayenne powder.  It was delicious.  A portion of the chow chow was mixed into the burgers before they were cooked.  The burgers were topped with more chow chow and chopped collard greens.

Nice meal.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ One-Pot Shrimp Perloo

I was really looking forward to this dish.  Perloo is, apparently, a traditional rice and seafood dish of the low country region of the Carolinas and Georgia.  It is similar to Louisiana's jambalaya, with a base of rice, tomato, bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic.  This recipe even called for a Cajun Spice blend.  Unfortunately, something was missing.  The end result was rather bland.  Hubby liked, it, though.

2 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Chicken and Autumn Vegetables

Tonight I made Seared Chicken and Autumn Vegetables with Apple-Cider-Mustard Jus.  The dish used skin-on chicken thighs.  I think it would be better with chicken breasts.  That said, the chicken was seared then sautéed with purple-top turnip and cone cabbage.  The sauce was made using apple cider, whole grain Dijon mustard and Turkish figs.  The figs really made this dish pop.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Creamy Broccoli and Fennel Casserole

Tonight's meal was a vegetarian casserole with pasta, broccoli and fennel.  I never knew that this curly pasta had a name ~ mafalda.  It was apparently named for Princess Mafalda of Savoy (1902 ~ 1944).  The pasta's shape is perfect for holding the rich Fontina cheese and béchamel sauce.  Before being baked, the casserole was topped with a Pecorino cheese-Panko mixture.

I love any variation of a macaroni and cheese meal.  This fit the bill, although I enjoyed it more than my hubby.

4 Stars

As an aside, Princess Malfada married Prince Philipp of Hesse, the grandson of German Emperor Frederick III.  Prince Philip was a member of the Nazi party.  Hitler, however, believed that Princess Mafalda was working against the war effort.

While on a trip to Bulgaria in 1943, the Gestapo arrested her and she was sent to a concentration camp where she died.

Blue Apron ~ Crispy Cod with Warm Cauliflower and Mustard Green Salad

Although the calendar says it's Fall, the temperatures still say Summer.  Still, I am ready for some fall dishes.  Tonight's meal was crispy cod served with a warm cauliflower and mustard green salad.  I would never have thought to combine the salad ingredients together.  It was made with a pickled red onion and golden raisin dressing.  Absolutely fabulous.  The cod was coated in rice flower, then pan-seared.  We thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Za'atar Chicken and Farro Salad

I get za'atar whenever I am in Israel.  It is a spice blend that is commonly used in Israeli foods.  Tonight's meal was a za'atar encrusted chicken breast placed atop a farro salad (made with arugula) with a marinated beet side.  Everything was then topped with pistachio nuts, fresh mint and feta cheese.  The end result was delicious.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Chicken and Caramelized Fennel

I am so happy to be learning how to cook with fennel.  The caramelized fennel and onion really made the chicken breasts pop.  Both the fennel and onion are naturally sweet vegetables, so when cooked slowly, their sugars caramelized.  This made the base for the sauce, to which was added sherry vinegar and a dab of butter.  The chicken and fennel was served over Jasmine rice, which was topped with thyme-infused cherry tomatoes.  Another tasty meal.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Pan-Seared Salmon and Farro Salad

This dish is a definite keeper!  The salmon was topped on a Farro Salad made with Brussel Sprouts and Apple.  The secret ingredient to the salad was, indeed the Brussel sprouts.  They were sliced thine and cooked with a little lemon zest before mixed with the apple and farro in a vinaigrette dressing.  Absolutely fabulous!

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Merguez Lamb Sausages

Unfortunately this dish ~ Merguez Lamb Sausages with French Lentils, Mint and Feta was not a winner.  Granted, I am not a fan of lamb, but I thought the merguez lamb sausages sounded interesting.  They are originally from North African cuisine.  In fact, the name comes from the Berber word for sausage.  The sausages were served on a lentil dish, made with French green lentils, carrots, onion and garlic.  The dish was topped with fresh mint and feta cheese.

The lentil portion of the dish was very bland, despite being made with three clove garlics.  This dish could have used much more spice.

1 Star.

Blue Apron ~ Sauteed Shrimp Sandwiches

The Sautéed Shrimp Sandwiches with Saffron Aioli was delicious!  Definitely a keeper and very quick to make.  I was able to make three sandwiches from the garlic-sautéed shrimp.  The sandwiches were accompanied with a Celery-Parmesan Salad.  The salad was made up of celery, Kalamata Olives, toasted almonds (which I toasted myself!!!) and Parmesan cheese, with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing.  Yummy!

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Southern-Style Chicken Cacciatore

This was an interesting and spicy dish.  The chicken was coated in flour and a spice blend made up of smoked sweet paprika, parsley, oregano, chile powder and cayenne pepper, then added to a tomato, bell pepper and onion sauce and served over grits.

My hubby really liked this dish.  I enjoyed it, too.

3 stars

Blue Apron ~ Cumin-Sichuan Beef and Noodles

After a two week hiatus, I am back cooking again.  Tonight it was a lovely beef and noodle dish.  This dish is influenced by China's Xinjiang Province, which is in the Northwest.  The cumin sauce reflects the middle east influence on this northern cuisine.  

It was another delicious meal that was easy to fix.

Blue Apron ~ Fresh Lemon Linguine

This Fresh Lemon Linguine with Summer Vegetable Sauce and Seasoned Ricotta has got to be one of our favorites!  The pasta was infused with lemon, then it was tossed with a sauce made of fresh ripe tomato, sauteed red onion, summer squash and garlic.  The dish was then topped with a ricotta cheese - garlic mixture.  Absolutely fabulous!

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Thai Chicken Burgers

The secret of the Thai Chicken Burgers is the lemongrass and ginger that was sauted, then mixed into the ground chicken.  A hoisin-mayonnaise sauce was spread on the buns before adding the cooked burgers.  Top that off with tomato and fresh cilantro and ready to eat.  The meal was accompanied with roasted Russet potato wedges.

I supplemented this meal with a Caesar Salad, because I knew my hubby wouldn't be crazy about the potatoes.

I enjoyed the burgers, but this was not one of our favorite meals.

3 Stars

A Day at the Baton Rouge Zoo

It had been over 28 years since we had visited the Baton Rouge Zoo.  Although it was a hot day, we thought it would be fun to make a little trip.  The zoo truly is a hidden gem in East Baton Rouge Parish.  The animal exhibits are very well done, with lots of educational information.  The next trip will occur before another 28 years lapse.

Blue Apron ~ Crispy Catfish and Freekeh

Tonight's meal was crispy catfish and Freekah with Corn-Cherry Tomato.  Another tasty meal.  

I had never had Freekeh before.  It is a cereal made from green wheat that goes through a specific roasting process.  It reminded me of bulgar wheat.  After cooking the freekeh, it was mixed with a shallot and white wine vinegar marinade.  Also mixed in was chopped fresh parsley.

The cooked and crispy catfish was placed on top of the freekeh, which was then topped with a fresh corn and multi-colored cherry tomato sauté.  The combination of flavors was amazing.

The recipe called for fresh marjoram to be sprinkled over the entire dish, however, my box came with oregano instead.  I prepared the oregano, but forgot to use it.  Probably didn't matter.

5 stars.

Blue Apron ~ Southern-Style Shrimp and Grits

I am generally not a fan of grits, but Shrimp and Grits is a southern dish and I had never tired it before.  The shrimp was coated in smoked paprika, which is the secret of this dish, before being cooked.  Then it was added to a saute of fresh zucchini and cherry tomatoes and served on a bed of cheesy grits.  The result was amazing!  The grits were very flavorful.  They were made with fresh corn and lemon zest to give it a nice twist.

5 Stars 

Blue Apron ~ Tomato-Basil Burgers

Tomato-Basil Burgers with Olive Aiolo and Green Bean-Tomato Salad

Another winner.  The burgers were served on toasted buns with tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and a creamy aioli sauce.  The aioli sauce, with the Kalamata Olives, was delicious.  The string bean and tomato salad was delicious.  The dressing was made with Dijon Mustard, minced shallot, lemon juice and olive oil.  The meal was delicious.

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken

Three-cup chicken is named for the folk recipe used to make its sauce ~ one cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar.  This recipe actually modifies the sauce to balance the flavors and make it less salty.  The chicken was browned it the sauce, which also contained garlic, ginger and scallions.

It was served an a bed of Jasmine Rice and Choy Sum.  I loved the chicken dish, but wasn't so crazy about the Choy Sum, which is a leafy vegetable with a crunch stem.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Cod & Fregola Sarda

This meal was not winner.  For the second meal this week, ingredients were missing.  As I began to prep the food, I realized I was missing a red onion.  Fortunately, my hubby was home, so he ran out to the store for the missing vegetable.

The vegetables were braised summer vegetables, which included onion and green beans cooked in a tomato sauce with olives and spices.  The vegetables were good, however, the Fregola Sarda, which is a type of pasta was insufficient.  There was barely enough for one serving, let alone two.  I will probably not make this dish again.

2 Stars.

Blue Apron ~ Rigatoni Puttanesca

Puttanesca is a classic Sicilian sauce made with olive oil, tomatoes, and capers.  I browned the eggplant, then added it to the sauted garlic, onion and tomato paste.  Spicy red pepper flakes were also added to the sauce before adding the rigatoni and Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano.  Delicious!

I loved this dish and my hubby loved it even more.

4 Stars.

Blue Apron ~ Tandoori-Spiced Chicken

Tonight's meal was Tandoori-Spiced Chicken with Green Lentils, Heirloom Eggplant and Cucumber-Mint Yogurt.  Unfortunately, this meal arrived without the lentils.  I didn't have any on hand, so I had to buy a package.  I hope I can find a use for the remainder of the package.

The lentils were cooked with the eggplant and onion.  I substituted chicken broth for the water to cook the lentils.  After the vegetables were cooked, the cucumber-mint yogurt was mixed in with them.  It made for an interesting taste combination.

The chicken was coated with a Tandoori-spice mix and cooked.

My hubby really enjoyed the chicken, but the lentils, not so much.  I enjoyed both.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Spiced Meatballs with Garlic Toast and Summer Squash Salad

This was okay.  It consisted of meatballs, that were not extra special in a tomato sauce.  There was not a lot of tomato sauce.

A summer squash salad was placed on top of the meatballs.  The salad was just okay.  It was a raw summer squash, cut into strips and marinated in fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, Castevetrano Olives and fresh mint.  I didn't care so much for the salad.

I also toasted bread, which I then spread with garlic butter.

I supplemented this dish with a Caesar salad.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Stir-Fried Ginger-Basil Chicken

This dish is a twist on a Thai classic dinner.  The chicken is stir-fried with eggplant and tinker bell peppers, and spiced with ginger and garlic.  After stir-frying with a tangy ponzu sauce, it is served on coconut flavored rice.

The dish was very tasty, but the servings were small.

4 Stars.

Blue Apron ~ Seared Salmon and Panzanella

Another winner.  I had to skip two weeks of my Blue Apron for a number of reasons, so was very excited to start up again.  Tonight  I made the Seared Salmon that was served with a Panzanella salad.  I am a fan of salmon, so that was delicious.

I had never had, however, Panzanella.  The Panzanella salad is a traditional Tuscan salad and is made with crispy garlic toast.  It was delicious.  it's made with fresh corn, cucumber, shishito pepper, Castelvetrano olives, shallot and Thai Basil.  We enjoyed a very tasty meal.

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Summer Soba Salad

A hearty summer salad for a hot summer day.  This required only a little cooking, so didn't heat up the kitchen like some of the meals.  

I learned how to take fresh corn off the cob and lightly saute it with ginger and scallions.  The soba noodles are made with buckwheat and cool very quickly.  The salad consisted of, in addition to the noodles and corn, fresh cherry tomatoes and cucumber, with a dash of thai basil.

The dressing was a mix of rice wine vinegar, Soy Glaze and mirin.  Yummy!

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Fried Egg-Topped Summer Saute

Not one of my favorite meals.  Too much work for too little flavor.  The saute was made up of wilted spinach, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and purple fingerling potatoes and was topped with a fried egg.

The Parmesan sauce did not thicken and was rather runny, nor could it add the flavor needed for the meal.

On the plus side, I did learn to wilt spinach.

2 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Squid Ink Linguine Pasta with Shrimp and Cherry Tomatoes

This dish was fantastic!  The squid ink pasta has a unique flavor and a deep black color.  The accompanying sauce was very easy to prepare.  It was made up of tomato paste, fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes and fresh lemon juice.  All these flavors, plus a dash of crushed red peppers, made this a delightful meal.

I supplemented this meal with a Caesar Salad.

5 Stars.

Blue Apron ~ Romano Bean and Barley Risotto

I figured this would be the least favorite of this week's meals.  I supplemented it with a tossed salad because I was sure my hubby wouldn't be crazy about this meal.  I was wrong.  He enjoyed it.

The dish called for fennel, which I had never used before.  It really added a nice flavor to the risotto.  The pearled barley was substituted for rice to give a new twist on risotto.  The Romano beans (another new vegetable for me) was cooked into the risotto.  After the barley was cooked, chopped parsley and Parmesan Cheese was stirred in.  The dish was topped off with a nice cherry tomatoes marinated in ground fennel seeds and fresh basil.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Summer Squash Quesadillas

This meal was supposed to be a squash and squash blossom quesadilla, however, the squash blossoms turned to mush.  I assume it is a function of the refrigerator, which is on its last leg.

The edible flowers are supposed to add a subtly, savor flavor the dish.  I'll have to try this dish again when the squash blossoms are in season.

Anyway, the squash quesadillas were tasty.  It was accompanied by Mexican-style corn on the cob, which was really delicious.

This dish was good, easy and quick to prepare, but not my favorite.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Stir-Fried Szechuan Eggplant with Shishito Peppers

This week all of my meals are vegetarian.  I chose vegetarian because I didn't want another steak, and the only other option was for vegetarian.

My first meal of the week was the Stir-Fried Szechuan Eggplant with Schishito Peppers and Garlic Chives.  The peppers were new to me.  Apparently most are mild but everyone and a while, one can be really hot.  They are cooked with the stems on, but the stem is removed before serving.  All of the peppers in my batch were mild.  The sauce had enough spice to give flavor, but not so hot I couldn't eat it.

A nice cool Summer Cucumber with Garlic Chives was a nice side to the main dish.

3 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Ras El Hanout Chicken Pitas

The North African-styled Ras El Hanout Chicken Pitas were served with a Cherry Tomato and Cucumber Tabbouleh Salad.  The cool Greek Yogurt and Cucumber sauce was a nice balance to the spicy chicken.  The Tabbouleh salad was delicious.

"Res el Hanout" is an Arabic term meaning "head of the shop."  Traditionally it was the shopkeeper's best spices of the day blended together.  Most blends of this spice include coriander, cumin, allspice, cardamon, ginger, turmeric and black pepper.

The Tabbouleh salad is made with bulgur wheat, which is a versatile grain made from Drurm wheat.  The word "Bulgur" is a Turkish word and is a staple in Turkish cuisine.

This was my hubby's favorite meal of the week.

Blue Apron ~ Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish

This dish taught me how to make corn-meal crusted fish, which is actually so easy, but something I had never tried before.  Not only was it easy, but it was very tasty, too!  The corn-meal coating was mixed with a peppery mustard, giving it a perfect crunchy and flavorful crust.

The meal came with the fixings for creamy potatoes ~ fingerling potatoes served in a creamy remoulade sauce, which was also very easy to make, and a cucumber-tomato salad.  The salad was good, but the next time I would make it with less onion.  There was enough of the remoulade sauce left over for dipping onto the catfish.

Blue Apron ~ Fusilli con Buco Pasta

Summer squash, Pecorine cheese and mint was added to this pasta to give a tasty and easy summer dish. It was quite filling and I have enough left over for two lunches.  I will definitely make this again.

The pasta in this dish is fusilli con buco.  "Con buco" is an Italian phrase meaning "with a hole".  The pasta, therefore, is a springy, hollow noodle. 

Pecorino Cheese was melted into the warm pasta.  Pecorino cheese is one of the world's oldest known varieties of sheep's milk cheese.  The name comes from the Italian word "pecora", which means "sheep."

I also learned that the word "squash" comes from a New England Native American word meaning "eaten raw."

4 Stars

The Velvet Cactus

A new Mexican restaurant.  Interesting decor, with all sorts of interesting artwork, some for sale and some for viewing.

Fantastic food.  The chip dip is served hot and has a wonderful smoky flavor.  It's spicy, but not too spicy.  The best dip I have ever had.

Food servings are HUGE and very tasty.

One won't be overhearing anyone in this restaurant, though.  It is very noisy and hard to hear conversations at the table.  Even the waitress had difficulty hearing to take our orders.

There is a nice outdoor space, which is probably where I will sit the next time I go because it seems like it would be quieter there.

The Black Pearl

The Black Pearl is a favorite in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.  The seafood is delicious, and the seating is on the beach.  A portion is indoors, but often the windows are wide open to let the sea breeze in.  A small seating section is on the covered patio.  That is my favorite section of the restaurant.

Last night we dined on the patio ~ Jumbo crab cakes topped with jalapeño cole slaw.  Fabulous!

The couple at the table next to use looked to be a middle-aged married couple.  The man had finished his meal, but the woman had her cell phone pressed to her ear and talked the whole time, while picking at her food.  The poor man looked bored, while the woman chatted away.  Really???  You don't go out to a nice restaurant only to gab on the phone.  I wonder if she enjoyed her meal.

Beachwalk at Henderson Park

It was such a beautiful evening to enjoy a nice meal on porch at the Beachwalk, where we could enjoy the gentle sea breeze and listen to the waves on the shore.  The meal was fabulous.  The yellow fin tuna was just seared enough so that it just melted in the mouth.  No meal at the Beachwalk is complete without dessert.  The Key Lime Pie is light and fluffy.

Blue Apron ~ Seared Cod

Another yummy dish.  The seared cod was served atop the delicate flavors of spring with fresh asparagus in a light lemon-mustard vinaigrette.  The asparagus was blanched, then tossed with fingerling potatoes and radishes.  The radishes "cooked" when tossed with the warm asparagus and potatoes.  The recipe called for capers to be added to the vegetables, but I forgot to put them in.  The meal was tasty without them.

I learned that Asparagus is actually the young shoot of a small shrub that is harvested before its flesh becomes woody.  The "leaves" are actually early branches that, if the plant was allowed to grow, would shoot off the main trunk of the shrub.

In Turkish, the name for asparagus is "Kuskonmaz", which literally translates to "bird can't land."  In looking at the plant, one can see that a bird cannot perch on an asparagus tip.

Fingerling potatoes are native to South America.  There were brought to Europe during the colonial period and became a food staple, especially in French cuisine.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Hoisin-Glazed Chicken Meatballs

Absolutely fabulous!  The chicken meatballs were incredibly flavorful because the secret is to add the savory hoisin sauce and soy glaze into the ground chicken, along with minced garlic and ginger.  A tad of the Sambal Oelek gave the meatballs just enough zing.  Mixed with the sautéed zucchini and topped over rice ~ heaven!

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Steaks and Mashed Potatoes

This dish was not a winner.  I followed the instructions for cooking the steak, but it didn't turn out the way I think it should have.

The sautéed radishes and snap peas, on the other hand, were delicious.  I would definitely make them again.  Sautéing the radishes toned down their peppery bite, giving them a marvelous texture and flavor.

2 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Salmon Burgers with Creme Fraiche Sauce, Arugula and Potato Salad

Another tasty meal.  The potato salad was made with creme fraiche and mint.  The mint gave it a refreshing taste.

The salmon burgers were delicious.  I supplemented the burgers with an egg, however, as the mixture seemed a tad dry and wouldn't stick together.

Of the first three meals, this was my husband's least favorite.

Blue Apron ~ Arepas de Carne Molida

Tonight's meal was Arepas de Carne Molida with Avocado and Pickled Jalapeño.  The dinner celebrates South American cuisine.  Areas, which traces its background to the indigenous people of Venezuela and Colombia, are round flatbreads made of cornmeal.  This meal was topped with ground beef, avocado and pickled jalapeño pepper.

I supplemented this dish with some extra ground beef, because the servings are small.  Also, the recipe called for adding the Molida Spice Blend "to taste."  Since I don't like foods that are too spicy, and I was already using the jalapeño pepper, I did not use as much of the spice blend as I could have.  Still, the meal was good, but it seemed like more work than the total effort.

The Carne Molida Spice Blend used in this dish is made up of:

     2 Parts Ancho Chili Powder
     2 Parts Chipotle Chili Powder
     2 Parts Garlic Powder
     2 Parts Ground Cumin
     2 Parts Ground Coriander
     2 Parts Mexican Oregano
     1 Part Cocoa Powder
     1 Part Ground Nutmeg
     1 Part Cornstarch

The Arepas were made of Masarepa, which is a quick-cooking maize flour most commonly used to make arepas.  The word Masarepa is a portmanteau of the word Masa and Arepa, meaning Dough and Cornbread.


On the other hand, the pickled jalapeño was delicious!

Blue Apron ~ Chicken Piccata

People who know me, know I don't do a lot of cooking.  So, when I heard about Blue Apron, the company that send you food, and all you have to do is cook it, I decided to give it a try.  My first week of Blue Apron meals arrived late Saturday.  I was so excited!

Today, I tried one of the meals ~ Chicken Piccata.  Everything I needed to make the meal was included and already portioned out.  Even the flour I needed to flour the chicken cutlets before cooking them!

The recipe was easy to follow, although it took me a little longer than the suggested cooking time of 25-35 minutes.

My hubby loved the dish.  The portion, however, was a bit small for a man, but was just perfect for me.

I can't wait to try tomorrow's meal!