Innie or Outie

Since various produce in our yard are starting to ripen, I came up with new dishes to make good use of some of the crop, Spicy Tuna-Basil Pasta:

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For the dish, I used diced onion and minced red chili peppers (from the yard) sautéed in olive oil, minced garlic paste, canned tuna flakes, soy sauce, white pepper, chopped fresh basil (from our herb garden), dried oregano flakes, tossed with hot cooked pasta then sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.

To balance the spiciness of the pasta, I used the the citrus (shikwasa) from our yard in creating a side dish, Tangy Miso-Carrot Lettuce Wrap:

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For the wraps, sauté thickly julienned carrot and onion slices with fresh rosemary leaves (from our herb garden) in sesame oil. Remove pan from heat and add red miso paste and citrus juice. Let the mixture cool, then wrap in iceberg lettuce leaves.

Hubby decided to take a try at Southern-style chicken-fried cooking, Papa’s Chicken-Fried Ham Dinner:

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For the meal hubby used ham slices stuffed with cheese and arugula (coated and cooked Southern chicken-fried style) and rice smothered in mushroom gravy, accompanied by an Oregon bean medley with minced chili peppers and a small side salad of iceberg lettuce, arugula, yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and bacon bits with a creamy cheese dressing.

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This local take-out chain store version of bento included fried soybean spouts with spam, yakisoba, potato croquette, chicken, and shrimp tenpura with rice and pickled radish.

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This supermarket version of onigiri (riceball) had pork luncheon meat, scrambled egg, and rice wrapped in nori (seaweed).

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When hubby and I threw this meal together we didn’t consult as to what ingredients were being used in each other’s recipes. It seems we were both in the mood for some garlic and bell peppers to differing degrees. The result was a very flavorful outdoor meal, Grilled Steak and Mushrooms with Bell Peppers Dinner:

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Early in the day, at least three hours prior to serving, prepare the Summertime Penne Salad:

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The salad consisted of 2 tablespoons regular classic mustard, 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup dill pickle juice, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 finely diced hard-boiled eggs, 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1 tablespoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic paste, 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes, and cooked penne thoroughly mixed then refrigerated.

Accompanying the pasta for the outdoor meal was Papa’s Grilled Foil-Wrapped Mushrooms and Bell Peppers:

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For the veggie packet, hubby used butter, fresh mushrooms, sliced bell peppers, minced garlic paste, minced ginger paste, soy sauce, chopped chives, white pepper, and sesame oil grilled on medium heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

Completing the meal was the meat entrée, Papa’s Basic Grilled Steak:

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This was a real “no frills” recipe with nothing added to the steak. Simply grill as is. When ready, mix a little soy sauce with the juices from the grilled mushrooms and bell peppers (above) and use as a dipping sauce.

With all the humidity this time of year, standing in a hot kitchen to cook just doesn’t fit the bill. Hubby avoided the heat and went back to the basics with this light yet filling meal, Toasted Ham Sandwich:

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The sandwich consisted of ham and iceberg lettuce on toasted white bread spread with mayonnaise and whole grain mustard. As accompaniments, hubby chose low sodium potato chips and dill pickle slices. Finally, cream of mushroom soup was added to complete the meal.

The weather’s giving us a break and allowing for outdoor cooking fun. Here’s another simple meal I came-up with for the BBQ pit, Grilled Foil-Wrapped Pork and Potato Dinner:

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The meal consisted of Grilled Foil-Wrapped Garlic-Mustard Pork with Onions:

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Pork roast strips, whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, minced garlic paste, fresh parsley, white pepper, sesame oil, and white onion slices wrapped in foil and grilled on medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

Also included in the meal was Grilled Foil-Wrapped Ginger-Basil Potatoes with Red Bell Pepper:

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Potato slices, chopped fresh basil, minced ginger paste, lemon juice, diced red bell pepper, black pepper, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese wrapped in foil and grilled on medium heat for 30 to 40 minutes. (Please make sure the heat is not too high or you end up with a bit of charring as a result.)

To finish the meal, I added a fresh salad of homegrown arugula, iceberg lettuce, sliced cherry tomatoes, and bacon bits with a creamy cheese dressing sprinkled with dried oregano flakes.

Hubby came up with this tasty meal for a hot summer’s day, Fish Sandwich:

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The sandwich consisted of red snapper sautéed in olive oil and iceberg lettuce on whole grain bread with horseradish, mayonnaise, and dill weed. Accompanying the sandwich were dill pickle sticks and a side salad of arugula, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, and bacon bits topped with a creamy cheese dressing.

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Some brown sugar donuts, a very popular snack, from a local tenpura vendor.

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This is cool and quick summertime snack, Mixed Greens with Chicken Wrap:

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For the snack, I used a tortilla,some leftover salad with dressing, and added bleu cheese chunks.