Getting ready for a day with my Family coming over for food, I realized I didn’t have a grill (thanks Ballard Fred Meyer for helping with that) and didn’t know how to use one.

Now, I am well equipped for summer cooking. Which is great.

Here is a photo of Kate pretending she was cooking (she was not):

As memory serves, that was a Vegetable Medley and some tasty steak that Kate picked up on a walk through Pike Place on her way home.  I am currently working on Grilled Cheese Technology.

I want to try grilling up some fish, but that seems a little less intuitive than throwing slabs of red meat on the grill.  Will cross that bridge on a later day.

At dinner tonight I was reminded that certain people have above average appetites for certain foods (See: Me and Peanut Butter) and I got to thinking about what a compelling narative that could be.

In a flurry of lighting fast (divinely inspired?) thought I came up with Courses, The Movie. Similar to Signs, the protagonists have a laundry list of special dietary quarks that later are the key to their ultimate salvation and a glimpse into a higher order the universe.

Here’s a taste test of a scene for you:

Setting: Inside a Tortilla Factory, during a school field drip. The late-middle aged teacher is herding disinterested students through a tour while thinking back to an arguement he had a week in the past with his wife about not pushing himself to get a better job or break out of his rut.  In the flashback, they are in a Mexican Restaurant and he orders basket after basket of chips.  His wife ultimately storms out and you see the flashback end with another basket of chips arriving.

Queue a mishap at the Tortilla factory, hot oil is flash frying the giant sheets of Tortilla which are then falling about blocking the exits and trapping the students and perhaps some factory works.  The only means to escape? Our hero must eat through a wall of Tortilla Chip.

I think this has legs.  I am going to try and pitch it some movie people and see what happens.

Tofu with Black Beans and Garlic

• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbs. minced fresh garlic
• 1/3 cup sliced extra-firm tofu
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 3 tbs. hoisin sauce

Rosemary-Mustard Chicken

• Cooking Spray
• 2  4-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbs. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 2 tbs. whole-grain mustard 
• Salt and pepper

1. Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray.
2. Saute chicken over medium-high heat until browned, 2-3 minutes per side.
3. Deglaze pan with white wine; stir in rosemary and mustard.
4. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Thyme Brown Rice

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. olive oil (per 2 servings)

Today has rolled over yet another year, and to kick start Ryan and I (Kate) into a budget conscience, healthy life style, and slightly more kitchen focused year, we have decided to make January our month of no going out for dinner (mostly).

This will truly hurt, as we are accustomed to enjoying our favorite Capitol Hill haunts like: Mirch Masala, Bleu Bistro, The Elysian, The Honey Hole, and Padrino’s Pizza.  Ahh~ the good ol’ days.

The rules are simple.

1. Prepare your dinners at home.
2. Try to spend a reasonable amount at the store.
3. Actually follow the list in your hand, not your “yum, that looks tasty” sense.
4. Keep it healthy.

So with that in mind, here is our first meal recipe, and by the way, Ryan is a GREAT sous chef.

Pasta with Shrimp and Peas Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

• Whole-wheat pasta
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 c. small shrimp (we de-tailed these for easier consumption)
• 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes (we used roma)
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 3 tbs. frozen peas, rinsed and drained
• Grated Parmesan cheese

1. prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan.
3. Add shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, crushed pepper, and rosemary, saute 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
4. Add peas; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes.
5. Toss shrimp mixture with cooked drained pasta. 
6. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.