Tuesday- Thai Spicy Pork Soup

Adapted from Clean Eating

Chef’s Notes: Man alive! It’s hot outside! I would like to pardon my abundant over-squash use. Feel free to leave it out, but if you happen to have a bumper squash crop like I do outside, let me show you how to use it up!

Plan of Attack:

1. Cook all in ONE pan!

Ingredients for 2-3:

1 Tbsp olive oil

8 oz boneless pork loin, trimmed and cubed

8 oz mushrooms

¼ C red onion, chopped

1 roma tomato, diced

1 C chicken broth

¼ C red wine

¼ C water

1 jalapeno, minced

1 yellow squash, cut into rings

¾ C light coconut milk

1 tbsp pressed ginger (ginger sent through a garlic press)

½ tsp brown sugar

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp lime juice

Instructions:

1. Heat ½ Tbsp olive oil large pot over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Then remove from pan; set aside
2. Add other ½ Tbsp olive oil to pot. Then sauté mushrooms & red onion for 2-3 minutes
3. Return the pork back to the pan along with tomato, squash, jalapeno, water, red wine, chicken broth and salt.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes
5. Uncover and add coconut milk, ginger, brown sugar and cilantro; simmer a final 5 minutes
6. Season with lime juice and Enjoy!

On a random aside, because I know you secretly love them. SmithCale squealed with glee (which really sounded more like the loud yelling of a curse (one vice healing at a time, I guess)) when he opened his latest issue of his arty magazine to see he got 450 pounds (British mag.) of FREE FONTS!

A gift only a graphic designer could love.

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Super Edit Weekend

Don't worry, we have still been eating at home. But eating mostly freshly-picked grilled squash creations made on the fly and without being photographed.

Remember we filmed my Cousin's Wedding?

Then we went to graduation?

Then Lolo's Big Sunday?

This weekend it was time to pay the editing Piper.

We spent the majority of our Saturday

Staring at this.

We finished about 1/2 of it, and will hopefully finish after our big event next weekend (and before we film his sister's wedding in July. I guess it's only fair, since I sign SmithCale up for time consuming things.

Speaking of...

Don't you remember what NEXT weekend is??

So our final preparations were concluded.

Will be back with more food tomorrow,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Thursday- Curry Chicken Salad Wrap

Chef’s Notes: I don’t know really when it happened, but something has happened to me. I look at a recipe, consider what I have at my disposal and change the recipe accordingly. Scary thing, the food turns out really pretty good! You know what “they” said; practice makes perfect. I like to think that hard work pays off.

Plan of Attack:

1. Combine in one bowl!

Ingredients for 2-3:

Salad-

8 oz shredded chicken (about 1 C)

½ C plain greek yogurt

Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ C raisins

½ Tbsp mayo

1 ½ Tbsp lime juice

1 banana pepper, chopped

1 ½ Tbsp curry powder

Salt to taste

Extras-

2 Tandoori Naan whole wheat flatbreads

Sliced red onion

Sliced cucumber (see below where it was acquired)

Spinach

2 Tbsp mango chutney

Instructions:

1. Combine chicken, yogurt, cilantro, raisins, mayo, lime juice, banana pepper, curry powder and salt in a bowl
2. Warm Naan bread
3. Spread 1 Tbsp of the mango chutney on one of the flatbreads, top with spinach, red onion, cucumber & ½ of the curry chicken salad mixture. Repeat for other flatbread.
4. Enjoy!

GARDEN UPDATE: I thought we'd visually update you on the status of our labor of love.

Just a reminder how big the cucumber plant was when it was just a baby.

Yes, that is the same cucumber plant that supplied the cucumber for tonight's meal!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Wednesday- Edamame Salad with Flank Steak

Chef’s Notes: It’s still fairly new to us, but no words can describe going into your back yard and coming back with this:

Then turning that into this:

I know that everyone neither has the time, energy, money, patience, will, or excuse to plant a garden. But, to me, I can see God no more clearly than seeing His plants grow and produce beautiful, nutrient-dense, life-giving food.

Thank you just seems to weak.

Have you honored the giver of your food today?

Plan of Attack:

1. Cook all in ONE pan!

Ingredients for 2:

½ Tbsp olive oil

8 oz flank steak, cubed

1 1/3 C frozen edamame, thawed and shelled

1 small yellow squash, sliced into rings

1 Tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce

½ Tbsp mayo (NOT miracle whip)

½ Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

½ tsp dark sesame oil

Handful cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cucumber, chopped

2 green onions (or red onions), sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in skillet to medium- high heat. Add edamame, yellow squash and flank steak, salt and pepper; sauté 8- 10 minutes or until steak is done
2. While steak mixture is cooking; In a bowl whisk together soy sauce, mayo, mustard, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.
3. Then add to the bowl cucumber, tomatoes and green onions
4. Once the steak mixture is cooked, add into the same bowl as the cucumber mixture and toss to combine
5. Enjoy!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Tuesday: Tagine Confession

Confession time again!

I was really excited to make a tagine since I saw Jamie Oliver make one on his show in Morocco.

While traveling back from Lolo's Big Day, I made our menu and grocery list; so I thought.

I realized while my pork was cooking that obviously I hadn't included any of the ingredients needed for a proper tagine on my list.

Lets just say I owe you a better recipe when I make it again; with all the CORRECT ingredients.

To make it up to you, I'll share the latest picture of Butters. She really is a pretty happy cat.

I guess she gets her deer-in-the-headlights look from SmithCale's side.

Food for One of Those Days,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Meatless Monday- Chana Squashala

Chef’s Notes: The only thing I can do is laugh right now. I really should read my own Chef’s Notes, because we found out yet again it is HOT, but what made it gratifying was that we used our own jalapeno from the garden! Since we got in yesterday and the most I could do was the laundry, I had to stop by the store on the way home to grab something from memory to cook. After adapting the first draft, it was still a success!

Plan of Attack:

1. Cook all in ONE pan!

Ingredients for 2:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, sliced into rings

2 small yellow squash (or 1 large), sliced into rings

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp Chana Masala

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp dry mango powder

5.5 oz V8 tomato juice

1 red bell pepper, seeded & julienned

1 jalapeno, chopped (*and seeded if desired*)

½ tsp salt

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

½ C jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in skillet to medium- high heat. Add and onions and yellow squash; sauté for 5-7 minutes or until browned
2. Add garlic powder, ground ginger; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly
3. Add chana masala, tomato, cumin, turmeric, dry mango powder, bell pepper and jalapeno; bring to a simmer and cook 3-4 minutes
4. Finally add the chickpea; cover and simmer a final 10 minutes
5. Serve with rice
6. Enjoy!

Food from Memory,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Service and Honor

Last weekend started with sweat. We learned firsthand that Houston is humid!

We moved a couch from the second floor of their garage, obviously Clayton dominated it.

Then we drove to their new home to drop off a trailer-full of stuff.

Then acknowledged admired Clayton's antler collection.

Finally on Saturday night it had cooled off and the wind was delightfully appreciated while playing with sticks on the swing.

Then finally Sunday came. Unbeknownst to Lolo we weren't really there to help Diane and Clayton move another load of boxes. She was the real star.

She has finally retired as her church's accountant, a job she has freely done for the past 33 years.

Her church wanted to surprise her and show their full appreciation.

No honor is complete without cake!

Or a POTLUCK! I can't tell you how stoked we were!! Potluck=casseroles!!

Due to table constraints, Clayton had to be brave and sit with fellow churchgoers instead of the family.

Inspiration.

Food for Service,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

How to Behave While Being Flashed

SmithCale was so graciously given old lenses from his Lolo (paternal grandma), which included a flash attachment. He was stoked to find out that, unlike the lenses, the flash would attach to our Canon without an adapter.

Flash practice ensued. Here's your guide to how to survive such practice.

First: Go on about your business

Second: try not to look as half as bad as you do

Third: Ekk!

Fourth: Always remember to eat a healthy snack like a mango

Finally: When he finally figures out the flash, try not to have mango on your chin.

Our most recent trip food, was by far the most beautiful.

Mango Pork Sushi Rolls

(that's mango, not cheese)

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Grilled Corn

Chef’s Notes: I LOVE corn. We don’t eat it that much because I’ll be honest, I don’t like to shuck it. Luckily, SmithCale happily agreed to shuck them; so the love can continue! We bought a new toy: a grill pan. Not just any grill pan, but a cast-iron grill pan. After we left the store, my mind automatically started thinking of all of the awesome thing I’m going to make on it. Grilled goods during winter. Grilling veggies for sandwiches and pizzas. Fajitas. More corn. You get the point!

Plan of Attack:

1. Preheat grill (or grill pan)

2. Grill

Ingredients for 2:

2 ears of corn, shucked and washed

½ Tbsp unsalted butter

Salt to taste, if desired

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat
2. Place corn on grill, cover and cook for 10 minutes; turning occasionally
3. Butter and Enjoy!

After starting this blog, I've come to accept something I've already known: I'm accident prone. So far this year I've:

Almost cut the tip of my thumb off

Fallen down the stairs

Burnt and Blistered my hand

I should explain my hand obsession. I love the beautiful engagement ring SmithCale bought me almost 6 years ago, but I have a dire need to be able to use my hands AT ALL TIMES. Because when I see something that needs to be done, my first instinct is to just do it, and not think about jewelry. Therefore, I just wear my wedding band, hate having my fingernails painted, and keep the nails short.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy some shares of Band-Aid stock.

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Wednesday: White Bean & Sage Wraps

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chef’s Notes: Today was much better. Biceps and Back were exercised. Work got done. Garmin was charged up. It was partly cloudy and we got lost in the neighborhood where we run so we ended up running 3.75 miles! I broke the news to SmithCale yesterday at lunch that I had snuck in a second vegetarian dish. But, then told him I thought it’d be ok since we are going to a surprise this weekend where I’m sure they’ll be meat; he agreed, accepted and even enjoyed! When things are wrapped in Naan Bread, can you really go wrong??

Plan of Attack:

1. Preheat oven

2. Brown Onions & Jalapenos

3. Create Bean mixture

4. Cook

Ingredients for 2:

Bean patties-

½ Tbsp olive oil, divided

½ onion,chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 small jalapenos (or 1 large)- optional

1/6 C quick cooking oats (1/2 of a 1/3 C)

1/6C slivered almonds

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

½ tsp dried sage

1 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 (19 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 egg

Toppings-

2 whole wheat Tandoori Naan

Red onion, sliced

Lettuce

Mustard (we actually used jalapeno mustard)

Plain greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic & jalapeno; sauté 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. While onion mixture is sautéing, in a blender add beans, oats, flour, almonds, sage, mustard, salt, pepper and egg.
4. Then add the onion mixture and blend until smooth
5. Reheat skillet to medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil
6. Using a 1/3 C measure, scoop the bean mixture and place into heated pan then flatten with the back of the measuring cup. Repeat until all patties are made (we got about 4-5)
7. Cook for 3 ½-4 minutes on each side
8. Place Naan in oven and heat for 3-4 minutes
9. Spread mustard on the bottom of the Naan top with lettuce, red onion, cooked bean patty and greek yogurt
10. Enjoy!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Tuesday: Peachy Pork with Jalapeno Couscous

Chef’s Notes: Now that our garden is slowly starting to supply produce, I want to find ways to use them as soon as their ready by incorporating them into what I’ve planned. I noticed that a jalapeno was ready to go yesterday, so I tossed it in our couscous and it was a really good idea!

I’d like to thank SmithCale for helping me make dinner. I had a scalding chicken stock pour onto my hand incident that day and was truly in a lot more pain that I thought I was. I even cancelled our run due to the need to keep my hand iced. Don’t worry! It’s doing much better now, no need for further medical attention! But, be careful, cooking can be dangerous(ly delicious).

Plan of Attack:

1. Cook Pork

2. Make Couscous

3. Cook Peaches

Ingredients for 2:

1 tsp olive oil

8 oz pork loin, cut into two filets

Salt and pepper to taste

1 peach, cut into wedges (our local Brookshires carries LOCAL peaches. Hint hint)

½ C chicken broth

¼ C white wine

¼ C red onion, sliced

Fresh thyme, chopped

Couscous:

1/3 C couscous

1/3 C chicken broth

1 jalapeno, chopped

¼ C red onion

1/8 tsp cumin

Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet to medium-high heat
2. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork, and cook 3-4 minutes per side until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from pan, cover with foil to keep warm
3. While pork pan is warming, heat olive oil in another small pot to medium-high heat. Add jalapeno and onion; sauté 2-3 minutes. Add cumin and salt; sauté another minute.
4. Add 1/3 C chicken broth and couscous. Cover and remove from heat and allow to set for 5 minutes (or until pork and peaches are done).
5. After pork is removed from the skillet add the ¼ C red onion, thyme and peaches to the pan; sauté for 2 minutes
6. Add white wine and ½ C chicken broth and simmer for about 1 minute
7. Fluff couscous with fork and divide between 2 plates, top with pork and peaches
8. Enjoy!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Monterey Pasta Salad

Don't miss the Mega Graduation Recap ----->

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chef’s Notes: For years I was forbidden to make pasta salad. Obviously it was a staple in SmithCale’s home growing up, and after 2 decades he was a little burnt out. So I waited over 4 years before I made one. He welcomes my pasta salad.

Plan of Attack:

1. Boil pasta

2. Mix & Chill

Ingredients for 2:

½ C acini di pepe pasta, cooked according to package directions

¾ C golden cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ C red onion, chopped

1/8 C pickled peperoncinis, chopped

1 Tbsp squeezy parsley

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp dried oregano

Pinch of salt

1 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1.5 oz salami, chopped

½ C pinto beans (or white beans), rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions
2. In a bowl combine all ingredients
3. Cover & Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight
4. Enjoy!

I was really thrilled to have a new magazine waiting for me when we got home Sunday. I needed some fresh inspiration!

So we made the Toasted Chickpea & Apricot Salad. The only thing I changed was we used spinach instead of arugula.

Another last bit of excitement, we had our first cherry tomato from the garden last night!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time

Graduation Recap

As always, on Friday I packed us up dinner to hit the road!

(I made Monterrey Jack Pasta Salad, SmithCale raved about it, I promise to post the recipe soon)

We got up early Saturday to start the day off right with a good 5k!

We both rocked it!

Flat. Cool. Lots of people with slow dogs.

SmithCale clocked in @ 24 minutes!!

I finished in 28:16!

We were in a hurry, so no pics. But SmithCale's family came to cheer us on.

Showered and ready by 10 a.m., we got there early to plan how we were going to leave after Sean graduated.

Don't worry, SmithCale, Shannon will look at your while you take pictures

Shannon's Blue Steel.

The stage was set by 11 a.m. for the first lucky grads, it was still set up the same way when we came back in the afternoon for the second ceremony.

Sean was hooded

then we watched him walk towards a bright future

Cousin Amy, with her newly attached engagement ring, accepted a new proposal to never go to another undergrad class again at 3 p.m.

Her dad, Scott (Diane's brother) watched on proudly.

(He's the one underneath the large, purple arrow)

Sean's wife, Amy, finished up the day with her walk to freedom.

Sean was so pleased.

And because they're so sweet, Amy and her mom let everyone leave before them.

Proof we were there

Fin. (Until next year when Shannon graduates)

Food for Family,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time