February Chowder

      On Sunday I made my last Shellfish dish for the month of February. (Yes only three this month--seafood is just too pricey for this poor cook.) I made a creamy, seafood chowder with lobster, alaskan cod and curry. It was the day after my 21st birthday so I had a fun time picking out a bottle of sherry for the chowder and paying for it myself. (yay!)
       My roommates all said they were skeptical of the yellow chowder, so I made dinner rolls to balance out the strangeness of it. When I served it they each took measly little portions. But ended up surprised and the pot was soon empty.
       I also enjoyed cooking with my new Dutch Oven which was a birthday gift from Diane. (The elderly woman I am a caregiver for.)
       All in all it was a blast!

Really having fun with the dutch oven.

 

Working with a LOBSTER tail for the first time!

We garnished the chowder with chives, and salt, and pepper. (Obviously)

"Cooking is like love — it should be entered into with abandon or not at all." Julia Child

My favorite part about food is that we can recreate the things God has given us. Just think, God makes beautiful things out of dust, and we get to take those things and grind them to a powdery dust again and then combine and mix until we have a bubbling, growing mass of flesh-colored dough that, when baked, becomes crusty and chewy and beautiful again. Food is simply fantastic. 
And it is kind of a love language too! I'm not an entertainer, but I enjoy more than anything the hours I spend in a quiet kitchen preparing dinner for people I care about--even though the meal is just going to be consumed in a matter of minutes, the joy it brings to me as I prepare it, and to the people eating it, is much more than worth my time.

Scallops!

On Tuesday I roasted brussels sprouts, and sauteed scallops, mushrooms and garlic then made soup with an almond milk broth. It was buttery and rich and we really enjoyed it even though I was a little unsure about the looks of it.

Shrimp and Salad

This month I am going to be making shellfish for my challenge! For dinner tonight I made Shrimp, sauteed in butter and garlic, with a simple Mediterranean salad on the side.

A little fancier than our normal Thursday night dinner, but such a blast to make.  

Penne with Lamb, Bacon and Mushroom Gravy

     I made my last Lamb dish for the month of January on the Twenty Fifth. I wanted to make something for all of my roommates this time so I decided on a pasta dish. 

    I pounded a nice Lamb steak and then fried it in butter and rosemary (so tasty). Then I added bacon and when it was all done I made a rich cream gravy with the juice, and added garlic, and mushrooms.