#47-48

I feel like such a slacker only posting 2 recipes in the last ten days, but as I was remarking to the Baker, I've cooked myself one or two meals from scratch every day... it's just that I've liked so many recipes so far I keep making favorites that are in season. That, and last weekend Annie ended its' run, which marked me out for the count for most of the Friday-Sunday period. I also had to teach Saturday morning, and with the matinee and strike set on Sunday (and a party!) I was hardly at home for the greater part of three days.

For dinner last Thursday (before a brush up rehearsal) I made roasted cherry tomato and basil sauce to go on my whole wheat rotini from Vegan Italiano. It was pretty good, although I think the pasta to topping ratio was a little off. The way I made it (per recipe) I think was more of a B, but with a few more cherry tomatoes and an ounce less pasta, and maybe a sprinkling of breadcrumbs fried in garlic-olive oil or toasted walnut bits for a little more crunch on top I think would make this an A dish.

For dinner tonight, I'm having an old standby now, green beans and tomato, along with Scarlet Barley from Appetite for Reduction. Now, there are times when I make recipes because I want to make something of an ingredient I already love (brussels sprouts, for example), and there are times when I make something new because there is a particular vitamin or nutrient it is rich in and I'd like to make it a part of my diet. This is a recipe I made because I had a bunch of beets leftover from my CSA share.

I don't particularly like beets, I don't particularly dislike them. This recipe was pretty much the same way. I loved the texture of the barley-so chewy. I'd like to cook barley again this way with a veggie I'm more positive about. Maybe shredded parsnip, cinnamon, and apple? Or a carrot cake version with coconut, walnut, shredded carrot and a little raisin. I might also prefer a little orange juice in the mix of this recipe to the lemon juice. Yes, there go my sweet over savory preferences again. I'd call it a C+. If I liked beets more, this would rate much higher. The Baker says B-, since he likes beets more than I.

My plan for tomorrow is an Indian inspired lunch, tomato rasam and some chapati or roti. Here come 49 and 50!