learn how to prepare 10 excellent meals

Had a bunch of folks over for dinner last night, and this menu was a big hit:

- Homemade pizza
(Pizza dough is easy to make.)
- Leafy Green salad
(Bit of italian dressing available for folks if they wished)
- Strawberries

Rave reviews all around!

It is not fancy cuisine, but it was excellent eating.

First Menu, ready for a rehearsal:

Trout with Dill and Sweet Pepper

- Trout
- Onion and sweet red pepper  (chopped fine and mixed together. Whiz in food processor to bring it all together.)
- Dill (Fresh is great, but dried is okay)

Lightly coat pan with oil (or spray with non-stick spray)
Put 1/2 of Onion / Sweet Pepper mix in the pan. Smooth out with a spatula or back of a spoon.

Sprinkle with Dill

Lay trout, skin side up in the pan

Cover with the rest of the onion/sweet pepper

Sprinkle with a bit more dill
Sprinkle 2 tbs of lemon juice over the trout
Bake in hot oven until the fish flakes.

Spinach Salad (With Strawberries and Pine nuts)

Spinach
2 cups sliced Strawberries
1/4 cup pine nuts

Toast pine nuts.

Coat strawberries with 2 tbs balsamic vinegar (let it sit a while to soak up flavor)

Toss spinach, pine nuts, and strawberries. Enjoy!

Mocha Cheesecake

I signed up for a class at Central Market. It was a great refresher on basic cooking skills.

I was not too excited about the menu, but I got some great ideas for marinades… and I realized that I am not that great at “food prep.”

After the class, I snapped up a Mandolin. It is a tool for slicing up food quickly. I started using it, and is great! It generates even slices. It has a finger guard so I can avoid injury, and it made quick work of my salad veggies.