What's for dinner?

When 3 or 4 pm roll around in my house, the question of what's for dinner plays in my head. I go on these wildly creative spurts where we eat different, new recipes every night. And then sometimes we have cereal. Yes, my mom is horrified. Cereal? That's verboten. ha.

Well, although I could live on one meal for a week, my husband is this character who's love language is...food. And food on the table when he walks in the door or about 45 minutes in or he starts getting twitchy like I do without my run. Poor guy gets up at 5:30 am to leave for work, what can you do?

In the last couple of days we had tomato and mozzarella with basil (don't pre-salt, it makes tom. watery), salmon with lemon and asparagus and spaghetti squash. I call the Spaghetti squash recipe Poppa Kuhns Spaghetti Squash because it tastes almost like his favorite french bread pizzas and it's from his and mom's garden. When my mom leaves for vacation or to visit grandkids, he always stocks up on french bread pizzas.

Poppa Kuhns Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 400

To prepare squash

Cut squash in half and pierce skin with knife, remove seeds and place on a 9x13 pan with one inch of water. Cook 40 min. or until squash is soft. Take a fork and fluff up spaghetti so squash strands come apart.

Add pizza toppings (i use san marzano crushed tom for sauce and return to oven until everything is melty and crispy, maybe 10 min. For Ava and Sophia, I usually add mozzarella, sauce and pepperoni. For me, I added green peppers and onions.

So good you won't miss your old french bread pizzas!

Fresh Salmon with lemon and asparagus

Preheat oven to 400

Season salmon with salt and pepper and feel for pin bones that might be left on fish. Add olive oil and let sit for 15 min. Heat skillet or cast iron skillet for 3 min. Add salmon to skillet flesh side down. Don't move or touch fish until side of fish is cooked halfway through. Add cut, washed asparagus and season with salt. Add lemon to pan.

Flip fish and finish cooking in oven until fish is cooked - 3-4 minutes. The top of the fish should be firm, but give a little. Bring out and let fish sit for 3-5 minutes so it can finish cooking.

Oila! A one pan meal fit for a date night! I finish it with a squeeze of the lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

Amazing Caprese Salad

For the tomato, basil and mozzarella salad

Slice tomates, balls of fresh mozzarella

Take about 5-6 basil leaves and roll them up like a cigar and cut them in little strips. Finish with kosher salt and olive oil. And balsamic vin. if you like. Best if used with garden fresh tom.

You can also add all ingredients to bread to make a caprese panini

Mmm!

Enjoy!

What do you like to make? Quick and easy meals? Creative? fresh and local?