I am often talking about inspiration. Most of the time it has to do with home and design but sometimes it is about food. I have many friends who are wonderful cooks and it is not usual to hear girlfriend Deb casually say she made a lovely little risotto with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan. Hmmm. Or Janine who made a chicken marinated with an "easy" little sauce of artichokes and lemon. Somehow when it is time to put the dinner menu together those types of things don't naturally come to me. So I am defiantly the type who needs inspiration...and lots of it. My newest inspiration is Sara Foster's latest cookbook Fresh Every Day. Now this the type of inspiration I m looking for. Not only great sounding recipes but recipes along the lines of Ina Garten. Simple and delicious without a lot of fuss or bother. There are times which I want something over the top, but usually it isn't a Wednesday night when dinner is sandwiched between soccer practice and a little league game.
My first try at a dish in this cookbook was last night when I made Greek Chicken with Tomatoes and Feta. Easy and so good. Somehow when I think of comfort food I usually think of heartier winter weather food. But somehow this chicken recipe is light and flavorful summer food as well as giving that comfort food feeling. Not an easy culinary task. I am not an olive fan but I did add the Greek olives and didn't eat them. I do think they flavored the dish ever so slightly but it was pleasing even to a non-olive eater like me. I served the chicken with Italian-Style Green Beans. They were good. I am not sure why they were "Italian Style". It consisted of green beans with garlic and olive oil. What was interesting was the cooking process. Boiled and then sauteed in the pan once the water had evaporated. I have read a lot of cookbooks in my day but I had never read about that. They were delicious. Both of these recipes will be in heavy rotation in my kitchen this summer.
Another one I am dying to try is the Pan Seared Red Snapper with Fresh Butter Beans, Tomatoes, and Corn. It sounds so good. Butter beans. Such and old fashioned type of vegetable. The Lemon-Curry Roasted Chicken I will save for the early fall. Next on the menu is a Tequila Lime Skirt Steak with Grilled Scallions. It will have to be something special to compete with my favorite Tequila Lime Chicken from Ina Garden's Barefoot Contessa Family StyleIna has a wonderful show Barefoot Contessa on the Food Netword and if you haven't tried any of her recipes many are listed there. Ah, inspiration around every corner.