Grilled Sausages with Broccoli Rabe and Roasted Corn Polenta

It happens every year without fail: the summer cold. I know I’m not alone in this as a bunch of people in my office are also sick (I blame you), but is there anything worse? Waking up this morning feeling like crap, I knew I would want something comforting but easy for dinner. Brian grilled up some hot italian sausages (I par-boiled them first to make sure they were fully cooked without getting too charred on the grill), while I stayed in and whipped up super-quick sauteed garlicky broccoli rabe and 3 minute instant polenta. I threw in some defrosted roasted corn (love this product from Trader Joe’s) to add some texture to the polenta. Now, excuse me while I bury my face in a box of kleenex and sip on a digestivo of NyQuil.

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Grilled Veggie Pesto Panini

This sandwich is a favorite in our house. It’s a great option for a vegetarian meal that still feels substantial. Just grill up your veggies of choice (I did zucchini, onions, and roasted red pepper, but eggplant would be a great addition/ substitution), layer on some pesto and provolone cheese. Use a panini press (I used my beloved Griddler) or a pan with heavy pan on top of the sandwich to press down until the sandwich is pressed and crispy and the cheese has melted.

Chinese Lettuce Wraps

It’s been approximately 15,000 degrees in Boston for the past week or so and I am OVER IT. I like summer for its activities (cookouts, beach times, general good times/moods), but NOT for the weather. I tend to “run hot” and can get down right surly when overheated. So, it makes me wonder why over the last week I’ve made things, such as pizza, which requires a 500 degree oven, or polenta, which requires near constant stirring over a hot pot for a good 40 minutes. Not wise. In typical fashion, I waited for the heat wave to end to make something that requires little cooking/heat/effort. I actually made the filling to these lettuce wraps (which is yummy, by the way) on Sunday when I had some extra time, and just had to reheat tonight and serve with some crisp baby romaine leaves and some brown rice on the side.  Perfect light summer supper.

Sweet and Spicy Island Pork with Coconut Rice

This pork is goooooood. I wasn’t sure what I thought when I first saw the recipe, as it called for a ton of brown sugar and I’m don’t have a big sweet tooth. I do, however, have a salt tooth, so I just decided to reduce the amount of sugar called for and it was perfect. But, truthfully, I was drawn to this recipe because of the coconut rice. I mean, rice (I used basmati), cooked in coconut milk? Awesome. Life changing. If Brian didn’t think he hated coconut (he loved this rice so clearly he doesn’t), I would have garnished with some toasted, flaked coconut on top too. This whole meal was super easy and came together within 30 minutes. Weeknight score.

Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa

I’ve really been enjoying quinoa lately – sometimes as a salad for lunch, sometimes as a side. This side-dish recipe was was quick, healthy, and yummy.

Parmesan Tilapia with Pesto and Tomato Salad

Today marks my 7th consecutive day eating seafood and I LOVE IT. Tonight’s dinner, the end of the seafood streak, was probably my favorite. This will definitely be my a go-to for us – it was delicious! Sprinkle a little parmesan on some tilapia, broil it (my favorite fish cookery method), then top with some store-bought pesto and a little tomato salad dressed with lemon basil vinaigrette. Serve with some crusty bread and you have a simple 15 minute meal. Hallelujah.

Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Portability. This is the exact thing I need during a busy workweek to keep me from hitting the dreaded drive-thru on my hour+ commute to work. Something I can grab on my way out the door and know that when I finally reach my office, I can zap a piece of this casserole and enjoy a legitimate breakfast on the fly. This casserole is perfect for this – AND, it’s low-carb and only about 250 calories per serving. I’ve made it twice in as many weeks an I can see it as a regular in our menu plan. Eggs, cubed ham steak, broccoli, cheese – easy peasy. Make a big dish of this on Sunday, cut into 8 squares, and you’ve got breakfast for you and your mate for 80% of the workweek. I might get drive-thru crap on the 5th day when we run out, but that’s harm reduction at its best. Right?

Clam and Bacon Pizza

I’m on a bit of a clam bender. You see, I’ve been at the cape for a few days for our annual 4th of July pilgrimage and my dad is supremely talented at just innocently and ever-so-legally just stumbling upon clams in the bay across from my family’s house. One night we enjoyed the fruits of his labor tossed with linguine in a lemon garlic sauce with garlic bread, another day, we had bacon-laden clams casino. But, I most enjoy them chilled, freshly shucked, on the half shell and squeezed with a little lemon and Tabasco. Life is hard sometimes, I know.

my dad, stumbling upon clams in the bay

Enter this pizza. Brian and I had to sadly ditch the cape a day earlier than planned due to terrible, irresponsible sunburns. I came home and was really missing my diet of clams that I had become accustomed to. I had a roll of pillsbury pizza crust in the fridge (whole wheat from either trader joe’s or whole foods would have been my first choice, but you make do), some canned clams in the cupboard (blasphemy!), and a few slices of bacon and dinner was born. Made wholly from pantry staples (except for maybe the alfredo sauce, which can easily be made from scratch if you don’t have any bottled), this pizza was totally awesome.  I was a little sad when i took my last bite, I’m not gonna lie.

Grilled Chicken and Sausage Kebab Salad

This is my FAVORITE dinner salad. I was so excited making it tonight because somehow I had forgotten about it. This recipe was heavy in my repertoire a couple of years ago and for good reason – it’s awesome. Grilled skewers of pork sausage, chicken breast, and fresh bay doused in olive oil and lemon all tossed around with romaine lettuce (the most boring part, but necessary), fresh garlic croutons and THE BEST dressing ever. The Best. Best part is that it’s such a simple meal and perfect for a summer night.