Garden Fresh Fruit and Veggie Sunday Dinner

Okay, so I may have stretched the truth just a bit with the title of this entry. I confess, I didn't grow or harvest a single one of the fresh ingredients that were the stars of our Sunday dinner today.

Our family tries to eat seasonally. There are good reasons for it. First, by eating seasonally, the fresh foods are much more affordable. Secondly, and most important: foods eaten in season are at their peak flavor.

Today our dinner table was graced with a simple Shrimp and Crab Sautee, Asian Noodle Salad and Steamed Brocoli. For dessert, we enjoyed a refreshing Mango/Berry Sorbet. My sister made the seafood and brocoli.

This Asian Noodle Salad has become a family favorite. I discovered this recipe on another blog a little over a year ago. We have not made it more than a few months without succumbing to the craving for the vegetable-laden and delicious salad. Watch out for the tastebud sensation of the spicy pepper. Our family enjoys spice, but you might want to halve the amount if heat ruins your eating experience.



The only changes that I make to the recipe are: halving the cilantro, adding fresh parsley, and using pre-shredded cabbage found in the salads refrigerated section of my grocery store. Well... again that isn't quite true. I also use Dreamfield's Pasta instead of regular pasta. I feel good about eating this product in moderation, as a diabetic. Truthfully, I never tell anyone this little secret. Most importantly, they never notice. Honest.

When I woke up this morning,I had no idea what to make for dessert. As I was drinking my coffee and reading my subbed blogs, I noticed quite a few were featuring icecreams and sorbets. So, with fresh mangoes, strawberries and raspberries in the refrigerator it became obvious: sorbet. I was convinced to try this recipe I read today at King Arthur Flour.

I followed the easy directions exactly, weighing out the fresh, ripe fruits. The simple syrup was: simple. It came together so easily, I was afraid to hope that it would be good. But it WAS!



*Lynn's Hi Five*



I plan to make another sorbet soon using fresh pineapple, coconut milk and rum. I'll let you know how it goes!

Dinner was very healthy and very flavorful. And the family was none the wiser.

I Did It!

A few months ago, Cookie Baker Lynn posted a blog that I could have written word for word myself. Like her, I love to be in the kitchen creating and trying new things. The problem? Also, like her I cannot always be in the kitchen on a given schedule. Sadly, after joining the Daring Bakers and participating with much fun and successs... I found that my opportunities to bake and cook often did not fit the challenge time tables. I was forced to admit that although the desire was there, often the time was not.

I was psyched when she posted about a new Un-group!

I have always wanted to make a homemade German Chocolate Cake. But for some reason, I've always been intimidated working with baking chocolate, egg whites and homemade fillings. The classic recipe includes all three! Yikes





So... a little egg separating, chocolate melting and creaming of butter and sugar I was on my way!





Methodically, I worked my way through adding the egg yolks, chocolate, and alternating the dry ingredient mixture with buttermilk. I confess, it wasn't hard! I just had to concentrate a bit.






Pans were prepared, then I turned my attention to whipping egg whites and then folding them into the batter. At last: divide the batter into three pans and bake!





All that was left was to make the Pecan Coconut Filling and Frosting.





I did it! I filled and topped the cake with the classic filling. The sides were frosted with my standby chocolate frosting. I did it, and the family cheered!