Day 92--Stepping Out

Every couple of months or so I'll cooking something for dinner that has me asking my beautiful bride "did you every think you'd be eating [fill in food product here] and enjoying it?"  Inevitably the answer is no, and so I am able to take great pride in the fact that I've introduced her to something new, delicious, and "adventurous ."  However, as I've tackled new culinary challenges and Spring has awakened my sense of passion and fervor, I came to the realization that I very rarely try something new for myself.  It's usually something that I had once or twice, or used to eat at home but can't really afford now, but never something that I just look at it and say "someway, somehow...I will cook and enjoy that." Therefore, I've made a conscious effort to try new stuff and see what happens.  It may absolutely suck (see: daikon) or it may be delicious (see tonight's dinner), but at least I've got the courage to try and ask myself, "did you ever think you'd make that for dinner?"  No, no I didn't. But I'm glad I did.

Breakfast--Oatmeal.  I've missed you, old friend.

Snack--Fiber One bar.  Not exactly missed, but still nice to get a routine going again.

Lunch--Stupid SAGE dining.  The menu for today clearly says "Potato Kale Soup," which loyal followers will note as one of my favorite offerings.  However, there is an EXTREME difference between potato kale and potato and leek soup.  One is broth, the other cream.  One is hearty, the other rich. One I'll eat, the other I won't.  Therefore, the backup plan was some asparagus, grilled chicken, and a peanut butter sandwich. Lunches at WCS suck.


Dinner--Here's the awesomeness...so great, I even have pictures.

Leeks, caramelized in bacon drippings, then braised in apple juice and Riesling, topped with crunchy bacon pieces.  I've never had leeks before, never ordered leeks before...now I wonder why I hadn't done this sooner!  This might be the best side dish I've ever made...it was like candy.  I almost ate more standing at the stove than I did on my plate.

Roasted pork loin with a sweet and spicy rub.  I finally mastered the art of applying a rub to get it to caramelize into a crunchy crust.  And there are leftovers...

Roasted potatoes with salt, pepper, and some ancho chili powder.  They added a great silky, smoky flavor to go with the buttery leeks and tender pork.  All in all, an incredible meal.

And, because she's my favorite, I bought Abby some flowers.  Welcome to Spring everyone!