Impromptu Dinner Party

Me: What should we do tonight?
B: I dunno, what do you want to do?
Me: I dunno, what do you want to do?
B: I dunno.
Me: Well I don't know either.  Give me some ideas. 

Somehow this convo lead to me and B deciding to have people over for an impromptu dinner party.  Our two guests confirmed at 5 that they would be over at 7 so we headed off to the store to pick out food.   When I saw that salmon was on sale at the Harris Teeter, I went ahead a put B in charge of the main dish.  He made me this salmon on like our 4th date and it's his signature dish (really his only dish).  Then I decided I wanted to try this "healthy" mac and cheese recipe that I found online.  So we gathered up our ingredients and some dip for appetizers and of course some wine and headed home.

B's signature salmon dish is actually a Rachael Ray recipe (Oven Poached Salmon with Dill, Onion and Cucumber Relish).  From what I can tell, it's pretty easy and pretty much always ends up being good.  Here is the recipe.  Since I've never made it myself I am assuming he just follows the recipe.  The cucumber, onion, radish relish actually makes the recipe in my opinion.  Everyone liked it last night.

The mac and cheese recipe I found was from Ellie Krieger.  The thing that makes it healthy is the addition of winter squash in to the cheese mixture.

Macaroni and 4 Cheeses (adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe,  I made a couple of small changes)

Cooking spray
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash
2 cups skim milk
4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
pepper
2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon olive oil
another 1/2 cup of Cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

-cook the pasta
-cook the milk and frozen squash in a separate pan
-mix all that together with the cheese, salt, pepper, and mustard
-grease the 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and then pour the pasta mixture into dish
-top with a mixture of the Parmesan, bread crumbs and olive oil
-cook for 20 minutes
-add the rest of the cheese to the top and cook for about 5 more minutes on a higher heat to brown the top

I just added more cheese at the end because I thought it tasted a little too squashy.  It was pretty good.  I think everyone liked it and it has to be a little healthier than the traditional kind of macaroni and cheese.  I thought it could use a little more flavor but I'm not sure what I would put in it.  B said he liked it how it was.

So that was my impromptu dinner party.
Did you do anything fun this weekend?
Is it wrong to sneak vegetables into a classic like Mac and Cheese?

PS-Happy 10/10/10 everyone!

Making Dinner on the Cheap...Baked Salmon with Feta and Tomatoes

I was going to write a post on how to make a really cheap dinner for four (based in part on recently spending all my money on a new AC) when my mom called me and asked if I wanted some extra salmon that she had.  Well what is cheaper than free food from your mom?  Nothing.

She even prepped it for me.  She put tomatoes and feta and olive oil on it and some seasonings too I think.  Her instructions were to cook it at 500 degree F on the bottom rack of the oven for a bit then switch it to the top rack for a bit until it was sizzling and looked cooked.  Uh that seemed hard.  But I did it.  Switching back from top to bottom a few time for about 18 minutes.  It was good.

So in the future I am going to do a series on cheap dinners.  What would you consider a cheap price for dinner for four?  Less than $10?  Less than $5?  And I'm not talking ramen noodles here.   Something with meat or a least a significant vegetarian meal.  I watch Money Saving Meals sometimes with Sandra Lee on the Food Network and it has inspired me.

Do you live close to your mom?
Does she ever offer you free food?
What's your favorite cheap meal?

Shimp and Scallop Pasta...

After eating out for 3 nights in a row at the beach with my brother and sister (who decided to come up to visit us), B and I decided that we would eat in one night.  We headed on over to Captain Jack's Seafood Stand and bought some fresh shrimp.  Then I got some bay scallops at the grocery store.  I decided to make a shrimp and scallop pasta.  I made this up as I was going so it is definitely not perfect...........

Shrimp and Scallop Pasta (for 2-3)
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
1/2 pound small scallops
3 cloves garlic, minced
butter
olive oil
white wine
mushrooms
red pepper flakes

cooked linguine

lemon wedge

I basically just cooked the shrimp in some butter and olive oil and then set them aside.  Then I cooked the scallops in the butter and olive oil and set them aside.  Then I cooked the garlic and the mushrooms in some butter and olive oil.  I added some wine to that.  Just a splash.  I cooked it down a little and then added the shrimp and scallops back in until everything was hot.  I mixed it all with some linguine and added some red pepper flakes. I squeezed some lemon on before serving.   Like I said, I was kind of winging it.  It was pretty good.  I could have used a little more flavor but still it was not bad for making it up as I went.

I had a hard time with the photos because every time I went outside my camera would fog up.

So, do you like shrimp and scallops? 
Do you hate peeling shrimp as much as I do?
What's your favorite food to eat at the beach?