I fear I don’t have much to say this evening. I’m in a state of after dinner bliss. Throughout my life, I have enjoyed Sunday dinners with family.  It’s a ritual of winding down the weekend, eating well, and savoring each other’s company before the work week starts again.

Tonight’s menu was focaccia with prosciutto and arugula, Caprese salad, Italian sausage and peppers, and penne lisce with marinara.

I’ve posted previously about Caprese salad. It’s quite easy and delicious. Another quick dish is focaccia with prosciutto and arugula. Lucky for me, my local market carries focaccia so I’ll have to do is toast it in a 375-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Then, I add thinly sliced prosciutto, arugula, and drizzle with olive oil. The results are scrumptious!

Next up is an Italian classic. Sausage and Peppers. I’ve made this so many times it seems like second nature to cook it. The ingredients are few: 6 links of Italian sausage, 3 cloves of garlic (minced), 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 large yellow onion (sliced), 2 red peppers (sliced), and 2 green peppers (sliced). The cooking is easy: Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium high heat and brown sausages on all sides (12-15 minutes). Remove sausages from pan and place on a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your pan that should have some drippings from the cooked sausage. Then, put in the onions and sweat for 3 minutes. Mix in the peppers and garlic, cover with aluminum foil, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice up the Italian sausage and return to the pan to heat through (3-5 minutes).

And now for the main course. Penne lisce with marinara. Yes, pasta. Marinara sauce comes in many varieties. I make it differently depending on how much time I have to cook and what ingredients I have around the house or garden. This was today’s version:

Marinara á la Sunday

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 28 oz. can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of freshly chopped parsley
• 1 heaping teaspoon of freshly chopped oregano
• 1 heaping teaspoon of freshly chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sweat for 3-5 minutes. Then, stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the diced tomatoes. Add the parsley, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, sugar, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour. Add the baking soda and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Cook 1 pound of penne lisce to al dente (11-13 minutes). Mix together drained pasta and sauce. Enjoy!

When life gives you lemons, make a marinade. My local market had Meyer lemons on sale and I couldn’t help myself. I had to purchase one to make a quick and easy marinade. Marinating meat adds flavor and is relatively easy. The hardest part is the waiting. I recommend marinating for at least 2 hours to soak up the flavors.

Meyer Lemon and Rosemary Marinade for Chicken

Prep: 10 minutes, Cooking: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Meyer lemon, zest and juice
• 1 sprig of rosemary, roughly chopped, approximately 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, medium chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, approximately 1/4 teaspoon
• 1.25 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

In a gallon-sized plastic bag, add lemon zest and juice, rosemary, parsley, garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix together. Add chicken breasts and thoroughly coat. Seal bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken 8-10 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

To accompany the chicken, I made an arugula salad with carrots, celery, radishes, tomatoes, red onion, and sliced almonds. Also, I cooked up some delicious white corn. Just bring a 5-quart pot of water to boil, add the cleaned cobs and a dash of milk, and cook for 12 minutes.

Weekends are meant to be playful. Sadly, a lot of the time, the weekend seems to be for playing catch-up. Today I strove to do Saturday right. I finally test drove my Kitchen Aid Food Processor that my husband bought me for Christmas. I know, it took awhile. I’m a busy person.

After a few hiccups (mainly my inability to follow instructions), the food processor was ready to shred like a skateboarder in the park. And she worked!

Coleslaw

Serves 10-12, Prep 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cabbage, approximately 6 cups shredded
• 2 large carrots, approximately 1 cup shredded
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 heaping teaspoon of celery salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

There are two options I suggest to take care of shredding the cabbage and carrots. Either buy it pre-shredded at the store (I have done this many times. It’s ok.) or have a fancy food processor and put it to work. Place shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl.

In a medium mixing bowl, add mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, celery salt, sugar, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste (Sometimes I add a dash of dill pickle juice or a splash of hot sauce. It depends on my mood).

Add the dressing to the large bowl of shredded cabbage and carrots and mix thoroughly. Put in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

My mother always told me, “I don’t cook on Fridays.” As a child, Friday was full of possibilities. What takeout would magically appear? It was different. Now that I’m the adult, I do my best to carry on this tradition.

Yes, I love to cook. But, I also like to discover new restaurants. Living in San Francisco, there is so much good food that you have a lot to try out. Tonight’s culinary adventure is the Magic Flute Garden Ristorante in Presidio Heights.

Appetizer:

Medjool Dates Stuffed with Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese and Wrapped in Pancetta

I would marry these dates! Pardon the bad pun, but the dates were plump and moist, the blue cheese added a little saltiness, and the pancetta was crisped perfectly. Add some mixed greens, ripe tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar and you have a great start to a meal.

Main Course:

Prince Edward Island Mussels and Chorizo with Linguini

Fresh Mussels. Spicy Marina. Chorizo. Have I mentioned I love pasta? It could have been a little spicier. I like “heat.” But, it was flavorful and I enjoyed every bite…even the bit at the end where I take bread and wipe the plate. Italians call it “fare la scarpetta.”

Dessert:

Pistacchio Gelato

I was so excited about this dessert I may have taken a bite prior to remembering to take a photo. The gelato was nutty and creamy. It was heaven on a spoon and worth every calorie.

I would consider this Friday night dinner a success. I would say more but I’m officially in a food coma and need to either run around the block or go to bed. I think the bed wins. Until tomorrow…

Because I said so. Fair enough.

I’m well aware that food blogs are not unique. That’s fine. I’m not really writing for an audience or just about food. I’m writing for me. If this amuses you, more power to you. If you enjoy sarcasm, you may have found a home.

Tonight’s meal: Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Kale, Red Pepper, and White Beans