Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola & Chopped Salad

You might look at that picture above and think, "Why is there so much Gorgonzola on the steak?" What happened was this: I bought a fancy Gorgonzola at the Irvine Ranch Market and it just so happened to be the creamiest, mellowest, most beautiful Gorgonzola in the world. We ate all of it. There was no stopping us! We should have just skipped the meat and ate the cheese :)

Weeknight dinners can be difficult - I work all day, go to yoga and ride my bike almost everywhere. By the time I get home I need a snack, a shower and then it's time to start dinner. We started with an appetizer of grilled portabellos (gills removed), brushed with a little bit of pesto and then stuffed with caprese ingredients (basil, mozzarella & tomatoes).

I love salad. I think in a former life I was a rabbit. Maybe a little bit of that got carried over into this life... We made a chopped salad to go underneath our steaks. Lettuce, endive, baby heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, and yellow bell pepper. Then I made a quick vinaigrette of garlic infused olive oil (microwave a clove of garlic in 3 tbsp oil for 30 sec), red wine vinegar and basil. We peppered the steaks and seared them on high, thinly sliced them and then melted our Gorgonzola cheese atop the sliced steak.

Delicious! If we hadn't used an obscene amount of cheese this would have been healthy as well. Guilty pleasures, however, cannot always be avoided...

BELOW: The mystery martini we concocted out of this weird pink stuff my sister gave me. Probably also not the best idea for a Wednesday night, but you only live once!!

* 2 parts Vodka
* 1 part X-RATED® Fusion Liqueur®
* Juice of 1/2 lemon

...Shaken, over ice, strained into martini glasses...

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Glaze [Daring Bakers]

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

However, Jenny gave us complete leeway with the Cheesecake idea - any topping, any flavor, any recipe tweaks, really anything we wanted to do in the realm of cheesecake was ours! I had been looking at the gorgeous magenta-red stalks of rhubarb in the Grower's Ranch for a little while now trying to think of what I could do with them outside of a standard rhubarb pie.

Then I saw a recipe for a Strawberry-Rhubarb Glaze and I was sold! I've made a million cheesecakes (okay, maybe more like 10) and although they aren't my favorite dessert, they are SO much better homemade than store-bought. I always incorporate some mascarpone into mine as I feel it makes it creamier than straight cream cheese.

All in all, this came out beautifully and tasted outrageously good. The only changes I would make from this recipe is to decrease the sugar in the cheesecake itself as it's pretty sweet and the glaze is tart AND sweet.

Thank you Jenny for picking a great challenge! This is the best cheesecake I've ever had :)

























INGREDIENTS:
Crust

• Nonstick oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• two 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Glaze

• 4 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (from about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 8 strawberries, hulled, halved
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350' and coat inside of a 9" springform pan with nonstick spray. Wrap outside bottom with foil, to prevent any leakage.
   
2. Melt butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Mix crumbs, sugar & cinnamon in bowl. Stir in butter and press onto bottom only of the springform pan.
   
3. Bake about 10 minutes and cool completely on rack. Keep oven on.
4. Beat cream cheese & sugar in bowl until smooth.
5. Add mascarpone and beat until smooth.
6. Mix in flour and beat eggs in 1 at a time.
7. Add vanilla, lemon juice, lemon peel and salt.
8. Pour into pan.
9. Bake until it's puffed and only slightly jiggly in the center about 1 hour (mine took 1:10). Turn oven off and leave it in the oven with the door closed for another hour.
10. Transfer cake to rack and cool.
    
11. Stir sour cream and spread atop cake. Refrigerate overnight.
12. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, 2/3 cup water and lemon juice in pan.
    
13. Bring to boil, stirring till sugar dissolves. Reduce heat & simmer until tender about 9 minutes.
14. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
15. Press through strainer until you have 1.5 cups of liquid.
16. Return 1.5 cups liquid to same pan. Simmer over medium heat.
17. Whisk cornstarch & 3 TBSP water to blend and add to pan. Whisk until it boils & thickens about 6 minutes.
    
18. Pour glaze into bowl and chill until cold @ 2 hours.
19. Spread over cheesecake & chill at least 4 hours, up to 1 day.

SASHIMI!

JOY.

Need I say more? Okay...

Sashimi.

Friday night.

The finest sake I've ever had.

Cold beer.

Good music.

Good company.

Friday night we went to a local Japanese market (Mitsuwa) and bought a selection of fresh sashimi grade fish, seaweed salad, cucumber (for slicing into cucumber salad), edamame for steaming, a few large Asahis and a nice bottle of Ken sake.

We came home, sliced the fish into thin sashimi and prepared the rest of our feast...

We spent half of what our bill would have been, and the quality was SUPERB!!!!

Not only that, but we dined in the comfort of our own home with our own music on, no reservations necessary, no wait and no tip required :)

We even bought uni AND scallops from the market...I was a little unsure of how good they would be - and those aren't two things you want to eat when they are a day old... My fear dissipated as I got a taste - the freshest imaginable!!

This was a lot of fun, a great night, and a good excuse to consume outrageous amounts of high quality fish!!

Many thanks to my sous-chef for the slicing, arranging & the idea!

Grilled Pork Chops with Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus

How good was this dinner?! IT WAS REALLY GOOD!!

.ЯR. brought over a huge amount of buffalo mozzarella and I had a gigantic heirloom tomato..so.. you know what had to happen, right? We started with a Caprese salad (chopped and artfully arranged by .ЯR.) and a glass of Bordeaux....

We ate the Caprese while the grill preheated. The lightly breaded pork chops come out tender, crispy, and full of flavor! The small bed of mixed greens tossed with a lemon white wine vinaigrette set off the sweetness of the pancetta wrapped asparagus. WHOA. Let's just go back to that :
PANCETTA. WRAPPED. ASPARAGUS.
Honestly? I fell in love people... There is little else better than this.

Cancel your plans. Make that asparagus. You won't be sorry.

Anyways, I am digressing wildly. The dinner recipes are based of this one and this one.... This is definitely one of my new favorite meals... easy, fast and really good!!!!!!!!!!!

SERVES 2

PORK CHOPS
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless pork chops, trimmed of fat
• Salt, cracked pepper, olive oil
• about 6 pcs of white bread, crusts removed
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
• small handful of thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 cup mixed greens
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 extra lemon cut in wedges for garnish
  
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 tsp+ white wine vinegar to taste
• thinly sliced tomato

DIRECTIONS:

1. In food processor, pulse bread pieces until finely ground.
2. Toast crumbs in pan over medium heat until golden, approx 5-7 minutes.
3. Set aside to cool. When cool, mix with parmesan, salt & pepper and keep on plate.
4. Pound pork chops in a plastic bag until tender and thinner.
5. Place a small amount of oil in a bowl and dip pork chops in oil, then press into breadcrumb coating. Set aside on baking sheet.
6. Preheat grill to medium high.
7. Toss greens, arugula and onion in bowl with dressing. Plate the salad and fan tomatoes over.
   
8. Oil grill rack on BBQ and place pork chops on. Cook, covered on pretty high heat until grill marks show. Flip, repeat. Then turn heat down to the low side of medium to cook through. (at this point, i add the asparagus, but see recipe below).
9. When done, serve atop salad and garnish with lemon wedges (mandatory!).

ASPARAGUS
INGREDIENTS:

• 8 asparagus spears
• 8 slices of pancetta (ask your local deli to slice thinly)
• pepper, olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. snap bottom ends off asparagus.
2. rub spears with a little olive oil & sprinkle with pepper.
3. lay a spear atop one pancetta slice and tightly roll it around the asparagus.
4. place seam side down on baking sheet.
5. oil grill rack lightly and place asparagus on grill until pancetta is crispy, cooking over medium heat about 5 minutes.
   

Blackened Halibut Tacos

Saturday rolled around and it was hot. What goes better with hot & lazy than beer & tacos? (Answer: not much). We took our leftover halibut and tossed it with a TON of blackening seasoning. Cut thick slices of onion, sliced avocado, minced cilantro, lemon or lime wedges, a little shredded cheese, corn tortillas and a nice hot salsa make for good tacos!

We cut the halibut into strips and grilled it alongside the onion slices. We warmed the tortillas right on the grill as well!

Open a few beers, top your tacos with all the good stuff, drink, eat, and be happy!

Grilled Halibut with Edamame-Tomato Relish

...Excuse the poor lighting in the pictures! We were outside w/ flash....

Original recipe

This weekend, I let someone in my kitchen. To cook with me. Not just in the same room, but helping. I know, there's definitely something wrong with me! Maybe it's spring, maybe it's too much yoga... but this is unheard of! Having good knife skills and knowing your way around food is part of how he got in the kitchen...

We opted for Grilled Halibut since it was such a warm evening and the halibut was on sale at Costco! This is an easy, light recipe that's low on carbs (if you're the carb-counting type). Great use of fresh ingredients, you can use fresh favas or fresh edamame (but hey, it was Friday night, so we used frozen edamame).

The Halibut was served with a small salad drizzled with a nice Balsamic Vinegar and a glass (or more) of chilled Sancerre...

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pieces of Halibut
• salt & cracked pepper
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 handfuls of frozen edamame (don't thaw)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat grill over medium and coat rack with spray
2. Slice tomatoes in half cross-wise and stud with garlic slivers. Crack salt & pepper over top.
3. Place on grill over medium-low heat.
4. Wash fish & pat dry. Salt & pepper both sides and rub with olive oil.
5. Transfer tomatoes to top rack or covered bowl.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and grill fish until cooked thoroughly.
7. In small sauce pan, bring salted water to a boil.
8. Add edamame and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.
9. toss with lemon juice, basil, salt & pepper.
10. Serve tomatoes on plate, top with halibut, and scatter edamame relish over the top.

:)

Penne Alla Vodka with Shrimp (the LIGHT version!)

There's an awesome Italian place near my sisters house and when I say awesome, I mean it. I am not fond of MOST Italian restaurants outside of Italy. They just pale in comparison and really insult the beauty of good food. Not the place by their house though, mmmmmmmm.... The owner is from Italy, the place is always packed, they draw a huge contingent of old Italians and the food is outstanding. When I say it's packed, it's bustlingly busy, all tables taken, bar full, line out the door not only on Friday night, but on Tuesday at 6, 7, 9, 10... It's ALWAYS busy!

Moving right along, I love this vodka-cream-tomato sauce they make. LOVE it. It's spicy and beautiful and goes so well with pasta... I made a light/quick version for a weeknight meal. Feel free to do it the hard way or add cream to amp up the fat if you still want! I encourage you to try it this way and then add the fat back in if you insist!
Disclaimer for LEAH: Ignore the parsley.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 handfuls of pasta (I used these pretty rigatoni, not too big, not too small)
• 12 uncooked shrimp, peeled, deviened, tails on
• 1/2 jar pasta sauce (keep it on the simple marinara side of things)
• 1/3 -1/2 cup milk (soy milk works!, 2% milk, whatever)
• 1 TBSP vodka
• crushed red pepper
• 2 TBSP minced parsley
• 2 TBSP minced basil
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
• optional - asparagus - i think it would go nicely ;)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Get your water boiling for the pasta.
   
2. Saute shrimp in pan until pink and almost cooked through.
3. Warm marinara in pan. Stir in milk, bring to simmer. Simmer until slightly reduced. Add chili flakes.
   
4. Add pasta to pot & boil until al dente (see your instructions on the package).
5. Add shrimp and vodka to marinara and raise heat to medium.
6. Drain pasta and toss with half of the parmesan, basil& parsley.
7. Add shrimp & marinara to pasta and toss to coat.
8. Garnish with additional parsley &/or parmesan.

HOW CUTE ARE THESE? The smallest artichokes EVER!
I found them at the Growers Ranch and they made their way into my basket, into my pot for steaming and into my belly.

They only take about 10-15 minutes of steaming depending on how tiny they are (smaller the better!)











.

Typical Costa Rican Breakfast

I know, this is not very exciting of a post BUT it's what I made last night folks. During the week, I ride my bike to and from work as I am fortunate enough to live close enough and it's extra exercise. It also makes me insanely happy to be outside, so in order to preserve both my insane and my happy qualities, I try to be outside as much as possible! I had a point, I was going somewhere with all this.... oh RIGHT! Okay, so I can't always get to the store after I work out (which is also after work) on my bike. So sometimes, I make what I have. And sometimes, I don't have much.

Hence, I had this for dinner. :::shrug:::: It's better than eating crap. It's better than eating nothing. All in all, it's pretty good for you...

In Costa Rica, this is what you eat every morning for breakfast. When you stay in the jungle, or in the hills, or in the countryside, this is pretty standard. It's nutritious, it fills you up and it gives you energy. We ate a huge plate of this with some plain bread before we left to hike Chirripo and it kept me going from 4 am till mid-morning!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup brown basmati rice
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup black beans drained and rinsed (canned, no salt)
• 1 chopped shallot
• jarred salsa (I used fire roasted tomato & chipotle)
• 1 egg, 2 egg whites
• a bit of crumbled cheese or shredded cheese
• dash of oil (avocado, olive, whatever)

DIRECTIONS:

1. in small pot, heat rice & water over medium. Throw in a little of the shallot, and simmer till mostly tender & liquid is absorbed. Stir in a little salsa and set on low.
2. Heat the beans with a little shallot over medium low.
3. Scramble the egg and egg whites. Heat dash of oil in small pan over medium high and cook eggs.
4. Serve on plate. Top with crumbled cheese & extra salsa or hot sauce :)
5. PURA VIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

GOOD NEWS?! It's almost summer here. I can buy THESE bad boys in the store!! YAY!!! Heirloom tomatoes... I love you so much.... I waited all winter... to eat all of you.

WOW!! I'm featured :)

http://thedaringkitchen.com/

YAY!!

Apple Whole Wheat Pancakes

Helllloooooo Easter.... and apples....and flour....and sucanat...and baking powder...and baking soda...and salt...and buttermilk...and eggs...and oil...

Look at these Golden Delicious apples! YUM!

Baklava Muffins

Recipe from Technicolor Kitchen

YUM.

I followed her instructions exactly and I found this beautiful little jar of honey to use on top! These were SO good, I had intended on bringing some to work...but...there seems to be a problem with not eating them all!!!!!!!!

Chicken Parmesan

Sometimes life has a way of getting turned all upside down - things go absurdly out of wack and all I crave is comfort. Pajamas, no company over, no one on the phone, just some nice music, a glass of wine and Chicken Parmesan. It's easy, it's satisfying and it's really freaking good!

I've been making this for years as a stand-by recipe. Usually I just have to go get a few chicken breasts and I have everything else. If I'm home and I'm lazy, the last thing I want to do is run back out to the store and load up on a basket of groceries. With this meal, I can walk over to the Stater Bros down the street and just sneak in for some chicken.

I made this Friday and as usual, made way too much...don't worry though, I ate it...all...and got the tummy ache to prove it later that night! I promise you though, if you make this, you will be happy! Men also have a strange affection for this dish. So, if you've got kind of a guy who likes simple things on your hands, he might love you forever if you make this. I know, I know, it seems to easy, but sometimes it works.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about as big as your whole hand or 1 large cut in half)
• 1 egg white, beaten lightly
• 1/2 cup flour
• salt & cracked pepper
• 1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs - this means a lighter coating!)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
  
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• Your favorite Pasta Sauce (or if you're all industrious, make your own, but this is an easy meal!)
• Spaghetti, Linguine, whatever you like...
• Handful Crimini Mushrooms, quartered (I like them, if you don't...don't include them)
• Paremsan or Fontina or Asagio for sprinkling the whole meal with at serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350'
2. Spray glass pan with cooking spray.
3. Wash chicken breast and remove any part that's not good meat (i.e. lumps of fat, tendons, etc...)
4. Place chicken in ziplock bag and place smooth side up. Pound chicken thoroughly - you are aiming for 1/2 " thick, but depending on the original thickness of your breast, you may not get there or you may get 1/4"! Just pound it good to tenderize it.
5. In a shallow bowl, mix your panko & your parmesan. Line up a plate with flour, your egg white and your panko mix.
6. sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt & pepper.
7. Dredge in flour, shake off excess.
8. Dunk it fully in egg white to coat and then press into panko (all over).
9. Set aside.
10. Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in large frying pan. When HOT add chicken and cook until bottom is golden. Add another 1 TBSP olive oil and flip over. Cooking until golden and crispy. The point here is to seal in the juices and crisp the outside. YUM.
11. Remove chicken from pan into glass baking dish.
12. Pop in the oven for roughly 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.
13. Heat your water for cooking the pasta, warm your pasta sauce & add mushrooms, keep on a simmer.
14. Cook your pasta according to directions, drain and divide among plates, top with sauce, chicken breast & additional cheese!

Ciabatta Sandwiches with Grilled Veggies, Pesto & Smoked Mozzarella

Yes, yes, I know ENOUGH with the grilled veggies already! Well, I have a ton... and ...well...it takes me awhile to get through them dammit. So bear with me, they are almost gone. Plus, it's supposed to rain tomorrow and that will inhibit the grilling.

This was really freaking good. You can't go wrong with ciabatta OR smoked mozzarella. I don't care how good or bad you cook (yes, Jami, even you...) you can't ruin those ingredients!

Served it with a small salad of butter lettuce, yellow tomatoes, orange bell peppers, avocado & shaved parmesan (buy good parmeggiano reggiano and shave it with a veggie peeler, it works great). I drizzled a nice balsamic vinegar over it and it was a perfect side.

INGREDIENTS:

• zucchini
• eggplant (i used "graffiti eggplant" really fun looking!)
• 1 jarred roasted bell pepper
• 1/3 red onion sliced
  
• 1 portobello mushroom
• 2 tsp pesto
• olive oil
• smoked mozzarella, sliced thinly
• small ciabatta baguette

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat your grill (big surprise, right? I know, this is redundant lately, but bear with me!)
2. Rub veggies with olive oil (onion, zucchini, eggplant, mushroom)
3. Slice baguette in half and rub cut sides with olive oil
4. Start grilling mushroom & onion first - they take the longest.
5. Add eggplant & zucchini.
6. Add bread cut side down.
7. Grill until bread is heated through.
8. Flip bread over & turn heat to low or off.
9. Spread pesto on bread, top with cheese, slice the portabello and layer. Add zucchini, roasted peppers, eggplant and onion, and top piece of bread.
10. Let cheese melt and heat through about 1 minute.
11. Slice in half and enjoy!!!!!!!
    

Grilled Bananas with Chocolate & Chambord

Bananas are good for you - potassium, folate, vitamins, you name it - it's in there! Bananas are also good for hangovers, but I know nothing about that. Bananas are ALSO good for dessert. I bet you didn't know you could throw them on the GRILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
  
• 2 bananas
• bittersweet chocolate chips (a small handful will do)
• chambord or any other liqueur

DIRECTIONS:

1. heat grill over pretty high (that's not an actual setting, i know...)
   
2. mix the butter & the sugar with your fingertips.
3. coat bananas with sugar mix.
4. In double boiler, melt chocolate until runny and smooth.
5. Grill bananas for 2 minutes a side until they are carmelized and show grill marks
6. gently remove bananas and slice on plate
7. Drizzle with chocolate & liqueur...
   

Side Note: I also think this would be absolutely AMAZING with toasted hazelnuts and a little scoop or ten of vanilla ice cream. Maybe a bourbon vanilla ice cream... YUM....

More Grilled Joy!! (Grilled Veggie Tower)

Cooking for one means that often times I have more ingredients than I need for one meal alone. The challenge is to come up with two meals out of one set of ingredients that isn't totally boring... As you can see this meal has the same main characters as the pasta dish below... However, I removed the pasta and added a bacon-shallot vinaigrette and some crumbled Point Reyes Blue cheese... This worked as last nights entree for me, I added grilled flatbread! It would also be a great first course for any summer menu.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Chicken Sausage
• 1 Red onion sliced into thick rings
• 1 small eggplant sliced
• 1 tomato sliced
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 squash sliced
• 2 portablellos, stems removed & gills scraped out with spoon
• 2 basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 slice thick center cut bacon, diced
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
• Blue Cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat grill to medium.
2. Poke a few holes in the sausage and throw it on the grill.
3. Rub the eggplant, squash, zucchini, onion & portabellos with olive oil .
4. About 5 minutes later, turn the sausage and add those veggies to the grill.
5. Meanwhile cook bacon in small skillet till crisp. Remove bacon & add shallot, cooking 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to LOW and add sherry. Reduce 1 minute. Remove from heat.
6. Remove sausage & veggies. Slice sausages and arrange in circle on plate.
7. Slice portablello and transfer one to each plate so it looks whole.
8. Top with slice of tomato, slice of onion, eggplant, squash, zucchini (in decreasing diameter).
9. Sprinkle bacon & basil around.
10. Spoon vinaigrette over each tower & sausages.
11. Top with crumbled blue cheese!

Penne with Grilled Veggies & Sausage

This is one of my favorite summer meals. It is everything that food should be - healthy, fresh, nutritious and it tastes good! I have found over the years that when you can incorporate almost every food group into one meal, that meal usually satisfies you immensely. Whole wheat pasta, fresh seasonal vegetables lightly grilled, low fat protein, fruit (if you consider tomato fruit!) and a little bit of dairy.


Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Spicy Chicken Sausages (or really, whatever kind you like)
• 1 Red Onion, sliced into thick segments for grilling
• 2 small yellow squash sliced into rounds
• 2 small zucchinis sliced
• 1 regular or 2 small eggplants sliced
• handful of asparagus, ends snapped off
• 2-3 large portabellos, stems removed & gills scraped out (a spoon works for this)
• 3 yellow tomatoes, halved (use what's freshest!)
• 1 box penne (I used whole wheat)
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• olive oil
• 1 large 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 small can tomato sauce
• fresh basil, thinly sliced
• red chili flakes, oregano, salt & pepper
• handful kalamata olives pitted and halved
• Grated Parmesan & Romano for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Lay the eggplant slices out on paper towels and salt the cut sides. After 10 minutes, flip them over and salt the other side.
2. Preheat grill to medium.
3. In medium sauce pot, saute garlic 3 minutes over medium. Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt, pepper, chili flakes & oregano and simmer while you do everything else. Add kalamata olives.
   
4. Get pasta pot ready & start heating water.
   
5. Poke a few tiny holes in the sausage and add to the grill.
6. Rub the eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion & mushrooms with olive oil
7. Add to grill surrounding the sausage.
8. When the sausage is almost done, add the asparagus & tomatoes.
9. When tomatoes are done, bring them in and scoop out the warm grilled flesh into the sauce, throw the skins away.
   
10. Remove everything from the grill as it is ready and place in a bowl or tray - cover w/ foil.
11. When everything is done, slice into bite size peices (including the sausage) and place back on foil and keep warm on grill.
12. Cook pasta, drain and toss in large bowl with sauce.
13. Add vegetables & sausage.
14. Serve into bowls and garnish with cheese.
    

PAD THAI!

Peanut butter and Rooster Sauce (Sririacha) is a match made in HEAVEN.

Details to follow after I sit rubbing my belly Buddha-style in joy.