Food: What Are You Making?

Spaghetti and meatballs

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped peeled carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder (preferably Madras-style)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
9 1/2 cups (or more) water
1 16-ounce bag dried lentils (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
PREPARATION

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 4 ingredients; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in curry powder, ginger, cumin, bay leaf, and dried crushed red pepper. Add 9 1/2 cups water and dried lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender, adding more water by 1/2 cupfuls to thin soup, if desired, about 25 minutes. Add spinach and cilantro; simmer until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill soup uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm soup over medium heat, thinning with water if desired before serving.)

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with spoonful of yogurt.

Per serving: 537 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 560 mg sodium, 83 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 34 g protein

I'm doing crazy science experiments in my kitchen today!

I took a pork tenderloin and sliced it into 2 inch thick steaks and seared each side.

Then placed the seared steaks in the middle of a huge baking pan and lined the outside with potatoes cut in half and topped the steaks with fresh green beans.

Then I covered it all in a lemon/garlic/thyme/cream sauce (sea salt and white pepper to taste).
I made a basic roux from the steak drippings/butter as thickener, and heavy cream/milk.

Last I sprinkled slivered onion over everything and popped it in the oven where it is now cooking.

I think this is going to be really yummy!

Sounds good but I think by the time your steak is ready your beans will have lost their colour and taste, I'd prepare them seperately. I would pass on the milk or cream since that will result in a heavy sauce....why not some port? thats how we make simple sauce, the searing grease, add some sjalots, roux, some water and port (specially with pork I think the sweetness of port and sjalots works very well). I suppose its how you prefer a sauce, I like light sauces, i need to think of my slender body :D