January Meal

My mom is cooking the entree for tomorrow night's meal and I am cooking the side dish.  Our recipes are from Southern Living.

My mom's recipe for Chicken Marsala can be found here:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-marsala-50400000116227/


Mine is the Asparagus-New Potato Hash is found here:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/asparagus-new-potato-hash-10000001886354/

The salad will be Spinach with homemade viniagrette (as described by Shauna Niequist in her book "Bread and Wine"):

Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

The only thing to remember about making a vinaigrette is that you always want a 2:1 ratio of oil to acid.  I begin with balsamic vinegar, and whisk in a little Dijon, salt and pepper, and then twice as much oil as vinegar.  Some people like to add in a little sugar, but I like it kind of puckery.  You can add minced garlic or fresh herbs or a little maple syrup for sweetness, but I like it just like this.  Toss with baby spinach, and you’re done.

I either like chopped salads with like a zillion different ingredients, or just plain spinach with a pretty plain balsamic vinaigrette.  

Food Network also has one:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/classic-dijon-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html


Recap:
We cooked the meal tonight at my mom's house.  Yum doesn't even describe!  I loved the smells of the foods cooking.  I loved the colorful dishes and the variety of foods.  I loved the unique flavors and how it all worked so well together.

My first time ever making my own salad dressing and I learned it is SO easy to do!!!  The asparagus turned out perfect.  The potatoes were great.  I enjoyed the goat cheese on the spinach salad.  I really loved the cheese on the asparagus-potatoes when it melted a little.  And a little cheese goes a long way!

The chicken marsala that my mom made was divine!  The sauce was light and tasty.  The chicken was perfect.  We cooked some farfalle to go alongside it and I drizzled the sauce on it.

Amazed that the two of us could pull off such a fantastic meal!  Neither one of us cook much  but are wanting to be better at it and have some fun together this year trying out new recipes.  Taking on a few new ones next month - can't wait!