Non-Fancy iPhone Documentation of EASY Dinners

Le sigh.

Some posts are all about the pretty photos, and this one is not. 

Weeknight dinners these days are a little simpler and a lot quicker than they used to be. With a four month old, we are still trying to figure out whether it's worth fitting in a quick supper while she is doing a catnap in the swing (around 6:15) or whether we hold off until she is down for the night (around 8). Waiting until later is definitely easier and more fail-proof, but some days I am just plan HUNGRY and ready to eat sooner!

So here are some non-fancy iPhone photos of recent weeknight dinners. You can be assured that as I quickly snapped these on my phone, Ian was standing behind me saying "Babe. Seriously?" :)

T-Bone Steaks with Roasted Okra and Peach Salad

Ian purchased these steaks for us, which explain their scary mammoth size. I got through a little less than half of mine and then used the leftovers as sliced meat for wraps the next three days. 

I love, love, love roasted okra -- I just toss it in olive oil and add salt and pepper (ground cumin is also excellent on them) and then roast at a high temp until crispy. The cool thing about this okra is that it started off in a frozen bag, and I thawed it in a colander in the sink. I wasn't sure if the consistency would be right, but our grocery store had large bags of it for just over a dollar so I figured I'd give it a shot. Worked perfectly, tasted the same as when I use fresh okra!

The peach salad had sliced peaches, blueberries, red onion, feta, basil, mint, red wine vinegar and a splash of olive oil. 

Prosciutto-Topped Cornish Game Hens with Tuscan White Beans and Strawberry Balsamic Salad

Mom was in town and we cooked these cornish hens for several hours in the Crockpot and then broiled the tops at the end to get them browned. We just simply rubbed them in olive oil and spices and topped them with a slice of prosciutto (which I removed while they broiled and then replaced). 

The white beans are just Great Northerns which I simmered with fresh rosemary and a little olive oil, then mashed until creamy. The salad was a simple one with greens, feta cheese, sliced strawberries, red onion, and a homemade balsamic dressing. 

Baked Salmon with Dill Yogurt Sauce, Pinto Beans, and Goat Cheese Salad

I baked salmon filets until flaky and served them with a dill yogurt sauce (dried dill, plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper). The pintos were simmered with fresh rosemary. 

The salad had greens, red onion, tomato, goat cheese, and a homemade citrus basil vinaigrette. I just mixed lemon juice with olive oil and a pinch of salt, added in a few fresh basil leaves to a mason jar and let it all marinate together. 

These were all simple meals and good for weeknights when you may be pressed for time ... or working around a little baby's witching hour. :)