Cooking magazine

I used to subscribe to Bon Appetit magazine but without the time to try any new recipes I cancelled the subscription. The magazine had many interesting dishes but I found the ingredients used were often expensive (such as expensive spices that you probably use only once a year) and their cooking method was far too time intensive for a mom of small children. Serendipitously I discovered this month's Bon Appetit in a magazine rack and the cover looked so interesting that I bought it on impulse. Did they wait for me to cancel my subscription before publishing something I would actually want so I would feel regret? Does this ever happen to you? I feel like it happens a lot to me. Regardless, I really wanted to try out this prosciutto-wrapped pork loin cover recipe but cooking it for just one family would be too much so I invited my good friends Quynh, Daniel, and Danee to share in the bounty. I love having them over for dinner.

Cooking the pork was a lot of work and it is definitely not a weekday meal. However, it turned out very well so I am sure that I will make this again. You can get recipe here. While I was cooking the stuffing for the pork my husband came downstairs and told me that the entire house smelled like fall and he loved it. I agree. I just love fall and the season makes me want to cook and bake so hopefully I will update my blog more now that summer is over.

By the way, my friend Quynh took these pictures with my camera. She is my role model. She can do everything! She cooks, bakes, sews, the list goes on. We met in a photography class at a nearby community college about a year ago and I am so happy that we became friends. She also taught me how to properly shuck an oyster. I love raw oysters but I had never shucked it myself until last night. Wow, it is hard, but fun! Thank you Quynh!

Menu:
Raw oysters with lemon vinagrette
Roasted potatoes with rosemary and garlic
Roasted asparagus
Prosciutto wrapped pork loin woth roasted apples

Bon Appetit!

So you think you cannot cook? Part II

Ground Pork and Green Beans

with Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Recently, my neighbor gave me green beans grown in their garden. I had ground pork in my freezer so I decided to make this recipe which my dear friend Vi served me long ago. I did not know the exact recipe but I knew she used only green beans, ground pork, and black bean sauce. My husband could not find a black bean sauce at our local grocery store so we ended up with black bean garlic sauce. This just might do.

Ingredients:
1 lb green beans
1 lb ground pork
5 to 6 tbs black bean and garlic sauce

(Yes! Only 3 ingredients!)

How to make:

1. Blanch the green beans. (you do know how to blanch, right?)
2. Cook ground pork with black bean (garlic) sauce.
3. Add blanched green beans into the pork and sauce, and cook until mixed.

That's it! Doesn't it seem easy? That's because it is. I hope this will help you during a weeknight when you're out of time and energy and need something quick.

Before I end this post, I wanted to add a gratuitous photo of someone close to me. I love my son's chubby legs and his tiny feet. He is such a good eater, not just a messy one!