Level 1 - Day 6

Has Anyone Blanched Garlic Before?

I love garlic and have eaten it minced, sauteed, and roasted.  But, I've never heard of blanching it.  While making tonight's dinner, the recipe called for 2 cloves of blanced garlic.  Luckily, Suzanne put the directions on the recipe.

First, you bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Then, place one whole unpeeled head of garlic into the water.  When the water returns to a boil, remove the garlic and submerge in cold water.  Then, peel the garlic and put it back into the boiling water for a minute.  It comes out soft, and pliable, but not mushy like roasted garlic.

It's an intersting concept, and a lot faster than roasted garlic.  You can store the unused garlic in the refrig until ready to use.

Breakfast - As soon as I saw this wacky recipe for Green Eggs and Ham Sandwiches, I couldn't wait to try it. 

Run, don't walk, to your grocery store and get the ingredients for this egg dish!  Even if spinach isn't one of your favorite veggies, you'll change your opinion after eating this amazing breakfast sandwich.  It's wacky fun, but oh so delicious.

What makes the dish is the crust you get when you fry the "Spinach Bread" in the ham grease.  The recipe calls for bacon or ham, so I used Canadian bacon.  It didn't leave much grease in the pan, so I added a little EVOO before I fryed the "bread".

Basically, after you crisp up the spinach bread, it gets a golden brown similar to grilled cheese sandwiches, only these are green sandwiches.  Then, while still in the pan, top each piece with swiss cheese and a slice of ham.  Let the cheese melt, then stack the two pieces on top of each other, with the meat and cheese in the middle like a sandwich.

It's very pretty on the plate, and the serving size is large.  So, you're really full and satisfied after the meal.  If you're not a member of the SS (Suzanne Somers) web site, send me a message and I'll email you the recipe.

AM Snack - I wasn't hungry after eating our awesome breakfast.

Lunch - Leftover Chicken and Zucchini Soup from yesterday.

PM Snack - My favorite, brown rice crisps and fresh salsa.


Dinner -  Crunchy Roasted Lemon Chicken (from SS web site) and Grilled Fennel and Zuchinni (pg. 213 in the Sexy Forever book).

 My husband fired up the outdoor grill and roasted the veggies for tonights meal (thick sliced fennel, red onion, and zucchini), plus some extra tomatoes and onion for a soup I'm making tomorrow.  I love it when you cook once, but use it twice.

First, you make a yummy marinade and let the chicken soak in it for 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours. I marinated it for one hour and used 6 thighs. Then, put each piece in a roasting pan and broil in the oven .  I've never done this with chicken before.  After 15 minutes, take it out of the oven and dip each piece in the marinade again, put back in the roasting pan and broil for another 10 minutes. Then, take it out again, dip the chicken again, and broil for another 2-3 minutes. This technique is wonderful as the chicken comes out looking fabulous. It's golden brown with lots of crispy, crunchy skin! It's to die for.

Plus, you make a little sauce using the bits on the bottom and a little chicken broth. The grilled veggies were an excellent compliment to this mouth-watering dish.