The April Wrap Up

That’s a wrap!  No seriously, THAT over there on the left, is a delicious turkey wrap. It is also the end of the April Food Challenge.

Oh come on, give me a break! It took me HOURS to come up with that joke , the least you could do is humor me with a giggle or something equally condescending.

With 20 new recipes completed in 30 days, I’m happy to say that the April Food Challenge was a big success.  That’s not to say that every recipe got a glowing review but there were quite a few keepers in the mix.  All in all it was a productive month with a lot of new flavors and best of all was that we spent time together doing something we both truly love to do  – EAT.

Here’s a list of all 20 recipes:

1. BBQ Seasoning (used with Homemade Kettle Chips)

2. Roast Turkey Breast with Zesty Dry Rub

3. Coleslaw

4. Squash Croquettes

5. Mess o’ Greens Salad With Warm Pecan Dressing

6. Coconut Cream Pie

7. Mandarin Chicken

8. Honey Glazed Carrots

9. Bacon Spinach Salad

10. Potato Salmon Patties

11. Black Bean Veggie Burgers

12. Lemon Yogurt Cake

13. Stuffed Peppers

14. Kickin’ Collard Greens

15. Sarita’s Marinara

16. Stuffed Crappie

17. Homemade Poultry Seasoning

18. Potato Gnocchi

19. Spring Rolls / Egg Rolls

20. Cashew Chicken

So there you have it, all twenty of the recipes we were able to accomplish in 30 days, on two very busy schedules.  The reality is that there were 10 days in a row in which we didn’t make a single new recipe and we still finished the challenge.

Michael’s Final Thoughts & Top Picks

This was a kickass challenge and I am so glad we did it.  I am lucky to share a love of cooking and home cooked food with the same person I share my life with.  We tried so many things I may not have ever made quite the same way and it opened my eyes to new ideas and potential.

I really had a hard time narrowing down my top three favorites:

1. Roast Turkey Breast with Zesty Dry Rub
   I chose this as my number 1 because not only was the flavor delicious and different, the one recipe made enough for four dinner entrée portions and enough leftovers to be frozen and thawed today for the delicious turkey salad that is ensconced in the wrap pictured at the top of this post.

2. Mandarin Chicken
   There was something magical and surreal about this meal. It was delicious and we combined three dishes that just didn’t belong together and yet they blended together beautifully. This meal (with the carrots & bacon spinach salad) was an eye opener for me in that it taught me to go with what I want, not what is expected.

3. Sarita’s Marinara
   As picky as I am about anything tomato-based, this recipe won me over without a doubt. So simple, so inexpensive, so delicious!  Thanks again, Sarita!

John’s Final Thoughts & Top Picks

John says: “When Michael presented this idea to me at the end of March, I was definitely on for it. Where I love to cook and had been bitching about not having time to do so, I knew it would give me the motivation to get home on time, make a meal I would never make at home, or I might make, but would have “modified” it to fit my taste, missing out on the beauty the creator and original cook planned when they made it.”

“I can compare it to walking up to Picasso and adding glitter and some emoticons to make it more appealing. Just like people, it’s good to experience recipes the way they are, if you don’t like it, just don’t eat it and don’t make it again. No one says you have to eat what you cook as an adult.”

“I would say anyone that thinks, “I don’t have time.” Take the time, make the time, and share the time. Let cooking dinner become a romantic occasion. Share the work, the reward and the clean-up. We spent time planning, discussing, at times disagreeing, but we spent time together. It was not always a Kodak® moment, but it was time well spent.”

1. Sarita’s Marinara
   John says: “I chose this as my number 1 based on the factors of flavor, ease of preparation, and flexibility, but the biggest factor to me is the cost. For under $5 there was enough marinara to have the first night and with the gnocchi, and have 32 oz left for another meal. In the summer, it will be revamped to made from fresh herbs and tomatoes. All organic and all chemical and pesticide free.”

2. BBQ Seasoning
   John says: “on a kettle chip, a piece of chicken, beef grilled out, HELL, EVEN THE TIP OF MY FINGER, I would have the BBQ Seasoning any time.”

3. Lemon Yogurt Cake
   John says: “Where the cake was heavy and not like most you would expect to bake, it’s more of a quick bread, but not. Its texture, color and POPPING lemon flavor was the most welcomed part. It was easy to make, easy to ice and verrrrrrrrry easy to eat. There was not a crumb wasted.”