Like eating out, only better

One of my favorite restaurants is Ko Sho. They used to have teriyaki salmon, but last time I went, it was no longer on the menu. That's ok, they still have plenty of delicious food and I can make the salmon at home. Soy sauce, brown sugar, spicy brown mustard, garlic and pepper. Combine and pour over salmon. Bake at 450 for approx. 10 mins/inch of thickness, basting once or twice.

I wanted to expand our veggie tastes. I'm not a big fan of cooked greens, but thought I'd try something new. I made a frittata -- in oven-proof pan, saute onions and mushrooms in oil, add salt, pepper and garlic, then swiss chard until wilted. Add eggs beaten with milk or cream. Cook until almost set. Add grated Parmesan and fontina, bake at 400 until completely cooked. The entire family loved it! I added a side of salad greens with orange and grapefruit sections and citrus dressing -- citrus juice, spicy brown mustard, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Another popular take out item, pizza. I made ours with a 100% whole grain Boboli crust, brush with olive oil, add lots of minced garlic, some salt & pepper. Add a layer of sliced zucchini, a little more salt & pepper. Bake 5 mins, add basil, oregano, sliced black olives, grated mozzarella and grated Romano. Bake 5-7 mins more. Yum!! Side salad of baby spinach with fresh pears and balsamic dressing -- balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil.

Benihana @ home -- more veggies, less show. I like to cook, but I have neither the equipment nor the talent of the grill chefs at Benihana. I sauted onions, mushrooms, zucchini in oil, salt & pepper. Added garlic, shrimp, pre-cooked whole grain rice and soy sauce.

We also love pasta. A couple we had recently:
Whole grain pasta shells, onions, broccolini, garbanzo beans, roasted red pepper, garlic, salt & pepper in olive oil, add Parmesan.

Sauted onion, asparagus, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil. Add diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, shrimp and spaghetti. Top with Parmesan.

Some treats we've had recently:
Ricotta sweetened with a little honey, topped with fresh raspberries and a drizzle of chocolate.

Sparkling lemonade -- Simple syrup (sugar water), freshly squeezed lemon, sparkling water.

Grandma's mountain cobbler -- flour, sugar, milk and baking powder in a buttered baking dish. In a pan, heat fruit (we used fresh blueberries), sugar and flour. Pour into center of batter, don't stir or try to level. Bake about 30 mins at 375.