A Sunday Dinner Feast

Now that the weather is better and (knock on wood) everybody is healthy we have decided to start back with our big Sunday Dinner. Last night was a great start to our feast and we were able to share it with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. They were excited because our menu included Pomegranate Margaritas, Lobster Tails, Shrimp, Steak, and Smoked Sausage. Can we say YUM!!

We started with Margaritas. The warm night called for this tasty beverage. Last year my dear husband or DH surprised me with this great piece of kitchen machinery.

This is the Margaritaville DM0500 Bahamas 36-Ounce Frozen-Concoction Maker. I am not a huge drinker, but I do like a margarita once in a while. This blender makes restaurant quality drinks and is a great party feature. The only thing I don’t like is how calorie and sugar pack margaritas can be. I wanted to try a new Margarita mix that I was fortunate to sample that lowers the calories of a traditional margarita, Zilch. Marcy, the owner of the Zilch Sugar Free Margarita Mix, has made a great product. The products description:

“Zilch is not only delicious and conveniently packed, but it’s the only Sugar Free Margarita Mixer that contains Zero Carbs, Zero Calories, and Zero Sodium, making it perfect for your low calorie, low carbohydrate, or Diabetic diet.”

Sounds too good to be true!

I actually made a pitcher of margaritas following the directions on the box. I used 5 packets of Zilch Mix, Tequila, water, and a some POM juice to create a great tasting drink! The pitcher went so fast I didn’t even have time to snap a pic! If you are interested in this great summer drink product you can order your own box here.

Here is some of the other foods that we munched on last night. Maine Lobster Tails: DH’s Simple Recipe. A little butter, salt and pepper. Place on the grill and enjoy.

Shrimp on the BBQ. I used peeled shrimp, a little bit of Smart Balance, salt and pepper, and lots of garlic.

I made foil packets and stuck them on the grill.

The final product. I was in seafood heaven.

We also had steak that I marinated in Island Teriyaki made by the Soy Vay Company. This marinade makes any steak juicy and aromatic. I actually found this at Stew Leonard’s for a very reasonable price.

I also had the opportunity to work with the Lotus Foods Brown Kalijira Rice. I was so excited when I sent samples of their rice line. I decided to use the brown rice to make Mom on the Run’s Simple Fried Rice.

What makes this rice so special? “Whole grain Brown Kalijira is the same premium rice of choice known in Bengal as the Prince of Rice with more nutritional value. Leaving the germ and bran layer intact, this tiny aromatic brown rice is heart healthy with a low glycemic index. Distinguished by its delicious and delicate flavor, Brown Kalijira cooks in only 25 minutes producing firm yet tender separate grains. Use this heirloom rice in your favorite recipes.” As I was simmering the rice I noticed the earthy smell coming from the pot. I have never smelled rice that has so much fragrance and that cooked as fast as this product. I was so excited to taste it. Once the rice was cooked I sautéed an onion and added the rice, 1 cup of frozen peas, 2 scrambled eggs, and tamari. The final product is pictured below. It tastes as good as it looks. The Lotus Foods Rice definitely heightened the taste of my “fried rice”.

We were so full after our meal. What a great combination of foods! Can’t wait to start preparing the menu for next week!

I will announce the winner of my granola contest tomorrow! I need to get to bed because I have an early meeting tomorrow. I promise to catch up on everybody’s blogs soon