What's for Friday?

I am lying with a broken leg but yet, I really want Friday to be special for my family.

So I need something really simple but yummy, that I can tell my lovely right hand, Nancy, to prepare.

It's also supposed to be a lovely day with temperatures in the 60F, so I'd like the dinner to show our collective hope for spring. I am playing with sweet and sour flavors to match the changes in weather.

I'll start with sweet potato soup with pumpkin seed, chicken pilaf with roasted cauliflower, and a simple strawberry and romaine lettuce salad.

Sweet potato soup:

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed                         

½ butternut squash, cubed

2 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped finely

6 cups of chicken broth

2 Tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for garnish

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ teaspoon cumin

Salt, Pepper, to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to boil. Put in the sweet potato and the butternut squash, and boil for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are completely soft.
2. Saute the onion in the oil until soft but not burned. Turn off the heat, add the cumin.
3. Drain the vegetables, leaving a cup of the cooking water aside. Mix the onions with them and blend, adding from the water to make it easy. Add a cup of the broth and blend, and then move to a pot,adding broth gradually while mixing to have the right consistency of a soup.
4. Add salt & pepper to taste, and bring to boil. Turn the heat of and add the cilantro.
5. Roast the pumpkin seeds lightly in a dry pan. They start to pop when they are ready. I like to sprinkle salt on them. Use as garnish just before serving.
   Chicken Pilaf:

3 chicken breasts cut into tiny cubes

3 cups of long grain rice.

1 small onion chopped finely

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of grated lemon

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped coarsely

5 cups of chicken broth

cumin, salt, pepper

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1. In a large pot, saute the chicken until it changes color to white. Salt the chicken before sauteing.
2. Take out the chicken and put aside. Saute the onions in the same oil. Salt the onions before sauteing.
3. Put the chicken back to the pot and add the rice. Add salt for the rice, and completely coat in the oil. Add the cumin and the broth, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes, covered. Taste the liquid when it boils to check if it tastes salty and cuminy. If not, add the missing spice.
4. After 20 minutes, add the cilantro and the grated lemon, mixing lightly. Cover again and let stand for another 15 minutes.

Roasted cauliflower:

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon herbs de provence
2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt, to taste

1. Bring a large pot with water to boil. Warm the oven to 400F
2. Add a tablespoon of salt and add the cauliflower
3. boil for 8 minutes, drain
4. In the meanwhile pour the oil on a sheet pan, sprinkle salt & herbs de provence all over it. Lay the cauliflower flat and wiggle around so it's covered with the oil and the spices.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until brown in the edges.Pour the lemon juice and mix well.

Strawberry romaine salad:

1 head of lettuce, sliced

2 cups of strawberry, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt, black pepper to taste

chives- thinly chopped- 1 tablespoon

prepare the vinaigrette: Mix the oil, spices & vinegar.

Pour half on the sliced strawberries. Let stand for 10 minutes, and half on the lettuce right before you are serving. Lay the lettuce first, strawberries on top, and the chives sprinkled above.