If you know me, you know I love me some football; it’s one of the only beautiful things about summer being over. There’s also something really calming about getting back into the routine: cooking dinner for B (then blogging about it!), and watching the game together on the couch. What a game it was, too. My boys really kicked off the season in style the other night. Before I knew what kind of romping it would be — okay, fine 33-27 isn’t as much a romping as it felt like — I was planning a winning menu of my own.

I wanted a healthier version of a tailgate: something hearty and fried, but that wouldn’t leave me feeling sacked on the couch. Enter Gwyneth Paltrow’s gluten-free old bay fish fingers for kids (from her It’s All Good cookbook, which I’ve cooked from before). Inspired by those, I made these spicy mustard fluke fingers. Use as much sriracha as you like in the mustard mixture (I used a ton) and then whip up a little dipping sauce with it too (sriracha + vegenaise = heaven). It only takes about 15 minutes — prep and cook time, combined.

They taste just like fried chicken fingers you’d get at the stadium, but without any of the guilt. I’d say less noise too, but we get pretty into the games around here. Serve ’em with a side of broccoli like I did, or any vegetable or salad really — and even try ’em out on your kids too. I bet if you tell them it’s chicken, they’d never know the difference. It’s like running your very own play-action in the kitchen.

B knew it was fluke, and he loved it anyway. He asked if I could please add these to the regular TV Dinner repertoire. TOUCHDOWN.

Fins! Fins? Or something.

The guy just wrote a book; I’ll cut him a break. This is one fish — and CURRY — he’s not familiar with. BA-DUM.

I got jokes. I also got good intentions when it comes to feeding my man. I don’t feel bad about only cooking fish for him — I don’t eat chicken, turkey, or any red meat, as you may recall — but I do want to mix it up for him, and make sure he’s satisfied with dinner each night. I do it for myself too! Because swordfish is not in our regular cycle of TV Dinners — at least not in the same way that tilapia, mahi mahi or scallops are — I decided it was time. It’s more substantial, more meaty, more steak-like than lighter, flakier fish — but just as delicious and easy to make. So don’t be scurrrred.

And while you may have your preconceived notions about curry — the sauce, not the embattled TV anchor — this one tasted much more like a sweet and sour sauce, then your typical spicy curry. I thought about punching up the spice a bit with some diced peppers or sriracha, but decided to give it a rest for the evening and let the lime, sugar and curry powder shine through. And shine they did. Served atop a bed of brown basmati rice, this was a filling, tasty meal.

Now tell me, how have you prepared swordfish lately? Leave me a comment below.

1. It looks super fancy and special, so by proxy YOU look super fancy and special, when in reality it is the easiest meal to assemble.

2. You can’t screw it up.

3. Each person will open their parchment paper, wrapped like a personalized Christmas present (but not quite as neat, and without the bow) and their face will light up as the aroma of flavors hits them. BOOM. It’s like food magic: you can smell each individual ingredient, but you also smell them blended together, which is so. much. better. than the sum total of their parts. It’s mind-blowing.

4. Did I mention you can’t screw it up?

So grab a roll of parchment paper — sold like tin foil, in a roll — and invite your nearest and dearest over. I used a regular size baking sheet to make 4 servings for my girls this weekend. Each serving needs a piece of parchment paper that’s about that length — enough to fold up on all four sides once stuffed with all its yummy goodness. I adapted my recipe from Love & Lemons — a blog I check daily for both easy, healthy recipes and gorgeous photography — and they have yet to disappoint.

Feel free to swap the cod for any white fish, bok choy for any crunchy, leafy green and use any kind of mushroom — but be sure to let me know what you try, cause I’m always looking for new parchment paper recipes.

Cioppino is as delicious as it fun to say, in your best Italian accent of course. Say it with me now, CHI-PEE-NO. (Don’t bother calling it fish stew, it does the goodness of this dish no justice — none whatsoever.) It’s filling without being heavy, adequate for both the guys are girls (which isn’t always easy!), and best of all — impossible to screw up. That last quality is of the utmost importance when you have friends over and the wine (and tequila) start flowing.

Follow this recipe to a T and you too will have those same rave reviews I did last Saturday night. This one’s a keeper. Enjoy.

I love spicy food — like, mouth-watering, tongue-tingling, ohmygod-I-need-water-NOW spicy. Though we all know water doesn’t help when your taste buds are on fire. But I digress. I am always on the search for spice and I had never made a curry before, but always wanted to try. So I did some googling, some label-reading, some experimenting and this — THIS — is what I came up with. I’m still training B to like things as hot as me, but if whomever you’re cooking for can handle it, try some habaneros or thai chili peppers. We’re working up to those in the lovenest. As B is famous for saying, “standby.”

Mmmmm… he likes it!

His only complaint: the quinoa could use a little seasoning.

He asked for some salt. I asked for him to cut me a break. Guess who got what they wanted.

Even though she cooks meat 99% of the time (and I don’t cook or eat meat), one of my most favorite food bloggers is Chrissy Teigen. You may know her as the supermodel fiance of John Legend, but I know her as one of the most entertaining people I follow on Twitter. She’s gorgeous, she’s hilarious and homegirl can cook like a rockstar. Imagine my excitement when she finally – FINALLY – posted a fish recipe. It looked so delushious (as she says) that I had to try it. But while she made one large portion, I decided to make 8 individual portions for my best friends from overnight camp who were coming over with their husbands for dinner.

I served it alongside cauliflower mash, but you can try any kind of rice/grain/veggie. We already had greens for our first course — the brussels sprout salad — so decided to mix it up and serve a little mashed potato lookalike.

In my notes folder on my iPhone, I have list of restaurants that I want to try. There are about 20 on there — some old, some new — but Shun Lee has probably been on there the longest. Since B and I were going to see Ray LaMontagne that night at Carnegie Hall for our 14-month anniversary, we figured why not make an Upper West Side night of it. (I hope you’re not asking yourself who Ray LaMontagne is right now. Or if we celebrate each month’s anniversary.)

I still can’t believe we hadn’t been there before. It’s a New York Institution, and for good reason. The number one being: their famous Grand Marnier shrimp, which I MUST learn how to make. It is delightful — soft and sweet — served with walnuts, which give it that perfect crunch.