Irish Pub Potatoes

My mouth died and went to heaven today.

It happened in the form of potatoes. I call them Irish Pub Potatoes. I found a recipe and adapted it, and it just makes my mouth so happy! I can't wait to make these again. They remind me of something I would have gotten on one of my late night college Denny's runs, except less grease and so much more flavor! I cannot sing their praises enough. Although now I am probably setting expectations too high, but I don't care. So yum!

What you need:

3 large potatoes
olive oil
rosemary
thyme
any other spices you so desire
salt
pepper
cheese
guacamole
1 green onion
bacon
sour cream

What you do

Wash and dry the potato. Slice it into 1/4 inch slices, or however thick you like them. Put into a bag with olive oil and spices. Shake until the potatoes are all coated evenly. Spread on a cookie sheet and place under a broiler until golden and crisp. Flip and repeat. When they are done, pull them out and use the plop and spread method to evenly pile them in a pie tin. Toss a handful of cheese in with it, I lifted up some of the potatoes so the cheese would be all throughout rather than just on top. Put the tin of potatoes back in the oven until the cheese has melted. Plop a couple of spoonfuls of guacamole in the middle of the potatoes. Add a dolop or two of sour cream to the center of the guacamole, sprinkle on some thinly chopped green onions, and sprinkle with crisp bacon crumbs.

Devour while hot.

I made this twice tonight, and the second time I used the bacon grease instead of the olive oil to coat the potatoes. Jeffrey liked it a lot better with the bacon grease, but he will always favor bacon flavor over healthy olive oil, so what can you do? It is great both ways, I think.

Obviously this isn't a science, and I don't have it down to exactness yet. I doubt I ever will. It is more of a "do what your mood dictates" sort of food. But that is part of what makes it so lovely, the versatility.

Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Growing up I hated cauliflower.  We always had it boiled, and sometimes, if we were really lucky, we got to have cheese on it.  Very typical for the 80's, I think.  But not great to get kids to like it.

When I was 15 or so, I finally braved a piece of raw cauliflower and was shocked with how much I actually liked it.

Now, it is one of my favorite vegetables.  I love it roasted with a bit of olive oil and cumin seeds.  Mmmmm!

Recently, I learned of this delicious cauliflower soup.  I found it on Cooking Classy's website and am much obliged, I'm sure.

picture taken from CookingClassy.com

What you need:

1 large head cauliflower, cored and broken into small bite size pieces

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

3 Tbsp flour

1 garlic clove minced

3 cups milk

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or a slightly heaping 1/4 tsp dried)

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

4 oz shredded white cheddar cheese (1 cup)

1 oz finely grated parmesan cheese (slightly packed 1/4 cup)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425*.  Place cauliflower on baking sheet, drizzle with oilve oil and toss to evenly coat, then spread into an even lawer and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add in onion and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes.  Add in flour and cook, stirring constantly to create a roux, 1 1/2 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of cooking.  While whisking, slowly pour in milk followed by chicken broth and cream.  Add in parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sugar, roasted cauliflower and season soup with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and allow to cook until thickened slightly.  Puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender and return to soup in pot.  Remove from heat and stir cheeses.  Serve warm garnished with additional shredded white cheddar, parsley, and serve with fresh bread or croutons if desired.

This soup is so delicious!  It thickens quite a bit in the refrigerator when there are leftovers, so I like to add a bit of milk the next day to thin it out a bit, but it is so good the next day, too!

Buen Provecho!

Veggie Blues

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I have been feeling very *blah* lately, and so decided I need to get better with eating my vegetables. Also, it is winter time here in Utah, though it doesn't feel like it, and that means very soon we will have the worst air in the nation. A perfect breeding ground for germs and sicknesses.

Enter meal planning again!

I am going to try to make at least one new thing each week, just to add some spice to our monotonous menus and excite our palates.

This week I will be making several new things, though. Ambitious, I know. But I am excited for the meals this week, and especially that most all of them are easy.  The only one that scares me are the pupusas, but I have to conquer my fear eventually.

This week, we will be eating well!

Sunday: Easy crock pot chicken chili
Monday: Kale and potato hash with fried eggs
Tuesday: Pupusas with cortido
Wednesday: Monte Cristo sandwiches and broccoli soup
Thursday: Sweet potato chicken and quinoa soup
Friday: curry with naan
Saturday: leftovers/ whatever we want

This is going to be a full week, and I know I am being ambitious, especially because I will be watching 2 extra kids all day, but I am excited nonetheless. I like cooking, and I love trying new things.

Bring on the new week!

Greek Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

3 lbs potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, melted (no substitutes)
1 teaspoon oregano (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (optional or to taste)
salt and pepper
1/2-3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (or to taste)
chopped fresh parsley
Directions:

1
Set oven to 375 degrees.
2
Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the potatoes.
3
Peel and cut the potatoes into large wedges and place into the prepared baking dish.
4
In a bowl combine the broth, lemon juice, butter, oregano, salt, pepper and minced garlic (if using); mix well to combine.
5
Pour over potatoes in the dish and stir to coat well.
6
Cover the dish tightly with foil.
7
Bake for about 40 minutes.
8
Uncover and turn potatoes.
9
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and return to oven (uncovered).
10
Bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are done to desired tenderness.
11
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
12
*NOTE* the Parmesan may be sprinkled on just after baking if desired.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Adapted from Garden Grazer

Any type of latin food is just better with a side of rice!  Here is the perfect complimentary dish.


Ingredients
1 cup uncooked white basmati rice
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Optional add-ins: lime zest, sweet corn, jalapeno, green onion, garlic

Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
In a bowl, add cooked rice, cilantro, and lime juice. (The heat from the rice will slightly wilt the cilantro.)
Stir well to combine. Salt to taste.

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Quinoa Style

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My mom gave me a whole bunch of vegetables and told me to not let them go bad, and to not throw them away.  This left for some creative cooking.  She gave me three bags of broccoli.  I am not a huge fan of cooking broccoli, but I knew we would never be able to eat it in time otherwise.

And then Pinterest saved the day.  Again.  Love that!

I found a recipe for broccoli and cheese casserole.  Instead of using the usual rice, though, quinoa had been substituted.  What a great idea!

I had everything on hand, and so decided to go ahead and make it.

My mother in law loved it.  A lot.

I thought it was really bland.  I added a shake of cajun seasoning and that helped it out a lot.

Faye thought it was okay, Keith wouldn't touch it, and Jeffrey didn't like it.  But my mother in law loved it, oh my goodness, she did!

I don't know if I will ever make this again.  It was just rather bland.  However the idea that I have most of the stuff on hand and it has less than 200 calories per serving is enticing, so who knows.

What you need:

1 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 TBSP milk

1 1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350* and coat a shallow (8X8" or 5-6 ramekins) casserole dish with vegetable cooking spray.
• IN a large bowl combine the soup, mayo, milk, shredded cheese, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed.  Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
• Spoon mixture into prepared casserole.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly on the deges and golden.  Makes 8 genereous 1/2 cup servings.

Per serving: Calories 199; Protein 10g; NET Carbs 14g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 1g; Sodium 297mg

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Cabbage and Leek Cheese Pie

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Remember when I made Chinese food?  Well, it called for cabbage.  Instead of letting half a head of cabbage sit around in my fridge until I felt guilty and it was starting to show age spots, I decided to plan ahead and make a meal out of it before it could go bad.

Enter Cabbage and Leek Cheese Pie.

So yum!  I had to improvise, mainly because some of the ingredients were not readily available in my grocery store, and those that were, were ridiculously expensive.

Instead of making this into a pie (which now that I have made it would be delicious in a regular pie crust), I bought little philo pastry shells that were mini muffin sized.  Perfect for appetizers  not so much for a main course.  This was so good, though, and I will absolutely make it again.  

What you need:

6 thick phyllo pastry sheets

olive oil for greasing the pan and the pastry sheets

1/2 medium cabbage, finely shredded

1 medium leek (only the white part), finely sliced in rounds

2 large carrots, grated

1 small celeriac, peeled and roughly grated

1 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup greek kasseri cheese (I used provolone), grated

3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt

black pepper

What to do:

• In a large pot combine 1/2 cup of water, or more as needed, the cabbage, the leek, the carrots and the celeriac.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer in low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened and their liquids are released.
• Transfer in a colander and leave until they are well dreained.  Transfer to a large bowl and add plenty of pepper, the Feta and the Kasseri cheese and the eggs.  Stir very well and leave aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350*.  Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a round oven pan.
• Lay a pastry sheet on the dish, letting the edges hang over the rim and brush with oil.  Place a second sheet cross-wise over the first and brush with oil.  Then lay a third sheet which you put slanted to the previous one, making sure that no part of the pan is uncovered and again brush with oil.
• Empty the filling on top of the pastry and smooth with a spatula.  Bring the edges back over the top of the filing and then lay three more pastry sheets on top in the same way you did beore, brushing each one with some oil.
• Tuck the edges into the side of the dish and under the bottom pastry sheet, as if you were tucking in a bedsheet, so to seal the filling.
• Using a sharp knife, gently score the top pastry sheet into square (or diamond) shape pieces but without cutting right through.
• Put the pan in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes until golden and crispy.

Making this with little pastry shells didn't use a lot of the cabbage mixture.  In fact, it only used about half.  Which was just as well, because I was able to save the rest and freeze it for a future date.  It was a big hit, which is always wonderful.

Avocado Egg Rolls

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I can't believe I didn't post this yet, it was so incredibly good!  I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but optimistic.   I got the recipe for the Cheesecake Factory Avocado egg rolls from Lil' Luna, and they are absolutely in a class of their own.  I have never been to the cheesecake factory but now I want to go.  The egg rolls are far fancier than I usually prepare, but so good, I want to make them all the time now.  And the sauce that goes with it?  I don't like cashews.  I don't like cilantro.  The sauce was made out of both and somehow it is out of this world delicious!  I used the dipping sauce in my sandwiches for a week!

What you need for the egg rolls:

1 large avocado

1 TBSP sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 tsp salt

3 egg roll wraps

1 egg

What you need for the Dipping Sauce:

1/4 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 c honey

1 pinch powdered saffron

1/2 cup chopped cashews

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 TBSP sugar

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 c olive oil

What to do:

• In a bowl, stir together vinegars, honey and saffron.  Heat for one minute in the microwave.
• Puree this mixture in a blender adding cashews, 2/3 c cilantro, garlic, sugar, pepper, and cumin.  Pour into a bowl and add the oil.  Stir and refrigerate.
• In a bowl, stir together acvocado, tomatoes, 1 tsp cilantro and salt.  Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.
• Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing towards you.  Fold the bottom corner up over the filing.  Fold remaining corners up over the filing and brushing the corners with egg to secure in place.  Roll up from the bottom folding the top corner over all.  Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers.
• Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve with dipping sauce.

These will make your mouth so happy, you might even do a happy dance when biting into them.  I know I did!

Sugar and Spice Sweet Potatoes

Hi.

Can I just say, this is now my new favorite potato recipe.  It is incredible, and I am not just throwing that word around.  Sweet with a little zing to it, but so subtle and surprising.

Image from CuisineNie

Wow.

This is another recipe adapted from CuisineNie.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp course ground pepper
• melted butter
• 3 sweet potatoes or so

Boil the sweet potatoes until soft.  Remove the skins and cut them into thirds or fourths.  Smash them (a potato smasher works well) and then brush them with melted butter.

Combine spices well, and sprinkle half of the mixture over the sweet potatoes.  Roast them in the oven until golden brown.  Flip and sprinkle the remainder of the spices and roast until golden brown on that side as well.

Serve and enjoy.

But don't worry about sharing, you wont want to.

Spaghetti Squash Medly

Dinner was absolutely delicious tonight.  I honestly ate more than I should have, because I couldn't get enough, it was incredible.

We had a spaghetti squash medley.  I admit, I did get the idea for this from CuisineNie, but made a few adaptations to suit our family.

Image from CuisineNie

I took a spaghetti squash, cut it in quarters (I was supposed to cut it in half lengthwise, but without reading, cut it in half width wise, and then lengthwise), scooped out the seeds, and rubbed the flesh all over with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.  I then covered it with tinfoil and put it in the oven at 400*.  I just left it there until I could poke it with a fork and it was tender, about 30 minutes.

While it was cooking, I chopped up and sauteed a yellow crook neck squash, zucchini, and some mushrooms.

When the spaghetti squash was finished, with a fork, I scrapped out the spaghetti squash into a bowl, combined the sauteed vegetables, added a little salt and pepper, and then dumped half a carton of feta cheese in with it.

Yum!  I decided to freeze half of it for another time because I really liked it, and on a lazy summer day, it will be perfect to just heat up!

Grandma's Zucchini Casserole

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When I was a child, I ate like a child.

Meaning, I avoided anything green, and stuffed myself with sugar, carbs, and ice cream.  It was an awesome existence.

I remember fighting my mother on eating my vegetables.  Many a night, I would be left at the table, alone but for a plate of grown cold vegetables.  Steadily refusing to eat, likewise my parents refusing to let me down until I ate them.  To this day, I can't handle winter squash because that is the one I remember the most.  Cold slimy winter squash on my plate, trying to force it down with my little fingers pinching my nose, gagging the whole time.

There was one veggie, I loved to eat, though.  It was zucchini.  I loved it when my mom fried it.  I loved it breaded.  I especially loved it in my grandmother's casserole.  Which is saying something, because I am not normally a fan of casserole!

In my mind, it wasn't summer until I had a steaming hot plate full of her casserole, grinning as I waited for the family to sit around the table.  I remember sticking my tongue out, thinking I was sneaky, and trying to lick it. I burned my tongue and couldn't figure out how everyone knew I was licking my food before the prayer.

And now, since Summer is on its way out, I thought I would celebrate by sharing this dish, with a big thanks to my sister for posting the recipe on her blog so I could easily find it.

6 c. cooked and drained zucchini (or crook necked/summer squash)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 package stove top stuffing
1 c. chopped onions
1/2-1 c. dried bread crumbs (or crushed croutons)
Butter
Grated cheddar cheese

Saute onions in butter, then add to zucchini, sour cream and soup. Set aside. In the same pan used for the onions, melt 1/2 c. butter. Add stuffing, seasoning, & dried bread crumbs.

In a casserole dish, layer zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese, zucchini, bread crumbs, cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350* until bubbly.

Kale Chips

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It is that time of year again, or very nearly so. The time of year when candy gets all up in yo grill, and there is no escaping it.  The time of year for football barbecues and parties.  The beginning of the time when food gets the centerpiece in all of our celebrations.

Never fear, fond friends.  I have found a delectable delight that will send your mouth all a quiver with joy.  Ignore those pesky bags of chips.  Put away the Doritos that seem to be mocking you with that haunting beckon.  Push it all aside and make room for kale chips!

A few years ago I bought some kale.  I put it in my pasta.  It was bitter.  I hated it.  A little while after that, I decided to try it in salad.  Again, it was bitter and it ruined my salad.  I didn't want to eat any more of it.  So, when I stumbled upon the recipe for kale chips, I was skeptical at best.  How on earth could kale be made in a way that didn't make you cringe?  That didn't send your taste buds running for cover?

I decided to suck it up and try it anyway.

Goodbye forever potato chips.  Sayonara corn chips and dip.  And you, the ever beckoning giant of temptation; fritos, to you I bid adieu.

The best part of all is the simplicity of these chips.

What you need:

a bunch or two or five of kale.

olive oil

kosher salt 

foil

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350*  Line baking sheet(s) with tinfoil or parchment paper.  Wash the kale thoroughly.  Place in salad spinner and spin, or pat dry with towels.  Make sure it is completely dry.  Next, put olive oil on your hands.  Gently rub the kale to coat with olive oil and place it on foiled baking sheet.  When baking sheet is full, sprinkle on some salt.  Put in oven and bake 10-12 minutes.  It is ready to come out when the leaves are slightly brown on the edges.  Be careful not to burn.  Repeat.  

Over and over again, repeat.  Your body will thank you for feeding it such delicious and healthy vegetables.  Your mouth will thank you for indulging in something it thinks is equivalent to fat filled chips.  You will be thrilled with the fact that you have once again fooled your body into loving something oh so good for it.  It is a win win for all involved.

For more info on the health benefits of kale, go here.

Grilled mushrooms

Get about 8 field flat mushrooms. chop the bottom off to flatten them up a bit.  Put them on a really hot griddle pan that has been pre heated.  Put them so the top side is facing up, just to get the heat going.

Next, get a bunch of fresh thyme, tie it up, sprinkle in a bit of salt, and bash it in a pestle and mortar.  What is going to happen is it is going to leave the stalks on, and all the lovely soft leaves are going to fall off.  Add about 5 Tbsp of olive oil, a bit of vinegar, some salt and pepper, and mix that around.  Turn the mushrooms over, dip the stalks of thyme in the marinade and dab the mushrooms with the mixture.  Just dab it.  Turn it over and dab it again.  You might have to do that three or four times, just to get the lovely flavor.

While that is going on, finely slice some fresh parsley stalks and parsley, some fresh chile, and then when the mushrooms are done and cooked, get them on a plate, lay them out flat, and sprinkle the parsley and chile over the top.  Next, put a little lemon zest over there, squeeze in some juice, and then, just to finish it, pour a bit of olive oil over just for a bit of seasoning.

Chayote Soup

I received a few veggies in my Bountiful Baskets a while back, and I had no idea what they were.  After much research, it was discovered that they were chayote squash.

Not knowing what to do with them, I followed a friend's advice and made this soup.

Love.

It is so yummy! 

The only change I would make would be to add less pepper flakes.  Other than that, it is delicious, and I may buy chayote regularly just so I can make it again.

This recipe was found on All Recipes.

Enjoy.

What You Need:

• 2 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 chayote squashes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

What To Do:

1. Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, garlic, and red pepper in the butter until the onion is soft. Add the squash, 2 tablespoons cilantro, salt, and pepper and stir continually for 5 minutes. Stir in the bouillon mixture and 1 tablespoon cilantro; cover. Simmer about 20 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into bowls and garnish with a sprig of cilantro to serve.

Pink Sauced Beets

not my photo.  I got it here.

I always hated beets as a kid.  Basically because the only time I ever had beets was at Thanksgiving, and they were always pickled.  Blech.  I am very much not a fan of pickled beets.  The only thing that needs to be pickled are pickles.  End of story.

And then a month or two ago, my mother introduced me to non pickled beets.  I was surprised by the taste.  Yummy!  And so I went in search of some recipes for beets.  There really aren't many out there.  I was surprised.  And then my mother (the angel that she is) found this recipe for me.

What you need:

¼ cup sour cream

1 T vinegar

1 tsp finely chopped green onions

¾ tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

dash of cayenne

What you do:

combine above. Add to 2 ½ cups halved cooked beets drained. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally to coat beets evently. Do not boil. Serves 4-5.

Oh so good.  Try it!

Garlic Spiked Broccoli

I cannot believe I don't have this recipe posted!  Seriously, one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli, and I didn't even list it.  *sigh*  What am I comming to?

At any rate, if you like broccoli, well, even if you don't give this a try and it will probably put a smile on your lips.

What you need:

2 Tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 tsp rosemary

A bunch of broccoli florets (can use frozen or fresh)

(I never measure the broccoli.  Just a bag of frozen florets, or a 2 bunches of fresh broccoli. Sometimes 3 bunches.  Depends on my mood and how big the bunches are)

What to do:

Heat oil in a large sauce pan.  Add crushed garlic.  Once it begins to brown, add mushrooms and rosemary.  Cook until mushrooms are soft.  Add broccoli.  Make sure to coat the broccoli with the garlic, mushrooms and rosemary that have already been in the pan, mingling flavors.  Cook for about 10 minutes on medium low, or until broccoli is soft with a slight crunch.  Remove from heat and serve.

Tastes so good!  I can never go back to just regular broccoli now that I know how it tastes with the garlic and rosemary. 

Creamy Summertime Vegetables

Back into my groove again.  Can't wait to start the experimentation of new recipes again.  This week is chalk full of new experiences for the taste buds.  I decided to do a weekly menu again as that helps me with my budget.  This week we are going to enjoy the bounty of my cherry tree, and other summery foods.

I thought I would start off with a recipe I received in an email.  It looks delicious!

Creamy Summertime Vegetables This recipe works well with any mixture of veggies you find at your local farmer's market.  Get creative! 1.  Chop 6-8 cups of vegetables.  Good ones are carrots, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, summer squash, zucchini, kale, cauliflower.  (you don't need them all, choose 2-4 different kinds for this dish). 2.  Sautee fresh minced garlic in 2 Tbls of olive oil on medium heat. 3.  Add 1 tsp of Indian Curry powder or ginger and mix thoroughly. 4.  Add 1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth and 1 cup ofcoconut milk to pot. 5.  Add chopped vegetables (reserve quick cooking ones like kale, spinach, or asparagus for later), bring to boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. 6.  Add rest of vegetables for 3-5 minutes. 7.  Add 1 Tbls of dry basil (or a 1/4 cup fresh) to vegetables. 8.  Add sea salt to taste. 9.  Pour over bed of cooked brown rice.  Enjoy! I will take some pictures of it when I make it this week, and if they (the pictures) turn out, I will tack them onto the recipe.

Asparagus Frittata

I went to the grocery store last week and my jaw dropped.  Asparagus was $0.99 a bundle!  So of course we bought three.  I just love asparagus.  As luck would have it, I stumbled across this recipe from the 1930 Ladies Home Journal.  I can't wait to try it tonight.

Asparagus Frittata

What You Need:

 

1 green bell pepper, diced
12 thin asparagus stalks
3 green onions, ends removed, and chopped
1/4 pound Parmesan cheese, grated
8 large eggs
5 fresh thyme sprigs or a tsp. of dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil

 

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Gently break the asparagus stalks off approximately 2 inches from the end. Slice into 2-inch pieces. Beat the eggs into a large bowl until frothy. Add the green onion, bell pepper, asparagus and grated cheese by the handful into the beaten eggs. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems and add to the bowl with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the egg mixture and cook until the eggs begin to set, approximately 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 more minutes. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook approximately 5 more minutes or until the eggs are set on top. Remove from the heat, cut into wedges and serve.

I will add a post script review once I have tried it.

Pizza Friday

A year or so ago I came across a great idea and decided to implement it.

This great idea was called Pizza Friday.

Meaning, every Friday I make a delicious pizza for my family. 

Since that time, I have been searching for the perfect pizza dough and pizza sauce recipes.  To no avail.

Until about three weeks ago when I stumbled upon my sister's recipe. My search has come to an end.  And the best part of this recipe, the dough doesn't have to rise, so I don't have to plan ahead a couple of hours.  And it is so delicious!

Pizza Crust

What You Need:

1 Tbsp dry yeast (1 pkg)
1 c warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp oil
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt

 1/4 c parmesean cheese

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

What To Do:

Mix all ingredients and set aside for 5 minutes. Oil pan or pizza stone, then sprinkle with corn meal if desired, and push dough out out onto pan/stone (or cookie sheet.) Bake crust for 15 minutes at 400*. Add sauce and toppings and bake until crust is golden brown (approx. 15 more minutes.)

Pizza Sauce

What you need:

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

6 fluid ounces warm water (tomato paste can)

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp honey

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes

salt to taste

What To Do:

In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.  Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

Top with veggies.  I generally go with zucchini, mushrooms, olives, leeks, spinach, tomatoes, and green peppers. And cheese.  Delicious.  

Buen Provecho!

Surprising Cauliflower

I despise cauliflower. I can't help it, I always have had an aversion to it. I try to like it.  At parties I eat the broccoli and cauiflower.  Growing up I would always eat it if there was cheese covering it.  But really, not my cup of tea.

Until today.

See, I found the best recipe ever.  I am now converted.  I want some more!

I found the most amazing recipe on Country Living, and am going to share it with you!

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin 

What You Need:

• 1 head cauliflower florets separated into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, lightly crushed 
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (I didn't have sherry vinegar, so I used rice vinegar)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

What To Do:

pre-heat oven to 425*.  Place cauliflower in a large roasting pan and toss with oil, salt, pepper, and cumin seeds.  Roast until florets are tender and lightly

golden 30-40 minutes (20 minutes was sufficient for mine).  Meanwhile, met butter in a small pan over medium heat and continue to cook until golden brown.  Sprinkle with vinegar and pepper.  Transfer the cauliflower to a serving dish and toss with the brown butter and parsley.  Serve immediately.

Absolutely surprising.  The cumin seeds and vinegar really give it a pop of flavor while roasting it mellows out the flavor.  Wow, I am even salivating just thinking about it now.  Wow.

Buen Provecho!