Grilled Zucchini Salad

I loved this zucchini side dish. (I LOVE ZUCCHINI!! Anyways....)  Slices of zucchini are grilled (over a gas or charcoal grill) and then tossed with lemon juice, herbs, and feta. The grill adds such great flavor to this. I make a similar side dish just on the stove; the grill really takes it up a notch. The original recipe has you cutting the zucchini in a weird way, so it doesn't fall through the grill grates. Even better: just skewer the zucchini or use a veggie grilling basket if you have one. I used metal skewers. Summer has been over for a bit, but this recipe still works for fall.

Grilled Zucchini Salad

adapted from The Kitchn

3 pounds medium green zucchini or yellow summer squash
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used all the juice from my lemon)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint or basil leaves

1. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (450°F to 550°F). Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini and dressing.

2. Cut the zucchini into slices; place in a large bowl and set aside. If using skewers, threat all of the zucchini onto skewers. They can be semi-close together. Place 3 tablespoons of the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl. Season with pepper and whisk to combine; set aside.

3. When the grill is ready, drizzle the zucchini with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Place in a single layer on the grill (using a veggie basket or skewers.) (Reserve the bowl; no need to wash). Cover and grill, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and crisp-tender, about 8 minutes total.

4. Transfer the squash back to the reserved bowl, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to combine. Set aside to cool to just warm or room temperature, at least 15 minutes. Add the feta and mint or basil and gently toss to combine.

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Creamed Corn with Roasted Red Peppers & Bacon

I've had this bookmarked forever, but finally got around to making it last week.  It was so, so good.  I loved all the flavors in this.  I know creamed corn might be considered more of a holiday/winter dish, but this is good enough to have all year round. 

Creamed Corn with Roasted Red Peppers & Bacon
adapted from Closet Cooking

2 tablespoons butter
4 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
4 ounces light cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup milk
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled  (I used real bacon bits and it was great)
1/4 cup green onions OR chopped chives
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
directions

1.  Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the corn and cream cheese, stir until the cream cheese has melted.  Mix in the milk, roasted red pepper, bacon and green onions and cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and optional cayenne pepper.  If mixture is too liquidy, simmer lightly for a few more minutes.  

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Buttered Balsamic Mushrooms

My 6-year old son really wanted mushrooms recently; he said they are one of his favorite foods.  I don't love mushrooms; in fact I've spent most of my life until recently saying that I don't like them, and they're one of the only foods I don't like.  But I decided to give them another shot about 2-3 years ago, and I find them ok now.  Until I tried this recipe- and I found them so delicious I ate all of my 6-year old's mushrooms because he was having a weird tantrum about something I forgot now, all during dinner.  Then he was even more sad when he came back to the table and found them all gone.  I felt a tiny bit bad, so I made them again a few days later.  And he enjoyed them tantrum-free. 

Buttered Balsamic Mushrooms
adapted from the Kitchn

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, peeled and finely diced (I used part of a sweet onion)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme leaves (can use 1 tsp. dry thyme)
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire or soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated

1.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until shimmering, about 15 to 20 seconds. Add the shallots and cook until they begin to soften and brown at the edges, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

2.  Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir until melted. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, and rosemary or thyme and stir well. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the mushrooms have a rich brown color on the edges and some of the sides, and have just begin to release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes.

3.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire or soy sauce, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and tender and the liquid reduces in volume considerably, thickens to the consistency of agave or maple syrup, and coats the mushrooms, 6 to 8 minutes.

4.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir constantly, allowing the butter to melt completely and coat the mushrooms, until they shine and the sauce is a bit lighter in color, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

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Thai-Style Cucumber Salad

This is a great easy salad I made a few times to go with the Panang Curry.  It went perfectly together, I could make this salad a few hours ahead of time, and it's pretty healthy as well.  For gluten free, make sure your sweet chili sauce is gluten free.  (Sweet chili sauce is also used for lumpia dipping.  It looks like this, (pic below), there are a few different brands.)

Thai-Style Cucumber Salad
adapted from King Arthur Flour
I cut this in half, using one English cuke

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sweetened chili garlic paste
1 teaspoon salt

SALAD
3 cups (1 Euro or English-style) cucumber, unpeeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup sliced sweet or red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
all of the marinade

GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
fresh mint or cilantro leaves
chopped peanuts

1.  For the marinade: Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the chili sauce and salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed, or let cool on the stove.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, onion, and pepper. Add the marinade to the vegetables, stir, and chill for 1 hour before serving. (Can chill longer; leftovers are also good.) Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and chopped peanuts if desired.

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Roasted Carrots

You probably don't need a "recipe" for roasted carrots, but here it is anyway.  :)  I haven't made anything new in forever, and we're recovering from the holidays, so I need to get back into the swing of things and make some new dishes.  I actually made these months ago.  I made cabbage with the carrots, but we weren't fans of the cabbage as much, so I'll just stick with carrots for this post.  (You can see the cabbage in the pic.)  We actually had this with some Serbian sausages we brought back from Croatia back in October (so I guess it's been 3 months since I made these carrots!)

Happy New Year, BTW.

Roasted Carrots

1/2 - 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise into fourths
olive oil
salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil.  Place cut carrots onto baking sheet and shake around to coat with oil, drizzling more on top if necessary.  Top with salt and pepper, and place in the oven to roast.  Roast for 10-15 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time. Check if they are tender enough. They should also be a little browned.  If they are not tender or browned enough, leave them in until they are.

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Quick-Pickled Red Onions

I've made these a few times but they're always gone too fast to take pics.  I made them again recently with some good local red onions and I'm enjoying them again.  Make sure to read the whole article over at The Kitchn for advice on additional flavorings, etc you can add.  These are great for sandwiches, salads, and on any kind of pork from the crockpot.  My favorite is BBQ Pulled Pork & Coleslaw.   I prefer this Buttermilk Coleslaw, though.  These are also good as a topping for Kalua Pork.

Quick-Pickled Red Onions
from The Kitchn

1 medium red onion, about 5 ounces
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar (NOT white vinegar)

Flavorings (optional):
1 small clove of garlic, halved
5 black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
3 small springs of thyme
1 small dried chili

Equipment:
Kettle for boiling water (I like using an electic kettle)
Knife and cutting board
Sieve or colander
Clean jar or container (glass or porcelain, not plastic or metal)

1.  Slice the onions: Start 2 or 3 cups of water on to boil in a kettle. Peel and thinly slice the onion into approximately 1/4-inch slices. Peel and cut the garlic clove in half.

2.  Dissolve the sugar and salt: In the container you will be using to store the onions, add the sugar, salt, vinegar, and flavorings. Stir to dissolve.

3.  Par-blanch the onions: Place the onions in the sieve and place the sieve in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them drain.  

4.  Add the onions to the jar: Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to evenly distribute the flavorings. (If some onions are not covered with vinegar solution, wait a half hour and then check them.  They will break down a bit and will then be able to be pushed under the liquid.  If they're still not under the liquid after a while, top off the jar with some more vinegar.)

Store: The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes, but are better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but are best in the first week.

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Buttermilk Coleslaw

This is more of a summer food for some reason, but I think one can enjoy coleslaw anytime. Especially with pulled pork, which is why I made this.  I like the coleslaw in that link too, but I was looking for a way to make it a bit lighter and thought of using buttermilk in place of the higher-fat ingredients.  I searched for buttermilk coleslaw and settled on this recipe.  There's still mayo, but a smaller amount.  (The original recipe had a lot of sugar and I cut that in half.)

Buttermilk Coleslaw
adapted from Foodie with Family

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced or coarsely shredded, about 8 cups (I buy pre-shredded cabbage)
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded, about 2 cups (I buy pre-shredded carrots)

1.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Toss in the shredded cabbage and carrot and cover. (Don't be tempted to add more buttermilk mixture if this looks too dry.  The coleslaw will release moisture as it sits and be perfectly creamy.)  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving; overnight is even better. When stored in an airtight container, the coleslaw is good for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Toss well before serving.

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Herb-Roasted Pumpkin (or Squash)

I buy packages of pre-cut (and peeled) pumpkin or squash here at the local stores.  (In Italy, "Zucca" means pumpkin but is interchangeable for any kind of yellow/orange squash.  I believe the above is actually butternut squash).  I used part of the raw squash to make the Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate  and needed to use the rest.  One day for dinner, I made one of our fam's favorite pasta dishes,  and roasted this as a side as the pasta was cooking.  The two dishes went so well together!  I used fresh rosemary and sage, because they are prolific in my yard.

Herb-Roasted Pumpkin (or Squash)

by What A Dish!

raw squash or cooking pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed (look for pre-cut squash at the store... totally worth it!)

fresh rosemary

fresh sage leaves

olive oil

salt and pepper

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Drizzle some olive oil on a baking or cookie sheet.  Place the squash and herbs on the baking sheet and drizzle with a little more oil.  Sprinkle with salt and a little pepper.  Roast for 20-40 minutes, or until tender and some pieces are a bit browned (toss a few times during roasting).  Eat as-is, as a side dish, or add to a pasta dish.

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Olive Garden Salad & Dressing

I think Olive Garden's salad and dressing is one of the best things in their restaurants.  I haven't been to one in years, but the last few times I went, I always got the soup, salad and bread sticks meal.  Of course, there is no OG here (or any other chain restaurants), so when one has a OG salad craving, one has to make it at home.  :)  Recently, I was served this salad at a church ladies' dinner.  I got the recipe from the woman who made it, and looked up a recipe online, too.  The one I found online was pretty much the same as the one I had at the dinner.  I couldn't find those pickled peppers at my store so those had to be left out.  :(  Next time!

Olive Garden Salad & Dressing
adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up! and B.E.

Salad:

2 romaine lettuce hearts (you just want the hearts, they will give you a crisp crunchy texture)

3 Roma tomatoes (I used halved cherry tomatoes; what I had on hand)

1/2 red onion

1/2 cup medium sized olives

1 cup croutons

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated is good)

2-4 pickled Pepperoncini

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon Canola oil

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon parsley, dried

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or small food processor and mix until well combined. 

 

2. Wash and chop your lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. Add your olives, croutons and Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine.

 

3. Pour dressing over the top. Toss to coat and serve immediately.  You may not need all the dressing; can save some for another salad. 

 

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Garlic Roasted Zucchini

This was a quick, delicious, and very easy side dish.  It's a wonderful way to use zucchini.  I can't wait to try it in summer, when it is in season and super cheap.  After having Garlic Roasted Cauliflower so many times, I was eager to try another roasted veggie side dish.  I used two small zucchini for this recipe, and it was perfect for my husband and I.  (The kids were not interested- little boogers.)

Garlic Roasted Zucchini
adapted from The Gingered Whisk
Serves 2-3

2 Zucchini

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Herbs of choice, optional

2-3 Garlic cloves, sliced

Parmesan Cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cut zucchini into large coins and then quarter.  Lightly oil a large roasting pan.  Place the zucchini and garlic in the roasting pan, drizzle in a bit of olive oil to coat, sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and optional herbs.

2.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and starting to turn golden in a few places.

Spoon the zucchini into a serving bowl and garnish with a little Parmesan cheese.

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Mexican Sweet Corn Cake

I LOVE the Sweet Corn Cake at Chevy's restaurant.  Well, I did love it, about 10 years ago, when I went there like one or two times, lol!!  I still remember how good it was though; my fave part of the meal.  I've been playing around with the idea of making it at home for a while, but I finally did when I spotted a recipe from Our Best Bites.  This stuff is gooood, and just like Chevy's!! 

For those who are not familiar, I think this is kind of like Spoon Bread, although it's weird I'm using that to describe this, since I've never had Spoon Bread, either.  Ha ha!  It's slightly sweet and very corn-flavored, and scoop-able.  It bakes in a water bath- don't be scared.

Mexican Sweet Corn Cake
adapted from Our Best Bites

1/2 cup real butter, softened
1/3 cup masa harina
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup corn meal
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Combine butter, masa harina, and water, and milk in a medium sized bowl and beat until creamy.

2.  Add corn meal, sugar, salt, and baking powder on top of the creamed butter mixture and use a fork or whisk to lightly whisk just the dry ingredients together. Beat the entire mixture until smooth. Place corn in food processor (I leave mine frozen) and pulse until roughly broken up. Add water and corn to bowl and mix until combined.

3.  Spread mixture in an ungreased 8×8 inch pan and top with foil. Place 8×8 pan inside a 9×13 inch pan and place both pans in oven. Pour hot water in 9×13 inch pan just until it goes about an inch up the sides. Bake for about 55 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Sweet Moist Cornbread

This is a delicious cornbread.  I got the recipe from a cooking friend; she made it for us at her house and it was divine!!  Almost good enough for dessert.  :)  I took this to a Halloween/Chili party a few weeks ago and ate the leftovers for breakfast after.  It is very good warmed just slightly in the microwave with a little butter.  Some of the ingredients are a little unusual for cornbread, but they make it taste phenomenal. 

Sweet Moist Cornbread
adapted from Epicurious and this friend

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canned cream corn (one regular can)
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild white Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.  Butter and flour a 9-inch square glass cake pan.

2. In a mixer, cream the butter and the sugar. While the mixer is running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the corn, pineapple and cheese, beating well after each addition.  On low speed, add the dry ingredients, and mix until blended well.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester stuck in the center comes out clean, about one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Do not undercook the cornbread. It should be golden brown on top when done.

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Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

Last year a cooking friend pointed out this method for making "baked" potatoes in the crock pot.  I tried it and loved it, but didn't blog about it because I didn't get a good photo.  (Maybe one day soon, though!)  It's awesome to be able to do this while at church or just being gone all day, and having a baked potato bar at home when you get back! 

Well, my husband loves sweet potatoes.  LOVES THEM!  So does my baby boy.  I hardly ever make them, though, but want to more often.  I had an "aha!" moment a few weeks ago, thinking of doing the crock pot method for sweet potatoes.  (I can be a little slow... like a year slow).  You can even do half regular, half sweet potatoes in the same crockpot, if there are not a lot of sweet potato fans in your house.  I'm very happy to report that this method works wonderfully for sweet potatoes.  Now I'll (hopefully) be making them a little more often. 

Depending on the size of your sweet taters, you may have to cook them quite a while (some are huge!)  To test for doneness, just unwrap the foil and stick a fork in one.  :)  If the fork goes in easily, it's done.

Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Slow Cooker
adapted from Skip to my Lou

sweet potatoes
foil

1.  Wash your sweet potatoes.  Dry off, but they don't have to be totally dry.  Prick them a few times with a fork (not sure if this is needed, but I did it anyway).  Wrap each potato in foil.  Place in the crock pot.  Cook on low about 8 hours, or until potatoes are tender when (unwrapped) and pierced with a fork.  Start checking at around 5-6 hours the first time you make these.

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Black Bean & Corn Salad

I love the flavors and freshness in this salad.  It's actually kind of a salsa too, and it tastes awesome with tortilla chips.  I use fresh lime juice and reduce the olive oil.  The original recipe calls for 2 cans of black beans, but the first time I made this, I only had one can in the house, so I made it that way, and I've made it that way ever since.  I'm sure it would be just as good with two, though!

Actually, the first time I made this, I brought it to an extended-family camp out in Mt. Rainier national park.  I actually brought it just for my little family (this was back in 2005, I think!) but ended up sharing it with everyone there who wanted some and it got many rave reviews! 

Don't skip the cilantro unless you're one of those cilantro-haters.  It really makes this; I wouldn't make this salad without it!  That's why, last week when I made this, when my regular store was out of cilantro, I went out of my way to go to another one to get some even though it was highly inconvenient at the time!

Black Bean & Corn Salad

adapted from Allrecipes

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1-2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed at room temp

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped (or a bunch of halved cherry tomatoes)

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1.  Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.

2.  In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.



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Rainbow Chard

I saw Rainbow Chard for the first time in real life a few weeks ago, at our local Organic Farm, so I bought it right away to try.  I've never had any kind of chard, but the Internet came to the rescue in my recipe search.  I basically sauteed it with a bit of butter, olive oil, shallots, and salt and pepper.  (I was out of garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, AND Parmesan, like the original recipe called for- ha ha ha!!)  Greens like this wilt down and reduce in size drastically when cooked.  It looks like they won't all fit in the pan, but they will get much smaller- especially if you partially cover the skillet with a lid so the steam helps it out a bit. 

Sautéed Rainbow Chard

Loosely adapted from Fine Cooking

1 large bunch Rainbow Chard (13-16 oz)

1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 Tbs. butter

kosher salt

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1.  Pull or cut the stems from the chard leaves. Here is a vid on how to stem them.  Cut or rip the leaves into 1- to 2-inch pieces and wash and dry them well. Rinse the stems and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick.

2.  In a 12-inch nonstick stir-fry pan or skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.  Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the chard stems and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrunken and beginning to brown lightly, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the shallot and cook just until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chard leaves and 1/4 tsp. salt. For faster wilting, cover the skillet with a lid.  Toss with tongs until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. (If using a skillet, you may need to add the chard in batches, letting the first batch wilt before adding more.) Remove the pan from the heat, and serve immediately. 

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Buttered Crouton Salad with Avocado & Smoked Salmon

This was a delicious and fun-to-make salad.  Thanks to Joy the Baker for another great recipe!!  We had this over Romaine lettuce.  The croutons, dressing, avocado and smoked salmon made for a great flavor combination.  We had this with homemade tomato soup, using the leftover homemade croutons in the soup.

Buttered Crouton Salad with Avocado & Smoked Salmon
adapted from Joy the Baker
Makes 2 Servings

For the Dressing:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:
1/2 small baguette sliced into about 12 thick slices, then sliced in half into half moon shapes
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salad greens, enough for 2 generous servings
1/2 ripe Haas avocado, sliced
enough smoked salmon for 2 generous servings, in bite size pieces
coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1.  To make the dressing, combine mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk with a fork (or mini whisk) to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly. The slow drizzle and whisking will emulsify the dressing. Add the capers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2.  To make the salad, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon oil in a medium sautee pan over medium heat. I used my large, counter-top griddle.  Once butter is melted, add half of the bread pieces to the pan. Cook until toasted, then flip and cook until toasted. Remove from the pan, add the remaining butter and olive oil, and cook the remaining bread pieces.

3.  On a serving plate, arrange salad greens. Carefully drizzle as much dressing as you’s like onto the greens. Toss to coat. Top greens with sliced avocado, and smoked salmon pieces. Top with warm bread pieces. Sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

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Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower

This was absolutely delicious.  Delicious, easy, and healthy- what more could you want?  ;)  We had this before our Germany trip with a salad.... and I forgot what else; it's been too long!  This wasn't my boys' favorite, but what can you do- they are both kind of picky off and on.  My daughter ate some and liked it, I think, but my husband I and ate the rest.  It was so good!  And I don't even really like cauliflower other times I've had it.  Except for this soup- actually, I made both recipes with the same head of cauliflower, since it was such a ginormous head.  Over four pounds, I believe.

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower
adapted from Our Best Bites

3-4 Tbs olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 smallish head cauliflower
kosher salt and fresh pepper
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place olive oil and garlic in a small glass or ceramic bowl. Heat in microwave for about 20 seconds and set aside.

2.  Remove stem and leaves from cauliflower head and trim into large florets. Slice each floret into 1/4 inch slices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet (or just a well-greased glass 9x13, like me). Drizzle with oil and garlic mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Use a spatula to toss to coat. Add more olive oil if needed. Bake for 15 minutes and then toss with spatula. Bake 10 more and then toss with Parmesan cheese. Continue baking for 5-10 minutes until golden brown on edges.  (Pierce one with a fork to make sure it is tender enough).

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Quinoa with Pine Nuts & Sautéed Shallots

Quinoa is a healthy, grain-like superfood.  It is a complete protein, which is pretty cool, since it is a plant.  It's also full of vitamins, minerals, and our good friend fiber.  :)  Quinoa is really, really good for you.  The ancient Incas grew it, and to them it was a sacred grain; they called it "Mother of all grains".  You pronounce it "keen-wa" (thanks, Bob's Red Mill package!)  And, I can even buy it locally!

Quinoa is gaining both recognition and popularity these days.  It's even trendy.  But I was first introduced to this super grain about ten years ago, when my husband cooked it for me.  He makes a delicious sweet quinoa dish with cinnamon-sauteed apples, brown sugar, and quinoa.  It's great for breakfast.  He used to work at a natural foods store and learned about quinoa there.  After being introduced to it, I tried to cook it myself a few times, but I was never really pleased with the result.  For me, quinoa needs to be cooked in something flavorful, because by itself, I just don't love it.  When I saw this recipe recently, I had a "duh" moment; she uses chicken broth instead of just water.  (You could use veggie broth to vegan-ize this). 

I loved this dish- I used a good-quality chicken broth; it really matters here.  I also used shallots instead of boring ol' onions, and I let some of them get a bit crusty and brown while sautéeing.  They were almost the best part!  :)  Actually, my husband and I loved the shallots so much that we ate them all, so for the leftovers, I had to sautée some more.  We had this last week and I'm already wanting to make it again, sometime soon.

Note:  This recipe calls for Quinoa to be rinsed before cooking.  This is to remove a bitter substance naturally found on quinoa.  However, certain brands come ready-to-cook with no rinsing required.  The brand I used, Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa, does not need to be rinsed.  Check your package.

Quinoa with Pine Nuts & Sautéed Shallots
adapted from Ellie Krieger of the Food Network

2 cups low-sodium chicken or veggie broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (if package states to)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-4 shallots, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional

Salt and pepper

1.  In a medium sized saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.  Add the quinoa and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.

2.  Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. (Do not walk away from these!)  Remove nuts from pan and set aside. Heat the oil in the same skillet over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.  (Shallots may crisp up instead of softening- either way is delicious). 

3.  When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn (for Thanksgiving!)

Happy Thanksgiving!  This corn was sooooo good!!  I took so many little tastes of this while I was making T-giving dinner; I should have made more!  Ha ha.  I cut the recipe in half, using about 8 oz. of corn, and I used Neufchatel instead of full fat cream cheese.  This was delicious and I want to make it another time when I can enjoy it even more. (We had so much food today!)

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
adapted from Allrecipes

8 oz (approx.) frozen corn kernels

4 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese, cut into cubes

1/4 cup salted butter, cut into cubes

1/4 cup milk

1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a small slow cooker, combine corn, Neufchatel or cream cheese, butter, milk, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on High for 2 to 4 hours, or on Low for 4 to 6 hours.  (I cooked on High until everything melted, and then switched to Low, and then Keep Warm for the last 30 minutes.)    

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **