Roasted Cauliflower

I made this cauliflower for dinner today and we couldn’t get enough. I will never steam my cauliflower again!. This is from Taste of Homemagazine, January 2012.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 Tb olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 Tb parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Break cauliflower into small florets. Toss with oil and garlic salt. Bake at 400 on a baking sheet for 15-18 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Cranberry, Apple and Walnut Relish

I found this recipe in Cooking Light in 2004 and make it every year for the holidays.  You can make this relish up to three days ahead, then store in the refrigerator.  Walnuts add a nice crunch and richness.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup cranberry apple juice
• 1 pound (1 bag) of fresh cranberries
• 4 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apples
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

Combine sugar, juice, and cranberries in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture thickens.

Remove from heat; stir in apples and walnuts. Spoon into a bowl; cool.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

Baked Mozzarella Bites

A yummy snack, that the kids (and grown ups) will love.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
• 3 tablespoons egg substitute  (I used an egg white mixed with a little water instead)
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add panko to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and place in a shallow dish.

Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces. Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko. Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 3 minutes or until the cheese is softened and thoroughly heated.

Watch carefully since the cheese can go from soft to melted blob in a short time.  If you do overmelt, just let it cool on the pan for a couple of minutes after you take out of  the oven.

Serve with warm marinara sauce.

From the August 11, 2011 issue of  Cooking Light magazine.

Vegetarian Posole

As I was thinking about our upcoming trip to New Mexico,  I created this vegetarian version of the traditional southwestern soup, which is often made with pork.

INGREDIENTS

• olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
• 2 cans hominy, rinsed
• 1 can mild green chiles
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• salt to taste

toppings:

• cilantro
• corn tortillas, toasted and cut into strips

DIRECTIONS

1.Sautee onions and peppers in olive oil until onion almost translucent.  Add garlic and sauté 2 more minutes.
2. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3.  Top with chopped cilantro and strips of toasted (you can toast these in oven or in a frying pan) corn tortillas.  These two items add so much flavor- don’t skip this step!

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Cuban Black Beans & Rice

A delicious side dish that will add a little spice to any meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 (10 ounce) cans black beans, liquid drained and reserved
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Fry the onion and pepper in a little oil.
2. Add the garlic and saute a little.
3. Introduce a little of the bean liquid until all previous ingredients are soft.
4. Add the beans with the remaining liquid.
5. Add spices and simmer about 30 minutes.
6. Add the vinegar just before serving.

These are quite good when served over a bed of rice seasoned with just lime.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 6

Recipe from Carol Bullock at Food.com

Dark Bread

This recipe was given to me by my friend Lizzie.  I did not have any raisins, and mixed in one cup of chopped walnuts.  This is a slightly sweet and hearty bread that makes a great snack or dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tsp salt
• walnuts optional, on top or stirred in
• 2 c sour milk ( add 4 tsp vinegar to regular milk to make sour milk)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together. Put in two greased bread pans.  Good if you can let it stand one hour before baking.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Serve with cream cheese and fruit for dessert.

Roast Mushrooms and Kale over Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This is a slightly modified recipe originally from Rachael Ray

INGREDIENTS

• 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• Sea salt and pepper
• 5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• A few dashes of hot sauce
• 1 cup extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese
• 1 pound kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.

On a large baking sheet, dress the mushrooms, garlic and thyme with 3 tablespoons EVOO and spread out. Roast the mushrooms for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and season with sea salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a pot, combine the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, season with sea salt and cook until fork-tender, 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot, then mash with the stock and milk. Season with sea salt, pepper, paprika and hot sauce. Stir in the cheddar until melted.

While the potatoes are working, in a bowl, toss the kale with the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO and season with sea salt, pepper and a few dashes of nutmeg. Arrange the kale on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and roast until crisp at the edges, 10-12 minutes (you may also steam or saute the kale, if you prefer, instead of roasting).

Combine the mushrooms and garlic with the kale and serve on a bed of sweet potatoes.

Serves 4.

Smashed Pea & Barley Soup

This is just like the pea soup from California Pizza Kitchen (it’s a copycat recipe that I found online).  It has great flavor and the barley gives it extra thickness.  This makes 8 servings-you can freeze the extra in individual bowls.  This posting is dedicated to Jennifer- hoping it inspires her to make a pot!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups split peas
• 6 cups water
• 2 14.5-ounce cans vegetable broth (4 cups)
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• dash dried thyme
• 1/2 cup barley
• 6 cups water
• 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)

Garnish:  chopped green onion (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse and drain the split peas, then add them to a large pot with 6 cups of water,  broth, onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, sugar, parsley, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the peas are soft.

2. While the peas are cooking, combine the barley with 6 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 75 minutes or until the barley is soft and most of the water has been absorbed.

3. When the split pea mixture has become a thick soup, use a handheld blender to puree the peas until the mixture is smooth. You may also use a standard blender or food processor for this step, pureeing the soup in batches. Alternately, if you like, you may skip this step, keeping the soup rather chunky. It’s still good this way, just not as smooth as the real thing.

4. Drain the barley mixture in a sieve or colander and add it to the split pea mixture. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer the soup for 15 to 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover the soup, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with a little chopped green onion.

Makes 8 servings.

Corn, Black Bean, and Tomato Salsa

Love this with corn chips and avocado!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cobs of fresh corn kernels (you can sub 1 cup frozen)
• 1 15 oz. can black bean, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook corn and then submerse in cold water to stop cooking process. Cut kernels from cob.

Combine corn and all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve with corn chips, flour tortillas, or alone as a side dish.