My husband "doesn't like" veggies, but I found if I cook them right he'll eat them right up. I discovered some posts on food blogs about roasting veggies and after a few tries have a pretty good formula for it. I'll post a list of the things I use most often, but you can sub almost any veggie in the list with something else. Also, thick veggies (carrots, etc) might need a good parboil before being added.
2 c. broccoli.
2 c. cauliflower
1 c. zucchini, cut into 1/4 in. coins
2 c. carrots, cut into 1 in. pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed (see below)
2 c. brussel sprouts
2 tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, mix the EVOO, salt, pepper and veggies.
Mix to coat.
Roast, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Toss and roast another five minutes.
Be amazed at how much people love your veggies!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Roasted Chicken
This is more like a method and less a recipe. Roasted chicken is the one thing that will always impress your guests. It makes the house smell awesome when they arrive and it looks wonderful out of the oven. Carve and amaze further. This is my general method. The herbs could be mixed and matched depending on your end result.
1 chicken, about 5lbs.
fresh rosemary, 2 twigs
8 garlic cloves
olive oil
herbs to taste (dried, I used a rub)
salt and pepper
Open chicken and remove giblets. Rinse and pat dry.
Coarsely cut garlic cloves.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
Insert garlic and rosemary into cavity.
Lightly oil the outside of the chicken with olive oil.
Rub with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Roast breast up for about 2 hours. Carve and serve.
The reason why I call this a method is because you could change the seasoning and change the flavor. Lemons in the cavity, peppers on top? Lemon pepper chicken! Rotisserie seasoning, and nothing inside! Rotisserie flavor!
For those new to roasting, your supermarket should sell a 'poultry mix' or 'roasting mix' of fresh herbs for the cavity of your chicken. Just don't forget to add some garlic!
1 chicken, about 5lbs.
fresh rosemary, 2 twigs
8 garlic cloves
olive oil
herbs to taste (dried, I used a rub)
salt and pepper
Open chicken and remove giblets. Rinse and pat dry.
Coarsely cut garlic cloves.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
Insert garlic and rosemary into cavity.
Lightly oil the outside of the chicken with olive oil.
Rub with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Roast breast up for about 2 hours. Carve and serve.
The reason why I call this a method is because you could change the seasoning and change the flavor. Lemons in the cavity, peppers on top? Lemon pepper chicken! Rotisserie seasoning, and nothing inside! Rotisserie flavor!
For those new to roasting, your supermarket should sell a 'poultry mix' or 'roasting mix' of fresh herbs for the cavity of your chicken. Just don't forget to add some garlic!
Butternut Risotto
I am swimming in squash. As in, the one I roasted the other day left me with FOUR butternuts on the counter. Since my parents were coming for dinner, I decided to try something new: Butternut Squash Risotto. I saw a ton of recipes online and based this one off what I liked from all of them, and kept the health benefits in mind. My dad, who was previously rumored to call my falafel "fal-awful" because it didn't have meat, took seconds of this! It went great with roasted chicken and roasted veggies, which I guess I need to post recipes for.
2 c. rice (arborio is best, but any should work)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (ahem, 4, ahem!), chopped
1 c. dry white wine
4 c. chicken stock (veggie would work, beef would not work)
1 c. water
12 oz. butternut sqaush puree
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
In a small saucepan, boil stock and water. Set aside.
Spray a saucepan with olive oil (WHAT? you don't have a Misto, yet?! If you don't have one, use up to 2 tbsp in the pan, but a Misto controls the calories a little).
When the oil is hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Pour in rice, and toast about 3 minutes.
Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about three minutes.
Add in about two ladles-ful of broth (about 1.5 cups). Simmer until evaporated. Continue adding broth and simmering until the broth is gone.
In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add in the squash puree, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
In the last minute, add in parmesan.
Enjoy the compliments from this one! I had two people I thought would hate this take seconds!
2 c. rice (arborio is best, but any should work)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (ahem, 4, ahem!), chopped
1 c. dry white wine
4 c. chicken stock (veggie would work, beef would not work)
1 c. water
12 oz. butternut sqaush puree
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
In a small saucepan, boil stock and water. Set aside.
Spray a saucepan with olive oil (WHAT? you don't have a Misto, yet?! If you don't have one, use up to 2 tbsp in the pan, but a Misto controls the calories a little).
When the oil is hot, add garlic and onions. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Pour in rice, and toast about 3 minutes.
Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about three minutes.
Add in about two ladles-ful of broth (about 1.5 cups). Simmer until evaporated. Continue adding broth and simmering until the broth is gone.
In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add in the squash puree, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
In the last minute, add in parmesan.
Enjoy the compliments from this one! I had two people I thought would hate this take seconds!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Swedish Meatballs (bork, bork, bork)!
Today I got an intense craving for swedish meatballs. These didn't turn out quite as expected, but were still quite tasty. I used a recipe I found online as a guide; as always, and made it my own. This isn't super healthy. But sometimes? I don't care!
2 slices white bread (I used a leftover Amoroso roll)
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs. ground meat. (traditionally would be a mix of chuck and veal or pork)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 c. flour
3 cups beef broth (i used almost 5, cause I like lotsa gravy)
1/4 c. cream (light works fine, I used 1/3)
1/2 pack egg noodles
Break the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour milk over top. Let sit.
Peel and grate half a large onion into a dish. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Add meat, yolks, pepper, allspice, bread mix, and salt. Mix well.
Roll meatballs from mix.
Heat a skillet and add meatballs, but don't crowd (this is key- if they are crowded, you can't turn them). Brown meatballs on all sides and place on a baking pan. Keep in warm oven until all meatballs are cooked.
Start water for egg noodles. I boiled mine in beef stock to make them extra tasty.
Add butter (optional, I did it for flavor) to the skillet you cooked the meatballs in.
Stir in flour and mix until flour becomes brown and bubbly.
Gradually stir in beef broth. Stir it until it becomes the desired consistency. I like mine really thick so I stirred for 10 mins.
Stir in cream, and whisk until desired consistency.
Add meatballs to gravy mix. Simmer a few minutes, and then serve over noodles.
NOM.
you can freeze the meatballs before or after they're sauced. If its before, spread them in a single layer on a baking dish, freeze, then bag. Otherwise, throw balls and gravy into a freezer bag and save for a night you don't feel like cooking.
2 slices white bread (I used a leftover Amoroso roll)
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs. ground meat. (traditionally would be a mix of chuck and veal or pork)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 c. flour
3 cups beef broth (i used almost 5, cause I like lotsa gravy)
1/4 c. cream (light works fine, I used 1/3)
1/2 pack egg noodles
Break the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour milk over top. Let sit.
Peel and grate half a large onion into a dish. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Add meat, yolks, pepper, allspice, bread mix, and salt. Mix well.
Roll meatballs from mix.
Heat a skillet and add meatballs, but don't crowd (this is key- if they are crowded, you can't turn them). Brown meatballs on all sides and place on a baking pan. Keep in warm oven until all meatballs are cooked.
Start water for egg noodles. I boiled mine in beef stock to make them extra tasty.
Add butter (optional, I did it for flavor) to the skillet you cooked the meatballs in.
Stir in flour and mix until flour becomes brown and bubbly.
Gradually stir in beef broth. Stir it until it becomes the desired consistency. I like mine really thick so I stirred for 10 mins.
Stir in cream, and whisk until desired consistency.
Add meatballs to gravy mix. Simmer a few minutes, and then serve over noodles.
NOM.
you can freeze the meatballs before or after they're sauced. If its before, spread them in a single layer on a baking dish, freeze, then bag. Otherwise, throw balls and gravy into a freezer bag and save for a night you don't feel like cooking.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Chocolate Chip Shortbread
I'm not much of a baker but when I see a recipe for shortbread, I can't resist. Bonus points for the addition of chocolate chips.
I got this one out of this months issue of Vegetarian Times. Since I am not much of a baker, I followed this one verbatim. The only thing I would change is the cooking time. I'd do 25 minutes, or somewhere about there to keep the shortbread from being too flaky.
3 2/3 c. flour
1/2 c. cornstarch1/2 tsp salt
1c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3c. REAL maple syrup (I used some from a special someone in VT)
1 1/2c. mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix well.
In another bowl, beat together butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.
Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Press dough into 15x11 jelly roll pan and prick all over with fork.
Bake for 35 minutes at 325.
Cut and serve.
This recipe also had instructions for melting chocolate and pouring it over top of the baked cookies. I opted to skip this step, but if you want to do it, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Pour it over the cookies and refrigerate until set.
1/3c. REAL maple syrup (I used some from a special someone in VT)
1 1/2c. mini chocolate chips
In a bowl, combine flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix well.
In another bowl, beat together butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla.
Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Press dough into 15x11 jelly roll pan and prick all over with fork.
Bake for 35 minutes at 325.
Cut and serve.
This recipe also had instructions for melting chocolate and pouring it over top of the baked cookies. I opted to skip this step, but if you want to do it, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. Pour it over the cookies and refrigerate until set.
Simple Crockpot Applesauce
I called this one simple for a reason. It has one ingriedient and many variations. Bonus points because you get to pick apples (or do like me- it was raining so we just got fresh apples at the farm that someone else picked!) and you get to have fresh mulled cider and cider donuts before you come home.
main ingredient
20 apples
optional
6 tbsp honey
cinnamon to taste
vanilla extract
Peel and core apples.
Chop apples into 1/2 inch chunks.
Put in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy the smell as the apples heat up.
After the sauce is done, you can puree it with a immersion blender, or you can just eat it how it is. It really depends on how picky the eaters in your house are.
I made this with vanilla, honey and cinnamon and it was awesome. I also made a lighter version of this, with just apples and cinnamon and it was equally good.
I used the cinnamon, vanilla and honey in the first batch I made because I have a free neverending supply of the first two items from my uncle, who imports both. Singing Dog Vanilla is by far the BEST extract I have ever used in my life. It makes a difference in everything I've used it in. Red Ape Cinnamon has an awesome flavor. I use it in my oatmeal every day. A shout out to grandmom too, whose bees produced the DELICIOUS honey I used. Sugar would work fine in this recipe, but if you have honey, I highly recommend using that. It gives it a much better flavor.
I got my apples from Highland Orchards in West Chester, PA. I used the Jonomac. Apples from the orchard are fresher and taste better than those waxy ones in the market and by buying them you are supporting your local economy. If you can't shop local, apples you get at the market are fine too.
main ingredient
20 apples
optional
6 tbsp honey
cinnamon to taste
vanilla extract
Peel and core apples.
Chop apples into 1/2 inch chunks.
Put in crock pot for 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy the smell as the apples heat up.
After the sauce is done, you can puree it with a immersion blender, or you can just eat it how it is. It really depends on how picky the eaters in your house are.
I made this with vanilla, honey and cinnamon and it was awesome. I also made a lighter version of this, with just apples and cinnamon and it was equally good.
I used the cinnamon, vanilla and honey in the first batch I made because I have a free neverending supply of the first two items from my uncle, who imports both. Singing Dog Vanilla is by far the BEST extract I have ever used in my life. It makes a difference in everything I've used it in. Red Ape Cinnamon has an awesome flavor. I use it in my oatmeal every day. A shout out to grandmom too, whose bees produced the DELICIOUS honey I used. Sugar would work fine in this recipe, but if you have honey, I highly recommend using that. It gives it a much better flavor.
I got my apples from Highland Orchards in West Chester, PA. I used the Jonomac. Apples from the orchard are fresher and taste better than those waxy ones in the market and by buying them you are supporting your local economy. If you can't shop local, apples you get at the market are fine too.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Falafel with Tzaziki
Yesterday I ate hummus for breakfast (I am going through a phase where I hate all things breakfast-y.) and was thinking how nice it would be to make it up and freeze it so I could make a ton at once and then grab some as I ran out the door. But I think the texture of hummus would make for a gross product post-freezer, so I decided to try falafel instead. I also got to wanting some tzaziki, with lots of garlic, and falafel is the perfect vehicle for tzaziki. Well, second perfect. A spoon is the first.
Some notes on this recipe:
For the falafel:
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic (I used 7 cloves), chopped
one bunch cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
salt
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
For the tzaziki:
1/2 large english or kirby cucumber
2 c. plain greek yogurt
garlic, to taste, minced
1/2 tsp minced dill (if using dry, you might use less)
two squirts of lemon juice
Throw your onions, garlic and parsley into the food processor and pulse until they're pretty well blended.
Add garbanzos, about a cup at a time, and pulse until they break up and make an almost paste.
Add spices and give a few quick pulses until they're mixed in.
Dump the garbanzo mixture into a bowl and add the bread crumbs. Mix them in well.
Lightly oil a baking pan.
Make small balls of the falafel mixture and place on the pan, flattening them with a spoon.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top of the patties.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes on each side.
While its baking, make the...
Tzaziki!!
Shred or mince the cucumber. If you choose to mince, keep the chunks pretty small.
Place the cucumber in a colander and press out additional water as best you can.
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, yogurt, dill, cucumbers and lemon juice. Mix well and store in the fridge until its time to nom.
I served this with spinach and tomatoes. I wrapped the falafel, tzaziki and tomato in a spinach leaf and ate it like that. You could also use it to stuff a pita. Tzaziki can be used on a variety of dishes. Experiment and tell me what you like best!
Some notes on this recipe:
- You can use a regular cuke instead of english or kirby, but you'll have to do some serious de-seeding.
- I used a lot of garlic. I could have chased vampires away this morning. If this is not your desired result, then adjust as needed.
- Adding extra sesame seeds to the pan is a good thing. They toast up really well.
- The tzaziki should sit overnight or at least a few hours prior to serving. The flavor is fuller the longer it sits.
- I used a food processor to make this, but you could probably use a blender. Or even a potato masher, if you really needed to be resourceful.
For the falafel:
2 cans garbanzo beans
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic (I used 7 cloves), chopped
one bunch cilantro, chopped (more or less to taste)
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot sauce (or more to taste)
salt
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
For the tzaziki:
1/2 large english or kirby cucumber
2 c. plain greek yogurt
garlic, to taste, minced
1/2 tsp minced dill (if using dry, you might use less)
two squirts of lemon juice
Throw your onions, garlic and parsley into the food processor and pulse until they're pretty well blended.
Add garbanzos, about a cup at a time, and pulse until they break up and make an almost paste.
Add spices and give a few quick pulses until they're mixed in.
Dump the garbanzo mixture into a bowl and add the bread crumbs. Mix them in well.
Lightly oil a baking pan.
Make small balls of the falafel mixture and place on the pan, flattening them with a spoon.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on the top of the patties.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes on each side.
While its baking, make the...
Tzaziki!!
Shred or mince the cucumber. If you choose to mince, keep the chunks pretty small.
Place the cucumber in a colander and press out additional water as best you can.
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, yogurt, dill, cucumbers and lemon juice. Mix well and store in the fridge until its time to nom.
I served this with spinach and tomatoes. I wrapped the falafel, tzaziki and tomato in a spinach leaf and ate it like that. You could also use it to stuff a pita. Tzaziki can be used on a variety of dishes. Experiment and tell me what you like best!
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