Cauliflower Gratin

There aren't many vegetables that I don't like, but there are those I tend not to choose (to put it nicely).  Cauliflower is one of those vegetables.  Still, I belong to a CSA, and the dutiful thing is to use all the produce I can, even the items I'm not so crazy about.  When I saw a recipe for Cauliflower Gratin, I thought perhaps I'd found that dish that would win me over.  (I've tried before, but it didn't quite do the job).  After all, it's cheesy and crunchy and creamy - what's not to love?

Well, it is really tasty, I have to say....for cauliflower.  If you like cauliflower already, you are going to *love* this.  If you don't, well, it will make cauliflower a bit more tolerable.  (I'm really selling this, aren't I?)

The crunchy bread crumbs, the melted cheese, and the creamy finish serve as a tasty backdrop to the still-slightly-crunchy cauliflower, the way the major cast members of a gratin are prone to do.  Serve it along with some of your favorite things, and it becomes a nice well-rounded dish.  We had ours with grilled chicken and roasted brussels sprouts.  Yum.

Cauliflower Gratin

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 cup half & half

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

pinch of salt

1/2 cup shredded cheese (gruyere or mozzarella works)

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Place the cauliflower florets in a shallow baking dish or casserole.  

2.  Whisk together the half & half, mustard, and salt in a small bowl.  Pour over the cauliflower.  Top with shredded cheese and bread crumbs.

3.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork but still has a bit of crunch, and the topping is brown and crunchy.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Green Beans Marinara

 

Green bean season has begun early in this part of the world apparently, because I found beautiful green beans at the farmers market this morning.  I made this different sort of side dish with them, as we had an Italian themed potluck this afternoon.  A simple marinara sauce combined with fresh green beans - it's pretty hard to mess up, folks.  And it's yummy.

This would go well with a simple Italian chicken or pasta dish, or even just some crusty bread. 

Green Beans Marinara

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat side of a knife

one 28 ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes

salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil.  Cook green beans until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a large skillet with a thin film of olive oil.  Add red pepper flakes and garlic cloves and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.  Drain some of the juices off the canned tomatoes, but not all, and add the tomatoes to the skillet.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.

3.  Add the drained green beans to the tomato sauce and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  Salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves before serving.

Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies

There are brownies, and then there are brownies.   I can't even count the number of brownie recipes I have tried in my lifetime, one of which I posted on this blog before.  But sometimes a brownie recipe comes along that makes you want to share with all your friends.  For brownie purposes, it is The One.

And best of all, it's fairly low fat.  It comes from Ellie Krieger, after all (with my tweaks).  It was published in the Food Network magazine a few months ago and I finally got around to trying it today.  It is cakey and fudgy at the same time - super chocolatey and rich without giving you the sensation of instant artery clogging.  Definitely one to add to the holiday repertoire!

Double Chocolate Brownies

adapted from Food Network magazine

makes 24 small brownies

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

6 ounces dark chocolate (60% to 70% preferred), coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup white whole wheat four

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler - heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water).  Stir occasionally until melted.  Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth, then add yogurt, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until blended.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.

4.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool in the pan before slicing.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ever since sweet potato fries started popping up on menus everywhere as an alternative to french fries, I've had a hard time resisting them.  It was only a matter of time before I had to try my hand at making a healthier version at home.  Here they are.

There's no fooling anyone - these don't taste "fried" - but they do taste fantastic.  Starchy and sweet and tangy and spicy, these fries will definitely satisfy your sweet potato fry itch.  Serve them with sandwiches, burgers, or just eat them on their own.  You can avoid the guilt of the deep fried sweet potato and get all the same rewards.

Sweet potatoes are in abundance right now, so stock up and give these a try.   If you want to be fancy, you can make some kind of herb aioli to go with them, or just have them with ketchup, or even straight up.

Sweet Potato Fries

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 2+

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium-small garnet sweet potatoes, peeled

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Cut sweet potatoes in half length-wise, then into wedges (about 6 to 8 wedges per sweet potato).

2.  Toss the wedges with remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Lay out on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping them all once about halfway through, until browned and crisp on the outside.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Green Bean and Celery Salad

You might have noticed that I'm a little bit in love with green beans this summer, particularly in salads. In this incarnation, the versatile green bean is paired with underappreciated celery. Together they are crisp and refreshing, but then you add the dressing to beat all dressings, and this is a simply magical salad. I can tell this is going to be my new go-to salad dressing. And the best part is, all the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now.

Use really fresh, quality green beans for this recipe, and celery ribs from the heart. This is not a very expensive recipe to make, folks, so you might as well use the best available ingredients. Serve as a side salad or as the main event. But either way, be happy as you crunch away, and ooh and ahh over the dressing.

Green Bean and Celery Salad
adapted from Food Network Magazine
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon drained capers
handful chopped parsley leaves
handful chopped celery leaves
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. In the bottom of your salad bowl, whisk lemon juice, dijon, salt, pepper and oil. Add capers, parsley, and celery leaves, and stir to combine well. Add the green beans and chopped celery and toss to coat. Serve.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Kale Pesto

Our experiments with pesto continue. I found a delicious sounding recipe in Food Network magazine for broccoli rabe pesto, and decided to adapt it to use kale instead. The result is an unusual, deeply flavorful and cheesy dish that doesn't feel too heavy. It's almost like a lighter, greener macaroni and cheese. Absolutely fantastic. And it's great for those who don't really do the garlic thing, as there is plenty of flavor without any garlic whatsoever.

I can't emphasize enough that there are really no limits on pesto possibilities. I realize the photo above looks a lot like an arugula pesto pasta that I wrote about not too long ago, and yet it tastes completely different. Here we have kale, pistachios, and cheese, joining together to make a fantastic sauce. Pesto knows no bounds, really. And kale is so incredibly good for you; this is a great way to get it into your diet.

Pasta with Kale Pesto
adapted from Food Network Magazine
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 small bunch kale, stalks removed
1/4 cup shelled roasted unsalted pistachios
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt
2 tablespoons part skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound whole wheat elbows (or other small cut pasta)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a large bowl of salted iced water, as well. Blanch the kale in the boiling water for just about one minute, until bright green and pliable. Scoop it out and immerse it in the iced water to stop the cooking. (Don't dump out the water, and keep it on the heat at a boil).

2. Drain the kale and squeeze out any excess water. Coarsely chop it, and then puree in a food processor until finely ground up (like a dense paste). Add pistachios and parmesan and puree until fairly smooth. Season generously with salt. Add ricotta and puree until well combined.

3. Cook pasta in the pot that is already boiling from the kale. Cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain and return pasta to the pot.

4. Add the pesto to the pot along with enough of the pasta cooking water to loosen it up. Stir well until pasta is thoroughly coated with the pesto. Serve.

Enjoy!

Rosemary Peppercorn Chicken with Lemon Spinach

This meal is restaurant-worthy. Sure, it looks relatively unassuming. But it tastes incredible. The shallot-wine sauce on the chicken is the highlight of the dish, and I'm already day-dreaming about using it again on steak in the future.

Don't be turned off by peppercorns in the title of the recipe - they aren't as prevalent as they may sound. Personally, when I hear "peppercorn-encrusted steak" or "peppercorn-encrusted salmon" I am really turned off, because that usually means all you taste are the peppercorns. But here they are delicately applied, and they really do add to the flavor of the chicken, rather than distracting from it. If you own a pepper mill, put it on the coarsest setting. If you don't, put some peppercorns in a ziploc bag and smash them with the back of a skillet. Either way will work.

I ate this meal alone while my husband is working late tonight, and it was a shame because there was no one to ooh and aah over it with. My cat had to suffice, and she didn't want to taste any herself. She just took my word for it. (Please don't judge me.)

Rosemary Peppercorn Chicken with Lemon Spinach
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 large or 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound)
2 teaspoons coarsely ground peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons EVOO
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons good quality red wine (I used merlot)
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Brush chicken breast on both sides with 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Sprinkle both sides with rosemary, peppercorns and salt to taste, patting the herbs into the chicken so they don't fall off.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Ad 1 tablespoon EVOO. Add chicken and cook until golden brown (NOT cooked through), about 6 minutes, turning only once. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add shallots to the same skillet you used in step 2. Cook over medium-high until just soft and browned. Remove pan from heat, and carefully add the wine (step back!). Return to heat and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining mustard and the parsley.

4. In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon EVOO. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add spinach, season with just a tiny sprinkle of salt and cook until wilted. Stir in the lemon zest.

5. Slice the chicken breast and top with the shallot-wine sauce. Serve beside the spinach.

I hope you have someone with you to ooh and aah over this one. If not, feel free to ooh and aah to me about it! Enjoy.

Chicken with Veggies in Cider Sauce

I found this recipe in the premiere issue of the new Food Network Magazine (a magazine made for people just like me, who watch FN obsessively as if it might go off the air tomorrow). I felt it needed a green vegetable to balance it out, so I added brussels sprouts. They are one of those vegetables that I have only recently come to appreciate, and I'd recommend that you try them in this dish and see if you might discover a new respect for them. I think the trick is to slice them before you cook them - somehow it makes a huge difference.

The result is a tasty, well-balanced meal with a hint of apple cider vinegar kick that brings the whole package together. And the pan gravy is, well, it's pan gravy! How can you go wrong? To me pan gravy just screams of home-made goodness. Somehow it makes me about 8 times more proud of a dish I make if it involves pan gravy. I can't really explain it. Try it and see.

Chicken with Veggies in Cider Sauce
Adapted from the Food Network Magazine
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
all-purpose flour sprinkled on a plate, for dredging
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 large onion, or 1 large shallot, cut into large pieces
1 sweet apple, cored and cut into large pieces
8-10 brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced into thirds lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off excess. Add oil to the pan. Place chicken in the skillet smooth-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side (it won't be cooked through). Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, add onion, apple, and brussels sprouts to the skillet, along with a little vegetable oil if the pan is dry, and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until the onion has wilted slightly, apple is golden brown, and brussels sprouts are slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Let the mixture boil about 1 minute, then add chicken broth. Return to boil and cook until broth reduces by half. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter until completely melted. Toss the vegetables around in the sauce.

3. Remove chicken from oven, cut each breast in half or into thirds, depending on size. Divide the chicken among plates and spoon the vegetable mixture and gravy over each pieces of chicken (or next to it if you're serving someone who doesn't like things mixed together).

Enjoy!