Roasted Cauliflower

I'm cheating again. I posted this recipe for the first time last year but it's worthy of a repost with pictures-- it's too yummy! And it makes a believer out of former cauliflower haters (like my husband.) Spicy and crunchy and savory and oh, so good!

Ingredients
1 medium or large head of cauliflower
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil (depends on the size of the cauliflower)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

How To
Mix the olive oil, red pepper, fresh ground black pepper (about a teaspoon) and garlic together. Wash the cauliflower and remove the florettes, cutting as much of the stems off as possible. Break the florettes up into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

Drizzle with the olive oil mixture and sprinkle with salt, about a tablespoon.

Mix well. Let "marinate" for 20-30 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the cauliflower over the bottom of a shallow baking pan and place in the oven.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, occasionally stirring in order to achieve even browning. Serve hot.

Here is is, served up with pork chops, mashed pots and homemade gravy:

Stuffed Potatoes

I'm cheating. I wrote this up a while ago but had no pictures. What fun is a recipe without pictures? These can be prepared well in advance of when you plan to serve them and can even be frozen and baked as needed.

Ingredients (per serving, multiply as needed)
1 medium-large russet potato
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 heaping tablespoon sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed (Patrick is a big fan of the cubed!)
1/2 teaspoon chopped green onion
fresh ground pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon (optional) to top

How To
Prepare potatoes according to the Steakhouse Potato recipe. Let potatoes cool until you can handle them comfortably.

Cut each potato length-wise. Using a soup spoon, scoop out the center of each potato, making sure to not scoop all the way out to the skin-- you want to leave some potato in the skin to give your skin some stability.

Arrange the skins in a shallow baking dish.

Put the scooped out skin in a heavy-duty freezer bag (1 pint-1 quart depending on how many you're making.) A freezer bag? Yes, a freezer bag. You'll thank me, I swear. Add the butter, sour cream, cheese, onions and pepper. Close the bag and squish the ingredients together until very well combined (my husband likes to do this step for me.)

Cut the corner off of your bag and squirt the filling into your potatoes.

Wasn't that easy? Now you don't have to clean a bowl or mashing instrument or nothing. Top the potatoes with the additional cheese and bacon (man, I love bacon. No bacon this time though.)

At this point, you can either bake the potatoes at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or you can refrigerate/freeze them for later use. We had these last night with tri-tip, chicken and grilled asparagus. Our friend Nora brought this gorgeous cake that I caught her boyfriend taking a picture of:

Weekday Pasta

Working from home is a tricky business. There are obvious perks but the downsides are there-- it can be lonely, you have to be organized and motivated, there's no IT guy when your computer freaks out* and you're surrounded by all those little things that need to be done around the house-- dirty dishes, bills to pay, and so on. Still, I love being able to make myself a simple lunch like this.

Ingredients
2 ounces of dry spaghetti (I use Barilla Plus. I don't like whole wheat pasta.)
3 slices of cooked, crumbed bacon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon butter
black pepper
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
capers or caperberries

How To
Bring salted water to boil for the pasta. While the pasta cooks, in a separate pan saute the garlic, rosemary and pepper until the garlic is soft. Add the bacon. Once the pasta is drained, add it to the other pan and toss with the bacon and butter. Pour onto a plate and top with cheese and capers.

This is the perfect portion for a single person, but this can obviously be doubled and tripled to accommodate more people.

*My husband plays a darn good IT guy though. He rescued me from the blue screen of death on Monday. Thanks, baby! You're my hero!

Beet and Fennel Salad

Our dinner last night was one of the best we've had at home. My husband slow-smoked our boneless rib-eyes after seasoning them with his homemade beef rub. I made mashed potatoes with sauted garlic and shallots and a beet and fennel salad that stole the show.

Ingredients
2 raw beets, any color. (The golden beets were wonderful here. Just so you know-- red beets will turn your salad pink.)
1 medium fennel bulb
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon poppy seed dressing

How To
Roast the beets, let them cool, peel them and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Clean and chop the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Toss the fennel, beets and dressing together. Refrigerate until ready to serve. You can leave it in the fridge for as long as 6 hours. Just before serving, toss with the feta cheese.

The Best Pork Chops

An easy week-day meal that fills the house with unbelievable good scents. Watch out for thin pork chops-- you want some nice, thick chops for this recipe. The apple is optional. You can skip it and just make the sauce.

Ingredients
2 thick pork chops
1 apple, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon whole-grain mustard
olive oil
salt and pepper

How To
Heat oil in a pan while seasoning both sides of each chop generously with salt and pepper. Brown the chops for about 5 minute on each side. Once the chops are browned, pour the apple cider and apple cider vinegar in the pan. Let the pork chops simmer in the juice for 10-15 minute or until no longer pink inside.

Once the chops are done, remove the chops and let them rest, covered in foil. Add the mustard, rosemary and apples to the pan, letting it simmer for about 5 minute or until the sauce has thickened and the apples are cooked. Cover each chop in apples and sauce and serve.

Roasted Baby Tomatoes

I'll admit it-- I made a batch of these a few days ago for my husband and I to have with dinner and I gobbled them all up before he came home.

These tomatoes are delicious served warm from the oven but are also wonderful pizza toppings or combined with buffalo mozzarella and basil as a twist on the classic caprese salad.

Ingredients
1 pound cherry tomatoes (or any small tomatoes you can find)
6 garlic cloves, pealed and coarsely chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

How To
Combine all the ingredients while preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes wilt and collapse in on themselves and everything caramelizes a bit. Serve warm or let cool for future use.

Beef Stew!

So good, it needs an exclamation mark.

Ingredients
1 pound stew beef, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, pealed and cut in two
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 dark beer
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups potato, cut into large pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup peas (I use frozen)
salt and pepper

How To
Brown the stew meat quickly in a dutch oven over a medium flame. Remove the meat and set aside. Turn down the flame and add half of the butter, onions and garlic to the dutch oven and saute until the onions are soft and dark brown. This can take a while-- 30 to 45 minutes. Add the remaining butter and flour to the pan. Mix well and cook for at least 20 minutes. The flour/onion combination should become dark brown.

Add the beer and stir, then add in all the remaining ingredients, save the mushroom, peas and salt. Cover the dutch oven and place in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Add the peas and mushrooms and let cook for 30 more minutes. Add salt to taste and serve hot with crusty bread.

Carbonara

Part of my New Year's Eve celebration was arguing over the proper way to make pasta with a carbonara sauce. Cream, peas, onions, bacon? All wrong.

Made properly, carbonara is rustic, rich and mysterious. Yes, it lends itself to additions like sauted mushrooms or grilled shrimp, but don't insult the power of this very simple sauce by adding cream.

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta (I like a thick spaghetti or penne)
6 ounces of pancetta, chopped into small cubes
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 raw egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
lots (three or four tablespoons) of fresh ground black pepper

How To

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for it to come to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the garlic and pancetta. Add the pasta to the boiling water.

In a large bowl, combine the pepper, egg yolks and Parmesan cheese. Once the pasta is cooked, take the saute pan off the heat, then drain and add pasta to the bowl of egg yolk mixture. Toss the pasta until it is all well coated. Then, pour the pasta into the saute pan and mix well. Serve hot.

Stuffed Tomatoes

These tomatoes are yummy and healthy. Of course, you have to like anchovies to like these. Lucky for me, I do! These can work as an appetizer or a light lunch for 2. If you have leftover filling, it's terrific on a piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients

a dozen small tomatoes (obviously, the smaller the tomato, the more you'll need)
1 can canelli (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
4 anchovy fillets, diced
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
pepper

How To

Prepare your tomatoes by cutting a small slice from the bottom, making it easier for the tomato to sit upright. Cut the top off the tomato and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place the tomatoes upside down on a paper towel as you do this, giving them time to drain while you prepare the filling.

In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Generously fill each tomato and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Broil at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the tops of the tomatoes are a deep, golden brown. Let the tomatoes cool for at least ten minutes.

The bigger the tomato you use, the more likely it is you'll end up eating them with a knife and fork. Not that that's a bad thing!

Savory Apples

I'm making these for Thanksgiving! The sauce is lovely. Be sure to not overcook your apples and to use fresh rosemary. Good as a side dish or served with roasted chicken or over pork loin. Serves 4 but can be doubled and tripled as needed.

Ingredients
2 large apples, pealed and sliced
1 cup apple cider or hard cider
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

How To
Combine all ingredients (except for the apples and cranberries) in a large saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the apples and cranberries. Cook until the apples are soft and the cranberries are plump. Remove the apples and cranberries, then bring sauce to a boil and let thicken. Pour over the apples and serve warm.

Spinach Gratin with Ham

I started with this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa years ago and have been slowly “modding” it to the great delight of family and friends. The version below is frequently requested and I get hungry just thinking about it.

Ingredients

2 bags of frozen spinach (16 ounces each)
1/2 stick of butter
4 cups chopped yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped ham

How To

Thaw the spinach and squeeze as much liquid as possible from it. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Heat the cream and milk and add to the onion mixture. Cook until thickened. Add the spinach, ham, Parmesan cheese, and half of the Gruyere to the sauce.

Transfer the spinach to a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese on top has good color. Serve hot.

Spinach-Stuffed Potatoes

Yummy!

Ingredients
2 potatoes, baked and cooled
1 16-ounce bag of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much water as possible
2 ounces of gruyere or swiss cheese, chopped into very small pieces (not shredded)
4 tablespoons crumbled bacon
1 teaspoon granulate garlic
4 teaspoons butter, melted.
2 tablespoons cream cheese
freshly ground pepper (to taste)

How To
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides to create a little boat (you won't be using the removed potato. Potato pancakes for another meal, perhaps?) Combine the remaining ingredients, save for the butter. Fill the potato skins with the spinach mixture. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

"Grilled" Asparagus

People always rave about my asparagus and it's one of the easiest things on earth to prepare. Generally, I throw it on the grill alongside whatever we're grilling that night, but you can also pop it in the oven.

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus with the tough, woody part snapped off
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (fresh garlic can scorch and turn bitter easily on a hot grill)
salt and pepper

How To
Take two sheets of aluminum foil and lay them across one another so they form an X. Place the asparagus in the center. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with the granulated garlic and lots of salt and pepper. Wrap the seasoned asparagus tightly in the foil. Grill or bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Yogurt Chicken Skewers

Great on the grill with a side of rice pilaf or couscous.

Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 small (8 ounce) container of plain, non-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 large pinch crushed saffron threads
1 dash of cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 crushed garlic cloves
grilling vegis cut into chunks-- I like red onion, summer squashes, bell peppers, and baby tomatoes

How To
Combine the yogurt and spices. Pour over the chicken and let marinate for several hours, preferably overnight. Heat your grill and begin assembling the chicken and vegis on skewers (soak the skewers in water beforehand to minimize burning.) Sprinkle with salt and place on the grill. Cook for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Serves 2.

Onion Pie

My sister taught me this recipe. This is a real love-it-or-hate-it dish but if you love it, you really, really love it. It's great as a side dish or as a light meal when you pair a slice with a green salad.

Ingredients
1 uncooked pie crust
1 6 ounce jar Dijon mustard
2 large, white onions, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon butter
1 can crushed tomatoes, very well drained
1 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded
fresh ground black pepper

How To
Melt the butter in a pan and add onions. Saute until the onions are very soft. As the onions cook, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the Dijon mustard thickly across the bottom of the pie crust and set aside. Once the onions are cooked, combine with the tomatoes and a good dose of pepper. Spoon the onion and tomatoes into the pie crust evenly. Sprinkle the gruyere over the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is very brown.

Your kitchen will smell amazing. Let cool slightly before slicing. Delicious warm or cool.

Teriyaki Beef

I made this for dinner last night and both my husband and I were over the moon over this. A great use for leftover tri-tip!

Ingredients
2 cups grilled beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups julienned vegetables-- asparagus, carrots, green beans or even broccoli rabe work well here
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup soy ginger broth
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
chopped green onion

How To
Saute the garlic in the oil until soft. Add the broth, wine, soy sauce, 5 spice, red pepper and vegetables. Saute until the vegetables are nearly cooked. Add the beef and teriyaki sauce and saute. Add the macadamia nuts in the last minute. Serve over white rice with the green onion.

Peanut Sauce

This sauce is great over chicken or shrimp and rice or noodles. Be aware that noodles will "suck up" more of the sauce than rice. This is also a high-fat sauce, which is why I prefer to use chicken breast with this as opposed to the thighs. This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 servings.

Ingredients
1 cup chunky peanut butter
2 cups soy ginger broth or chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated ginger (can be omitted if you are using soy ginger broth)
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
chopped green onion
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
3 tablespoons soy sauce

How To
Combine all the ingredients save the green onion in a wide sauce pan. Stir until well combined over low heat. If you want the sauce a little thinner (especially if you plan to use it over noodles) a 1/4 cup water. Add the chicken or shrimp to the sauce and combine. Pour over rice or toss with noodles. Top with green onions and serve.

Can-Be-Hammy Spinach

This is one of those recipes that I can't come up with a good name for. It's a quick imitation of the spinach gratin I like to make for potlucks and holidays (I add ham to mine, but it's optional.) In short, it knocks people on their collective asses, but sometimes I want the flavors without all the work. This is my quick version. Not quite as creamy, not quite as rich, but very tasty. My husband doesn't like cooked spinach, but he gobbles this stuff up.

Ingredients
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 chopped white onion
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
8 ounces frozen spinach
1/2 cup chopped ham steak (I like Neiman Ranch's. Vegetarians can skip this without fear.)
1/4 cup shredded gruyere
pepper

How To
Saute the garlic, onion and ham in the butter or olive oil until the ham is "toasted". Add the spinach and stir until the spinach thaws. If you have a little white wine on hand, add a splash. Add the cheese and stir until the entire thing is hot and bubbly. Season with pepper and serve. Great with steak.

Roasted Beets

Beets are one of those foods that begs to be rediscovered. Roasting your own beets is a satisfying, easy task that tends to wow people. When you buy your beets from a farmer's market, you'll frequently have the option of buying them with the greens on top or without. If you keep the greens, you can wash and chop them, then saute them in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roasted beets taste nothing like those watery things from a can.

Ingredients
1 or 2 large beets for each serving
olive oil
salt

How To
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scrub each beet well and cut off the top and bottom. Place the beet in the center of a square of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and olive oil and wrap the beet in foil. Arrange in a pan and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel the beets by rubbing them with a damp paper towel. The skin should come off easily. Rinse in cool water and serve warm or cold.