Citrus Salad with Avocado and Beans

I really have no idea what this recipe is called. I kind of made it up since I don't have the actual recipe. My mom found this particular gem in a magazine several years ago, and it has wonderful flavor with the citrus fruit and avocados. I love pairing this side dish with grilled chicken. They complement each other nicely. My favorite time to make this is during the summer months, because I love how the citrus salad is so cooling. If you don't like beans then feel free to omit them. I think it still tastes great without the beans. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 jar Delmonte Citrus Salad, drained (or leave some of the juice if you are not using the vinaigrette)
1 14 oz can Black Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
1 Avocado, sliced
1 small Red Onion, diced
Handful of chopped Cilantro
Small Vinegar/Olive Oil Vinaigrette, store-bought (I actually omitted this step and it still came out yummy)

Combine all the above ingredients into a serving bowl and give it a nice stir. It stores well in an air-tight container for a day or two in the fridge.

Holiday Dinner Rolls

For any holiday dinner the one thing I can't do without are rolls. Rolls not only are great as a side for dinner, but they're great the next day for turkey or ham sandwiches. I found this recipe from Sprinkle Some Sunshine, and they turned out perfectly. Unfortunately, I didn't have much left-over as I only made enough for lunch and dinner on Thanksgiving. But, I will definitely make them again and save a couple for left-overs. Everyone really enjoyed them, and I know you will, too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 package regular dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk, scalded
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour (approximately)

Set your oven to about 100 degrees. Take out a large bowl, and dissolve the yeast in warm water. The water should be about 105 to 110 degrees. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and puffs up. Next, pour milk in a medium bowl and microwave for a couple minutes. While the milk is hot; stir in the butter. Once the milk and butter has cooled some stir the egg, salt, and milk mixture into the yeast. Using a fork stir in sugar and 2 cups of the flour. This should form a batter. Now, add in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. I probably used an additional 2-3 cups of flour. Pour the dough onto a floured surface, and knead for several minutes. Place dough in a large greased bowl, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in the warm oven or an hour until it's doubled in size. It took about 2 hours for my dough to double in size. Then, remove the dough from the oven and punch it down. Shape the dough into rolls, and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. It made about 15 rolls. Cover with a towel and place back in the warm oven to rise an additional hour. Remove from oven and then set the temperature to 350 degrees. Then, bake for 15-20 minutes or until a golden brown color. Remove from oven, and brush with melted butter.

Roasted Squash Toss

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and I ate myself silly. I made Thanksgiving lunch for my Dad. Then, later that day I went over to my mom's for Thanksgiving dinner. I'll post what I made for lunch in a little bit. For dinner, I decided to make a squash recipe because I have a ton of squash sitting around just waiting to be eaten. I was going to make Ina Garten's Roasted Butternut Squash, but decided to find a recipe that also incorporated Acorn Squash. I came across this recipe from Sunny Anderson and decided to give it a shot. It got really good reviews, so I thought why not. Well, why not indeed. It turned out to be a very tasty and spicy recipe. The only spice in the recipe (other than cinnamon) is red pepper flakes, but it definitely packed a punch. I highly recommend this recipe not just for Thanksgiving, but for any day of the week. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons red chili flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (1 1/2 pound) acorn squash, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup almond slivers
1/2 orange, zested and juiced (about 1/3 cup juice and 1 tablespoon zest) (I omitted this ingredient and it still turned out fine)

Preheat your oven to 425. Take out a large bowl and combine the garlic thru the cinnamon. Add in the cubed and peeled squash. Toss together well. Season with salt and pepper. I added about half a teaspoon salt and about 1/4 tsp black pepper. Place the squash on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. While the squash is roasting; go ahead and take out a saute pan and add the almond slivers to it. Toast at medium heat until the almonds turn a light golden color; about 4 minutes. Be sure to stir often. Remove the squash from the oven and add to a serving bowl along with the slivered almonds. If you're going to use the orange zest and juice; this is the point where you add it. Serve and enjoy.

Mashed Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

One of our very first Iron Chef's was Iron Chef Bacon. Can you believe we've been doing these Iron Chefs for almost 4 years??!! Yowa!! I remember loooving this mashed potato casserole courtesy of Bon Appetit. I, of course, thought it was the winner, but my presentation was pretty lame. Oh well. I've made this recipe several times since, and most recently at a Friends-giving party. I bet it would have been voted the winner had those friends attended the Iron Chef party. ;) This recipe is filled with lots of goodness: butter, potatoes, cheese, and bacon! Mmmm. Trust me; you'll love it and your friends will thank you for it! Enjoy!  

Ingredients:
6 slices thick-cut smoked bacon (preferably applewood-smoked)
3 large green onions (white and pale green parts only), finely chopped
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated smoked Gouda, divided

Take out a 13x9 baking dish and butter it. I omitted buttering the dish. I figured it wasn't needed since mashed potatoes aren't exactly sticky. Place the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Throw in some salt and boil with the lid slightly ajar for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes come out fork tender.

Meanwhile;  cook bacon in a large heavy skillet until nice and crispy. I used the entire package of bacon. I mean really; 6 pieces?!  Anyway, once the bacon is sufficiently crispy; transfer to a paper towel to drain. Then take out a small bowl; and add in the chopped green onions along with the crumbled bacon. Stir and set aside.

Once the potatoes are fork tender; drain into a colander. Then place potatoes back in the same large pot, and while cooking over medium heat; stir until potatoes are dry and light film forms in the bottom of the pot. Next, add in the sour cream, milk, and butter. Use a potato masher to mash up the potatoes until almost smooth. Honestly, I used an immersion blender at this point because my masher wasn't doing a good job at smoothing the potatoes. They were quite chunky. Then, stir in 1 1/2 cups of the smoked Gouda and 1 cup of the bacon mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Next, spread the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining Gouda.

Pre-heat oven to 375 and then bake the potatoes for about 30 minutes or until the cheese melts and the edges of the potatoes start boiling. Sprinkle reserved bacon mixture on top and serve.

Summer Squash Saute

As I mentioned in the previous post; I love to peruse Bon Appetit's Magazine on the weekends to find new recipes. The June issue of Bon Appetit was a good one. I pulled out several recipes including this one for Summer Squash Sautee. I love when squash is in season. There's so much you can do with it; saute, grill, fry, etc. You can spice it up by adding red pepper flakes, create a sauce for dipping, or add a little melted butter and eat it grilled. Well, I have to say this was awesome. It was spicy, crunchy, and just plain good. It was very simple to make and I highly recommend this as a side dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 lb. summer squash and/or zucchini, cut into matchsticks
1 tsp kosher salt plus more
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced (I minced mine)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or a half teaspoon more if you like spicy)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut your squash into matchsticks, and place in a colander. Toss with a teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze well to remove as much excess water as possible (do not rinse). Next, toast almonds in a skillet over medium heat. Toss occasionally until lightly browned. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Then, heat oil in the same skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned. About a minute or two. Add squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp and tender, about 5 minutes. Fold in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Fold in almonds. Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Sesame Carrot Salad

Carrots are fine. To me, that's all I can say. I don't dislike them. I don't love them. They are just fine. But, the Hubs likes carrots a lot. And I found out as I was making this carrot salad, my two dogs also really like carrots. Well, one of them likes them, the other I'm pretty sure thinks they are just orange sticks and is a little confused by them. But that's neither here nor there. The important part is that even though I'm not a big fan of carrots, this Spicy Sesame Carrot Salad was really good. I even went back for seconds. I found the recipe on YumSugar and pretty much followed it exactly, although I skipped the sesame seeds because I just find them to be a nuisance. And I put about a half teaspoon more of sesame oil because I love it so. This salad is just a little tart from the vinegar, and has a building heat. The carrots are still crunchy but a little softer than an untreated carrot, and it gets some nice flavor from the sesame oil and cilantro. It's a great summer side! 

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (I added a little more)

1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp if you don’t like spicy)

Kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled lengthwise into thin ribbons

1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves

Start by peeling your carrots, then use the peeler to cut the clean carrots into ribbons. This was harder to do than I thought, and I actually had some of the centers of the carrots left where it was no longer viable for me to get ribbons of carrot without also getting ribbons of finger. So I gave the carrot centers to the dogs (and the Hubs). In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegars, honey, sesame oil, seeds, flakes and salt. Pour this dressing over the carrots, add the cilantro, and mix thoroughly. I would let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes for the flavors to get into the carrots a little bit. And make sure to mix it again as you serve it because the dressing tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl. I’m sure this is a side dish that everyone will enjoy! 

Iron Chef Grape: The Signature Salad

I hosted our 17th Iron Chef Competition. I decided that our "secret" ingredient would be grape. There was some contention concerning this ingredient. I think because there aren't a heckuva lot of recipes out there for grape. You really have to go digging to conjure up some recipes. Overall, I think it was a pretty darn successful competition. I wanted to make something delicious, but I didn't really want to win since I was the hostess. I decided to make a side dish, and tried a couple different recipes. Ultimately, I settled on this salad because I thought it was delicious and represented the grape well. Plus, it's a pretty dish which doesn't hurt. I've since made this salad and it's really scrumptious. Enjoy.
 


Ingredients:
8 ounces mixed greens
2 cups red grapes, sliced in half
2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2/3 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
½ cup shelled pistachios
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese (I used Manchego cheese)

Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
1 medium shallot, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup sherry vinegar (if you can't find sherry vinegar, substitute red wine vinegar)
½ cup olive oil

The recipe doesn't call for this, but I roasted my grapes. Set your oven to 350 degrees. Take out a baking sheet and add some foil on top. Place the sliced grapes on the baking sheet, and place in the oven. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes until the grapes start to soften. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Now, let's make the dressing. Take out a small bowl, and combine the minced shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Then, whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Now, onto the salad. Take out a large bowl and combine the lettuce, diced pears, cranberries, pistachios, cheese, and roasted grapes. Using salad tongs give a quick toss of the ingredients. Pour in the dressing and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

This is a pasta salad that I made a long time ago. Before I really got into cooking. I found this recipe on All Recipes, and I took it to a party of my then-boyfriend, now-husband’s co-workers. And…no one ate it. Well, I did. And of course my “trying to impress” boyfriend did. But no one else did, and that still stings a little. But I actually really enjoyed it, so I made it again this weekend, 8 years later, for one of my own parties. And I can’t say that I set it out with much confidence, but that all changed when everyone started complimenting it. And eating it. In fact, by the time the night was over there was none left at all. So I’m not sure what was wrong with that first group of people, but clearly they don’t know what’s up! This is a fairly simple pasta salad to make, but it’s got a lot of great flavor, and it’s definitely different from your traditional summer pasta salads. Don’t be like that first party—try it!

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onion

One thing to note right off the bat. I generally have to make a second batch of the sauce. The pasta and chicken just really suck it up. So usually, I make it as directed and let it spend the night in the fridge. In the morning I stir it up and test it, and almost always end up making another half batch of the sauce to add in. I definitely recommend making it ahead of time since the sauce really needs to get into the pasta and chicken to hold on to that flavor.

Boil your chicken breasts and shred them first. At the same time, you can boil your farfalle (bowtie) pasta to al dente. Rinse it under cold water to cool and put in a large bowl or Tupperware. In a jar or a Tupperware container (something that you can tightly close) mix the vegetable oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and black pepper. Close the lid (tightly!) and shake the dickens out of it. Then pour it over the pasta and mix in the chicken, cilantro and green onion. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and then assess the flavor. If it seems a little bland or dry, make another half batch of sauce and pour it in. Let it sit for another fifteen minutes at least before serving.

Arugula with Pine Nuts and Manchego Cheese

Recently, I visited my sister for dinner. She made Shrimp Scampi, but minus the pasta. Instead of the pasta we decided to have a salad and bread. I offered to bring the ingredients for the salad. She suggested that we make arugula with pine nuts and manchego cheese and a simple vinaigrette. I thought that sounded delicious, and I was right. The shrimp was wonderful, but I really enjoyed the salad. So much so that I decided to make this salad again at home. It's really simple and very delicious. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
7 oz bag of baby arugula
2 oz block of Manchego Cheese (about 1/3 cup shredded)
1/4 cup Pine nuts
1/4 cup of good Olive oil
1 lemon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt
pepper

Take out a large bowl, and add the arugula. Add the pine nuts. Add the cheese. Then, add the juice of one lemon. Drizzle the olive oil over the salad. Add the red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad to evenly coat the greens. Add more salt and pepper to taste. If necessary add a bit more olive oil or lemon juice. Enjoy.

Chicken Fried Rice

The Hubs and I are really bad about leftovers. I always have the best intentions when I save something. Especially since there are a few nights a week where our schedule means we aren’t having a formal meal together. That would of course be the perfect time to take care of that leftover soup, or make that leftover meat into a sandwich. But what usually happens is I end up eating pita chips and ice cream, and the leftovers eventually get thrown away. So, I really like the idea of something that actually uses leftover rice as a main ingredient. The only problem was that we didn’t actually have any leftover rice, so I made some before work in the morning, and we had it that night. Still, I definitely know what I’m making next time we have a take out carton of rice leftover, because this was phenomenal. So good, and I am not exaggerating, that the Hubs claims that he’ll never get fried rice at a restaurant again. Yeah. Big words. Anyway, we took a basic fried rice recipe from the Bite SizedBlog and added chicken and a few other ingredients. The great thing about this form of meal is you can pretty much add in any vegetable or meat you want and it’s going to come out great.

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

3 tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

1 chile pepper, minced (we used a Habanero)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 cups old rice, room temperature

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

2 eggs

4 scallions, chopped

Small handful of chopped fresh basil (Thai basil would be great, too)

Now, we did not use a wok because we’ve had trouble with them in the past. But apparently, the secret is using it over a flame and not an electric burner. So if you can make that happen, you might want to try the wok since it will get your rice a little crispier than we were able to get ours.

I boiled my chicken first and shredded it, then seasoned it with salt and pepper and set it aside. Next heat up the oil so it’s good and hot. We used grape oil but I might try peanut oil next time for a little extra flavor. Then add in the onion and chile pepper and sauté them until they are brown and crispy. Then lower the heat and add in the garlic and ginger just for 30 seconds to a minute. Add in your rice and butter and stir in as the butter melts. You want the rice to get a little crispy as well, which was hard for us. A little tip from the Hubs… be patient. We have a tendency to always be stirring, and that’s going to make it hard to get crispy rice. So don’t worry about letting the rice be still for a minute or so between stirs.

Use the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil to deglaze the pan and get all those tasty brown bits up. Then add in your eggs. I actually think we could have used one more egg, but see what feels right for you. You want to stir them in right away, making sure to break the yolk. Do it one at a time if you have to. You don’t want the egg to just cook where you threw it in. We added the chicken in at this point, and also another tablespoon or two of soy sauce since the chicken seemed to suck up all the liquid. Then we stirred in the scallions and basil for another minute and we were done! We enjoyed it so much that even though we made a lot, there were definitely no leftovers. 

Refried Beans

One of my favorite side dishes growing up was my mom's refried beans. She often made them with beef tacos or flank steak. It is really delicious. I made tacos tonight, and wanted to make refried beans as my side dish. This really goes along well with just about anything. Plus, it's really easy to make and pretty inexpensive at that. Enjoy!             
   

Ingredients:
2 cans pinto beans
1 cup store bought salsa like Picante brand
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
1/2 tsp salt

First take out a large sautee pan and add the olive oil. Set the burner to medium heat. Once the pan is warm add in the diced onion and sautee till the onions are translucent about 5 minutes. Add the beans into the pan (including the liquid) and stir. Let simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then, take a potato masher and mash the beans. Then add the salsa and stir. Let simmer for a couple more minutes, and then lastly add in the cheese and season with the salt. Stir.

Fried Plantains

I love cuban food. It's probably a result of growing up in Tampa, Florida. But, I'll take plantains, cuban sandwiches, black beans, yellow rice, Picadillo, etc any day of the week. Unfortunately, I can't always get Cuban Sandwiches (well, the real deal) unless I go to Florida. But, I can get plantains at the grocery store (when they're in season) any day of the week. Recently, Kroger had some plantains for sale. They were that nice dark color that usually indicates a ripe plantain. Trust me you don't want green plantains that's when you know they're not ripe. Try to find dark brown to even black plantains. They're the best. This is a really simple recipe and the result is delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 plantain (dark in color)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt

Simply remove the peel off the plantain. You can slice the plantain however you want. I sliced it down the middle once and then turned it over and sliced it length-wise again. Then, I cut it in half. Take a medium-sized skillet and add in your oil. You may add in more oil if needed. Let the oil heat up over medium-high. Sprinkle some water over the oil and when it sizzles you know it's ready. Add in the plantains and cook for a couple minutes on each side. Once cooked thru remove from the oil and place on paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher. Serve warm and enjoy!

Grilled Cabbage with Spicy Lime Dressing

Ok, I know what you're thinking. Cabbage. Cabbage? But don't judge. Don't give up on this humble veggie without giving it another, newer (and tastier) try. I've always been a fan of raw cabbage, although I know that puts me in the minority. In fact, as a kid I remember we used to ask my mom for the cabbage core whenever she was making cole slaw. If you've never tried the core, please do. It's a little like a radish without the bite. Very tasty. But I digress. I saw this recipe for grilled cabbage on The Kitchn and knew that I wanted to try it immediately. I also knew that I would meet with some resistance from the Hubs, but I thought the spicy lime dressing might bring him around. Well, he admitted he had his doubts, but in the end said that he was "pleasantly surprised." Hey, I'll take it. This is a great, flavor-packed side dish that is surprisingly filling, considering it's pretty much just cabbage. The dressing is very citrusy, but pairs nicely with the mellow cabbage and the garlic and cilantro also stood out. If I had one complaint it would be that I didn't get spiciness from this at all, so next time I might add a jalapeno to the dressing. We used half a head of cabbage for two people, but I'm including the recipe for the whole head below. 

Ingredients
1/4 cup lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 head green cabbage
Grapeseed or canola oil

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients except the cabbage together in a small bowl. The original recipe said to "whizz" them in a food processor, but to be honest, I didn't feel like dirtying up my whole Cuisinart just for this little bit of dressing. So I used my trusty garlic press and I feel like it turned out just fine. Set the dressing aside and prepare your cabbage. Get rid of the outer layers of tough leaves until you get to the tasty good cabbage inside. Cut it into 8 wedges and brush the edges with oil. To grill it, put the wedges on for about 5 minutes or so with the cover closed until the edges start to get some good color. Flip them on the other edge and cook for another 5-7 minutes with the cover closed. We kept the cabbage relatively crisp in the center, but if you want to soften it up even more just cook it for longer.  Then just pour the dressing over the wedge and serve with a knife. Give cabbage a chance! You might find yourself pleasantly surprised as well.

Sweet Potato Casserole

My all-time favorite Thanksgiving meal is not Turkey, not mashed potatoes, nor is it stuffing. It's sweet potato casserole. Yes, as a child I did not like this dish either. I seriously was missing out especially since there's a yummy sweetness to it. I found this  recipe about 10 years ago, and I've been making it ever since. If you don't like coconut flakes, you can omit those, but I think it goes great with the casserole. I was at Thanksgiving lunch at a friend's house, and her 5 year-old niece refused to try the sweet potatoes. I could certainly empathize with her, but I thought to myself; oh, one day you will realize how silly you were to not give it a shot. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 5 sweet potatoes, boiled until softened, skin removed)
3/4 c white sugar
1/3 c butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c mlk

Topping:
1 c flaked coconut
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1 c chopped pecans
1/3 c melted butter

Preheat you oven to 350 degrees. Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, white sugar, soft butter, beaten eggs, vanilla, and milk. Spoon into a 2 quart oven proof baking dish.
Next, in a medium bowl combine the coconut, flour, brown sugar, nuts, and melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potatoes and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Spicy Corn Salad

Side dishes are the orphaned children of the kitchen. The supporting cast that never gets acknowledged. The main is the star, and usually gets all of our focus. By the time we get around to thinking about what to serve alongside the lead act, it’s too late, or we’re too tired to do more than put a bag of frozen veggies in the microwave, or heat up a packet of chicken-flavored rice. Side dishes totally get the shaft, and so lately I’ve been trying to do them a little more justice. This Spicy Corn Salad is a variation of a recipe I found on Macaroni and Cheesecake (blech! Sorry, but that’s an unappetizing name for a food blog. Just sayin’.). I added red onion and a chili pepper, and it really added to the flavors. We liked it so much that we even saved the leftovers and ate them again! I know that’s what leftovers are for, but we don’t always go back for them. It’s great when it’s warm, and I also enjoyed it cold the next day. Spicy, fresh and full of great corn flavor, it definitely takes center stage.

Ingredients

4 ears of corn

1 ½ Tbsp olive oil

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/2 Tbsp mayo

1 Tbsp sour cream

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 Tbsp shredded Parmesan

¼ Tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 Chili pepper, minced

First, cut your corn off the cob carefully. Don’t get any cob in there. Don’t get any finger in there either. Also try to get as much silk off the corn as possible, because it won’t be pleasant to eat later. Put the corn in a small bowl and add olive oil, salt & pepper and stir. Spread the corn out on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees. It’ll be nice and golden and corny.

When it’s done, add the corn to a medium bowl and then just throw all the other ingredients in there and stir! I used a habanero because that’s what I had laying around. I also felt the pain of habanero oil on my fingers for like, a day and a half. So be careful when you cut your chili. I also didn’t have sour cream. I think that would have added a little extra bit of goodness.  

Reposted: Your Last Potato Salad Recipe

I'm reposting this recipe because, well, it's potato salad season. And also I've finally gotten my own photo. I also updated the ingredients slightly.

You know that saying, “As American as apple pie”? It’s total BS. I mean, come on. When was the last time you had a slice of apple pie? Might as well say, “As American as goat cheese.” Or “As American as Choco-tacos.” I say we should pick something else. Something we eat at every cookout. Something that screams Fourth of July with every bite. Something like potato salad. Say it to yourself. “As American as potato salad.” Makes sense right? Well it will, after you try this recipe.

Ingredients

4 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed
8 dill pickle spears, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Probably the best way to start is by hardboiling the eggs. I hate boiling eggs because it should be so easy and it never is. Look up “the perfect boiled egg” online and you’ll find twenty different ways to do it. This is how I do it. There may be better ways out there, but this works for me. Put the eggs in a pot and just cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and let them boil for about one minute. Then remove them from the heat and let them sit, covered, for 12-15 minutes. Then rinse them with cold water until they are cool and ready to peel.

While the eggs are boiling, you can also boil the potatoes. I’ve done this both ways and I think the best way is to boil them whole. If you cut them up first, they boil faster, but the skins tend to fall off. So, throw them in the pot with cold water and let them boil until they are fork tender. Then drain and let them cool before chopping them up. Make sure you have a sharp knife!

Put the chopped potatoes, eggs, celery, onion and pickles together into a large Tupperware container (for easy storage). I suggest mixing up the dressing separately so you are sure it’s fully combined. Then pour it over the potato mixture and stir carefully. I like to let it sit overnight before serving, but you can also serve it right away. Just make sure everything is fully cooled. I guarantee it will be a hit at your next cookout, and soon you’ll be saying, “As American as potato salad,” along with me.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

I know, I know. Your friend the Jolly Green Giant makes those veggie steamer packs that are soooo much easier than actually making a legit vegetable side dish. But I promise this is so easy, and very tasty, so it definitely makes a few minutes of extra work worthwhile. I’m not even going to make you read my musings—let’s get right to the recipe.

Head of Cauliflower cut into florets
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

Mix the olive oil and spices in a bowl big enough for your cauliflower. Don’t be afraid to use a slightly larger bowl—I didn’t and it was hard to keep the cauliflower from escaping into the waiting mouths of my dogs.

Toss your cauliflower in the oil and spices and then pour it onto a baking sheet. In a 475 degree oven, roast the cauliflower for about 10 minutes. Stir and roast for about another 10 (you might want to check on it). When it’s a nice golden color, it’s done and ready to serve! The Green Giant might not like it, but you definitely will. 

Cilantro Pesto Orzo

This is our first pesto. I know that’s hard to believe, and now that I made it I can’t believe that it’s taken this long either. Not only is it incredibly flavorful, it’s also somewhat healthy, and so easy too. You just throw all the ingredients into a blender or food pro and blammo! Instant pesto. I suspect this pesto would be great on any kind of pasta, but it just so happens that this recipe calls for orzo.

Anyway, this is fresh and bright—smells fantastic and has a tiny bit of crunch from pistachios. Plus the little bit of parmesan makes it creamy and delicious. We served it with a fairly simple salmon, and it’s great as a side. On spaghetti it’d make a wonderful main too (and we’ll be trying that as well.) If you’re so inclined I think a little spritz of lemon juice on top would make it even better.

Ingredients

8oz Orzo pasta
1 bunch fresh cilantro
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup shelled pistachios
1 lime, juiced
salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock

I eyeballed all the ingredients, and it turned out great, but those are the measurements from the original recipe, which I got from Lipstick Blogger. To cook the orzo, follow the directions on the package. (Bring water to a boil, add the pasta and let it return to a boil, then cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain.)

Meanwhile, get out your food pro or blender (I tend to go for the food pro on things like this. It seems to work better for me.) Throw in all the ingredients through the salt (cilantro, garlic, vinegar, cheese, cayenne, pistachios, lime juice, salt) and blend until it forms a paste. Add the olive oil and blend again. Then add the chicken stock in small amounts (about a tablespoon) until it reaches the desired consistency. The recipe didn’t say what the desired consistency was, but I thought it should be more like a thick sauce.

Warm the pesto in a saucepan over low heat and stir until it begins to simmer. Let it cook a little bit to get some of the edge of the garlic out, then pour it over the pasta, mix it thoroughly, and serve! Splash with a little lemon juice if you feel like it. If you aren’t already a pesto lover, this one will certainly convert you. 


(click here for printable recipe)

Chicken Piccata w/ Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Tonight I wanted to make something relatively healthy. I knew I wanted to make something involving chicken and brussels sprouts. I had purchased frozen brussels sprouts from Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's is my go to grocery store for frozen vegetables. Their prices are insanely reasonably priced. If you've never been find one in your area and go. Now. Anyway, one of the best blogs on the web for healthy recipes is Gina's Skinny Taste. She tries really hard to make popular recipes healthy. I decided to try her Chicken Piccata. She slimmed down Barefoot Contessa's recipe. And, I have to say it was really good. I did not follow a recipe for brussels sprouts. I just thru some stuff together and it turned out pretty great. Give this recipe a try. Enjoy!


Chicken Piccata Ingredients:
2 (16 oz total) chicken cutlet halves, all fat trimmed
freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites
2/3 cup seasoned whole wheat dry bread crumbs
olive oil spray (about 1 tbsp worth)
1 tbs light butter
juice of 1 lemon, lemon halves reserved
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
1 tbsp capers
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

If you have a pretty thick chicken breast. Go ahead and wrap in plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer until the chicken is about a fourth inch in thickness. Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Now, take a small bowl and pour the egg whites in it. Take a small plate and add the bread crumbs. I used panko bread crumbs sprinkled with italian seasoning. Dredge the chicken in some flour.
Take a sautee pan and spray with cooking spray. Set the heat to medium. Now, dredge the chicken in egg whites and then the crumbs. Spray one side of the chicken with cooking spray and place that side down in the warm pan. Spray the side of the chicken that is facing up with cooking spray. Turn the chicken after a couple minutes. Cook until the chicken is cooked thru. It took about 8 minutes for mine to cook. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Clean the pan. Now, add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the lemon juice, chicken broth, the lemon, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once the sauce has reduced by half; pour over the chicken. Add the chopped parsely and capers. Enjoy.

Brussels Sprouts Ingredients:
Light Bacon 2 slices, cooked and crushed
1 light shallot diced
1 minced garlic clove
Red Pepper Flakes
Sriracha
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1 cup brussels sprouts, sliced in half
salt and pepper


Cook your bacon until crispy. Set aside. Don't throw out the bacon juice, because you will want to add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook for a minute over medium heat. Add in the brussels sprouts. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes and a couple squirts of sriracha. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the brussels sprouts. Cook over medium to medium low heat until the brussels sprouts are tender. Taste a brussels sprout to make sure it's seasoned properly. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with the crushed bacon and the chopped pistachios. Enjoy.

(Click here for printable recipe)

Spaghetti Squash Gratin - Low Calorie Version

When Sara posted the Spaghetti Squash Gratin I had just started Weight Watchers. As soon as I saw heavy cream, cheese and butter I was hating life because I knew this would kill my points for the day. So I adapted the recipe to make it diet-friendly. I haven't tried Sara's version yet, but I am sure mine is not as good (as with most low calorie recipes). However this has become a staple in our house.


Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash, baked until tender (see Sara's recipe on how to prepare)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, divided in half
(in a pinch I have sub this with mozzarella and it was still pretty good)
1 tsp of oregano
salt and black pepper, to taste


Pre-heat oven to 400. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium high. Add onions and garlic then saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Combine onion and garlic mixture with ricotta and spaghetti squash. Then add half of the parmigiano reggiano, salt, pepper & oregano. Put the mixture into an 8 x 8 baking dish and cover with the rest of the parmigiano reggiano. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.


I served with little mini pizzas made with Arnolds thin rounds as the crust, laughing cow sun dried tomato wedge as the sauce, and topped with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375.



(Click here for printable recipe)