Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pecans and Cranberries

We're almost into spring (although it still seems like it's too cold to be spring quite yet) and so I'm trying to get my fill of different winter fruits and vegetables.  We're having roasted butternut squash this week as part of our menu and the other week, I made this Brussels sprouts salad.  I like Brussels sprouts  (try them roasted or sauteed) but had never had them raw before.  I really enjoyed this and didn't find the Brussels sprouts taste to be overwhelming.

The apple cider dressing was great on this! I loved the pecans, cranberries, and gorgonzola -- it's a classic combination -- but I also think this would be great by substituting walnuts and parmesan.  (The only thing that kept me from making that was the fact that I would have to grate the parmesan and that means cleaning our cheese grater.  Yes, I can be that lazy.)

Usually with salads, I don't put the dressing on the entire salad because lettuce is so delicate and any leftovers wilt with the dressing.  However, since Brussels sprouts are heartier than lettuce leaves, it was easy to just dress the entire salad and the leftovers were just as delicious the next day.

Brussels Sprouts Salad
Taken from: Two Peas and Their Pod

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 1/2-1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional, I omitted for part of the salad)

1. Rinse brussels sprouts and remove any damaged or dirty outer leaves. Place on a cutting board and slice off the hard root end. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the brussels sprouts (you could also use a mandoline or food processor to do this). When you're done, use your fingers to gently separate the leaves so that the shredded sprouts resemble a very fine slaw. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Optional (I actually omitted this step and kept the pecans raw): To toast the pecans, place a medium frying pan on the stove top. Turn on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a single layer of pecans. Stir frequently with a spatula until they start looking darker and you can smell the toasted nuts. Remove from heat and spread out on a plate to cool to room temperature. Make sure you watch the pecans closely, they can burn pretty quickly and they will keep cooking after removing them from the pan.
3. For the dressing, add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small jar.  Put a lid on the jar and shake until mixed well.
4. Add the toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and blue cheese to the chopped brussels sprouts. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until all of the ingredients are well coated. Serve.

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Autumn Salad

This sounded like my kind of salad.  Pears, feta (or blue) cheese...and bacon.  I had never had bacon on a salad and now I'm wondering why I hadn't thought of it before.  It added a wonderful smokiness to the dish.  Of course, the other ingredients didn't disappoint either and it all came together to make a wonderful salad.

This is a very flexible recipe.-- there aren't many measurements given, although I wrote in a rough estimate of what I used in our salad.   I highly recommend making your own vinaigrette which only takes 2 minutes to throw together but you can also used bottled salad dressing, too.

While this was called an autumn salad, pears are definitely in season for the next few months so I have a feeling we'll be having this all winter long.

Autumn Salad
Taken from: A Hint of Honey

• romaine lettuce, chopped (you could also used any kind of mixed greens here as well)
• 1 pear, cored and diced (I used a bosc pear)
• sweetened dried cranberries (I used a small handful)
• pecans or walnuts, chopped
• bacon, cooked and crumbled (I estimated 1 slice per person)
• red onion, diced (optional, I omitted)
• feta or gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• balsamic poppy seed vinaigrette (see recipe below or you can mix together a bottled balsamic dressing with a poppy seed dressing)

Balsamic Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsp. white (or regular) balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil (you could also use the bacon grease as well)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk to combine vinegar, mustard, honey, and poppy seeds in a small bowl. While whisking constantly, add the oil in a steady stream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette and serve.

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Japanese Cucumber Salad

Such a simple summer salad.  It really couldn't get much easier than to chop up a cucumber (thank you to my friend Kira for a cucumber from their garden!) and add 4 ingredients.  And easy ingredients - vinegar, salt, sugar, sesame seeds.  I even ran out of sesame seeds and didn't bother to toast them but we still loved this dish.  (Next time, however, I definitely want to try toasting the sesame seeds because that does add great flavor.)  There's a little sweet from the sugar and a little sour from the vinegar and it's just a cool and refreshing dish for the last gasp of summer.

I don't have a good enough food processor so I cut these with a knife.  They were a little too thick so we just used our hands to eat them.  Next time, I might use a slicer to get them thinner or purposely cut them into thicker cucumber strips.

Japanese Cucumber Salad
Taken from Eating Well

• 2 medium cucumbers, or 1 large English cucumber
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted if desired (To toast sesame seeds, heat a small dry skillet over low heat. Add sesame seeds and stir constantly until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool)

1. Peel cucumbers to leave alternating green stripes. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Using a food processor or sharp knife, cut into very thin slices. Place in a double layer of paper towel and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the cucumbers and sesame seeds; toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

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Watermelon Feta Salad

Well, hello there.  It's been a while.  Okay, a long while.  I don't really have a good excuse for abandoning my poor blog. Things started to get busy at work, and, to be honest, I enjoyed the break from blogging.  I was still cooking every night but enjoyed not taking photos of food (which I find a bit tedious...I pretty much just want to eat as soon as the food is ready!).  But after a few weeks off, it's good to be back!

The first recipe I'm going to share is one of my favorite summer salads.  I remember making this salad years ago when I first started to get interested in food and made it one night for my family.  We all loved it, including my mom who's not a fan of watermelon. The tangy feta cheese, crunchy almonds (or pine nuts) and cool, sweet watermelon work SO well together.  You can also throw some fresh mint on this salad as well which would be delicious.

While I do like arugula, I find the taste overpowering, so I usually do a combination of arugula and a mixed greens blend for the base of the salad (plus, I need to save some arugula for some delicious arugula pizza later this week, thankyouverymuch).

I served this with some spinach stuffed shells for dinner, but I think it would be excellent with something like grilled chicken or burgers and corn on the cob (a classic summer dinner!).

Watermelon Mint Salad
Taken from: Epicurious
Serves 4-6

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups cubed (1/2 to 3/4 inch) seeded watermelon, drained (from a 2 1/2-lb piece, rind discarded)
• 6 cups (6 oz) baby arugula (I used about 2 cups of arugula and 4 cups of mixed greens instead)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (I used sliced almonds instead)
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta or ricotta salata (1 1/2 oz)
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified (I combine everything in a jar with a good seal and then shake vigorously to combine). 
2. Add watermelon, arugula, and pine nuts/almonds to the mixed greens and toss to coat, then sprinkle with cheese and salt and pepper.

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Herb-Crusted Sweet Potato Bites

As much as I like spring and summer produce, I've really enjoyed the fruits and vegetables (read: squash) this winter!  So before wonderful things like asparagus pop up at the farmers market, you need to try these herb-crusted sweet potato bites. I made them the first time and seriously could.not.get.enough.  The sweet potato stays fairly soft but the panko gives it a little crunch.  So I made them the next week.  And let me tell you, that doesn't happen often in our house!

I inhaled ate these without any sauce the first time, but barbeque sauce or ketchup would be great with this. The original post from How Sweet It Is served it with a smoky basil truffle dip (the link to that recipe is provided below).  I think they're great alongside any kind of burger or sandwich as well as pork tenderloin (maybe this one?) or a simple chicken dish.


Herb-Crusted Sweet Potato Bites
Taken from: How Sweet It Is
Serves about 3

• 2 large (or 3-4 small) sweet potatoes, sliced into uniform rounds (peeling is optional; I always keep the peel on since it contains nutrients and I'm lazy)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons of each herb: chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh cilantro and chopped fresh parsley (I've never made it with all 3 herbs at once, so feel free to only make it with one or two if that's all you have on hand)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (I used about 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine panko, parsley, basil, thyme, cilantro, parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix with a spoon and use your hands to get everything combined.
3. Peel (if you want) your sweet potatoes and slice into rounds about 1/4 of an inch thick. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then stir with your hands to make sure each piece is coated back and front. Add in panko + herbs, stirring again with your hands and pressing lightly to adhere. Some will stick – some will not. That’s fine! Place rounds on the wire rack, and then sprinkle the leftover panko + herbs from the bottom of the bowl over top of each round.
4. Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until crust is golden and sweet potatoes are soft. Serve immediately.

For a smoky basil truffle dip recipe, go here

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Roasted Carrots with Thyme and Goat Cheese

This was a simple and delicious side dish.  If you've read this blog for long, you'll probably know that my husband and I like vegetables in many forms but we think that roasting vegetables is always a good way to go. However, I had never roasted carrots alone before (I had always roasted them with other vegetables).  Roasting brings out their natural sweetness which is matched nicely in this recipe with earthy thyme and creamy goat cheese.

Also, I love that this is an easy side dish to make! Just cut up some sticks of carrots, toss them with some olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and throw them in a hot oven.  You stir them once in the oven, sprinkle some goat cheese on top and that's pretty much all the work you need to do. A simple, unfussy side dish.  I served them with chickpea sweet potato cakes and sauteed orzo (the orzo is a favorite of ours!) .

Roasted Carrots with Thyme & Goat Cheese
Taken from: Confections of a Foodie Bride
Serves 4-6 (easily halved)

• 2lbs whole carrots
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (I used dried thyme instead)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4-1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Peel the carrots and cut diagonally into thirds. If the carrots are large, half or quarter the pieces (aiming for uniform so the pieces will cook evenly).
3. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and the leaves stripped from the thyme sprigs (I sprinkled the carrots with dried thyme instead - maybe 1/4 - 1/2 tsp).
4. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
5. Crumble goat cheese over the warm carrots and serve.

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Sesame Broccoli

This sesame broccoli made for both a quick and delicious side dish.  I found this recipe and decided at the last minute to serve it with some homemade pad thai.  Although the pad thai was good, this sesame broccoli ended up being the surprise hit. I often serve broccoli just steamed or roasted but this added a lot of flavor without much extra work.  I also had all the ingredients on hand for the recipe which is always a bonus in my book!

The original recipe was a tad too sweet for our tastes so I would start by adding 2 teaspoons of sugar and then adding an extra teaspoon if you want it a little sweeter.  I will definitely plan on serving this as a side dish for any kind of Asian meal.

Sesame Broccoli
Taken from: For the Love of Cooking

• 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Place the broccoli florets into a steamer ; place the steamer into a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until crisp tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook while whisking until the sugar has dissolved. 
3. Place the steamed broccoli into the saucepan and gently stir until the broccoli is evenly coated. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately with more sauce drizzled on top of each serving.

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Caramelized Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Last week, I was so excited to actually find Brussels sprouts on the stalk!  One, it was cheaper and two, it gave me a such large amount of sprouts that I got the chance to cook Brussels sprouts several ways. Last weekend, I threw shredded Brussels sprouts in a meat marinara sauce for pasta, I finally made shredded Brussels sprouts yesterday and I have plans to make roasted Brussels sprouts tomorrow.

I discovered how much I liked Brussels sprouts last year.  I think a good way to try pretty much any vegetable is to roast it and roasted Brussels sprouts didn't disappoint.  But I had also been hearing about shredded Brussels sprouts and wanted a chance to try it. 

These shredded Brussels sprouts were a great side dish.  It had a little brown sugar which gave it a hint of sweetness, contrasting nicely with the sea salt.  I ended up prepping the Brussels sprouts that afternoon which made dinnertime so, so easy.  Once the cutting is done (which isn't hard), the entire dish takes 5 minutes, tops. 

And even though we ended up with a huge mound of Brussels sprouts (it does cook down some when sauteed), there was still not a whole lot left for lunch the next day.  I served this with some crispy honey lemon chicken and Parker house rolls (these rolls were so good...they'll definitely be my next entry!).

Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving, anyone?

Caramelized Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Taken from: Eat Live Run
Serves 4

• 12-14 large brussels sprouts (I used 20)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 clove(s) garlic, minced
• pinch sea salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

1. Slice each Brussels sprout very thin until you have a mound of feathery Brussels sprout ribbons
2. Heat the olive oil over medium high in a large skillet and saute the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the Brussels sprouts and continue sauteing for another 4-5 minutes, until bright green and tender. Add the sea salt and brown sugar and toss together. 
3. Finish by adding the toasted nuts.

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Southern Skillet Corn

My dad has always loved corn.  He knows how to pick the right cobs and it was a regular side dish at our dinner table in the summer, perfectly cooked and served with butter and salt.  Seriously delicious.  This skillet corn, while prepared in a different way, rivals that delicious corn from my childhood.

I did the prep work ahead of time and the corn needs 45 minutes to cook. However, it's a lot of hands-off time so while the corn cooked, it gave me enough time to make the parchment baked salmon (recipe coming), set the table and have the whole kitchen cleaned before dinner. (And trust me, that never happens. Just ask my husband.)

The corn was creamy (without any cream - my husband had to ask me again what was in it to make it so creamy), buttery (without much butter) and just bright and delicious.  It also makes quite a bit, too.  I only had 4 cobs but we still had leftovers. Tastes just like summer.

Southern Skillet Corn
Taken from: Kevin and Amanda (she also has step-by-step photos on this site)
Serves 6 (but this could easily be halved)

• 6 ears corn
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons butter

1. Shuck corn and pull off silks, then rinse under cool running water. In a large bowl, hold the cob upright.  In a downward motion, cut the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. Scrape the cob with a spoon to get the leftover milk. 
2. Combine flour, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then add the 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir with a fork or whisk to combine. 
3. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Add corn and flour mixture and cook over medium-low heat for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally (I added a little extra water at the end).

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Shaved Squash Salad with Prosciutto Crisps

This is a great summer salad.  It's very light from the flavors of summer squash, lemon and feta and it's wonderfully cool (which is appropriate when the temperatures are in the triple digits).  Also, I love prosciutto.  And even more than just prosciutto, I love prosciutto when it's been crisped in a pan or under a broiler (prosciutto crisps are also great on pizza, by the way!).  So the combination of the crispy prosciutto, salty feta and cool squash makes one delicious salad.

Although there aren't many steps, I made almost all of this ahead of time - I shaved the squash and whisked the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl (next time, I think I'll add garlic to the dressing... but are you really surprised?).  All that was left to do before dinner was to throw the dressing over the squash, sautee the prosciutto in a pan and then combine everything together. Served with some pork tenderloin and peach salsa and well as couscous, it was a great summer meal.

Shaved Squash Salad with Prosciutto Crisps
Taken from: The Sweets Life
Serves: 3-4

• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint (I didn't have on hand so I omitted)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 thin slices prosciutto (1 oz.), chopped
• 1/4 cup (1 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

1.  Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini and squash into thin strips (discard the seeds). Place the ribbons in a medium sized bowl and toss with salt.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mint, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and ground black pepper. Whisk and then pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat.
3. In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, saute prosciutto for 2 minutes, or until crisp.
4. Divide salad amongst 4 plates and top each with prosciutto and feta cheese.

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Spicy Thai Slaw

I must admit, I was immensely pleased with how well we ate down our fridge and freezer before our cross-country trip.  Partly because I absolutely hate throwing food away and partly because I liked the challenge, I planned our meals weeks in advance so we had very minimal food to throw away and also didn't have to eat out while we were still at home.  That extra pound of steak was turned into beef jerky, the extra pound of ground beef made meatballs, the extra cube of pesto was thrown into sauteed tomatoes and garlic to make a pesto tomato sauce for the meatballs...the list goes on.

One surprising victory was the spicy Thai slaw that I made as a side dish one night.  I had half of a head of Napa cabbage in the fridge so that instantly made me think of slaw.  We don't like mayo so traditional coleslaw was out of the question but when I mentioned to my husband that I had found a spicy Asian coleslaw, he said, "Spicy Thai slaw? I love that stuff from Claim Jumper!"  I'm not sure what the difference between this spicy Asian slaw recipe and Claim Jumper's spicy Thai but all I know was that it was good ("even better than Claim Jumper!") and used up even more food than I thought.  My extra carrots were grated into the slaw and red bell pepper was thinly sliced as were the forgotten-about radishes.  The tons of cilantro I found myself with were thrown into the dish and all of a sudden, I had this wonderful, vibrant dish with everything that would have gone to waste.  The name spicy Thai slaw stuck and we served it with smokey pulled chicken and whole wheat biscuits (Southern meets Asian?)...somehow, it worked.  And it worked the next day for lunch, too.


Spicy Thai Slaw
Taken from: Cookin Canuck
Serves 4-6

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and membranes removed, finely chopped (I substituted jalapeno instead)
• 1 small Napa cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 4 scallions, sliced (I did not have any on hand so this was omitted)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• Optional: sesame seeds and (if you want extra heat) crushed red pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, canola oil, lime zest, lime juice, and chile. Set aside.
2. Separate the cabbage leaves into a large bowl. Add carrots, scallions, extra vegetables, and cilantro, and toss well.
3. Pour the dressing into the cabbage mixture and toss again. Let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4.  Serve with sesame seeds and crushed red pepper, if desired.

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Roasted Artichokes

Artichoke season is coming to a close here. So it's a little mean that I've been holding out on you and am only now sharing this roasted artichoke recipe with you.  Especially because it's my favorite artichoke recipe.  However, our farmers market still has a few artichokes left (it has been a colder spring than normal around here), so we're going to enjoy them at least one more time.  And even if you have to save this recipe for next year, it's worth it.

I'm almost reluctant to call it a "recipe" because it just seems so easy and I don't really measure anything.  However, when I was talking to my mother-in-law and aunt (aunt-in-law?), they asked for the recipe.  And if you haven't tried it before, you should.  It combines some of my favorite things - lemon juice, olive oil and garlic.  You simply prep the artichoke, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil all over it and then stuff it with minced garlic.  Wrap all of it in aluminum foil, throw it in the oven and at end of the cook time (up to an hour for a large artichoke), you have this wonderful, delicious artichoke.  And serving the artichoke inside the foil is a must because all the olive oil/lemon/garlic goodness pools at the bottom of the foil, creating its own dipping sauce. We served this with salmon tonight but we've also really enjoyed it when we have appetizers for dinner, too.

For any artichoke amateurs out there, you eat an artichoke by peeling off the leaves one by one and scraping each leaf in between your teeth. The middle of the artichoke is the best part: with a spoon, scrape off the choke (the furry-looking stuff) and discard it; enjoy the artichoke heart beneath. 

Roasted Artichokes

Taken from: Pinch My Salt

Serves 4

• 4 artichokes
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1-2 lemons, juiced
• 8 Tbsp. olive oil (plus more if desired)
• kosher or sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Prep each artichoke by slicing the top third of the artichokes (which is inedible) and then cutting off the stem right at the base of the artichoke (make sure it is even so that the artichokes stand up on their own).
3. Place each artichoke in the middle of a large square of aluminum foil.
4. Stuff the chopped garlic into the leaves of the artichokes and around the top.  
5. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over top of each artichoke. Sprinkle salt.
6. Completely cover the artichoke by wrapping it in the aluminum foil and sealing it.  Place in oven (make sure it stands upright or the juices will run out) and cook for approximately 45-75 minutes, depending on the size.  It is ready when a paring knife easily pierces the top of the artichoke.
7. Serve in the aluminum foil which catches all the extra garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.  Serve with extra lemon wedges and olive oil, if desired.

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Roasted Potato Salad

Often times, I need a side dish and a vegetable to go with our main course.  However, it's even better when you can kill two birds with one stone and combine those dishes into one! That's where this roasted potato salad was great for dinner tonight.  I had planned on this maple-dijon pork tenderloin (delicious, by the way!) but was still a little vague on what should accompany it.  This roasted potato salad recipe caught my eye and satisfied all the requirements for what I needed.

The potatoes were crunchy and a surprisingly little amount of parmesan made this salad taste very rich. Of course, you could just serve these two things separately but I really enjoyed it as one dish.

Roasted Potato Salad with Parmesan-Herb Dressing
Taken from: Perry's Plate
Serves 4

• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs new potatoes or small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 shallot, minced (I used 2 Tbsp of minced onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic)
• 1/3 finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 cups (about 10 ounces) mixed salad greens
• 2 tsp mixed dried (or 1/4 cup fresh) herbs such as oregano, basil, marjoram, parsley, thyme, and sage
• sliced tomatoes and cucumber for garnish (optional, I omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Whisk together the vinegar, herbs (if using dried), and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking until fully combined and thickened. Season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place the potatoes and shallot on the rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 T of the vinaigrette and use hands to toss the mixture, ensuring the potatoes are coated. Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Stir every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. When they're finished, sprinkle with half of the cheese, toss to coat, and set aside.
5. Just before serving, combine the greens, potatoes, remaining cheese, and remaining vinaigrette in a large bowl. If you're using fresh herbs, now is the time to add them. Toss to mix. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with tomatoes.

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Fennel and Orange Salad

I've always thought that we eat pretty adventurously (well, barring the first 18 very picky years of my life). I like trying recipes with new foods and different cuisines and Bryant eats just about anything I put in front of him (an excellent quality in a husband!).  However, the first week I signed up for CSA, I got a reality check - my box included collard greens (never cooked with them before) and fennel. I don't think I had ever even seen fennel before and even if I had, I already had a prejudice against it because I hate licorice.

I started browsing for recipes to use the fennel and found a blog post that had an America's Test Kitchen fennel salad recipe.  The recipe seemed unusual -- olives? with oranges and fennel? -- but a wise woman (my mom) once said something to the effect of, "If the ingredient list is so bizarre, it might actually taste good."  Plus, the total time to make was listed as 8 minutes and could be made ahead of time so the ease factor definitely played a role.

While I was hesitant to try this, it actually turned out really good! The licorice flavor is slight and the ingredients blend very well together. At first, I tried to put my finger on what was the exact ingredient that made such an unusual combination taste that good...but then I finally gave up and just helped myself to seconds.


Fennel and Orange Salad
Taken from: The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook via Cooking with My Kid
Serves 4-6

• 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, tops discarded, halved + sliced thin
• 1/4 cup pitted black olives, sliced
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
• salt and pepper

1. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Spread the fennel out on a platter. Top with orange slices and then sprinkle with mint and olives. Drizzle dressing over entire salad. 
2. Serve immediately or store in fridge for up to 1 day.

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Roasted Cauliflower & Week's Meal Plan

I have to admit, it's probably a good thing that I'm sharing a vegetable dish along with this week's menu plan because this week is full of MEAT.  I've been waiting for quite a few types of meat to go on sale to use a few (highly anticipated) recipes and they finally did...all at the same time.   I actually had a hard time figuring out how to squeeze in one vegetarian meal for the week and I finally had to force myself to freeze some of the meat for another week.

This roasted cauliflower recipe is good...surprisingly good.  I actually wasn't expecting that much from this dish (I like cauliflower but don't love it) but since we like roasted vegetables, I decided to give it a try.  Let's just say it was so good that Bryant and I were actually snacking on it. (Seriously, how often do you do that?)  Bryant didn't have time to eat lunch the next day at work but somehow, he made time to eat his leftover cauliflower.


Roasted Cauliflower
Taken from: Cooking with My Kid
Serves 3 (this recipe can be easily doubled)

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• olive oil
• kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional; I omitted)

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While chopping the cauliflower, place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat (this cuts down on the baking time if you're a little pressed for time).
-Place cauliflower in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Remove baking sheet from oven and quickly spread out cauliflower.
-Roasted for about 10 minutes, and then flip the florets to get them evenly browned and caramelized. Continue roasting about 10-15 more minutes.
-If desired, add pine nuts and then serve immediately or let cool to serve at room temperature.

Week's Menu Plan 

Sunday: Braised onion brisket w/ roasted vegs

Monday: Arroz con pollo

Tuesday: Sesame noodles

Wednesday: Blackened salmon with brussels sprouts

Thursday: French Dip Sandwiches (leftover from the Braised onion brisket) with salad

Friday:  Chicago style pizza (with sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions)

Saturday:  Breaded chicken stuffed with scallions and blue cheese, served with roasted cauliflower

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