Ina Garten’s Roasted Broccoli

I had high hopes for this. HIGH. Because I needed a solution for my picky 7 year old that will only eat broccoli if it’s covered in fake orange cheese, or when he’s threatened.  This stuff? He said “holy cow! I like this broccoli!” WIN.

Her recipe would make an enormous ton.  I used what I had (3 heads, stems? stalks? whatever), and cut them into florets. I forgot to use the garlic in the recipe, which is a bummer because I LOVE garlic, but it was still great. I ran out of olive oil so used maybe half of what she suggested, and it was just fine.  Also used lemon juice out of a bottle, so no lemon zest.

• 4 to 5 pounds broccoli
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• Good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees .

Cut the broccoli florets from the stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Put the florets on a baking sheet that lets the broccoli be on a single layer and sprinkle and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove from the oven and immediately toss with lemon juice (and lemon zest and more olive oil, if you’re doing that) , pine nuts,  Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Tabasco and Asparagus Quinoa

It was our first time with quinoa.  It was fine, but I don’t understand all the hype around it.  We really liked this dish, adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
25 drops Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments

4 cups cooked quinoa

Start by making the Tabasco butter. In a food processor, or with a hand blender, whip the butter until it is light and airy. Add the mustard, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice and salt. You can make it stronger if you like, adding more hot sauce to taste.

We steamed our asparagus after it was cut in chunks. Drain. If you are serving this immediately you can leave the asparagus hot, but if you are going to wait to serve this, or think you’ll have leftovers I recommend you stop the cooking with cold water or a dunk in an ice bath, then drain well before using.

Take the hot cooked quinoa and toss with 3 tablespoons of the tabasco butter. You’ll have leftover butter – you can serve that on the side or use it for other purposes. Stir in the asparagus. I added a bit more tabasco and shake of salt to mine.

Serves 4 – 6 as a main dish.

 

 

Marie’s Sweet Potatoes

These aren’t good, they are great.

1 can yams (40 0z) or 3-4 cooked yams
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Optional – brown sugar if you cook your own yams (I cooked my own and added about 1/2 cup brown sugar – just taste as you go)
3 c. mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat potatoes with butter, optional sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until well blended.  Place in lightly greased 1 1/2 qt (or 9×9) baking dish.  Top with marshmallows.  Bake 15-20 min until heated through and marshmallows are toasted.

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta

Oh heavens this is so yummy.  Thank you, Sisters Cafe, for the idea.  It is a perfect way to use the tomatoes on my extremely overactive cherry tomato plant.  Good chance we’ll be eating this once a week until the tomatoes are done.

2 cups, firm tomatoes, diced
1 Tb fresh chopped basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese
6-8 oz angel hair pasta

Mix together the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let “marinate” on counter for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan. Mmmmmm

Tomato Garbanzo Salad

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 – 15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 to 1 cup chopped purple onion, chopped
small handful cilantro, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Caesar Parmesean Vinegrette

Throw everything into a bowl and toss with as much or little of the salad dressing as you like.

Loaded Baked Potatoes

I think we’ll do loaded baked potatoes for dinner tonight.  It’s still cold and snowy and something warm and low effort sounds perfect. I thought I’d make a list of toppings that we like and that sound good – did I miss your favorite?  Let me know!

broccoli
melted cheddar
bacon crumbles
tomatoes
green onions
chili
black beans
kidney beans
bleu cheese (with the bacon – yum!)
mushrooms
sour cream
butter
small cubes of ham
peas
shredded taco chicken or beef

(Can you tell I just went through the Sweet Tomatoes line in my mind?!)

We just decided to plant potatoes in our garden for the first time.  I wonder how much better these will taste in the fall with FRESH homegrown potatoes.

Santa Fe Stew

can chicken (optional)

2 cans tomato soup, no water added

2 cans diced tomatoes (you can throw in some jarred Italian seasoning)

15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz drained, canned corn

15 oz pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 pkg taco seasoning (or 1/8 cup if you have the Costco-size)

1 can chopped green chilies, drained

~Put everything in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat (may have to reduce if starts to boil) for about an hour, stirring often so the bottom doesn’t burn.

~To serve: put handful of Fritos in bottom of bowl, add soup.  Top with grated cheese, sour cream, guacamole, green onions, olives, etc.

~This freezes really well!

(Thank you, Shanelle! – we LOVE this)

Without the chicken, chips or toppings, this makes 6 servings of about 1 1/4 cups each: 262 calories, .5 g fat, 11 g fiber (4.5 WW points)

Black Bean, Corn, and Avocado Salad

We love this.  The fresh cilantro makes it pop.  Yum.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. corn kernels (fresh or canned shoepeg is great)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 t. grated lime zest
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. salt

Fabulous as a side OR as a salsa with tortilla chips.

(6 pts for 1 1/2 cups)

Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Tarragon

Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Tarragon
2 lbs beefsteak or plum tomatoes, cored
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ c finely chopped shallots
3/4 lb spaghetti
1 T coarsely chopped fresh tarragon or basil
½ c grated Parmesan cheese

While water for pasta boils,, halve tomatoes lengthwise.  Squeeze gently to remove seeds.  Chop tomatoes into ½” pieces.  Set aside.  Heat oil over medium-low.  Add shallots; cook until golden, stirring occasionally.  Remove pan from heat, stir in tomatoes until coated with oil; season generously with salt and pepper.  Cook pasta until al dente.  Drain, pour tomato mixture over pasta; add tarragon and Parmesan.  Toss to combine.

Seafood Nachos

From Light & Tasty magazine, February/March 2002

• 30 baked tortilla chips
• 1 package (8 ounces) imitation crabmeat, chopped
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Here’s what the magazine directions say: Arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the crab, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion and dill; spoon about 1 tablespoon onto each chip. Sprinkle with cheese, olives and paprika. Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Here’s what I did: combine crab, sour cream, mayo, onion, dill, and cheese – micro until warmed.  Serve on baked tortilla chips.

What can I say, we were in a hurry and if I didn’t have something quick before dinner, Nathan was going to devour a pb&j five minutes before dinner.  We made a half order (to serve 3) and it was a perfect appetizer – really tasty.  It would be even better with a milder onion – ours was very strong.

As written, the recipe serves 6.  Each serving (4 appetizers) = 127 calories, 3 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 441 mg sodium, 17g carbs, 1 g fiber, 10 g protein.