Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Watching TV one night, we saw Jessica Seinfeld on a show talking about her new cookbook for people who can't cook.  It contained very simple step-by-step recipes, limited to a few ingredients and perfect for those intimidated.  My hubby expressed interest in learning how to cook and this seemed like a perfect solution.  Me to him: "are you really going to use this book if I buy it?".  Him: "I promise".  (I remember thinking, geez, you have a blog at your disposal where you have a personal history with both of the ladies writing it, and you need a cookbook?)  Anyway, I ordered it for him.  That was 4 months ago and he has yet to look at it. 

Ugh :- /

To make a long story short, this is where I got this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

3 Medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil 


1.  With a vegetable brush, clean sweet potatoes and cut off edges.  (No need to peel)  Slice into 1/2 inch pieces. 
 2.  Mix sugar, salt, cumin and pepper in a small bowl

3.  Transfer potatoes to a rimmed sheet pan.  Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the potatoes.  Mix to coat all the potatoes.

4.  Bake @ 425 degrees until tender...about 30 minutes.  

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Barley and Vegetable Risotto

This recipe was my first introduction into making risotto.  Since I learned how to make this last year, I've also made traditional risotto with rice.  But if you're watching your carb intake, using barley is great.  
This is a great side dish, or could even be a whole meal (it's that filling).  But making any risotto takes time, and it's worth it!  They key is adding liquid in small doses and letting cook about 30-45 minutes on the stove.  

I served this with a previously published blog post: Stuffed Chicken breasts from 5-16-13. YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS

4-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste

1.  Bring chicken broth to a boil in saucepan, reduce heat to low and keep broth hot.  

2.  Heat olive oil in large saucepan or skillet, add onions and mushrooms and cook about 4 minutes.  (I used a skillet for photos, but a saucepan is the way to go I think)

3. Add barley to same pan, cook 1 minute.  

4.  Add 1/4 cup of broth to the barley mixture and stir until the broth is absorbed.  Continue adding 1/4 cup broth at a time, stirring until broth is absorbed each time (about 30 minutes, until barley is tender).

5.  Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute until spinach is wilted.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper.  

Stuffed Chicken Breasts - post 5-16-13

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Stuffing and Tomatoes

This is an awesome dish and could be made in the winter, but I never do because I always want summer tomatoes.  Making this recipe always reminds me of my Mom.  She always had fresh homegrown tomatoes in the summer from her garden.  Plus, the smell of celery, onions and basil browning in butter also reminds me of her stuffing at Thanksgiving.  It's funny how certain smells bring back such great memories.  This one's for you Mom <3

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup seasoned stuffing mix
4 tomatoes, cut in wedges
2 teaspoon sugar


1.  In skillet, melt butter and add seasonings, celery and onion.  Under medium heat, saute until crispy tender. 

2. Add stuffing mix and toss.  Add tomatoes and sugar; toss gently.

3. Reduce temperature slightly.  Cover and continue to cook until tomatoes are hot, yet firm.  About 10 minutes.

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Grilled Corn on the Cob

Mmmmmmmm...there's nothing better than buttery, sweet corn on the cob in the summer time!  I am always looking for ways to cook corn on the grill, since we typically have it going so much in the summer.  I have grilled with the ears completely cleaned and directly on the grill, and I have grilled with the husks still on, but not with much luck.

I was looking on a recipe site and found this winner!  And since you cook it in foil, it stays quite warm, rather than keeping the corn sitting in the boiling water, only to get soggy.  So it is great if you are entertaining.  Haha-we always laugh at all the couples on HGTV shows who MUST purchase a house or renovate a house for "entertaining", even if they are moving to a foreign country where they know no one!

Ingredients
Corn on the cob, fresh and shucked
Melted butter
Salt, pepper
Basil and Parmesan cheese (optional)
Aluminum foil
Ice cubes (you'll see...keep reading)

1.  On a piece of foil large enough to wrap cob twice, place the ear of corn and slather each ear liberally with melted butter, using a pastry brush.

2.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper; I used fresh ground peppercorns.  I also added a little basil and Parmesan cheese.  

3.  Here comes the wacky part...place 1 ice cube next to the ear of corn and wrap cob so the foil covers the ear twice, folding over the edges.

By adding the ice cube, it keeps the corn moist.  

4.  On a gas grill, cook 8-10 minutes on medium-high heat (low rack); turn over and grill for an additional 8-10 minutes.  The site where I found this recipe added this note for preparing on a charcoal grill..On a charcoal grill, lay them directly on the prepared coals (red inside, completely covered with grey ash). Still you'll want to flip the corn after 8-10 minutes.

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Grilled Mixed Vegetables

This dish could really be made with any vegetables you have on hand. I love cooking vegetables on the grill because I think they get so much more flavor. My favorites to cook on the grill are zucchini, yellow squash and onions. Mix everything together in a bowl and then coat with olive oil. Add a little bit of salt and pepper, parsley flakes and a little bit of red pepper flakes and you have a really tasty dish! One thing that makes this dish so easy is that I have a grill basket. If you don't have one...you should definitely check it out and possibly invest in one! You can obviously use skewers instead, but the grill basket makes for a very easy dish and ensures that all of the vegetables get that delicious charred effect on the outside.

Ingredients
Zucchini, chopped
Yellow Squash, chopped
Onion, chopped
Salt & Pepper
Parsley flakes
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Olive oil

1. Chop all of the vegetables and mix in a bowl.

2. Coat with olive oil and then add in salt, pepper, parsley flakes and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

3. Place vegetables in your grill basket (or place on skewers) and grill until the vegetables are tender.

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Fresh Basil Pesto

As you may have already been able to tell...my basil plants are going crazy so I'm trying to use basil in as many recipes as possible! I decided I had too much and it was time to make some basil pesto. This pesto is so delicious and you can alter it depending on how much of each ingredient you have. I made the pesto and then put it in the freezer until I was ready to use it. One night when we didn't have too much to eat at home, I mixed together a bunch of different pastas that I had at home and then mixed about a 1/4 cup of the pesto with it. Delicious!

Ingredients
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

1. In a food processor, add the basil leaves, walnuts, chopped garlic, salt & pepper. Blend together until minced.

2. Add in the olive oil and blend again until smooth.

3. If using pesto right away, you can add in the parmesan cheese. If freezing the pesto to use later, don't add the cheese until you actually use the pesto.

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Spaghetti & Slaw Salad

This is a great dish to take to a picnic, because it makes so much!  I happened to make this when Corinne was here visiting and she [reluctantly] tried it.  She doesn't like anything with a mayonnaise base.  Just as we both thought, she hated it.  (Weirdo)  

But everyone else on the planet will love this cold salad.  Just keep some extra dressing on hand, because as the spaghetti sits in the refrigerator  it soaks up some of the dressing, so you need to add a little more before you serve it.  

You can either buy a head of cabbage and shred it yourself, or buy a bag of prepared cabbage in the produce section.  

INGREDIENTS
1 box thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
4 cups shredded cabbage
Shredded carrots (optional)
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped onion
Pepper to taste
Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1-16 oz. bottle Marzetti's Slaw Dressing (I use Lite)
1-EXTRA 16 oz. bottle slaw dressing

Mix all ingredients together, keeping extra bottle of slaw dressing on hand if needed.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  

Enjoy

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

OK so I know what you’re gonna say… “Ewww brussels sprouts?! Who eats those, seriously?” But please, stay with me on this one! I think brussel sprouts have a bad reputation but if you treat them like any other vegetable (equality for all!) then they can be delicious. For this recipe, I cut the brussels sprouts in half and then roasted them with onions, olive oil and salt and pepper, that’s it! So easy and very delish…a perfect side dish for any meal. (Side note: when you take the leftovers to work, they will stink up the lunch room and everyone will wrinkle their noses at you. Don't worry, they're just jealous of your lunch...hold your head up high, brussels sprout-lover!)

Ingredients

1 bag brussels sprouts or 4 cups
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

1. Slice brussels sprouts in half and place on baking sheet.

2. Toss with diced onion, olive oil, salt & pepper.

3. Roast in oven for 40 minutes or until crispy and browned all over! Yumm

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Ham Loaf & Roasted Cauliflower

HAM LOAF

Here is my confession: My name is Julie...and I like Ham Loaf!  Whew...I guess admitting it is the first step.  

Corinne has informed me that no one else will want to try this recipe, but it would be good "for laughs".  So just to make up for the lack of enthusiasm, I added another recipe for Roasted Cauliflower.  Both my late mother and my late former mother-in-law used to make ham loaf and I just always loved the sweetness of the pork with the brown-sugar glaze.  This recipe calls for 2 pounds of meat and I usually make 6 individual loaves and freeze half of them.  This year, the remainder will be placed in Corinne's Christmas stocking!

HAM LOAF INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground ham (I usually ground up the ham in my food processor)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups soft bread crumbs (I tear up about 4 slices of bread)
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/8 t pepper
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t dry mustard

GLAZE INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 t. dry mustard

1.  Ground up ham in food processor.  

2.  Mix all meat loaf ingredients in a bowl and form into 6 mini loaves (you can also half the recipe for 3 loaves)

3.  Mix Glaze ingredients together and pour over meat loaves
4.  Bake @ 350 for 1 hour

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower
Yellow Bell Pepper
2-T olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Spices: Pepper, Mrs. Dash, Basil

1.  Clean and cut up cauliflower and pepper in small bite-size pieces, put in bowl
2.  Drizzle olive oil over veggies and add spices to taste, mix well
3.  Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and roast in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes (or until tender).
4.  Transfer back to bowl and mix in Parmesan Cheese.
5.  Enjoy!

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Cous Cous Salad

I was looking around for something different to take to a summer picnic last year and I sort of invented this recipe from a few other recipes that I saw online. I wanted something light and refreshing, unlike the usual potato salad crap! I know, I'm weird and I don't like mayonnaise which cuts out like half of the stuff we usually eat at summer picnics. This dish is so refreshing and healthy, I usually make this big batch and take the leftovers in my lunch all week. It has a lot of flavor with the balsamic dressing and the crunchy vegetables. Definitely a great alternative to the usual heavy side dishes.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat dried cous cous
1 cup diced red pepper
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
Salt & Pepper

1. Cook 2 cups of dried cous cous according to box directions. Mine says boil 2 cups of water and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and then remove from heat, add in 2 cups of cous cous and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.
2. Cut red pepper and cucumber into small cubes and place into a bowl.

(This photo taken by my sis, the photography major! So pretty, thanks Kels!)

3. Add cooled cous cous to the vegetables. Make sure cous cous is cooled, you can place it in the refrigerator if you are pressed for time. Just don't add the hot cous cous to the raw vegetables, you do not want to cook the vegetables.

4. In a small bowl, mix balsamic vinegar, olive oil, oregano, basil and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix together with a fork or whisk.

5. Add balsamic dressing to the cous cous and vegetables and stir. Lastly, add in the 1/2 cup of feta cheese. Serve cold!

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