Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 Ingredients

1 lb fresh Brussels Sprouts.
1/4 cup good EVOO
1 handful of cashew nuts
S & P

 How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This was a huge hit at a family event recently, and trust me, they are not easily impressed!  If you think you don't like Brussels sprouts, give this recipe a try and see if it doesn't change your mind.  If you want, you are welcome to omit the cashews.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Trim and half/quarter the sprouts, depending on the size.  Liberally cover with oil, salt, and pepper.  Be sure to toss them around to coat evenly. 

Bake on a cookie sheet for about 12 minutes, or until the sprouts are soft in the middle with crispy edges.

If your cashews are raw, you can add them to the sprouts about 2 minutes before they are done.  The ones I used were already roasted, so I just tossed them with my cooked sprouts.

Enjoy!!

Green Mac 'n' Cheese

 

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil (plus more)
1 Leek
1.5 cups frozen, thawed spinach
1 tbs dry white wine
1 tbs flour
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 cup Gouda (I used goat milk Gouda)
1/2 cup Farm cheddar
1/4 cup black pepper Taleggio
2.5 cups skim milk
2 tbs low fat cream cheese
1 lb whole wheat pasta (I used penne)
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend or Asiago or Parm
S&P

How to make Green Mac 'n' Cheese

I made this on Halloween as a green treat for the man.  It came out so yummy, so even though it was an experiment and not supposed to go on the blog, I decided I had to take a picture and share it.

I was originally intending to put artichoke hearts in here, but when I went to look for them, they were no where to be found.  I'll be sure to have them on hand next time and add them to the mix!  Feel free to add whatever other veggies you like.  I tried to use healthy ingredients wherever possible since the cheese is so...er...delicious.


Start with a high edged saute pan or a sauce pan.  Heat oil over medium high head and add the light green and white parts of the leek (diced).  Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.  Saute until fragrant.  Add in the spinach and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add wine and cook for about 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente.  Reserve about 2 tbs of the cooking water.

When the alcohol has burned off of the wine, add a bit of the pasta water, if needed.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

If the spinach mixture looks like it needs a bit more oil, feel free to add some.  You don't want it to be oily, but there does need to be some fat in the pan.  Then, whisk (or fork) in the flour, a little a time until the mixture is quite thick.  You do not want to brown the roux, so keep the heat low and stir constantly.  Then, add the milk a little a time.  Cook for about 4 minutes.  The sauce will thicken as it cooks.  Stir in the cream cheese and melt it. 

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the Gouda, Cheddar, and Taleggio until melted.  Then, pour over the pasta in a casserole dish and stir to coat all of the noodles.  Top with Italian blend and place under the broiler on "LOW" for about 5 minutes or until top cheese is crispy and brown.  Serve and ENJOOOOOY!!!

Cheese Herb Bread

 

 Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 packet dry, active yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 1/2- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or other cheese) plus more for sprinkling
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs Italian dried herbs
1/2 tsp salt

 

 

How to make Cheese Herb Bread

My new adventure in bread making has taken me to a place where I want to make quicker bread with yummy extras in it!

This is a much quicker recipe than my artisan herb bread and is perfect for sandwiches and snacks.  This bread takes a little bit of love though :)

Dissolve the yeast in the water and sugar.  Let stand about 10 minutes or until very foamy.  Mix in the flour and salt with your hands or a wooden spoon until pretty smooth.  Then, knead the dough for about 10-12 minutes or until shiny, stretchy, and smooth.  Add more flour if needed.

Shape the sough into a ball and put in a lightly oiled nonreactive bowl, turning to coat the dough on all sides with oil.  Cover with a towel and let stand for 2 hours.  The dough should be doubled in size.

Then, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in the cheese and herbs.  Cover with the towel and let rest another hour an a half.  Then, cut the dough in half and form into long loafs.  Cover and let rest another 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Top the bread with extra cheese (optional) and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when thumped.

Enjoy!!

Simple Potato Leek Soup

 

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 cup milk
2 tbs butter or margarine
3 cloves of garlic
1 small yellow onion
2 cleaned leeks (white parts only)
4 potatoes
1 celery stalk
1 bay leaf
5 shakes of McCormick's garlic and onion seasoning (or other favorite seasoning)
2 green onions
salt and pepper to taste

How to make Simple Potato Leek Soup

This is a delicious and super simple recipe for a healthier version of potato leek soup.

Melt butter in a dutch oven on medium heat.  Add chopped onions and simmer for about 4 minutes.  Then add the garlic and chopped leeks.  Simmer for about 4 more minutes.

Add the vegetable stock, water, bay leaf, seasoning, and potatoes.  Cook on medium low heat until potatoes are tender.  About half way through this, add the celery stalk and one green onion, chopped.

Remove soup from the heat and let it cool down a bit.  Remove the bay leaf.  Then, blend mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth.  Be sure not to over blend the mixture, as potatoes can get a bit gummy.

Place soup back on heat and add the milk.  Let soup warm up.  Serve with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.