a little of each

A family's cookbook

Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese and Honey February 26, 2015

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables,Sides — alittlemoreofeach @ 11:50 am
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Who would’ve guessed that Brussels sprouts would become such a thing? They’ve transformed from the very bottom of the list of Delicious Vegetables, just below lima beans, to Princess of Pinterest recipes (quinoa is Queen, obvs). And this thrills me because I love those mini cabbages, especially if they are roasted or broiled, as this recipe calls for.

These were served at our Thanksgiving in 2014, and, like everything offered there, were wonderful.

photo 2 (2)

Ingredients

1 lb Brussels sprouts
1-2 Tbl oil
2 oz goat cheese
2 Tbl honey
salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 375. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half and place in a baking dish. Drizzle the oil over and then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until the sprouts are beginning to color and even get crispy in parts. Remove from the oven. Drizzle the honey and sprinkle the goat cheese over the hot sprouts. Serve warm.

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Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon February 25, 2015

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables,Sides — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:40 pm
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Ingredients
4 strips thick-cut bacon
2 Tbl butter
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 large onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, then roughly chop. In same pan with bacon fat, melt butter over high heat. Add onions and Brussels Sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss bacon back into pan. Serve immediately.

 

Candied Jalapenos September 9, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:24 pm
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Robin says: This is great served on cream cheese & crackers. I omitted the red chili & the jalapeños had plenty of heat.

Ingredients and Directions

Drain 1 (12 oz) jar of pickled jalapeno pepper slices, discarding liquid and reserving jar and lid. Toss together jalapeno slices; 4 red chile peppers, sliced; 3/4 cup sugar; and 1 tsp loosely packed lime zest. Let stand for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into the reserved jar, scraping any remaining sugar mixture from the bowl into the jar. Cover with the lid, and chill for 48 hours to one week, shaking jar several times a day to dissolve any sugar that settles.

 

 

 

Roasted Broccoli June 2, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 7:23 pm
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Broccoli cheese soup?  Love!

Steamed broccoli? Eh, not bad.

Raw broccoli with dip?  No, thanks.

Broccoli salad?  A sweet and tangy yes, please!

But this recipe is my favorite way to eat broccoli, by far.  It’s easy, fast, and roasting the vegetable with lemon juice and salt and pepper does something to it that I can’t resist, and I’m embarrassed to say I’ve made myself uncomfortable by eating more than I should have.  And I’m not the only one who loves it.  Three-year-old Alice begged the last few florets from Ken’s plate tonight at dinner.  No joke.  I can’t recall when we’ve had leftovers of this side dish.

The original recipe calls for adding Parmesan and for a few tablespoons of toasted pinon.  I consider them optional as I don’t miss them and appreciate the healthier approach without the nuts and cheese.

Roasted broccoli makes me happy!

Roasted broccoli makes me happy!

Ingredients
2-3 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbl freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks. Peel the tougher outer part of the stalks away and then dice what remains. You should have about 8 cups of florets and stalk pieces. Place the broccoli on a sheet pan lined with aluminium foil that is large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons 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 the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Serve hot.

 

Cucumber and Melon Salad May 20, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables,Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:34 am
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In 2012, we joined a local organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in Tampa.  Every other week, we’d pick up bags of wonderfully fresh vegetables, some of which I’d never heard of before.  Tatsoi? Dino Kale? Hakurei turnips?

Needless to say, our palettes expanded, and sometimes I struggled to find ways to use our produce.  Like the radishes.  One or two, I know how to handle (chop up in a salad – easy enough!), but eight? Ten? Thankfully, I found two different cold salad recipes through Pinterest that allowed me to use the radishes in really delicious ways.  This one is based on a Weight Watchers recipe and is such a wonderful and refreshing summer dish.  Tangy citrus, fragrant mint, sweet melon, crisp and slightly spicy radishes all combine into a beautiful and healthy salad.  While the original recipe calls for the veggies and melon to be sliced on a mandolin, I chose to dice the cucumbers and melon and thinly slice the radishes.  Scooping the melon with a baller would also work.  The recipe also calls for honeydew, and as you can see in the photo I sometimes use cantaloupe.  They are equally delicious.

melon salad

Sometimes I deconstruct the salad for little palettes that aren’t keen on radishes or mint yet. They inhale the melon and cucumber.

 

Ingredients

1 medium English cucumber

6-8 fresh radishes

1/2 medium honeydew melon

1/2 cups mint leaves, julienned

1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

1 Tbl sugar

 

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least two hours before serving.

 

 

Green Beans with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette May 16, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:29 am
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Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed
2 shallots, minced
2 Tbl Dijon mustard
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Fresh dill, chopped
salt & pepper

 

Directions

1. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the green beans and cook until crisp tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain well.

2. While the beans are cooking, place the shallots, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt & pepper in a small saucepan. Heat, whisking constantly, just until mixture is hot to touch.

3. Toss the hot green beans with the dressing to coat. Quickly add the dill and toss to combine. Serve at once.

 

Roasted Carrots and Leeks March 29, 2013

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:38 pm
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From the St Petersburg Times, November 20, 2005. Serves eight.

 

Ingredients

8 large carrots

4 large leeks

extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbl crumbled dried tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and peel carrots and cut into 1-inch chunks. Trim leeks, reserving tough parts for making stock if you wish. Split leeks in the middle lengthwise and wash thoroughly to remove any sand and dirt. Cut into lengths about the same size as the carrots. Pour olive oil to cover the bottom of a heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet. Heat and add carrots; toss and pan-roast until the vegetables begin to brown a little. Add the tarragon and salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in oven. Add a little additional olive oil to the pan and sauté leeks until they wilt and begin to caramelize. After the carrots have baked for about 1 hour, add the leeks, toss with the carrots and continue baking for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables can easily be pierced with a fork. This can be made ahead and warmed or served at room temperature.

 

Roasted Summery Vegetables

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:37 pm
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I made this constantly one semester during graduate school. It would be wonderful with warmed goat cheese on crostini.

 

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1-2 yellow squash, sliced into circles, then halved

1-2 leeks, rinsed and sliced (white and light green parts only)

4 oz mushrooms, halved

1 Tbl olive oil

2-3 Tbl balsamic vinegar

1 Tbl Italian Seasonings (herb mixture: oregano, thyme, basil, etc.)

salt and pepper

 

Directions

Toss in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Toss again and bake for another ten minutes or so. All quanities can be altered according to taste.

 

Other variation:  add fresh halved tomatoes and cilantro with a little cumin sprinkled on top. Omit the Italian Seasonings.

 

Squash Casserole

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:35 pm
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From “Paula Deen & Friends Cookbook.” Serves eight.

 

This side dish was served with the grilled pork tenderloins for Nana Betty’s birthday in 2005.

 

Ingredients

6 medium summer squash
1 small onion, chopped
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup mayonnaise
10 soda crackers, crumbled

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbl butter, melted

salt and pepper

 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Cut the squash into ¼-inch slices. Place the squash and onion in about 2 inches of salted water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 10 – 12 minutes. Drain the squash. In the same pot, mash the squash and onion with a fork; you should have about 2 cups of cooked squash. Add ½ cup of the cheese, the mayonnaise, and the crumbled soda crackers. Stir in the egg and butter. Taste; add salt and pepper as needed. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.

 

Oriental Cole Slaw

Filed under: Fruits and Vegetables — alittlemoreofeach @ 10:34 pm
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Mix together:

2 lbs slaw mix

5 sliced scallions

 

Toast:

½ cup sunflower kernels

½ cup slivered almonds

2 packages Ramen noodles

 

Dressing:

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup sugar

2 Tbl soy sauce

 

Mix together just before serving.