healthy side dishes 2

I never grew up eating green beans - for most of my life I was ambivalent towards them and never really ate them.  In the last year or two I've started cooking with them a lot more, realizing when prepared simply, how delicious they can be.  I credit this to eating amazing garlic stir fried green beans at a favorite Chinese food restaurant.  While there is no way those are healthy, I tried to mimic the flavors in a side dish that I now make all the time and feel that I got pretty close.  These garlicky string beans are quick, easy, and addictive. I have been known to make them almost every day for a week when I get on a kick...This time I added a package of cremini mushrooms to the green beans.


Garlicky Green Beans with Mushrooms
1 pound green beans, the ends trimmed and cut in half
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp p epper
1 tbsp olive oil

Steam the green beans until they are crisp tender and bright green - about 2-3 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan heat up the olive oil.  When it is hot, add the red pepper flakes (use as much or as little as you like).  Add the sliced mushrooms, tossing to coat in the oil.  The mushrooms will soak up all the oil so keep an eye on the mushrooms so that they don't burn.

Add a little salt to the mushrooms, that will bring their moisture out.  Once the mushrooms have browned add the green beans and the minced/grated garlic.  Add the remaining salt and pepper.  Toss the veggies frequently - you just want to season the green beans.  Enjoy :)

Bridal showers, brunches and more

This past weekend was one of my close friends surprise bridal showers.  The bridesmaids threw the shower, and I came up with the idea of personally catering a bridal shower for almost 50 people.  I've written before about how lots of the recipes that I use are easy and can be made in advance - this bridal shower put this to the test! I needed to figure out what dishes could be either completely made the day before and reheated, or things that could be completely prepped the day before and then assembled and baked the day of.

Here is the menu that I came up with and was a HUGE hit at the shower. If you've checked out my blog before, you're sure to see a few oldies but goodies.  Click on the recipes that I've made before for a direct link to those recipes: 

Broccoli Rabe Egg Bake

Baked Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce
Creme Brûlée French Toast

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary and Sage
Broccoli & Cheddar Quiche
Kalamata Olive, Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche
Mixed Vegetable Quiche

All of these with the exception of the baked blintzes are really very easy to make.  The baked blintzes require a little more prep and are a few more steps,  but still not too hard to make.

QUICHES


I've made quiches before (see here), so that was a obvious choice for something quick and easy to make.  I fully cooked each of the quiches the day before and then just brought back to room temperature before serving them on the morning of the shower.  To make things easier, I bought frozen crusts instead of making my own crust, but you do whatever it is that's easiest for you.

The base recipe is the same for each quiche - in fact I made one giant bowl of the egg custard that forms the base of the quiche, and then added the filling ingredients to each quiche and just poured the egg custard over the fillings to each quiche shell.

Egg Custard Filling for Quiches (makes one quiche)
8 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk or cream
1 tsp salt/ 1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Combine all the above ingredients, whisking well.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
1 pie shell
Egg custard filling
2 cups steamed, chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Kalamata Olive, Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Quiche
1 pie shell
Egg custard filling
1 1/2 cups chopped, pitted kalamata olives
1 cups crumbed feta, preferably greek or bulgarian feta
2 cups roasted red peppers, sliced (either homemade or from a jar)

Mixed Vegetable Quiche
1 pie shell
Egg custard filling
1 cup steamed, chopped asparagus
1 pint button mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and finely chopped

Directions
As I said above, when I made the quiches for the bridal shower I made one large batch of the egg custard filling and added the ingredients of each quiche filing to the pie shell.  Then all I needed to do was pour the egg filling into each pie shell.  If you are making more than one type of quiche, this is the easiest way to do it.  If you are just making one quiche, then add the ingredients in with the egg before pouring into the pie shell.

Using the technique of adding the egg custard separately lets you make multiple types of quiche, which is fun.  For the mixed vegetable quiche use whatever veggies you like - just make sure that each ingredient is steamed or cooked before hand so its nice and tender.


Roasted Potatoes

 My mother makes the best roasted rosemary potatoes, ever.  They are always crispy and completely cooked through.  I've had problems trying to achieve the balance between a crust on the potato and having it be cooked through and not raw in the middle.  What I've started to do which works out great (especially for a make-ahead brunch like this) is to par-boil the potatoes until they are 3/4th the way cooked through.  Allow them to cool, and then fry them up in some olive oil to finish cooking them and get them crisp all over.  Keep them in the oven at a low temperature to keep warm until ready to serve.

Roasted Rosemary and Sage Potatoes
A few pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half if small, or into quarters if larger (note: if you are chopping the potatoes before you are going to cook them, leave place the cut potatoes in a large bowl with water - this will stop them from browning).
A few tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup of chopped fresh rosemary and sage

Place the cut potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with water.  When the water comes up to a boil add a handful of salt.  Cook the potatoes until they are cooked 3/4th the way through.  Drain and set potatoes aside.  The potatoes can be stored in the fridge until you're ready to use them or be used immediately.

Put the boiled potatoes in a large bowl  Pour the olive oil, salt/pepper, and fresh herbs into the bowl and toss well to coat. Each potato should be coated in oil and fresh herbs.


Heat up a large sauté pan over medium high heat.  Fry the potatoes in batches, making sure that you fry them in a single layer in the pan.  Let the potatoes sit for a few minutes so that a crust can form - do not keep moving them around the entire time! Once the potatoes are browned all over transfer them to baking sheet and keep warm in a  250 degree oven until all the potatoes are cooked and ready to serve.

Blintzes


I usually look at recipes and then adjust them to water my tastes are.  For this baked blintz recipe however I pretty much followed it completely since it is a more involved recipe. It's an Ina Garten recipe (thanks again Ina!) and while it takes a few steps it was delicious!

For the Batter:
1 1/4 cups milk

• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

For the Filling:
3 cups (24 ounces) ricotta cheese

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows)  (instead of fresh blueberries I used a bag of frozen blueberries and it worked just fine)
• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 13-inch cake pan or baking dish.

Directions

For the batter, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blend until smooth. (You can also use a blender.) Pour half the batter (about 1 3/4 cups) into the prepared dish and bake for 10 minutes, until set.

Meanwhile, for the filling, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the cheese filling over the baked pancake. Carefully spoon the remaining pancake batter to cover the cheese.

Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is almost set. Remove from the oven and allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the blintzes in squares and serve warm with the fresh blueberry sauce.

• Blueberry Sauce:
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 half-pints fresh blueberries
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is translucent and thickened, stir in the blueberries and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until a few berries have burst but most are still whole. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and cool. Yield: Makes 2 cups.

healthy side dishes

There are always different food trends - foods that are touted as being the best for you, foods that are all the rage right now.  One food that has been turning up on menus all over the place is kale.  I just started cooking with it within the last year, I think as a result of having some turn up in a farm share we were a part of.  Kale is a dark, tough green that raw is very bitter.  I've started making it in a few ways.  One way is to cook the kale and wilt it lightly in olive oil.  Salt and pepper the kale, and cook until its desired taste.  The other way is to wilt it with an acid, like lemon juice. This is what I do the majority of the time. 

When you get kale from the store it comes in large bunches.  Either way that you cook the kale, the prep is the same.  Each leave of kale has a large, thick rib down the center. You want to pull the leaves away from the rib and toss those - they're too tough and fibrous to eat. 

Wilted Kale Salad

1 head of kale, leaves removed from the the ribs, thinly sliced

2 tbs lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp honey or agave

1 large beet, roasted and sliced (wash the beet and wrap it in aluminum foil - you don't need to peel it. roast the beet at 375 until a fork stuck in the beet is easily removed - depending on the size of the beet this could take anywhere from 30 - 60 min)

3-4 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or almonds

In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey/agave, along with some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat 1-2 tsps olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Toss the cut up kale in the olive oil until it get coated in the oil and just barely starts to wilt - about 2-3 minutes.  Put the kale in the bowl with the lemon vinaigrette and toss to coat the kale with the dressing.  Place on the counter top or in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

When you're ready to eat, toss the roasted beet with the kale and taste for seasoning - the kale may need extra salt.  Add the pumpkin seeds or nuts and toss again. Serve. 

This is just a base recipe - you can easily adapt this to use whatever you have in your fridge. It's great with a fruit like nectarine or mango chopped up in there, or something more savory like roasted cubed butternut squash.  Instead of a lemon vinaigrette you can use any fresh dressing you like - today when we ate this salad I made a dressing using sherry vinegar, and used roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries and walnuts with the kale.