Roasted Broccoli

This dish is a great side.  And, really, you could prepare any vegetable using this technique.

Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

recipe from The Barefoot Contessa

4 to 5 pounds broccoli

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

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

2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan 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, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

Rapid Rolls

These rolls are great for a Sunday morning.  In fact, just last week, my mom called and asked if we wanted to come for dinner.  She asked if I had a baguette that I could bring, I didn't.  But in 1 1/2 hours, start to finish, I was able to have these rolls ready.

Rapid Rolls

from Kelsey Nixon

3 (.25-ounce) packets active dry yeast

1 3/4 cups warm water

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for brushing

2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 large eggs, beaten

4 to 6 cups flour, plus more if needed

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the instant yeast, and warm water. Let it activate for 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in the honey. On low speed, add 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons salt, and eggs. Slowly add the flour cup-by-cup until fully incorporated and the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Add more flour if it is too sticky. Portion the dough into 2 even servings. Roll into a circle, and cut into 24 wedges.  Roll up and place on a baking sheet spaced evenly apart. Set aside and allow to rise approximately 20 minutes, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with more melted butter, and sprinkle with a little salt.

Open-faced Pimento Cheese BLT's

These sandwiches were a great summertime meal.  The spend hardly any time in the oven, and highlight many of the great things about summer.  We paired ours with some sweet potato fries and fresh summer fruit.

Open-faced Pimento Cheese BLT's

adapted from Cooking Light, June 2012

2 tablespoons bottled diced pimientos, drained

1 tablespoon grated peeled shallots

4 tablespoons canola mayonnaise

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/3 cup)

4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted

12 tomato slices

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and halved

1 cup baby arugula leaves

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese mixture on each bread slice.  Place under the broil, just until the cheese starts to melt.  Top each with 3 tomato slices. Sprinkle tomato slices evenly with salt. Top each sandwich with 2 bacon halves and 1/4 cup arugula.

The pimento cheese on it's own is a great dip or accompaniment to crackers.

5 Fruit Juice

We love our Green Smoothies, but every once in a while, you want something else.  This was a demo jusice at Costco for the Vitamix blender, but I made it just fine in my Blendtec.  I love my Blendtec!

 5 Fruits: 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 banana, 2 pineapple spears, and strawberries.

 Roughly chop fruits and place in blender.  Blend and serve.

Crispy Gnocchi with Basil Oil and Sauteed Corn

I saw this on Pinterest, only not on Pinterest at all.  The Pinterest link describes making your own gnocchi to be topped with Coq Au Vin, so not what we are doing here.  My sister in law had a note about mixing it with sauteed corn, etc.  So, I just went for it.

Crispy Gnocchi with Basil Oil and Sauteed Corn

1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for sauteeing

1 pkg premade gnocchi, or make your own just depends on how much time you have

1 C corn kernels

 

Mix together chopped basil, garlic and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Let marinate while you prepare the rest.  Boil gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Drizzle extra olive oil in a large sautee pan.  Add corn and stir to spread out.  Now, let it sit without stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Stir and let it sit again.  Once finished cooking, remove corn from pan and keep warm.  Add 1 Tbsp extra olive oil to the pan and pour in drained gnocchi.  Repeat the steps from sauteeing the corn, and do not stir.  Return the corn to the pan, drizzle with basil-olive oil mixture.  Toss to combine and serve.

Spinach Orzo Pasta Salad

Spinach and Orzo Pasta Salad
adapted from Simply Recipes

4 ounces orzo pasta

Salt

2 Tbsp pine nuts

3 ounces feta cheese, roughly crumbled

1 ounce Kalamata Greek olives pitted, roughly chopped, about 1/4 cup (about 10 olives)

2 ounces baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped red onion (about half a red onion)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (can substitute white vinegar or lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch dried basil

Pinch dried tarragon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the orzo pasta in salted water acording to package directions.  Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly.  Toast the pine nuts.  Take half of the spinach and purée it in a food processor or blender, adding one tablespoon of the olive oil. Roughly chop the other half of the spinach. In a large serving bowl mix the spinach purée olive oil mixture in with cooked orzo until the pasta is well coated with the purée. Then gently mix in the remaining spinach, the red onion, feta cheese, pine nuts, and the Kalamata olives.

In a small jar, combine the remaining olive oil (1 Tbsp), balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, dried basil, and dried tarragon. Put a lid on the jar and shake to combine.  Pour over orzo spinach mixture and gently mix in until well incorporated.

Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Our New Go-To Dessert

My husband started the year back on the "South Beach Wagon."  We had invited some friends for dinner to enjoy a new favorite of his, Blackened Chicken, and games.  Our friend offered to bring a salad and something for dessert.  I mentioned our current no-carb situation, and she said that she would look through her books and see what she could find.  She showed up with Chocolate Mousse.  Everyone in our family loved it.  And, we have made it several times since.  The boys every made it for Grandma & Papa's Sunday dinner.

{Chocolate Mousse}
South Beath diet-friendly
1 4-serving box of Suger-free Jell-O Instant Pudding, chocolate flavor
1 tub of Cool-Whip Free, defrosted
2 C cold milk

Mix  pudding and milk according to package directions.  Let set up in fridge until just before serving.  Then, gently fold in Cool Whip.  The end result is an almost guilt-free, fuluffy, creamy chocolate treat!