INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TIMES THREE

Posted in Incredibly simple, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It’s been a few months since I blogged on super simple stuff, so here I am… I will start with a pretty unusual and kind of cute take on the humble broccoli. I am sure you are familiar with smashed potatoes, but in this version, broccoli is the one getting smashed and baked. Delicious, and oh so simple!

SMASHED BROCCOLI

Here’s what you do: cook broccoli florets – as many as will fit in a baking sheet – until just tender, don’t let it get all mushy. Drain, run through very cold water to stop the cooking. Add the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet, smash them flat with the bottom of a measuring cup, drizzle a good amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of cheese on top. You can load it with cheese if you want, or use restraint like we did. You can use mozzarella, Gruyere, Mexican cheese, whatever you feel like. Bake at 425F until the cheese is melted, bubbly, getting dark on the edges. ENJOY!

Inspiration for this recipe came from an Instagram post that my friend Elaine shared with me. You can find it here. She goes heavily on the cheese, and next time I might do the same, at least in some pieces. Mouth-watering stuff!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SLICES

Usually I resort to bags of cut butternut squash because I despise having to prep it myself. However, recently I used this trick that is a game changer: microwave the butternut squash for 4 minutes. No need to poke holes, nothing. Just microwave, allow it to cool a bit until you can handle it, and it will peel like a dream! Then just slice it, coat the slices with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and roast or air-fry it.

If you find a butternut squash with super long neck, go for it. More slices for you!

BRITISH-STYLE JACKED POTATOES

Phil and I make these ALL THE TIME. I was sure it was on the blog already, then he asked me for the link to send to a friend and I had one of those big “palm-to-forehead” moments. No blog post to be found. Better late than never, here’s what you do: get very large Russet potatoes, wash, scrub them and make two deep cuts in a cross. Season lightly with salt. Place in a 400F oven for TWO HOURS. That is it. Ten minutes before the two hours are up, go with a knife and cut the cross slits a little deeper, squeeze the potatoes (wearing gloves) to open the flesh a bit. Drizzle a touch of olive oil and bake for the additional ten minutes or until they start to get all golden. DONE. You can eat the skin and all, it will be crunchy, the flesh very smooth and flavorful. You can read all the details about it here.

I hope you give these simple recipes a try. Sometimes simple is all you need…

ONE YEAR AGO: Chile Rellenos

TWO YEARS AGO: Vietnamese “Pizza”

THREE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Bonbons with Mango-Ganache Filling

FOUR YEARS AGO: Giant Cookie Meets Mousse

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Brazilian Battenberg

SIX YEARS AGO: Salzburg Sourdough

SEVEN YEARS AGO: If I had One Hour

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Rye Bread with Flaxseeds and Oats

TEN YEARS AGO: Apricot-Raspberry Sorbet: A farewell to Summer

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Marcela’s Salpicon

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Pork Kebabs

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Fondant au Chocolat

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Got Spinach? Have a salad!

13Sep2023

FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Pizzas & Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Please don’t judge this recipe by its looks, it would be unfair because it is delicious and so very simple! I eat a lot of eggs, my lunch is often a scrambled egg wrapped in a tortilla, or some type of omelette made by the husband, who is a pro at those. I am always searching for new ways to enjoy my favorite lunch item, and this is my newest obsession.

FETA EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI
(slightly modified from Skinnytaste)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry
Chili crisp hot sauce, any amount you like (I used this one)
2 large eggs
1 ounce feta cheese
ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil and add the chili crisp sauce and zucchini, sautee on medium heat until the zucchini gets soft and starts to get some color. Add the feta cheese evenly over the zucchini and cook until it starts to melt a bit.

Carefully drop in the eggs, season with salt and pepper and cover. Cook on low until the yolks are runny and set, or cooked to your liking. Use a silicone spatula to transfer the eggs to your plate.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have made it with other cheeses (Cotija and goat cheese), and they all work great. It is such a nice way to enjoy eggs, a slice of sourdough is the perfect way to deliver it to your mouth, but if you want to keep the carb index low, just enjoy the layer of zucchini to give it texture. It gets all crispy and cheesy underneath the egg, giving it that bit of texture that the fried egg by itself lacks. If you don’t have the chili crisp sauce, just use red pepper flakes.

If you love eggs, try this preparation. I imagine it could work well with finely grated carrots, or even some shredded cabbage in place of the zucchini. Worth playing with!

ONE YEAR AGO: Poilane-Style Bread, a simplified version

TWO YEAR AGO: Broccoli Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Tahini Dressing

THREE YEARS AGO: Turkey-Spinach Meatballs with Cardamon-Tomato Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: British Baps, a Technical Challenge

FIVE YEARS AGO: Japanese-Style Cupcakes with Cherry Blossom Icing

SIX YEARS AGO: Quick Weeknight Soups

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Sourdough Loaf with Cranberries and Walnuts

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Sichuan Pork Stir-Fry in Garlic Sauce

NINE YEARS AGO: Our Green Trip to Colorado

TEN YEARS AGO: Ditalini Pasta Salad

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Thai Seafood Curry

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Post-workout Breakfast

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers

5Sep2023

TOMATO AND FRESH PEACH SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

You cannot go much simpler than this… Two main ingredients, juicy tomatoes and fresh yellow peaches, a simple dressing, and you are done. Not to mention the presentation that makes it all shine. You definitely need this salad in your life…

TOMATO AND FRESH PEACH SALAD
(very slightly modified from Mother Would Know)

2 Large fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices, each slice halved in half-moons
2 Large peaches, cut into half, then cut each half into 1/2-inch half-moons
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Pomegranate molasses to taste
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn or cut in half if large
2-3 Large pinches Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

I used yellow and red tomatoes, alternating colors. Arrange the slices of tomatoes and peaches in a circular pattern around a dinner plate (mine was 8 inch in diameter), and place basil leaves in between some of the slices, any amount you like.

Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl, add to the tomato-peach mixture. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle a little pomegranate molasses all over. If you have time, allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love peaches but do not care for the texture of the skin when I eat the fresh fruit, however in this preparation the dressing takes care of my “issues” and I enjoyed it without reservation. Peaches and tomatoes are yet another match made in heaven, this one new to me. Huge thanks to Laura for bringing this into my cooking world!

ONE YEAR AGO: Chicken and Zucchini Stir-fry

TWO YEARS AGO: The Never Again Folder

THREE YEARS AGO: Chai-Butterfly Macarons

FOUR YEARS AGO: Roasted Cauliflower Salad over Hummus

FIVE YEARS AGO: Sous-vide Egg Bites

SIX YEARS AGO: Paul Hollywood, The Weekend Baker

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Texas Sheet Cake

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, September 2015

NINE YEARS AGO: Sour Cherry Sorbet: A Labor of Love

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – September 2013

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Raspberry Sorbet at Summer’s End

TWELVE YEARS AGO: When three is better than two (four years with Buck!)

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Grating Tomatoes (and loving it!)

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A Peachy Salad for a Sunny Day

21Aug2023

WATERMELON SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Years ago I thought that watermelon salads and watermelon skewers with feta cheese, and all things watermelon savory would fade away. But it did not, and I am glad it didn’t. Because putting it simply, watermelon works in many savory concoctions. It is refreshing, has a delicate texture, soaks dressings well, and it does not clash with other ingredients. Give it a try if you have resisted it so far.

WATERMELON SALAD WITH PECANS AND FETA CHEESE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

Seeded and cubed watermelon, any amount you like
Mixed color baby lettuce leaves
¾ cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, keep in large chunks

For the vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbs agave nectar
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup grapeseed oil

Make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients except the oil together. Still whisking, pour the oil to emulsify it well. Reserve.

Make the salad. Combine watermelon and greens in a large bowl; add the vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat. Top with the toasted pecans and feta cheese. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can vary this salad in countless ways… different greens, different cheese, different nuts. I love the acidity of the vinaigrette, and I believe some ginger could go well with it also. Try to exercise self-control and don’t pick all the watermelon before your guests or family members had a chance to serve themselves…

ONE YEAR AGO: Kashmiri Chicken Thighs

TWO YEARS AGO: A Vegan Trilogy

THREE YEARS AGO: The Mystifying Hurricane Roll

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pop-Tarts with Strawberry Balsamic Jam

FIVE YEARS AGO: Ptichye Moloko, a Russian Dessert

SIX YEARS AGO: Cheesy Low-Carb Zucchini Tarts

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Blogging Hiatus

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Apricots, Three Ways

NINE YEARS AGO: Up Close and Personal with Kale

TEN YEARS AGO: Black Berry Cherry Sorbet

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Asparagus Pesto

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Chocolate and Chestnut Terrine

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Under the spell of lemongrass

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Greens + Grapefruit + Shrimp = Great Salad!

31Jul2023

GOING BEYOND GUACAMOLE

Posted in Side dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

We consume a lot of avocados, often in guacamole format, but sometimes just sliced with a squirt of lemon, salt and pepper. Last weekend I was relaxing a bit browsing through stuff I had saved in our TiVo, and went on a binge watch of Molly Yeh’s Girl Meets Farm. Her cooking style is different from mine, but I love her baking ideas, and her warm, fun personality. In one of the episodes she made avocado salsa with a definite Asian feel, and I had to try it myself. Verdict? I loved it. Hubby still prefers avocado in guacamole shape, but agreed that it is definitely “blog-worthy”. So here we are.

SESAME AVOCADO SALSA
(from Molly Yeh’s Girl Meets Farm)

4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime
Sriracha or other hot sauce, as desired
4 avocados, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
black or toasted sesame seeds, for topping

Whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lime and some hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the avocados and toss to coat, mashing some of the avocados a little bit to bring everything together. Taste and adjust as desired, I added more lime juice. Top with the chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I am on a sesame oil kick lately, and find that it gives many dishes a wonderful taste, if you don’t add too much you cannot quite tell what it is, but it is, to quote Martha Stewart, “a good thing”. We had leftovers and although it got slightly darker, flavor and texture were not compromised. If you are serving to company, definitely prepare it right before you intend to enjoy it, although keeping it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so does not hurt at all.