Broccoli Leek Soup
Broccoli Leek Soup from Bailey1806
Ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter (unsalted)
2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
1 medium baking potato (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 garlic clove (thinly sliced)
3 cups water
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
3/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup half and half (optional)
1/4 cup snipped chives
Separate broccoli stems from florets. Remove tough outer layer from stems with a vegetable peeler (if necessary) and slice into 1/4 inch thick “coins.” Break the florets into small pieces and set aside.
In a soup pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli stems, potato and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until broccoli and potato are tender, about 12 minutes.
Add florets, bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add half and half (if using) and chives and re-heat before serving. I usually freeze the soup in 1-2 serving portions and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top when serving.
Notes:
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I rarely take the time to chop up garlic, but get the jar of minced garlic from the grocery store and save myself two minutes of my life once or twice a week when cooking.
I rarely measure out salt and pepper, and sometimes I even leave them out because I prefer to add it later when I’m serving the dish, since every one likes a different amount.
I do not add the half and half, because I usually use extra broccoli and that makes it thick enough, plus I get the dairy when I sprinkle with cheddar.
I usually forget to buy fresh chives, or don’t want to be stuck with extra, so I use the dried chives from my spice rack, use only 1/8 of a cup and add with the florets so they get softened by cooking a little.
This is originally from an Oprah cookbook.
Mock-a-mole
Mock-a-mole by Bailey 1806
Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 cup cooked green peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. chopped red onion
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes:
I would probably double this recipe, especially if taking it to a party, plus where can you actually buy such small amounts of these ingredients anyway???
I will rarely juice a lime or lemon for a recipe… instead get the cute yellow and green bottles of juice at the grocery store.
This is from Bethenny Frankel: http://www.bethenny.com/
Danish Potato Salad
Danish Potato Salad
Submitted by
6 to 8 servings
3 pounds of Red Skinned or other pretty colored Boiling Potatoes
1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Chives or Green Onions
1/2 Cup of Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons of Drained Capers
3 Tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon of Caper Liquid from Jar
1 Teaspoon (or a lil’ more) of Dijon Mustard
1/2 Cup of Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
Paprika
Wash and cut potatoes into cubes. Boil in salted water until just tender (fork tender). Drain and add chives, parsley and capers, Set aside.
For the dressing: Combine vinegar, caper liquid and mustard in a small bowl or jar and whisk in oil. (or shake).
Season salad with salt and pepper. Then pour dressing over potatoes and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Dust with Paprika. Can serve at room temperature or make the night before and serve chilled or warm up in oven
Corn and Black Bean Salad
Corn and Black Bean Salad- SnoopyLuv
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tsp tabasco (add more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1/2 chopped red onion (optional)
1 bell pepper chopped (optional)
In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder and tabasco.
In a medium bowl, stir together black beans and corn. Toss with vinegar and oil dressing, and garnish with cilantro. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Garlicky Mashed Potatoes with Thyme
Garlicky Mashed Potatoes with Thyme from ngentile
Source: Real Simple Magazine
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8), peeled and halved
Kosher salt and black pepper (I just use regular salt)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
12 springs fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Place the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and summer until tender, 16-18 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Meanwhile, place the milk, cream, butter, garlic, and thyme in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside until the potatoes are cooked. Strain the milk mixture into the pot with the potatoes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mash. Sprinkle with nutmeg before serving.
Macaroni and Cheese w/Butternut Squash and Broccoli
Macaroni and Cheese w/Butternut Squash and Broccoli from HoosierTerp
Recipe adapted from: Branny Boils Over
Photo by HoosierTerp
1.5 cups WW pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella (I used reduced fat)
2 T cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
1 cup butternut squash puree
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 small red onion, diced
1 T smartbalance (I used smartbalance spray- 6-7 sprays)
1 t flour
3/4 cup water (or milk if you’re feeling rich!)
salt and pepper
Peel butternut squash. Roast or steam until very tender. Puree. I used a food ricer to puree it but you could use a blender, food processor, or vigorous fork-action.
Boil 1.5 cups whole wheat pasta until al dente. Reserve. Saute red onion, if using, until just tender and fragrant.
Melt 1 T smart balance, butter, or oil in a sauce pan. Stir in 1 T flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in 3/4 cup water (or milk) until a pale sauce forms. Add squash puree and stir well. Fold in shredded cheese and cream cheese and heat until melted. Stir together peas, pasta, onion, and butternut squash (salt and pepper to taste) mixture and spread into a 9×9″ baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Top with freshly chopped parsley.
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving (made with water)
Calories 230
Total Fat 4.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.4 g
Dietary Fiber 4.9 g
Sugars 1.0 g
Protein 13.5 g
Corn Casserole
Corn Casserole from SarahKate31
Source: my mom (no idea where she got it!)
Serves 10
1 can (15oz) creamed corn
1 can (15oz) whole corn (drained)
1 box (8.5oz) Jiffy corn bread mix
1 cup (8oz) sour cream*
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)*
Preheat oven to 350.
Grease a 9×13 dish.
Mix all ingredients and spread into dish.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Can be served hot, cold, or room temp – it’s best hot, in my opinion. My mom cuts it into squares for serving – I generally just use a spoon to serve.
*Note: I have used light sour cream and light butter in this recipe without any adverse affects!
Butternut Squash Fries
Butternut Squash Fries from HoosierTerp
Source: carascravings.blogspot.com
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and preheat oven to 450ºF. Place a baking sheet or large nonstick skillet in the oven while it’s heating.
2. Meanwhile, peel and seed a butternut squash and slice into thin, french-fry-like strips.
3. Cook the butternut fries in the boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, place on a dish towel, and pat dry.
4. Remove the baking sheet or skillet from the oven, and spray lightly nonstick spray. Dump the fries onto the pan, spray with nonstick spray, and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning (I like a southwestern blend.)
5. Roast for 20-30 minutes total, turning occasionally, until evenly browned.
Herbed Corn on the Cob
Herbed Corn on the Cob from MrsDeva
1/2 Cup butter , softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS choped fresh parsley OR 1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried rosemary
6 ears fresh, shucked corn on the cob or frozen corn on the cob
1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine butter salt, pepper, parsley and rosemary in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Cut six 12 inch pieces of heavy duty foil. Spread about 1 TBS of butter mixture onto each ear of corn, reserving remaining butter mixture.
3. Place 1 ear of corn diagonally on each piece of foil. Roll up tightly; twist each end to seal. Place on baking sheet.
4. Bake corn for 30 minutes. Untwist the ends of the foil; unroll.
Orange & Fennel Salad
Orange & Fennel Salad from by Wawajeanne
Adapted roughly from Good Things Catered
A note on fennel: My husband informed me that fennel is the WORST VEGGIE EVER because essentially a mutant celery that tastes like black jelly beans. If you couldn’t guess, he hates both celery and black jelly beans.
Yes, fennel is licorice-y. Especially when freshly sliced it can be a little strong, but when combined with citrus and a yummy zippy vinaigrette it mellows out quite a bit and is very tasty. If you’ve never bought it before it’s the stuff that looks sorta celery-esque, but the leaves on top look like dill and the bottom has a big bulge. It’s usually near the beets and other not-so-popular veggies, and it’s frequently labeled as anise. It keeps really well in the fridge (which I know because i bought for something else, didn’t make that something and then let it hang out in the crisper for 2 weeks.)
Serves 2 people who love veggies or 4 not so big fans.
1 bulb fennel (mine was pretty big. If you have a little one you might need 2)
1/4 medium yellow onion (or red)
2 oranges (grapefruit would be good too. Or a mix)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar (can sub pretty much whatever vinegar you want, just not balsamic)
Salt + Pepper
Chop off the fennel fronds and slice the bulb in half. Make sure it’s nice and clean, sometimes dirt gets down in there. Cut out the solid core. (you don’t have to be too finicky about this part. Just get the bulk of it)
Slice thinly. I used a mandoline and really got it paper thin, but a knife is fine.
Slice onion thinly.
Combine fennel and onion in a medium sized bowl.
Zest one of the oranges and then supreme both of them, catching any juice you loose in a small bowl.
(supreming being the fancy way of segmenting an orange by cutting off all the skin and then cutting the flesh away from the membrane. It’s actually really easy and there are good instructions here. or search youtube if you like to see video.)
Squeeze the remaining membrane above your juice bowl (just squish it in your fist) to get the rest of the juice out.
Add zest, vinegar and salt and pepper to orange juice.
Pour in olive oil while whisking to make vinaigrette. (feel free to adjust acid to oil ratio. I like my salads a little acidic)
Pour dressing over fennel+onions and toss well.
Add pretty orange segments and toss really lightly to avoid mutilating the oranges.
Eat.
If you want to make it pretty you could arrange the dressed fennel and onion on a platter and artfully scatter the oranges over it and then garnish with fennel fronds. I just shoved it in a bowl and then ate it while watching re-runs of Bones so I didn’t bother.
This would make a killer side dish for salmon.
