Baked Brown Rice

September 7, 2012 by


Brown rice is one of those foods that if made well you wonder why it isn’t always made well, and when made poorly you wonder why anyone would want to eat twigs.  I love this method, and have had perfect results any time.  While I do have a rice cooker and use it often, I find the flavor in this baked rice is much better.   We forget we’re having brown rice since it comes out so fluffy as well.
And of course it’s always nice to let something cook in the oven so you can pay attention to whatever else is going on the table.  This is easily flavored as well, just use your imagination!  But even plain, this is delicious!

BAKED BROWN RICE
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
salt and pepper
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice, rinsed & drained

Heat the oil in a oven safe pot over medium heat.
Add the onion and a pinch salt and cook until browned, about 12 minutes.
Add the water and broth, cover, and bring to a boil.
Stir in the rice and cover again.
Bake at 375 degrees, covered, for 65 to 70 minutes, or until rice is tender.
Fluff the rice, then lay a clean kitchen towel over the pot and place the lid on top to hold in place, and let sit for 10 minutes.   (This isn’t absolutely necessary, it just absorbs any extra moisture and makes for fluffier rice.)
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Recipe source:  The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

 

Filed Under: Side Dishes

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

August 31, 2012 by


It’s no secret, I’m a sucker for roasting.  There’s just something magical about that quick, high heat cooking that brings out the best in so many ingredients.
And it doesn’t hurt that it takes minimal work. 🙂

I’m also a sucker for lemon.  Especially fresh lemon.  It really does taste differently, especially when added after the cooking process.  I highly recommend grabbing a few and trying the difference if you don’t usually buy them.  And besides, how can one live without lemon zest?   Okay, I could live.  But I would miss it.  Big time.

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH LEMON 
1 bunch broccoli
1 T olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 T lemon juice

Cut broccoli into florets ( I like to cut into skinny florets, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick).  You should have about 6 cups of broccoli.  Lay out on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Roast at 450 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until browned in spots.  Toss with lemon juice and zest.

Filed Under: Side Dishes

Broccoli Salad

June 29, 2012 by

A couple of months ago I started volunteering with Bountiful Baskets as a site coordinator.  If you’ve never tried it, head over to their website and check it out.  It’s pretty awesome. It’s a non-profit, all volunteer run food co-op.  Every week I come home with all this fresh produce and it’s been so much fun to try new things and have such an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the house.

I was trying to think of something new to do with broccoli, and decided to make a salad for a bbq instead of a pasta salad.  We loved it. I know usually broccoli salad has raisins, but I really prefer dried cranberries.  They add a great tartness.  And cashews go great with the broccoli, while you could omit as well if you have nut allergies.  See my tip at the bottom for adding extra crunch by using the broccoli stems as well.
This will keep covered in the fridge for at least a couple of days as well, so it’s great for a make-ahead dish for 4th of July potlucks/bbqs too.

BROCCOLI SALAD
8 cups broccoli florets*
1/2 lb bacon (about 6-8 slices) cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup roasted cashews
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place the broccoli, bacon, onion, cashews, and cranberries in a large bowl and mix together.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.   Add to the salad and toss to coat evenly.

*I know that you can buy bags of broccoli florets, but I suggest buying uncut heads of broccoli.  Cut the florets off in small pieces, then dice some of the stem.  It adds a great crunch to the salad.

VARIATIONS: If you’d rather, you can use almonds instead of cashews, or omit nuts all together.  You could also use raisins instead of the cranberries, I just prefer the tart cranberries.

Filed Under: Salad / Dressings, Side Dishes

Edamame Salad with Roasted Vegetables

May 9, 2012 by

I don’t care for pre-prepared dishes.  They rarely taste like much more than the packaging they come in.  Awhile ago I did buy a premade edamame salad and it was decent enough, but I knew it would be better made at home.  And I was right : )
I was trying to decide what to put in the dressing, then I remembered I had a jar of dressing in the fridge leftover from this salad and thought I’d give it a try.  It was a perfect fit and I think this salad is just as good after it sits for a bit as well, as the dressing marries with the edamame and beans for a while.

EDAMAME SALAD WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
1 1/2 cups edamame*
1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 ear corn, kernels cut off
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries
drizzle olive oil
Dressing, recipe follows

Place the carrots, corn kernels, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Roast at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then toss with edamame and cranberries.
Add as much dressing as desired.
*I use frozen un-shelled edamame from Costco.  When you want to use them, you just microwave and shell.

DRESSING:
1/4 cups canola or olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lime juice
4 tsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ginger powder
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

 

Shake everything together in a jar.

Filed Under: Salad / Dressings, Side Dishes Tagged With: , , ,

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

May 3, 2012 by


I’ve been working on getting a Bountiful Baskets site going here in my town for some time now, so I was beyond ecstatic when we started up this last weekend.
We got some amazing produce, and I knew exactly what I was going to do with the sweet potatoes when I saw them.
I find sweet potatoes a little overly sweet, so I like them best paired with smoky, salty flavors, like parmesan and paprika.  These go great with burgers, or even salad, or… well, anything. : )

PARMESAN SWEET POTATO FRIES
2 1/2 to 3 lbs sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4″ thick fries
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper, to taste

Toss everything together, then place in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 12 minutes, then flip, and bake another 12 minutes.  Broil for a couple minutes to crisp if needed.

Filed Under: Side Dishes

Red Rice and Refried Beans

April 16, 2012 by


We love taco night around here.  I tend to go a bit overboard and turn a simple taco night into a day of cooking.    We never had authentic Mexican food when I was a kid, so when I went on a trip to Mexico City(many years ago) with my friend Carrie I was totally smitten by the food.
So with Cinco de Mayo coming up, I wanted to share some of my favorite Mexican dishes with you all.  So stay tuned, they’ll be coming every day this week!  Now, here’s my favorite side dish for Mexican night:

This is my favorite part of making tacos.  Weird, I know.  For whatever reason, it is.  I don’t care for canned beans, but homemade?  I love.
I am lucky enough to own a Cuisinart electric pressure cooker so I can cook dried, unsoaked beans quite quickly, but you could also just cook them on the stovetop.

RED RICE
1/2 pound bacon
3 T oil (or reserved fat from bacon)
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder, more if desired
1/2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

Chop bacon, cook in skillet until crisp.  Remove from pan and either drain off fat and add the oil, or just leave the bacon fat in the pan.
Over medium high heat, add the rice to the oil or fat and toast until fragrant and golden.
Add the onion and garlic, saute for a couple minutes.
Add the water, tomatoes, reserved bacon, chili, cumin, and salt.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 additional minutes.
Add more salt and pepper to taste.
ADAPTIONS: You could omit the onion, garlic, or bacon,  substitute tomato sauce for crushed tomatoes, and if you want it spicier you can up the amount of chili powder.

REFRIED BEANS
2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 T oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add beans and cook for a couple minutes, then add remaining ingredients and mash in skillet.  Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Filed Under: Mexican, Side Dishes

Moroccan Millet Salad

March 19, 2012 by
 
I know what you’re thinking.  It’s been a week and the site looks… the same.  Well… you’re right.  I was busy with a little cooking class early in the week, and then me and my daughters decided life was just too boring… so we got a virus.  A really, really awful virus.
So I kind of took the week off.  (If you consider being sick and caring for sick kids a vacation).  And I have the stacks of mail and laundry to prove it.  So we haven’t exactly been having the greatest home-cooked meals this last week.  But luckily I do have a backup of drafts to share, including this one that I’ve been dying to share.
Since we live near the Bob’s Red Mill Visitor Center we have access to great grain variety, and I don’t think I ever would have thought to try millet except that I saw it in the cookbook and was intrigued.  If you’ve never tried millet before, the closest thing I can think of that is similar is couscous.  Although, I don’t love couscous, but I loved millet!
This is a very exotic tasting dish for us, since I don’t usually cook with all of these spices, or dates either.  It went really well grilled chicken and naan bread.  What DOESN’T go good with Naan bread though….
MOROCCAN MILLET SALAD
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 T sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
grated zest of 1/2 orange
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups cooked millet* (See directions at bottom)
 
Combine everything together in a large bowl, toss gently with dressing, a few tablespoons at a time until dressed as you like.
Let sit for about an hour to marry flavors.
 
Ginger Citrus Dressing:
2 T lemon juice
3 T orange juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp honey
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
 
Combine all in a jar and shake to combine well.
 Adjust salt and pepper as desired.
 
*To make about 1 1/2 cups cooked millet:
Toast 1/2 cup millet in a med pan over med heat, stirring constantly.
After about 5 minutes, or when golden brown and aromatic, add 2 cups boiling water.  Stir in pinch salt and 1-2 tsp unsalted butter or oil.
Cover, reduce heat, and let cook about 35-40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and grains tender.
 
Recipe adapted from Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook
Filed Under: Salad / Dressings, Side Dishes Tagged With: , ,

Roasted Winter Vegetables

March 5, 2012 by
 
Roasting is probably my favorite cooking technique.  It is such a simple way of cooking, but I am amazed at how good it makes everything taste.  I love root vegetables and this is my favorite way of cooking them too.  You can always use different amounts too, or add in other root vegetables.
Sometimes I give them a little squeeze of lemon juice just before serving them as well.  But it’s definitely delicious just like this.  Roasting gives everything just enough texture from the high heat, while they are tender without being dry since they cook rather quickly.
On Wednesday I’ll share the soup recipe that you can make with your leftovers of this- it is amazing!
 
ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
1 pound carrots (about 6 medium)
1 pound parsnips (about 2)
1 large sweet potato
1 small (or half of a large) butternut squash (about 2 lbs)
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
 
Peel the carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato.  Peel and seed the squash.
Cut everything into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes.
Divide between 2 large baking sheets, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Toss everything together and bake at 425 for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Toss with the parsley and serve hot. 
Reserve half for making soup, or cut recipe in half in you don’t want as large of an amount..
 
Recipe source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style
 

Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: , ,

Oven-Fried Onion Rings

January 24, 2012 by
 
I have a hubby who does NOT like onion rings.  At all. Period.  End of discussion.  Never. EVER.
So imagine my surprise when he was digging into these like they were… good.  Great, even.
I double checked to make sure it was really my hubby I was looking at, and then I marked this recipe with an underlined GREAT!
My favorite thing about these is that they are crispy without being heavy and greasy, and they were also great on burgers or even on a steak salad.  Mmm… steak salad.  I think I had better go amend my weekly menu…
 
OVEN-FRIED ONION RINGS
 
1/2 cup flour, divided
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp paprika (or cayenne pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
30 saltine crackers
4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips
2 large white or yellow onions
6 T vegetable or canola oil
 
Heat oven to 450 degrees, with one rack set in the lowest position, and another in the upper-middle position.   Slice the onions into 1/2 inch thick rounds and separate into rings to get 24 rings.
(I saved the middle smallest rings to chop up for another dish.)
Place 1/4 cup of the flour in a shallow dish.  In another dish, beat the egg and buttermilk together.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour, paprika, salt and pepper into the buttermilk mixture.
Process the crackers and chips in a food processor until finely ground.  Put in a third dish.
Dredge onion rings one at a time, dipping in the flour first, then the buttermilk mixture, and the crumb coating last, turning to coat evenly.  Shake excess off after each step.
Set coated rings on large plate while you repeat coating each ring.
Pour 3 T oil onto each of 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Place the baking sheets in the oven and heat for about 8 minutes, until just smoking.
Tilt the hot sheets to coat with the oil.
Lay the rings out in a single layer on the baking sheets.  Bake, flipping the onion rings and rotating the pans halfway thru baking, until golden brown, about 15 minutes total.
Transfer to a paper-towel lined rack briefly before serving.
Recipe slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Cook’s Illustrated
 
Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: ,

Roasted Acorn Squash

November 7, 2011 by
 
Tis the season for horrible pictures. : ) 
It’s dark by the time we eat dinner now and since I’m not about to make our family meal 3 hours early and keep it warm in the oven we’ll just have to settle for not so great pictures.  Acorn squash is something my Dad always grew in our garden so we had a lot of it in our family.  It’s a great side dish because it’s inexpensive, kid’s usually like it because it is a little sweeter of a squash, and it goes really well with a lot of dishes.   Not to mention it’s super quick and easy.
 
We usually do a variety of toppings, but the amounts in the recipe are for if you want to do all 4 halves the same.  The original recipe called for using olive oil with the Parmesan topping, and butter for the brown sugar and breadcrumbs, but I think it’s fine if you do either.  My personal favorite is adding a little honey to the brown sugar topping.
 
ROASTED ACORN SQUASH
2 acorn squash
2 T melted butter, or olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
OR
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
OR
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
Cut acorn squash in half from stem to end, lengthwise.
Brush cut sides with melted butter or oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place cut sides down on a baking sheet, bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until you can pierce easily with a knife.
Turn over and sprinkle with one of the toppings.
Bake another 15 minutes.  Scoop out of skin to serve.
 
VARIATIONS: For brown sugar and honey, drizzle each half with about a teaspoon or 2 of honey, then sprinkle with the brown sugar.
Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan with 1 T Italian seasoning, sprinkle on halves.
If you want to make more than one variety, use 1 T of whichever topping on each half (a little extra for brown sugar)
 
Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from Everyday Food
 
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