Simple Vegetables

This is my new favorite way to cook vegetables:



Heat some olive oil and minced garlic in a pan.

Gently sauté whatever fresh vegetables you like: spinach, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, whathaveyou.

And I mean gently: just enough to warm them through. You're going to be cooking them more, so don't over cook them now.

Sprinkle in some salt and pepper to taste, maybe add some fresh herbs (a sprig of rosemary is perfect).

Then, transfer them to an oven safe dish, sprinkle with fresh Parmesan or Mozzarella, or a combo of both.

Heat in the oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown a bit.

It's perfect, simple, flavorful,

Warm Blackberry Salsa: The Best Breakfast Ever

This was, to date, the best breakfast I have ever made:

Maple infused grilled salmon fillet
Fried egg on top
Sauteed Mushrooms
Warm Blackberry Salsa

Warm Blackberry Salsa

Dice tomatoes in large chunks
Mix with fresh blackberries
Add a Tbs or so of fresh, chopped basil
Add a splash of white vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar

Mix all together then sear very briefly on a hot pan, just enough to warm.

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Shrimp

This is a meal that Andrew and I make often-ish. It's quite easy and very delicious!

Depending on how many people you're feeding changes this recipe a bit.

But it's so easy, it's not a big deal.

We use 1/2 box of bow tie pasta *or spaghetti*

A few tbs of butter or olive oil

A lot of freshly ground pepper

1/8 cup or so of lemon juice

and however much shrimp or scallions you'd like.

Mix prepared pasta with above ingredients and enjoy!

Super easy spring/summer weeknight dish.

Pancakes

It's conference weekend and I love good food to go along with the comforting words.

Today Andrew made his famous pancakes!

Cinnamon Vanilla Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder at high altitude (3 1/2 tsp at sea level)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon white sugar           1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1.         In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter; mix until smooth.

2.         Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Banana/Persimmon Up-side Down Bread

It's simple, really:

1. Cut up a not-yet-ripe persimmon and mix it with some butter and brown sugar. Lay those out on the bottom of a loaf pan.

Then, make your favorite banana bread recipe. Pour in the batter, and cook as usual. Then upturn the bread and you've got something wonderful and delicious.

Simple as pie...er...banana bread.

Hors d'oeurves: Radish and Salsa Croutons

I just spelled "hors d'oeurves" without looking it up. First time for everything.

Anyhow, a few months ago, Kirsten and I were going to go to an hors d'oeurves party, but then we weren't feeling well, so I had to eat all of these myself. It was tragic.


Radish and Salsa Croutons

Some good, quality bread. Any kind will do.
Garlic
Olive Oil
Greek Yogurt
Cream cheese, or any other soft cheese
Mustard
Radishes

Green Salsa

First, mince some garlic and mix with a small amount of olive oil. Brush the oil on ones side of the bread.

Cut the bread into strips and heat on low in the oven until it is dried out.

While the bread is drying, mix the Greek yogurt and cheese together, in about equal portions. Then season to taste with mustard, salt, and garlic. Really, you could season this any number of ways.

When the bread is done, spread a small amount of the cheese/yogurt mixture on each crouton.

Place a small dollop of salsa in the center of each crouton.

Thinly slice the radishes and cut each slice in half, then gently twist to make the radish helixes, place those on top.

Easy as that, and so delicious.

The yogurt and the salsa will both make the bread a little soggy, so don't decorate these until just before serving, although all the individual parts can be made ahead of time.

Beef Stroganoff

Andrew made this delish dish completely from scratch, he used Amy's (stepmom) recipe as a baseline but of course added a few things here and there. He promised to make me some stroganoff sunday evening right before dinner with Scott and Kirsten, and even after they made stroganoff (completely by chance) as well! Both versions the brothers concocted were spectacular but due to loyalty issues I have to take the side of Andrew, he is my husband after all!

Ingredients Included: 

1/2 onion chopped

2 tbs melted butter

1.5 lb of beef sirloin tip *or any beef really*

Sautee together and add 2 tbs of flour, cook until brown

In a separate pot add:

1/4 cup butter 

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms and 1/2 tsp of dried thyme.

Sautee mushrooms until fragrant *totally the word Andrew used* 

Then add 1/2 cup of flour continually stir until brown. 

2 cups of milk- add more if it seems to thick- then 1 1/2 tsp of chicken bouillon 

and 1/2 tsp of ground onion. 

Add sauteed beef and onion to mushroom mixture, then add 1 1/2 tsp of paprika

and let simmer for 10-15 minutes

in the meantime cook some pasta!

Just before serving stir in 1 cup sour cream 

Pour over noodles add salt and pepper to taste!