Brussels Sprouts

Golden Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Cafe

small brussels sprouts

extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan cheese

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stems and remove any loose or yellow outer leaves.  You want to be left with just a tight, bright green sprout.  Cut the small ones in half from stem to top. Any larger ones, cut in quarters, from stem to top.  You want all the pieces to be roughly the same size. Toss brussels sprouts in a bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil so they are all coated.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Pierce with a fork or knife to gauge whether they’re tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season to taste with more salt and freshly ground pepper.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasted Root Vegetables

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 15 minutes prep + 30-40 minutes baking Yield: 8 servings Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up! 1 medium sized yam 4 red potatoes 3 large carrots 1 medium onion 3-4 T olive oil salt and pepper Montreal Steak Seasoning 1. Peel and chop all of your veggies. 2. Spread them out evenly on a large cookie sheet, or jelly roll pan. 3. Pour the olive oil over the top of the veggies. 4. Sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper. 5. Add some Montreal Steak Seasoning. 6. Using two spoons, toss the vegetables making sure they are all evenly coated with the olive oil and seasonings. 7. Bake at 350 degrees until the vegetables are crisp tender, should take about 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 stalk celery, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Tuscan Bread Salad

from Favorites cookbook

1 loaf dense crusty Italian bread
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese
1 large tomato
1 yellow or red pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:
1 clove garlic minced
6 T. olive oil
3 T. balsalmic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients and blend well; set aside. Cut cheese, tomato, and pepper into 1 inch cubes and transfer to salad bowl with chopped basil. Pour dressing over cheese and veggies to marinate while cutting and toasting bread. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes and toast in oven until lightly brown. Add bread cubes to salad bowl and mix well to coat all pieces. Serve immediately.

Saucy Asparagus or Green Beans

from Jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

3 T. soy sauce
2 t. sesame seeds (toasted)
2 1/2 t. garlic, minced
4 T. brown sugar
3 T. PB

Asparagus with Balsamic Butter

from Leanna from Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables

1 1/2 TB pine nuts or slivered almonds
1 pound asparagus, tough ends peeled or snapped off
2 TB butter, melted
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper

Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts or slivered almonds. Toast the nuts on the dry skillet, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned and begin to smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and immediately transfer the nuts to a heatproof dish. Set aside to let nuts cool completely.

Place the asparagus in a steamer basket, set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water, and cover. Steam until the spears are tender-firm, 4 to 7 minutes depending on thickness. Remove spears from the water and arrange on individual plates.

Combine the melted butter and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour over the asparagus and sprinkle on the toasted nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Buttery Peas with Thyme

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 medium onion)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
3 cups frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the peas and thyme and cook, stirring often, until the peas are just heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with black pepper (and additional salt if desired) and serve immediately.

From Mels Kitchen Cafe

Baked Zucchini Fries

3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks
2 large egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (we make our own)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
Pinch of dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy.

Put the breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, garlic powder and cheese on a plate-I used a pie tin. Mix well.

Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and then into the bread crumb mixture, make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet. I did the sticks one by one.

Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a little crispy. I turned over the fries half way through. Serve warm. We like to dip ours in marinara sauce.