Roasted Broccoli

 I've never been much of a picky eater, but as a child, I did not like broccoli. It's still not my favorite, but I've grown to appreciate these little trees. And, last week at Costco, while we were standing in front of a giant bag of broccoli, I discovered that Bradford loves it. So, we eat broccoli. 

This is my favorite, fool-proof and simple way to cook broccoli.

INGREDIENTS:

fresh broccoli 

olive oil

salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread broccoli evenly on a baking pan. (For easier clean-up lay a sheet of foil on the pan first.) Drizzle broccoli with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Using tongs or a spoon, mix broccoli until olive oil is evenly distributed.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

*For a different variation: With 2 minutes left of baking, sprinkle broccoli with cheddar cheese.

Corn...the simple way

This summer I learned how to make corn. It's not grilled or roasted. I don't use an oven or a stove. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but this corn is cooked in a rectangular-shaped contraption that sits on my counter. It's called a microwave. I try not to use it often, but sometimes it just makes cooking so much easier. 

This may be an old recipe to many, but for me, it has transformed the way I think about corn. It has made summer cooking so much easier and it has also made for a healthier way to add a starch to each meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ear of corn 

wax paper

a tiny bit of butter

a tiny bit of salt

a tiny bit of pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Wrap the ear of corn into a sheet of wax paper. Twist the ends of the wax paper and tuck under. On a folded paper towel, place ear of corn in the microwave. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes. 

Remove corn from microwave, let cool and remove wax paper. Using a sharp knife, cut corn off the cob. While corn is still warm, add butter, salt and pepper. Mix until butter is melted and serve.

*This recipe may be doubled or tripled as needed. If cooking two ears of corn at one time, change microwave cook time to 5-6 minutes.

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes and Carrots

It's so great to have a few side dishes that are really simple to make. This is another one of those dishes that doesn't require exact measurements (as you can see by the lack of amounts in the ingredients list). I like to measure the ingredients in this recipe, as my mother would say, "by gosh and by golly". What a silly phrase. But it just kinda seems to makes sense. You basically just want to sprinkle your way through the herbs listed in the ingredients. Sprinkling will do the trick.

After making this, you'll be one step closer to having another hearty, easy side dish in your arsenal.

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds red potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces

1 cup baby carrots

1/3 cup olive oil

oregano

parsley

garlic

salt 

pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spread potatoes and carrots in a baking dish. Coat generously with olive oil. Sprinkle vegetables with oregano, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway.

Add some steak or chicken and enjoy a delicious, hearty meal.

Mashed Red Potatoes with Garlic and Parmesan

I love mashed potatoes, especially when they are homemade. I love tasting the chunks of real potatoes and feeling the skin mixed in with all the goodness. Holidays are the perfect time of year to perfect your potato mashing skills, but mashed potatoes are so good, they can be enjoyed year-round. This red potato recipe is so simple and keeps measuring to a minimum. Oh yeah, and these taste amazing. I was asked to make this recipe for Thanksgiving this year but seeing as I flew in the morning of, potato mashing duties were deferred to my lovely aunt.

I definitely cooked these up the week after Thanksgiving though. Just can't get enough.

From Food.com

INGREDIENTS:

2.5 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Put potatoes and garlic in a large pan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Return potatoes to the pan and mash with butter, milk, and salt. Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs, Tomatoes, and Carrots

(photo by Bradford Fishback)

I seem to come up with my favorite creations when I only have about five minutes to plan and thirty minutes to cook. This mediterranean-inspired dish is light, but filling at the same time. Also, it's a great use of fresh herbs! (Something I've been aiming to use more of lately.)

UPDATE (09.08.10): When I first made this, I was in a very garlicky mood apparently so I threw in five cloves of garlic. After eating this again as leftovers, I have realized that five cloves is far too much and I've changed the amount to two cloves of garlic.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chick peas, drained

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half and then quartered

2 carrots, peeled, quartered, and chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 big handful parsley, finely chopped

1 big handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pan, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When oil is glossy, add onions and garlic and cook until onions are transparent, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add carrots, cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes until carrots are just tender (but still with a bit of crunch). 

Add chick peas and cook for another five minutes. 

Next, stir in tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Let all ingredients meld together for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with a lemon wedge, or sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

Cheese Toast and Yogurt with Cucumbers: Place a piece of gouda cheese on slices of bread and toast in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Serve salad on top of the toast and use the toast to help scoop up juices from the salad. 

You may also include a side of plain yogurt with diced and skinned cucumbers...a true Mediterranean staple. Maybe someday, I'll make tzatziki. 

Cooking for One: Stuffed Pepper

Did you know that one yellow bell pepper contains 569% of your daily value of Vitamin C? By comparison, one orange has 160% of your Vit-C daily value. Bell peppers have a strong, crisp consistency which several people don't like but when cooked well, they develop into a softer shell which works perfectly for stuffing.

This is a great recipe for one or two (if doubled).

INGREDIENTS:

*to double the recipe, double each ingredient except for the tomato sauce and egg

1 medium bell pepper (color of your choice)

1/4 lb. ground beef

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, divided

1/8 cup uncooked rice

2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 Tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the pepper by cutting the top off, removing the seeds and blanching in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine beef, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, rice, 1 Tablespoon cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix well (with your hands if you feel the need). Stuff the peppers with the mixture.

Place the stuffed peppers in a small ungreased baking dish (I used a loaf pan) and pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pepper. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and pepper is tender. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and return to the oven for another five minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy!