Roasted Veggies

I got this recipe and adapted it from "The Sonoma Cookbook," which is a companion piece to "The Sonoma Diet" that came out awhile ago.

This recipe is quite simple and fabulous - it also makes a goodish amount so you'll have leftovers.

I really like roasting vegetables because it seems to be a better method than boiling them and I never steam veggies properly. I can figure out an oven.

Roasted Vegetables
adapted from The Sonoma Cookbook

2 c. Brussels sprouts, halved
2 c. cauliflower florets
3 carrots, sliced thinly
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp herbs de Provence
**Recipe also calls for two lbs of green beans, but they weren't in season at the grocery store. Also calls for 1 red bell pepper. I was too cheap to buy one.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the veggies - peel off any icky leaves from the sprouts and halve them. Also cut down the cauliflower florets so they will roast evenly. Slice carrots so they won't take forever to bake. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs. Take a wooden spoon and stir veggies so they are coated evenly with oil and herbs. Place in oven and roast for 40-45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

This is fabulous with wild rice and as a side dish to fish or chicken.

Bastardized Black Beans and Rice

This is a Shelley creation and it is one bastardized (read: Midwestern) version of black beans and rice. But Ryan liked it and I haven't cooked anything original in a while, so I thought I'd add it to the mix here.

First and foremost - here's an easy way to cook an arse load of brown rice. (Leftover rice is very good for fried rice and let's face it - who has time to cook rice? But who really wants to eat instant rice - hence the leftovers.)

Easy Brown Rice
This makes about 6 c. of rice

3 c. brown rice
4 1/2 c. water (or some sort of stock)

Put rice and water/stock into a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Do not stir. Turn off the heat and place the cover on the pot. Let sit for an additional 15-20 minutes (I've found that it's better to let it sit even longer ...) Refrigerate leftover rice and use in soups, fried rice, snacks, etc.

Shel's Black Beans and Rice
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
Italian Sausage (I used turkey sausage, three brats worth in this recipe)
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves

Toast the cumin seeds in a skillet until they are fragrant. (Don't ask me what that means, all I know is that while I was doing this, Ryan came upstairs and said that something smelled really spicy. So toast these babies for about 1-2 minutes.) Add Italian sausage (I sliced it into small pieces), add chopped onion and garlic - brown until turkey sausage is no longer pink.

Add one 14-oz can of black beans that are rinsed and drained. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and liberal dashes of Tabasco sauce.

Add 1/2 c. of beer. I used Busch Light because my dad just sent a ton of it home with me the last time I saw him. Never mind that I drink ... well, Busch Light is perfect for cooking and that's about it.

Cook until this is heated through. Mix with 2 c. of the hot cooked brown rice that you just made a ton of. Mix. Eat. Enjoy - with some proper beer.

Seeking ... soup!

I've been somewhat obsessed recently with soup recipes, if you couldn't tell. And the obsession continues, especially in light of the groundhog's revelation that we have MORE winter to go through! (Bastard groundhog.)

So ... anyone got any good soup recipes for me to try? I'm especially looking for a good chicken and wild rice recipe because that's Ryan's favorite. And if it's light ... even better!

You can email me at shelleybakes@gmail.com.

xo
SK

Fear Conquered: Brussel Sprouts

When I think of brussel sprouts, I think of the pickled ones that I can find for my Bloody Mary at Whistle Binkies. Pickled brussel sprouts are awesome, tart and something I probably wouldn't eat outside of my Bloody Mary.

Well, I recently made a roasted vegetable dish that required the usage of brussel sprouts. Here's a bit of background from Wikipedia:

"The Brussels (or brussels) sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) of the Brassicaceae family, is a Cultivar group of wild cabbage cultivated for its small (typically 2.5–4 cm or 1–1.5 in diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages."

This entry also taught me that my spelling of brussel sprouts is wrong. Anyway ... they are quite tasty. I bought about a pound, halved the ones that were larger than miniature cabbages and roasted them with olive oil. Very tasty. Ryan even ate them without complaint.

Brussels sprouts - you are a fear conquered!

Apologies!

I am sorry that I have been negligent to you, my foodie lovelies. I've been trying a new diet lately and while I'm optimistic it will help me shed some much needed weight, trying to figure out what to make while on it has been an interesting challenge. But I'm back. I think I have some good stuff for you to try (along with a casserole dish that's icky.).

Happy Monday!

The Bacon Explosion - a recipe I won't be trying soon

My buddy Will sent me a link to this article in the New York Times. Although I love bacon and I do love sausage, I somehow doubt that I will attempt this feat anytime soon.

Sorry I've been amiss with my blogging - I've been a busy bastard lately and the most I've made in the culinary world has been some roasted vegetables in my latest attempt to be healthy. I have brunch guests coming to my home on Saturday though, so I'll try to have something delicious for y'all to sample after that day.

Lindsey's Mama's Potato Soup

One of my defining memories of college were the KWLC/Cantine parties that my beloved mentor Jen would host for the holidays and at the end of the year. These parties managed to turn my tastebuds from Boone's Farm to Merlot and acquainted me with this particular soup recipe that my friend Lindsey provided and Jen tweaked over the years.

Potato Soup
by Lindsey's mom, the other Mama Sharon

10 med. potatoes cooked - leave on skins - chop up
2-3 medium onions chopped
1/2 lb bacon (saute onion in this & crumble into soup)
3 C. chicken broth
2 T basil (dry)
1 can evaporated milk
(Jen's addition)
3 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped

Boil potatoes and cook bacon until crisp. Go ahead and saute the onions in the leftover bacon grease because that's surely good for the soul. Add chicken broth, basil, potatoes (and other veggies if you're so inclined to add them.) Simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add milk at end or 2C half & half.