Simple Potato Salad

As the days grow hotter I try to avoid turning on my oven and instead stick with meals that can be prepared either entirely without heat (hooray for sandwiches!) or with minimal stove-top cooking. I love potato salad because it can be re-purposed into upcoming meals in so many ways. You can mix it with scrambled eggs for brunch, mash it with a little paprika and cumin and serve it with grilled chicken, chop some hard boiled eggs and dill pickles for a classic take on the potato salad, throw it in a wrap with salsa, beans, and veggies, or even eat it the same way as you prepared it for a couple days, it's tasty as is. This particular potato salad is mayo-free, too, which allows you to add other sauces later on without worrying about over-doing the sauciness (think barbeque sauce, salsa, tzaziki, hummus, etc.). That's right. This potato salad not only sets you up with a delicious side for this meal, but other meals to come as well.  And on hot summer nights, it's always a bonus to have dinner ready to grab straight from the fridge. Yep. It's pretty great.

The recipe I used is this German Potato Salad recipe from Bon Appétit. Sometimes I like only the bare bones of a recipe, and other times I come across a gem like this and I stick close to the original. The only deviations I made from the original recipe are as follows:

• I skipped the toasted caraway seeds because I do not have any on hand
• I only used 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill. I prepped the called-for 2 tablespoons of dill, mixed 1 tablespoon into the potatoes and tasted it and I felt that that was plenty "dilly". Obviously everyone has their own preferences, so I encourage you to make your own decisions (I hope this is already standard practice for you!). 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds small waxy potatoes, halved or quartered to even size (I used golden baby potatoes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil  (If you have an infused olive oil such as garlic or oregano this would be a good time to try it!)
• 1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste (I used 1/2 tsp smoked salt and 1 tsp cracked pepper)
• 4 scallions (green onions), sliced thinly
• 1+ tablespoons fresh chopped dill

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Cook until fork tender, roughly 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside in a large bowl. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium-size pan over medium heat. Add the oil, then the chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent and slightly golden, about 5-8 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vinegar, then toss in the potatoes. Add the salt, pepper, scallions, and dill, mix gently with a large spoon until all potatoes are evenly coated.You can serve this warm, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. 

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

I kept seeing recipes for whole roasted cauliflower cropping up on Pinterest and other food sites I frequent (like this one from Bon Appétit), so when I was perusing the produce section at the grocery store last weekend I snagged a big head of cauliflower. It's all about preparation, people! The amount of times I am craving something I've seen all week and yet didn't get the ingredients to make is just too high to count, so I try to make up for that by doing things like buying the cauliflower when I know I want to eventually make it.

There are a lot of recipes out there and after making it just once I finally understand why. It's really really really easy to make. Plus, if you've had roasted cauliflower with just salt and pepper you know that it lends it's own caramelized veggie umami flavor without much coaxing. Wins upon wins, my friends!

To be honest it, I kind of winged it, and this was a success in my books as in nothing I would have changed. Next time I will try this recipe just because the pictures are so dang tantalizing. And because as soon as I was finished I wanted to make a million more.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons green curry paste
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Note:  You are going to first boil the cauliflower so if you don't have a gigantic stock pot, just use a pot large enough to at least fit the cauliflower and cover it halfway up with water.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. 
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the bay leaf. Place the cauliflower head in the water, and boil for a total of 10 minutes, rotating the cauliflower halfway through.
3. Drain, and rinse gently with cold water until cool enough to handle.
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. 
5. Place the cauliflower stem-side down in a pie dish or casserole dish wide enough to hold the cauliflower. Rub the seasoning mix all over the cauliflower.
6. Roast in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes, until it is a deep golden color. 
7. Remove carefully with a large spatula and serve it warm on a plate. You can gently slice wedges of the cauliflower to serve, similar to how you'd cut a cake.  Serve it hot as veggie side dish with dips/spreads such as baba ganoush or tzaziki. We ate this with roasted chicken and it was perfecto.

Buttered Cabbage

Cabbage is such an interesting ingredient, in my opinion. It is peppery and crunchy raw, yet when you cook it it takes on a creamier, more subtle flavor. Even more exciting is that it takes on the flavor of the sauce you cook it in, so the possibilities are endless. I love cooking cabbage with apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, dill, oh me oh my it's endless!!!  But, sometimes the most simple recipes are the most delicious, and in this case I think that rings very true.


Ingredients:

• 1 head of green cabbage
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Meanwhile, slice up the cabbage to your liking (I like long thin strips, but more chunky portions of leaves are yummy, too!). 
2. Add the cabbage when the butter is bubbling, stir, then pour in the water. Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  The cabbage will become more translucent and the water should cook off.
3. Add in salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper). Serve hot with sausage, pork, ham, or peppered steaks. 

Balsamic-glazed Asparagus

Asparagus is an old fried in my kitchen - it sits beside our steaks and chicken thighs, gets mixed into our pastas and casseroles, and tonight it was sauteed with balsamic vinegar! Oh my, it was delicious (and so so easy).

Serves: 2
Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus (about 10 stalks per person if they're small, 5-7 if they're thicker)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Preheat a medium skillet to medium heat.  Chop off the tough ends of the asparagus and then chop the stalks in half. When the pan is nice and hot, add the asparagus and balsamic vinegar. Stir often and let it reduce for about 2 minutes.
2. Add in the butter and turn the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. 
3. Serve hot as a side for lunch or dinner!

 Hooray! Steamy Balsamic Asparagus!

Variations:
- add in crumbled bacon and blue cheese for a more filling and rich side
- use fig balsamic vinegar or other infused balsamic vinegars for a more sweet/savory kick
-  Crack in an egg when you add the butter for amped up scrambies!

Broccoli, Prosciutto, and Cheese Casserole

I have been on a prosciutto kick lately, and tonight I put this together when I was originally craving a broccoli cheese casserole, but then I realized that I still had prosciutto leftover and I had to have it!
What I loved about this is that it's so easy that I was sitting there feeling like I was forgetting something... I mean, no seasoning, 1 casserole dish and one little sauce pot, basic ingredients... um, shouldn't I be doing something? Nope. I spent about 90% of the time start to finish hovering by the oven feeling guilty about the oven doing all the work.  Don't worry, if you really want to you can make your cheese sauce from scratch so you have something to fiddle with.



Ingredients:

• 2 heads of broccoli
• 10 strips prosciutto
• 1 1/2 cups warm cheese sauce, such as store-bought Alfredo or homemade  (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a casserole dish with foil and lightly grease it. 
2. Roughly chop the broccoli heads apart, so everything is around 1" pieces. Make use of the stalks, too! Chop off only a 1/4" at the bottom, then chop the stalks like the rest of the pieces. Place the broccoli in the casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, roughly chop the prosciutto to the desired size (I like penny-sized pieces!) and set aside until broccoli is done. 
4. Remove the broccoli dish from the oven and remove the foil on top. Sprinkle the prosciutto over the casserole, then bake in the top third of the oven for 10 minutes (*If you are making your own cheese sauce, now is the time to do it!*). 
5.  Remove the casserole dish from the oven, then pour the cheese sauce over the top of the broccoli and prosciutto casserole, mix, then serve hot!

Enjoy! This would also be good as a topping for pasta, spooned onto slices of garlic toasts, or you can do what I did and eat it straight from the bowl!




Basic Cheese Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (go for the cheddar, baby!)

Directions:

1. Heat a small saucepan to medium heat. Add the butter, and once it is completely melted and just starting to bubble, whisk in the flour. Let this roux cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking occasionally, then slowly pour in the milk whisking continuously. Once the lumps are gone, add the cheese and keep on whisking for about 2 more minutes. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, you're good to go! Pour it over macaroni for homemade mac 'n cheese, add it to steamed veggies, or use it in this recipe over and over and over. 

*I like to make a big batch of this and keep it in a large jar for about a week, so I can have homemade cheese sauce on hand!

Ponzu-glazed Asparagus

Ponzu sauce is one of my new obsessions. It's perfect for dipping eggrolls or skewered chicken, it's yummy tossed with rice noodles and prawns, and glazed onto your favorite veggies like snow peas, baby corn, green beans, or, like this recipe, asparagus.  This is my favorite way to eat asparagus now!


P.S. this is the perfect side dish for my Asian-style ribs.

Makes 4 small side servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons ponzu
• 1 bundle of asparagus
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Chop off the tough end of each stalk of asparagus and mince the garlic, set aside.
   
2. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the asparagus and water (in that order). Cook the asparagus until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Pour out the excess water (if there's any left), then add the butter, garlic, and ponzu. Simmer over low for 15 minutes, until ponzu has reduced to a glaze. Serve hot!

 Enjoy!

Quinoa with Pine Nuts and Spinach

Quinoa is a delicious little grain, packed with protein and wholesome goodness. Healthy food doesn't have to be bland or yucky, it can be delicious and addictive! It's just about how you make it...
Here is my favorite quinoa side dish, with some other tips and suggestions at the end for other ways to spice it up!

Serves 2


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, raw
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet and set aside. 
2. Rinse the quinoa then add it with the water to a small pot and bring to a full boil. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to low and let it cook for 15 minutes. 
3. Place the pine nuts in the center of the oven, and toast them for 10 minutes, shaking them halfway through to ensure even toasting. 
4. Meanwhile, chop the spinach and mince the garlic. Saute them in a medium skillet over low heat so that the spinach wilts and the garlic gets fairly translucent. 
5. Once the quinoa is finished cooking, mix it into the spinach and garlic mixture. Add the toasted pine nuts and lemon juice to the quinoa mix, toss to combine, and serve.  Serve with salt and pepper so each person can season to taste.

Enjoy!

Tips and Suggestions:
-You will know that the quinoa is done cooking when the little germ thread detaches from the grain.
-Be sure to rinse your quinoa! It has a natural bitter coating so rinsing it will ensure that your dish does not taste off!
-Quinoa is great topped with salsa, soy sauce, chopped herbs, toasted nuts, pesto, lemon juice, raisins, cream cheese dips, anything! My personal favorite is the recipe posted above because it goes with pretty much any cuisine with a little tweaking in the spice department.
-Quinoa has a bit of crunch to it, so simply seasoning it with your favorite spices can be delicious and easy, too!

Basic Vegetable Pie

I love savory pies and tarts, and when you cheat and use store bought crust they are super easy and delicious! You can throw in any combination of vegetables that you crave, so it really is a limitless, easy meal or snack.

The basic essentials are the crust, an egg, and a few tablespoons of cheese, and everything else is up to you!

Ingredients:

• Crust (pie shell, puff pastry, etc.)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cheese (feta, goat, shredded cheddar, etc.)
• Vegetables (lightly sauteed to reduce wateriness) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Chop and saute your veggies (combination suggestions are at the bottom of the post!), then spread them over the crust. Beat the egg and the cheese, adding a splash of milk to thin it out if necessary. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust is deep golden and the filling has set. 
2. Cool for 20-30 minutes, then serve! 

Enjoy!

Filling combinations:

• zucchini, mushrooms, garlic
• jalepenos, corn, green chiles
• peas, broccoli, garlic, green pepper
• caramelized onions, mushrooms

Boston Baked Beans

When I graduated from university at the end of April, my family came from Colorado to visit. They loaded me up with cans of green chile, Mexican seasonings, enchilada sauce and beans. I love Mexican food, and let's just say Canada does not know how to do Mexican cuisine so it is always a pleasure when I get a care package from la familia filled with food, especially Mexican food!

Well, then my mom handed me a bag of Great Northern Beans and a card from my aunt and uncle in Arizona. At first I didn't understand the connection, but upon reading the card I found two recipes: one for classic Boston Baked Beans and one for my Grandma's Bean Soup! So exciting because I associate baked beans with growing up and visiting my grandparents' house. My sister and I often spent weekends and portions of summers there, playing hide-and-seek in the house, eating mulberries in the yard, and searching for hidden boxes of Russel Stover's chocolates. I have a large family, and summer "get-togethers" were quite frequent. All family barbeques (or so my memory tells me) included some variation of potato salad and a pot of baked beans, so I require both dishes throughout the summer to keep myself normal.

Thanks to my lovely aunt, I now have a recipe for baked beans that I can rely on!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cooked great northern beans
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 lb bacon, cubed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon mustard (hot or mild)
• pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients and pour into a casserole dish. Add enough hot water to cover the beans. Bake covered at 350 f for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. 
2. Uncover and cook til it has achieved the desired consistency.

Enjoy!
PS - Keep an eye out for grandma's bean soup!

Sausage and Apple Stuffing

This weekend my roommate and I cooked and baked our bums off for a huge Sunday feast for just the two of us. Just joking, we cooked for 5 people, but we got all the leftovers and that's what counts. And our bums definitely didn't disappear, what with all the taste-testing we had to do.

We roasted a turkey, made broccoli and cheese casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy, brussel sprouts, pumpkin cheesecake, and spanikopita. Now, I know all of that sounds amazing, and if you're lucky someday I will let you take a peek at my spanikopita recipe, but today I'm going to talk to you about stuffing. This stuffing is delicious, it could be a meal of it's own.

This stuffing makes enough for inside the turkey and side servings, but I personally prefer it as side dish with the promise of leftovers and not soaked in turkey juices.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf french bread
• 1-2 cups white wine
• 1-2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup celery
• 1/3 cup parsley 
• Pork sausage
• Rosemary, Thyme, Sage (1 tablespoon of each fresh, or 1/2 tablespoon dried)
• 2 apples, diced

Directions:

1. Chop the french bread into 1 inch cubes, then toast in the oven for a 1-2 minutes on broil. 
2. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat, and add the pork and chopped onion. Brown the sausage, then add the celery and herbs. Turn the heat to medium-low, and let simmer while you prepare the rest of the stuffing.
3. In a large bowl, mix the apples, bread chunks, and cranberries. drizzle the wine and broth over the mix, stop when most of the bread has a bit of liquid but isn't soaked. Toss the sausage mixture with the bread mixture, then put into a 9x13" pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy!!!