maple dijon roasted winter vegetables

so simple. so delicious. and so perfect for the winter season.

this recipe comes from gwyneth paltrow's cookbook. i love it because your palate gets a little bit of everything - sweet, spicy and salty. plus it's such a great side dish for any of your winter staples - roast chicken, panko crusted pork chops or herbs de provence steak.

ingredients:
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks about 1/2 inch thick

directions:

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

mix together the syrup, mustard, oil, salt, and pepper. toss together with vegetables on a large baking sheet. roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

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grilled corn with parmesan

these mini corn on the cobs are a great appetizer (or side dish) for an end of the summer cookout. get your hands on some fresh corn before the season is over. the sweetness from corn pairs perfectly with the spicy chili powder and salty parmesan.

assembling these cutie pies couldn’t be easier – just set up your “dredging” stations and it will go quickly. serving them on a stick keeps your hands clean and free of a greasy mess.  i mean, who doesn’t like food on a stick?

ingredients:
4 ears of corn, cut into thirds
¾ cup – 1 cup light sour cream
¾ cup – 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (use the real stuff, not the bottled kind)
chili powder

directions:
cook ears of corn in boiling pot of water for 5 minutes. drain and place popsicle or kabob stick into each mini ear of corn.

set up two bowls – one for sour cream (with basting brush) and one for freshly grated parmesan cheese. working quickly, slather each ear of corn with about 1 tablespoon light sour cream. sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese and garnish with a dusting of chili powder. repeat 11 more times. serve immediately.

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mexican grilled corn

this recipe comes from ezra pound cake. i didn't really change anything from the original except i substituted the mexican crema for low-fat sour cream. the sweetness from the fresh corn paired with the creaminess of the sour cream and spicy-ness from the chili powder was pure perfection.

ingredients:
corn ears, husked
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup light sour cream

directions:
preheat grill to medium-high. in a small bowl, combine chili powder and salt/pepper. wrap each corn husk in tinfoil. place on grill and cook about 10 minutes, turning frequently.

remove from grill and remove tinfoil.  slather each corn husk with generous amount of sour cream, spreading over entire husk. sprinkle with chili powder mixture. eat immediately!

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marinated tomatoes with feta

here's a great, light side dish for your spring-time cooking. the red onion and red wine vinegar give it a deliciously tangy bite. this recipe couldn't be easier and tastes better the longer it marinates so you can make it in advance. this would be great to bring to picnic or backyard barbecue.

ingredients:
1 pints grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons red onion, small diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons evoo
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parlsey
1/4 cup feta cheese, in large chunks
salt and pepper


directions:
combine onion, garlic and red wine vinegar in large bowl. whisk in evoo. season with salt, pepper and parsley. add tomatoes and stir well to combine. gently fold in feta (making sure not to crumble the cubes). put in fridge and let marinate for at least one hour or overnight.

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garlic teriyaki edamame

i made this tonight as a quick easy appetizer while we were cooking dinner. they were sweet, tangy and salty - all in one bite. it is seriously so easy and a great way to spruce up your favorite soybeans. i found the recipe over at allrecipes.com and tweaked it a little bit.

ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen edamame in the pod

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons garlic powder

kosher salt

directions:

combine teriyaki, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil and garlic powder in a bowl.meanwhile, cook edamame according to package directions (i bought the kind you can microwave).

heat large saucepan over medium high heat. add cooked edamame and teriyaki mixture. cook and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and coats the edamame, about 4 minutes. sprinkle with sesame seeds and kosher salt to serve. enjoy!

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greek orzo salad

this is a great, easy side dish that comes together pretty fast. it's refreshing, light and pretty healthy. you can add any veggies you like. great substitutions would be zuchinni, spinach, capers, or sundried tomatoes.


ingredients:
1 cup dried orzo
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 olives, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/3 cup cucumber, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1-2 tablespoons evoo
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon oregano
s&p

directions:
bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  add orzo and cook according to package directions.  meanwhile add tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta, cucumber, garlic and parsley in a large bowl.  once pasta has finished cooking, add hot noodles to vegetable mixture. add evoo, lemon juice, oregano and s&p. serve immediately or at room temperature.

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winter pasta with cauliflower and brussel sprouts

i got this recipe from the blog the year in food. she takes beautiful pictures and i knew right when i saw her picture of the dish that i needed to try it out. i feel like i say this a lot, but this meal came together pretty easily - but it's true! i was a little worried that the dish would be a a little bland (the sauce = pasta water + cheese) but i was definitely mistaken. the capers really pulled through for me. it gave every bite that extra salty, briny taste that was ooo so delicious. this is a great week night meal that packs in the veggies without being boring. you could also add a can of tomatoes to this to add more flavor. serves about 4 to 6 people.

ingredients:
1 lb pasta
1 small or medium head cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, chopped
3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
3 tablespoons evoo
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons capers (i added more because i love them that much)
4-6 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste (adjust according to taste)
zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (use your judgment)
s&p to taste (as this dish has a lot of salty components, taste before adding)

directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. bring large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

toss the cauliflower and brussels sprouts in one tablespoon evoo. lightly season with s&p and garlic powder.  spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until browned at the edges and soft in the center, about 20-30 minutes. turn once about halfway through. while the veggies are roasting, cook your pasta according to instructions on the package.

when the pasta is ready, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. return pasta to the pot to keep it warm. add the two remaining tablespoons of evoo to the pasta, then the parsley, parmesan, capers, anchovy paste, lemon zest and chili flakes. if it’s a little dry, add some of the cooking liquid. toss gently to distribute everything. add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and toss again, gently. season to taste with s&p. if the pasta needs to be reheated, do so over a low flame, stirring to prevent burning. garnish with grated parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.

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roasted squash ravioli with sage cream sauce

this is one of those comfort meals that i crave when it's cold and windy outside. {i wish it would just snow already.} the dish highlights a perfect balance between creaminess, sweetness and saltiness. pair with a simple italian salad and a glass (or 4) of wine. serves 2.

ingredients:
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic, minced
1 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into one-inch cubes
½ cup ricotta
30 wonton wrappers
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup half and half
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
2 tablespoons roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
s&p
evoo

directions:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. in a large bowl, mix butternut squash with generous pour of evoo and s&p. working with your hands, make sure each piece is covered in oil. put the squash cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the edges have begun to brown just a bit and are fork tender. remove from oven and let cool. in a food processor, combine cooled squash, ricotta and s&p.

working one at a time, take a wonton wrapper and scoop about 1 teaspoon of squash/ricotta mixture into center. wet edges of the wonton wrapper with water using your fingers and place another wonton wrapper on top. secure all edges to make sure there are no air bubbles or holes. working quickly, repeat again for each ravioli.

bring a large pot of water to a boil. season generously with salt and cook raviolis in batches (about 3 at a time) until they rise to the top, about 4 to 5 minutes. put in a large bowl and immediately mix together with a little evoo to prevent the raviolis from sticking together.

melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. add garlic and shallot and stir until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add chicken stock, cream and sage. season with s&p. increase heat and boil until sauce is reduced to ½ cup, about 5 to 7 minutes.

to assemble, place raviolis on plate, drizzle with sage cream sauce and garnish with roasted pistachios.

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marinated flank steak with side of frisee, poached egg and pancetta vinaigrette

i got inspiration for this meal while i was volunteering at culinaerie during a julia childs-themed cooking class.  apparently salads with poached eggs are pretty big in french cooking. the creaminess of the warm runny egg yolk paired perfectly with the warm pancetta vinaigrette that had a acidic, tangy and salty bite to it. the steak marinade is pretty basic but stands up well to the elegance of the other ingredients. i served this as a main course, but you could definitely make smaller plates and serve as an appetizer. serves 4.

ingredients:
1 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 poached eggs
2 bunches of frisée, torn
warm pancetta vinaigrette (recipe below)
s&p

directions for warm pancetta vinaigrette:
¼ pound pancetta, cubed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

cook pancetta in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned. remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  reserve 2-3 tablespoons of drippings and discard the rest. add garlic to pan and cook until soft. whisk in dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar, loosening particles from skillet. remove from heat and season with s&p if needed.

directions for steak salad:
mix olive oil, worcestershire sauce, garlic, s&p in plastic bag and add steak. marinate for at least one hour, turning occasionally. remove flank steak from bag, discarding marinade. heat grill over medium high heat and cook steak about 8 to 10 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness. cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin strips.

to assemble, place ½ bunch of torn frisée on bottom of plate.  layer steak slices on one side. top the middle of the frisée with a poached egg. garnish with ¼ of the pancetta cubes and drizzle desired amount of dressing over entire dish.

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roasted cauliflower with gremolata bread crumbs

ever find yourself looking for that perfect side dish that comes together in a flash? well, i've found it for you courtesy of food 52 via the thin chef. the herbed gremolata is a mixture of lemon zest, panko, garlic and parsley. cauliflower can be pretty bland, but this recipe adds a great punch.

ingredients: 
2 large heads cauliflower
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
s&p
1/2 cup panko (japanese bread crumbs)
zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

directions:
preheat oven to 425 degrees. trim tough stem and core from cauliflower and discard. using a paring knife, cut cauliflower into smaller spears. place in a large bowl. add 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine. spread cauliflower out on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. add panko and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to coat in oil. cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden. add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. place in a medium bowl and add parsley, stirring to combine. set aside. remove cauliflower from oven and place on serving platter. top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.

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green with envy - pesto chicken | roasted asparagus | sauteed spinach

when i was planning this meal, i didn't realize everything was green. it doesn't make for the best presentation, but all i can say is that it still tasted good. this dinner doesn't involve any sort of effort. it's the perfect weeknight meal for a monday when you're still recovering from the weekend and don't feel like doing much besides laying on the couch to watch gossip girl/dancing with the stars.

for the main course i bought pre-marinated pesto chicken from trader joe's. you literally take it out of the package, place is on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on 425 degress. it's that simple and the end product is always perfectly seasoned and juicy! i'm usually not into the whole pre-packaged thing, but trader joe's definitely got it right with these guys.

for the sides, i whipped up my favorite garlic spinach with tomatoes and roasted garlic asparagus.

i know this is nothing fancy, but it's still a great, healthy meal to keep in your recipe box! 

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a glamourous meal made by the ultimate glamour girl

it only seems fitting that raelynn surprised us roomies with a meal that she found while reading glamour. rae is an absolute girly girl who still gets kicks out of curling her eyelashes every morning.


the magazine featured an entire meal made by one of my favorites, ina garten. it was simple, fresh and light. with lots of vibrant herbs and a zing of lemon juice, this is the perfect entertaining menu for any type of cook. click on the links below to get the recipes.


roasted salmon with green herbs
french string bean salad
couscous with roasted pine nuts

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chicken and vegetable enchiladas

i found this recipe for healthier enchiladas at a blog called hungry mom on the run. she's a mom of three little ones, an avid runner and somehow finds time to whip up healthy meals. anddddd i'm not sure she knows i read her blog - so hi karen!

back to the recipe, i only changed a few things from karen's version. they turned out pretty delicious and we didn't feel that bad eating them since it was packed with so many veggies. here's how to do it:

ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1.5 zucchinis, chopped into small pieces
2 ears of corn, kernels taken from cob
1 can tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
12 oz enchilada sauce (i used trader joe's brand)
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons cumin
s&p
evoo

directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees. heat evoo in large skillet over medium heat. saute zucchini and corn for about 5 to 7 minutes, until zucchini is a little bit soft. in a large bowl mix together chicken, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, black beans, 6oz enchilada sauce, 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, spices and s&p. working one at a time, place a a generous scoop of the chicken/vegetable mixture in center of tortilla, roll it up like a burrito and place in a 13x9 casserole dish. repeat with the rest of the tortillas, placing them in a uniform line. drizzle rest of enchilada sauce on top of casserole and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. cover the dish with tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes. remove tinfoil and cook for an additional 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly. serve with reduced fat sour cream and low-fat guacamole.

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spicy eggplant parmesan

click on image to zoom in.

this is a guest blog post from meagan kessler.

being a teacher this time of year, i find myself with a whole lot of nothing to do. i've been doing my very best to distract myself from texting my roommates at work all day, but trying to be productive at the same time. day after day the girls come home to a spic and span, ant-free house because of all my efforts. i find myself secretly expecting a “wow, meag, this place looks great…thanks for folding all my laundry! it’s so nice opening up the cheez-its and not finding them covered in ants. by the way jillian’s 30 day shred has really been paying off! your arms look great!”….HOWEVER, that is simply not the case. most days i listen to them complain about 2-hour commutes, bosses that have no bathroom etiquette, or how hungry they are. i decided it was about time i drown this out, even if for just one night, and make them notice me (who by the way has usually been waiting anxiously for the past 3 hours for them to finally come home so she can have someone to talk to).

i’m not a cook. don’t get me wrong, i like food and i appreciate all sis’s home cooked meals, but i usually don’t have the patience to cook myself.  i decided on my go-to, eggplant parmesan recipe. i was worried because this is usually a good cold weather meal, but the rain we had here in arlington last night really helped make it acceptable.  the meal, as expected, was a success. i could say it's easy but then i wouldn't be doing myself any justice. it definitely takes the skills of a skilled master chef, but i think you could pull it off. 

to duplicate my version exactly, follow tyler florence's recipe and instructions to a t, leaving out the olives and maybe accidently mistaking 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes.  ;) i served it with garlic bread and a simple salad with a red wine vinaigrette dressing.

sis' input (because i couldn't resist):

first off the sauce was to die for. i'm definitely going to use this as my go-to recipe next time i make any pasta dish. it was perfect combination of spicy, garlicy, and sweet. next let's talk about the eggplant. meagan cooked it to a perfect crisp so you could still taste the fried bites after it was baked. the warm, gooey mozzarella cheese was the ultimate topping, making you go back for seconds. seriously try this one. good job, meggy. i think i have some new competition in the house.

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scalloped tomato casserole with cape cod chopped salad

when i first mentioned to the girls that i would be making a tomato casserole for dinner, i received 3 stink faces staring back at me. no one seemed to thrilled at the idea, but i told them to just trust me and go with it. the recipe is from ina garten and i knew she wouldn't let me down (she is the barefoot contessa after all). by the end of dinner, the girls were proclaiming that this meal was one of the best things i've ever made. i know i say that everything is good (because it is) but this was seriously good. it was the perfect summer dish to highlight the seasonality of fresh tomatoes. i served it with a simple cape cod chopped salad - also from ina. the only changes i made were to swap turkey bacon for regular bacon, swap blue cheese for crumbled goat cheese, swap toasted walnuts for candied pecans and add diced avocado.

my picture didn't turn out as well as i would have hoped, but one of my favorite bloggers, smitten kitchen, also made this dish. check out her masterpiece.

ingredients:
evoo
3 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a french boule (we found an asiago cheese boule)
16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned basil leaves
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

directions:
preheat the oven to 350 degrees. heat 3 tablespoons of evoo in a large saute pan over medium heat. add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the evoo. cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar and s&p in a large bowl. when the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. off the heat, stir in the basil.

pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. sprinkle evenly with the parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of evoo. bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly.

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salt & vinegar potatoes

i got this recipe from heidi over at 101cookbooks.com. as many of you know, i have a serious addiction to chips and knew i needed to make these asap. they were absolutely delicious and tasted exactly like the fried version without being too tangy. confirmation that the recipe was a success came when scotty taste tested and said "you know what these taste like? those salt and vinegar chips." duhhhh. silly daddy. chips are for kids. these are potatoes.

ingredients:
2 cups white vinegar
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut in thin slices
evoo
kosher salt
pepper

directions:
place potato slices in medium saucepan. pour vinegar over potatoes, making sure all of them are covered completely. bring to boil and then reduce heat, cooking for about 5 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. remove from heat and let them sit in vinegar for about 30 minutes. drain well and liberally season with evoo, kosher salt and pepper.  heat grill to medium high heat. grill potatoes about 5 minutes per side, until they get some nice grill marks. serve immediately.

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