I think I enjoy the cooking more than eating, there is nothing better than to watch the smile grow after someone’s first bite. Note from Steve: I am a flow of thought writer and apologize up front if I lose you. My family is used to it.
Was on Mastodon or Post the other day and saw this I’ve been looking for an alternative recipe and this sounded pretty good. I think it would be good with cauliflower also. I can’t remember who’s this was but many thanks.
10-12 Brussels Sprouts, cut in half Optional: diced red bell pepper, 3/4s cup 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1/2 cup Dry Roasted Peanuts, no salt 1 clove & 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1/4 cup Soy Sauce 1 Tablespoon Honey 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Splash of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce 1/4 teaspoon Cornstarch
I rarely measure when I cook, so these are approximations.
Mix soy, ginger, honey, hot sauce & 2 cloves garlic together. Whisk in cornstarch to thicken. Heat in saucepan until just boiling. Reduce heat & stir in peanuts. Remove from heat after 2 minutes.
Toss cut brussels sprouts (& bell pepper, if using) with 1 clove garlic & cook in air fryer 9 minutes at 400°.
Place cooked vegetables into bowl. Pour sauce mixture over & toss to thoroughly coat.
Makes 2 servings if side dish, one if main course.
So I came home and on the counter was an old yellowed recipe that we haven’t seen for years. Lyn was having a craving and laid out the dish, box of lasagna pasta and had already prepared the spinach and broccoli. This is an interesting recipe everything but the initial pasta cooking is made in the microwave. You can tell the age by the one step that was rotate pan half way through, if you remember way back there was either no tray and it never rotated during cooking.
Ingredients
6-9 lasagna noodles
2 carrots shredded
1 small onion chopped –Steve Note: I used red I had half of one left over
1 red or green pepper, cut into thin strips
10 ounce of frozen chopped broccoli or spinach thawed and drained. Steve Note: Lyn had prepared a combo of each but used fresh.
I added 4 mushrooms sliced.
1/2 tsp of salt
15 ounce container of ricotta cheese
Optional 1 egg beaten Steve Note: like to add this to ricotta binds it together.
2 cups of shredded Fontina, Swiss or other cheese. Steve Note: Did not have enough mozzarella or provolone so I grabbed a stick of cheddar and shredded it. BTW take minutes and is way cheaper than buying already shredded. The cheddar turned out a nice choice went well with the veggies.
Lyn’s pasta sauce Steve Note: The recipe did not call for but I put small amount on bottom and top (before the last topping of cheese).
How
Prepare noodles conventionally as package directs; drain, separate and set aside.
in 12×8″ backing dish cook carrots, onion and pepper covered on high 6-8 minutes until tender-crisp stirring half way through. Spoon into bowl and add broccoli. In separate bowl combine egg, and salt and a real good pinch of dried basil.
thin layer in baking dish then top with three noodles. top that with half the ricotta cheese mixture and top that with 1/3 veggie mixture then 1/3 shredded cheese.
Repeat except except set aside the shredded cheese
Cook covered on high for 7-10 minutes until hot through
Sprinkle remain cheese cook 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted
Ok it was Taco Tuesday and I had planned to make Black Bean Butternut Squash Burritos but when I looked I had no black beans and only 1 tortilla wrap so what to do. I had frozen some blue corn taco shells and I had a can of navy beans, so I went with it.
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
One 15-oz can white navy beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
1. Preheat oven to 425F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.
2. Cook brown rice
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.
4. Add chopped red pepper, navy beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.
5. When butternut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add cheddar cheese and heat another couple minutes.
6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper. now that they are rolled lightly spray the tortilla with cooking spray and crisp in pan over medium heat. Start with seam side down . I have also placed under a broiler watching carefully of course.
I love the Portland Pie Company dough especially the Beer dough, always, well most always, have a few bags in freezer so when the urge hits me I can satisfy it. Around me Big Y carries. I have found that I get better results if I let it sit on counter for a short while before spinning it out. I don’t let it rise much more than it does in the refrigerator. The thing I love about Pizza is you can make it with any toppings you want.
Todays was shredded asparagus, cherry tomatoes, sweet Italian sausage, honey nut squash Lyn’s pasta sauce and of course two kinds of cheese. Yup another clean out the frig meal.
I preheat the oven with Pizza stone in it to 475 (lower middle rack) in the meantime I spin out the dough. when the oven is at temp I take the stone out and slide the dough on to it than add sauce and the rest of the toppings. this gives the bottom a quick start before sliding it into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. I like to give it a 180 turn half way through. I like mine on the well done side so when the cheese starts to brown slightly my mouth starts to water.
Adapted from eating well because it was no meat Monday.
Cumin and chili powder season a filling of turkey sausage, tomatoes, black beans and Swiss cheese for creamy acorn squash. Serve this stuffed squash with warmed corn tortillas for wrapping up bites of all the tasty ingredients.
Steve Note: I used Farro instead of sausages but you could use ground beef, chicken, turkey or wild or other wise rice.
Ingredients
3 acorn squash, (3/4-1 pound each) Steve Note: you could use Butternut, Delicata Squash, Zucchini etc. I like these because the skin is edible .
5 ounces bulk turkey sausage Steve Note: I substituted about 3/4 cup of cooked farro 1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed (see Tip)
½ teaspoon salt
Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese Steve Note: I used Cheddar
Directions
Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Step 2 Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
Step 3 Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 4 When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees . Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
Tips
Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.
Tips
Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.
Serves 4 to 6 Total Time: 1% hours, plus 8 hours brining
Regular bacon can be used in place of the thick-cut bacon, if desired. If you are short on time, you can quick-brine your beans: In step 1, bring 1112 tablespoons of salt, 2 quarts of water, and the beans to a boil in the Instant Pot using the highest saute function; turn off the pot; and let the beans sit for 1hour. Drain and rinse the beans and proceed with step 2.
1112 tablespoons table salt for brining 1 pound (2112 cups) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise 112 inch thick 1 onion, chopped fine 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1112 teaspoons table salt 112 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 cups chicken broth 1 cup ketchup 113 cup packed brown sugar 113 cup packed brown sugar 114 cup molasses 114 cup Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
How
Dissolve 1 1/2 tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and let soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
Using highest saute function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon fat is rendered and onion is softened about 8 to 10 minutes
Add garlic, chili powder, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in beans.
Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure -cook function and cook for 9 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure.
Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
Stir in ketchup, sugar, molasses, and mustard. Using highest saute function, bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and let cool for 10 minutes (beans will continue to thicken as they cool). Stir in vinegar and serve.
We love the Butternut Squash and Black Bean Burritos and it was veggie night so I added some roasted cabbage and Fennel to it. Don’t knock the burrito until you try them they are satisfying and good.
Slice the Cabbage and Fennel in thick slices
Drizzle with sesame seed oil, salt and pepper mix to coat
Roasted the cabbage and fennel in a 375 Degree oven for 10-15 minutes until
served with a side of avocado that Lyn threw together
it was a pleasant surprise and went well with the burritos.
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Once you make this recipe for the first time, be prepared to make it over and over again. You and your family will both love it. Heck you can always add or substitute some precooked chicken. Cashew Cauliflower is the vegetarian equivalent of the classic Chinese buffet favorite, Cashew Chicken.
This was a wicked easy bake. Other than getting vegetables on the table, and cutting down on your meat consumption, the only thing in this recipe that you might need to buy is the cashews. I promise you that nearly every other ingredient in the list below is already in your pantry.
There are only two of us so I cut this in half not knowing how it would taste now I wish I had not.
HERE’S WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Cauliflower – Pick the largest one you can find. Because, you’re going to regret not having more if you buy a little cauliflower.
Cornstarch – This is used to coat the cauliflower and is also used in the sauce.
Sauces – Soy sauce and ketchup are both used. One adds a familiar salty taste, while the other adds color, sweetness, and a deep tomato-y flavor.
Brown Sugar – We use brown sugar for sweetness, but it will also help to thicken and caramelize the sauce.
Garlic and Ginger – What’s an Asian-inspired dish without these two?
Cashews – I used roasted, unsalted cashews. If you use salted, the overall dish might be a bit too salty in the end.
Dried Red Chili Flakes – These are optional. I like a bit of heat, but they can be omitted.
Optional- I added some cut up asparagus last night (2nd batch) was good addition. I needed to remember spring is around the corner.
Whoops forgot to Put the measurements in
For the Cauliflower:
1 large cauliflower, washed, and cut into florets
1/2 cup cornstarch
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 cup cashews, roasted and unsalted
How
PREPARE THE CAULIFLOWER FIRST:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.
Place the cauliflower into a large bowl and add in the 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Using your hands, gently toss the cauliflower florets until completely dusted with the corn starch.
Remove the florets from the bowl, lightly shake off the excess corn starch and place into the greased baking dish.
Bake cauliflower at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
NOW LET’S PREPARE THE SAUCE:
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the water with the cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Note: last night I tried again and made sauce for 4 even though I only had 1/2 head. I had to cook a little longer once I added the sauce but was definitely worth it.
FINISHING UP:
Remove the cauliflower from the oven and pour the sauce over top. Move the cauliflower around gently with a small wooden spoon to get the sauce underneath the florets. Bake for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven, add the cashews, and once again, lightly stir cashews into the cauliflower and sauce. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.
IMPORTANT: READ THIS!
It is imperative that you shake off the excess cornstarch before attempting to bake the cauliflower. Once you have tossed the cauliflower with the half cup of cornstarch, depending on how big or small your cauliflower was, you might have an excess amount of cornstarch.
HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVER CASHEW CAULIFLOWER:
Actually, this will be the last thing, and then I promise you can get to the recipe. If you plan to make this ahead of time, keep in mind that the cauliflower will not hold up well to being reheated, but there is a way to get around that problem – somewhat!
Do not reheat this in the microwave! It will become a steamy mush. Instead, carefully position each floret onto a greased baking sheet. Leave room between each floret.
Spray the top of the cauliflower with a little bit of cooking spray and place under the broiler. Just a minute or so and you’ll have a reheated cauliflower dish without the mushy microwave mess.
Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You 