Honey Mustard-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup sliced onion
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Directions:
Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sweet potatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Add mustard and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are very tender. Place sweet potato mixture in a food processor; process until smooth.

Sweet Potato Wedges

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°. Peel sweet potatoes; cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into thirds. Place potatoes in a bowl; add olive oil, kosher salt, and ground red pepper, tossing to coat. Arrange potato wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Turn potatoes; bake 10 to 12 minutes or until tender.

Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's (minus the pancetta).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half through the core
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon syrupy balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts in a bowl and add olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss until the sprouts are coated then spread them out in a single layer on a sheet pan. 

Roast the Brussels sprouts for 20 to 30 minutes, until they're tender and nicely browned. Toss once during roasting. Remove from the oven, drizzle immediately with the balsamic vinegar, and toss again. Taste for seasonings, and serve hot.

Marinade for Grilled Vegetables

Great marinade for grilled vegetables, courtesy of AllRecipes.

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables: I've used this on zucchinis, red peppers, red onions and potatoes

Directions:
Whisk olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss vegetables in soy sauce marinade. Marinate for about 45 minutes.

Grilled Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.

Ingredients:
1 pound waxy potatoes, such as white or fingerling, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cups white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Place potatoes and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let potatoes cool in vinegar for 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and gently toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Grill potatoes until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from grill, sprinkle with more salt to taste, and serve.

Neely's Lemon Pasta Salad

 Flavorful pasta salad, courtesy of the Food Network.

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound corkscrew pasta
1 pound asparagus
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
7 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse. Set aside.

In another large pot of boiling salted water, add the asparagus and blanch until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider and shock in icy cold water. Remove from the water and dry well.

Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut into bite-size pieces on the bias.

Whisk together the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Combine the reserved asparagus and pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, dill, peas, feta, and the mustard dressing. Toss with tongs to coat the salad well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad

 Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch wide slices
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Cook's note: Plating the eggplant salad this way allowed the cheese to stay bright white. The salt and pepper showed up on it. The herbs remained green and fluffy. The grill marks on the eggplant were distinct.

Macaroni and Cheese

Most amazing Mac & Cheese recipe ever, from the DuMont Restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as featured in The New Brooklyn Cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 pound radiatore, elbow macaroni, or fusilli
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound Gruyère, grated, divided
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar, grated, divided
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, toss with the olive oil in a large bowl, and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the flour is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue mixing with a wooden spoon until the mixture is a pale golden color, about 4 minutes. Slowly add the hot milk and cream mixture to the flour mixture, whisking constantly to incorporate. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally to keep the mixture from burning. Add half the Gruyère and half the cheddar and whisk until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Add the cooked pasta and toss well to combine. Pour the pasta into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish or a 3-quart gratin dish. Top with the remaining Gruyère and cheddar and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Allow the mac and cheese to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Casserole

A Weight Watchers recipe (only 5 points per serving!)

Ingredients:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 cup(s) frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, chopped, mild or hot
15 oz canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup(s) cooked brown rice
3/4 cup(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese
3/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), chopped (dark green part only)
2 Tbsp shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 2-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine corn, chilies, beans, rice, 3/4 cup of cheese, sour cream, chili powder, salt and pepper; stir in scallions.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and casserole is slightly bubbly, about 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes to firm up before slicing into 6 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Marinaded Grilled Vegetables

 Great grilled veggie recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced

Vegetables to grill - I like peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant and red onions

Directions:
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Slice up vegetables and pour marinade over them in a shallow dish or in a ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove vegetables from bags; reserve marinade. Prepare grill. Place vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 7 minutes on each side or until onion is tender, basting with reserved marinade.

Rosemary-Mustard London Broil with Wild Mushroom Glaze and White Cheddar and Red-Skinned Potato Gratin

This is Justin and my favorite meal from a restaurant we used to have date nights at in college, White Dog Cafe. Before graduation, I bought their cookbook but hadn't had the guts to try it for myself til now. I'm sure glad I did cause this meal was insanely delicious!






Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 shallots
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

3 lbs flank steak

Wild Mushroom Glaze:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp minced shallot
2 cups sliced wild mushrooms (about 5 oz) such as shiitake, chanterelle, or oyster
3/4 cup dry red wine
5 black peppercorns
1 allspice berry
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups Veal Demi-Glace
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Directions:
Prepare the marinade by combining all ingredients but the olive oil in a food processor. Blend into a smooth paste, about 1 minute. With motor running, slowly pour in the oil to form a thick emulsion. Rub the meat with the marinade and place in a shallow baking dish. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

Prepare the glaze by melting the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until they release their juices and cook dry, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the wine, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until almost all of the liquid is released, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the veal Demi-Glace and Worcestershire sauce and for 2 minutes. Remove and discard whole spices and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.


White Cheddar and Red Skinned Potato Gratin
Ingredients:
1 3/4 lbs red-skinned potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 11x7 inch baking dish.

Slice potatoes as thinly as possible. Drop the slices into cold water to keep them from discoloring.

Combine the cream, milk, cheese, thyme, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Drain the potatoes and add them to the cream mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue baking until cooked through, golden brown and bubbling, about a half hour.


Green Beans with Onions
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup white onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 lb trimmed green beans
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat the oil in a saute pan set over medium heat until it ripples. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it caramelizes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and a few tbsps water and cook, stirring, until the water evaporates and the beans are crisp-tender. Season to taste.

BBQ Potatoes

Recipe from Recipezaar.



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2/3 lb medium red potatoes, quartered

Directions:
In large bowl, combine, chili powder, honey, garlic powder, pepper and butter. Add potatoes; toss to coat. Spoon potatoes in foil and seal. Place on grill for about 30 minutes until tender.

Cheesy Cauliflower

Adapted from this RecipeZaar recipe.



Ingredients:
1/4 large cauliflower
1/3 cup low fat milk
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 ounce butter
1 teaspoon breadcrumbs
1/8 teaspoon dried English mustard
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 450°F.

Trim the cauliflower & break into small florets. Steam florets until tender. Drain in a colander and then place in a buttered ovenproof baking dish.

Meanwhile, add the milk, flour and butter to a saucepan. Heat and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens, boils and is smooth. Allow to simmer for another 2 minutes. Add three-quarters of the grated cheese, mustard, a pinch of nutmeg and salt/pepper. Cook until well blended.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Mix the remaining cheese, and breadcrumbs, if using, together, sprinkle over the top. Bake for about 15 to 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe and this recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 green zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
2 yellow zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1 bunch asparagus (about 13 spears), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
2 medium red onions, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup basil chiffonade (stack leaves, roll in a cigar shape and cut crosswise into thin strips)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Israeli couscous
8 cups Vegetable stock, heated

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard and garlic, slowly add the olive oil and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 the marinade over the vegetables and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Place the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the couscous and toast until lightly golden brown. Cover the couscous with the hot stock and bring to a boil, cook until al dente and drain well.

4. Place in a large serving bowl, add the grilled vegetables and herbs and toss with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

Moroccan Lamb Chops & Couscous

Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients:
1 pair of lamb chops
1/3 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch cinnamon
1 bosc pear, cored and cut into 6 wedges

Directions:
Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, and a pinch of cinnamon. For best results put in large resealable plastic bag. Add the lamb. Turn to coat the lamb. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and place in a roasting pan. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on temperature of meat preferred). Remove from oven and preheat the broiler.
Place 3 pear wedges on top of each piece of lamb. Place lamb under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the pears to caramelize with the brown sugar.

Moroccan Couscous
Adaped from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Original recipe includes 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, but I didn't have those available.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 stalks green onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups couscous

Directions:
Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos. Pour in the chicken broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and fold in chopped mint.

Marinated Flank Steak & Oven Roasted Vegetables

Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, quartered
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup capers, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds flank steak (I used a different kind of steak)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Sliver one-quarter of the onion and set aside. Chop the rest of the onion. Mix it in a bowl with the vinegar, capers, oregano, and garlic. Combine 1/4 cup of this mixture with the slivered onions and set aside.

2. Sprinkle both sides of the steak with the salt and pepper; prick well with a fork. In a large zip-top food-storage bag, combine the steak with the remaining onion mixture. Marinate for 1 hour or overnight.

3. Heat the grill or the broiler, positioning the oven broiler rack so that the meat on the rack in the pan is 4 inches from the heat source. Remove the meat from the marinade, and place on the grill over direct heat or on an oven rack set in the broiler pan. Discard the marinade. Grill or broil for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

4. Place the meat on a platter and pour the reserved onion mixture over the steak.


Oven Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
1/2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the zucchini, squash, peppers, asparagus, and onion in a large roasting pan. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to mix and coat. Spread in a single layer in the pan. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender.

Leftovers - FYI these roasted veggies are AMAZING mixed in with some pasta, which is how we used the leftovers. I made a double portion on night one, reheated the other half on night two and mixed them in with pasta, and cut up pieces of chicken. Tossed with garlic, oil, and some italian seasoning. Yummy!

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Picture from my second go at the Red Wine Chicken - served with rice!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic in oil until tender. Place chicken in the skillet, and cook about 10 minutes on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Drain oil from skillet. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and 1 cup brown sugar. Pour red wine around chicken. Cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes; lightly baste chicken with wine sauce while cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large sweet potatoes
2 pinches dried oregano
2 pinches salt
2 pinches ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a glass or non-stick baking dish with olive oil, just enough to coat.
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into medium size pieces. Place the cut sweet potatoes in the baking dish and turn them so that they are coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle moderately with oregano, and salt and pepper (to taste).
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until soft.

Green Beans with Almonds
(the easy way)

Ingredients:
1 package frozen green beans
About a teaspoon olive oil
About a teaspoon of garlic
A handful of almonds (from Sunkist Almond Accents - Italian Parmesan Flavored Sliced Almonds)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the green beans by the stovetop directions on the box. I overcooked them a bit, got a little bit of a well-done taste which is yummy. After that, I turned off the stovetop and added a bit of olive oil, the garlic, salt and pepper, and the handful of almonds and tossed well to mix.

Pepper-Crusted Tuna with Oven Fries and Spinach

Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine


Tuna in the skillet - well done on the left, rare on the right


Roasted Potatoes out of the oven


Sauteed Spinach with Shallots


All plated up! Mmmm

Ingredients:
3/4 pounds russet potatoes, cut into wedges
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
2 6-ounce tuna steaks, 3/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 shallot, cut into rings
1/2 10-ounce package fresh spinach

Directions:
Heat oven to 400° F. Combine the potatoes, 3 tablespoons of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, stirring once, until golden brown, about 40 minutes. When the potatoes have 15 minutes left to cook, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the tuna with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the crushed pepper, and thyme. Cook, turning once, to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Put the tuna on individual plates. Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add the spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Serve with the tuna, potatoes, and lemon wedges. Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 536(44% from fat); FAT 26g (sat 0g); SUGAR 3g; PROTEIN 47g; CHOLESTEROL 77mg; SODIUM 751mg; FIBER 7g; CARBOHYDRATE 31g