Lemon Feta Roasted Asparagus

There are so many things I love about the spring but one of them is how garden's start to come back to life.  Asparagus season will be upon us soon so I thought I would post a great recipe my family enjoys.
With this recipe, you can either put the lemon feta on the asparagus part way through roasting so that it melts and gets a little crisp or you can sprinkle it on right before serving.  It tastes great both ways.  If you like a little spice, you can add about a 1/4 tsp of pepper flakes to the feta mix.

A fun fact: Asparagus is one of the few food you can eat with your fingers in front of the Queen.

Lemon Feta Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and halved

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup feta cheese

finely grated zest and juice of one lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Then toss the asparagus in with it.
3. Spread the asparagus on a tray and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Toss the lemon juice, zest child pepper flakes (optional) and feta together.  Sprinkle on top of the asparagus before serving.

Cilantro Lime Rice

I love the recipes you can find when you type random ingredients into a search engine.  This recipe is the result of one of those searches.  I had a couple of limes in my fruit bowl that were begging to be used and a bunch of cilantro that my Mom brought for me to use up because she was going away.  I was looking for inspiration for dinner so I thought I might as well try a search to see what would turn up.  I had seen this recipe before, most likely on Pinterest, and tonight was the night I was finally going to make it.

I love how simple it was to add a little extra flavour to a rice dish.  It turned the bland carb staple in to a lovely side dish.  I am sure I will be using this recipe lots in the future!

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup water

1 cup broth

pinch of salt

juice of one lime

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a sauce pan, combine the rice, water, broth, lime juice and salt.  Cook according to cooking instructions on the package (most rice cooks for different times).
2. Once the rice has cooked, add the minced garlic and cilantro and toss with a fork before serving.

Corn and Zucchini Saute

I guess this is my first zucchini post of the summer and I am sure it will be my first of many.  This year we have 4 plants in the garden.  I know you are probably thinking why on earth would you plant that many zucchini plants? We tend to have a bit of a problem with slugs in our garden so I always have to plant more than I think I will need so I can hope to have one or two plants survive.  If our garden was at our home, it would be a lot easier to deal with these pest but right now life is busy and we only get out to the garden once or twice a week.
My new vice is Pinterest and it is a great way to find new recipes (and waste time while your at it).  This is one I came across a while ago and decided to save it for the summer.  I think it is a perfect recipe to have in the summer, especially if you have corn and zucchini in your garden.  It does not take long to prepare and tastes wonderful.  It is one I will keep on hand to use in the future and use whatever I happen to have on hand in the fridge.

Corn and Zucchini Saute

1 medium zucchini, halved and cut into thin slices

corn cut off 3 ears of corn

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 cup torn basil leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.
2. Saute the onion until it is translucent.
3. Add the zucchini slices and garlic.  Toss around in the pan for a couple of minutes, until the zucchini is bright green.
4. Add the corn and season with salt and pepper.  Stir the vegetables until the corn is heated.
5. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar and basil before serving.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

One evening I was going through the fridge trying to get inspired from the ingredients I already had.  I really dug around and was pleasantly surprised with what I had found.  I realized I had many ingredients for a recipe I had seen from  Ina Garten.  Since I didn't have all the ingredients I modified the recipe based on what I had in the kitchen one night.
I was really happy with the outcome of this experiment and I will make it again.  This would be a great dish to take to a potluck and the leftovers a great for lunches.  I think it would be fun to experiment more with different types of pasta.  I think it would be very nice with a cheese tortellini.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Olive oil

1/2 lb pasta of your choice

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

3/4 kalamata olives

3 chopped roma tomatoes

6 chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Dressing

5 sun-dried tomatoes

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 tsp capers

3/4 tsp ground pepper

1 cup parmesan

2 tbsp dried basil

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil with a splash of olive oil.  Cook the pasta according to directions. Darin and then allow to cool.
2. Put the dressing ingredients into a blender.  Pulse the blender until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.
3. In a large bowl combine the pasta, olives,  mozzarella, tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.  
4. Add the dressing and toss before serving.

Sweet and Sour Carrots

I have always loved getting sweet and sour dishes when I order Chinese food but I get worried about all of the extras the might get put in it.  I am not a fan of MSG.  I decided to look for a sweet and sour recipe that I could make at home and know exactly what was in it.
This dish makes a colourful blend of cooked vegetables and fruit in a lovely sweet and sour sauce.  If you wanted to, you could easily add any extra vegetables and or meat but it tastes great as it is!

Sweet and Sour Carrots

2 cups carrot slices, 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup celery slices, 1/2 inch thick 

1 onion diced

1 8 oz can pineapple chuck, drained with juice reserved

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp soy sauce

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp sugar

1. Cook the carrots, celery and onion with some water in a covered stock pan for about 8 minutes or until they are at your desired tenderness. Drain and set aside.
2. Add enough water to the pineapple juice to make 1/2 cup of liquid.  Stir in the vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce and salt.  Leave on the heat and stir until the liquid thickens.  
3. Add the butter, pineapple and onions.  Stir until all the ingredients have heated through.
4. Add the carrots and celery, cooking for two more minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Cranberry Brussels Sprouts with a Balsamic Glaze

It wouldn't be a Christmas dinner in my family without having some Brussels Sprouts.  This year I decided to look for a new way to serve them so they were not just steamed.  I was excited to come across this recipe since it would be a red and green dish for Christmas.

By looking at the recipe you can tell how simple it is to prepare.  Make sure you give yourself enough time to trim and half all the brussels sprouts.  

Cranberry Brussels Sprouts with a Balsamic Glaze

3 lbs brussels sprouts

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Wash, trim and half the brussels sprouts.
3. Toss the sprouts with some olive oil and then spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. 
4. Roast the sprouts until the are brown (about 25-30 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan bring the balsamic vinegar and the sugar to a boil then lower the heat to a medium-low.   Allow the reduction to thicken into a glaze.
6. Drizzle the balsamic glaze onto the sprouts and then sprinkle the cranberries on top.

Roasted Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

I love it when you find a simple recipe that you can make in advanced for a big meal, especially when the dish is full of flavour and a hit with everyone (everyone who likes mushrooms that is).  This recipe is so easy to make and it doesn't need any extras added to it, but if you feel like you need to add more you could always add your favourite fresh herbs or some garlic.  
I did last minute shopping so I ended having to do a mixture of mushrooms because of what was available.  Since I had to get was available I halved or quartered the large ones. I made these on Christmas Eve and then stuck them in the oven on Christmas day to heat up. It turned out great.
Apparently you can get pearl onions in the freezer section at the grocer but I opted to use some fresh ones instead.  The frozen ones would make the prep work faster since you do not have to top, tail and peel them.

Roasted Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

1 1/2 pounds of small, cremini mushrooms

8 oz pearl onions

1 tbsp olive oil

Coarsely ground salt an pepper to taste.

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. In a bowl, toss the onions and mushrooms with salt and pepper.
3. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet.  
4. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and brown, stirring half way through.  

Roasted Garlic and Acorn Squash Strudel

I have been looking for the perfect opportunity to try this recipe for a while now and it finally came.  My inlaws were coming for dinner and they are always up for trying something new. They also don't mind keeping the little one entertained while I work in the kitchen.  Plus they were the ones who grew the squash I used.
This recipe will be a fall staple for me in the future I am sure, especially in years where I have a lot of squash to use up.  I will likely double the recipe and freeze half of the filling for later because it will not add much extra time.  The time consuming part of this recipe is preparing the phyllo for the filling to go into.  Depending on how patient you are and how flakey you like your strudels will be the main determinate in how long the last step takes you.
It is a very versatile strudel that could be use for many different purposes depending on the portion size.  This recipe could easily be adapted to use different types of squash or different spices.

Roasted Garlic and Acorn Squash Strudel

1 head roasted garlic

2 small acorn squash

olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup fresh chopped sage leaves

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1 cup ricotta

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 box phyllo dough, thawed

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  
2. Cut and gut the squash. Place in a baking dish cut side up and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Have a quarter inch of water in the dish to help prevent the squash from drying out.  Bake for about an hour or until the squash flesh is cooked through (You can roast the garlic at the same time as you bake the squash).
3. Scrape the insides of the acorn squash out with a fork and mash it well with a fork.
4. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the paper into a bowl and mash it with a fork.  
5. Place in a frying pan over medium heat and add the sage leaves.  Fry until fragrant and then add the squash.  Once this mixture is cooked through set it aside to cool slightly.
6. In a bowl, combine the squash mixture, nutmeg ricotta and pine nuts.  Stir well and add additional seasoning if desired.
7. Preheat the oven to 400. 
8. Melt the butter and olive oil together.  On a clean working surface lay out your first sheet of phyllo and brush the butter mixture over it.  Alternate the phyllo and butter mixture until you have about 10 layers.  
9. Spread roughly a third of the squash mixture into the centre of the phyllo.  Make sure to leave about an inch on the edges.  Then roll up from the long side and tuck the ends in.  Transfer onto the baking sheet and repeat with the other two.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.  

Mark Bittam's Autumn Bake

On my desktop I have a folder for recipes I would like to try and when ever I come across one that I would like to try I save a copy of it in there.  Today I was looking for a particular recipe I plan on making tomorrow for dinner and I came across this one.  I opened it because I couldn't remember what exactly was in it and it turned out I had everything I needed for it on hand so it became tonight's supper.
I must admit, I have never heard of Mark Bittam before seeing this recipe but I really liked how it turned out so I am might look for more of his recipes in the future.
Don't worry if you don't have any millet because it would work well with other slow cooking grains such as barley.

Mark Bittam's Autumn Bake

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup millet

1 medium winter squash; peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup cranberries

salt and pepper

1 tbsp minced sage leaves

2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

1 cup vegetable stock, warmed

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and oil a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.  When it is heated add the millet and stir it as the millet becomes fragrant and turns a golden brown.  Remove from the heat and place as a layer on the bottom of the casserole dish.
3. In a bowl, toss together the squash, cranberries, sage, salt and pepper.  Once thoroughly mixed spread on top of the millet.
4. Drizzle the maple syrup on top and then pour the warmed stock over top.  Cover with a lid or tightly with tinfoil and bake undisturbed for 45 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and increase the oven temperature to 400.  Have a taste to see if you need to alter the seasoning or add extra water for the millet to finish cooking.  Bake for about another 10 minutes (or until the millet is cooked through).

Maple Baked Acorn Squash

I love squash! They are tasty, filling and easy to prepare.  They are the perfect side dish to a meal because you just need to scoop out the seeds, put it in some butter and seasoning and then through it in the oven to bake while you make the other parts of the meal.
This year we are in luck because the vines produced plenty so we have lots to enjoy.

Maple Baked Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Score the inside of the squash and place cut side up in a baking dish filled with 1/4 inch of water.
3. Coat the inside with 1/2 tbsp of butter, sprinkle the brown sugar over the surface and drizzle the maple syrup over top.
4. Bake for about an hour, until the flesh has softened and slightly browned.
5. Spoon any excess sauce over the flesh before serving.

Zucchini Gratin

This dish is a great way to use up some zucchini.  If it is a larger zucchini I would recommend seeding it and cutting it into quarters before slicing it for the dish.
The gratin taste marvellous and it is even a dish zucchini skeptics can enjoy.  It is very simple to prepare and one that you can prep in advance and cook later.  The dish is filling enough to serve as a main but would also work as a side for a roast.
I am sure you would be alright to substitute swiss cheese for Gruyere.

Zucchini Gratin

6 tbsp butter

3 large onions, sliced

4 small zucchinis, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

3/4 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan (large enough for the zucchini and onions to all go in, a wok will work if you don't have a big enough one) and cook the onions until they are soft and translucent.  You do not want them to brown.
2. Add the zucchini and cook it covered for 10 minutes.
3. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Whisk the flour into the hot milk and pour over the mixture.  Cook over low heat until the remaining liquid is more like a sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into a 8 x 10 inch baking dish.
6. Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle it on top of the zucchini mixture.
7. Cut the 1 tbsp of butter into small pieces and dot it on top of the crumble top.
8. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until the it is bubbly and browned.

Green Beans Amandine

It is always nice to put a bit of a twist on your vegetables so you are not eating the same thing over and over again.  I try to keep an eye out for recipes that will not add a lot of prep time but will add to the flavour.  Last night I was looking for a different way to enjoy some green beans and after a little bit of searching I came across this recipe.  I really enjoy nutmeg so I thought it was worth a try.
The extra flavour was amazing and the beans were so tasty!  They would complement many dishes, such as a roast or chicken very nicely.
This dish is one you could prep mostly a couple of hours in advance for a dinner party and just do the last step before you are about to serve the meal.  I think it is one that would impress your guests.
On a side note, when topping and tailing green beans I find it easiest to snap off the extra bits instead of using a knife.

Green Beans Amandine

1 lb green beans, topped and tailed

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1tbsp butter

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1. In a deepish frying pan boil about an inch of water.  Place the beans in and cover with a lid, cooking the beans until they are tender crisp.  Remove them from the pan and place in cold water to prevent further cooking.
2. Discard the water and return the pan to the stove on a medium heat.  Add the almonds and toast until they lightly brown and become aromatic.  Remove from the pan to use for later.
3. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the butter, almonds and the nutmeg.  Toss them in the pan until the beans have reheated.  Toss in the almonds just before serving.

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

I love using balsamic reductions on different vegetables.  I wanted to try something new with asparagus the other night so I decided to try it with a balsamic reduction.  The asparagus was amazing and the remaining reduction is being saved to use again tomorrow night for a salad or on some other vegetables.

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

1 bunch asparagus

salt and pepper

cooking oil

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Break the woody ends off the asparagus and toss with oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place in a baking dish and bake for 12 minutes.
4. While the asparagus is in the oven, melt the butter in a saucepan.  Once it has melted add the balsamic vinegar and the soy sauce.  Bring it to a simmer and allow it to reduce while the asparagus is baking.
5. Pour the reduction over the asparagus just before serving.

Cauliflower Celeriac Puree

I am always looking for new ways to use cauliflower and experiment with new ingredients.  I was looking through one of my recipe books the other night and came across this one.  I had never used celeriac (celery root) before but I have always wanted to try it in something.
We were had my in-laws over for dinner the other night and they are always open to trying my experiments so I decided to give it a try.  It tasted wonderful and it is an excellent alternative to regular old mashed potatoes.
If you are wanting to dress it up a little when you serve it, a light dusting of nutmeg looks really nice and enhances the flavours.

Cauliflower and Celeriac Puree

1/2 head of cauliflower 

1/2 celeriac

1/2 fennel

1/4 cream

4 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the vegetables into pieces and place into salted boiling water.  Cook until very tender.
2. Drain well and place in a blender with the cream and butter.  Puree until smooth.

Italian Style Spicy Cauliflower

I think cauliflower is a vegetable that will often get passed up at the grocery store when people walk by it.  It is too bad because there are so many wonderful ways to use this vegetable.  This recipe is simple but adds a lot to a meal.  I made it for a dinner party and everyone loved it.  Even some of the picky, unadventurous eaters I know really enjoyed it.
If you are feeling adventurous or really like things on the spicy side you can always add more red chilli flakes.  The amount called for creates a nice mild-medium flavour.

1 head cauliflower
about 3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tsp lemon zest
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp black or green olives, pitted and chopped

1. Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower and trim off the end.  Using the entire head, cut the cauliflower into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot add the cauliflower, allowing it to sizzle and start to brown.  Make sure to stir it often so the cauliflower does not scorch. 
3. After the cauliflower has softened (about 3-4 minutes) add the salt, capers, lemon zest, garlic, chilli flakes and olives.  Continue cooking, stirring often, until the cauliflower is golden brown and the other ingredients have caramelized (about 10-15 minutes). As you stir, scrape the sides of the pan with your spoon to loosen the caramelized bits.  
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Saffron Rice with Lime and Cashews

I like to use up my spices before they get too old and start to loose their flavour.  I had some saffron that I wanted to finish up because it has been in my spice drawer for a while now.  I have been meaning to try this recipe for a while now and I finally got a chance to the other night.  The flavours are not too overwhelming and it is a nice change to having plain rice as a side dish with meat.  If you would like more of any of the flavours I would add extra but it is very nice as is.

Saffron Rice with Lime and Cashews

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1/4 tsp spanish saffron

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups basmati rice

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup grated coconut

1/4 cup lime juice

1 cup toasted cashews

1. Add saffron to boiling water and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the rice and stir until it turns a golden yellow.
3. Add the ginger and saffron liquid to the rice.  Cover and cook on low heat for 25 minutes.
4. Stir in coconut, lime juice and cashews. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti Squash with Peppers

This dish is a simple colourful dish that will brighten up any plate.  It takes a little time to cook the squash but it isn't a labour intensive side.  It tastes great fresh but also is great cold as left overs then next day.

Spaghetti Squash with Peppers

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vegetable seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 cloves minced garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 375. 
2. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.  Place cut side up on a baking sheet and rub the cut side with about half of the olive oil.  Sprinkle with vegetable seasoning, salt and pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the flesh is tender.
3. Scrape out the squash flesh with a fork.
4. Heat a frying pan with the remaining oil to medium heat.  Sauté the bell peppers and garlic until tender crisp.
5. Add the flesh of the squash and toss to mix and heat evenly before serving.

Coconut Rice

I love coconut rice and until now I have only ever had it when it has been prepared for me.  The other night I made satay chicken and I thought how much I would like to have a side of coconut rice to go with it. I find the coconut and satay compliment each other so well.  After a little searching online I came across this recipe and thought it looked simple so I tried it.  The rice turned out great and I will definitely make it more.  I am glad I finally decided to try making it for myself.

Coconut Rice

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp sugar

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

1. In a saucepan combine the coconut milk, water, sugar and salt.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Stir in rice.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Cover and reduce the heat, allowing to simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Blushing Broccoli and Cauliflower

It is always nice to find simple recipes to make vegetables more interesting as sides to dinner.  One of my favourites growing up was steamed broccoli and or cauliflower with melted cheddar cheese on top. Simple enough and very tasty!
The other day when I was looking through different recipes I came across this one and thought it was a simple twist to an old staple so I tried it out.  It only added a couple of minutes to the prep time of the veggie with just melted cheese and it add so much more flavour!

Blushing Broccoli and Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower

1 bunch broccoli (about the same amount as the cauliflower)

1 can low sodium tomato soup

3 tbsp skim milk

2 tsp vegetable seasoning

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets.
2. Steam the vegetables until tender crisp, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring the tomato soup, milk and vegetable seasoning to a simmer.  
4. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, allowing it to melt.  Return it to the heat it if needs help.
5. Place the steamed vegetables in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over top. Serve immediately. 

Marinated Mushrooms

This recipe was a huge discovery!  The marinated mushrooms were a perfect accompaniment for a roasted chicken but the could go well as a side to just about any meat.  It was very easy to make, tasted very sophisticated and allowed me to use it to make a salad with the leftovers.  I love finding recipes so diverse that I can use them for a dinner party one night and then make an entirely new dish with the remaining for lunches!  Another great thing about this recipe is that you can make it up to two days in advance.  Below I have included both the recipe for the original dish and what I did to turn it into a pasta salad.

Marinated Mushrooms

5 cups small white mushrooms

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup wine vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic thinly sliced

1 shallot thinly sliced

2 roasted red peppers, seeded and diced

1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme

1. In a large sauce pan, cover and cook mushrooms and salt over medium heat until the mushrooms begin to release liquid.  Stir the mushrooms once or twice. 
2. Uncover and cook until the liquid has evaporated (about 5 minutes).
3. Remove from heat.  Add the remaining ingredients; let cool.  Place in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 hours.

Marinated Mushrooms Pasta Salad

remaining marinated mushrooms

cooked pasta

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes

1 cup cooked cubed chicken

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp wine vinegar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme

1. Combine the marinated mushrooms, pasta, carrots, celery, tomatoes and chicken.
2. Mix together the oil, vinegars and thyme.
3. Pour over the salad and enjoy.