(Cauli)flower Power December 24, 2009

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Kathryn says:  Are there any vegetables you just can’t come to terms with?  That was me with cauliflower.  I was never a fan of the taste.  But J likes it, and since we cook together a lot, it gave me a good reason to keep searching for a way to enjoy it.

I’m happy to report a success story: mashed cauliflower.  Once you mash it, the vegetable takes on a whole new texture – that of risotto (creamy rice), which I love.

I found this recipe on Women’s Health Magazine’s Web site, and it was quick and tasty.  I boiled a head of cauliflower until it was soft, drained it, mashed it with a potato masher (a fork would suffice), added garlic powder, fine sea salt, cream cheese, and butter, and kept mashing until it was all mixed.  I sprinkled dried parsley on top for presentation.  I liked it enough to get seconds!  I won’t be cringing next time J suggests cauliflower for dinner.

Sweet Breakfast! December 16, 2009

Fruit ‘N Yogurt English Muffin

Kathryn says: Excite your taste buds and stray from your breakfast norm with this light taste of everything – fruit, yogurt,  english muffin and oatmeal!

 

Toast half of a whole wheat English muffin, pour on some of your favorite yogurt (I used Rachel’s Pomegranate Blueberry yogurt), toss on some fruit (I used frozen blueberries, canned peaches and banana slices), and sprinkle uncooked oatmeal on top.

 

I’d recommend eating this one with a fork.

Make Your Own Croutons – in Minutes! November 16, 2009

Crunchy Corn and Crouton Salad

Kathryn says:  My Mom taught me how to make croutons.  Although I’m not a fan of restaurant croutons, homemade ones are delicious!

 

I cut up a slice of whole-grain bread into squares, spread them out on a baking sheet, drizzled olive oil, sea salt and ground pepper on top, and broiled them in the oven for just a few minutes.  If you try this, make sure you check them every minute or so, because they bake quickly, and you don’t want to burn them!  They also emit an amazing bakery aroma while they’re cooking.

 

I sprinkled Publix mixed pre-washed lettuce on my plate and topped it with tomatoes, leftover ground pork that I had pan-fried the night before, and leftover corn on the cob that I cut off the cob, tomatoes, and more olive oil.  Gotta love using up those leftovers!  I sprinkled the hot croutons on top, of course.  It was incredibly flavorful and crunchy salad.  I highly recommend this one.

A Lovely Fall Salad November 16, 2009

Pumpkin Chick Pea Salad

Kathryn says:  I delighted in a light, tasty salad for lunch.  I threw in some arrugula, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, chick peas and salted pumpkin seeds, and dressed it with apple cider vinegar.

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds! November 16, 2009

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds

Kathryn says:  For Halloween, we carved some wicked pumpkins!  (Mom and I made one with UF on it.)

We cooked our first batch of seeds with salt – the traditional style.

For our second batch, I felt like satisfying my sweet tooth and experimenting a bit.  I sprinkled brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and a couple drops of almond extract on the seeds.  Then, I baked them in the oven at about 400 degrees for a few hours, until they were crispy.  Yum!

Open-faced Egg Sandwich September 11, 2009

Open-faced Scrambled Egg Sandwich

Kathryn says: Since I had a volunteer event at noon today, I needed an early lunch.  What better than an egg sandwich to bridge the gap between morning and afternoon? 

I sprayed a frying pan with Pam, cracked an egg into the pan, scrambled it on the stove on medium-high heat, and continued cooking it while adding chopped tomatoes and onions, red pepper pieces, a slice of meunster cheese ripped into little pieces, oregano, rosemary, and fresh basil leaves. 

Then, I piled it all on a nice, soft piece of Pepperidge Farm’s 12 Grain bread and ate it open-faced with a fork.  I added ketchup too.  It was delicious!

Guac – It’s Simple September 9, 2009

Guacamole with Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips

Kathryn says:  After a light dinner, I felt like whipping up a late-night snack – guac and chips.

I was inspired by a nearly-rotting avocado in the fridge and a classmate who said her favorite food is guacamole, but she doesn’t know how to make it.

I simply cut some avocado out of its skin, diced some tomatoes, and put them in a bowl.  Then, I added garlic salt and pepper, and mashed it all together with a fork.  Voilà!  It’s guacamole.

I had mine with crunchy Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips – the new Exotic Harvest Sweet Onion edition.

See, it’s simple and delicious.  Other modifications include adding olive oil or lemon juice.

Dinner for Sister September 8, 2009

Chicken Parmesan Sub

Broccoli and Leeks

Kathryn says:  Tonight, I cooked dinner for J, and it was a success. 

First, I washed the broccoli and leeks, chopped them up, and threw them in a Pyrex pan.  Then, I drizzled olive oil and sprinkled sea salt, black pepper, rosemary and thyme on top and tossed it all together.  I put it in the oven on 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.  If you’ve never had leeks, I highly recommend them.  They’re like onions in looks and flavor.  I used all of the leek from the white bottom to the green top, and each part was tasty.

While that was baking, I washed two chicken breasts, cut them into chunks, and threw them on a frying pan on the stove on high heat.  I poured a packet of Mrs. Dash seasoning on top and cooked the chicken until it browned.  Then, I added a can of tomato sauce, ripped fresh garlic cloves, and olive oil and let it simmer on medium-low heat.

I poured the chicken with sauce onto a french baguette and topped it with Parmesan shavings.

And that was dinner!

I can make an ice cream cake! August 30, 2009

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Top View

Kathryn says:  I am proud to say that this summer, I made my first ice cream cake.  Although the idea seemed intimidating and complicated, my aunt and I were up for the challenge.  And the reward was sweet.

One lazy summer day, we made a delectable mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.

We modified the recipe from Land ‘O Lakes. (http://www.landolakes.com/mealideas/ViewRecipe.cfm?RecipeID=12456)

The cake consisted of two layers of brownies, two layers of ice cream, and three layers of fudge. 

First, we poured brownie mix into two round cake pans and baked them.

While they were baking, we defrosted a tub of  Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.  Then, we lined two round cake pans with Saran Wrap.  We scooped the ice cream into the pans and smoothed it out using a spoon.  We put the pans full of ice cream in the freezer.

Once the brownies were done baking, we placed them on cooling racks.

Next, we made a thick, sweet fudge from the Baker’s chcolate box and put it in the fridge to cool. (http://brands.kraftfoods.com/BakersChocolate/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=hot%20fudge%20sauce&u3=**4*4&wf=9&recipe_id=55707)

Lastly, we built the cake starting with a layer of brownie, a layer of fudge and a layer of ice cream and repeating.  We stuck some mint chocolate chip cookies my aunt made on top for decoration.

The mint ice cream was cool and refreshing and the fudge was rich – a great combination.

Pizzas on the Grill August 8, 2009

Grilled Sausage and Veggie Pizzas

Grilled Sausage and Veggie Pizza Slice

Kathryn says: To end a fun day of shopping with my aunt, I came back to her house to make grilled pizzas with her and my  uncle.

It was our first time trying to grill pizza.  While my uncle got the grill fired up, my aunt and I split a Publix pizza dough into two pieces, lightly floured them and rolled them out using our hands and a rolling pin.  We split the dough into two because it’s much easier to flip two smaller doughs on the grill than it is to flip one big dough.

Then, we prepared a huge plate of toppings including sliced mozzarella cheese, fresh sprigs of rosemary from the garden, cooked sausage chunks, chopped onions, tomatoes and zucchini.

Next, we brought the dough and toppings out by the grill.  My uncle sprayed the hot grill with Pam, and we threw the flattened dough onto the grill, closed the lid, and let it cook for about three to four minutes.  Then, we opened the grill and my uncle flipped the dough over using oven mits.

We quickly piled all the ingredients on the dough and closed the grill to cook it all for another three to four minutes. 

The dough was cooked enough, but the fresh vegetables were still a bit raw.  We removed the pizzas from the grill to prevent the dough from burning, and we transferred them to a metal baking sheet and broiled them for about five minutes to finish cooking the veggies.

Once the pizzas were done broiling, we transferred them onto a wooden cutting board, cut them up and chowed down.  The medley of grilled flavors, especially the salty sausage, refreshing rosemary and oozing, sweet mozzarella, was delectable.  I’d prefer grilled pizza to baked pizza any day. 

Next time, we would cook the vegetables in a frying pan on the stove before loading them onto the grilled dough.  That way we wouldn’t have to finish cooking the pizzas in the oven.