roasted cauliflower and pepper quesadillas

this is so stinkin' delicious.

i'm not a huge recipe repeater but this merits the name.

it doesn't need much...or much of a recipe.

just a head of cauliflower, one green bell pepper, monterey jack cheese, and a few tortillas.

it takes a bit of time but so easy to assemble quite a few for a crowd.

let's get started!

first of all, cut one head of cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and roast in a 425* oven for about 30-40 minutes, until very brown and toasty.

meanwhile, roast off a green (or red!) bell pepper.

see here.

 
then coarsely chop the cauliflower.

chop the pepper and toss together with the cauliflower.

shred some monterey jack cheese and layer into two tortillas.

 
brown in a skillet with some butter over medium high heat and enjoy with salsa and these charro beans.
enjoy!!

open-faced israeli sandwich

this totally jumped out of the recipe book at me.
eggplant, eggs, and pickles?!
what?!
it sounds so completely bizarre and it so completely works!
it's delicious!
i followed the directions (mostly) and we ended up absolutely loving it!
mike and i ate it with a knife and fork but the boys ended up deconstructing it and eating each part individually. i guess they created their own recipe because it could totally be a salad too!
either way, it was great and i hope you try it soon!

Open-Faced Israeli Sandwiches
Makes 4.
Adapted from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook
1 pound eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles
4 (8 inch) pita breads
1 cup hummus
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin
1/2 cup Tahini Yogurt sauce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup feta, crumbled, optional
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or smoked paprika

Spread eggplant on baking sheet lined with paper towels, sprinkle both sides with 2 teaspoons salt, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Adjust your oven rack to broiler level and preheat broiler. Thoroughly pat eggplant dry with paper towels, arrange on baking sheet in single layer, and lightly brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Broil eggplant until spotty brown, about 5 minutes per side.
Lay each pita on individual plate, spread with 1/4 cup hummus, and top evenly with eggplant, tomatoes, pickles, and eggs. Drizzle with Tahini Yogurt sauce and sprinkle cilantro, feta, and Aleppo or paprika on top. Enjoy!

Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Makes about 1 cup.
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper

Whisk tahini, yogurt, water, lemon juice, garlic, and 3/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until flavors meld, about 30 minutes.
Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

north african roasted cauliflower salad with chermoula

i can't even begin to tell you how much we loved this.
we have dinner most nights with my parents so we doubled the recipe and ate every. last. bit.
the boys loved it (the chermoula is a wonderful spice blend that gives flavor but not heat) and even my picky mama said it was definitely a do-over!
i love, love my new cookbook (see below) and can't wait to try another recipe from it!
i usually tweak recipes but this one was absolutely perfect as is and we can't wait to make it again!!
enjoy!

North African Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Chermoula
Recipe courtesy of “The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook” from America’s Test Kitchen
4 main course servings (we doubled this recipe (so two heads of cauliflower and etc) for four adults and three hungry boys!)
1 head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into 2-inch florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Chermoula:
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*alternatively, we purchased a chermoula blend online (Amazon) and used the same ratio of my ground spice and added the fresh cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil*

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475*.
Toss cauliflower with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange cauliflower in single layer in parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove foil and spread onion evenly in sheet. Roast until vegetables are tender, cauliflower is deep golden brown and onion slices are charred at edges, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
For the chermoula: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to large bowl. Gently toss cauliflower-onion mixture, carrot, raisins and cilantro with chermoula until coated. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

egg roll bowl

this is the best.
its delicious, warm, satisfying, and healthy for you!
all you need are the ingredients in your favorite egg rolls, minus the fried dough.
i didn't think i'd love it (i love fried dough) but we ended up all loving it!
with fresh cabbage from our gardens, this has become a stand-by for us :)

Egg Roll Bowl
Serves 4-6.
2 tablespoons sesame oil (or canola)
1 large green cabbage, outer layers peeled back and shredded
3-4 carrots, peeled and shredded
3-4 green onions, diced, or 1 large onion, diced
1 pound bulk spicy sausage, cooked (optional)
4-6 eggs
Toasted almonds (or sesame seeds)
Sriracha
Soy sauce

Heat oil over medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Add cabbage, carrots, and onions and saute until wilted and starting to brown. Add sausage, if using, and heat through. Keep warm over low.
In a small frying pan, fry your eggs to your liking.
Pile up cabbage mixture on a plate, and top with an egg and almonds, sriracha, and soy sauce to taste.
Enjoy!

curried potato salad with quinoa, kale, and capers!

say that five times fast!
or should i have titled it "kurried potato salad with keenwah, kale, and kapers"?!
haha, okay, sorry.
this is a recipe with a few different components but if you have a little patience, it's really worth it.
it's super hardy but very healthy and you won't miss the meat at all!
good for the new season too.
it's just so comforting and satisfying on a chilly evening.
but healthy enough to bring you into pumpkin baking season :)

Curried Potato Salad with Quinoa, Kale, and Capers
Serves 4.
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, washed and scrubbed
1 tablespoon curry powder, or paste, spice-level your call
1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
Salt, pepper, and sriracha, to taste
2 bunches of kale, de-stemmed, washed, and cooked according to your taste (steamed, sauteed, etc)
1 pound sliced baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sauteed
1 cup quinoa, cooked
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained

Half or quarter the potatoes into similar sizes. Fill a saucepan with cold water and add potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes, until barely tender. Remove from heat, drain, and put back in saucepan with a dishtowel covering for another 10 minutes to steam until tender. Place in large bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk curry powder or paste and mayo until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and sriracha to taste.
Pour over steamed potatoes and gently mix. Set aside.
Pile up the cooked kale on the serving plate. Add mushrooms and quinoa on the top. Mound up the curried potatoes and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and capers. Serve warm and enjoy!
*I realize that it might be difficult to keep everything warm since there are so many components. Try to keep things warm but this salad is just as delicious at room temperature so no worries!*

our halloween!

our halloween this year was a warrior theme!

see if you can guess which warriors they were ;)

battle ax from foil and electrical tape

leather arm gauntlets from an old worn-out pair of my boots

...complete with leather lacing!

felt and cardstock for a certain spartan skirt

"leather" armor from scraps of suede

with "hammered detailing"

the baby had an easy outfit

the viking

the spartan

braveheart!

we went to our cc's church's fall festival and had a blast!
so much so, we didn't have time to take pictures :)

afterwards, in the parking lot...

halloween isn't complete without a viewing of hocus pocus...

or some fun snacks!

or a fun dinner!

can't wait for next year!

sweet potato encrusted spinach quiche

this is the best.
seriously.
i don't even miss the flaky crust of a quiche when i've got the toasty, roasty goodness of sweet potatoes.
think of it like sweet potato french fries on the edges and soft, mashed potatoes underneath.
so. good.
and definitely put the spinach in...you don't even taste it and you've got your greens intake for the day!

eat this with a nice green salad for dinner or with bacon for breakfast!

Sweet Potato Encrusted Spinach Quiche
Serves 4-8...serve in quarters for a meal, in eighths for a side dish.
Found from pinterest!
2-3 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and sliced thinly
Cooking spray
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
10-16 ounces of fresh spinach, washed and de-stemmed
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 400*F.
Arrange the sweet potato slices in a 9" pie pan (use disposable, as seen below, for a great meal to take for friends!).  Spray with cooking spray to evenly coat and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Roast in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until getting browned.  Remove from oven, set aside, and lower oven temp to 375*F.
Meanwhile, heat a large saute skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.  Add onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft.  Add fresh spinach and saute, tossing, until wilted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Drain in a colander and press lightly to squeeze the excess liquid from the greens.  Set aside to cool slightly.
Add beaten eggs and cheese to a large bowl and carefully stir in warm spinach.
Pour mixture over roasted potato slices in pie dish.
Bake at 375*F for 30-40 minutes, until browned on top and set in middle.
Enjoy warm! 

*see those spaces between the roasted potatoes?  not a problem.*

pumpkin, sausage, and fried sage pizza

It's pumpkin season, y'all!

I'm in love with Fall.
Everything about Fall.
The temperatures.
The colors.
The flavors.
The pumpkins.
But, guess what?
I don't even really like pumpkin.
Shhh, don't tell Fall that.
But, tis this season and I still use it allllll the time...I just dress it up!

So, this week, we'll be doing lots of pumpkin recipes!
Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin, Sausage, and Fried Sage Pizza
Serves 4.
1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough...store-bought or homemade
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/8-1/4 pound smoked sausage, any variety you like, diced into half moons
2 tablespoons canola oil
8-10 fresh sage leaves, cleaned and dried well

Begin by preheating your oven and pizza stone to 500*.  The longer, the better!
Roll our your dough and prick with the tines of a fork.
Combine pumpkin puree with all the spices in a small bowl and spread onto the dough with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle cheese and sausage over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for about 10-14 minutes, until bubbly and golden around the edges.
Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of canola oil in a small saucepan, over medium-high heat.
When the oil starts to shimmer, drop sage leaves in the oil and fry for about 30 seconds until crispy but still green. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
When pizza is ready, garnish with the fried sage leaves and enjoy hot!

chicken in milk

Okay.
This was my first meal "back".
Meaning, G is now three weeks old and I just got back in the saddle.
Granted, this chicken dish was made last weekend when G was only two weeks old but still.
I need to get used to making three meals a day, seven days a week.
Or maybe I should just enjoy the freezer meals that we have stocked.
Either way, it does feel good to be back.

By the way, how weird does chicken in milk sound?
But I promise, it's one of the best chicken dishes I've made in a long time.
And the weird looking juice at the end?
The. Best. Part.

Chicken in Milk
Serves...how many does a 3 pound chicken serve??

3 pound chicken

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Butter

2 1/2 cups whole milk

10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 stick cinnamon
Zest of 2 lemons

Handful fresh rosemary or sage

Wash and dry your chicken.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat a knob of butter and a healthy drizzle of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Brown chicken on all sides.
Remove from pot and discard oils.

Place chicken back in and add milk, garlic, cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and rosemary or sage.

Place in a preheated 375* oven, covered.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Pour a glass of wine because you have an infant plus two toddlers and this is your first homemade dinner since.

Baste when you remember.
Then, remove cover and roast for another 45 minutes.

Enjoy fall-apart chicken and serve with the delicious (yet weird looking) jus (pan sauce) over the top of said chicken and maybe some mashed potatoes?
Or just easy sauteed veggies, as seen above.
Rejoice at how easy that was.
:)