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Roasted Broccoli & Fregola Sarda

Ingredients

  • 1 lb broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Za’atar seasoning
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅔ cup fregola sarda pasta
  • 2 Tbsps tahini
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 oz. pecorino romano cheese
  • 3 Tbsps roasted almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch mint

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Spread onions and broccoli on sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and za’atar seasoning. Toss to coat and spread in an even layer. Roast 20-22 minutes or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Heat a small pot of water to boiling on high for boiling the eggs. Heat another medium pot of salted water to boiling on high for the pasta. Add pasta to medium pot and cook 14-16 minutes, or until tender. Turn off heat, drain thoroughly, and return to pot.
  3. Add eggs to small pot of boiling water and cook 9-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water for a minute. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel the cooked eggs. Thinly slice into rounds and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Combine lemon juice, tahini, 2 Tbsps water, 2 Tbsps olive oil and minced garlic in a bowl for the dressing. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. To the pot of cooked pasta, add the roasted vegetables, chopped almonds, crumbled cheese, dressing, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve topped with egg and another drizzle of olive oil. garnish with mint.

Serves 2

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Vegetable Grain Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 12 oz. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (~3 cups)
  • 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp. curry powder
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups uncooked pearled farro, rinsed
  • ½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup toasted pecan halves

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Combine Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, shallots, butter, curry powder, garlic, pepper, and ½ tsp. salt in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.
  2. Bring 4 cups water and ½ tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Add farro, and cook according to package directions; drain.
  3. Mix yogurt, lemon juice and 1 Tbsp. water in a bowl for topping. Split farro into 4 bowls, and divvy up vegetables evenly on top. Add pecans and yogurt sauce.

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Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

Casserole

  • 1 cup canned fried onions
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 10 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 2 lb green beans

Topping

  • 2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups canned fried onions

Preparation

  1. Pulse canned fried onions in food processor until finely ground. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook until mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and ground onions and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, ntil sauce is very thick and creamy, about 10 minutes
  3. Combine sauce and green beans in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, 5 to 6 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, pulse bread and butter in food processor until coarsely ground. Toast bread crumbs and onions in clean skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Top green beans with bread crumb mixture.
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Eggplant and Rice Dressing

Alone or stuffed in a bell pepper, this dirty rice is the real ish. Ron, upon tasting, said this rice was “mad light, but mad good”.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (~ 2lbs)
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 cups cooked long-grain rice
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and brown the pork and beef. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook for bout 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Add the salt, cayenne, eggplant, and water. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until eggplant is very soft. With a spoon, mash the eggplant against the side of the pot.
  3. Add the rice and parsley. Mix thoroughly, breaking up any clumps. Heat until rice is warmed through. Serve Immediately.

Makes 8 servings

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Daal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter butter
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onions
  • 2 Tbsps. minced garlic
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded and minced
  • 1 Tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
  • 1 lb (16 oz) orange lentils
  • 2 Tbsps. finely minced ginger
  • 2 1 1/2 Tbsps. Garam Masala, recipe follows
  • 1 Tbsps salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 6 cups chicken stock

Directions

  1. In a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until wilted, do not brown. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger, curry powder, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs and spices bloom. You’ll smell it.
  2. Add the tomatoes and deglaze with the vinegar. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender (20-30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Herb Roasted Potatoes Poupon

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 6 medium red skinned potatoes (about 2 lbs. cut into chunks)

Preparation

Mix all ingredients except potatoes in small bowl.
Place potatoes in lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2″ baking pan or on a shallow baking sheet;
Toss with mustard mixture. Bake at 425° for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally.

Makes 4 servings

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Spinach Madeleine

Ingredients

  • 2 (10 oz) packages frozed chopped spinach
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp celery salt
  • 3/4 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 6 oz pasteurized processed Mexican-style cheese, such as Velveeta Mexican Mild, cut into pieces
  • Buttered bread crumbs

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9-inch square casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Cook the spinach according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid from the pot.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown. Add the onions ann cook until soft but not browned. Add the milk and reserved liquid from the spinach, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps. Cook, stirring until smooth and thick. Add the pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire, and the salt and cayenne to taste. Add the cheese and stir until it is completely melted.
  4. Pour into the prepared casserole and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

From Cooking up a Storm (page 245), originally from River Road Recipes.

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Haricots Verts with Herb Butter

By mixing butter, shallots, fresh herbs, and lemon juice together right in the serving bowl, you get an instant dressing on contact with hot haricots verts that you toss in at the last minute. Nothing could be simpler, or more packed with flavor

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots
  • 3 tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped tarragon
  • 1 ½ tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 lb. haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed
  • ½ cup toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds

Preparation

  1. Stir together all ingredients except haricots verts and nuts with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined well.
  2. Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 Tbsp. salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain. Toss with herb butter. Garnish with nuts.

Serves 8

Herb butter can be made ahead and chilled, covered, 3 days or frozen, rolled into a cylinder in plastic wrap and kept in a sealed bag, 1 week. Haricots verts can be trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed bag lined with paper towels.