Cauliflower is Not Just Cauliflower!

After a long, but fun day on a field trip with my class, coming home and making dinner for my family needed to be fast and furiously easy!  My husband is the ultimate griller and anything he barbecues is delicious.  A salad was a good choice to go with our meat.  Tonight I used fresh red leaf lettuce, instead of bagged salad.  I also had a head of cauliflower that was looking good, but needed a makeover.  I decided to give roasting cauliflower a try.

I always try to buy California grown.

Begin with preheating your oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place them in a bowl. Toss with  about 2-3 cloves of minced garlic. Sprinkle with juice of half a lemon.  I have a dwarf lemon tree in my yard. Drizzle with olive oil and toss so that the florets are lightly coated with oil. Spread the florets out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the cauliflower in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is lightly brown. Use a fork to test for doneness; the tines should easily pierce the cauliflower when done. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Roasted, cauliflower becomes nutty and buttery, but without any nuts or butter.

In tonight's salad I decided to use a California Olive Oil
and Blood Oranges crushed together. It added a citrus note and
complimented the tangerines in the salad. 

I buy radicchio and store it in a plastic food storage container.
Every time I make salad I add just enough to give the salad a nice bite and color.
Radicchio is a long-lasting staple in my fridge.

Sometimes you need variety, even when it comes to cauliflower.

Buon Appetito!

ALL BROCCOLI AND NO BITE!

Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms and Baby Corn

My family loves chicken, but they also like variety.  This dish is perfect for a meal in one, served over steamed rice.
This dish is plenty of food for four.  I start off with four chicken breasts.  I've been buying my meat from a butcher at the Farmer's Market on 3rd Street called Marconda's Meats and Puritan Poultry.
You can ask your butcher to filet the chicken breasts, but I like to filet my own.

Wash the chicken, and dry with paper towel.  Generously salt and pepper the chicken.  I also add dried parsley.  I buy my spices and herbs from Penzeys in Santa Monica (www.penzeys.com).

Dredge each chicken filet in plain flour.

In a Dutch oven coat the bottom with canola oil and olive oil.  I like to use a bit of both.  The olive oil imparts a fruity flavor to the meat.

Sautée chicken until slightly browned, in stages, as to not crowd the pot.  Set sautéed chicken aside.

Sautée one chopped onion and about 1 pound of sliced white or cremini mushrooms.  I used white mushrooms in this recipe.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  I also added dried French Basil.

For this recipe I used two cans of Cream of Chicken.  I added 1/2 cup of water for each can into my pot.
I don't want my dish to be too watery.  Mix the Cream of Chicken well, incorporating it with the mushrooms and onion.

Add the sautéed chicken into the mixture.

I used one can of baby corn for this dish.  Rinse and chop the baby corn into bite size pieces.  Incorporate it into the sauce.

Lightly sprinkle some Paprika over the top and cover it. Finish it in the oven at 400°, while the rice cooks.  This should take about 25 minutes. I usually use Uncle Ben's Rice, I sometimes use Jasmine or Basmati rice for variety.  Always cook the rice according to the package directions.

My family always enjoys this dish.  

Sometimes you need variety, even when it comes to chicken.

Buon Appetito!

Fresh vs Bagged Salad

How many times do you feel like having a salad, but are too tired to wash all the greens?  I've been in that situation many times.  I don't usually buy bagged salad, but I found a brand at Trader Joe's that I highly recommend, and comes in handy.  It is Butter Lettuce and Radicchio by Les Salade du Midi brand.  Even though it's been triple washed, I still wash and spin it again.  I usually keep a ball of radicchio in my fridge and add a bit more to my salad.  Radicchio is sometimes known as an Italian chicory.  It has a slightly bitter and spicy taste.  It keeps for a good while sealed in a container in the fridge. Salads are very personal, because you can add an assortment of tasty things.  Lately I've been adding tangerine slices to my salad, since they are still in season.  I usually add thinly sliced red onions to my salad. Always dress your salad with a good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Of course don't forget the salt and pepper to taste.
For tonight's dinner, my husband grilled the Filet Mignon perfectly. Along with the salad, we also had Fennel, served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.   Dinner was quick and delicious! Sometimes you need variety, even when it comes to salad. Buon Appetito!