Cheesy Cauliflower Toasts Yield: 6 to 8 servingsINGREDIENTS:
Step 1: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into ½-inch clusters. Transfer to a sheet pan and toss with the oil, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread florets out into a single layer and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Step 2: Meanwhile, stir ricotta or mascarpone in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Mix in Gruyère, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and set aside. In a toaster, toast the bread until golden. Step 3: When cauliflower is done, remove from the sheet pan and set aside to cool. Line the pan with foil and reduce the oven to 375 degrees. Step 4: Arrange the toasts on the lined sheet pan. Stir the cauliflower into the ricotta mixture, then divide among the toasts, spreading to the edges. Dust with Parmesan and paprika. (Recipe can be made up to this point and held at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) Step 5 Bake until toast edges and topping are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. (If desired, broil 2 to 3 minutes to brown and melt the top.) Let cool slightly. Sprinkle with herbs, if using, then cut into halves or quarters and serve immediately. 
0 Comments
 Roasting vegetables to go with a main dish is a super easy way to add a healthy side to any dinner, or to add to some pasta. I love to roast a whole bag of the multi colored carrots, or some onions and butternut squash, or even just throw a bunch of vegetables from the fridge together for a medley. But broccoli is the easiest, and the most frequent one we make. Well, those and Brussels sprouts. You can always add some more flavor to these with some whole garlic cloves, or a little grated parmesan, or with a little spice like an Elote mix. It's fun to mix it up. Enjoy! Roasted Broccoli
INGREDIENTS: 1 - 1 1/2 lbs of broccoli crowns/florets, trimmed into 1 inch pieces 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Salt and pepper to taste 2-3 cloves of garlic , minced Optional: juice of 1/2 lemon for serving PREPARATION: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Place the trimmed broccoli on the parchment paper, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hand to mix and make sure the broccoli is all well-coated. 4. Bake in a single layer for 15 minutes. It should be lightly browned when it is done. 5. Add garlic, mix, and roast for 2 more minutes. 6. Remove from oven and drizzle with the lemon juice, and serve.
Savory Cottage Cheese High-Protein Breakfast Muffins
INGREDIENTS: 1 lb. Turkey breakfast sausage (preferable, no tin the casing. Remove casing if needed.) 4 Eggs ¼ Milk 1 cup 2% Cottage cheese 1 Tbsp Olive oil 1 Tbsp Maple syrup 1 ½ cups All purpose flour 2 tsp Baking powder 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper 3 cups Chopped veggies (broccoli, spinach, red peppers, chives or yellow onion, mushrooms) 3 Green onions, chopped 1 cup Cheddar cheese (or Monterey Jack) PREPARATION: 1. Preheat oven to 400 2. Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium high heat until browned and no longer pink in the middle, and then set aside to cool. 3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cottage cheese, olive oil and maple syrup. 4. To that same bowl, then add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add your cooked sausages, chopped vegetables, and cheese. Leave out a little cheese to sprinkle on top. 5. Divide evenly between 12 muffin pan (about 4 heaping Tbspoons or ¼ cup per muffin), and top with the additional cheese. 6. Bake for 23-27 minutes. Make sure the a toothpick comes out clean.  I am always on the lookout for a special cocktail or two to serve over the holidays. Garnish and Gather, based in Atlanta, shared this recipe on their blog earlier this year and said it was perfect for a hot summer day. And I don't disagree. But I held onto the recipe for the holidays. I gave it a test run to see if we liked it, and it was lovely. I think the flavors of the gin and the honey are well-suited for a chilly evening, as is the sprig of rosemary. As they say, this cocktail is the bee's knees! It was also a great excuse to buy two gorgeous coupe glasses. This recipe makes 2 cocktails. The Bee's Knees Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:MAKE ROSEMARY HONEY SYRUP
PREP GARNISH & MAKE COCKTAIL
 I am always trying to make sure my family is eating healthy. And while the pre-packaged bags of 90 second rice make busy weeknights easier, I worry about the preservatives and plastics involved, especially as the plastic bag gets heated in the microwave. So when I saw this on instagram, I thought I'd give it a try. And it works so well that I'll never go back to the microwave bags. And you know what the bonus is? Making your rice this way is even better for you! Freezing cooked rice lowers its glycemic index (GI). Studies have shown it can reduce its GI by up to 10 points, This happens because of a process called retrogradation, where some of the starch in the rice converts to a more resistant form than is digested more slowly. Easier and healthier all around! Tip: A the beginning of each month, I'll make a rice cooker full of rice just for freezing. I let the rice cool for about 15 minutes before I make my frozen rice packages. To freeze the rice: 1. I use the rice paddle to place a baseball size amount of rice (about 1 cup) onto a piece of plastic wrap. 2. Form the rice into a round shape. 3. Wrap tightly. 4. Repeat with the remaining rice. (My rice cooker is on the small size and makes enought for 6 rice balls at a time.) 5. Freeze for 12 hours or until firm. It will keep for 1 month. To reheat the frozen rice: 1. Remove the plastic wrap. 2. Place frozen rice in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with a wet paper towel. 3. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until thoroughly heated.  When given the choice, I prefer wine. But sometimes I'd like a cocktail. My default is usually a Gin and Tonic or a Gin Martini which are both good, but I'd like more variety. So when I see an interesting cocktail recipe I'll give it a try. There was an old article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by M. Carrie Allan from the Washington Post entitled, “Ranch Water a cool, popular Texas drink.” Well, I had never heard of it, and the main ingredient is Topo Chico (which I love) so I thought I’d give it a go. Please let me know if you've had this, decide to try it, or love it. I want to know! Ranch Water
INGREDIENTS · Ice · 1 1/2 ounces tequila, preferably silver · 1 ounce fresh lime juice · 1/2 ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur (optional) · 1/2 ounce agave syrup (optional) · 2 to 3 ounces chilled Topo Chico mineral water · Fresh lime slices, for serving (optional) PREPARATION Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and agave syrup, if using, and stir to chill and combine. Top with the mineral water, gently stir again, and serve garnished with lime slices, if using.
Easy Breakfast Egg Bites INGREDIENTS 8 large eggs ⅓ cup whole milk ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup packed fresh (not frozen) spinach, chopped ⅔ cup chopped roasted red peppers Optional: ½ tsp tabasco or other hot sauce (Other possible flavor combinations/options: I love spinach and peppers but they can be replaced by, or mixed with, sauteed kale, sauteed asparagus, and/or bacon.) PREPARATION Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Step 2: Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a large bowl until well combined and frothy. Fold in cheese, spinach and roasted red peppers until combined. Step 3: Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups (about 1/3 cup each). Step 4: Bake until puffed, set and lightly golden, and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan – between 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving. Storage: Once the Egg Bites have fully cooled, you can store them in an airtight container in the freeze for up to 2 days. To Freeze: Once the Egg Bites have fully cooled, you can store them in an airtight container in the freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight, and warm them up in the microwave in the morning.   I am not British nor Irish. I only get to claim that heritage by marriage. However, I feel a great connection when I am there. London feels a bit like New York (home) to me. But that’s not it. It’s my love of tea. My favorite souvenir is a teapot and some new tea to try when I get home. In order to brew the perfect cup, or “cuppa,” for you or your mom, there are a few things that you need. But the most important ingredient: Great Tea. Tea can be black, oolong, green, herbal, or any variety in between. I suggest trying a lot of varieties to find your favorites. I have a few favorites that I’ll share here with you. You'll see that I lean more towards the black teas (e.g. Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling and Yunnan) than to the Green Teas (e.g. Green, Sencha, Matcha) or the herbals (e.g. Hibiscus, Chamomile). British Teas My favorite British Teas are from Fortnum and Mason. While I enjoy many of their teas, my two go-to blends are their classic Royal Blend, and the Jubilee Tea. Both are smooth, black teas. I leave plenty of space in my suitcase when I go to England so that I can bring back as many boxes as I can. Another tea I really enjoy is Harrod’s No. 30 Assam Tea from India. This is a bold black tea and I really enjoy the strong flavor, especially on chilly mornings. I tend to drink this one more in the winter than any other time of year. And if you travel to York (which is one of my favorite destinations with so much history), please do visit one of my favorites: the Hebden Tea Shop on the Shambles. I bought so much tea the last time I was there, and I even let the kids pick out some weaker teas for themselves to try. The shop smells fabulous and was a great little experience. And my favorite was their Assam. French Tea Yes – you read that right – French Tea. Another of my favorite tea shops is Kusmi Tea, of Russian descent and now made in Normandy, France. Originally founded by Pavel Kousmichoff in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1867, the brand moved to Paris at the onset of the Russian Revolution in 1917 and opened an outlet at 75 Avenue Niel, Paris that still exists today. While they do have other locations in Paris, this one is my favorite. (As an aside, they have two locations in New York - you can find them at the Plaza Food Hall on 59th, or in the Westfield Center at the World Trade Center. And if you are in London, they have a location at 15 Marylebone High St.) My favorite teas from Kusmi are: Russian Morning No. 24, Jasmine Green Tea and Anastasia (organic Earl Grey), and White Anastasia. American Tea I was on a business trip to Portland, Oregon and the hotel I was staying in was showcasing local brands. The tea that they served was Smith’s Tea. As you might image I travel with my own tea, but I decided to give Smith’s a try and I am SO glad I did. My favorites from them are: Kandy, Big Hibiscus, and Lord Bergamot and Jasmine Silver Tip. It turns out that Steven Smith, who founded the company in 2009, had previously started Tazo Tea which he then later sold to Starbucks. Anyone who knows me knows that I usually have a few of Tazo’s Awake tea bags in my bag at any time so I was not surprised that I liked the Smith tea so much. Proper Hot Water & Steeping:
I am sure we all recall the controversy from a few years ago where an American woman was demonstrating how to make the perfect cup of tea in a microwave. As far as I am concerned, this method is for emergency purposes only since the water heats unevenly and won’t steep the tea properly. In my mind there are two situations in which to make tea, so there are two different processes: Version 1 is for company or enjoying the ritual and serving from a teapot. In this scenario you’ll boil the water either in a stovetop kettle or an electric kettle, but you’ll be serving from a ceramic (most likely) teapot. Version 2 is in the office or in between video calls for WFH, for one person. Version 1 - With a classic Teapot: 1. Boil the Water: You can do this with a kettle on the stovetop or with an electric kettle. Some electric kettles will even let you control the temperature of the water so that you can be precise for certain types of teas (e.g. 208°F for black tea). I use a simple electric kettle that was a gift from my mother in law, and I love it. I also suggest using filtered water whenever possible so that you don’t end up with any odd flavors mixed in with your tea. 2. Warm the Teapot: Always boil more water than you think you need so that you can use some of it to warm the teapot. You’ll want to fill at least ¼ of the teapot, swirl it around and then pour it out. Why do we do this? The water temperature won’t drop too much when you add the hot water for the tea if the teapot has been warmed. 3. Tea in the Teapot and Steeping: Next you’ll want to add the tea to the teapot, then add the hot water. Here you have two options – loose tea or tea bags. Loose teas are more flavorful, but it’s your choice. If you use loose tea, you’ll want to use an infuser that is large enough for the teapot. If you have a tea cozy, you’ll want to use it to cover the teapot to keep it warm while you let it steep. Every type of tea has a different recommendation for how long to steep, but its also your personal preference. But you do not want to steep for more than 5 minutes or it will get bitter. 4. Serve: Pour the tea into the teacups and leave some room for your guests to add lemon, sugar, or milk. The infuser will keep the leavers from getting into the cups. If you do not use all of the water in the teapot, make sure that the infuser is not sitting in water. Over-steeping will make the tea very bitter. 5. A Second Pot of Tea: If you want to have another teapot of tea, you can re-use the tea you already have in the infuser. You’ll want to add more hot water and let it sit and steep again. This time you’ll need to add 2 more minutes this time for the second steep. Version 2 – The Single Cup of Tea at Work or WFH: When I am working from home, I use tea bags instead of loose tea. I still use my electric kettle, and a mug. The bigger the better to save trips back to the kitchen. Sometimes, if I have a few more minutes between calls, I will use loose tea and an infuser for my tea at home. I have quite a collection of them. One of my favorite infusers is my “mana-tea” but the one that works the best is the classic stainless steel one the has a hinge, like this one from Amazon. So if you are making tea for yourself, here are my suggested instructions: 1. Boil the Water: Again, you can use a stove top kettle or an electric kettle, and use filtered water if you can. 2. Put the tea in the mug: Place the tea bag or infuser into the mug before adding the hot water. Be sure to leave enough room to add milk, honey, lemon juice or whatever you plan to add later on. 3. Add the Hot Water and Steep: Steep until the tea is a good color for you – usually 4-5 minutes for black teas, 3-4 for green teas  I love hummus as a snack, a dip, or even on a veggie sandwich. And especially as a way to enjoy all of the fabulous vegetables from my farmer's market. But I've gotten tired of the store bought versions and finally tried my own. And WOW! I may never do anything but buy a can of chick peas to make my own hummus in the future. It was so easy, and so satisfying. I hope you'll give it a try, too! Homemade Hummus INGREDIENTS:
Spices for Topping:
For Dipping:
Directions: 1. Zest and juice lemon 2. Cut radishes and cucumbers into slices 3. Slice carrots into sticks To make the hummus: 4. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, reserving 2 Tablespoons of the chickpeas for the topping 5. In small food processor, combine the chickpeas, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and some salt. Pulse to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl and adding water 4-6 Tablespoons of water as needed to make it smooth. To make the Topping: 6. In a small bowl mix the remaining garlic with 1/2 of the spices for topping. 7. In a small saute pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium and add the reserved 2 Tablespoons of chickpeas. Cook for 3-4 minutes (they may pop - so be aware). 8. In a small bowl, pour the contents of the pan and the oil over the remaining spices. Plating: 9. Dish the hummus into a bowl, or spread onto a shallow plate. Arrange the vegetable and naan around it. 10. Spoon the spice mixture over the hummus.  Cheese Stuffed Dates are so simple, and so yummy!
This recipe is an amalgamation of a few different recipes over the years. I get the medjool dates, with seeds, and then two different soft cheeses like a goat cheese, a mascarpone, or a bleu. And when I am done, I like to sprinkle them with olive oil and some sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. PREPARATION: 1. Preheat the oven to 375F 2. Slice the dates lengthwise and remove the seed. 3. Spoon a bit of the cheese into the date. 4. Place the dates on a baking sheet, lined with parchment, with the cut side up. Warm in the oven for 8-10 minutes. 5. Place on a serving plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Voila! |
AuthorKris Delaney is a marketing executive, foodie, travel enthusiast, and book nerd based in Atlanta, GA. Archives
March 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed