cilantro lime rice.

First up... my version of Chipotle's cilantro lime rice. Fresh chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice add wonderful flavor to plain, old white rice.

1 cup white long grain rice

2 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Cook rice according to package instructions.

I brought two cups water to boiling. Once water was boiling, I added two tablespoons butter, one teaspoon salt and one cup rice. I cooked for 40 minutes over low heat with a lid on the pan.

The rice is finished cooking when all the liquid is evaporated and the rice is soft. Transfer rice to a serving bowl or platter, if desired. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime. Stir to combine and serve warm.

xx.

val

asparagus casserole.

Apparently I've been in the mood for asparagus this week. This is my Grandmom Boyle's recipe for asparagus casserole. I had this a lot growing up...all tasty memories!

Layer in a 8 by 8 (or 8 by 9) dish:

crackers, of your choice (Suggested: Saltine's)

1 stalk asparagus, washed and steamed

white sauce*

2 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*for the white sauce:

2-3 T butter

2- 3 T flour

1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

xx.

val

roasted asparagus and eggplant.

What a wonderful side dish - italian seasoned, roasted asparagus and eggplant with melty parmesan. Zucchini and squash are great additions (or substitutions) to this recipe.

1 stalk asparagus, washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 eggplant, washed and sliced thin

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon each basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to broil. Line a cookie sheet with aluminium foil. In a ziploc bag, combine asparagus, eggplant, olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, chopped garlic and seasonings. Toss to coat asparagus and eggplant evenly with other ingredients. Pour out onto cookie sheet. Do not overcrowd the veggies. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn veggies over and broil another 4 to 5 minutes.

xx.

val

sauteed cabbage.

"Some prefer carrot while others like cabbage." - Irish saying

Sauteed cabbage is a really yummy way to 'eat your veggies' (as mom used to say)! And so simple...sometimes less is just best. By the way, cabbage is quite healthy for you. It is a good source of vitamin C, it can lower your risk for many types of cancer, improves digestion and helps to clear toxins from your body. Who knew?! Another reason to chow down.

1/2 head white cabbage, chopped into 2 inch strips

2 T butter

salt

pepper

Melt butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Once butter is melted, add chopped cabbage. Using tongs, toss cabbage in pan often until it is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

xx.

val

roasted garlic and lemon broccoli.

2 lbs. broccoli, washed and chopped

1/3 c. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to broil.  Adjust your oven rack to the highest shelf.  In a plastic bag (Ziploc), combine washed and chopped broccoli, olive oil, minced garlic and juice from one lemon.  Shake the bag until all the broccoli is covered with the olive oil mixture.  Pour broccoli out into a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle broccoli with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Place under broiler for 4 minutes.  Turn broccoli over and broil for another 4 minutes.  

xx.

val  

greek pasta salad.

8 oz whole wheat pasta (I used Farfalle)

1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c. olives, chopped (suggested: Kalmatta)

1/2 c. artichokes hearts, chopped

1/4 c. capers

3 to 4 oz feta

1/4 c. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 t. oregano

1/2 t. basil

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh chopped parsley, optional garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  Chop sun dried tomatoes, olives and artichoke hearts.  To the drained pasta, add chopped veggies, capers and feta. 

In a bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, oregano and basil.  Toss pasta, veggies and feta in olive oil/ vinegar mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.  Refrigerate pasta for a few hours to let flavors meld together.

xx.

val

tomato basil orzo.

I love tomatoes fresh from the garden and putting together new, tasty ways to serve them.  Serves 4.

 

1 c. orzo, cooked according to package directions

2 tomatoes, chopped (Suggested: fresh from your garden OR on the vine)

2 T fresh basil, chopped

2 oz goat cheese (Suggested: Chevre)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Orzo is a barely pasta that looks a lot like rice.  It cooks a lot faster than rice though!  Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to boil over high heat.  Add 1 cup orzo.  Cook according to package directions.  Drain orzo when finished cooking.  

Chop two tomatoes and two tablespoons fresh basil.  Add to cooked orzo.  Crumble 2 oz goat cheese over top.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over your pasta.  Toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.  

xx.

val  

grilled corn on the cob with spicy cilantro lime butter.

Grilling the corn in the husks gives a great texture to the corn.  Spread on some spicy cilantro lime butter and enjoy this summer staple with a little kick.

Clean your grill grate and spray it with cooking spray before lighting.  Or use a paper towel soaked with oil to grease the grill grate.   Heat your grill to high heat.  Pull back your husks without removing them.  Remove the silks.  Replace your husks around the corn.  Place on the grill.  Cook 20 minutes, turning occasionally.  Let cool a few minutes before removing husks.  

spicy cilantro lime butter:

4 T butter, at room temperature

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

1 t. fresh lime juice

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. cayenne red pepper

Make sure your butter is soft.  Add cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper to the softened butter.  Stir to combine.  Place in butter mixture close to the end of a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper.  Roll the butter up in the wrap or paper.  Mold butter back into a stick or a pat.  Cover with aluminum foil or throw in a baggie to store in the refrigerator until use.  

 

xx.

val

asian slaw.

1/2 head red cabbage, chopped in 2" strips

1/2 c. carrots, shredded

1/4 c. craisins

1/4 c. candied walnuts or almonds*

2 scallions, chopped

2 T fresh mint, chopped

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Chop or shred ingredients as indicated.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl or serving platter. Toss with dressing to coat.  Store in refrigerator.

*To make the walnuts (or almonds), preheat your oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or lay down a piece of parchment paper. Spread one layer of nuts out evenly over the cookie sheet. Don't overcrowd the nuts or stack the nuts. Bake for 5 minutes in the oven. While nuts are baking, on the stove top mix together 1/8 c. honey and 1/8 c. brown sugar over med heat. When sugar is dissolved in the honey, add the baked nuts to the honey sugar mixture. Stir to coat. Turn the nuts out onto parchment paper to cool.

Dressing:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T apple cider vinegar

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T honey

1 lime, juiced

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

In a blender, combine all ingredients except olive oil. With the blender on low, slowly add extra virgin olive oil. Blend until fully combined.

xx.

val

coleslaw.

Makes 6 cups slaw. Enough to feed a crowd!

1 head white cabbage

1/4 head red cabbage

2 carrots

1/2 red onion

Dressing:

1 c. mayo

1/2 c. olive oil

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1 t. celery salt

1 T fresh lemon juice

Cut cabbages into chunks. Peel carrots and onion. In a food processor, shred cabbages, carrots and onion. Whisk to combine dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over shredded veggies. Toss to combine.

xx.

val

colorful couscous.

1 c. whole wheat couscous (I used instant, not traditional)

1 1/2 c. frozen peas and carrots

2 T fresh chopped mint

2- 3 T olive oil or butter

Kennedy and I like to refer to couscous as mini rice, but actually it is a pasta not a grain.  After being added to boiling salted water, 1 cup dried instant couscous makes about 2 1/2 cups. 

Make the whole wheat couscous according to package directions.  While your couscous is sitting, cook frozen peas and carrots according to package directions.  Drain.  Move couscous to a serving bowl.  Add peas and carrots.  Chop fresh mint and add to the mix.  I like to drizzle olive oil over everything and then stir to combine.  Melted butter will work, too.  

xx.

val

mexi rice.

1 c. brown rice

1 T cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. oregano

2 c. chicken stock 

1 can rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilis)

1 can corn

1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese

fresh chopped cilantro

In a large saucepan (that has a lid) combine brown rice, spices and chicken stock.  Bring stock to a boil over high heat.  Lower the temperature and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on tightly.  Fluff rice with a fork.  Add rotel and corn.  Stir to mix and leave on low heat a few more minutes until rotel and corn is warm.  Take off heat and add shredded pepper jack cheese.  Let stand a few minutes until cheese melts.  Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

xx

val

pasta salad.

8 oz dried whole wheat pasta (I used Farfalle, but any pasta of your choice will work)

1 1/2 c. broccoli, chopped

1 large tomato or 2 small tomatoes, chopped

3- 4 oz feta cheese

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on the box.  When the pasta has 5 minutes left to cook, add the broccoli to the pasta.  Drain pasta and broccoli.  Add tomatoes and feta to the warm pasta and broccoli.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice.  Toss pasta in the olive oil/ vinegar mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or cold. 

Add 1/2 recipe Balsamic Chicken to the mix and you have a great meal.  

xx.

Val

green onion & cream cheese mashed cauliflower & potatoes.

In an attempt to make mashed potatoes a little bit healthier, I added cauliflower to the mix. I wasn't ready to completely eliminate delicious mashed potatoes for an all cauliflower dish- although maybe I will try that next time.

4 baking potatoes (suggested: Russet or Idaho)

1 head cauliflower

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 stick butter

2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

Milk, if needed

Peel 4 potatoes. Quarter the potatoes and put into a large pot. Add water to the quartered potatoes, but just enough water for the potatoes to barely be covered. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, turn heat to low and simmer for 17 - 18 minutes with the lid on. Rinse the cauliflower. If there is enough room in your pot, place a steamer (sub a wire basket or colander if you don't have a steamer) on top of the potatoes and stick the whole cauliflower head in the steamer for 17 minutes, too. If there is not enough room for the whole head in your pot, cut the cauliflower into bite sized pieces. When there is 5 minutes left on the timer, add the cauliflower to the steamer. Remove the cauliflower, cut into smaller chunks if you steamed it as a whole head. Normally I would just use a mixer for mashed potatoes, but because I wanted the cauliflower to be as smooth as the potatoes, I used a food processor this time. Put cauliflower into a food processor, process. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes to cauliflower in two shifts. Continue to process. You want a smooth consistency. Add 8 oz cream cheese (separate into 4 pieces), 1 stick butter (cut in 1/2), 2 t. salt, 1 t. pepper. Process until all ingredients are blended well. If having trouble processing because it is too thick, add a little milk (1/8 c. at a time). Normally I bake my mashed potatoes, but I thought these tasted fine so this time I didn't. However, if you wanted to have a lighter, fluffier mashed cauliflower and potatoes, then bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

I topped the mashed cauliflower potatoes with green onions, to add a little green to our St. Patty's Day dinner.

xx

Val