Roasted Vegetables with Provencal Herbs

This is one of my favorite ways to cook vegetables. It works with any combination of vegetables. I've included some of my regular combos, but encourage you to be creative. You will not be dissappointed!

Preheat oven to 400

Combine in a mini food processor:

• 3 T. fresh flat leaf parsley (other fresh herbs work well too)


• 2 cloves garlic


• 2 t. salt


• 2 T. olive oil

Toss with vegetables that have been cut or sliced into bit-sized peices in 1 or 2 roasting pans until vegetables are well coated. Arrange in an even layer and roast until done.

Combo #1: Roasted root vegetables (autumn/winter)

3-4 Turnips, 1 large sweet potatoe, and 4-6 carrots (cook for 30-40 minutes)

Combo #2: Summer vegetables

2 red bell peppers, 1 pound green beans, 1 onion, Nicoise olives

Watermelon Mint Salad

This is such a fun and refreshing summer side dish! My husband and lunch guest looked so skeptical when they saw me adding feta to a pile of watermelon...and then they tried it. Seconds and thirds were had by all, and then I caught my husband scooping out the last little bits as he cleared the dishes. Busted!! :)

Ingredients:

• Juice from 1/2 a lime
  
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small watermelon or 1/2 a large one
• 2 T. chopped mint or peppermint
• 1 t. chopped flat leaf parsley (optional)
• 4oz crumbled feta
  

Soak onion in lime juice for 10-15 min to cut the bite while prepping other ingredients. Gently combine all the ingredients and serve immediately.

Tip: Prepare up to 2 hours ahead of time by combining watermelon, herbs and onion and refrigerating. Add cheese right before serving.

Cinnamon Jello (side for Honey Ham)

This dish is one of my mom's favorites. It's from an era when gelatin was used to create all kinds of crazy casseroles and side dishes. So, I was pretty incredulous when she started making this is my kitchen last Christmas eve. However, the flavor is pretty good and it complements a honey ham quite well. The consistency is jelly-like. (Think mint jelly with lamb, not jello cubes from childhood or jello shots from college.) That said, I prefer baked apples as a side. But endorse this is an option to mix it up every once in a while.

Boil 2 cups of water.

Add 1/2 cup of Cinnamon flavored Hard Candy and stir until fully dissolved.

Stir in 1 large or 2 small packets of Lemon Jello and stir until dissolved.

Reduce heat. Add 2 cups Applesauce. Mix well.

Pour into serving dish, or if you really want to be old school, a jello mold or decorative cake pan, and refrigerate until firm.

Green Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas Verdes)

Our cousins brought these enchiladas over yesterday and they were so delicious, I had to make them again for dinner tonight. They are melt-in-your=mouth delicious!

Ingredients:
2 - 28oz cans of Las Palmas enchilada verde sauce (I use medium-mild spiciness)
1 small can of ortega diced green chilies
1lb jack cheese, grated
30 – corn tortillas (medium size, about 6” diameter)
1 rotisserie chicken (or about 6 thighs BBQ w salt and a little chili powder) - about 3 cups total, shredded

Spray oil 2 casserole pans
Preheat oven to 400
Heat about 2/3 of one can of enchilada sauce in a large saute pan, just boiling, turn off

Immerse a tortilla in the heated sauce for about 6-8 seconds, then put on a dinner plate — it should be soft w/o falling apart. Too long = mush, too short = cracks when rolling.

Put some chicken on tortilla – small handful, you need to be able to roll it.
Then sprinkle some cheese and a few chilies

Roll (basically fold in 1/3s) and put seam-side down in the casserole – they should be chubby but not bursting.

Meanwhile, your trusty sidekick has prepared the next tortilla...

Keep going ‘till the pan is full. Then toss the leftover cheese on top (and chillies, if desired), then pour all remaining sauce + about 1/3 of a new can in each casserole.

Cover w foil, bake about 30-40 min, heated through, sauce bubbly, melty cheese... Then take off foil for last 5-10 min to get a little crispy on top.

Serve w whatever you like – chopped cilantro, avocado, salsa, crema, leftover verde sauce, etc...

Ole!

Miso Glazed Salmon

This is one of my favorite recipes. It was my first attempt to recreate a dish I had in a restaurant. I later realized that the restaurant, along with most miso salmon recipes, uses sugar (or brown sugar or honey). I've tried several variations with different sweeteners and think it's best (and healthiest) with none at all.

• 2-5 salmon fillets (individual portions) or steaks
  

Marinade:

• 2 T. Hacho Miso paste
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 T. mirin
• 2 t. brown rice vinegar
• 1/2 c. water

Mix marinade ingredients together in bowl or pan using a fork to mash the miso paste. (You can also puree in blender or food processor.) Marinade salmon for 4-8 hours.

Cook using your preferred method. I prefer pan frying on the stove top (medium heat, cook for 7-10 min, flip and cook until done, covering with a lid if meat is especially thick) and broiling (line tray with aluminum foil, broil for 3-5 min, flip and cook until done, usually another 2-4 min).

Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

Our dear friend Heather makes these waffles (from the Tassajara Bread Book) nearly every Sunday. When she lived downstairs from us, we made it a top priority to stop by every Sun morning and have one. After she moved away, my husband bought me the Rolls-Royce of waffle makers so I would continue the tradition. They are simply delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 c. whole wheat (pastry) flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 banana, sliced
  

Stir or sift dry ingredients together. Beat in yolks, milk, oil and banana. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites till soft peaks form and fold into batter. Cook according to waffle maker instructions.

Variations: There's a lot of room for creativity in this recipe! Here are some of my favorites (use in place of the banana):

• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
• 2-3 spoonfuls of apricot preserves and wheat germ
  

Non-Fat Pumpkin Souffle

This dessert smells just like pumpkin pie, but it's light and fluffy, low-calorie and fat free!

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
  
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup condensed skim milk (if sweetened, omit the sugar)
• 3 Tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice or nutmeg
  
• 1/8 tsp. ginger (optional)
  
• dash of salt

Pre-heat oven to 325ºF.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add all additional ingredients, mix together, and fold in egg whites. Divide mixture evenly between 4 custard cups. Place cups in a large pan filled with 1" water.

Bake at 325ºF for 35-45 minutes.