Smoky Brussels Sprouts

I've learned to like Brussels sprouts over the past few -- okay, quite a few -- years. And I often fix them very similarly (roasted, with a honey-sriracha glaze). But this recipe from Cooking Light sounded good.

I made them just like their recipe, though I cut it in half, with the exception of subbing in dry roasted peanuts for the salted smoked almonds (me and my nut allergies). I could even go for a little more of the smoked paprika, especially as it gets off-set a bit by the acidic splash from the vinegar -- which I also like!

Sautéed Cabbage & Apples

Cabbage on it's own doesn't interest me much. Still, it's low cal, high in Vitamin C and K, has lots of fiber, and it's relatively cheap too. So...throw in some apples to sweeten the deal, and a few seeds for a hint of nuttiness, and now it's got more appeal. (And it's super easy!)

Ingredients

2-3 C thin sliced cabbage

1 C very thin sliced apples

1 T butter

pinch salt

¼ C toasted sunflower seeds (sliced, toasted almonds would probably work well too)

Directions

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add cabbage & apples; tossing to coat. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Uncover; stir or toss, and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until cabbage and apples are tender. Season with additional salt if needed.

Mustard-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Root Vegetables

Cooking Light published this recipe (back in March of 2015). I've used the basic idea for inspiration before, and did again just recently. BOTH times, I've completely forgotten to take a photo. (The one at right was published with the original recipe in Cooking Light; I'll TRY to remember and take one of my own next time I make something along these lines!)

I've no complaints about the original recipe as it is except...  It's one of their "cook once, eat three times" features and starts off with 3 pounds of butternut squash and then adds carrots, parsnips, onions and sweet potatoes on top of that. As a single person, I'd be eating for not three meals, but three months!!

But...

I diced (large dice) ONE sweet potato, ONE small onion, and ONE parsnip; toss them in a tablespoon or two of olive oil with some salt & pepper (I used cayenne, not black pepper) and a generous sprinkling of minced rosemary. Spread on a baking sheet, they went into a hot (425° F) oven for about 40 minutes, turning them once half way through.

While they were roasting, I seasoned two chicken thighs with salt & pepper (cayenne again for me), and sautéed them over medium heat until golden brown and cooked through (4-5 minutes per side). Remove them aside -- onto a plate -- and cover them with foil to keep them warm. Add about a ¼ cup chicken stock and a splash of white wine (or just more stock) and deglaze the pan. Then add a teaspoon or two of whole-grain mustard, a teaspoon of honey, and simmer to reduce and thicken it just a bit.

Pour this over the roasted, diced vegetables and the chicken. Season with additional salt & pepper if needed.

With these amounts, I had two generous meals (not weeks or months worth).

Citrus "Walnut" Salad ... knock off!

 A few years ago (November 2018) Food Network Magazine published a recipe for "Citrus-Walnut Salad" that looked and sounded delicious. I ripped it out of the magazine to try. 

Then it sat around for a couple years. 

Whenever I'd think about making it...

the time to supreme the citrus (which I've done for other recipes), 

toast the walnuts (yes, I've toasted and candied a variety of nuts before), 

and then realize that I didn't have endive or maybe the radicchio... 

As delicious as it would be, I've never yet taken that much time for 'just' a salad. 

So, here's my knock-off version that takes it from gourmet to every day (and still super tastey!!)

1) I used a store bought bag (gasp! yes!) of spring mix salad greens.

2) I didn't supreme my own tangerines and blood oranges, but opened up a can of mandarins.

3) I didn't roast or candy my own walnuts (I'm allergic anyway), but substituted some honey roasted peanuts.

4) I did make my own dressing, very similar to FN's.

Dressing Ingredients

1-2 T orange juice

   (Yup...drained from the canned mandarins!)

1 T rice wine vinegar or mirin

   (Mirin is sweetend rice wine vinegar; if the orange juice is really sweet, opt for the rice wine vinegar.)

1 T grainy Dijon mustard

pinch crushed pink peppercorns

pinch salt

2 T olive oil

   (I had blood orange infused olive oil...worked great to intensify the orange flavor, but that wouldn't be necessary.)

Directions

Combine everything except the olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously while slowly pouring in the olive oil to emulsify. Season with additional salt & pepper as desired.