Cauliflower Blue Cheese Mash

One of the best paleo dishes I've found if cauliflower mash. While it isn't mashed potatoes, it is delicious and an excellent way to eat more veggies!

Start by boiling cauliflower until fork tender. (If you rest a wooden spoon over the top, it helps prevent overspill when the bubbles start.)

Then crumble some blue cheese. If you're not a fan of stinky cheese, you can substitute feta or just leave it out. Most any cheese with this texture will work well. 

When the cauliflower is soft, drain the water. Add butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and, if you are really feeling, heavy cream.

Blend with a stick mixer (or a hand masher.) 

That's it! Not much to look at, but I promise it will be a new side-dish favorite!

Spiced Mixed Nuts

I had a craving for spiced nuts today and made these. Easy and so good I had to walk out of the kitchen so I leave some for others!

1 lb mixed nuts (unsalted was called for but I used some salted and it was fine)
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
1 table spoon melted butter

Mix these ingredients in a bowl and the add:

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

Line a baking sheet (one with sides) with parchment paper. Spread nuts out and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. So yummy!

Fall Means Soup!

Isn't soup one of the best things about fall and winter? When we are making soup, rarely is thee an actual recipe involved. Sometimes this works out, other not. But after many rounds with butternut squash soup, we have a plan that is creamy and delicious!

Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Chicken stock (homemade or commercial, both will work)
Butter
Heavy Cream
Cayenne pepper
Salt

Dice the onions and garlic. Set aside. Then peel the squash.

Remove the seeds and cube the squash.

Now that everything is prepped, start cooking! Cook the onions and garlic in a generous amount of butter over medium high heat until soft.

Add the squash and pour in stock until covered.

Then bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the squash is fork tender.

I leave the stock in when the cooking is done and puree the whole thing with a stick mixer. But a blender would work too!

At this point, you want to add some extra flavor. I add a pinch of cayenne pepper, several generous pinches of kosher salt, ground black pepper, and liberal amounts of heavy cream. If I have fresh thyme around, I throw some of that in too. Combine and you are ready to eat! 

Sam's Club Rotisserie Chicken - The Best Value in Food Out There

We went to Sam's Club yesterday and picked up, as we do weekly, a couple of rotisserie chickens. These babies are delicious and might be the best bargain in food out there. To start with, they are inexpensive. The chickens are fully cooked, ready to go, and only $4.97 each.

But what is really great is how much you can do with them, especially when you feel like taking short cuts with dinner. You can just serve it with sides and call it good. Mmm, rotisserie chicken dinner!  

But I've also started using the meat in any dish that calls for cooked chicken meat. Lunch on Sunday was lettuce chicken wraps. We used romaine leaves and filled them with shredded chicken, avocado, chopped mixed nuts, and onion. But really, you can use anything - sprouts, pickles, other veggies, and any dressing you want. It is a dinner you can make in about 15 minutes.

I also routinely make chicken salad with the breasts. Maggie and Tim tend to eat up the thighs and legs, so the less popular white meat is repurposed in a tastier fashion. I generally mix chopped onion, chopped red pepper (or yellow or orange,) halved grapes, chopped mixed nuts, chicken, salt, and mayonnaise. Plus just a pinch of cayenne pepper to give it a little boost.

But this chicken is the $4.97 that keeps giving. When you get home, the plastic container always has juices that have run off the chicken. Don't throw this tastiness away! Drain it into a container and use it later to steam green beans. As it cooks them, it reduces down into an awesome sauce. Add a little butter and salt and you have great green beans.

And there is just one more bit of goodness left. After you have picked all the meat off the bones, you can use the chicken carcass to make some stock. Just put it in a dutch oven, covered in water. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and thyme (if you have it.) Let it cook at a bare simmer for a few hours then drain off the solids. You're left with stock that is an excellent base for any soup.

Easy and inexpensive, two of my favorite things in food!

Getting Back Into Food Blogging, Indian Style!

Hey! You found me here. This blog has been dormant for a while but lately, we've had some food view overhauls and it has rekindled my interest in food blogging. For some time, we've been moving away from processed foods and trying to eat only "real" food - fruits, veggies, and meat. In addition to getting rid of the snacks (goldfish, granola bars and the like,) we've also been trying to cut out much of the bread, grains, and sugar from our diets. It is kind of a bastardized Paleo. Don't get me wrong, this is a very loose interpretation. We cheat all the time, whenever we feel like it. And I insist on sugar in my coffee every morning!

So my plan is to share what is going on in our kitchen. Some will be Paleo, some not. Hopefully, it will all be good!

This past year, we were lamenting the fact that we love Indian cuisine but couldn't cook any of it. We decided to bust out of our comfort zone ad give some recipes a try. This is one of our favorites and it is easy to make. Today I'm making Palek Paneer. It is spicy spinach (palek) with chunks of Indian cheese(paneer.)

Before you get started, this will call for some ingredients you probably don't have at home. Find a good Asian or Indian market and make friends with the owner. After nearly a year of going to ours, we get a friendly wave and they no longer warn me that the peppers are hot. Anyway, you will want to get your paneer, yogurt, and some spices there. I've found that even the spices supermarkets carry are cheaper and better at our Asian market.

I'm a big fan of lots of upfront prep work when it comes to Indian cooking. The active stove time goes much smoother when you have everything ready to go.

First, you want to cube your paneer (12 ounces.)

Then mix 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Add the paneer and set aside to marinade.

Next get your spice mix ready. Combine in a small bowl 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Set this aside for later.

 Next, we are going to steam the spinach. You need about 16 ounces. I generally use one Sam's Club box. If you are in a pinch, frozen will do but it does not, in my opinion, taste as good.

Put the spinach in a non stick skillet with a little water. Cover and steam using high heat until it is all cooked. You may have to start with just some of the spinach in the pan and add as it reduces down.

When it is done, drain in a colander. Tim likes to put it in an ice water bath to shock the spinach and keep the color bright. I am too lazy and never bother with that step.

Then chop the spinach in your food processor. If you do not have one, you can chop it by hand but the texture is better using a Cuisinart. Set this aside for later.

Next chop up your Indian mirepoix:

One large green serrano chile

4 cloves garlic

One inch thumb of ginger

I like to peel my ginger with a vegetable peeler and then grate it with a microplaner. You can also just chop it fine if you don't have that tool.

Combine these in a bowl and set aside.

 Now you are ready to cook! Heat your non stick skillet over medium high heat. Pour in the paneer and oil mixture. Cook the paneer for about 3-4 minutes until it is browned on one side. Then remover the paneer and set aside on a plate.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and saute the onion mixture for about 15 minutes, until it has a nice toffee color. Don't be impatient! This is an important step.

Add the spice mixture to the onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes. You will know it is done when it smells yummy! Now add the chopped spinach and then the paneer. (You can also add some salt to taste. I love salt so I add a fair bit.)

Once it is warm through, remove from heat. Next you will slowly mix in a half cup of plain yogurt. Preferably Indian yogurt but it must be full fat. Do not go through the bother of all this work and ruin it with crappy low fat or fat free yogurt. (You can substitute heavy cream if you want. Not surprisingly, that is pretty darn good too.)

And you are done! If you aren't shunning grains, this tastes great with basmati rice or naan but it is awesome all on its own. Don't be afraid, give Indian cooking a try!

Palek Paneer

Ingredients

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 ounces paneer

16-ounces spinach

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Directions

Whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Add paneer and let marinade.

Steam spinach and drain in a colander. Chop in food processor.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, Cook the paneer about 3-4 minutes until brown on one side. Remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Saute the mixture for about 15 minutes.

Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. Cook, stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the spinach. Once it is well mixed with the onions, add the paneer.

Remove from heat and slowly add yogurt.