Crispy Cauliflower

I'm always trying to find a way to make cauliflower less boring and this dish delivered. The mix of texture between the tender cauliflower with the crunchy panko made this side dish much more interesting. It reminded me of fried food and made me feel like I was eating something bad when I was eating vegetables.

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp. chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Toss cauliflower, panko, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl.

3. Pour cauliflower mix onto a foil lined baking sheet. Make sure to get panko breadcrumbs all over the cauliflower.

4. Cook in oven for about 25 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and the breadcrumbs are browned.

5. Serve as is or you can get fancy and add some chopped parsley on top.

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic Lemon Dressing

I wanted a way to elevate broccoli besides my usual sauteed broccoli florets. Serving it in a larger piece is not only more impressive, you save prep time with less chopping!

Ingredients:

2 small broccoli crowns (about 8 ounces each)

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, finely grated

1/4 tsp. cayenne 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Slice broccoli crowns in half. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast until the stems are tender and browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the roasted broccoli.

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Posting some recipes super late. With all of the chaos of the holidays I finally have time to catch up! For all of the times I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner, I've never actually made sweet potatoes. My family normally does our Czech duck and bread dumplings for Thanksgiving. With such a large crowd I just couldn't roast enough ducks due to oven size so we went with American Thanksgiving. 

This dish was super simple to make and best part is you can make it up to 2 days in advance. This recipe makes enough for 5 people so multiply accordingly. Be careful when finishing this dish and broiling the marshmallows. I may or may not have set the marshmallows on fire....twice. But that's cooking, there's always a new mistake to make and learn from. :) 

Ingredients

4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp packed golden brown sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. orange zest

1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne

2 cups marshmallows

1/2 cup sliced almonds (on side to top if wanted)

Directions:

1. Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and mash.

2. Combine sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cayenne and ginger in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour half of the mixture over the potatoes and mash until everything is combined. Taste for seasoning and more of the sugar mix as needed. 

3. Butter a baking dish, I like to use an aluminum one for easy clean-up later. Pour mashed sweet potatoes into dish and smooth into an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil and put in fridge at this point if making ahead.

4. Bake covered at 375 to reheat about 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and turn on the broiler to 500 (could use blow torch).  Place marshmallows all over top, be as neat or messy as you like. Cook until marshmallows are browned on top slightly.

5. Serve warm!