Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette.

Raw Cauliflower Salad... with a tangy vinaigrette. When it comes to salads, I have to admit that I mainly stick to simple salads. Normally, I fluctuate between leafy lettuce or cabbage... and adding the usual suspects, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes. Sometimes, I'll look through my fridge and add that lone boiled egg, or a handful of seeds or nuts to go right along with the rest of the ingredients. At other times, I may add other bits and pieces of veggies that I may have around as well... such as cauliflower, celery or carrots. It's funny how oftentimes the "small" salad I originally intend to make... well, all of a sudden becomes this gigantic bowl of veggies:).

In any case, the other day, I had finished all the shredded cabbage I had in the fridge, and as there was no leafy lettuce around, I decided to use the cauliflower I had... and of course, used my usual "technique" of adding a few other ingredients I had in the fridge:). And you know what? The result was delicious.  

When it comes to using both cabbage and cauliflower in salads, you'll notice they both need quite a bit of acidity... they absorb it quickly(especially so if the salad sits overnight). You'll need to increase the acidity in the vinaigrette ... more so than you would otherwise add to a regular leafy salad. I prefer most times to use vinegar, but every so often will change things up a bit and add some lemon juice as well. 

While I ended up making this salad with ingredients I had in the house, you can easily be creative and use vegetables you prefer... or omit any you don't care for. 

Using cauliflower as the base of a salad is a wonderful idea, not only is it delicious, but it provides wonderful texture. As a bonus, the salad keeps well... even when made ahead. And because it has a tangy flavor, it can enhance many meaty dishes by cutting through their fat... from BBQ meats, braised meats, sausages, fried chicken and the likes.

The salad is also wonderful on its own... quite refreshing and filling!

Because I loved this salad, I thought to share it, in case you are looking for a different sort of salad to make... or you need a salad/side dish bring to a gathering that's mostly free of allergens. If you really want to make a meal of it, try adding some cooked beans, mungbeans, barley, chickpeas, etc.  Hope you enjoy... 

Tip: You can easily add in some pomegranate arils... and add a tablespoon or 2 of pomegranate molasses to the dressing. Feel free to use other herbs of choice... mint would be a good one. Lots of other vegetables would be good... fennel, cucumber, radishes, etc.

Note: Any type of dressing will work quite well, so feel free to use your favorite. I simply used what I had on hand.

You will need:

1/2 head(3 cups) cauliflower, diced

1 small bunch(1/2 cup) parsley, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

2 (1/2 cup) celery ribs, diced

5 thin(1/2 cup) green onion, chopped 

1/3 cup sliced almonds(can use other nuts or seeds of choice)

Dressing

3 TBS meyer lemon juice (can use regular lemons, but adjust amount to taste)

1 TBS white balsamic vinegar

2-3 TBS olive oil, can use a nut oil if desired

1/2 tsp spicy sesame oil, optional

3/4-1 tsp salt, or to taste

pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep all ingredients and set aside.

2. Make vinaigrette by whisking all the dressing ingredients together until mixed thoroughly.

3. In a large bowl toss vegetables together and add  the vinaigrette. Mix until evenly coated. Adjust taste and mix in almonds.

4. Pile salad in a clean bowl and serve straightaway... or allow salad to sit and absorb the dressing. The salad will get less tangy as the cauliflower absorbs the dressing. Also, the salad can be made ahead as it keeps well.... just mix in almonds before serving.

Flash-Roasted Broccoli... with Crisp Panko Topping

Flash-Roasted Broccoli... with Crisp Panko Topping. I've been on vacation for some time

now. Finally got home. Back in my kitchen again. My vacation had me trying out new dishes... in a world full of talented chefs. NYC to be exact. For years I've wanted to personally taste food that I had only heard or read about... readily available in the vast city of New York. I had a list of foods I wanted to try. Ended up trying out most of them on my list... like the NY-style pizza, the pastrami cured-smoked salmon bagel sandwich, the NY black and white cookie, the famous Levain cookies, the cupcakes, the mile high pastrami sandwich and so many other foods that I don't have time to list. Didn't realize that I would also get the chance to try out foods I hadn't planned on ...  like the Italian sfogliatelle, the Japanese cheesecake, the Ukranian pierogi, and even the Romanian mititei. I loved,  loved NYC... and came back inspired.

While in NY, I had the chance to visit Chelsea Market.... a fun little place! Chelsea Market is a quaint indoor shopping/eating area that offers unique food or kitchen related products... among other things. There's also various food stalls offering delicious pastries, freshly baked breads, and sandwiches as well as other meals. But you'll find items that vary from shop to shop.... and they are all unique in the wares they sell. But among the shops that are in the Chelsea Market area, one particular shop had me lingering there for some time. The shop sold various food items mostly imported from Italy with a few items from other European countries. Some of the products were foods that you normally couldn't transport back to the US after your visit in Europe.... such as deli items. So while we were browsing, my husband spotted some dry chorizo from Spain. He loves the fresh chorizo we get here in Montana from our local butcher, so the dried chorizo got his attention. The ingredient list for the chorizo was free of preservatives, so I was thrilled. Ended buying the chorizo. When I came home, I quickly knew how I would use some of it.

 I first saw the recipe for this roasted broccoli with crisp panko topping a week or so before heading out to NYC. I knew I wanted to make it when I got back, so I bookmarked it. At the time, I was thinking I was going to use pepperoni as per original recipe. But with my new find, I swapped the pepperoni for the dry chorizo. As much as I don't care for broccoli, the crisp chorizo-panko topping elevated the broccoli to a new level.  And if you are looking for a new way to serve broccoli, the crisp topping is a great way to add a ton of flavor to the somewhat ordinary vegetable. Hope you enjoy...  

Note: I made the recipe 2 ways... using the technique of spreading mustard on the roasted broccoli and then dipping it into the panko topping. That yields a beautiful presentation. I also spread some with dijon mustard and some with sour cream. I liked both. The second way I made this was a bit quicker... so if you are in a rush, it's another option. I ended up tossing the roasted broccoli in a bowl with a mixture of sour cream and mustard... then I sprinkled the panko topping and tossed again. This version wasn't as pretty in presentation, but tasted just the same. The photos above reflect the 2 versions. 

Tip:Even if you don't care for broccoli, the crisp panko topping is worth making. You can sprinkle the topping on other vegetables as well... I loved sprinkling it on top of a salad.  It would be great on top of pasta, chicken, etc...

You will need: adapted from Food and Wine

2 ounces chopped dry chorizo or sliced pepperoni

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 cup plus 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds broccoli, trimmed and cut into long spears

Salt as needed

2 TBS Dijon mustard and/or sour cream*

* if you don't care for mustard, try replacing the mustard with sour cream or do half mustard half sour cream. I liked both versions. Alternately, I am sure you can also use a thick salad dressing such as blue cheese, buttermilk, ranch, etc...

   

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. 

1. Place the chopped chorizo (or sliced pepperoni) and garlic in a small food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

2. Add the panko and pulse just to combine.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add the crumb mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring... until crisp and golden. This should take about 3-5 minutes.... just be careful not to burn. Lower heat if need be. 

4. Remove the toasted crumbs unto a onto a plate and allow to cool. Set aside.

5. Toss the broccoli with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt. 

6. Spread the broccoli on a baking sheet  in a single layer and roast for about 15 minutes. You can turn the broccoli over once as it's roasting. Roast until tender and browned in spots. 

7. Using a pastry brush, spread the mustard( or sour cream) on one side of the broccoli and press the broccoli into the crumbs. 

8. Transfer the broccoli to a platter, sprinkle with any remaining crumbs and serve.

Homemade Deli-Style Marinated Mushrooms

Homemade Deli-Style Marinated Mushrooms... Over the holidays, I had family visiting. So prior to their visit, I ended up making a few dishes that I could pull out when needed. Because I like to spend time with family, I try to plan meals ahead of time... it really helps with minimizing my time in the kitchen. This simple deli-style marinated mushrooms was one of those dishes that came in rather handy. The mushrooms served as an easy appetizer one day... and later on as a simple side. 

While winter has me using less fresh herbs, I find that I can still fall back on dried herbs... especially herbs I've dried from my summer garden. And even though the original recipe uses fresh herbs, I ended up using dried herbs and just adjusted the herbs to taste... rosemary can be powerful, so I used small sprigs. But if you are using fresh herbs, you may use a bit more if you like. But really, you can adjust herbs to your own personal taste. In any case, these mushrooms were delicious and quite flavorful... it's a great make-ahead dish as well as a wonderful addition to any antipasti platter. Hope you enjoy...    

You will need: inspired by a recipe from America's Test Kitchen Feed

Sear and saute:

24 oz button mushrooms, halved or quartered

4 TBS olive oil  

1/2 an onion, sliced and slices cut in half

4 garlic cloves, cut in half

Sprinkle: my herbs were fresh from the garden this past summer, which I dried myself... so adjust amounts to taste and use fresh herbs if you have them.

1/4 tsp dried chile flakes, or to taste (optional)

1 tsp fresh-dried thyme leaves+ extra sprig*

1 tsp fresh-dried rosemary, minced + extra sprig*

salt and pepper to taste* 

you can add herbs to taste... add more if you like herbs and are using fresh.  

Finish off with:

4 TBS apple cider vinegar

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

2 TBS olive oil, or as needed

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms with paper towel, cut in half and if you have really large mushrooms, you may want to cut in quarters.

2. Heat skillet on medium high, add oil and when oil is hot, add the mushrooms(cut side down). 

You may want to add only half of the mushrooms and half the oil at a time.... and cook the mushrooms in 2 batches. The idea is to get a nice sear and caramelization on the mushrooms. So don't overcrowd the pan, otherwise your mushrooms will steam. 

3. Cook mushrooms, cut side down, undisturbed, until starting to brown around edges, about 3-5 minutes. Turn over and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until the second side browns a little as well. Remove mushrooms, and set aside in a bowl. If cooking mushrooms in 2 batches, add remaining half of the oil and the rest of the mushrooms and repeat process of searing the mushrooms. Remove all mushrooms from skillet and set aside.    

4. Reduce heat to low and add the onion and garlic to the skillet(you may add 1 teaspoon oil, if needed) and continue to cook until onion is translucent, about 2-4 minutes or so. 

5. Stir in the reserved mushrooms, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. 

6. Stir in vinegar, thyme, rosemary, lemon juice and remove skillet from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble:

1. Place a 1-2 thyme and rosemary sprigs in empty Mason jar (or other container with tightly sealing lid). Transfer contents of pan into jar; add a bit of oil, seal jar, and shake to combine. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

Marinated mushrooms can be refrigerated in jar for up to 7 days....

 

Simple Smoky Roasted Cauliflower...

Roasted Smoked Paprika Cauliflower... my new favorite way of eating cauliflower. 

                                       

~~Happy New Year to everyone!~~

I don't know about you, but I have a large container of smoked paprika in my pantry. I use it in lots of dishes, but somehow that container seems just as full as when I first bought it... ok, maybe not as full, but still plenty full. So every chance I get, I try to sprinkle some smoked paprika on dishes I can get away with... it doesn't help that I also have a large container of sweet paprika and another of hot smoky paprika:). In any case, I do like paprika! 

But one day, I happened to be in a hurry... needed to make a vegetable side dish for lunch. I think it's engrained in me to have some sort of salad or vegetable as part of our meals, otherwise I just feel guilty. In any case, I didn't have any fresh vegetables except for a lone cauliflower that I had bought to make something fancy:).... On the spur of the moment, I grabbed the cauliflower, the hot smoky paprika, a bit of oil, and a garlic clove... decided to roast it while I got the rest of the meal ready. Well, we loved it... and loved it so much that I made it again and again... though with slight variations.  

The roasted cauliflower is great as is, but it can easily lend itself to being made into a warm sort of salad... I love to add nuts and Parmesan cheese, but you can really be creative and add all sorts of other vegetables, from beans, grains, green leafy lettuce, cherry tomatoes, etc. Great way to make a salad using leftovers you may have in the fridge. I posted the simple version of roasting the cauliflower... with a second option of adding other ingredients, but you can easily use what you like and what you have on hand... including herbs of choice. Hope you enjoy...      

First Option:  

Note: You know, I loved eating this raw... even without roasting it. It was delicious and the smoked paprika and garlic were more prominent and not as mild as when roasted. So, if you like raw, that's another option. You can "bloom" the paprika  and "mellow" down the garlic by heating the oil in a skillet and adding the paprika along with the garlic and cooking it for a minute or so.  

1 head cauliflower

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp smoked  hot paprika, or to taste (can use sweet smoked paprika)

salt and pepper, to taste

squeeze of lemon juice

Second Option:

3-4 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup toasted nuts of choice

1 red jalapeno, chopped, totally optional  

1-2 TBS lemon juice, or to taste 

2-3 bacon slices, sliced into strips, and cooked till crisp, optional 

extra olive oil, as needed

additional: if desired

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

olives, sliced

chickpeas

Directions:

• Place rack in top 1/3 of oven.
• Preheat oven to 450 deg F
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

First and Simple Option:

1. Cut cauliflower in small pieces... 1 1/2 -2 inch pieces (or so). Place cauliflower florets in a large bowl.

2. Mix oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl and pour mixture over the cauliflower florets. Toss to combine.

3. Arrange cauliflower florets in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. 

4. Roast at 450 deg F 15-20 minutes... or until roasted to desired doneness... checking halfway and turning cauliflower over. You can use the broiler  for a minute or so ...towards the end if you like.

5. Remove from oven and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice all over the cauliflower.... to taste. Serve hot.

Second Option: For a different take, opt to add extra ingredients to the roasted cauliflower to taste.... and treat it as a salad of sorts. I added what I had in the house, but you can be creative... add garlic, some sauteed onion, some cooked chickpeas, roast some brussels sprouts along with the cauliflower, etc.

1. To roasted cauliflower, add Parmesan cheese, red jalapeno, toasted nuts of choice, crisp bacon strips(optional) and any other ingredients you like. Add a bit of extra lemon juice, if needed. If you've added enough lemon juice to the simple version above, you may or may not need to add extra lemon juice. 

2.Toss to combine and add extra olive oil if needed.... a drizzle or so to bring it all together .

Chile Relleno Egg Bake

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY READERS! 

  

  Thank you so much for being a part of my site, for trying out recipes, for sharing your feedback.

Thank you for your encouragement throughout this year.... and for taking the time to comment and email me.

I really appreciate each and every one of you. 

You've been such a blessing to me!

May the peace of God dwell richly in your homes and may you have His love in your heart this coming year.

  

Chile Relleno Egg Bake... a great brunch dish. I love chile rellenos and I love poblanos. Oh, and I absolutely love eggs. So when I came across this recipe, I instantly knew I'd be making it. What a great combination of ingredients. I mean how could you go wrong with cheese, poblanos and eggs? Of course, you really need to like poblanos... those green peppers that are mildly spicy.

The original recipe required some ground fresh chorizo as part of the filling, but since I didn't have any around, I decided to saute some onion instead... and increase the cheese amount. The nice part about this recipe is that it can easily be made in stages...  you can broil the peppers and skin them the night before, then have them ready to stuff the day of... or you can even stuff the peppers ahead, and simply add the eggs before baking the dish.  In either case, it's a great dish to make for brunch... especially if you have some overnight guests and you don't want to serve the usual omelette. It's a different sort of brunch dish... and you can easily double the recipe and make a larger batch, if you need to do so.

I find this dish best served with some sort of salsa. A store-bought salsa, or  a green tomatillo sauce would work equally well.... even some homemade fresh salsa would be nice. But that's just my personal preference. The dish is quite adaptable... lots of ways to spruce it up and change from time to time. You know, it's really not that crucial that you use queso fresco.... so if you have some bits of cheeses in your fridge that need to be used up.... well, use those instead. And as with all sorts of "stuffed" dishes, you can definitely "hide" other types of tidbits that may be sitting in the fridge.... make good use of them. I could easily see myself adding some sort of cooked ground meat, ham, or chopped mushrooms,... even a bit of cooked quinoa, black beans, etc. But I digress... obviously, I want to make this dish again:).  

If you use a tomato salsa, you can "market" this as a Christmas brunch dish... the red and green colors will fit right in:). And again, thanks for being a reader! Hope you enjoy...

Note: This would be a great gluten-free baked dish... I'm wanting to skip the four altogether next time and see if it works without it. I'm thinking it should...  will probably sacrifice on the height of the eggs though.... just thinking out loud.   

You will need: makes 8x8 baked dish. Inspired by Sunset... can easily double recipe. 

4 poblano chiles

bit of oil

Filling:*

1 medium onion, minced

2-3 TBS oil

2 cups( 8 oz) shredded queso fresco(you could use crumbled cotija cheese, or any cheese of choice, really)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

* can add 1/2 lb fresh ground chorizo and decrease the amount of cheese to 1 cup.

Egg mixture:

6 eggs

3 TBS flour(can use a gluten-free flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

salt to taste

Additional:

1/2-1 cup  shredded jack/monterey/cheddar cheese(a mixture or not)

fresh cilantro, chopped

Serve with:

salsa of choice

Directions:

•  Preheat broiler.  I used my toaster oven. 

1. Wash chiles and rub with a bit of oil all over.

2. Lay chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on top rack about 4 in. from broiler. Cook until chiles are blistering and black, anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Turn chiles over and broil until blistering and black all over, another 5-10 minutes. Time depends on the distance from broiler... just keep an eye on them.

3. Put chiles in a large metal bowl( or a plate) and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 15 minutes.... until softened

4. Peel skin from off chiles, cut off stem ends and remove seeds. Set chiles aside on layers... you can blot dry, if you like.

5. In a large frying pan over medium heat, add oil and onion... cook until onion is soft an da bit golden. add oregano and cook for another minute or two... Set aside.

Note: it is at this point that if you want to use chorizo, you can skip the oil and add the chorizo with the onion, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, and cook until chorizo and onion are cooked through... 5-8 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 375° F. 
• Butter/oil an 8x8 inch baking dish

1. In a  bowl, mix onion( and chorizo, if using), and cheese.... use less cheese if adding chorizo.

2. Stuff chiles with mixture and lay them in an 8x8-in. oiled/buttered baking dish.

3. In a bowl, whisk eggs until they are thoroughly broken up and mixed well. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, and salt to taste. 

4. Sprinkle chiles with 1/2 the amount of  jack/monterey/cheddar cheese. Pour egg mixture over chiles and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  

6. Bake until top starts to brown and the eggs are set, about 30 minutes.

7. Serve with salsa of choice. 

Romanian Homemade (Whole/Half Head Cabbage) Sauerkraut... and a Peppery Sauerkraut Salad

Romanian Sauerkraut(Varza Murata)... and a Peppery Sauerkraut Salad. Sometimes I feel the need to post recipes that aren't the "norm". Recipes that I make without relying on cookbooks or other means of online inspiration. As I am getting older, I realize that I tend to crave dishes that I once grew up with.... more so than before. Dishes that were the norm in our home. And just recently I thought of a salad I loved. The only thing was that it involved a homemade version of sauerkraut. Knew I needed to make it...

I've been meaning to post a recipe for sauerkraut for SUCH a long time... so this was the perfect opportunity. And when I say sauerkraut, I mean the Romanian version of sauerkraut, not the "normal" sauerkraut. The Romanian version uses a "wet" brine (water + salt)... different than the "dry" brine(salt only) that's normally used in sauerkraut making. And while many may not recommend a wet brine to be used when making sauerkraut, I find it works for me.

In reality this method has worked for many others, including my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and so on. It's the way us Romanians have "pickled" cabbage for generations... and continue to do so to this day. Our version of sauerkarut is also a bit different in that we ferment the cabbage as a whole(sometimes the head of cabbage is cut in half or quarters so that it would fit in the container). But we do not shred the cabbage before fermenting it, as you would normally with a dry brine. It's mainly because we use the cabbage leaves to make the well known Romanian sarmale(or stuffed cabbage rolls),... so the outer leaves need to stay intact.

I am not going to go into the specific scientific methods that are used to properly ferment cabbage. Nor am I going to write about the health benefits associated with eating sauerkraut. There are plenty of articles online that do that... My purpose is to share how I make my version of a "wet" brine sauerkraut. I'll share the methods I apply... and the method I found that works best for me.

I've also included a sauerkraut salad that both my husband and I grew up with.... the one I mentioned above. It was a salad I always looked forward to.... probably one of my favorite winter salads. While the outer leaves of the sauerkraut were used to make sarmale, the inner part of the cabbage would be shredded to make the salad I am sharing today. The sauerkraut salad accompanies most Romanian stews, but can also be used next to some sausage and beans... also works very well next to a portion of mashed potatoes and some sort of pan-fried meat. And instead of making a "sweet" version of cabbage and sausages(varza cu carnati), some or all of the fresh, raw cabbage can be substituted with sauerkraut.

In any case, this is how I make my sauerkraut(or varza murata).... yields a nice crunchy texture. We simply love it. Hope you enjoy...

Note: Optimum temperature for storage while cabbage ferments should be about 65-70 degF, give or take a few degrees. You don't want the temperature to be too cold or too hot.... it will not ferment right/or spoil.

Sauerkraut is done when it tastes like sauerkraut... But a good general rule to go by is that it takes about 4 weeks for cabbage to fully ferment at a 70 deg F storage... less if temp. is higher, and longer if temp. is lower.

~Salinity of brine should be between 2.5-3.5%...now I think mine is somewhere in between there:)... but it's best to keep it close to 3.5% salinity, as it yields sauerkraut that has good flavor and firm leaves. But here is a good chart you can follow depending on how much brine you need.

(Example: To make a 16 cup brine solution at 3.5% salinity, use 133 grams salt)

~ It is important to use a non-iodized salt, as iodine prevents the bacterial fermentation to occur that is needed to make sauerkraut.

~All cabbage must be kept submerged in the brine at all times...or you will have mold and spoilage. You can place thin wooden sticks(or thick dill stems), a plate with a weight, or a food grade freezer bag filled with a brine solution, to hold down the cabbage.

~ Foaming and frothing(bubbles) can be expected during the first week of fermentation. If you add the brine all the way to the top of the glass container, it may bubble over. You may want to place something underneath to catch it.

~ After the fermentation is complete, I transfer the container in my cold garage( benefit of living in MT), but you can place the cabbage in the fridge.

Homemade Sauerkraut(Varza Murata)

You will need:

~ A wide-mouth large glass container with lid~

3-4 medium whole cabbage heads, cored

16 cups water

1/2 cup(120 grams) Morton's kosher salt(do not use table salt)

2 bay leaves

bunch of fresh dill/stems

5-6 garlic cloves, cut in half

1-2 TBS whole peppercorns

Directions:

1. Heat water until it's hot but not boiling... and add salt. Stir to dissolve. Set aside.

2. Wash and clean glass container with boiling water. Rinse.

3. Cut the core from cabbage and remove any outer leaves that are too "disheveled":)... some cabbages may need to be cut in half or even quarters to fit inside the glass container. I cut all mine in half.

4. Place the cabbage inside container and add seasonings: garlic, bay leaves, dill, and peppercorns.

5. Pour brine over the cabbage, leaving an inch or so of space on top. Place a weight( or use wooden sticks/hard dill stems) to keep the cabbage submerged.

6. Cover with lid and allow to ferment at a 65-70 Deg F temp. for about 4 weeks. During the first few days, I use a 1/2 inch plastic tube that I place inside the container.... reaches the bottom. I then blow some air through the tube so as to circulate the brine throughout.... it's what my parents did, and so I do the same:). Sort of keeps the brine and seasoning mixed well inside.

Peppery Sauerkraut Salad... a favorite of mine!

Tip: While freshly sliced onions aren't normally used, I sometimes do use a bit. I tend to use a fresh sweet onion as it's a bit milder.

You will need:

1/2 head of sauerkraut cabbage

1/4 cup olive oil, or to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Shred cabbage by using a knife to cut thin strips.

2. Add oil and pepper... I use quite a bit of pepper, but taste and adjust to preference. The same goes with the oil.

3. Mix well and serve.

Brussels Sprouts Salad...with lemon and toasted walnuts.

Brussels Sprouts Salad...with lemon and toasted walnuts.

.......Merry Christmas to all my readers! It has been such an honor to have you visit my site. Thank you for trying some of my recipes, for your feedback, and for your encouragement throughout this year. I LOVED sharing my recipes with you...and you've all been such a blessing to me! Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas.....

We've been having brussels sprouts quite a bit lately... love brussels sprouts. Ok, I probably wouldn't have said that years ago... I suppose the memory of trying out brussels sprouts for the very first time at a gathering some years ago wasn't exactly a pleasant one. Don't quite remember how those brussels sprouts were prepared, but I distinctly remember not being a fan of them. So I never bothered buying them. Never really looked at them when they would show up in the markets... come winter.

Recently though, I decided to give them a chance.... and to think what I missed out all these years! I don't know why I didn't care for them the first time... because funny thing is, I like cabbage. And brussels sprouts are quite similar to cabbage... just a smaller version and a bit more mild in flavor. Anyway, so we've been eating brussels sprouts lately... maybe once a week or so. I'll make it as a side or even as a meal. I've been able to roast the sprouts or pan fry them... Brussels sprouts are known to work incredibly well with bacon, pancetta, or even crumbled chorizo sausage... add a bit of shallots, and well, it makes it a complete meal (for us anyway). But even a light mustard sauce adds an enormous amount of flavor to steamed sprouts. So while I like cooking the sprouts, I especially love having them fresh... in a salad.

I came across Saveur's version of a Brussels Sprouts Salad, and knew instantly I wanted to make it. It sounded so fresh and light...and lemony. The lemon just brightens any dish, really. I was excited to see the dish used simple ingredients, most of which I already had in the house. Made it the same day and absolutely loved it... maybe it's because I love anything lemon:). But it's a great side dish... wonderful addition to the Christmas dinner, or any meal for that matter. Hope you enjoy...

Note: Since I didn't have any pecorino cheese, I substituted it with some parmigiano reggiano cheese. And while the original recipe uses 2 whole cups of toasted walnuts, I felt you could easily use less...therefore the range in the amount I posted below.

Tip: Feel free to use other nuts besides the walnuts... pecans would be good, as well as almonds. Maybe even pine nuts.. though I would use less of the pine nuts.

To make it especially Christmas-y, I'm thinking you can add some pomegranate arils or even some cranberries... why not:).

The juice of a lemon can vary from lemon to lemon... you may need to add a bit more or a bit less.

You will need: adapted from Saveur . Makes about 4 servings... or a bit less if eating it as a meal.

1 lb. brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

1-2 cups toasted walnut halves

1⁄3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano(or pecorino as per original recipe)

, plus more for garnish

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

1.

Toast walnuts ( or other nuts of choice). Set aside.

2. Wash and clean sprouts. Slice stem off(only if using a food processor).

3.

Process brussels sprouts in a f

ood processor...u

se a slicing

disc on the lowest setting(1mm).

Add the sprouts through the feeding tube... a few at a time.( My version, and so much easier)

OR

Use a mandoline to slice the brussels sprouts... hold the sprout

by its stem

with

thumb and forefinger

and slice

starting from each sprout's top. Discard stems. (Saveur's version...only if you have a mandoline)

4. Add walnuts, cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper to taste.

Season lightly with salt to taste.... Salt amount depends

on the saltiness of the cheese.

5. Toss ingredients with a spoon until just combined. You can make a large salad or opt to make separate salad bowls.

6. Using a peeler, shave more cheese over the top of the salad.... or individual salad bowls.

7. Drizzle with more olive oil and add more pepper to taste.

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus...This dish is very simple to make. I like to make it in my toaster oven...but, I am sure it works just as well in the oven. I like to add some zip and color to the dish by sprinkling some chile flakes. Hope you enjoy...

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus (ends either broken off or peeled)
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 2-3 TBS olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• a sprinkle of chile flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash asparagus and pat dry.

2. Peel and mince garlic.

3. Place asparagus in pan in a single layer.

4. Drizzle oil, and add minced garlic salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with some chile flakes if you like.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 375-400 deg F.( I usually do it at 450 deg in the toaster oven but, I think you need to adjust it on the regular oven) for 15 minutes or until nicely roasted. You can turn the asparagus towards the end to roast evenly. Serve warm.