Orecchiette with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A lot of people that I know don't like Brussels Sprouts. I think I'm on a one-women mission to slowly change their ideas about this under utilized vegetable. I've already converted my mom and husband!

Most people think of boiled Brussels Sprouts, but they have so much more potential. One of my favorite ways to prepare them is roasting. This is simply tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and baking at a high heat until they are brown and crispy. The browner, the better. However, if they turn completely black, you've probably burnt them :)

This simple dish combines roasted Brussels Sprouts with a creamy pasta sauce. The sauce is flavored with garlic, scallions, and wine (or chicken/vegetable broth). I used little "ear shaped" pasta, but any short round pasta shape you have on hand would work.

LESSON LEARNED: Roasting Brussels Sprouts is simple, easy, and makes this vegetable taste delicious!

Recipe for Orecchiette with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Nacho Burgers

Yes - these YUMMY dish combines two of my favorite foods - nachos and burgers! They were quick and simple to prepare too...

First, I made a quick salsa with tomato, onion, a chipotle chili, and cilantro. Then, I whipped up a quick cheese sauce using Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese. As I cooked the burgers, I let the cheese sauce cool so it became incredibly thick and spreadable. I pulled out our indoor grill pan to make the burgers, but you could easily grill them outside too.

The key to this burger is the assembly. Stack the burger on a lightly toasted bun, then topped with a generous amount of cheese sauce. Next, top the cheese with salsa and pickled jalapeno if you like a little spice. Finally, the burger is topped off with tortilla chips. I initially crushed up tortilla chips, but my husband and I both decided that adding whole tortilla chips was the way to go. The chips added a great crunch and really reminded me nachos.

LESSON LEARNED: Add whole tortilla chips on top of this burger to get maximum crunch!

Recipe for Nacho Burgers

Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish & Avocado Cream Sauce

Every once in a while, I prepare something for dinner that is completely different than what we typically make. This is one example. I thought this recipe sounded really good and my husband was pretty skeptical. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have framed it as healthy and vegetarian. :)

However, that statement accurately describes this dish. There are 3 components: black bean patties, a corn relish, and avocado cream sauce. You can easily prepare all three components ahead of time and they all keep very well in the refrigerator. The black bean patties have a TON of southwest flavor from cumin, roasted red pepper, and a chipotle chili. The relish really "brightens up" the dish by combining charred corn, tomatoes, jalapeno, and lime juice. Finally, the avocado cream sauce is slightly tangy from sour cream and cools down some of the heat from the chilies. It's really best to get a bit of everything in one bite!

After I made the meal, I thought the black bean patties could easily be made smaller and turned into an appetizer for a dinner party. I thought the dish was good, but it was a pretty big portion. As for my husband, he ate about half and made himself a sandwich :)

LESSON LEARNED: If you scaled down the size of the patties, this would be a perfect appetizer.

Recipe for Black Bean Patties with Corn Relish & Avocado Cream Sauce

Chicken & Noodles

When the weather is cold, I feel like comfort food. One of my favorite comfort foods is chicken and noodles served over mashed potatoes. My family and I used to travel to Amish country in Indiana and one of the restaurants we always ate at featured chicken and noodles. This dish definitely reminds me of my trips to Amish country.

You begin by making homemade egg noodles. I love these noodles because they require very few ingredients and take just a few minutes of work. Even though I have a mixer with a dough hook I normally use for kneading, I prefer to knead these by hand. It's very therapeutic! After the dough is kneaded, it's rolled out thin, and cut into strips. You let the strips dry while you bring a pot of chicken stock to a boil. Next, you add the noodles, cooked chicken, and dried thyme. Everything is gently simmered for 15 minutes and you are ready to serve! I mashed up Yukon gold potatoes to serve with the chicken and noodles. YUM!

LESSON LEARNED: Homemade egg noodles are a snap to make!

Recipe for Chicken and Noodles

Orange Cashew Chicken

I love making my own Chinese takeout at home. It's such a fast dinner to whip up and, for the most part, tastes a lot better than ordering Chinese takeout. At the very least, it's fresher and piping hot when you want to eat it. One of my favorite dishes is Cashew Chicken.

This recipe mixes up a typical stir fry by adding orange marmalade & hot sauce in addition to onions, red peppers, bite size pieces of chicken, and cashews. The end product is half sweet and half spicy with the nutty, buttery flavor of cashews. This dinner disappeared fast in our house!

  LESSON LEARNED: I've found that a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to chicken works well. It makes the dish healthier by adding more veggies and you'll never miss the chicken - especially when you add cashews.

Recipe for Orange Cashew Chicken

Orange and Soy-Glazed Ribs

In my cooking repertoire there are certain proteins that I feel very comfortable working with. Give me a chicken breast, pork chop, or ground beef and I have no qualms about trying a new recipe. I can't say that I've ever worked with an entire rack of ribs before. When I first saw the recipe in a magazine, I thought they looked delicious but then I read the recipe I saw I had to cut ribs and use a few different techniques to cook them. Let me tell you, it was not as big of a deal as I imagined.

Most of the recipe is pretty hands off. Of course, once you cut the rack into individual ribs! My advice is to use a sharp knife and take your time. Then, the individual ribs are poached in a flavorful liquid which includes soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and cumin seeds. Once the ribs are tender, you make a glaze which includes more soy sauce, fresh orange juice, and a touch of honey. Finally, the ribs are broiled for a few minutes with the glaze. It was actually pretty easy and definitely not the trickiest recipe I've tackled.

The ribs reminded me of summertime in the middle of winter. I would describe them as having a spicy orange Asian flavor and they were incredibly tender. By broiling them for a few minutes, the ribs became a little charred and developed a nice smokey flavor. Enjoy!

LESSON LEARNED: Don't be afraid of using different cuts of meat.

Recipe for Orange and Soy-Glazed Ribs

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

I decided to make this soup after I saw a version of it in my local supermarket. I almost bought the soup, but I turned around the packaging and saw it had a crazy amount of sodium in it. I thought I could surely make a less salty version if I controlled the quality of ingredients.

I first sauteed an onion in some butter, added in flour, and de-glazed the pan with white wine. Next, I added homemade chicken stock and chopped butternut squash and apple and let the soup cook for half an hour. I then pureed the soup in a blender and added a touch of cream. To garnish the soup I used homemade croutons and chopped chives.

The soup was thick and creamy with tons of flavor from the squash and apple. It would be perfect for a cold winter day!

LESSON LEARNED: When you make a dish at home you can control the amount of sodium in it.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Apple Soup