cindy_admin | Simple By Cindy

Baked Parmesan Mushrooms

Jun. 11
2020

Summer comes and goes too quickly. I love the beautiful sunny days, the complete laziness of laying on the beach, and yes, even the torrential summer rain. It seems because time goes by so fast, we never get to take full advantage of the long, lovely days. More sunlight makes for more productive days,and people become more social and for most of us, wake up earlier.

Researchers have found that sunlight enhances mood, alertness, and energy. As sleep researcher Ivy Cheung and her colleagues say that “light is the most important synchronizing agent for the brain and the body.” An article in the Journal of Sleep and Medicine found that people who work in windowed offices spent significantly more time (15%) on work-related tasks than those who don’t, and researchers have linked light conditions to how well-rested workers felt and their overall vitality.

For some of us, summertime is the time to become lazy in the kitchen. It just does not seem right to turn on your ovens when you’re already baking outside. We all want salads, cool fruit drinks, fresh fruit, and lots of ice cream and ice pops. And an evening around the grill. Meats, chickens, hamburgers, and hot dogs are among the favorites for grilling, but the possibilities are endless. Your entire meal can be cooked on the grill– just be sure to turn it back on for s’mores!

This particular side is not cooked on the grill, but it is definitely worth it to turn your oven just this once. I imagine that some enterprising grill master out there will be able to put this on the grill– I’d love to hear from you if you do! I think it would make a fantastic vegetarian (or vegan if you replace the butter and omit the cheese) alternative to a burger. The mushrooms are caramelized to perfect sweetness, but with the savory taste of thyme and garlic. The lemon gives it citrusy tang and brightens the flavor, as it does with all vegetables. They are finished off with the sweetness of the brown sugar and luscious parmesan goodness. Do not miss out on this one!

This recipe is my own and will serve 4 to 6 people who will enjoy this delicious blend of sweet and savory.

Ingredients for Baked Parmesan Mushrooms:

1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs oregano, chopped
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus some for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place mushrooms in a medium size bowl.

Add olive oil, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, thyme, and brown sugar.

Place in single layer on baking sheet.

Place in oven for 15-20 minutes.

Add more Parmesan cheese!

Serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Short Bread Lemon Tart

Jun. 8
2020

This is my favorite time of the year. All the cold dark days of winter have passed, and we are blessed with the long days of summertime. Remember that bright thing in the sky? It actually releases heat! There is nothing better than feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin. The sun also provides lots of vitamin D, just be sure to wear sunscreen!

Summer is also the season when nature is at its best. You get to take in all of the beauty of living things. The grass is green, and the flowers reach to the sky and fill our eyes with every vibrant color you can imagine. The butterflies fly to and fro, and the bumble bees blunder flower to flower in search of nectar for their honey. We get to go to the beach and have delicious barbecues, feeling the warm sand between our toes and the cool ocean before coming home to a lovely outdoor meal.

How lovely it is to dine outside. I am dreaming about frozen drinks, like a margarita or piña colada. These drinks are too heavy any other time of the year, but when the sun’s out, you just have to have one.

On the other hand, we usually lighten up our diets this time of year. Salads, fruits, and vegetables make their way back to our tables. But let’s be real here…we have to sneak in a dessert once in a while.

This recipe is a perfect choice, should you wish to indulge. It is not exactly a light dessert, but it is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. The lemon juice and orange juice are lip puckering good. The two kinds of zests in the crust adds a savory touch, and is the perfect home for this luscious treat. Your home will brighten up with the smell of this bake. It is so easy to make, so there is no good reason not to.

This recipe is courtesy of A Taste of Home and will serve 6 to 8 people who will love this sunny dessert to go with the sunny days.

Ingredients for Shortbread Lemon Tart:

3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup butter, melted

CRUST:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
Additional confectioner’s sugar
Fresh raspberries, optional

Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice and orange zest.

Whisk in butter until smooth. Set aside.

For crust, pulse first 6 ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a ball.

Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom.

Pour lemon mixture into crust.

Bake until center is almost set, 25-30 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and, if desired, fresh raspberries.

It’s that simple!

Macaroni Salad with Lemon and Herbs

Jun. 4
2020

We all know that fresh food tastes good and is good for you. That was never up for debate. But you might not know why that’s the case.

First and foremost, fresh ingredients offer vitamins and minerals that might get leached out during a preservation process. Fresh fruits and vegetables have a high content of water and offer you natural hydration, which helps with digestion and nutrient absorption. Preserved foods are generally nutritionally inferior, so try to avoid them if possible. This does not apply to canned tomatoes. they are the exception to the rule. They have more lycopene, which is an ingredient that can lower your risk of cancer. By canning the tomatoes, it breaks down the fiber structures, making it easier to absorb into the body.

Be assured your food will taste much better too. Preservatives can make food lose taste over time, but the fresh ingredients will provide a truer flavor– they will taste more brilliant and flavorful than the preserved equivalent.

Fresh produce is best if the produce is in season. If you go to your farmer’s market, (I pray they will open soon) you will likely be saving money than if you purchase your food at a grocery store. The food straight from the farm will be at their best when it comes to flavor, texture, and nutritional value. If you cannot buy fresh, then always choose frozen. It is as close as you will get to the real thing, and when prepared correctly, can retain a lot of the nutritional value as well.

This dish has so many fresh ingredients and so many fresh herbs. It is a light and refreshing salad, packed with flavor. This is a lighter version of the old standby–replacing some of the mayo with buttermilk gives it a creamy, glossier base. The sugar is the sweet and the lemon is the tart in this lovely dish. The celery and pickles provide a delicious crunch. What makes this salad so especially special is the capers and mustard, which gives it a little kick. And don’t forget all the delicate herbs that make this salad perfection– they might be hard to get right now, but it’s worth the hunt. This is a “must try” new take on an old staple.

This recipe is courtesy of The New York Times and will serve 8 people who will love this for the first cookout of the year.

Ingredients for Macaroni Salad with Lemon and Herbs:

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup minced pickle relish
2 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk (see Tip)
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus small sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup drained jarred capers, chopped, plus 3 tablespoons caper brine
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest and 4 teaspoons juice (from 1 large lemon)
1 teaspoon sugar
16 ounces elbow macaroni

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water comes to a boil, prepare your dressing: In a large bowl, stir together pickles, celery, scallions, mayonnaise, buttermilk, parsley, dill, capers and brine, mustard, lemon zest and juice, and sugar. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Cook the macaroni in the boiling water until al dente, about 6 minutes; drain well and let cool for a few minutes.

Once cooled, toss macaroni with dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled.

Top with extra scallions, parsley and dill to garnish just before serving.

Tips: If you want to streamline the ingredient list, you could skip the buttermilk, increase the mayonnaise to 3/4 cup and use 1/4 cup milk.

It’s that simple!

Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata

Jun. 1
2020

We are finally opening our beautiful pool for the summer, and I love it. However, that was not always the case. When we first bought our home and we had young children, I did not want a pool–I was afraid for their safety. My husband always wanted a pool, so he got his wish.

As it turns out, my worries about the kids were unfounded, but it was my dogs who had problems. When we got our English bulldog, Mazel, the pool hadn’t opened yet. Even though we never had a problem before, my husband had this weird premonition and wondered aloud if Mazel would fall in.

The summer that we opened the pool, we went out there to watch Mazel. My husband had just come home from work and he was still dressed nicely. Mazel went running around the pool and jumped right into the untreated water. Her head was too big for her to come up and tread water, so my husband dove headfirst into that repulsive water. He lost his glasses, watch, and wallet in one fell swoop. After he got her to safety, he turned around to see if he could see his belongings. Only the wallet appeared– the glasses and watch were in there for two more weeks until the water was treated.

We laugh about it now, but the hubby wasn’t laughing then. I thought the whole thing was hilarious, even then, but of course I wasn’t the one who had to jump in.

Late spring is the best time to open the pool, and as luck would have it, it’s also rhubarb season. This delicious dessert uses the fresh rhubarb perfectly, melding with the bright flavor of the raspberries. The citrus of the orange adds a delightful tang, and the turbinado sugar brings yummy sweetness. The crust is the perfect home for this decadent filling .

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network and will serve 6 to 8 people who will enjoy this treat around a sparkling blue pool.

Ingredients for Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata:

For the Pastry (makes 2):

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ pound (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter, ½-inch-diced
¼ cup ice water

For the Filling (makes 1):

¼ cup cornstarch
4 cups (½-inch-thick) sliced fresh rhubarb (1¼ pounds)
6 ounces fresh raspberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 extra-large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Turbinado or demerara sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw

For the pastry, place the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Pulse a few times to combine.

Add the butter and toss carefully with your fingers to coat each cube of butter with the flour.

Pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas.

With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube.

Keep hitting the pulse button just until the dough comes together.

Turn onto a well-floured board, cut in half, and form into two disks. (It will be sticky).

Wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. (Wrap the second dough well and freeze, if not using.)

For the filling, place 3 tablespoons of water in small bowl, whisk in the cornstarch, and set aside.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rhubarb, raspberries, granulated sugar, orange zest, and orange juice.

Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until some of the juices are released.

Stir in the cornstarch, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until cool.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the pastry into an 11- to 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface and transfer to the prepared pan.

Pile the raspberry rhubarb mixture onto the pastry, leaving a 1½-inch border all around.

Fold the border up over the filling, pleating if necessary and pressing lightly.

Brush the pastry with egg wash, sprinkle just the pastry with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the filling is thickened.

Cool for 30 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s that simple!

Confetti Corn

May. 28
2020

Though you all want to claim that you love healthy recipes, the metrics say otherwise. When I look to see which types of recipes most people enjoy, I notice that most of you prefer the decadent dishes to healthier ones. With so many people trying to eat clean nowadays, I wonder why preferences go the other way.

As it turns out, I need look no further than my own home. When I make dishes for my blog, I will often throw a couple of potatoes in the oven just in case the rest of my family decides not to indulge. More often than not, the healthy sides do not even get a look. One time, I did make my husband try my Brown Rice and Wheatberry dish. Initially he turned his nose up, but when he took a bite, he liked it so much that he took it for lunch the next day!

When I am cooking for company, I stick to my old standbys (and you should too). There may not be many out there willing to taste your experimental cooking, but they will of course love your lasagna or green bean casserole. That being said, there is nothing wrong with trying new dishes, but perhaps reserve that for your closest friends and those who can laugh over a failed attempt.

This dish actually turned out to be one my family loved, and there was no one more surprised than I. Watching my boys eat cooked carrot made my heart swell. This side is so easy to whip up, you will have it done in no time at all! The corn, red pepper, and carrots are surrounded by buttery goodness. They also gave it a nice crunch in every bite. The artichokes and basil are that savory touch, the lemon is the tang and the red pepper flakes add the perfect amount of heat. This is a “short on time” dish packed with flavor.

This recipe is my own and will serve 4 to six people who will, for a change, love this healthy dish.

Ingredients for Confetti Corn:

2-3/4 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pepper red pepper
1/4 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Juice of one-half lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper