Sides | Simple By Cindy

Spanish Shrimp and Rice

Jan. 9
2020

Cooking on a regular basis can be an exhausting and stressful task, especially for parents who work full time, and come home to children who need their attention. When I was first married and had young children and worked full time, the last thing I wanted to do was come home and cook, not to mention clean up. I can remember evenings when I was finished working and first had to go to the grocery store to shop for the week. Yikes!

Going out to dinner every night like we did when we didn’t have children was not a possibility any more. I had to learn how to cook– there was no alternative. I did it step by step, just as you would learn a language word by word. Cooking is a process, it takes time, planning, skill, and desire. Cooking is putting yourself out there, and you can’t help but fear how it will be received. My younger son was a picky eater, so he did not have a big repertoire. That was tough to handle sometimes, especially when I made a nice dish that he did not like. On the other hand, my husband’s mother was a horrible cook, so anything I made for him was gobbled up instantly.

I admit, praise is an important part of learning to cook. If you know an aspiring cook, take care to find something to compliment. Tell them how much you enjoyed their meal– it might inspire them to continue to grow and learn as a cook. All aspects of cooking, from menu planning to table layout, are difficult, so be kind and plentiful with your praises, it really does make one feel better about anything.

If cooking seems like an intimidating task, keep it simple. Maybe some chicken with a vegetable, or a steak with some roasted potatoes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to. Assign clean-up tasks to your family and make them do it. Every little bit of help will lessen the stress.

Most of all, remember to enjoy what you are making. Pour yourself a glass of wine, put on your favorite music, and dance from the stove to the sink. We are all going to make mistakes, so let’s learn how to laugh about it and learn– a disaster one day is a funny story the next!

Making Latin food is not my forte, so I wasn’t sure how this would turn out. To my delight this dish is scrumptious. All the veggies blend beautifully together. The shrimp are moist and flavorful. The turmeric and garlic add delicious savory goodness and the peas are wonderful bursts of deliciousness. Dare to use the hot sauce, it adds an additional depth of flavor you shouldn’t miss.

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This recipe is courtesy of Food Network and will serve 4 people who will offer their compliments to the chef.

Ingredients for Spanish Shrimp and Rice:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small carrot, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1-pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups converted white rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion, cook until edges turn slightly brown, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and turmeric and cook, about 1 minute.

Add the tomato, carrot and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn pink, about 1 minute.

Add the rice, 2 cups water and 1/2 tablespoon parsley; bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the peas and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon parsley.

Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Fluff the rice mixture with a fork and incorporate the peas and parsley.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with hot sauce.

It’s that simple!

Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese

Jan. 6
2020

Despite what you may think, I wasn’t born knowing how to host a big party. When my husband and I lived in Florida, Shelley, my sister-in-law, made me host Thanksgiving one year. With an 8 month old baby in the house and a full time job, I was terrified. Honestly, I don’t know how it came together, but it did. Even after we’d moved back up north, I didn’t host anything for years.

Through that time, I was slowly learning to cook. My mother taught me some of her recipes, although she did not have a very big repertoire. I especially loved the way she made mushrooms. She would take onions, garlic, and mushrooms and put them in a big pot, which she would cook low and slow on the stove. The mushrooms cooked in their own juices are so delicious.

Once my family had really settled and bought a home, I began to host Thanksgiving. The first couple of years, it was a small crowd, but that grew as quickly as my cooking skills. My cousin moved around the block from me, and my niece moved to New York City. Because of her work schedule, she couldn’t go to Florida for Thanksgiving, so my brother and his family decided to come up north for the holiday. See where I’m going here? You guessed it– the spots around my table filled quickly, and I had to learn how to cook for a crowd.

I always made my mother’s mushroom dish for holiday gatherings. That is, until I realized I could make some improvements. After learning how to caramelize vegetables, I pan roasted them until they were glistening with all those brown bits of goodness. As my crowd grew bigger, pan-roasting just took too long. That is how I came to make this recipe. It is really so simple, yet people think you were slaving over them all day. I made them for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, and when nobody complained about the repeat servings, I knew I had to share. I think my mother would have loved them, and I hope you do too!

This recipe is my own and will serve 4 people who will welcome the delicious preparation of simple ingredients.

Ingredients for Roasted Mushrooms:

4 (6-ounce packages) assorted mushrooms, such as crimini, chanterelle, portobello, or white button.
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cover a baking pan with parchment paper.

If your mushrooms are not already cut, remove stems and cut into slices.

Place mushrooms in a large bowl.

Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.

Mix until well combined.

Stir melted butter into mushroom mixture.

Place on baking sheet in single layer.

Roast for 20 minutes or until mushrooms are very browned.

Sprinkle with Parmesan-Reggiano cheese.

Serve warm.

It’s that simple!

Wish I was back there!

Hasselback Butternut Squash Potatoes

Dec. 26
2019

As a child, my immediate family celebrated Chanukah, but my friends taught me about the Christmas spirit. They would invite me to decorate their trees, and I would go to midnight mass with them. I always thought the lights on the homes in my neighborhood were so beautiful and festive. The Christmas trees were enchanting, and I knew all the words to every Christmas song. How lucky I was to relive that this year on our vacation, when our hotel lit up the trees that lined their long driveway. What a magical enchanted forest it was!

I really felt like I celebrated both holidays growing up. I still do. Every Christmas I make dinner for my friends and family. My husband invites some colleagues from work and we all get together and celebrate. It’s kind of my Friendsgiving too. I use all the decorations from Thanksgiving and try to make it festive and beautiful. It gives me a chance to show them how much I love them and how important they are. It also gives my husband his chance at a very important job– bartender!

Working on my menu, I found this terrific side dish that looks much harder to prepare than it actually is. Lucky you! Half Baked Harvest suggests that if you cut the butternut squash in half and take out the seeds, each side will be easier to peel. She also recommends that you put two wooden spoons on each side of the squash so you do not cut through it.

This dish would be perfect for any holiday meal. The squash is roasted to perfection. The butter, maple syrup and chopped sage make a luscious dressing for the squash. Then it is topped off with a perfection combination baked breadcrumbs, sage and prosciutto which give an umami flavor that makes each bite perfection. It makes a beautiful presentation and tastes as good as it looks.

This recipe is courtesy of Half Baked Harvest and will serve 8 people who will of course want to compliment the chef on this festive and beautiful dish.

Ingredients for Hasselback Butternut Squash Potatoes:

2 small to medium butternut squash
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage + 8 sage leaves
1 cup finely torn ciabatta bread (I used fresh breadcrumbs)
3 ounces prosciutto

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a large spoon. Using a peeler, remove the skin.

Rub with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Place on a large baking sheet and roast until the squash begins to soften, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the butter, maple syrup, and chopped sage until combined.

Grab the squash from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.

Using a sharp knife, slice through the rounded sides of squash halves, crosswise, going as deep as possible but without cutting all the way through.

Half baked Harvest suggests to position 2 spoons on either side of the squash to help prevent cutting all the way through (see above photo). It worked perfectly!

Return the squash to the baking sheet, scored sides up.

Spread half the maple butter over the squash, allowing it to drip into the slices.

Season with salt and pepper.

Roast the squash for 30 minutes, then spread with the remaining maple butter, spooning any melted butter in the pan over the squash.

Return to the oven and roast another 15-20 minutes, until the squash is tender.

At the same time, toss together the bread, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the sage leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper on a separate baking sheet.

Lay the prosciutto around the bread.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until toasted.

Crumble the prosciutto into fine crumbs or pulse the mix in a food processor.

Remove the squash from the oven and transfer to a serving plate.

Drizzle over any maple butter left on the pan.

Top with breadcrumbs and sage.

Serve warm!

It’s that simple!

Cheesy Baked Eggs with Bacon

Dec. 9
2019

As you may have seen on the news, it snowed here in the Northeast. I love to watch the trees become magically dusted, turning into a true winter wonderland. I love the quiet of the beautiful white snow falling. Everything seems to come to a standstill. Normally bustling streets become still as the snow gives us an excuse to pause and breathe and enjoy the moment. Usually I keep some comfort food in the freezer,– a brisket, maybe– and take it out the night before I know it is going to snow, just to have something warm to eat when we’re all at home together.

I stay home when it snows. I hate driving in it. It always seems to be such a nightmare on the road. I remember being in college and having to drive about half an hour to get to work. The parkway would be so treacherous. I was driving a very old car and I distinctly remember the fear of the car getting stuck or slipping into another car. Or even worse someone slipping into my car, causing me to crash. Last year, I got stuck on my way home from the grocery store. There were so many accidents on the road, an 8-minute drive took me four hours. So, from now on, when it snows, I stay home and look out the window and enjoy the beauty of it from there.

When the clouds loomed over my house this weekend, instead of making a meat dish, I choose to make a comfort breakfast. I had so many eggs left over from Thanksgiving, so I used them up. Who doesn’t love eggs any time of the day?

This dish has comfort food written all over it. This buttery, easy casserole is packed with cheesy, savory goodness. The cottage cheese adds another depth of flavor that combines beautifully with the other cheeses. It is also a very versatile dish. You can add sausage, chives, Italian seasoning or any vegetables you have on hand. It has become a family favorite and they love eating breakfast for dinner. It sounds strange, but once you have tried this dish, you will too.

This recipe will serve 8 people who will love a hearty breakfast meal for dinner!

Ingredients for Cheesy Baked Eggs with Bacon:

1 Tbsp. butter
12 eggs
½ tsp. salt
Pepper to taste, freshly ground
1 (16-ounce) container cottage cheese
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush melted butter on the bottom and sides of the pan.

Whisk together eggs in a large bowl.

Add salt and pepper, half and half, cheddar cheese, bacon, flour, and baking powder.

Pour into prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top of the egg mixture.

Bake until eggs are firm and set, and the top is golden about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

It’s that simple!

Roasted Brussels sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses

Dec. 2
2019

It’s important to do something you enjoy every day. It might be meditating, yoga, knitting,or sitting down with a good book. All of us need to learn how to indulge in more “me time.” Allowing ourselves to have self-care routines is so important for our health and happiness! For me, cooking fills that space. While it seems counterintuitive, cooking gives me the chance to be creative and enjoy the process of nourishing the people I love. Chopping, stirring, mixing, and tasting are my therapy. These small actions serve as a kind of meditation, helping me to relax and unwind.

Cooking is also a wonderful group activity. Preparing meals with my sister-in-law, my nieces, nephews, and cousins has become our favorite way to spend time together. We share some of our best memories and laughs during holiday cooking.

Dinner time at my house was always sacred. Everyone knew they had to be present– not just physically there, but really present and attentive. Even my husband, who has a demanding schedule would make sure he was home for dinner every night. When he knew he would be late, we waited for him. Sure, the kids got cranky sometimes, but nothing is more important than sharing a meal with the people you love.

With that said, sometimes making that meal can be rather stressful, detracting from the overall feel of a joyous holiday meal. Lucky for you, this recipe is a no-stressor for the holidays. It is a “short-on-time” or “make-ahead” that will please anyone who is at your table. You can make the molasses at least 3 to 5 days ahead, so the only thing you have to do day of is roast the sprouts themselves. The brussels sprouts are caramelized to perfection. The molasses, which I made to be more tart than sweet, tops them off with a heavenly sauce, and the walnuts finish it with a crunch. This dish makes a beautiful presentation and would be perfect on any holiday table.

This recipe is courtesy of Tory Avey and will serve 4 to 6 people who will look forward to making this recipe with their families too.

Ingredients for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses:

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

For the Pomegranate Molasses: (You will need to make this the day before)

4 cups pure 100% pomegranate juice (bottled or fresh)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan.

Heat over medium until the sauce begins to simmer lightly.

Stir to dissolve sugar.

Allow the liquid to simmer very lightly for 60-80 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces by 75% to about 1 cup of molasses.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Spread evenly a sheet tray covered with aluminum foil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Roast for 15 minutes, until some of the outer leaves start to blacken around the edges.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the toasted walnuts.

Place on a serving dish and drizzle with the pomegranate molasses, then sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

It’s that simple!