Sides | Simple By Cindy

Easy Parmesan “Risotto”

Aug. 13
2018

Risotto is a northern Italian dish in which rice is cooked in a broth (chicken, meat or vegetable), some butter and a good white wine. No matter how you cook it, the result is always a rich and wonderfully creamy consistency. This dish can contain other ingredients as well, but the base ingredients are always the same.

This rice preparation is used throughout the world and is one of the most widely eaten dishes. It is not an easy preparation and it takes time to perfect this skill. It will take thirty minutes or so to make a good risotto, and you must carefully watch it as it cooks. You slowly add in the broth one ladle at a time, however, the rice should not be covered in too much broth. You must be patient and let each ladleful carefully cook down before adding in another. It is certainly a learning process but if you do it correctly, you will be rewarded with a dish that has incredible flavor.

I wish I could say I am one of those people who are proficient at cooking risotto, but (sigh), I am not. Which is why when I saw Ina Garten’s method, I knew I had to try it immediately. It may not be the luxurious type of risotto you would have placed in front of you at a restaurant, but I thought it was pretty damn good. In fact, I thought it was fantastic. You don’t have to stand over the stove for 30 minutes, and you still end up with the same scrumptious result.

This risotto dish is one of my favorites ever. Ina never disappoints. Her recipes are always so reliable and delicious. This one epitomizes that enticing, creamy consistency you crave in a real risotto. The butter and wine give it an outstanding dimension of flavor. The peas add a sweetness and gorgeous color. The Parmesan cheese provides the silky, velvety texture. This is a satisfying, elegant dish that you can use for any family dinner or holiday. It is so easy and fast to make, you can accomplish many things instead of standing over the stove while you are waiting for it to cook. What is not to like about that?

This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten, and will serve 4-6 people who just might think you are an accomplished risotto chef. (Hey, let them think so)!

Ingredients for Easy Parmesan “Risotto”

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the rice and 4 cups of chicken stock in a dutch oven.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.

Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy.

Add the peas and stir until heated through.

Serve hot.

It’s that simple!

More flowers from my garden

Three-Bean Pasta Salad

Aug. 2
2018

“Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart”. Never were truer words spoken. I absolutely love beans, especially when they are prepared from scratch. But I am no snob, I will eat them any way, fresh, frozen or canned. These tasty little legumes are one of the most versatile foods out there and are now considered a powerfood!

There are so many different kinds to choose from. There are black, navy, kidney, and pinto, to name a few. Beans are a healthy source of nutrients; they are high in fiber, protein, iron, vitamin B, zinc (which promotes eye health), potassium, magnesium and antioxidants. I recently learned they are known to help lower the risk of heart disease, colon cancer and help to maintain weight.

If that isn’t enough evidence that you should begin adding some more beans to your diet, consider this; they are very hardy, making you feel full and keep away hunger. Beans are the perfect meat substitute if you are weight conscious, and let’s face it, who isn’t looking to lose a couple of pounds? You can prepare them as an appetizer, snack, side or main dish.

This salad combines three beans beautifully. The green beans and celery provide crunch and vibrance. The pasta ups the carb presence, which makes it perfect for a main dish. It is dressed so uniquely and elegantly, making this salad unrivaled in taste and texture. This is a “must try”!

This recipe is courtesy of Southernliving.com and will serve 8 people who will love eating their beans in this unique, flavorsome presentation.

Ingredients for Three-Bean Pasta Salad

8 ounces uncooked small shell pasta
8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (about 1 stalk)
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 small shallot, minced
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives

Cook pasta according to package directions with salted water.

Cook the green beans and celery in salted water to cover until tender-crisp.

Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process, drain.

Combine pasta, green beans, celery, pinto beans, and kidney beans in a large bowl.

Combine shallot and vinegar in a medium bowl; let stand about 5 minutes.

Add lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey, stirring with a whisk.

Gradually whisk in the oil until well combined; pour over bean mixture.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss gently.

Sprinkle with chives, and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Good morning, sunshine!

Cauliflower Nuggets

Jul. 30
2018

One of the beauties of cooking in the summer is you get to take it outside to the grill.

While my family and I thoroughly enjoy grilling together, I absolutely hate cleaning my grill afterward. In the past, I have used the brush with the steel bristles. My advice to you: avoid at all costs. The bristles sometimes stick to the grill and can get into your food. Once, I had a friend who had to go to the hospital because he had one of these bristles stuck in his throat. They had to take him to the OR and take it out. At the time, I thought it was a fluke thing and continued to use the steel bristle brush to clean my grill.

One night, after I grilled some chicken, my son felt something stuck in the back of his mouth. Luckily he was able to take it out with his fingers, but sure enough, it was one of the bristles from the steel brush! I have never used it since and will never use it again. I loathe cleaning the grill now, and nothing seems to work.

Because of this terrible inconvenience, I do not use my grill as much as I would like. I know frying isn’t a summer thing, but now you know my reasoning! Since I like to find different ways to make vegetables, I had a strong feeling this recipe would be special to me.

As it turns out, I was right. The cauliflower came out a lovely golden brown, and the cayenne pepper added subtle yet evident heat. The lemon aioli dipping sauce is a refreshing addition to these beautifully fried cauliflower nuggets. I have a saying, “anything fried is good”. If you do not agree, try this recipe and it will make you a believer.

This recipe is courtesy of Purewow and will serve 4 people who will be so grateful that you decided to fry cauliflower in spite of the warm summer evenings.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Nuggets

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

Lemon-Pepper Aioli

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or as needed for garnish

For the Cauliflower Nuggets:

Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a large saute pan.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers on the surface and a thermometer placed in the oil reads 350°F. (If you drop a small piece of cauliflower in, and it bubbles and stays at the surface, then you are good to go).

Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels.

Whisk the eggs in a small, shallow bowl.

Whisk the flour with the garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne in another large, shallow bowl.

Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the cauliflower into the egg until it is well coated.

Then dip the cauliflower into the flour mixture and toss to coat.

Repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

Set the pieces aside.

Working in batches, fry the cauliflower until evenly golden brown, 6 to 9 minutes.

Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon and drain on the prepared paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

For the Lemon-Pepper Aioli:

In a medium bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, lemon zest, and pepper to combine.

Garnish the finished cauliflower with parsley and serve immediately, hot, with the aioli on the side for dipping.

It’s that simple!

Lazy Day Summer Corn Salad with Grape Tomatoes

Jul. 26
2018

Most people my age have taken up yoga. While I do love yoga, I took up boxing ten years ago instead. Think boxing is not a sport for women? Think again. I tried it during one of my training sessions and fell in love with it! I found a trainer who is a professional boxer. He put an ad in our local paper and I was there in a flash. I wanted to learn the sport from the very beginning and work my way up. Now I look at boxing very differently than I used to.

When looking at a fight, most women (my-former-self included), would just see two people hitting each other hard and fast. At first, I could not bear to watch it. It was way too brutal for me.

From the moment I slipped my hands into boxing gloves, however, I was hooked. As I learned the sport, step by step, I realized there is a dimension to it that is very empowering, especially for a woman. The skill and endurance it takes to become a boxer is astonishing. It is a sport, with difficult, fine-tuned techniques that can be learned with the right trainer.

It was very challenging to learn, but with each phase, I slowly advanced to a level I am now proud of. Each 3-minute round still takes my breath away, but I can endure it, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment in that. For me, boxing has gone from a ghastly punching match to an art that, like any other art, takes extreme skill, persistence and fortitude.

That being said, I do try to stay in shape and eat healthy. Boxing has taught me that the human body is like a machine, and food its fuel. Salads are not my preferred dinner of choice unless it has some good nutrients and protein in it. This salad has all the ingredients needed to have as a hearty main dish, but I served it as a side with a protein as the main dish.

This salad is definitely blog-worthy, mainly because the ingredients blend so well together. The fresh corn and tomatoes add sweetness to it, while the potatoes make it hearty and satisfying. The wild baby arugula gives it a nice bitterness and fresh kick. The dressing is the perfect topping, it is light with a little bit of tang. My family loved it and I know you will too!

This recipe will serve 4-6 people who will change their perception of salad for dinner, just as I changed mine of boxing.

Ingredients for Lazy Day Corn Salad with Grape Tomatoes

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, cooked (about 3 ears of corn)
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
10 small red potatoes, cooked and halved
2 cups wild baby arugula
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of good olive oil

Make the Salad:

Drop the corn into a large pot filled with boiling salted water.

Add 4 tsp. granulated sugar to water.

Cover the pot and let the water return to a boil again, then turn off the heat and keep the pot covered.

After about 3 minutes, remove and let cool.

Return water to a boil.

Drop red potatoes into pot and turn heat to medium-high.

Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes, or until you can easily pierce potato with a fork.

Remove from pot and let cool.

In the meantime, make the dressing.

Make the Vinaigrette:

Place first five ingredients in a medium bowl.

Slowly drizzle in olive oil and whisk to mix well

In a large bowl, toss arugula with 1/2 of the dressing.

Place arugula on a serving platter.

Put it all together:

Arrange tomatoes on top of arugula.

Cut the corn off the cob.

Cut the potatoes in half.

Arrange both on top of the arugula.

Sprinkle blue cheese over salad.

Pass the remaining dressing at the table.

It’s that simple!

More beautiful flowers blooming in my garden!

Zucchini Tomato Bake

Jul. 19
2018

New Jersey is also known as the Garden State, and for good reason! Certainly you have all heard of New Jersey tomatoes. Well, we are also known for our blueberries, corn, cranberries, and peaches.

Since we are not a very large state, there is limited land available for farming. For that reason, most of our farming is run by small family businesses. Luckily for us, these families turn out higher quality, more flavorful produce.

New Jersey farmers mostly sell their produce within the state or directly to their local farm stands or farmers markets. These foods are enjoyed by the residents here, and known for their outstanding quality and exceptional taste.

Tomatoes that are grown locally are so delicious because they do not have to be picked when they are green to withstand the long periods of transport. The farmers are able to cultivate varieties of tomatoes that are protected from soil-borne diseases. They are picked when they are vine-ripened and are immediately sold to the local markets.

The best time to buy these wonderful tomatoes is mid-July to the end of September. So, now when I visit my local farmer’s market, I buy a bunch!

I chose this recipe because it’s the perfect time to buy tomatoes and zucchini. It just does not get any better than this, it is topped off with a heavenly layer of cheese that is melt-in-your-mouth good. The basil compliments this dish to perfection.

This recipe is courtesy of Delish.com and will serve 4-5 people who will have high praise for the scrumptious flavor of this delicious yet healthy dish.

Ingredients for Zucchini Tomato Bake

1 pound zucchini – about 3 medium, chopped
1-pint cherry tomatoes, preferably multi-colored, halved
2 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tbsp. torn basil for garnish