Sides | Simple By Cindy

Browned Butter Pasta with Broccoli and Red Pepper

Jul. 16
2018

Finally, into summer full blast! Everyday I wake up to warm, sunny weather and no humidity. It makes me just want to be outside all day. What a perfect week for people that have beach homes.

Lately, I have spent the weekends tending to my garden and enjoying these beautiful days in my yard. The summer always seems to go by so quickly, so I cherish the long days of light and sun. Autumn will be here soon and although the sky is still bright all day, they seem to more hectic and shorter.

During the summer, I love the small red, orange and yellow peppers that become available. They are so colorful and charming. I usually stuff them with cheese and bake them in the oven for a nice appetizer when company comes. I am always looking for ways to incorporate them into my repertoire, and I have to admit, this is a good one.

The broccoli and sweet peppers are roasted to perfection, leaving them sweet, yet warm and savory. The browned butter adequately enhances the flavor of all the ingredients. The intensity of garlic and crushed red pepper flakes combat the tang of lemon juice and zest in the most exciting way. All the flavors in this dish complement each other, making every mouthful as enticing and wholesome as the last.

This recipe will serve 4-6 people who will be delighted with the sweet peppers in this divine, luscious sauce.

Ingredients for Browned Butter Pasta with Broccoli and Sweet Red Peppers

1 pound broccoli crowns
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus 2 more set aside
1 package fusilli pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus 1/2 set aside
1/2 tbsp. freshly grated black pepper, plus 1/2 set aside
3/4 cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut broccoli into florets, cutting off as much of the stem of as possible.

Cut red pepper into very thin slices.

Toss together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Arrange in a single layer on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Make sure crowns of broccoli are facing up.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until crowns are browned and crisp.

Fill a pan with very salty water. Bring to a boil.

Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than cooking directions on package.

RESERVE 1 CUP OF PASTA WATER.

Drain rest of pasta and set aside.

Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. When melted, raise heat to medium-high and cook until browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. You will know it is ready when you see it beautifully brown and very fragrant.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

Add in pasta. (It may stick together at first, just keep mixing it with butter and garlic mixture and it will come apart easily.)

Stir in remaining salt and pepper.

Gently add in roasted broccoli and red pepper.

Pour in 1/4 cup of pasta water, adding more in small amounts until you reach the consistency of sauce you prefer.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with cheese.

It’s that simple!

Pants pot!

Marinated Mozzarella with Tomatoes

Jul. 12
2018

Now that my herbs are beautiful and bountiful, I get great pleasure in using them in all my recipes. I never got around to planting my full vegetable garden this year. Not happy about that. On the bright side, I planted more herbs than usual this year. For some reason, much to my excitement, they are bigger and lusher than they have ever been!

My vegetables and herbs are planted the same way every year, but turn out different each time. Some years they flourish superbly, and some years they do not. If any of you can tell me why I would so appreciate it. I just don’t get why. Nevertheless, this year I am a happy gal. I would love to pass on any good suggestions, but I am at a loss.

I have posted similar recipes to this one in the past. Reading over several recipes for making a tomato mozzarella salad, there were many that caught my eye, especially the ones that marinated the cheese before serving. Many of you probably have been doing this for years. This was my first try, and the result was so outstanding I knew I had to share.

What makes this so special is the way mozzarella really soaks up the essence of the seasoning. The fresh basil leaves make a huge difference in how the marinade will taste. So do not skimp on the basil leaves! It may sound like a lot, but trust me, just go for it. The lemon zest and juice add a nice fresh flavor and the balsamic vinegar adds a perfect zing to it all. There is nothing better than marrying fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar.

This recipe will serve 6-8 people who will bask in the deliciousness of a new way of making this classic recipe.

Ingredients for Marinated Mozzarella and Tomatoes.

1 1/2 pounds bocconcini or pearl mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus 6-8 whole leaves for garnish
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup of good olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, chopped basil, lemon juice and zest, balsamic vinegar salt, and pepper.

Add mozzarella balls to the mixture and pour into a 9x 13-inch pan.

Place saran wrap around the pan and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour or more.

Remove from refrigerator and return mixture to a bowl.

Add the tomatoes; toss to coat.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with whole basil leaves.

It’s that simple!

My herb garden

Homemade Rice Pilaf

Jul. 9
2018

This is the 3rd year anniversary of my blog! I simply cannot believe it! It has gone so fast and I have loved every minute I put into it. I want to thank you all for following me, even after I had to take a break when I remodeled my kitchen. I see all those familiar names on Facebook, and I feel like I know some of you. I am so grateful to everyone who shares my passion for cooking.

I love to read recipes and cookbooks. I devour them actually, which is why I have such a large collection. I know now that most people get their recipes off the internet nowadays. I do that as well, however, I know I will never stop buying cookbooks. I love to turn the glossy pages, see the covers and adore looking at the beautiful pictures that accompany them.

I read every book from front to back and mark the recipes I would like to try. I copy the recipe I am going to use so there is no chance I get my cookbooks dirty while I am making it. Before I did that, my cookbook pages, especially the ones I used repeatedly, became worn and dirty and yellow. But, not anymore! They stay clean and crisp and always feel brand new.

Usually, when I find a recipe I would like to use, I also search the internet for similar recipes. Then I write down all the ingredients I would like to add and make it my own. It takes time and effort, but I enjoy doing this and feel especially accomplished when my recipe turns out to be, as we call it in my home, “blog-worthy”. Sometimes it takes many tries to do this, and I have certainly made countless recipes that have ended up in the garbage.

This recipe is definitely blog-worthy. The chicken broth and onion soup flavoring provide an enormous amount of flavor. The peppers give it a sweet touch and the herbs add a savory hardiness. The parsley adds a beautiful color and depth of fragrance. Everyone here loved it. It is a must try!

This recipe will serve 5-6 people who will be wowed by this hearty, delightful dish.

Ingredients for Rice Pilaf

2 cups long grain white rice
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 mini sweet peppers, 2 red, and 2 orange or yellow
2 tsp. fresh thyme, (about 4 sprigs), chopped
1 tsp. fresh sage, (about 5-6 leaves), chopped
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes
5 cups chicken broth
2 packages onion soup mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, melt the butter.

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the rice and onions and cook until rice is browned and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the celery and sweet peppers, and cook about 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth, 2 packages of onion soup mix, and stir in the thyme and sage.

Cover and reduce heat to low or simmer.

Let cook for 30-40 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Fluff it with a fork.

Transfer to serving platter, dress with parsley and serve warm.

It’s that simple!

Herbs from my garden

Baked Cream Corn

Jul. 5
2018

Fresh produce is always the best choice when cooking. Using ingredients that you know have not come in contact with pesticides or other artificial substances is an excellent way of improving your health. You should also always try to avoid packaged foods, as they contain a lot of food dye, sugar or artificial sweeteners. Did you know that if “natural flavors” is listed under ingredients it is actually full of GMOs? A GMO is a plant, animal or organism whose makeup is modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering.

A general rule of thumb when looking at an ingredient list: anything you can’t pronounce is going to be bad for you. Some examples are erythrosine (food coloring), glyphosate (a chemical used to kill weeds) potassium benzoate (a preservative used to prevent mold from growing), and butylated hydroxyanisole (potentially cancer-causing preservative, and who can pronounce that?). You could be consuming these chemicals without even knowing! Is your stomach turning yet?

Oftentimes, processed foods and canned foods have many additives that are unacceptable and unhealthy for you. Although it will take a little more time, reading labels at the grocery store can help you make better choices. Not only do fresh ingredients provide more nutrients compared to processed foods, they also deliver truer flavor.

The purpose of food is to nourish you, so you should always buy fresh when you can. If you can’t buy fresh, buy frozen.

This dish offers natural and valuable nutrients, not to mention is it delicious! The sweet corn and cheddar cheese combination provide a sharp contrast that will tease and excite your taste buds. The eggs make it light and fluffy, and the jalapeno gives it the perfect amount of heat. Everything is favorable about this splendid, satisfying dish. This is one I am going to make again and again. By the way, it does not have cream in it!

This recipe is courtesy of Delish.com and will serve 6 people who will go corn-crazy!

Ingredients for Baked Creamed Corn

Cooking Spray

8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
3 cups corn kernels, (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, drain.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Add corn, flour, 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, sugar.

Add jalapeno.

Add bacon.

Pour in eggs, butter, and milk.

Season generously with salt and pepper and mix together until combined.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar.

Bake 1 hour, then let cool 20 minutes to firm up.

It’s that simple!

Flowers from my garden

Fabulous Potato Salad

Jul. 2
2018

I promised to give you all my potato salad recipe… and here it is. Just in time for your July 4th celebration!

There are so many different kinds of salad recipes out there. Salads are wonderful year-round, but I have one pet peeve that will ruin any salad for me. When it comes to salad dressing, it is important to remember that there is such thing as too much of a good thing. My nieces come and cook with me often, and one of the first things I taught them is how to dress a salad without overdoing it. This is a very important thing to know.

Most restaurants, even the best of them, will overdress a salad. Often, too much mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, or buttermilk is added. I recognize that these ingredients are important, however, they should be used with great restraint. Let’s face it, a soggy, overdressed salad is just not appealing!

Here are a few tips for dressing your salad:

You don’t have to prepare the recipe for the salad dressing exactly as it is written. Add the heavier ingredients slowly, just until you get the creamy consistency you prefer. The lighter the consistency, the better your salad will look and taste.

When you dress the salad, add the dressing a little bit at a time. When the salad is just glistening, stop! Do not add more. Lastly, taste it. Even if you think you should add more at first, wait. Once you take a few bites, you will realize it is perfectly dressed as is.

This recipe was such a hit on Father’s Day, and I was so surprised. Personally, I am not a fan of potato salad. I went to my supermarket to purchase it, looked at the ingredients, and just couldn’t buy it because some of them are so bad for you. I decided I would make it myself. I looked at a few recipes, took all the ingredients I thought would be good together, and I served it, not really giving it a second thought. To my surprise, everyone loved it, even me! Now I am happy to share it with you.

When you take a bite of this salad, the flavor practically shouts at you from the mustard grains. The sweet pickle relish adds sweet and tang at the same time. The eggs complete the taste sensation with a hardy texture. This is perfect for your July 4th barbeque. Try it for yourself and share it with friends, just like I am!

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This recipe will serve 6-8 people who will smile in between bites of this well-seasoned salad!

Ingredients for Fabulous Potato Salad

5 potatoes
5 eggs, hard-boiled, cut into medium-sized chunks
2 cups chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
3/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup (or more) sweet pickle relish
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. celery salt
2 (or more) tbsp. whole grain mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)

Today’s Hint: To make an egg easier to peel, crack the top and bottom parts of the eggs first. Then roll the eggs gently on the countertop. The shells should peel away easily!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15- 20 minutes.

Drain, cool and peel.

Chop into 1 -1 1/2-inch pieces.