Sides | Simple By Cindy

Broccoli Salad

Aug. 27
2020

Today’s recipe has a bit of a story. Until recently, I had always bought broccoli salad at my grocery store or local deli. After some research, I finally decided to try and make it myself– turns out, it’s incredible!.

The key here is not to drown it in dressing. People who usually gravitate towards gloppy, soggy greens need to be enlightened on how pleasurable a nice, beautiful simple salad can be. Those of you who have been reading for a while will know that this is a pet peeve of mine, so please PLEASE refrain from it here, especially because broccoli salad is usually interpreted as a “healthy” choice compared to other salads. It certainly can be, when paired with a light dressing instead of dumping the entire container on there.

I prefer to lightly “dress” my salads so they are just glistening, as opposed to creating a heavy, thick liquid that is both unappealing and unappetizing. It is important to add the dressing very slowly. Stop pouring it in when the salad has been lightly coated. You can always place some dressing on the side for those guests who like it that way. Take care to dress only what you need to serve, since undressed salad keeps much better.

I wanted to make sure this salad had all the right ingredients to ensure a perfect dish. Many salad dressings with mayo are very heavy, but I think I’ve found a way around it. Instead of using a lot of mayo, I added some greek yogurt for a lighter, tangy taste. Do not use a food processor to slice the broccoli: cutting the florets from the stalk into bite sized pieces makes this salad more appealing and beautiful.

This salad is a wonderful side for any main dish. The red onion adds just the right amount of heat and the raisins add spots of sweetness. Giving this dish a deep, savory flavor is the bacon. The sunflower seeds add a nice texture too, but the dressing is the star of this salad. It is creamy, sweet, and tangy, a perfect topping for a delicious salad.

This recipe is my own and will serve 4 to 6 people who will be sure to eat their veggies at this meal!

Ingredients for Broccoli Salad:

4 cups broccoli florets
1 lb. bacon, cooked and minced
1/2 cup red onions, minced
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins

For the Dressing:

3/4 cups mayonnaise
6 tablespoons greek yogurt
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Place broccoli into pot and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain and pour into ice water to stop cooking process.

In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and salt.

Whisk until smooth.

In a large bowl toss together broccoli florets along with bacon, red onions, sunflower seeds, raisins and prepared dressing.

Can be served immediately, but is best when chilled for at least an hour.

It’s that simple!

Carrot Tart with Ricotta and Feta

Aug. 20
2020

I definitely have a thing for tarts. A tart is a pastry base with a delicious filling and an open top. Most tarts are thought to have come from a tradition of layering food, or Medieval pie making. The tart filling may be savory or sweet, although nowadays it can be filled with a fruit base or pudding base as well. This particular recipe has a lovely cheese filling.

Tarts originated in Medieval France and Great Britain, where they were presented as a flat open-faced pie. Originally, tarts were made with meat fillings which later transformed to sweet tarts and filling tarts which had fruit and custard. The dough is made of flour and thick filling with perpendicular sides. Tarts were considered to be extravagant cuisine, and were most often prepared by cooks to look and taste beautiful. The open pastry base provided a broad canvas on which a creative chef could compose a work of art. Thus brightly-colored fruits, vegetables, and spices all found their way into (onto) them. They could be sweet, savory, or more often than not, a mixture of both.

One of the most popular tarts is a tart tatin, which is an upside-down tart, of apples, other fruit, or onions. Quiches are technically tarts too, including the German ‘onion tart’, and Swiss cheese tart made from Gruyere. Despite these two lovely preparations, the French are still considered to be the master of the tart. With many traditional recipes stemming from the country, from the quiche to the onion tart, to the “French apple” tart to the tarte tatin. Citrus tarts are still considered the most classic European version, but as our culinary palettes have grown, tarts can be filled with anything.

This tart is no different. The carrots are beautiful and so sweet when roasted and caramelized. The garlic adds the savory and just a little bit of heat. The cheeses combine elegantly together and provide a delightful base that further enhances the flavor of the carrots. The parsley tops it off with lovely color and complementary taste.

This recipe is courtesy of New York Times Cooking and will serve 8 people who will love this beautiful savory tart.

Ingredients for Carrot Tart with Ricotta and Feta:

Flour, for rolling out dough
1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pound multicolored carrots, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 ounces ricotta
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1 garlic clove, grated
Chopped fresh parsley, chervil or chives, for garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle.

Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4-inch away from the edges.

Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center.

Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top.

(I found the cheese mixture hard to spread, so I used some good olive oil on my spatula, and it spread much easier.)

Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.

It’s that simple!

Leslie’s Peanut Slaw

Aug. 10
2020

Recipes are simple: a set of instructions you follow that detail how to make raw ingredients into a flavorful plate of food. Even though most recipes have directions laid out step by step, you are not absolutely required to use all of them. There is plenty of room for improvisation based on availability, preference, or taste. Humans’ sense of taste is extremely sensitive, and it’s beneficial to learn to describe those tastes, and figure out how to better tailor dishes to your personal preferences.

According to Kitchn, there are four main components to ingredients. First are the low notes; these are the deep lingering flavors in foods that form the base or the backdrop for other flavors. Second there are mid notes; flavors in this range are much more subtle. They’re not as immediately identifiable and don’t hang around as long as the low and high notes (think of vegetables and raw chicken). Third are the high notes; these flavors are the show stoppers. They fizz and zing and dance in your mouth. Think of a splash of citrus, a handful of fresh herbs, or a nice spicy pepper.

As you cook, remember that you can add, omit, or replace ingredients to get the flavor profile you like. For example, today’s recipe calls for ginger, which is a “no way” ingredient in my book. Some people love it, but I cannot stand it. Just eliminate it or replace it and the outcome will be exactly what you want, and you will love the dish you made.

If you’re just starting out or are used to following a recipe, cooking without instructions can seem like a daunting task. But honestly, once you get a few basic cooking rules down, you’ll be able to toss most of your recipe books in the recycling bin and start creating cookbook-worthy meals of your very own. Seriously — unlike baking, cooking does not require exact measurements, times, or temperatures for food to taste good. Be bold, mix it up, and try something new–you may be very happy with your outcome.

This dish caught my attention because of the peanuts. I love roasted peanuts. I thought putting them in a slaw would be perfect. The nuts are the highlight of this dish because of the crunch-roasted goodness it brings to the recipe. The dressing worked perfectly with this slaw too. The jalapeños offer just the right amount of heat, and the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar is the perfect amount of salty and tang. I think you are going to love this recipe as much as I did. Be careful, it can be addicting!

This recipe is courtesy of Food 52 and will serve 4 to 6 people who will definitely want second and third helpings.

Ingredients for Leslie’s Peanut Slaw:

1 medium head of green cabbage (use half if you have a particularly large cabbage), cored and shredded
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts (you can purchase them this way, or toast raw peanuts over medium heat in a dry heavy-bottomed pan until fragrant, about 5 minutes)
One 14-ounce can of unseasoned black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (I used parsley, but mint or thyme might work well too).

For the sweet and spicy dressing:

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 pickled jalapeños/green chilies (cans may be found in the International Foods or Mexican Food aisle), finely minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (I did not use it, but if you are a ginger lover go for it).
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil or other light unflavored oil such as grapeseed or canola
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix well to combine.

Make the sweet and spicy dressing:

In a small bowl, use a whisk to combine all ingredients except for the oil.

Slowly drizzle in oil, continuing to whisk the mixture, until slightly thickened, as you would do with a vinaigrette.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Pour dressing over slaw mixture and toss to combine.

Let chill in the fridge for 2 or 3 hours prior to serving so that the flavors combine and the cabbage just slightly softens.

It’s that simple!

Jenna and her unicorn!

Best Muffin Tin Frittata Recipe

Aug. 3
2020

We all have our everyday routines. I know I have mine, but I do like to shake it up once in a while. Luckily, there’s a new trend– brinner. Breakfast for dinner. The French know that it’s okay to have omelets at all hours, but now it’s hit the US too.

It’s always breakfast time somewhere. For the firefighter or nurse working the graveyard shift, breakfast is at 2 am. For teenagers, breakfast could be at 2 pm. Totally normal, right? To put it simply, people want to eat breakfast when they wake up–whatever time it is. But the new studies show that more people with 9 to 5 jobs are starting to eat breakfast for dinner. Krusteaz, a food company did a survey that found that 91 per cent of people are choosing this new reality. Here are some of the reasons why:

Natalie A. Nevins, DO, a board-certified family physician in Hollywood, California found that “the ingredients in breakfast foods are often less expensive, quicker to prepare, and, most importantly, lower in calories.” Breakfast at dinner options such as omelets and oatmeal are nutritious, cost-effective, and easy to make.

Eggs are cheap. If you eat two eggs at night for a light dinner, you’ll have spent just a dollar or two over the course of six days.

Breakfast food is faster than ordering delivery. You’ll be munching down in 10 minutes or less, while your favorite dinner delivery guy won’t ring your doorbell before thirty minutes.

You will feel more full for longer. By having oatmeal or a protein shake, you will have a nutritious meal and avoid waking up hungry.

But there’s still something else surprising about eating meals out of order, kind of like pajama day at school. Any subtle deviation from the norm that makes you feel like you’re getting away with something, and that’s especially true these days.

Now this is one way of making a frittata that you could eat any time of the day. It is a frittata disguised as a muffin. They could be served hot or cold or even at room temperature. This yummy dish has sausage and cheeses that pair perfectly together. The roasted red peppers are a healthy vegetable, but feel free to add something else if red pepper isn’t for you. The addition of milk gives the frittata a super silky texture. You can eat it any time of the day. It’s perfect!

This dish is courtesy of Delish and will serve 12 people who will totally be on board for breakfast anytime.

Ingredients for Best Muffin Tin Frittatas:

1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
10 large eggs
1/4 c. milk
2/3 c. shredded fontina
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 c. finely sliced basil

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.

Drain meat on paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cheeses, salt and pepper.

Divide egg mixture between the muffin tins.

Top each serving with roasted red peppers, sausage, and basil.

Bake until the eggs are set, 12 to 15 minutes.

Let cool slightly before serving.

It’s that simple!

Summer Corn with Tomatoes and Red Pepper

Jul. 27
2020

Fresh, clean produce is always the best choice when cooking. Making sure that the food you are using is free from pesticides or artificial substances is fundamental to your health. Sometimes, produce can carry e-coli or some other bacteria. If you’re shopping at your local market, you can ask the grower about the conditions, but if you don’t know (and even if you do!), it’s best to wash your produce thoroughly.

Because I try to keep my diet healthy, I always read the ingredients of packaged foods. They often contain a lot of food dye, sugar, and artificial sweeteners that I do not like. Did you know that “natural flavors” is listed under ingredients that contain GMOs? A GMO is a plant or other organism whose makeup has been modified or controlled using selective breeding or laboratory procedures. Farmers do this to crops for a variety of reasons, including making their crops larger, more resistant to pests, or more nutritious.

I personally stay away from additives I can’t pronounce. Some examples are erythrosine (food coloring), glyphosate (chemical used to kill weeds), carrageenan (can cause ulcers and cancer), sodium nitrate (can cause cancer), and butane (found in chicken nuggets – a known carcinogen).

Most processed and canned foods have many additives that are unhealthy, which drives me towards even more fresh fruit and vegetables. Although it may take you a little longer to do your grocery shopping, reading labels 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, frozen is a good substitute.

This dish is chock full of natural and whole ingredients. The next time you’re at your market, pick up these ingredients and make this dish. The sweet corn and red pepper combine to add sweet flavor and texture. The tomatoes take on the flavor of the lime, making it smooth and tangy. The mustard seed and cumin give it a nice savory depth of seasoning. Everything about this dish is healthy, delicious, and delightful.

This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people who will be thankful that you took the time to prepare such a wholesome dish.

Ingredients for Summer Corn with Tomatoes and Red Pepper:

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced tomato
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper