Vegetables | Simple By Cindy

Caprese Pasta Salad

May. 6
2021

Ever wonder what “farm-to-table” means? Maybe you’ve heard “farm-fresh,” “farm to fork,” or more simply, “locally sourced.” All of these mean generally the same thing, but as there is no official definition, it can be confusing at first.

At its core, farm-to-table means the food you are eating actually came directly from a farm, rather than through a distributor, store, or market. According to Rutgers, farm-to-fork is “a food system in which food production, processing, distribution, and consumption are integrated to enhance environmental, economic, social, and nutritional health.” Let’s make it a little simpler: the farm-to-table movement promotes a relationship between a chef and a farmer that results in seasonal, fresh, and organically-produced foods.

Instead of purchasing ingredients from a food distributor, a direct relationship exists between the restaurant and local farmers. This could very well include ranchers and fishermen, as well as agriculturalists. As a result of this relationship, the ingredients have none of the additives or preservatives that might otherwise be used. Your food will actually taste exactly how it is supposed to taste– imagine that!

Farm to table restaurants might also harvest from their own gardens. In New York City, many restaurants have rooftop gardens, and will serve only what is in-season. How can you know if your food is really farm-to-table? The restaurant should be able to easily name the specific farm or farms from which they are buying.

So now that you know what it means, Go out to your local farmers market and try to build your own farm-to-table pipeline. Buy some freshly made mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and some handmade pasta. That is all you need to make this exceptionally fresh summer dish. It has the same ingredients as a Caprese salad with the addition of a pasta, which truly makes it a satisfying simple, summer main or side dish. The tomatoes add divine sweetness and the cheese is gooey and savory. The dressing is perfect for this salad, giving it some tang and heat.

This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people who will truly taste the ingredients of this lovely dish.

Ingredients for Caprese Pasta Salad:

1 lb. pasta such as orecchiette or other small pasta with twists and curves to capture dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, preferably multi-colored, halved
1/2 lb. bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls)
1/4 cup basil, julienned, for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add red pepper flakes, then season with salt and pepper.

Mix to combine.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook orecchiette (or the pasta you are using) according to package directions until al dente.

Drain and set aside.

Add pasta, garlic, bocconcini, and tomatoes to bowl with dressing; toss with dressing to combine.

Garnish with basil and serve.

It’s that simple!

Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas

Apr. 19
2021

It seems that every day, we hear about something negative. News cycles latch onto the collective sorrow and hurt of the past year (or the past week), and spread it far and wide. In light of this, I would like to highlight one special person who has brought many a smile to my face: my aunt Esther. Esther, who is my mother’s sister, just turned 90 (congratulations!), is sweet as sugar, and has such a wonderful attitude toward life.

There were eight sisters and brothers in my mother’s family, and all of them had a tough childhood. As a result, they tended to have more severe personalities as adults. I remember going to holidays at my aunt Esther’s home, where we would all gather together. As children (and there were 20 of us cousins), we were not allowed to speak during the holiday service, or when one of the grown-ups were talking. Our Passover seders were very long, and most of us had quite a hard time sitting quietly for so long during the service, which was in Hebrew and Yiddish, which none of us understood.

My older cousins tried to make the most of it. One year, they brought comic books and put them inside their prayer books to make it look like they were following along. Oh boy, when they got caught, there were big problems! Even still, that never stopped them from trying each year to do something that would help them get through the long service.

Aunt Esther was always the one with a smile on her face and love in her heart. Her laugh rings through the house. You always knew when she entered the room, because she would always say something that made everyone laugh. She still does to this day. Right before the covid lockdown, she had aortic heart valve replacement surgery. Immediately after the surgery, she went to a nursing home for rehab. When they began to lock down the nursing homes, she begged her daughter to come and take her home, because she was stuck in a very small room with a roommate, and she was not getting the therapy she needed. My cousin took her home and she began her long recovery among family.

Despite these hardships, nothing gets her down. She is always positive and when you visit her, she is pleasant and upbeat. Unfortunately, she suffered a fall a few weeks ago and needed surgery on her elbow. She is recovering from that now, and you never hear a word of complaint out of her. When she sees you, a big smile lights up her face and you just want to hug her. She loves all her nieces and nephews, and shows such deep caring and interest in their lives.

I only hope that as I begin to get older, I inherit her positive attitude. It would have been easy for her to get into a negative mindframe, but she never did. Her positive attitude gives her the tools she needs to cope with life’s trials, and focus on all the good things instead of the bad. She is the most lovable person and such a joy to be with. If only all of us could face life like that!

Aunt Esther is one of my biggest fans. She loves to read my recipes and learn about the things I cook. She doesn’t cook a lick, but enjoys hearing about the process and professes that one day she will prepare one of my recipes.

Though she might not prepare it herself, this is one recipe that I know she will love. Potato gnocchi is a great alternative to pasta and even better when you toast it up in a pan. Toasting it is the way to go when you buy it ready made from the store. Boiling it according to the package directions does not add much of anything to the gnocchi, but toasting it gives it a caramelized, nutty flavor that goes with any spice that you choose to use. The garlic, parsley, and thyme add savory goodness, and the lemon gives it just the right amount of tang. Cooking them in chicken broth adds a deep, rich flavor, and a nice color. The peas are the star of this side dish, giving it a springtime finish with bursts of flavor in every bite. Topping it off with Parmesan cheese brings this dish to perfection.

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living and will serve 6 people who will light up like my aunt Esther.

Ingredients for Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas:

1/4 cup salted butter, divided
1 (16-oz.) package potato gnocchi
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 1 large garlic clove)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-oz.) package frozen sweet peas, thawed, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh sweet peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high; add gnocchi, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add broth, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add peas, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts, about 1 minute.

Top with Parmesan, and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Italian Rocket and Chicken Salad

Apr. 8
2021

As I grow older I can see how our experiences in childhood affect the kind of adults we become. I recently attended the funeral of my best friend’s mother. As he spoke about his mom, it became clear to me that we had similar childhoods. Our moms were both tough cookies, and it made us more focused and driven as adults. I know that he had a difficult time with his mother, but it was clear that he loved her nonetheless, and would miss her terribly.

When I was growing up, my mother had expectations of who I would become. As a child, I never met those exceptions, and the more I withdrew, the more she tried to pull me out. There is no set recipe or rules that ensure what kind of adults we become, but I think this experience formed a lot of who I am today.

My parents were very hard workers, and they instilled that work ethic in their children. When I was younger, I was more interested in athletics than in math and science. This infuriated my mother. Her parents had fled the holocaust, and as a very poor family in the United States, they had to work hard to make ends meet. The most important thing to them was that their children be educated. Being an athlete wasn’t high on their list of priorities.

Although I resisted, I eventually ended up with a master’s degree, which surprised my mother and made her very proud. Criticism, feeling neglected, micromanaging, and not feeling appreciated affects us all in different ways. We all walk out of childhoods with some emotional bumps and bruises. All of these things–bad, good, and everything in between– come together to make us the people we are. Our childhoods are part of us, we cannot go back and change it, but we can choose to look at it through a different lens. Once we’ve accomplished that, we can try to heal ourselves to do better for the next generation.

In that process, we might also begin to look more kindly at our parents, faults and all. My mother became the most influential person in my life, even despite her mistakes. I took all her criticisms and turned them into a positive mindset, which helped me learn to work very hard and be the best person I can be as a friend, wife, daughter, and mother.

On to the recipe. While this salad is simple enough to make, it is packed with flavor. Rocket refers to the arugula in the salad. The chicken, cranberries and artichoke hearts make this salad a hearty, satisfying meal. The sun-dried tomatoes and arugula add a nice texture and tang. The pasta is delicious and filling, truly making this dish a satiating meal. The dressing is the star of this dish. The oregano and the parsley are the savory, while the crushed red pepper and the cayenne pepper give it a nice kick. The lemon adds just the right amount of lip puckering deliciousness.

This recipe is courtesy of Meant to Share, by Danielle Kartes and will serve 4 to 6 people who will want a second bowl of this delicious and healthy chicken salad.

Ingredients for Italian Rocket and Chicken Salad:

For the Dressing:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

6 cups young rocket (baby arugula)
3 cups prepared shredded chicken (rotisserie rests work great)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 pound farfalle pasta

Place all dressing ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until dressing is thoroughly combined.

You can finely chop and whisk by hand as well.

Set aside.

Place all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Add half the dressing and toss, and reserve the rest to spoon over individual portions.

It’s that simple!

Loaded Cornbread Casserole

Apr. 1
2021

Many people do not like the springtime rain, but I love it because I know it will help my garden grow beautifully. Spring makes us think of sunshine, flowers, and vacations. Most of us, especially during this pandemic, are looking forward to being outdoors, but are often disappointed by frequent rain and random chilly days. There are planned hikes, bicycle rides, and picnics cancelled due to the sudden rain showers and generally poor weather.

While we all love spring, it is the rainiest season of the year in terms of the number of days with precipitation. Clouds are made of water droplets, and when those water droplets combine into one another, they grow. As the water droplets grow and get heavier, they fall to earth as rain.

All this rain brings nature in an explosion of brilliant colors. After the long, dark, winter months, spring is literally a breath of fresh air. And as the days get longer, the nights get shorter, and it starts to feel warmer, our gardens respond in a big way. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of seeing your first bumblebee or butterfly of the year. They’re one of the feel-good sights that give us a little taste of the summer.

Twenty years ago, my husband and I started a garden around our yard, painstakingly planting flowers and bushes that we love to see come to life during the warm months. Every year we would plant and replant the ones that did not grow back. I would not call us very adept at growing a garden, but every year we put in our due diligence and hope that the perennials will come back healthy and bigger than before.

While it’s true that tap water can help plants grow healthy, rainwater is actually much better for your garden. We have noticed that after rain falls, plants take on a greener, cleaner, and more lush appearance. This has to do with the chemical differences between rainwater and tap water. Drops of rain are rich in oxygen, which serves as a safety net in case soil is heavily saturated after heavy rain. Tap water does not have that much oxygen, and when too much of it is poured on plants, root rot occurs as a result of anaerobic soil conditions.

Whatever the reason, my husband and I are very proud of our growing garden. It took a lot of trial and error to get it right, but finally, after all these years, we have a garden that we are very proud of. We have taught our sons to garden with us and hope that when they have their own home someday, they have the tools to create a beautiful garden for themselves and their families.

On to our recipe for the day. Cornbread is one of our favorite foods. It is not just a side dish in the fall, it is one recipe that we can serve anytime of the year, sure to make us happy. This recipe calls for boxed corn muffin mix, making preparation a snap. I particularly love using boxed mixes that can be doctored up. The sour cream and cream cheese ensure a moist cake that is perfection in every bite. The garlic, paprika, and chives are the savory in this dish, and the ham, cheese, and corn add additional rich flavor and texture. This dish is crowd pleaser and one I think you will make again and again. Leftovers reheat incredibly well to boot!

This recipe is courtesy of The Cookie Rookie and will serve 6 people who will surely want seconds!

Ingredients for Loaded Cornbread Casserole:

½ white onion diced
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp minced garlic
16 oz corn
1 cup diced ham
2 box jiffys corn muffin mix
2 eggs beaten
⅔ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chives garnish

Preheat oven to 350*

Dice onion and mince garlic.

Add to a sauce pan and cook to soften about 2 minutes.

Add cream cheese and stir until melted.

Then, stir in 8 oz of corn.

Remove from heat

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.

Spread evenly into a 9×13 casserole dish.

Place into the center rack of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until edges are golden brown, or for a more “bread-like pudding, leave it in for 60 to 65 minutes.

Garnish with chives and enjoy!

It’s that simple!

Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar Cheese

Mar. 29
2021

We’ve all heard of “comfort food,” but what is it really? At its most simple, comfort food refers to an emotionally satisfying dish: ice cream, mashed potatoes, french fries, lasagna… The list goes on! Especially in these times, we may look into the fridge at all the healthy food, but when it comes right down to it, what we really want is a hamburger, a big bowl of pasta or a nice big piece of cake.

Comfort foods are usually foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt, which can make our brains stimulated by these wonderful flavors, but the satiety is often temporary. Put simply, these foods just make us feel good. Let’s face it, sometimes a salad, fruit cup, or glass of water is not our idea of comfort food. With that said, comfort can certainly be healthy too–one of my favorites is chicken soup. It is a great source of vitamins and minerals, and provides a healthy amount of fat. These benefits can help us with the symptoms of colds, flu, and congestion. Hydration is very important in treating these symptoms and chicken soup, as a liquid, helps to hydrate as the broth includes salt and electrolytes that help with retention.

But everybody’s comfort foods are different. Some may enjoy a hot tuna melt, warmed up chocolate chip cookies, or a delicious bucket of chicken wings. Comfort foods can often be associated with members of our family, happy occasions, or our caretakers. Dr. Shira Gabriel found that “there is a strong relationship [between] what you were served as a kid and the food we later on associate with comfort food as adults.”

We are all a little bit stressed and depressed these days. But if you find a healthy comfort food, or at least substitute some healthy ingredients, it can be a nutritious family meal. As Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla states, “Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain. The more balanced you make your meals, the more balanced will be your brain functioning.”

This is one satisfying comfort food that may be a healthy alternative for you. This delicious pasta is enhanced by the flavor of the leeks, broccoli rabe, and yummy cheddar cheese. The heavy cream makes it gratifying, and the crushed red pepper flakes give it a nice little kick. The chives are the perfect savory goodness. It is then topped with delightful breadcrumbs that hit the spot for this satiating dish. Use it as a side or main, you will love it either way.

This recipe comes courtesy of Epicurious, and it will make 6 to 8 servings for people who will want to keep this recipe for a day when they need their own comfort food.

Ingredients for Spicy Baked Pasta with Cheddar and Broccoli Rabe:

Kosher salt
1 lb. rigatoni, ziti, or fusilli
8 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced into half-moons
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
2 bunches broccoli rabe or 3 bunches baby broccolini, trimmed, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz. sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated (about 3 cups), divided
1 cup chopped chives, divided
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs or panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt.

Cook pasta, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking together, until just barely al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

While you are cooking the pasta, get the broccoli rabe going.

Heat 5 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium–high.

Add leeks and season with salt and black pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened (but not so much that they don’t have any texture left) and starting to brown, 8–10 minutes.

Add red pepper flakes to leeks and stir to incorporate.

Add broccoli rabe by the handful, stirring to combine and allowing each addition to wilt before adding more.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Once all of the broccoli rabe has been added, cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and set aside.

Add pasta to reserved broccoli rabe mixture along with cream, three-quarters of the cheese, ½ cup chives, and reserved pasta cooking liquid; mix well.

Season with salt and black pepper and add more red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat (keep in mind that the saltiness and spiciness will increase as the pasta bakes).

Transfer pasta to a 3-qt. baking dish (or, if your Dutch oven is ovenproof, just leave it in there).

Toss breadcrumbs and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl until coated; season with salt and black pepper.

Scatter over pasta, then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese.

Bake until pasta is bubbling across the entire surface and breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 30–35 minutes.

Let cool slightly.

Scatter remaining chives over pasta just before serving.

It’s that simple!