Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

This recipe is incredibly easy to put together. It's also a unique and tasty addition for any dinner party.

The first time I made this, I made it ahead the day before, through step one, then reheated, added the cheese, and baked for the last 15 mins just before serving.  It worked very well.  In fact, I could have completed the dish and reheated the day of just as well. 

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds turnips (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, arrange a single layer of turnips and sweet potatoes, overlapping slightly. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with one-third of the flour. Repeat to make three more layers, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and flour between layers. Dot top layer with butter, then slowly pour broth and wine into dish, keeping layers intact. Cover with foil and bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese over dish. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Let gratin sit 10 minutes before serving.






Original link:
http://www.marthastewart.com/326625/turnip-and-sweet-potato-gratin

Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole

This recipe was a big hit!  It can be made in advance and easily reheated for dinner. I used a variety of mushrooms, including Shiitake, Oyster, and a heavy helping of Cremini.

Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole

Ingredients

3/4 pound mixed wild mushrooms, such as cremini and shiitake, stemmed and quartered
1 stick unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted
1 large onion, minced
4 large celery ribs, finely diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 pounds broccoli—heads cut into 1-inch florets, stems peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 1/3 cups crumbled Ritz crackers (from 1 sleeve, about 35 crackers)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until coarsely chopped. In a large saucepan, melt the stick of butter. Add the onion and celery and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until their liquid evaporates and they begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan, until the mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl to let cool, then stir in the mayonnaise.

Arrange the broccoli florets and stems in a large steamer basket and steam until barely crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli to the mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Pour in the broccoli-mushroom mixture, smoothing the surface. Sprinkle the cheese on top. In a small bowl, toss the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and scatter them over the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove the foil and bake for about 40 minutes longer, until the topping is golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead
The baked casserole can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat before serving.


Original link:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/broccoli-and-wild-mushroom-casserole

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

This is a very quick and easy addition to any dinner party.  I blanched the green beans a few hours in advance to make dinner prep even easier.

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

Ingredients

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to saute until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.



Original link:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/green-beans-with-lemon-and-garlic-recipe.html

Sugared Cranberries

These tasty treats remind me of pomegranates - slightly sweet, slightly tangy, slightly bitter - but are larger with no seed. 

Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients

2 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries
2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water, divided
Additional sugar for rolling

Directions

Wash cranberries and discard any damaged ones - set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper - set aside.

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat.

Carefully stir 1/2 cup cold water into the dissolved sugar water mixture.

Add fresh cranberries to the sugar water mixture and stir until coated.

With a slotted spoon, remove cranberries from the liquid and place in a single layer on parchment lined sheet pan.

Let cranberries sit for an hour or until slightly sticky to the touch.

Pour sugar in a shallow dish and add a handful full of cranberries at a time. Roll berries around in sugar until fully coated.

Spread sugared cranberries out evenly on a baking sheet and let dry for an additional hour or two.

Store in a container at room temperature.


Original link:
http://eats.macaronikid.com/article/1130035/sugared-cranberries

Cucumber Salad

This tasty cucumber salad dish is more akin to pickles than the salad you might see at a sushi restaurant.  But it's very easy, full of crispy goodness, and a tasty side dish for a light lunch.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

2 seedless cucumbers (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds total)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Cut cucumbers into thin (1/16-inch) rounds with slicer. Toss with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander, then drain 30 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from cucumbers.

Whisk together sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl, then stir in cucumbers. Marinate, chilled, at least 2 hours.

Drain cucumbers, reserving marinade, and mound on lettuce. Whisk oil into reserved marinade and drizzle over salad.




Original link:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-salad-350881

Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta

I've been cooking a lot with pumpkin this year.  Maybe someday I'll actually try making puree myself from fresh pumpkins.  But I'm not ready for that level of commitment yet.

Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked whole wheat pasta
2 slices center cut bacon, chopped
1 shallot, minced
15 oz homemade or canned pumpkin puree
1 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x9-inch baking pan with oil spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat add chopped bacon and sauté until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add chopped shallot and cook 1 minute. Add pumpkin, chicken broth, rosemary and 3 tbsp Pecorino Romano, stir and add salt and pepper to taste; simmer about 8 - 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the pumpkin sauce and mix well.

Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Top with the remaining shredded Pecorino Romano and mozzarella.

Cover and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes, then divide into 4 equal portions.

Note: This can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Original link:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/11/cheesy-baked-pumpkin-pasta.html

Chickpea Curry

I don't know if my daughter is strange or if I'm just lucky or if all kids naturally like curry but no parents were brave enough to try... but my daughter loved this dish.  Except the spinach.  Which is weird, because she loves spinach, but she doesn't like green things in her food.  Toddlers.

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice, cooked
2 tsp olive oil + 1 tbsp
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp ginger, grated
4 tsp curry powder
2 cans Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups cauliflower, roasted
1 pint cherry tomatoes, roasted
4 cup spinach
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss cauliflower and tomatoes in one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. On a baking sheet roast cauliflower and cherry tomatoes until golden brown for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat and add onion; stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and curry powder; stirring until fragrant about 1 minute. Add chickpeas, roasted tomatoes, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil over high. REduce heat to medium, cover, and gently simmer for 8 minutes.

Add cauliflower and cook until cauliflower is warmed through and chickpeas are tender about 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately on a bed of basmati rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro if desired.



Original link:
http://www.katiescucina.com/2012/01/chickpea-curry/