Tuesday, June 12, 2012
And now I bring to you… another dish I did not cook myself. My mom is the one who did the cooking of this dish, but I’m the one who picked it out. I received beets in my CSA and I was determined to not let them go to waste. So I needed to be sure and have my mom cook them while she was here helping out the week Nathan returned to work. I chose this dish because it was very simple to prepare, and I didn’t want to ask her to do anything too elaborate. While Nathan can be picky about some things, I’ll be the first to admit he’s pretty open to any vegetable I throw his way, but I wasn’t sure he’d be into the beets. Luckily, I knew I could distract him by pointing out we were having steak for dinner! I very rarely choose steak, or read meat of any kind when choosing meals to cook.
We all really enjoyed this dish. I did feel the greens needed some kick, so I added in additional red wine vinegar. I would recommend starting with the listed amount, and adding more if you feel it needs it. But other than that it was really flavorful & balanced. Sometimes I feel beets can come off too earthy, and in this dish they did not. The steak preparation was really simple, and if you have a good cut of quality meat, simple is best.
Overall, I’m really glad my mom was there to cook this for us, as I’m not sure I could have prepared it from start to finish! Elliott has been going through a growth spurt and dinner time is the worst. He wants to eat every hour and a half! Feeding/burping/changing him takes about an hour, then he needs to be held & “shushed”, and before you know it it’s time to do all over again! I chose to breastfeed, and I’m so thankful it’s working out for us, though it can be hard at times. Because he’s getting ALL of his nutrients from me, I am trying my hardest to make sure I eat a healthy, balanced diet. I love that through my CSA I am eating so many wonderful, local vegetables, and passing along the nutrients to my son. It’s been working well, because he sure is chunking up!
{3 weeks old, and chunking up!}
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Skirt Steak with Beets & Greens
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
I added the beet greens in along with the swiss chard.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 medium red or yellow beets (1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 skirt steak (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 4 equal pieces
1 bunch Swiss chard (12 ounces), ribs cut away and discarded, leaves cut into large pieces
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beets on a large sheet of foil; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold foil to make a packet and crimp edges to create a tight seal. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beets are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Season steaks with salt and pepper and cook until medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Transfer to a plate to rest.
Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel; return to stove. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add Swiss chard; cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add beets and vinegar; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with beets and greens.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
First of all, thank you all so much for all the kind congratulatory comments regarding the new addition to our family. We’re overjoyed, and filled with love. Also, a bit tired & sleep deprived, but, it’s worth it.
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m really excited to share this recipe with you. My mother came down for a few days after Elliott was born to help out with the house & Jesse. This is one of the meals she prepared for us, and I knew the moment I took a bite I had to share it with my readers. I’m actually a bit shocked that she wanted to prepare this. It just doesn’t seem like something that would interest her. I think I must be helping broaden her culinary horizons. 😉
This is an awesome dish that has a balance of vegetables & pasta, where meat is more a complimentary accent. It has a savory/sweet balance that is really unique. I would never think to put a dijon mustard/honey/red wine vinegar vinaigrette mixed in with roasted vegetables and prosciutto, but it really works! And, it’s a perfect way to use seasonal produce. My mom walked over to the farmer’s market to pick up all the veggies, and most are ones I’m also receiving in my CSA right now. I was a bit worried that Nathan might not like it, because it wasn’t heavy on meat, but turns out he really liked it too!
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Penne with Roasted Vegetables and Prosciutto
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: > 1 hour
This tastes best slightly warm or room temperature, which makes it perfect for a summer gathering!
Ingredients:
Pasta:
Salt
1 pound penne pasta
Vegetables:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 large zucchini, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1-inch half-moon pieces (about 12 ounces)
3 medium summer squash, ends trimmed, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1-inch half-moon pieces (about 12 ounces)
1/2 small cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey or agave
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions:
For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl.
For the vegetables: Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini, summer squash, cauliflower, carrots and garlic in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and bake until light golden and tender, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
To assemble: Add the vegetables, vinaigrette, prosciutto and Parmesan to the cooked pasta. Toss until coated, and season with salt and pepper.
Monday, May 28, 2012
My little man, Elliott!! Born May 21st, 2012.
{Elliott, 1 day old}
As I mentioned in my baby shower post, we opted to not find out if we were having a boy or a girl. As it turns out, we got a son! While we honestly did not know the sex, we both had a “feeling” from the beginning it was a boy. I really wanted that delivery room surprise moment, where Nathan told me “It’s a ___!” but… as it turned out, I actually saw before he did, and immediately said to him “It’s a boy!” LOL! I told him later, I wasn’t so much telling him, but I was more so confirming with him. It’s just one of those things that happens in the heat of the moment I guess!
Elliott surprised us in more ways than one, because he came 8 days early! And I swore up and down from the beginning I thought I’d end up with a June baby, seeing as I was due May 29th. You know how they say a sign of labor is nesting, where you get this surge of energy to clean? Yeah, that didn’t happen with me. But I got a surge of energy to cook & bake! I made 2 batches of cookie dough, strawberry scones, homemade pizza, and more between Friday when I got off work and Sunday night. I guess that’s my form of nesting!
I don’t know how frequent my posts will be, as I’m not spending time in the kitchen myself these days. Taking care of Elliott is taking up most of my time, but I actually have a handful of things I’ve made & photographed stockpiled, so maybe I’ll find time to at least share those with you! PLUS, I’m participating in a FUN blog event coming up celebrate my friend’s new cookbook (can you say COOKIE DOUGH?!), and I really want to share with you a meal my mom made for us when we got home from the hospital. It was really delicious and totally my style, so therefore I know the readers of my blog would probably like it too!
Until then, here’s a little bit more Elliott cuteness. 🙂
{Elliott, 6 days old, getting his first “bath” at home. No water involved, using this stuff.}
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
These days I’ve been feeling pretty lazy when it comes to preparing meals. Gone is the enthusiasm to seek out recipes. I’m constantly WAY behind on my Google Reader, and forget even looking at Foodgawker or Pinterest. We’ve been eating some pretty lame, boring, repetitive meals. I literally stand in the grocery and ask myself “What the hell are we going to eat tonight?” I cannot WAIT for my CSA to start (this weekend!) because it gives me inspiration. Until then, any dish that relies heavily on pantry staples is a lifesaver in my book, and that’s just what this one does.
I’ve also been a bit lazy when it comes to blogging, but I knew when I first tasted this that I needed to be sure and snap a picture so I could blog it. I can’t guarantee how often I’ll be blogging new recipes after the baby comes, but I know I will continue to turn to my blog when I want to make recipes I know & love. Not to sound selfish, but the number one thing I like about having my blog is for me to have fast & easy access to recipes I can trust. Most often, it’s the “best of the best” when it comes to recipes I enjoy. I’m so beyond even caring if Tastespotting/Foodgawker/whoever likes my photo. I post a recipe with a fugly photo if I want, unashamed!
I must say though, this one doesn’t fall under the fugly category. I find it to be every bit as good to look at as it was to eat! This recipe is perfect for a summer get together as it can be eaten chilled or room temperature. Or it would be great to whip up and eat for lunch! I loved the balance of flavors between the beans, fire roasted red peppers, and the dijon mustard vinaigrette.
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White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 for lunch on top of a bed of salad greens
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 small clove garlic, grated on a microplane
1 (16 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Directions:
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir in all remaining ingredients; refrigerate until serving.
And, for all you Nashville locals, I just wanted to help spread the word that one of Nashville’s great neighborhood farmers markets is back open for business! Beginning yesterday, the 12th South market located in Sevier Park off Clayton Ave & 12th Ave S will operate on Tuesdays, from 3:30 – 6:30pm. So head out, listen to some music, and shop the produce, meats, cheese, & more! Plus, it’s another chance to grab some food truck food, as the Grilled Cheeserie will be there each week. For more info, including a full list of vendors, go to www.12southfarmersmarket.com.
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