Roasted Brocollini with Leeks and Cranberries

Greetings from a lovely little studio apartment on west 14^th street in lower Manhattan. This week’s home away from home.

I’m eight days into sixteen days on the road. SIXTEEN DAYS. WHO AM I?

Let me stop you before you go on your internal rant on how lucky I am to travel for work. How can I be complaining while I’m seeing the country on someone else’s dime?

I am VERY lucky. I’m also very tired. Work travel is fun and exciting and stimulating. But its can also be lonely. There is a reason I do not live alone people!

It’s not all bad though. I get to see good friends and family and eat tasty food and pseudo live in places like New York and Colorado.

But in in the down moments, my mind always wanders to what Lish and her daughter Brielle are doing on this pretty California Saturday. Or to my spot on Wesley’s couch watching football between him and Junior. Or what Mom and Dad will have for Sunday dinner with out me. And now I’m tearing.

In these moments when I’m missing my life back home, I focus my thoughts back to what is really important after I get home.

ALL THE FOOD.

Of course the people are more important than the food, but the food is pretty damn important.

Thanksgiving this year will be at my aunt and uncle’s new San Clemente abode (they recently moved down south from northern California) and I’ve already gotten this dish approved to bring.

This is an easy twist on a festive Turkey Day side dish to take to a Thanksgiving dinner where you may not be able to do much in the kitchen. If you are making it at home it is perfect to pop in while the turkey is resting.

You will need…

1 lb broccolini, chopped into bite (you could sub broccoli if you can't find broccolini)

1 leek, white and light green parts julienned

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup dried cranberries

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the broccolini, leek, garlic, cranberries and olive oil.

Toss till everything is lightly coated with olive oil.

Spread the veggies out on a rimmed baking sheet and season well with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven till the leeks are starting to brown. About 10 to 20 minutes, stirring once.

Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Brocollini with Leeks and Cranberries

1 lb broccolini, chopped into bite sized pieces (you could sub broccoli if you can't find broccolini)

1 leek, white and light green parts julienned

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup dried cranberries

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the broccolini, leek, garlic, cranberries and olive oil.

Toss till everything is lightly coated with olive oil.

Spread the veggies out on a rimmed baking sheet and season well with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven till the leeks are starting to brown. About 10 to 20 minutes, stirring once.

Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Roasted Asparagus with Lemons, Asiago and Almonds

Don’t punish me, but I’ve been a bad bad girl. Well, not in life. I’ve been super nice in life. But I’ve been a bad bad blogger.

To be fair, I have had a lot going on since I returned from Colorado and the only free time I seem to be able to find is in my airplane seat. Yes. I am on an airplane again.

In the twelve days since I got home from Colorado I…

Celebrated a good friends birthday…

Did an unhealthy amount of work on the yard to prep it for planting and spent way too much time at Home Depot (yes I’m attempting a garden which I’m sure will be the source of many a future post)… 

Landed a new job (more to come on that down the road)…

Hosted a spring time soirée with great friends and this little love bug…

Attended my first, and definitely not last, Stagecoach.

And I still managed to cook up some tasty morsels and take a shower or two.

Phew… it’s been busy. But good busy. Fun busy. Exciting busy.

Now Wes and I are headed East for a little vacay before my New York show next week. He keeps reminding me that I need to remember my priorities. And he is right. Cooking is a priority. Writing is a priority. I will try to do more of both.

Here is a tasty spring side that will easily brighten any table. You enjoy this while I single handedly eat my way through Manhattan.

You will need…

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup sliced almonds

1 lemon, thinly sliced

¼ cup asiago cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees.

Lay out the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and lightly toss till they are well coated. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the thinly sliced lemon evenly over the asparagus and roast for 15 minutes until the asparagus are starting to brown and are tender.

While the asparagus is roasting, put the almonds on some aluminum foil and roast them at the same temperature for 5 minutes until toasty.

When the asparagus is done, lay them out on a nice platter and top them with the roasted lemon.

Sprinkle the asparagus with almonds and asiago and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Asparagus with Lemons, Asiago and Almonds

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup sliced almonds

1 lemon, thinly sliced

¼ cup asiago cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees.

Lay out the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and lightly toss till they are well coated. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the thinly sliced lemon evenly over the asparagus and roast for 15 minutes until the asparagus are starting to brown and are tender.

While the asparagus is roasting, put the almonds on some aluminum foil and roast them at the same temperature for 5 minutes until toasty.

When the asparagus is done, lay them out on a nice platter and top them with the roasted lemon.

Sprinkle the asparagus with almonds and asiago and serve hot. 

Caprese Garlic Bread

I’ve always been a person who likes to keep busy. After all, idle handles are the devil’s play things. Nothing but trouble comes out of boredom. Well that last part’s not really true. In my case, naps come out of boredom.

But in the last few months and in the months to come, busy is taking on a whole new meaning. This Saturday, just ten days after arriving home from a long business trip I’m headed to Europe with Albert to see Josh and my sister from another mister, Jeanelle. Ten days after I get home from vacation I’m headed to Dallas, followed by Atlanta, followed by Colorado, and then right back to NYC just in time for my twenty-eighth birthday. Ugh. That one hurt a bit coming out.

Basically, I’m going to be a lot of places in a very short period. But I still want to get crazy in the kitchen even though I’m strapped for time. So don’t be surprised if most of my dishes in the not so distant future are quick and painless.

This appetizer/side dish combines two of my absolute favorite things in a flavor bomb. Caprese salad and garlic bread are pretty much popular with everyone. Vegans and gluten free friends excluded.

This idea popped into my head while I was in a pinch at the grocery store but it came together just as I had hoped it would. You might want to double the recipe because the fam was mad there wasn’t more.

You will need…

1 large baguette (French or sourdough), slice din half length wise

½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup basil, roughly chopped

2 vine ripened tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated or sliced ¼ inch thick

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the butter, garlic and 3/4’s cup of the basil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Blend until the butter is smooth and all ingredients are combined.

Spread a generous amount of the butter on both halves of the baguette.

Top the buttered bread with a layer of tomato and mozzarella and bake in the oven until the bread is golden brown around the edges and the cheese is melty. About 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven, top with reserved basil, drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some fresh pepper. Slice and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Caprese Garlic Bread

1 large baguette (French or sourdough), slice din half length wise

½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup basil, roughly chopped

2 vine ripened tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated or sliced ¼ inch thick

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the butter, garlic and 3/4’s cup of the basil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Blend until the butter is smooth and all ingredients are combined.

Spread a generous amount of the butter on both halves of the baguette.

Top the buttered bread with a layer of tomato and mozzarella and bake in the oven until the bread is golden brown around the edges and the cheese is melty. About 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven, top with reserved basil, drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some fresh pepper. Slice and serve hot. 

Roasted Lemon Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

Yesterday was an all around good day. Pretty much every aspect of my life had a really stellar showing. There was sweet yoga, scrumptious food, stellar friends, we found out my brother gets to come home early from Europe and I think I hit a relationship milestone.

Every year for as long as I can remember, I’ve gotten together with my girlfriends from highschool for a holiday party and gift exchange. The party has been many different places and has taken many different forms, but it is always a blast.

This year, the party was at Wes’s house with myself and Lindsey B as guest hostesses. Not only did I keep it together all day and not freak out at any point even though we cooked everything from scratch (pasta bar with three pasta’s and sauces, multiple cheese dips, salad, and three dessert options) we worked in sync all day long! Not a single disagreement was to be found. And for any couple hosting a party together, I think that is a great freaking success!

All the fun and food and friends has really warn me out. But the fireball shot catchphrase is what really took the wind out of my sales today!

I need something tasty, easy and light. If you had any type of holiday fun like I did, you do too.

You will need...

1 lb green beans, trimmed and halved

1 lemon, zested and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus about ¼ cup for frying

2 shallots, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss together the beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and the lemon slices. Season well with salt and pepper and lay it all on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast in the oven till the beans are starting to brown. About 40 minutes. Stirring about half way through.

While they are roasting pour enough oil to fill the bottom of a small pan. Heat the oil over high heat till the oil is hot. Add in the shallots and fry until they are golden brown. About 5 minutes.

Remove the shallots from the oil with a slotted spoon and set them on a paper towel to dry.

When the beans are roasted, toss with the fried shallots and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Roasted Lemon Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

1 lb green beans, trimmed and halved

1 lemon, zested and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus about ¼ cup for frying

2 shallots, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss together the beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and the lemon slices. Season well with salt and pepper and lay it all on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast in the oven till the beans are starting to brown. About 40 minutes. Stirring about half way through.

While they are roasting pour enough oil to fill the bottom of a small pan. Heat the oil over high heat till the oil is hot. Add in the shallots and fry until they are golden brown. About 5 minutes.

Remove the shallots from the oil with a slotted spoon and set them on a paper towel to dry.

When the beans are roasted, toss with the fried shallots and serve hot.

Tangy Sautéed Brussels Sprout and Leeks

Moms are the best. Specifically, my mom is pretty (as Wes put it tonight) badass. And she is.

Since Wesley moved, I’ve been “helping” him decorate his new place. By “helping” I really mean completely taking over like a crazed tyrant.

So I had my eye on these white leather storage benches I found at Homegoods. I hesitated and decided to give myself some time to think about my purchase. There were two of them, so I was fairly confident they would be there when I returned.

Last night we went to go make a purchase and they were both GONE. It was at that moment I realized how perfect that bench was and now it had escaped my grasp.

So I did what any rational person would do. I spent hours scouring the Internet for the same bench and found NOTHING. Seriously? I’m a professional online shopper. If I couldn’t find it, it ain’t out there.

At lunch today I went to a second, way more fully stocked Homegoods store and found nada. I was PISSED.

I just knew I would never find anything I liked as much.

But tonight, my mom happened to be at a Homegoods that I would never been in and she found and purchased me the bench.

Like I said, the best.

So when she requests things in the kitchen like a meal of scallops and Brussels sprouts when all I want to make is a simple soup and salad, I say yes.

This dish filled my need for something simple and Mom’s desire for sprouts. And I got the perfect bench. Win. Win. Win.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ lb Brussels sprouts, halved and stems removed

2 leeks, white and light green

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding the olive oil and leeks to a large pan and toss them until the leeks are lightly coated.

Season with salt and pepper and cook the leeks down until they are softened.

Add in the Brussels sprouts. Try and place them flat side down so they get a good brown.

When the sprouts have caramelized a bit, toss the leeks and sprouts well and season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the vinegar and toss well. Let the liquid burn off and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Tangy Sautéed Brussels Sprout and Leeks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ lb Brussels sprouts, halved and stems removed

2 leeks, white and light green

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding the olive oil and leeks to a large pan and toss them until the leeks are lightly coated.

Season with salt and pepper and cook the leeks down until they are softened.

Add in the Brussels sprouts. Try and place them flat side down so they get a good brown.

When the sprouts have caramelized a bit, toss the leeks and sprouts well and season with salt and pepper.

Pour in the vinegar and toss well. Let the liquid burn off and serve hot. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Almondine

Due to too much travel and genuine exhaustion, I am pretty much skipping Halloween this year. If the fact that I am not dressing up for Halloween isn’t a clear indicator that I’m overworked, I’m not sure what is.

I love dressing up, but I’m dreading the fact that we are supposed to dress up at work tomorrow. The thought of wearing my Lulu Lemon gear and going as a yoga instructor has crossed my mind more than once.

Fingers crossed something brilliant comes to me in the morning. If not I’m going to not brush my hair, wear my pajamas and go as bed head.

But no matter how tired I am, I still want to eat well. So I’m queuing up a flavor packed dish.

You will need…

2 tablespoon butter

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced into lettuce like pieces

3 ounces proscuitto, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 small red onions

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

½ cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the sprouts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast them until golden brown. About 20 to 30 minutes. Stir about halfway through.

While the sprouts are roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the proscuitto to the pan and cook it until it starts to crisp up. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until they are soft. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the almonds, oregano and season with salt and pepper.

When the sprouts are golden brown, toss them in with the almond mixture, top with cheese and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Almondine

2 tablespoon butter

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved and thinly sliced into lettuce like pieces

3 ounces proscuitto, diced

3 garlic cloves

1 small red onions

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

½ cup sliced almonds

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together the Brussels sprouts and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.

Spread out the sprouts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast them until golden brown. About 20 to 30 minutes. Stir about halfway through.

While the sprouts are roasting, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the proscuitto to the pan and cook it until it starts to crisp up. Add in the mushrooms and onions and cook until they are soft. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the almonds, oregano and season with salt and pepper.

When the sprouts are golden brown, toss them in with the almond mixture, top with cheese and serve hot.