Archives for posts with tag: maple

Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

November 25, 2014 //
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Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

I’m always looking for new ways to make Brussels Sprouts. As much as I love them roasted with some olive oil, salt and pepper a little twist is always welcome. When I saw this recipe from the blog So Let’s Hang Out on Pinterest I knew I had to try it. I was excited about the sweetness of the maple syrup and the spice of the sriracha.  Sriracha can be quite spicy so feel free to use a little less.

1 pound of Brussels Sprouts (about 20 sprouts), sliced in half or quartered if large
3 TB. maple syrup
1 TB. sriracha

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray it with a little bit of olive oil spray (or other cooking spray you have on hand) then set it aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the syrup and sriracha. Place sprouts in the same bowl and toss thoroughly to coat.

Pour sprouts onto the lined baking sheet and spread them out evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

 

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Categories Meals

Autumn’s Best Sides

November 25, 2014 //
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Way back in July, when it was warm and sunny, I shared four great summer side dishes, and as those of us in the Northeast brace for a Thanksgiving Eve Nor’easter I’m here today with some favorite autumn side dishes. We’ve said goodbye not only to 80 degree beach days, but also tomatoes and corn on the cob, but there are still a lot of great vegetables to enjoy this time of year, and many, such as Brussels sprouts and kale, are at their best after the first frost of the season.

I like these side dishes any night during the fall, but they would also be perfect for your Thanksgiving table. Just add turkey and cranberry sauce!

A pile of cranberries ready for Thanksgiving!

A pile of cranberries ready for Thanksgiving!

Tangy Roasted Beets and Carrots
Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage
Sicilian Cauliflower and Black Olive Gratin
Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

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Categories Meal Plans

Pork Tenderloin with Maple Glaze + Roasted Roots

November 7, 2014 //
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Maple Pork Tenderloin
Maple Pork Tenderloin

This is another great fall recipe that doesn’t take too much time or effort. We had some leftover polenta which went really nicely with the pork, especially the maple glaze, which is delish!

Roasted Roots
Roasted Roots

When I was at the Farm School this was one of our favorite side dishes. So hearty and healthy. It is perfect in the fall when beets, carrots and potatoes are in their prime. You could substitute in parsnips, celery root or turnip. The bunches of carrots and beets caught my eye at the market, and I had a few extra fingerling potatoes in my pantry so that’s what I made, but try whatever you like!

4 beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb. potatoes, halved or quartered
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss vegetables with olive oil, enough to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 45-60 minutes – toss about halfway through.

 

 

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Market Discoveries

November 7, 2014 //
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One of the best things about the local food movement is that it has brought to light so many underused vegetables and fruits. If it weren’t for farmers markets I wouldn’t know about or have gotten a chance to eat fennel, celeriac, or romanesco. Before the proliferation of farmers markets I bet many of you had never seen or eaten a heirloom tomato. Whether you get them now from a farmers market or your local grocery store, the demand for these special, and dare I say better tomatoes, stems from the growth and ubiquity of farmers markets.

It isn’t just brand new foods that markets introduce us to; markets provide a retail space for farmers to try out different versions of some tried and true favorites without the worry that a grocery store will reject them because they aren’t the right shape or color. That’s how I encountered these beautiful carrots seen below. While shopping at my local Greenmarket I stumbled upon a big bunch of carrots in shades of orange, yellow and purple. They were majestic and I had to have them! So, get a little adventurous and try a new vegetable or fruit this week. We are so lucky to live in an age when hard, pink tomatoes are no longer acceptable.
Carrots_Web

Meal #1: Pork Tenderloin with Maple Glaze + Roasted Roots
Meal #2: Penne alla Vodka + Green Salad
Meal #3: Pan-Seared Scallops with Apple Cider Brown Butter and Brussels Sprouts Apple Slaw
Meal #4: Lemon and Olive Chicken + Red Roasted Carrots

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
Honeycrisp apple – 1
Brussels sprouts – 7 large
lemon – 2
onion – 1
beets  – 4 medium to large
carrots  – 1 large bunch (8 or so)
potatoes -1/2 lb.
crumbled dried sage leaves – 2 ts.
sage – 1 bundle
green olives – 1/2 cup
chicken stock – 1 cup
large (28 oz) and small (14 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes – 1 each
penne – 1 box
heavy cream – 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese – (if don’t already have it)
dried thyme – (if don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper – (if don’t already have it)
maple syrup – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider – (if don’t already have it)
Dijon mustard – (if don’t already have it)
cinnamon – (if don’t already have it)
paprika – (if don’t already have it)
chili powder – (if don’t already have it)
garlic powder – (if don’t already have it)
pork tenderloins – 2, 12- to 14-ounce
bone-in chicken breast halves – 4
scallops – 16 large
vodka – 1/4 cup

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Categories Meal Plans

When cooking is a chore

October 24, 2014 //
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A couple of weeks ago The New York Times’ Magazine was devoted to food, specifically kids and food. For many of us this is a touchy subject. There are a thousand opinions out there on what kids should eat and how to get them to eat more. One of the magazine’s articles that caught my attention was Virginia Heffernan’s public confession “What if You Just Hate Making Dinner?” In it, she admits that not only does she hate to cook, but she hates cooking for her kids. Frankly, I thought it was pretty brave, but some others thought otherwise.

Since my primary goal in starting this meal planning blog was to help readers cook more frequently for their families her article struck a nerve. I get it. Not everyone likes to cook. I don’t like to knit or really make any crafts at all. If crafting was required for survival my family wouldn’t make it. But, cooking is different. We all need to eat and the more healthy it is the better.

I hope that rather than making you feel guilty about not cooking for yourself or your family that this blog has at the most inspired you and at the very least helped you. Even for me, cooking and especially meal planning, can be a chore. With this in mind, this week’s meal plan is super quick and easy. The maple dijon chicken take about 5 minutes of active time and uses ingredients you probably already have, while the butternut squash polenta is a bit more challenging, but still easy enough to make on a weeknight. Hang in there and remember it is 100% okay to order pizza sometimes!

Something spooky to get you into the Halloween spirit!

Something spooky to get you into the Halloween spirit!

Meal #1: Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs + Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes
Meal #2: Skirt Steak with Arugula + Roasted Cauliflower
Meal #3: Butternut Squash Polenta with Sausage and Onion
Meal #4: Fennel and Garlic Shrimp + French Bread

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
green beans – 1 lb.
arugula – 1 bunch
cauliflower – 1 head
onions – 2
garlic – 1 head
fennel bulbs – 2
butternut squash – 1 small
rosemary – 1 bunch
fennel seeds (optional)
French bread
fine polenta (not quick cooking) – 1 cup
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
maple syrup (if you don’t already have it)
dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
rice wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
boneless, skinless chicken thighs – 2 lb. (approx. 2 per person)
skirt steak – 1 1/2 lb.
sweet Italian sausage – 1 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 2 lb.
Pernod (optional)

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Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs + Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes

October 24, 2014 //
0

Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs
Maple Dijon Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest where I think it has made the rounds thousands of times. I’ve seen it multiple times, and I guess I just tried it this week because maple chicken felt perfect for autumn. I can’t say that I love the fact that the original recipe from Witty in the City is called “Man-Pleasing Chicken,” but don’t let that stop you from trying it.

2 lb. (2 per person) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
3/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 TB. rice wine vinegar
1 TB. fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix mustard, syrup and vinegar together. Place chicken thighs in a foil-lined baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour mustard mixture over the chicken and turn them so that the thighs are well-coated with the sauce.

Bake chicken for 40-45 minutes, basting them with the sauce approximately 20 minutes into baking. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top to serve.

Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans

A simple side dish, that depending on how you look at it, either lightens up a typical potato dish or makes a side of green beans a bit heartier.

IMG_0957

6 medium red or yukon gold potatoes, sliced thinly
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed
2 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes and green beans in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and spread on a baking sheet (you may need two so the vegetables aren’t on top of each other). Roast for 20-25 minutes, checking them after 15 minutes to make sure the potatoes don’t burn.

 

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