Don't Roast Veggies When It's Over 60 Degrees Out

Perhaps it's the Mad Men binge I've been on, but I've been particularly domestic in the little part of this week that has transpired. With a full Sunday ahead of me, I was feeling bored and decided to plan out all my meals for the week- of course, making enough to have leftovers at lunch each day - and so I have not one, but two meals to share with you.

After grocery shopping last night (where I always get more food for my money, thank you cheap-o grocery store), I came back to make Sole Gratin with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers. And yeah, that's exactly what the dish is.

As you've probably already figured out, I didn't use Sole. Not only because my grocery store most likely didn't carry it (they don't even carry Brussels sprouts), but also because I have plenty of tilapia and didn't see the point in buying more fish. Here's how it works. You take a baking dish - or a gratin dish if you have it, I don't - and coat it with olive oil. You then rub the fish in the oil and season it with salt and pepper on each side. The actual recipe has you layer each fillet on top of the other, but I was cooking for one. Next, you thinly slice and onion. I used this same cut when I helped Kelly cook this past weekend, more on that later. I only used a quarter of an onion (again, cooking for one) and made thing slices of half moons and then separated the layers so that the onion would cook quickly.

It then called for canned plum tomatoes to be crushed through your fingers. I bought natural plum tomatoes, having read the recipe incorrectly, and opted for grape ones instead. Though I did still crush them with my hands because playing with food is fun. I also managed not to get any juice on my white Run DMC shirt while doing so. Who's awesome?

I chopped up some black olives and added it to the tomatoes and onion along with some capers, then tossed it all in olive oil, salt and pepper. This mixture was spooned over the fish, and then came the breadcrumbs. The recipe requested me to mix the breadcrumbs with oil beforehand then sprinkle them on top. I felt like I was playing with sand. It did help brown to breadcrumbs without burning them though.

This all cooked for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Thanks to the handy meat thermometer, I didn't have to demolish the dish to see if the fish was cooked all the way though. Got it on the first try!

The dish was really great, not too salty as I had feared with the olives and capers. It was nice to get away from my usual pan-searing of fish for a slightly lighter take. My only issue was the amount of oil at the bottom of the baking dish. Between what I coated the dish with and what came into the dish with the tomato/onion/olive/caper mixture, it was a little much. Next time I think I may actually spoon rather than dump the mixture on top of the fish. Also a surprise, no cheese in a gratin? Mind = blown.

Tonight's dish was another unique take on a meal I thought I knew so well: Pasta Primavera.

For some reason I've always thought primavera required some sort of creamy sauce. According to Giada, that's not so. Let me preface this by saying that I made an Everyday Italian meal that I hadn't made before - huzzah for revisiting the original goal of the blog! Moving on, Giada said that traditional primavera requires you to cut all the veggies, steam/boil/however you normally cook them, then blanch them, all in separate bowls. Thank god she didn't want me to do that, because I only have so many bowls...I live in a studio apartment.

Instead, Giada's version takes after my mother's own roasted veggie pasta, but is slightly different. It also took much longer than I anticipated (try one and a half episodes of Law & Order: SVU). I started by covering a baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean-up later. I then sliced half an onion the same way I did yesterday, and separated the layers out over the greased and covered pan. Next I peeled carrots and cut them into long, thin strips. Didn't take too long, but the worst was yet to come. I did the same with zucchini - without peeling it beforehand - and spread that out over the sheet.

Then came the worst part: acorn squash. I cut the squash in half, and was encouraged by how much easier it was to slice through it than a butternut squash. It wasn't any easier to peel it though. Actually, it may have been more difficult since its size required my hands to get closer to the peeler. I even incurred an injury. After searching the apartment for band-aids and failing, I cleaned the cut and covered it with medical tape...which I'm not really sure why I have it?

Anyhow, once the squash was (mostly) peeled, it was easy enough to thinly slice and add to the sheet. Last came one red pepper, which was exponentially easier after the squash debacle.

Considering I like my roasted veggies caramelized, I divided the now sliced veggies onto two covered baking sheets so they could make a nice, even layer. After the separation, I tossed them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then threw them in the oven for 10 minutes at 450. At the 10 minute mark, I tossed them around, then put them back in for another 10.

Meanwhile I started cooking some spaghetti, though the recipe recommended farfalle (bowties), but I unfortunately didn't have any, and knew the elbows I did have just wouldn't have worked. I drained the pasta and left a bit of the starchy water in it, then took out the veggies and added them to the pot. The pot was just a bit too small to toss it all, but I made it work. I then topped it with tomatoes and fresh shredded parm and some Italian seasoning.

Honestly, this was delicious. The veggies get so caramel-y and sweet, and leaving the tomatoes out of the roasting adds a nice subtle crunch. I was scared it would be bland, but it really isn't at all. It's amazing how water and cheese just work like that. The difference between this and my mom's dish is the tomatoes, which she usually roasts along with garlic, then smashes them both together for the sauce. It's awesome. Oh and by the way, don't roast veggies at 450 on a day that's over 60 degrees. Especially when your ceiling fan doesn't work...and you don't have A/C...in March.

I just thought everyone should know, that in the middle of writing this post I took my garbage out and locked myself out of my room for an hour and a half. It's been one of those nights.

As for this past weekend, Kelly and I went to a yoga class at Yoga to the People where the donation for the class is suggested but not mandatory. My kind of place. I've also fallen in love with yoga...and definitely felt its effects for three days.

After yoga we went back to Kelly's apartment and she made us a dinner of quinoa, roasted kale and sweet potatoes and onions, topped with balsamic vinegar and oil and craisins. Super healthy and filling! We then came back to my place and Kelly crashed on the futon, and we ventured to the good ole diner for breakfast in the morning. The rest of the day is housewife history.

More to come later in the week.

A Day Late...

...but not a dollar short. I actually made my recipe last night, but due to a few missteps after eating it, and then a night of fun, I wasn't able to update until today.

I made another dish from "Everyday Contorni" last night called Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables. It was basically what I make as a side dish to my meals every night. Super easy, simple, and probably not nearly as interesting as what followed it. But I'll go over it anyway.

I started by preheating the toaster oven to 400 degrees and covering the tray with foil as usual. I then cut up some carrots, Brussels sprouts, and a sweet potato. The recipe called for parsnips as well, but it turns out that both Wal-Mart and Hannaford didn't have any at all. It would've made my search a little easier if I had known what a parsnip looked like, but I didn't. And I still don't.

I sprayed down the veggies with some EVOO and added some dried oregano and basil. I also chopped some fresh rosemary and threw that it with some salt and pepper. I then placed them evenly on the tray and allowed them to roast for about 35 minutes (stirring them occasionally).

Yup, that's all there was to it. an easy side dish (or big veggie meal) for any night of the week. Did I mention that the potatoes were actually cooked through this time? Anyhow, before taking on this recipe, I was invited over to my best friend's house for dinner. I explained to her that I was scheduled (yes, I do schedule when I make these recipes) to cook for the blog tonight and told her I would be over after. She was having a rough couple of days and wanted to make some comfort food, so I thought why not bring her something comforting for dessert?

I had two overly ripe bananas in my kitchen and decided that my semi-famous banana bread would be the way to go. However, I would need to use the actual oven upstairs, and the recipe takes over an hour to bake. I had a "brilliant" idea as I usually do, but this time it got me a one-way ticket on the fail boat.

I made my banana bread batter and poured a bit of it into my little ramekins (see Individual Vegetarian Lasagna pictures). Once my veggies were done, I placed the ramekins in the toaster oven...without turning down the temperature. It was at 400, but my banana bread needed to be at 325. Having it higher would just cook it faster, right? I was so very, very wrong. It turns out they put oven temperatures on recipes for a reason.

When one of the mini breads appeared to be nice and brown on the top, I removed it from the oven and let it sit. Honestly, it looked completely done, but when I flipped it out onto a plate, it went EVERYWHERE. The very top of it was bread-like, but the rest was just raw batter. At this point, I was more than a hour late to my best friend's, and decided to nix the whole idea. I even threw out the extra batter (after indulging in some, of course. I have no will power around raw batter).

I went over to my friend's, talked for awhile, tried some okra for the first time in the gumbo she made, and played the Game of Things. I highly recommend it.

So that was my night! I won't be cooking for the next couple of days. Sunday is the Super Bowl meaning I'll be making some dips, and then hopefully Tuesday I'll be back at it. Come back soon!

OK. Now I really don't mean to be braggadocious, but what you see pictured above, is my best dish yet. I have no idea what to call it, and it was nothing difficult to make, but I'm sitting here eating it right now, and I'm having trouble typing because I just want to keep eating more of it.

I decided to explore the kitchen above me today which is actually a lot bigger than the one I've been using. I had no real plan going into this meal. I basically took veggies from the fridge that needed to be used before they went bad, some chicken, and tomato paste (I knew for sure I wanted some sort of tomato sauce) then Rachael Rayed my way up the stairs (I'll know I'm truly successful if the term "Rachael Ray" becomes a verb in Webster's dictionary).

This dish is basically chicken in a tomato sauce with roasted vegetables. It doesn't sound all that interesting, but I'm so proud of it at this moment! I started by preheating the oven to 450 degrees. I then sliced a zucchini into very thin slices. I was hoping it would become some sort of zucchini chip. Then, I halved an onion and thinly sliced one half and added it to the zucchini. I had a few remaining green beans, so those were also tossed in the mix. I added a bit of EVOO, salt and pepper, then into the oven it went.

Next, I chopped some garlic (side note: Ever since my mother taught me how to make meals that were more than Kraft Mac and Cheese, I was taught to smash the garlic to make it easier to peel. Word to the wise, if you get a little overzealous in your smashing, the garlic WILL be crushed. And the smell WILL stay in your hands.) and the rest of the onion and put those in my pan with some EVOO. I let the two cook till the onions started to turn golden brown. As they cooked, I cut my chicken into strips (might I add that I let it defrost properly this time) and seasoned it with salt and pepper.

At this point in time, a new friend came into the kitchen and asked if he could use a burner. I told him "of course!" since I only needed one and it's always nice to have someone around as you cook. He was making scrambled eggs (I know this because I actually initiated some conversation), and I think I may have intimidated him a bit when I told him I wasn't quite sure WHAT I was making and it was obvious that I had quite a few things cooking.

Once the onions caramelized more, I added the chicken. I then took the veggies out of the oven and flipped them to roast the other side. I sat back awhile and cleaned up my used cutting boards and knife and let the chicken cook all the way through. I then moved onto my tomato sauce. I cracked open a six ounce can of tomato paste (with some trouble I might add. My can opener hates me. I think it's because I neglected it till yesterday) and tried to add it to the pan. Of course, since it is a paste, it took some maneuvering. Luckily, I gave up on trying to shake it out of the can (I was and still am wearing a white shirt) and used my handy dandy spoonula. If you don't know that gadget, perhaps you're more familiar with its scientific term: rubber scrapper.

Since tomato paste alone probably would've overpowered the dish, I added two and a half cans full of water to the pan to mellow it out. I also added some oregano and crushed red pepper. Note to all spice manufacturers: the holes in the top of your crushed red pepper shakers are NOT large enough for crushed red pepper to actually come out. Granted, you're probably trying to prevent cooks from adding too much of the stuff, but I don't believe you can have too much of it. So perhaps your spice shakers should come in varying sizes. You can call the one that allows the crushed red pepper to come out the "Brianne size." You're welcome.

I digress. As the paste became more of a sauce, I took my roasted veggies out of the oven. The zucchini hadn't really become crunchy as I had hoped, but the green beans browned rather nicely as did the onions. I put those onto my dish and then added my chicken creation next to it.

Now after reading this entire process you may be wondering, what the heck is so special about this dish? Well, not only was the chicken perfectly moist and juicy, but the dish had so many levels of flavor! The tomato sauce wasn't over powering at all and the crushed red pepper added a really nice spicy kick to it. Since I caramelized the onions before adding anything else to the pan, they became even darker and added a smoky taste to the sauce. A bit of Parmesan cheese in the sauce also added a little salty taste and another flavor level. Honestly, I ate this food like a barbarian. Luckily, I ate it alone in my room. I was tempted to lick the plate, but then I remembered I am well-mannered 20 year old young lady and such behavior is well...barbaric.

Anyhow, I'm on cloud nine at the moment and am going to think of anyway I could possibly improve this dish (I'm sure there are things I can do). I may have a new signature dinner to impress future guests :)

A Fish Called...Tilapia

It must be that time before classes start seeing as I have time to blog not once, but twice today! I spent most of the day finishing my unpacking and finding homes for little things here and there, then went to lunch with my friend Katie at good old Mama Nina's. It had been far too long since I had been reunited with my Old Faithful; the Greek Salad.

Despite the chaos of Move-In day, I headed down to the kitchen once again tonight. I was much more prepared (I even brought a towel) this time around, but found it more difficult to maneuver down to the kitchen with MORE supplies amidst the mini fridges, totes, and exhausted parents.

Tonight's meal was a Pan-Seared Tilapia with Roasted Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans. I started off by pre-heating the oven to 450 degrees to roast the veggies. As I waited, I chopped some garlic (I swear I will NEVER get that smell out of my hands if I keep this up) and set it aside. Then I halved the three remaining artichoke hearts and chopped the green beans. I drizzled a bit of EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil for the rookies) on the pan and tossed the veggies in it. My next thought was seasoning. I started with salt, then moved onto my super cool pepper mill. However, the pepper mill was extremely stubborn. Not only did it not cooperate, it didn't have any instructions on the side as to how to make it work. I repeatedly twisted the top and heard it grinding pepper, but didn't see any results. Finally, I yanked the top off of it, and peppercorns flew everywhere, including on top of my veggies that were drizzled with EVOO.

I picked the stray peppercorns up, and did my best with the ones that were not stuck on the veggies. I gave up after awhile, prayed that they wouldn't burst into flame in the super hot oven, and put the tray in to cook.

Once my tilapia was defrosted, I seasoned it with salt, pepper (much more successfully this time), and a mix of Italian seasonings. I once again heated the chopped garlic with some olive oil then added the fish once it was hot enough. While the fish cooked on one side, I checked on the veggies which were creating a little bit of smoke. I kept my cool and prayed that I wouldn't set the fire alarm off on Move-In day, flipped them on the tray, then set them back in the oven. I then flipped the fish, seasoned the other side, and deglazed with some balsamic vinegar.

Overall, there were no major catastrophes and the meal was MUCH tastier than last night's. Most people that walked by the kitchen told me that it smelled good and some even parted the way as I walked back up the stairs with food in hand. My roommate was also jealous.

And the cute RA complimented my Bills shirt. I have nothing to complain about :)