Roasted Broccoli

My very favorite simple way to make broccoli (whereas Broccoli's Law is my favorite more involved way to make broccoli). From Cook's Illustrated February 2008.

1 large head broccoli (~1 3/4 lb)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Cut broccoli into wedges 3-4 inches in diameter and *remove outer peel from stalk. Place broccoli in large bowl; drizzle with oil and toss well until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper to taste and toss to combine.
2. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer broccoli to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing flat sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until lightly browned and tender, 9-11 minutes. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

* The outer peel becomes tough if it's not removed before roasting
(Posted by Mary)

Japanese-style One-pot supper

This is a recipe from Sunset (December 2007) that I made last night (1.5X recipe below - should feed us 3! nights and maybe a lunch). It was good, fast, and healthy, but could use a few improvements. I used chicken breast instead of thighs, and it was a little bland, but still not worth using the fatty thighs we get. Also it all stuck together when I threw it in the pot. Next time I'll try sprinkling the chicken cubes with some salt and pepper and letting it sit for a while, then coat them in flour just before adding it.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 ounces dried bean-thread noodles (saifun or cellophane noodles; see Notes)
• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup mirin (see Notes) or cream sherry
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 to 5 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
• 12 ounces boned, skinned, chicken thigh meat, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-in. chunks
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed, and cut into thin slices
• 4 ounces sugar snap or snow peas
• 4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 8 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-in. cubes
• 3 green onions (green and white parts), cut into 1-in. lengths
• Sriracha (see Notes)

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, soak bean-thread noodles in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and cut into 6- to 10-in. lengths.

2. In a 5- to 6-qt. pot or a 12-in. frying pan (with sides at least 2 in. high), bring broth, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.

3. Arrange noodles, chicken, bell pepper, peas, mushrooms, tofu, and green onions in separate piles in the pot. Cover and simmer, without stirring, until chicken chunks are no longer pink in the center (cut one to test), about 5 minutes. Set pot on the table so people can serve themselves, with Sriracha on the side.

Spicy Turkey Meatloaf with Ketchup Topping

I'm afraid that we might forget this one, so I'm going to make this our first post. The basic recipe came from 'The Enlightened Cook' magazine.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon EVOO
2 cups chopped onion
3/4 lb mushroom (sliced)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
0.75 pounds ground turkey breast
0.75 pounds ground beef
1 large egg
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
3. Combine mushroom mixture, panko, and next 8 ingredients (up to the egg) in a large bowl, stir well to combine. Shape mixture into a 9x5-inch rectangle on a broiler pan or something like that, coated with cooking spray.
4. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and nutmeg in small bowl, stirring well. Spread this mixture evenly over the top (and sides!) of the meatloaf. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes (or until a thermometer registers 160). Let stand for 10 minutes.
Yield: 2 nights of dinner.
Possible sides: We've done French style green beans and the crispy potato slices (this one from Cook's Illustrated) in the past and they were both really good.

Comments: The mushrooms came from the Farmer's market, and they taste soo good in this, so don't skimp.

First Post

This is a blog dedicated to recipes, restaurants, and other things that we have decided we like and want to remember or find easily. We've wasted too much time looking searching the web, scouring through cooking books and magazines, and shuffling through our recipe box for that one recipe that we really liked and want to make again. And we're sure we've forgotten plenty as well. So we're writing them down here. We'll also document new restaurants we try and other fun things we do.