Oven roasted veggies ..... Part 1

Hey everybody!!

I cannot wait for Spring to come so the Farmers Markets can come back. But when I can actually go, I do enjoy searching out a Winter Farmers Market. There's one that I go to as often as I could over at Maya Essence in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago. It's this one man that represents 4 or 5 farms in Wisconsin and Michigan. He sells fresh produce, goat's milk products, honey, even hormone free eggs, cheese, and meat!

And with that, here are a few oven roasted vegetable recipes that are super delicious. You can use different veggies for each of these recipes. I just favor certain veggies with the seasoning :) I also listed different ways to make these dishes. They are so easy and quick to make as a side dish for dinner or a quick snack in between meals. They're also not too bad served cold or in a salad.



Oven Roasted Asparagus with Slivered Almonds

I made this without the almonds because I ran out :(  It's still delicious tho!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs asparagus
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (if you don't like the almonds, no need to use them. it still tastes yummy)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 
2. Wash asparagus thoroughly and then trim tough ends off.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix together oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Brush oil mixture over each asparagus and then place on a foil lined cookie sheet.
5. Place cookie sheet in the preheated oven and roast 10 minutes. 
6. Take asparagus out of the oven. Sprinkle slivered almonds over the asparagus. 
7. Place asparagus in the oven for another 5 minutes.
8. Take out of oven and serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower and Parmesan


Ingredients

•  1 head of cauliflower
•  2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
•  1/4 cup of lemon juice
•  2 tbs of olive oil
•  Kosher salt 
•  Ground black pepper
•  Grated parmesan cheese (if desired)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. 
2. Wash cauliflower very thoroughly and cut into florets. Place a single layer on a foil lined cookie sheet. 
3. In a small bowl toss in the garlic, lemon juice, and oil. Stir gently.
4. Brush each piece of cauliflower with the oil mixture. 
5. Sprinkle cauliflower with salt and pepper. 
6. Place cauliflower in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes 
7. Test cauliflower with a fork. (The fork should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower) 
8. Remove from oven and quickly and carefully (the cauliflower may stick to the foil) put the cauliflower into a serving bowl. 
9. Add a desired amount of  Parmesan cheese and lightly toss. 
10. Serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven 400.
2. Thoroughly wash broccoli then cut into florets 
3. In a medium bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the broccoli and make sure each floret is evenly coated.
4. Arrange broccoli on a foil lined cookie sheet and place in preheated oven.
5. Roast broccoli for about 20 minutes or until slightly crisped and browned.
6. Serve immediately.

 Stay hungry my friends!

white mac and cheese

Hey my lovelies!

Apparently we've experienced a cold snap with the weather here in Chicago. What better way to warm up the house than with home made macaroni and cheese? This time around I only used white cheeses and made it extra cheezy. The white cheddar definitely gives it a kick. Hope you like it :)

Cheezy White Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked desired pasta  (if you don't like your macaroni n cheese super creamy and oh so cheezy, add another cup of pasta)
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup of munster cheese, shredded
• 1 cup of colby cheese, shredded (or colby jack)
• 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce ( this isn't really needed, but I really like the bite that the sauce gives)
• 1/2 to 1 full cup of bread crumbs 

Directions

1. Preheat oven 375
2. In a sauce pan over low heat, melt butter
3. Stir in salt and pepper.
4. Stir in milk then gently sift flour.
5. Put heat to low flame. Mix in cheeses.
6. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir.
7. Take of heat.
8. Slowly add the pasta into the cheese sauce. Stir gently.
9. Pour macaroni and cheese into a baking dish then place it  in the preheated oven and bake for 25 mins.
10. Take out the mac n cheese. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over the dish and then place mac n cheese back in oven and bake for another 5 to 10 mins.
11. Take out of oven and let stand for 10 mins before serving. 

Stay hungry my friends!

Erin go Bragh!

Hello my hungry family!

Tis the season of St Patrick's Day. I came across this lovely cupcake recipe that fits just perfectly. What kind of St Patty's Day would it be without the Guiness or Bailey's??

Guiness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

 * I got the cupcake recipe from Big City, Little Kitchen  and tweaked it a little. This is my usual go-to frosting recipe. I just added the Baileys to it.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup Guinness beer
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tb vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz of cream cheese, softened
• 4 - 6 cups of confectioners sugar
• 1/4 of plain coffee creamer 
• 4 tbs of Bailey's Irish Cream

* If you don't want to use alcohol, use an Irish Cream flavored coffee creamer. Works just as good :)

Directions

Cupakes

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the Guinness and the butter in a large sauce pan Remove from heat 
3. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. 
4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then add to the beer mixture. 
5. Sift together the flour and baking soda, and fold into the batter. 
6. Pour into muffin molds and bake for 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from cupcake tin, and cool completely on a rack.

Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until fluffy.
2. Add the coffee creamer and Bailey's until fully incorporated.
3. Slowly add confectioners sugar into the bowl, 1/2 cup at a time, and beat well after each addition. 
4. Continue to add the sugar until you have a thick frosting of your preferred consistency (I'm happy with 4 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar)
5. Spread evenly on cooled cupcakes.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cake with Glaze

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 pkg yellow cake mix 
• 1  3oz. pkg  instant vanilla pudding 
• 4 eggs 
• 1/2 cup cold water 
• 1/2 cup oil 
• 1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream 

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar 
• 1 tablespoon Bailey's Irish Cream
• 2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Directions


Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour bundt cake pan.
2.   In a large bowl add the cake mix and pudding mix. Beat in the eggs, water, and oil. Mix well.
3.  Stir in the Bailey's slowly. Mix evenly. 
4. Bake 1 hour. 
5. Once out of the oven cool cake completely.

Glaze

1. In a small bowl, mix the confectioners sugar, Bailey's, and milk until smooth. 
2. Spoon evenly over cooled cake. Let stand until glaze is set.

HAPPY EATING!!!

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand." - Old Irish Blessing