Spiced Cauliflower “Couscous”-Secret Recipe Club

One of the things I love most about Secret Recipe Club is that I get to visit a “sometimes” new-to-me blog and check it out in depth.  I always seem to find a great recipe or idea that makes me slap myself upside the head because I didn’t think of it myself.  Such was certainly the case when I visited Well Dined, a blog written by Sarah.

Sarah originally stated her blog to write restaurant reviews, but it soon morphed in to a food blog with great recipes.  Sarah likes to cook as seasonally and as healthy as she can.  I found two delicious recipes for this holiday season, Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage and Cranberry Custard Pie.  Other recipes on my to-make list are Maple Bourbon Glazed Chicken, Apple Butter Glazed Pork Loin and Snickerdoodle Surprise Cookies.

The recipe that made me do the slap myself upside the head thing mentioned above was Spiced Cauliflower “Couscous.”  What a great idea to chop cauliflower in the food processor until it resembles couscous.  The cauliflower cooks very quickly this way and can be seasoned with almost anything you want.  This is probably going to be my favorite way to cook cauliflower, and I am next going to use the technique to make the cauliflower and use some of the seasoning ideas that Sarah has in this post on cooking with couscous..

In the posted recipe, a middle east spice blend called Za’atar was used.  The only place that I could find this in my medium-sized, northwest town was at a local Greek restaurant that sells a small selection of middle east foods.  I had to purchase a large jar so I probably have enough Za’atar to last my life time, but this will give me incentive to use it in other recipes.  I am thinking of using it on a roast chicken.  If you have a Penzey's Spice store in your town, they have it there or you can get it online in a 1/4 cup amount.

I could not find raw cashews and had to settle for roasted, salted ones, so I left the salt out of the recipe.  I am not a fan of raisins but did go ahead and use them.  I plumped them in a little hot water so they would be softer.  My personal preference would be to use dried apricots, dates or dried cherries or cranberries in place of the raisins.

Unfortunately I have a hubby who will not touch cauliflower no matter how it is prepared so I only made half the recipe.  He doesn’t have any idea what he is missing with this one.  I love it, and I can’t wait to make another variation.  I thought it didn't taste anything like cauliflower, and I think you could serve this and people would have no idea they were eating cauliflower.

 Thanks so much for sharing, Sarah.  Go visit her blog and get some great recipes.

Spiced Cauliflower “Couscous”
From Well Dined and Food 52
1 large cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lbs. of florets)
5 oz. raw cashews (I had to use already roasted so skipped the cashew roasting step.)
5 T. olive oil
4 T. lemon juice
2 T. mined parsley
1/2 t. Za’atar (if you can’t find this, I would try Greek Seasoning)

1/2 t. cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 t. finely shredded lemon zest
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I left out the salt as the cashews were salted.)

If using raw cashews, Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium low; add the cashews and toast for about about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and gently charred.  Stir frequently to make sure that they do not burn.  Let cool, then cut half of the cashews into smaller pieces.
Break the cauliflower into florets, making sure to leave behind as much of the stem as possible. Chop
the florets into smaller pieces.  Transfer part of the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until the pieces are finely chopped and resemble couscous.  Be careful not to over-process.  Repeat with remaining cauliflower.
 Heat three tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add the cauliflower to the pan, stir well to coal with the olive oil and cook about 7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove the couscous from the heat and let cool.
Add the raisins, cashews, Za’atar, cumin, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and the remaining two tablespoons olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Leave the couscous for about 15 minutes to allow the flavor to combine.  Serve at room temperature.  Serves 4-6.

Think you might want to join the fun.  You can find all the info here.

An InLinkz Link-up

Fried Onion Shreds

 Good Monday and welcome to my new followers.  I have been somewhat remiss in the last couple of weeks, but want to thank all who take the time from their busy lives to read this blog.  It is truly appreciated.

I may have mentioned in the past that we have a commercial deep-fryer in my husband’s shop, and he does all the deep frying at our house, much like some men grill.

Fried Onion Shreds are a little side dish that we usually make whenever hubby is deep frying something else.  They are quick and easy and take very little time to cook.  I prefer these; because, unlike onion rings, the onion shreds themselves get crisp and golden.   The shreds are good with almost any main dish.

Although these can be dusted with just flour, I like to use a combination of flour and cornmeal.  The seasonings can be seasoned salt or any other seasoning of choice.

Fried Onion Shreds
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 t. seasoned salt
1 very large onion
oil for deep frying

Put flour, cornmeal and seasoned salt into a large plastic bowl that has a lid.  Cut onion in half and slice thinly.  Put onion slices in a bowl and place the lid on the bowl.  Shake well to coat onions.  If you don’t have a bowl with lid, this can be done in a large zip-top bag.  Remove onions a few at a time to a sieve and shake sieve over the bowl to remove excess coating.  Place onions in a bowl.  Repeat until all the onions have been shaken in the sieve.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown.  This will take only a couple of minutes.  Remove onions and drain on paper towels.  Makes 4 servings.

Linking to these great parties:
Made by You Monday
Mix It Up Monday
Monday Funday
Recipe Sharing Monday
Melt In Your Mouth Monday
Marvelous Monday
Inspiration Monday
Busy Monday
Manic Monday
Make the Scene Monday

Montreal Crumb Coated Potato Wedges and Post 500

It is sort of a milestone for me today as this is my 500th post.  When I started this blog back in 2011, I am not sure that I thought that it would ever get this far, but I am still here. It is not, however, my 500th recipe so I will save celebrating for that milestone.

Today’s recipe, Montreal Crumb-Coated Potato Wedges, is an easy side dish to make when you want to do a little something different with potatoes, and it goes well with any meat dish from steak to meatloaf.

I like to cut my potato wedges from the curved side of the potato as shown below.  I think that I have better control of the size of the wedges when I do this.

You can use either my Sorta Montreal Steak Seasoning or the commercial product.  Of course, any other seasoning blend can be used for this dish, also.   I prefer to use melted butter for the flavor, but do use olive oil whenever I am feeling lazy.

Montreal Crumb-Coated Potato Wedges
2 1/2 lbs. medium potatoes, about 3 to 4-inches long,  about 8 potatoes
2 T. melted butter or olive oil
1/2 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1 t. Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt

Peel potatoes and cut into wedges.  Place wedges in cold water and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.  Drain wedges and dry well with a clean kitchen towel.  Place wedges in a mixing bowl and drizzle with the melted butter or olive oil.  Toss until all wedges are coated.  Place the bread crumbs and seasonings in a plastic bag.  Shake potato wedges a few at a time in the bread crumbs until well covered.  Place on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan.  Roast about 20 minutes in a 375-degree oven.  Turn potatoes and cook another 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.  Serve these with a dipping sauce such as honey mustard or ranch dressing if desired.  Makes 6 servings.

Linking to these great parties:
Get Your Craft On
Tasteful Tuesday
Show Me What You Got
Tuesday Talent Show
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Show Me What Ya Got
Two Cup Tuesday
Take A Look Tuesday

Fruited Rice Pilaf

When Brenda at Meal Planning Magic sent an email about her new Let’s Eat the Alphabet monthly link-up, I though it would be loads of fun.  This month the letters were A and/or B.  We could link up any recipe containing a fruit or a vegetable whose name started with those letters.

I chose apricots and decided to make a side dish that used them.  My choice was to make a rice/vermicelli pilaf similar to a Rice-a-roni side dish.  With the rice/vermicelli I used butter, dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried minced onion, chicken broth, salt, allspice and almonds.

This is a versatile recipe and raisins or other dried fruit can be used with the apricots.  I have varied the seasonings in this and have used nutmeg, curry, cinnamon, and Chinese 5-Spice instead of the allspice.  Walnuts or pecans are good in this also.

I like Calrose rice for this as it doesn’t cook up as soft as long grain rice, but long grain rice can be used.

This makes a very pretty side dish.  I sometimes garnish it with some chopped green onion for additional color.  It is very nice with pork or chicken..

Fruited Rice Pilaf
1 T. butter
1 c. Calrose rice
1/2 c. vermicelli
1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
1/4 c. chopped dried cranberries
1 T. minced onion
2 c. chicken broth (low sodium)
1 t. salt
1/2 t. allspice or other desired spice
!/2 c. sliced almonds, preferable toasted

Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan.  Add the rice and vermicelli and cook until vermicelli starts to turn golden brown.  Watch carefully and stir often.  Add the apricots, cranberries, onion, chicken broth, salt, and desired spice.  Bring to boil.  Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and stir in sliced almonds.  Turn into a serving dish and garnish with more almonds and sliced green onion.  Serves 4.

Fried Rice-Japanese Style

Everyone probably has their own recipe for this, but I thought I would share mine.  This is loosely adapted from the Benihana Japanese Fried Rice recipe in "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes".  I use more ingredients in mine.  I don't know if there is much difference between Japanese and Chinese fried rices, but I am going to call this Japanese.  I sometims garnish this with toasted, slivered almonds.  Diced, cooked meat, poultry, or even seafood could be added to make this a main dish.

Fried Rice-Japanese Style

2 c. well-chilled cooked rice (1 c. rice cooked according to package directions)

1 1/2-2 T. butter

1/4 c. minced or grated carrot

1 bunch green onions, sliced or 1/2 c. diced regular onion

1/2 c. finely diced red pepper

3-4 T. low-sodium soy sauce

2  eggs, beaten

1 c. frozen peas, thawed

Melt butter in medium-sized frying pan.  Add carrot, onion, and red pepper.  Cook until tender, stirring often.  Add rice, cook and stir for a few minutes.  Add soy sauce and mix well.  Push rice to ide of frying pan.  Pour eggs into frying pan and scramble quickly, breaking egg up into pea-sized pieces.  Mix egg and rice together, blending well.  Add peas.  Cook, stirring often, until peas are heated through and everything is hot.  Makes 4 servings.

Ingredient Spotlight-Bacon and Corn Scramble

Aw, peppers, kind of a love/hate relationship here.  I don’t like the green ones, but discovered a couple of years ago that I do like the red ones.  Also found out that they are very good for you.  I like the yellow and orange one, too; but don't buy them often since they are more expensive.  Now I put red peppers in as many things as I can get away with.  So far hubby hasn’t said anything about it

Here is my contribution to today’s spotlight.  Although I am calling this Bacon and Corn Scramble, it is more of an idea than a recipe; and I use other vegetables:  carrots, peas, green beans, mixed vegetables, etc. to make this side dish also.  I change the herbs/spices up all the time so this dish is very versatile.  I like to use green onions for color if I have them, otherwise I just use regular ones (can be yellow, white or red ).

Bacon and Corn Scramble

2 slices bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced with some of the green part used
1/3-1/2 c. red pepper, chopped
1/3-1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1 can (16 oz.) corn, well drained or 2 c. fresh or frozen corn, cooked
1/4-1/2 t.  herb or spice of your choice (try curry powder, rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, blends)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook bacon in frying pan until crisp.  Crumble and set aside.  Drain bacon fat from the pan into glass measuring cup.  Wipe skillet with a paper towel to remove residue.  Return 1 T. bacon fat to the skillet.  Heat and add garlic, green onions, red pepper, and celery.  Cook, stirring often, until tender.  Add corn and herb or spice of your choice.  Heat and stir until corn is heated through.  Put in a serving dish and top with the crumbled bacon.  Makes 3-4 servings

Linking up to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home.