It's definitely time for a blog about vegetables! The past few Pickett's Pearls posts have been about goat cheese/apricots appetizers, chicken tacos and Key Lime pie. I will admit that I don't love vegetables, (please don't tell my mother) and so the dishes I've chosen have some other yummy ingredients such as bacon. Oops!
Cauliflower with Irish Cheddar Sauce
Ingredients:
A large head of cauliflower. ( I used purple 'cause it's a fun color!)
1+2 tablespoons of butter. (I'm a salt fiend, so I always go with salted.)
1/2 cup of half & half. (You could probably use whole milk for less calories.)
1/2 cup of Irish Cheddar (like "Dubliner"--we are addicted) or other cheddar. (See how to shred the cheese below.)
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cut the cauliflower into small pieces.
- Toss with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. (I clump it together and toss it right on the cookie sheet.)
- Roast the cauliflower for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- While cauliflower roasts, make the cheese sauce.
- Shred a 1/2 cup of the cheese on the next to finest setting. (This helps the cheese melt.)
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan on medium low, then whisk in a 1/2 cup of half & half. Once the mixture is hot, slowly whisk in the 1/2 cup of finely shredded cheese until melted and well blended.
- Set sauce aside to let it thicken.
- Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and place in a small casserole dish, then spoon the cheddar sauce on top.
- Put it into your already hot 400F oven until it is heated through and golden brown on top — about 5-7 minutes. (Serves 4)
Asparagus Wrapped in Bacon
Ingredients:
A bunch of asparagus (thick stalks work much better).
10 to 12 strips of CENTER CUT bacon (which has more meat and less grease)
Opt: Caesar dressing for dipping
1. Wash the asparagus and cut about 1 & 1/2 inches off the bottom of each stalk.
2. Cut each strip of bacon up the middle. You now have a long thin strip for each stalk.
3. Wrap the bacon around the stalks in a candy cane pattern. (Start wrapping at the bottom of each stalk with the widest end of each bacon strip.)
4. Place each wrapped stalk on a cookie sheet, put the pan in the oven, and turn it to 400. (Starting with a cold oven helps the bacon holds its shape.) Bake for 25 to 30 mins. or until bacon is cooked, but not too crispy. (Serves 4 to 6)
Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar Syrup
2 Acorn squash
2 tablespoons of salted butter
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/4 level teaspoon of cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Stand each squash on its end with the stem down and cut the squash vertically using a sawing motion. When you get close to the stem, just crack the squash in half.
- Scrape out seeds and stringy bits – I use an ice cream scoop.
- Stab holes inside the bowl of each squash half using a fork, and move the fork back and forth to create bigger holes.
- Place butter in a very small dish and soften (not melt) for about 10 secs. in a microwave. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in with the butter and spoon 1/4 of this mixture into the inside of each squash. (Take the back of a spoon and mush the yummy mixture into the holes you've made.)
- Place in oven on a cookie sheet and roast for 40 to 50 minutes or until a fork can be inserted easily. (Serves 4)
Looking Back
In the past Pickett's Pearls has posted 4 ingredient recipes for other superb vegetable dishes: mashed cauliflower, stir fry asparagus and spaghetti squash. Check 'em out!
Fun Saying
Now that we are on the subject of vegetables, I thought I'd share my very favorite saying: "I didn't just fall off the turnip truck." What a fun way to say that I'm not naive! I can just see someone rolling off a turnip truck as it keeps going down the road. So the next time someone is insinuating that you are gullible, just say with indignation: "Wait just a minute, I didn't just fall off a turnip truck ya know!"