Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

Snow Day #8.  I'm so over digging my car out of the snow, scraping ice off my windshield, freezing half to death in polar vortexes, etc.  I know I've been spoiled by mild winters over the last few years, but this is getting ridiculous.  It was 60 degrees yesterday, and then last night it poured freezing rain, and then snowed 6 inches.  So of course we couldn't go to school.  I ended up inside all day long (until this evening when I ventured out to unearth my car).  I had a productive morning, and then felt tired so I took a pre-lunch nap.  I was awakened from my nap by the sound of wet boots squeaking all over the apartment.  I fail to understand why it is so hard to take them off at the door...but apparently it isn't as simple as I think it is?  So I had to get out of bed and grab a towel to dry off the floor before those puddles turned to salt stains.  Because I am also tired of cleaning the salt stains off the floor.  Roommate.  Can't live with one, can't live without one.

I was about to spend the rest of the afternoon being angry about once again cleaning up someone else's mess, but I realize that that is not a productive use of my time or energy.  So I decided to indulge in some kitchen therapy.  First, I made a big pot of my favorite Creamy Carrot-Ginger Soup.  When that was done, it was time to start thinking about dinner, and I decided to try making roasted brussels sprouts.  I had a bunch of mushrooms in the fridge as well, so I decided to roast them too.


1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2) Cut the stem ends off of about 8 or 9 sprouts.  Cut each sprout in half lengthwise.
3) Thoroughly rinse the sprouts and 5 mushrooms (whole).
4) Dry the sprouts/mushrooms as best you can with a towel.
5) Put them in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.
6) Coat with a mixture of olive oil/mustard/pesto/oregano.
7) Spread evenly on a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes.
8) Eat them.  They are good to munch on straight off the pan.  Or you can be civilized and eat them for dinner using plates and forks and stuff.

Pre-bake

Post-bake

On top of my soup

Loaded Burger

Cook up a batch of purist burgers.

Toast a bun.  

Cover the bottom bun with guacamole.

Add a slice of tomato.

Add a burger.

Add some bacon.

Add some onions & mushrooms.

Add the top bun.  

EAT.

Ratatouille Pasta

 Ratatouille

3 cloves garlic

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

8 white mushrooms

1 tomato

basil

oregano

thyme

8 oz pasta

Boil water for pasta.  (add the pasta when ready) Chop the vegetables.  Mince the garlic and brown it in olive oil.  When the garlic is browned, add the zucchini, squash, and seasonings.  When the zucchini is almost done, add the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms are almost done, add the tomato and turn off the heat.  

 Toss the pasta with about 1/4 c alfredo sauce and 1/2 c marinara sauce.  Add the ratatouille.  Use a slotted spoon, you don't want all the water from the tomatoes to get mixed into the pasta.  

I had more ratatouille than I needed for the pasta so I left some out to be used for something else. 

Dinner is served.

 Delicious with baked chicken.

Arugula-Mushroom Rolls

It's been a fabulous weekend!  Yesterday the temp got up above 70 and I got to spend some quality bonding time with my horse.  Today, it was in the mid-60s and I had a really great 10.6 mile run.  I intended to run 5 or 6, but it was so nice outside, and I felt good, so I just kept on going.  It feels great to be back to a good running schedule.  I'm at 2 weeks above 30 miles each now.  

A run like today's needs a good carb & protein loaded dinner, and this one hit the spot.

For the dough:

3 scant tsp yeast

6 oz hot water

1/2 tsp salt

garlic powder

onion powder

crushed rosemary

1/2 c wheat flour

1 1/2 c flour

Let rise in a warm place.

Once the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and use your fingers to spread it into a large rectangle.  Flip is over occasionally so that both sides get some flour on them.  Spread some pesto on the flattened dough, then grate some cheese on top.  Cover with sliced mushrooms, add some more cheese, cover with handfuls of arugula. Add more cheese.  Roll it up and place on a greased baking pan. 

Grate some cheese on top.

Bake at 450 for 20 min.

Makes a wonderful meal with some home-made meatballs.

Top with avocado if you're addicted like I am.

Here's a link to my first attempt at Arugula Rolls.

Pulled-Pork Pizza

I've got a bunch of pulled pork left over from NYE.  I love my pulled pork sandwiches, but tonight I wanted something different for dinner.  I also had some artichokes and mushrooms laying around, and I decided they needed to go on a pizza.  With the pulled pork. 

the crust: 2 tsp yeast, 1 c hot water, salt, garlic powder, 1/2 c wheat flour, 2+ c flour

bbq sauce

mushrooms & artichokes

pulled pork

colby jack cheese

baked @ 400 for 20-25 minutes

don't forget the vegetable

deliciousness

 almost gone...

Beer-Batter Pork Tenders

It was one of those days...where I was so exhausted by the time I got home from school, I couldn't even begin to think about putting on running shoes and dragging myself out for a run.  So I parked on the couch with a book (something I don't get to do nearly often enough).  Then, I started thinking about dinner.  And about how maybe playing in the kitchen could turn my day around.  

I had some pork chops in the fridge that I needed to cook tonight.  I was going to bread and fry them on the stovetop, but then I decided that it has been awhile since I made beer batter.  So I grabbed a Guinness out of the fridge and made beer batter.  I think the arm workout I got while whipping the egg white made up for my lack of a run today.  Beer Batter recipe here.  (except this time I used Guinness, and used little enough of it that I only needed a scant 1/2 c of the white flour)

I cut the pork into strips, covered them in beer batter, and dropped them into a pot of hot olive oil.  I also beer-battered some mushrooms I had lying in the fridge.  

the egg white actually got stiff before I gave up...

beer-batter mushrooms & pork

pasta with spinach, asparagus, and sun-dried tomato alfredo

Pot Roast

Crock Pot Adventure Número Dos 

4 small potatoes

3 carrots

1/3 head of cabbage

6 mushrooms

1 granny smith apple

2.5 lb hunk o' beef

1/2 c flour

seasoning to taste

1/2 c apple cider

1/2 c veggie stock

1/8 c red wine

Chop the veggies and throw them all in the crock pot except for the mushrooms.  Mix together the flour/seasonings and coat the beef with the mixture.  ( I used salt, pepper, oregano, mustard powder, and garlic powder...I think...).  Put the beef on top of the veggies.  Add the mushrooms on top, then pour in the liquids.  

Cook on High for 4.5 hrs

Dinner is Served.

With a glass of Red Wine.

(Or a mug of hot cider, if you prefer)

A delightful meal on a cold November evening.