Pureed Cauliflower & more!

Being a nanny, I don't get home much before the sun sets- meaning I don't usually get the privilege of making dinner for me and my husband. On the rare occasion I do get to come home as the sun goes down (6:30ish), which means I get to make a late dinner!! And last night, was one of those nights! I was feeling adventurous, and wanted to try something I had never done before (along with the same old, same old).

I made pan-fried Chicken with a drizzle of Wildtree bacon flavored grape seed oil (to purchase some for yourself, click on the link at the bottom of this post), a sprinkle of paprika, pink Himalayan salt, and some good old fresh ground pepper. Put it in the oven for a bit to keep warm while I cooked the rest of the meal.

Sauteed/caramelized veggies- zucchini, yellow squash, and cherry tomatoes! I drizzled a little roasted garlic grape seed oil, and just a bit of pink Himalayan salt. Superb!

And last but certainly not least- the exciting dish! Pureed cauliflower.

Now I know what you're thinking.. "That just sounds disgusting! Not exciting." Well if you use your imagination, it tastes like healthy mashed potatoes. In fact, my husband had no idea it was cauliflower until I told him- he thought it was mashed potatoes. Since cauliflower has such a bland taste to begin with, it pretty much adapts to whatever flavor you mix in with it.

I began preparing it by washing, and cutting it into pieces a little smaller than the size of a serving spoon. Boiled with a few cloves of garlic until super tender- about 20 mins, and drained really well (I think next time I may try to pat it dry with a paper towel. Mine was a little watery). The aroma is a little strong, and not in a good way.. But it's well worth it!

After draining, I dumped all of the cauliflower into my kitchen aid mixer, and mixed it with the whisk attachment until smooth. (I bought my mixer for myself on black friday, and I have never since regretted it.) If you don't have a kitchen aid, a hand mixer will work just as well. I prepared it as I would mashed potatoes, adding a few naughty ingredients. A dollop or 2 of sour cream, a slash of milk (1-2 Tbsp.), a few pats of butter, Himalayan salt & pepper to taste, garlic salt to taste, and some ranch dressing.

And let me tell you , it was delish!!! And I've never been a fan of cauliflower.

Pureed Cauliflower

Yield: Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1/2 head of Fresh Cauliflower

3-4 cloves of Garlic

1-2 heaping Tbsp. Sour Cream

1-2 Tbsp. Milk

Salt, pepper, garlic salt- to taste

2-3 Tbsp.- Real Butter

1 Tbsp.- Ranch Dressing

directions:

1. Wash. Cut. Throw into a pot of water with 2-3 cloves of garlic & boil.

2. When done (About 20 mins.), drain really well & puree with an electric mixer.

3. When pureed, add whatever you want really. I added sour cream, ranch dressing, milk, garlic salt, fresh ground pepper, pink himalayan salt, and butter

4. Serve warm.

To purchase some Wildtree grape seed oil, or any of their other all natural products, click here to get in touch with my local Wildtree representative- my mom!! Susan Brady.

Until next time- Keep cooking. Try new things. And tell me all about it!

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Broiled Grapefruit

Lately my husband and I have been trying to eat healthier & work-out more to prepare our bodies for a Florida vacation in just a few months.. Which isn't that hard for me because I LOVE fruits & veggies! The working out is what's killing me..

An addition to my diet lately has been grapefruit for breakfast (My husband says it takes too long to eat a grapefruit, which means I got to eat all 6 of them by myself). It's an easy, very inexpensive, and super healthy breakfast! Normally I like mine with no sugar- just plain old grapefruit. After eating so many, I was getting tired of the same 'plain old grapefruit'- I wanted to try something different! I saw this on Pinterest, and I just couldn't resist! Broiled Grapefruit!! Sounds weird, right? I was slightly hesitant about it because warm grapefruit.. I mean really, that just sounds kinda odd. Odd enough for me to be curious and try it for myself. It was surprisingly tasty!

I cut the grapefruit in half, and drizzled it with a little agave nectar! I also sprinkled a little cinnamon sugar, and a pinch of nutmeg. Placed the grapefruit under the broiler for a few minutes, and when the sugar starts to crystallize- that's when you know it's ready!

Try it out, and let me know what you think!

Broiled Grapefruit

Yield: Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1 large grapefruit, cut in half
Drizzle of agave nectar OR Honey
Sprinkling of Cinnamon Sugar

directions:

1. Turn on the oven broiler. I set mine at high temperature.

2. Using a pairing knife, cut all the way around the grapefruit and between the fruit and the rind. Try not to cut all the way through the bottom rind, you want to keep the juices. Drizzle agave nectar lightly over the grapefruit halves. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

3. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet. Put in the oven, under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, just until the sugar is bubbling and crystallized.

4. Serve warm.

*Note-you can use honey instead of agave or brown sugar instead of Cinnamon sugar.*

Recipe originally adapted from http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/broiled-grapefruit-recipe/

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Pictures of my creations

As I am embarking on this blogging journey, I also am trying to enhance my photography skills. So all the pictures that you see posted are not stolen from any other site, they are my own. I absolutely love taking pictures, and hope to be getting a new, nicer camera soon. So please bear with me as I am still in the beginning stages of photography.

Cranberry up-side down cake

A few weeks after the Christmas season, and after making many loaves of orange cranberry bread.. I was all breaded out, and in need of another use for cranberries!! So where did I turn to for cranberry recipes, and creative ideas? Nope, not google. PINTEREST! My newest obsession!! I was looking for something out of the ordinary, not your typical cranberry recipe. And low and behold- I found a cranberry up-side down cake! As if pineapple up-side down cake wasn't a delicious enough concoction.

I gave the sides & bottom of my 9in. pan a good rub with 2 T. butter, and sprinkled it with the sugar & spice mixture. I then put enough cranberries to cover the bottom (about 1 cup).

I whipped up the cake batter real quick, and spooned it onto the cranberries. It's a pretty thick batter, so it really is easier if you spoon it rather than trying to dump it on.

Pop it in the over for about 30 mins. and VIOLA! You have a delicious smelling Cranberry Up-side down cake that looks something like this..

Just the smallest piece brought back the warm Christmas feeling with all the tastes and aromas of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg (the recipe doesn't call for nutmeg, but I'm a spicy kinda girl). The only complaint I had about this cake, is that it was very delicate! Next time I would use my spring-form pan.

Try new things, and give this recipe some character! Leave me a comment, and tell me how you made it your own!

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1¾ cup fresh cranberries
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter (it will be a really thick layer of butter). In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of the granulated sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cranberries in a single layer on top of the sugar mixture.

3. Using an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

4. Spoon the batter over the cranberries in the pan, and smooth the top. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; invert onto a rimmed platter. Store any leftovers at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)

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The first day of the rest of your cooking life!

Hi everyone! My name is Allie, and anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE to cook! I've wanted to start a food blog for months, and I've finally brought myself to do it! Even though I am newly married, and have 2 jobs- my very favorite thing to do it cook, bake, and ALWAYS try new foods when given the opportunity. So here I go! If you have any recipes that you would like to see me make, let me know in the comment box below- I'm always open for new ideas! My purpose for this blog is not only for fun, but to show you that cooking doesn't have to be a hassle, unhealthy, or takes hours in the kitchen. I hope you join me on this journey!
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