This past weekend, while organizing ALL of my recipes, I found this old favorite from Emeril/Food Network. It’s one of my favorite ways to make cauliflower. The recipe calls for 15 minutes in the oven but I left it in another 10. In just 15 minutes it was still a little too raw for me.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

• Cook Time: 15 min
• Yield: 5 to 6 cups roasted cauliflower florets, 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (from 1 medium cauliflower)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sliced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Chopped chives, for garnish (I never have chives on hand, so I leave it out)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the saute/roasting pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately while still warm.

Browsing through my Google Reader, I found this recipe from Steamy Kitchen. The recipe has shrimp and mushrooms but since I was impatient and wanted it NOW. (blaming pregnancy cravings, lol) I used what I had on hand and used up some garden eggplant, peppers and I had chicken to use.

I held back a little on the red curry since I wasn’t sure if Martino would like it, but he ate it up. I was shocked. I went with the suggested 2 Tbsp. of Red Curry but next time might add a lil more.

It was eaten up so quickly, I forgot to take a picture of it, I just have this one of it simmering on the stove. sorry

Thai Shrimp Curry

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 4 Cook Time: 6

1 teaspoon cooking oil
2 tablespoons red curry paste (or more)
12 ounces coconut milk
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms (I used King Trumpet mushrooms)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
16 basil leaves (optional)
Cooked rice

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, once hot add in the cooking oil and red curry paste. Whisk for about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. When it comes to a simmer, add in the mushrooms and the red peppers and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Taste and whisk in additional curry paste if you want. Add the shrimp to the curry and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. Stir in the basil and serve over rice.

The garden veggies are a flowing. Unfortunately, not from my garden.

I didn’t get around to planting anything this year but I can’t wait to do it next summer. Luckily for us, my father-in-law has quite the green thumb and his garden is overflowing with peppers, eggplant, zucchini, etc.

I wanted to try and use up some of the zucchini and had some blueberries, as well.

I decided to try this recipe out to use up the whole wheat flour that’s been sitting in the pantry. I think they came out great but I think they were a little too “healthy” for Martino. He missed the sugar. Maybe next time, I can add more honey or try the applesauce.

Blueberry Zucchini Muffins – Finding Joy in My Kitchen

1 1/2 C white wheat flour
1/4 C honey {generous}
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 C olive oil {or applesauce}
1 egg
1/3 C milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C blueberries
1 C shredded, drained zucchini

Begin by shredding the zucchini, drain excess liquid by squeezing zucchini shreds in a cheesecloth or paper towels.

Then, mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Combine the moist ingredients together, and then add these to the dry ingredients.

Stir until just moist.

Then, add in the zucchini.

Carefully fold in the blueberries.

Scoop into muffin tins, filling about 3/4 of the way full.  This made 8 jumbo muffins for us.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.  If you use jumbo muffin tins, add 5ish minutes to the baking time.

100% natural, no additives and it tastes great, just like a slice of lemon in your water.

If you head over to their website, they will send you a packet of samples and coupons. The lime is great too!

It’s been awhile since I have sat down to update my little blog.

• Caramelized Tofu Recipe-101 Kitchens – This is what you make if you want a man to eat TOFU. Martino loves it.
• Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili – Loved how this came out, I pretty much just threw everything together and it came out so good.
• Buttermilk Scalloped Potatoes & Steak – I rarely cook steak but Martino was in the mood and I got to use up buttermilk that was leftover.

Instead, I got to try this recipe that I saw on Barefoot Contessa this weekend – Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp.  I didn’t feel like printing out the recipe and tried to do it from memory. I forgot to add the lemon zest and the pasta water to mine.  I love Ina but this crazy bitch uses way too much butter for me, so I only used about 2 tbsp.  Oh and I used a wee bit too much pepper so it was a bit spicy. I actually didn’t mind the heat.

I have misplaced my camera and used the iPhone for a picture, so I apologize for the crappy quality.

It takes me awhile to warm up to things, I started 2 weeks ago when I actually packed a gym bag for the morning but then got sidetracked when Martino got me sick.

Yesterday, I finally did it! Got my ass out of bed at 5AM and went to the gym.  I am not going to lie the idea of having to shower and get ready for work skeeved me. SO WRONG!! It wasn’t that bad at all, so no more excuses. I went to spinning yesterday, extreme body sculpting this morning.

I like getting it over with in the morning and then the rest of the day is mine. Let’s face it, who wants to leave work, go home and then go back out in this freezing weather. NOT ME!

I am hoping to get into a schedule before next month.

Martino loved it and has been giving me the side-eye all afternoon still perplexed that I actually made him lunch. Wait until he sees I am making choc. chip cookies.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional) – I used red wine this time but you can leave it out if you don’t have any on hand.
• 2 to 2 1/4 cups hot water
• 1/2 cup homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (optional)

In 2010 I am going to try to cook more, cook healthier and to blog about it.

I love the idea of the crockpot, turn it on in the morning and then come home to dinner cooked, love it. What I don’t love is alot of these crockpot recipes I find don’t really “WOW” me.  Maybe, I haven’t been looking very hard, who knows.

I was a little skeptical that Martino would even like this recipe but he loved it and so did I.   It had such a great aroma and was just an amazing stew, definitely something to make again.

Recipe here.

Makes 15 sandwich cookies

• Grated zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large egg yolks
• Pink Grapefruit Cream Filling