Broccoli > Carrots

Have you ever started cooking something, and you can't really pinpoint exactly what the dish will end up tasting like? That's how I felt about this dish, and it ended up surprising me with it's charm. This broccoli and cauliflower gratin can be done with or without the pasta...my preference, with! (Duh...I studied in Italy. A meal isn't complete without carb city.)

What you'll need:
-1 small head of Broccoli, trimmed into florets
-1 small head of Cauliflower, trimmed into florets
-2 cups Sour Cream
-1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
-1/3 cup Chives, finely chopped
-2 cloves of Garlic, peeled and grated or crushed into paste
-Salt
-Freshly Ground Black Pepper
-2 1/2 cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
-1 pound Penne Pasta

Preheat your oven at 375 degrees. Begin by boiling a large pot of water over medium heat. Salt the water and add the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Boil these bad boys for about 5 minutes, and then remove them with a strainer and drain. Once out of the pot, go ahead and start boiling the pasta in the same water until al dente. In the mean time, combine the sour cream in a large bowl along with the mustard, chives, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. You can now add your pasta and cauliflower and about 2/3 of the cheese. Stir to combine everything and then transfer to a pyrex or other baking dish. Cover with the remaining cheese and bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. 

CHEESEEE

And while you're waiting...

My dad sent me this recipe for Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin and it brought back warm memories of eating broccoli at our kitchen counter in NJ. I used to beg for broccoli...what kind of kid BEGS for broccoli?? Me...apparently. Carrots, on the other hand, I was not so fond of.

During one specific dinner, when I was about 12, I was struggling with the consumption of my carrots. There were three baby carrots left in front of me, staring me down like they were Chuck Norris and I was about to get a roundhouse kick to the face. What, I ask, is so appealing about mushy, orange, cooked carrots that have the texture of baby food? Nothing, in my opinion. But on this night, it was not my opinion that mattered but my father's.

"Jessica, you're going to sit at the table until all your carrots are finished; you're not going anywhere until I see them consumed."

Everyone had already gotten up and was done with dinner, while I was left there in shame with my three pathetic carrots. I attempted every excuse in my power to get out of it.

"But I'm full!"
"But Katie had less carrots than me!"
"But I heard if you plant carrots in the ground, it's supposed to be good for the soil..."

Nothing worked. I looked up and my father was washing the dishes, passing time while he waited on my plate. So I decided to do what any innocent, well behaved child would do. I waited for my dad to turn his back, chewed the carrots for about 5 seconds, spit them into my napkin, crumpled it up and put it next to my plate.

"DONE!"

I was so impressed with myself; I had outsmarted papa bear! You couldn't even see the orange mush through the crumpled up napkin...WIN!

Boy, was I a dumbass. (Excuse my French, but I was.)

Upon examining my plate, he saw right through my not-so-clever tactics. My night ended with 6 more freshly cooked carrots (oh yes, he doubled the original amount). I also received the pleasant task of finishing the carrots that I had hidden in the napkin...yes, the ones I had already CHEWED AND SPIT OUT. Yay, mush-tastic delight.

But what does this have to do with today's recipe? Absolutely nothing! Except that cauliflower=broccoli > carrots!

So once your dish is finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it cool for a couple minutes. I set aside some extra grated cheese in case I wanted to add more to my plate. This dish was easy to make and delightful! I even got my friend to eat this and he hates broccoli...just sayin'.

Couldn't get a pic till halfway through; we were hungry!

Warming Fall Zuppa

Many of you, like myself, have probably discovered the phenomenon that is broccoli cheddar soup. Especially Panera's version. So when my dad said he had a recipe for it last week, I nearly fell off my chair. Here's a simple dish for those cold Fall days where all you want is a bowl of soup:

What you'll need:

-1 head of broccoli or 2 broccoli crowns

-1 container of chicken broth

-2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

-3 table spoons of flour

-4 table spoons of butter

-1 onion chopped

-1 chicken bullion cube

-1 cup of milk

-Pepper

-Nutmeg

Clean the broccoli and cut into pieces. Save some of the florets for adding later if you want. In a large pot, sauté the chopped up onion in 2 table spoons of butter. Add the broccoli and the chicken broth. Make sure there is enough broth to cover the broccoli. Add the chicken bullion cube and pepper. Bring to a boil and lower heat until the broccoli is cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

In a sauce pan, heat 2 table spoons of butter, add the flour and cook until the flour starts to bubble and turns light brown. Add the milk and whisk in until it thickens. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until all of the broccoli is liquid in form. Add some of this liquid to the milk mixture to thin and then pour this into the soup. Bring to a boil and add the cheese. You can also add the florets here if you kept leftovers! Continue to stir until the soup is thick and the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg and you're done!

Unfortunately, my camera died when I had already started cooking, so here's a picture I found online that was the closest to what mine actually looked like, yummo:

http://www.foodonthebrain.net/2009/02/17/broccoli-cheddar-soup/

A Story

One day after middle school, I headed through the back screen door of our home in Holland Township, NJ. My dad was whisking something in a bowl and I asked him what was for dinner. He held up some form of drenched meat and declared, "baby chickens." Not phased, I went upstairs and started my homework.

"GIRLS-IT'S DINNER TIME!"

My sister and I barreled down the stairs to fight over the best seat at the counter. No one liked the end chairs at our house-one was next to the door and you would either a. get continuously hit with the door by people walking in and out, or b. have to get out of your chair every 5 minutes and close and open the door for the dog.

Plopped down in front of us were these decadent looking chicken legs drenched in a sauce comparable to a barbecue-type dressing, laid over a bed of rice. Upon first bite, I concluded that baby chicken legs were the best thing I had ever tasted in my 13 years of life. Why had dad never made these before? Seemed like a simple dish and it tasted like someone bottled happiness in a jar and then spilled it onto my plate.

Salivating, I pleaded for more. When all the legs were gone, I took my pointer finger and picked up the rest of the sauce off my plate and licked it clean, rocking back in forth in my swivel chair with utter glee. As I was doing so, my father called my mother who was on her way home from work. They chatted as per usual, and then my father interrupted, "Rose...you'll never guess what your girls just ate."

Katie (my sister) and I exchanged suspicious looks.

"...They're licking their plates clean too..."

Seriously dad? Out of all the different stuff you've made us try and you're bragging about baby chickens...

"FROGS' LEGS!"

My swivel chair came to an immediate halt. No...the horror. Please no. NO. For the love of God, you are joking, dad. (insert whimpering sound here)

I looked out the back door at our pond and I could hear all the frogs ribbiting around me, upset that I had just barbarically devoured their cousins. It was like one of those scenes you see in movies where the protagonist is stuck in a hallucinogenic-type mode where there is a white orb around his/her head with items dancing around in a clock-wise motion. My orb contained frogs, ribbiting sounds, and dry heaving.

I think Katie must have had a similar orb experience because the look of absolute terror on her face matched my own. It was at this moment that we bolted back up the stairs and made a mad dash for our bathroom. We used up a half a tube of toothpaste, and I very clearly remember 4 cups of mouthwash to get the taste of panic out of my mouth. I can't explain the amount of extreme toothbrushing that went on and I attempted to find you a video to demonstrate said chaos, but I could only find an annoying guy screaming while brushing his teeth. The volume at which this man was yelling might deafen you and cause you to never read my blog again, so instead I provide you with something far more calming and interesting to look at:

 

And that's how I ended up getting tricked into eating frogs' legs. The End.

Syrup On A Fish

Maple glazed group for two, ladies and gentlemen-that's today's recipe!

A Sunday at Harris Teeter could not produce fresh Grouper Filet so I had to settle for Corvina Filet instead. The guy behind the fish counter told me that this was the closest thing to Grouper, but he kind of explained in a way that said "I'm going to tell you this is the closest thing to Grouper, but I really don't know, but I really don't want to go ask somebody, so I'm hoping that you just cook your fish and it turns out tasty anyways." I took the risk with the Corvina.

My version was tasty, but I recommend doing your best to find fresh Grouper first! The following is my dad's recipe:

What you'll need:
-2/3 Ib of Grouper Filet
-2 tablespoons maple syrup
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-Salt & Pepper
-Fresh Sage julienned (be generous with the Sage)

Clean fish thoroughly. Salt and pepper fish and rub on sage, maple syrup and 1 table spoon of oil. Marinade for 1 hour.

Heat 2 table spoons of oil in pan and sear fish 3-4 minutes on each side. Pour any left over liquid in the pan during the last 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serve with a nice glass of bubbly and a couple sides. We went simple with some couscous and a salad, but dad provided a great suggestion by using baked sweet potato and garlic string beans for the sides. If you'd like to make the garlic string beans, just get 2 servings of blanched string beans, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 almond slivers, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Mix all ingredients in a frying pan and heat through on high heat. Enjoy!

This One Goes Out To You, Veggies

When I was a kid, I never had a problem with eating vegetables, and then I tried string beans from the school cafeteria...

I would compare the taste of said string beans to what I imagine it would taste like to eat rubber bands coated in nail polish remover. They smelled like medical instruments. My reaction pretty much went something like this:

After this experience, I came to the realization that not everyone knows how to cook vegetables the right way. Now I have made it a mission to prove to the world (and children like the above) that veggies can taste delicious! So dad sent me this recipe for eggplant parm. I don't even like eggplant and I LOVED this dish. So veggie haters, give it a try anyways; I can promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What you'll need:
-2 medium sized eggplants (the large ones tend to get very bitter)
-8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
-1/4 cup of grated parmesan reggiano
-Homemade marinara (see below)

Begin by thinly slicing the eggplant into 1/8" slices; thin slices is going to be the key to this recipe. Lay out the slices on a paper towel and sprinkle salt on them. Once you have salted all slices, let the eggplant sit for about 30 mins or more to release their moisture.

While you're waiting on your eggplant, you can get started on the homemade marinara sauce:

What you'll need:
-1 16 oz. can of Muir Glen whole plum tomatoes
-1/2 chopped onion
-3 cloves of crushed garlic
-1 teaspoon of raw sugar
-1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
-1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
-1/2 a beef buillon cube

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until it's translucent. Cut the plum tomatoes up before putting them into the pan. Add the liquid from the container. Then, add all the other ingredients and stir. Cover the mixture and cook for about 20 mins on a low temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and finish crushing the tomatoes with an immersion blender if you own one. I just used a fork...I'm not advanced enough for an immersion blender yet. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper and your marinara should be set! The homemade marinara is so worth it-I was licking my plate clean to say the least.

The onions should probably be cut smaller than this, but it still tasted awesome!

By now your eggplant should be ready. You will be able to see the droplets of moisture on top of each slice like the following:

Begin heating a frying pan on medium heat with canola oil glazing the bottom, about 1/4". Canola oil is preferred, but olive oil will work as well. Place your slices of eggplant onto the pan and fry until they are golden brown. 

Pancakes?

You'll want to have a plate with a couple paper towels on it ready so you can transfer the slices once you are done. The paper towels will absorb the excess oil.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Once you have fried all your slices, you'll be ready to prepare your dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the pan. 

Yes, it's really only that much.

Start layering the eggplant, followed by the cheese. The order should be: eggplant, mozarella, parmesan reggiano, repeat. Continue this process until you have used up all the eggplant, and be generous with the cheese for the last layer!

Bake this dish for 15 mins, and finish under the broiler for a couple mins to lightly brown the cheese. In Italian, this dish is called melanzane parmeggiano. My dad and I were lucky enough to try this dish first hand prepared by my Sicilian Aunt Teresa in Sciacca, Sicily. While you're waiting for your dish to bake, here's a little history from dad:

"Sicily is a country that was invaded by countless cultures over 10,000 years and with each inhabitant was left a piece of culture that influenced the foods they eat today. Most of the island is used for farming and citrus fruits top the list of fresh produce. Olive trees and grape vines also dot the landscape as well as cattle, sheep and poultry farms. We visited a friend's farm and I was overwhelmed by the size of the broccoli heads growing in their fields. The tempered climate and fertile soil help to produce these larger than life fruits and vegetables that have only heightened the taste rather than diminished. My Aunt and Uncle made several dishes each day so that we could experience the taste of their local cuisines during our short 4 day stay. One of the dishes we were treated to was the eggplant parmesan, similar to our traditional parmesan only by name. The dish used very thinly sliced, fried eggplant with fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese dotted with fresh marinara. The sweetness of the eggplant and the creaminess of the fresh mozzarella is what makes this dish so delicious."

View from Sciacca

Once you have finished, you can add the rest of the sauce to the top and serve fresh with a salad or other appetizing side!

OMGEEZZZ...this picture does zero justice to how good this actually turned out.

Buon appetito!

Wok and Roll

Have you ever had to clean a Wok properly? Apparently I bought the proper type of Wok; however, they are kind of a pain to clean because you have to make sure you get the lacquers off before you can even use the thing. I followed the directions on my Wok: heat 1/4 cup cooking oil in the wok until it starts smoking...then, scrub your wok with steel wool using a wooden spoon while it's heating over the stove:

My God, I'm artsy.

Appetizing...I know.

Everything was going fine and dandy until I lifted my wok, proud as ever to find...

ABOH???!!!

GAH. I'm still trying to get this off my stove. What is it? Great question. I'm still figuring that out...

My advice? Check the bottom of your wok when you start heating it to make sure this isn't occurring underneath...and conclusively, if you're going to purchase a proper wok, don't say I didn't warn you.

But let's be for real...you're not here to listen to me vent about my wok debacle; you're here for the deliciousness! Last night's recipe-Chicken Stir Fry!

What you'll need:
-1 boneless, skinless chicken breast...or 2 breasts depending on how much chicken you want and what size the breasts are
-1/4 of a red bell pepper, diced
-4 cloves of garlic
-3 scallions, sliced on a bias
-1 carrot julienned
-1 small zucchini julienned
-Some asparagus cut up into 1" pieces
-1 small bag of Udon noodles cooked

If you don't have a wok, a regular pan will do. Before you even start cooking, portion out all your vegetables ahead of time; the prep work takes about as long, if not longer than the cooking itself.

Asparagus, zucchini, scallions, garlic, carrots, red bell pepper

Now, I'm one of those people that's an absolute freak about cleaning chicken for fear I will get poisoned or something. Everyone knows how to clean chicken, but my ritual is to wash it in cold water, then cut it up into long strips (you'll want it sliced thin for this recipe), and lastly dip it in lemon juice. The lemon juice is supposed to eliminate bacteria with it's acidity-I'm not entirely sure how much of that is true, but it helps me sleep knowing that I've "properly" cleaned the chicken.

Start heating your wok with about a tablespoon of oil. Once your chicken is cleaned and sliced you can throw it into the wok and start cooking it at medium temperature. Dad says to add one piece at a time so that they don't stick together. I just threw 'em all in and then separated them with my tongs. 

Bam!

As they are cooking, season with salt and pepper. Please feel free to get a handful of the salt/pepper at this point and pull an Emeril Lagasse, yelling "BAM!" When they are done, separate them onto a clean plate.

Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the now empty wok and throw in your carrots and asparagus, stirring for about 2 mins. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and noodles to the wok and cook for 1 min. Add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for 1 min. Take that plate of chicken you put aside and add that to the wok, along with about a tablespoon of soy sauce. I personally like a little more soy sauce (2 tablespoons), so feel free to add as much as you would like. 

Stir fry so that everything is mixed together and lastly, add sesame seeds! (You can yell "BAM!" when you throw those in too...it will make your guests think you're more legit.)

Le finished product!

Dad says: "Can you feel the love? This dish will warm your soul and keep you healthy!"
I say: "Bring on the soy sauce."

Simple Pear, Gorgonzola, & Craisin Salad

So I don't think this really counts as a legit post, but I just threw together a pretty bangin' salad so I thought I'd share.


What you'll need:
-Romaine lettuce, or mixed greens of your preferences
-1-2 pears
-Craisins (dried cranberries)
-A couple of ounces of gorgonzola cheese
-Balsamic Vinaigrette 


Throw the base Romaine into a bowl. Cut up the pears into small pieces. If you're only making the salad for one, a pear to a pear and a half should be sufficient. If you can find fresh craisins, props to you. I just bought the cheap-o grocery store version from Ocean Spray. With the Gorgonzola, crumble the cheese into the bowl, but make sure the crumbles are tiny or you will end up with big chunks in your salad which can be too much. 

 Toss with Balsamic Vinaigrette or your choice of dressing and you're done!

Simple, tasty, and takes 5 mins to throw together. If you want to add grilled chicken or spiced pecans as well, it would probably give an added kick!


More accredited post coming this week....I swear.

Le History

Welcome to my blog-Olive Your Cooking!

So Papa bear (dad) and I have been throwing around the idea of writing a cookbook, so I thought this might be a great way to showcase some recipes and and log my chaotic attempts at becoming a respectable chef. He sends me recipes and I get to try them, adding and tweaking them as I go and writing about it. We're just like Julie and Julia...but Mark and Jess:

You should always dress like this when you cook!

Lobsters are terrifying.

Yes I used FACEinHOLE...I don't have photoshop; don't judge me. Julia looks good with Mark's beard.

I grew up in a household where the kitchen was the center of everything, just as the logic is in Italy. I know what good cooking looks like, and more importantly, tastes like. If you've been to the Godby household, you've likely spent more time at the kitchen counter than in the rest of the house, and have been bombarded by my dad to talk culinary expertise at least once or twice. I'm consistently impressed with his dishes that I like to call "savory art" and am on a mission to achieve some level of this success in my own kitchen.

Okay, maybe I'm bragging a little bit....but seriously, it's good.

So keep a lookout; you've got some good recipes rolling your way soon, complete with my take on them. Be sure to leave feedback if you decide to try cooking any yourself-I'd love to get your input and maybe you have some great suggestions to offer as well, so don't be afraid to comment.

Here's to my feeble attempts at becoming a quality future housewife! Expect the first recipe this week :).