The Ultimate Blog Swap

Today I’m participating in the Ultimate Blog Swap. You’ll find me posting over at From the Mind of Laura about Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta, and I’m excited to welcome Leah from Beyer Beware to The Fresh Plate:




I am so excited to be guest blogging for Liz. Her recipes are fantastic and I am hoping my roasted cauliflower doesn't disappoint!!

My kids love broccoli and cauliflower and really prefer it covered with cheese sauce. I am on the hunt for ways to add a lot of flavor to vegetables without using cheese, especially in the summer. I am in love with this roasted cauliflower and garlic.


For our family, I use a half of a head of cauliflower and 7 or 8 cloves of garlic.

I smashed and peeled the garlic and tossed it in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and seasonings.
 

I used a teaspoon of McCormick's vegetable garlic and herb seasoning. I love it on grilled vegetables and was hoping it would be good on roasted vegetables too.

Cut up the cauliflower into bite size pieces and stir into the garlic and olive oil.

Pour the cauliflower and garlic onto a pan or shallow dish.

Roast the cauliflower and garlic on 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes. It will be golden brown and garlic soft when it is done. It was full of flavor and the kids loved it. The crunchy outside and soft inside gave the cauliflower great texture while all the seasonings and garlic made it full of flavor. I can't wait to try this on the grill too this summer.



And don't forget to  Visit Life Your Way to see all of the Ultimate Blog Swap participants!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

My canning of strawberry jam is done.We took the boys to a strawberry farm and made a day of it.And after their tummies were full and they lost interest we packed up a trunk full of berries and headed home.I made 14 pint jars of yummy jam.The kids love it on their pancakes and waffles or over homemade bread in the cooler months.And it really is easy to make.Our blackberries are going to be ready in the coming weeks and I will put up blackberry jam as well.YUM!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

1 quart fully ripe strawberries
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 box fruit pectin (like Sure Jell)

You will need clean containers and lids; rinse them thoroughly with boiling water and make sure they are completely dry.
Rinse strawberries gently with clean water, pat dry, then stem and crush them thoroughly, one layer at a time.
Measure exactly 2 cups crushed berries into a large bowl; stir in sugar.
Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix water and pectin in small saucepan; bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
Continue boiling and stirring 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add to fruit mixture; stir constantly for three minutes or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy; a few sugar crystals may remain and that's okay.
Fill prepared containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops.
Wipe off top edges and immediately cover with lids.
Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
Your jam is now ready to use, and can be stored in the fridge for up to three weeks or frozen for up to one year.
Thaw frozen jam in the fridge before using.

Spaghetti With Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

As with most children spaghetti and meatballs are a stable on my menu rotation because I know that all of my sons will eat them. And most of the time ask for seconds. I love to switch up the traditional ground beef meatball and use ground turkey, italian sausage or chicken. For this recipe, I chose ground chicken.  I made them using a rachael Ray recipe that  I altered  a bit. I did use the McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. I realize that RR recipes use this spice blend very often, so I keep a bottle in my spice cupboard just in case I am making a recipe that calls for it. The addition of the spice in these meatballs are perfect! When I served these, my kids looked at me funny for a second, but once they bit into one, they were hooked. And they didn't ask for extra grated parmesan cheese , which they usually glob on their meatballs. Thumbs up from my crew. I will definitely make these again . Next time maybe as Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs, which is what the original recipe from RR uses them for.

Spaghetti with Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
adapted from Rachael Ray

1 box Spaghetti pasta, cooked  and drained
1 jar Classico Traditional Basil & Tomato Pasta Sauce

For the Meatballs

1.5 lbs ground chicken
1 T Montreal Steak Seasoning (by McCormick)
1 large egg
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In  a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. With your hands, incorporate the ingredients until mixed well.
3. Form the meat mixture into individual meatballs. I make mine a bit large, about the size of a golf ball.
4. Place meatballs on a jelly roll pan  covered with aluminum foil and lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Bake for about 25-35 minutes. The time will depend on the size of your meatballs and your oven .
6.When fully cooked , place on a bed of cooked pasta and cover with pasta sauce and extra grated parmesan cheese.

Summer Corn Salad

You can't go wrong with fresh corn salad. It is quick,colorful and full of flavor. I make this salad all summer long and always get rave reviews. It is an Ina Garten recipe, so I guess enough said :)


Summer Corn Salad
recipe by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

* 5 ears of corn, shucked
* 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
* 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 3 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Angel Food Cake with Wild Black Raspberry Meringue Frosting

This morning the boys got up bright and early and went down to the woodline to gather fresh wild black raspberries. They are the first of the season, and I know that there will be so many coming in in the next few weeks. I usually make jelly with them, but this year I want to incorporate them in to a few recipes. Since today is father's day , the boys wanted to make their dad a dessert for after dinner. I had purchased a store bought angel food cake for grilling fruit and cake , but decided to use it instead for a daddy dessert. I made a meringue icing using only 3/4 cup of fresh berries. It turned out nicely. It is not very sweet which I do not think the boys will like.SO I will add a scoop of ice cream to their serving. It is a subtle flavor with the raspberry flavor in the background. I was unsure hubs would like it, so I gave him a spoonful before I frosted the cake. He gave me a thumbs up and said he liked that it wasn't very sweet. I am not so sure. I think next time I might add another layer of flavor. Maybe chopped mint or basil. Or a drop or two of coconut extract. But all in all it was a success.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH WILD BLACK RASPBERRY MERINGUE FROSTING

1 angel food cake ( I used a store bought one)

Frosting
2 egg whites pinch of salt
1/4 cup water
1 scant cup sugar
3/4 cup black raspberries

In a mixer beat the egg whites and salt until the egg whites are fluffy. Meanwhile in a saucepan on medium high heat add the water sugar and raspberries until it comes to a roaring boil, stirring constantly. When the syrup coats the back of a spoon, it is ready to take off the heat. In a sieve, separate the seeds and pulp from the juice. (Be careful, it will be hot) Discard the pulp and seeds . turn the mixer with the egg whites on again to medium speed and slowly add the blackberry syrup. Mix for about 4-5 minutes, until glossy and stiff peaks form.
On a cake plate, place the angel food cake. Frost liberally with the frosting. top with fresh raspberries or sprigs of mint.

{ Old Fashioned Refrigerator Pickles }

One of my family's most requested snack recipes are these sweet, crunchy pickles. They are so addicting. I  always have a jar of these in the fridge, and the kids  munch on them when they open the refrigerator looking for food. The trail of pickle juice from the refrigerator door to the kitchen table can attest to many forks stuck in the jar for a taste of these ! They are completely old fashioned and super  easy to make. I pop the jar in a cooler and take them on picnic lunches in the spring and summer with the boys. I always add the onions, and I am the only one who will eat them, but that works for me. Crunchy  sweet onions are just as good as the pickles. You can use more celery seed than called for in this recipe if you prefer a stronger celery flavor. I think that 1 tsp is perfect for our tastes. These keep for  a few months in the refrigerator, but I tend to have to slice a cucumber every three days or so and add it to the jar to keep it replenished. They are rally good on hot dogs and hamburgers too. And please note that these are refrigerator pickles. They will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. You do not have to can these. No hot water baths or waiting on the lids to pop. Just put on the jar lid and pop in the fridge. And they  do get better as the weeks wear on.

Old Fashioned Refrigerator Pickles

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups sliced cucumber
1 onion, thinly sliced

Place sliced cucumber and onions in qt or pint jars.
In a separate non reactive bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, water and salt together until dissolved. Add the celery seed. Mix well. Pour mixture over cucumber and onions . Place lids on jars and refrigerate.
Keeps for 2-3 months.


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{ Honey Ham & Swiss Cheese Sliders}

These little sandwiches are one of my husband's favorite meals ever. I make them on lazy Saturdays at home and he raves each and every time I serve them. He loves the butter-mustard sauce that is poured over the sandwiches. I have to admit they are very tasty. They are so easy to put together and I love that I can use good quality honey ham and swiss cheese from our local deli. The flavor combo seems weird, but I promise you it works. So go ahead and add them to your menu. You will love them!

Honey Ham and Swiss Cheese Sliders

12 King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

12 pieces good honey ham
3  slices Swiss cheese, each cut into quarters
1/3 cup mayonnaise





1 T poppy seeds
1 1/2 T yellow mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Spread mayonnaise onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet, placing  very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. (You will not have to use all of the sauce)  Use enough to cover the tops. Let sit 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes or until tops are slightly brown and crispy. Serve warm.