The Gorsuch Gang

My “I’m Not Going to Feel Bad Bruschetta”

// February 17th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Grub

OK that is a bad title, but as it happens I was laid off this morning so I had plenty of time this afternoon to think about my favorite subject – food! (The layoff was expected so I wasn’t that surprised.)

I thought I’d prepare a nice meal for Michael because I think he took my being laid off worse than I did.  Plus, thanks to some recent traveling we did, he’s come down with yet another cold.  I decided to make him some potato soup and a little treat of bruschetta.  I had been thinking about making a bruschetta for awhile now and given the fact we were having groceries delivered tonight, I thought it would be a good idea to clear some clutter out of the fridge.  So out came the broccoli and tomatoes to make what we both agreed was a very yummy appetizer.

Now that I’m a stay at home gal, at least for awhile, I hope to have the time to create many more creative recipes.

Roasted Broccoli and Tomato Bruschetta

2 bunches of broccoli, trimmed to the florets (remember the stalks can be saved)

3 roma tomatoes, chopped

Olive oil

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Small baguette of ciabatta or crusty bread sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the broccoli and tomatoes on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Drizzle a good amount of olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with a good shake of garlic powder and salt and pepper.  Roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes or until everything is nicely browned.

Transfer the vegetables to a food processor or blender and pulse while drizzling additional olive oil into the mixture.  The mixture should be creamy without lumps of vegetables.

Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil as well and place in the oven until the bread gets toasty.

Remove the bread and top with the vegetable mixture.

Lazy Day Stir-Fry

// April 9th, 2008 // No Comments » // Grub

I came up with this recipe one night when I was too tired to stand over a stove stirring a pot. I always use broccoli and carrots in my stir-fry, but you can use whatever veggies you like. This is the easy, no-brainer meal perfect for a weeknight.

1 pkg Extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 lb broccoli florets
2 large carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Soy sauce
Ground ginger
Garlic powder
Cracked pepper
Vegetable or canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the tofu with enough soy sauce to lightly coat the cubes. (The tofu will be like a sponge and will soak up the soy sauce, so only add enough to lightly coat.)

Place the broccoli and carrots into a large bowl. Toss the vegetables with enough oil and soy sauce to lightly coat them. Spread the vegetable mixture onto a cookie sheet leaving enough room at one end to add the tofu. Make sure to drain any excess liquid from the tofu before placing on the cookie sheet.

Sprinkle the vegetables and tofu with the ginger, garlic powder and pepper. Add as much spice as you like.

Place the cookie sheet into the oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the broccoli and carrots are firm yet tender.

Serve the stir-fry mixture over pasta or rice.

Tired and Hungry

// February 23rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Grub

Every two weeks I plan out my grocery list with grandiose ideas of creating new and exciting meals. I might even flip through my collection of cookbooks or check out some other food blogs for ideas. I’ll ponder about trying different recipes that may pop into my head or try to invent new ways of improving old recipes. My shopping cart is usually filled with good intentions, but sadly those barely come to fruition.

I simply don’t have the time or have the desire to stand over my stove every night of the week. Working a 9 to 5 job and trying to work on my food creations is sometimes too much to handle. And on top of trying to be creative all the time, I have to consider being healthy too. Oh and I also have to worry about fitting in the gym and trying for that pesky first child during week. I end up falling back on easy favorites like stir-fry or roasted vegetables most weeknights, but even then it’s usually me who’s reaching for the take-out menus by mid-week.

My husband is supportive though and fully understands when I just want to order pizza or Chinese. He’s even attempted to cook recently, but that ended with him grabbing an apple and beef stick for himself and leaving me once again ordering take-out. (There’s been talk of him actually taking a cooking class, but again we’ll see how that goes.)

I’m just frustrated that I can’t focus more time on my hobby. Especially now that my blog is taking off and I’ve got more ideas coming to me everyday. Thank goodness for the weekends when I can indulge in my food fantasies. This last Friday in fact, I tried one of my favorite soups in a different way. Roasted Broccoli and Goat Cheese Soup hit the spot with some crusty bread and herb butter. I have a plan for Sunday night as well and I’ve made sure that all the household chores are done beforehand. The rest of the week is up in the air, as usual!

Roasted Broccoli and Goat Cheese Soup

// February 23rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Grub

1 head of broccoli
¾ cup milk
¾ cup half and half
1.5 oz goat cheese
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic powder
Cajun seasoning
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Trim the broccoli and spread out evenly onto a cooking sheet. Drizzle a good portion of olive oil over the broccoli and season with the garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix the broccoli to ensure every piece is coated in oil and spices. Place the sheet in a 400-degree oven for 35 minutes.

Once the broccoli is crisp, but still tender, remove from the oven and place in a food processor. Pulse the processor until the broccoli is finely chopped. (You don’t want mushy broccoli though.) Move the broccoli to a saucepan and add in the milk, half and half, goat cheese and cheddar cheese. Warm the mixture long enough to melt the cheese and heat thoroughly.

This recipe makes about four cups of soup.

Snow!

// February 12th, 2008 // No Comments » // Grub

It is finally snowing here in New York and it is actually sticking to the ground. I couldn’t wait to get home from work and make a warm meal. I decided on broccoli cheese soup and some toasted French bread with goat cheese.

Hope everyone is keeping warm tonight!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

// February 12th, 2008 // No Comments » // Grub

1 head of broccoli
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 chicken bullion cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Trim the broccoli and boil in a large pot of water with the chicken bullion cube. Cook the broccoli until it is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the broccoli and transfer to a food processor or blender and puree. Add the broccoli puree back to the pot and add in the milk, cheese, and salt & pepper. Warm the soup on low heat until the cheese has melted.

This recipe makes about four cups of soup.