Sundried Tomataoes and the bits

Since it has been grey here for 10 solid days, the lure of the grill has been absolutely absent,  and I find myself creating menus and planning dinners that all involve the oven.  We had a roast on Sunday, and baked ziti another.  I find myself hungry for and wanting something WARM, and wanting something that comes without the requirement for me to go outside.  Did I mention the grey?  For days?

Towards week's end, rifleing through my veggie drawer turned up quite a few vegetable odds and ends.  I had lots of a little bit.  A little bit of brussel sprouts, a little bit of onion, a little bit of Asparagus, and a little bit of green beans, and a bag of shredded broccoli. If you have never used this product it is beyond fabulous.  Stir - fries - sauteed with pasta- a nutritionally packed powerhouse coleslaw- and in it's current application  - roasted - it's, as Martha would say, A Good Thing.
Splitting 12 green beans three ways was out as was cooking three separate vegetable dishes. So in PlannedOver fashion I took it all and turned my leftover veggies into a fantastic dish.  All my bits plus a bag of shredded broccoli spent about 45 minutes in a 425 oven creating not only an enticing aroma but a delicious use of spare parts.
Green beans- snapped and rough chopped
Brussel Sprouts - halved lenghthwise
Asparagus - woody ends trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
Onion - large chopped
Bag O Broccoli Slaw - open and dump
Toss all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil or Garlic oil if you are so fortunate to have that on hand.  Add about 1/4 cup sun dried tomato puree or pesto, and salt and pepper - toss again to combine and spread on a oiled sheet pan.  Bake for 45 minutes stiring twice.

The bonus PlannedOver?  Taking the remaining roasted deliciousness and tossing it in a salad the next day with a crumble of goat cheese..........



Happy Eating!!! Enjoy

Crack.....I mean Roasted Green Beans

Why are you rereading this particular post?  See below

a. Because I've had a very busy week 
b. Because for the past two weeks I have been fortunate enough to get green beans in my CSA delivery
c. Because they are just so, so, very good
d. all of the above

Lets go with D and call it a day!  I hope you have a wonderful week and happy eating!!!


So you make some marinara or a lasagna or some sloppy joes and you find your self with an open half empty can of tomato paste.  Instead of putting it in the fridge only to be discovered weeks later covered with a grey green mossy layer, not that I’ve ever had that experience, PlannedOver and use it to make Roasted Green Beans with Tomato and Goat Cheese

Unlike the crack dealer who will give you a free sample to get you hooked, I’m telling you in advance these things are good.   I hereby issue a full disclosure that I, am almost certainly, full fledged addicted to these beans.  I could eat them daily, probably more than one time a day to boot.  Unfortunately for me, the other two members of my household feel quite fondly of them as well.

My love of roasted vegetables began in 2004 and if it can be chopped and put on a sheet pan, I have more than likely roasted it.  Green Beans came to me via a Cooks Illustrated promotional magazine.  I never got the subscription but I certainally have gotten a LOT of use out of this recipe. A Brief Google search located  The Cookbook Critic which has the original recipe from Cooks.  That particular issue also had a variation to include sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Olives.  One winter evening I was stark raving craving green beans and tomatoes.  I really don’t have any clue as to why, but this little stunner was born that night and has been enjoyed countless times since!

Tomato Paste

Garlic Oil

Goat Cheese

Salt

Mix above ingredients in a mixing bowl, then toss trimmed beans with the tomatoey goodness.

Bake in a 400 oven for 30-40 minutes taking out to stir about half way through cooking.

Eat.  Enjoy. Repeat.

Do you see the little black charrie parts?  That is proof of goodness in this world, and there is really nothing else I can add to that.

Costco and "Crumbled Croutons"

So like millions of American’s I too am a Costco shopper.  I go for produce, #10 cans of tomatoes for Sunday Gravy, an excellent meat, wine and CHEESE selection, and various other odds and ends. I am not quite to the level of my parents, whom, I’m quite convinced might perish if it closed as I’m pretty confident that approximately 90% of their diet is procured from said megastore. There are riots and mass email campaigns started by the aforementioned when the oatmeal cookies were discontinued.  Riots.  Don’t judge, it is what it is. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got my weekly staples too, Romaine, Mushrooms, and the big ole giant bag-o-Broccoli- well I guess the last one is biweekly it is a rather LARGE bag.  And what do I DO with all of said broccoli?  Well, probably the same as you.  I roast it, I steam it, sometimes it gets pureed and made into soup, or pasta sauce.  One day fairly recently I found myself with not really much left but the smallish dregs at the bottom of the bag and wanting to find a use for them, I decided to create a “crouton” of sorts for my favorite Grilled Ceasar Salad

It really added a nice crunch and gluten free!!!

Heat oven to 425

Toss broccoli “crumbles” with EVOO and a little salt

Bake 25 minutes

Top Grilled Ceasar.

Enjoy

Happy Eating!