Quinoa or Cous Cous Salad

This is my new favorite salad and I have a feeling I'll be eating it all Spring & Summer. Inspired by my chef friend, Lize. You're in for a vegetarian treat.

I made a big batch of the cous cous mix (see below) and used 1/4 of the bag as a hot side with the below mentioned Rib recipe. I then reserved the other 3/4 & chilled it for this salad.

You can store this salad for 2-3 days and it's still SO good!

Ingredients
1 package of Cous Cous (I used the Quinoa, Israeli Cous Cous, Small Garbanzo, etc. mix from TJ - sooo good), prepare as the bag/box indicates. Remember Quinoa has as much protein as meat, so it's heartier than Cous Cous, although my kids prefer the later.

1/2 pepper, diced. I used a yellow one, but you could use any color.

20 pit-less Kalamata olives, sliced in 1/2

1 small cucumber, diced (you can use the miniature variety or a Persian one).

1/2 Lemon, juice only - make sure you don't get any seeds when you squeeze

3-4T of EVOO (best quality, Spanish preferred for flavor)

Cilantro, 6 stems - leaves chopped

Lawry's Seasoning Salt, 3 shakes
Lawry's Garlic Salt, 3 shakes
Paprika, 2 shakes
Dill, 2 shakes

**Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate = the yummiest, lightest salad ever.

Today I packed this as my "sack lunch" on a field trip. Easy to pack and eat on the go.

Easy, Fall-Off -The-Bone, Ribs

Quick Sunday Meal (or any day) Get your crock pot ready. I turned it on at 8am and it was ready by 12noon (when we got back from church).

Ingredients
Rack of pork ribs, cut in 1/2 to fit in the crock pot.
1 C of Apple Cider vinegar
Lawry's seasoning salt
Lawry's garlic salt
1-2C Bulls Eye BBQ sauce (or your favorite), amount depends on how "saucy" you like your ribs.

Directions
1. Place ribs in the crock pot & season
2. Pour in vinegar, avoid pouring over pork since it might remove the salt.
3. Place on high for 4 hours.
4. Pour BBQ sauce over the top and let it cook for another 30min-1hour while you make your sides. See "patatas a la pobre" for a yummy potato side.

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients
Head of cauliflower
Lawry's Seasoning Salt, 5 shakes
Lawry's Garlic Salt. 5 shakes
Paprika, 3 shakes
EVOO, poured for 3-4 seconds =) (roughly 3-4T)

Directions:
**Preheat oven to 400 (I roasted for 10 minutest @ 425 then reduced to 400)
1. Use a baking sheet (I cover it in tin foil so I keep the pan clean).
2. Chop up cauliflower into large florets.
3. Place cauliflower, seasoning & oil into a mixing bowl & hand toss.
4. Lay flat on baking sheet.
5. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes (until edges get a little golden but stem becomes translucent.)

**Serve alone as a side or appetizer OR add sauce.



Cheese Sauce (Optional); Use as a Dip or Pour over.
1/2 Cube of butter
1/2 C of milk
2T of flour
1/4 C of shredded cheese
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2t of Paprika
1/2t of dry mustard
1 t of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1. Melt butter over med-high heat
2. Whisk in flour
3. As flour & butter begin to form, slowly add in milk - keep whisking!
4. Once mixed together and giving a "sauce" look, add in cheese - keep whisking! 5. Take OFF heat once mixed all together.
**You may need to reheat if you don't serve immediately b/c it may clump together.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

As for most of my inventions, these ingredients are approximate. As your own chef, you'll have to gauge. Prep & Cook Time: Ready to serve in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

3C of chicken broth
1 can of coconut milk (I used the reduced fat from TJ. 1/4 of the fat - all flavor)
1 breast of chicken, sliced & cubed
2 Garlic Cloves, diced
4 Scallions
Red pepper flakes
Turmeric, dash
Paprika, dash
Sea Salt, 3-4 pinches
Shredded fresh ginger, optional if you have it and/or like it.
Mint leaves, for a little extra and for color (& if you like it.)
Hot sauce, Thai hot sauce preferred - to kick it up a notch

Directions:
1. In a dutch oven, Saute until translucent - garlic and the white end of the scallions (save green for end)
2. Add in broth, coconut milk, chicken & seasoning - bring to a boil then reduce to med-high heat until chicken is cooked (about 10-15 minutes).
3. Add in green part of scallions (cut in half) let it simmer (for about 10 minutes).
4. Add in hot sauce to your liking and serve.

Faux BoBeau Brussels Sprouts

Before

Roasted

Served

There is a restaurant in town called BoBeau. It's my high school friend's family restaurant. One of the favorite dishes: Brussels sprouts. Di-vine. Let me preface this by saying I have NEVER liked them. My mom didn't make them growing up. I tried them a few times in adulthood, hoping the nutritional value would offset my taste buds, but no. It has remained one of the few foods I wouldn't eat...until now. I carefully examined the ingredients and while I can't exactly mimic the fine chef's detail, I was able to make something close enough that my family flipped over.

Ingredients
Brussels sprouts (organic always tastes better), cut in 1/2
Red Onion, 1/2 & sliced and diced
Hard Salami, small cubes - roughly 1C
EVOO (I prefer Spanish, it has more flavor), about 2-3 Tablespoons
Few sprinkles of Lawry's Garlic Salt & Seasoning Salt & Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar (2-3T)
Shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions - this is the quick & easy version. See below for mods.
1. Preheat oven @ 400
2. Place sprouts & salami in a bowl, drizzle EVOO, salt & pepper over it. Toss.
3. Place on lined baking sheet with inside of sprouts facing down. Make sure cubed salami is even spaced throughout the pan. Make sure sprouts aren't too crowded.
4. Roast for about 30minutes (check may need longer by 10-15 minutes depending on oven)
5. Once they begin getting brown/black edges then take them out and flip them individually (so inside is facing up). Roast for another 5-10 minutes (be careful not to burn them).
6. Serve on a flat serving dish or bowl. Drizzle with balsamic. Generously sprinkle fresh shaved Parmesan over the the top..even the crumbles are good.

Enjoy! The crispy salami is so yummy too!

Modifications:
1. Flash fry the sprouts in a sauce pan w/ 1T of EVOO for about 2-3 minutes; constantly tossing before placing into the mixing bowl (step 2).

2. Use pancetta instead of hard salami.

3. Create a balsamic reduction to drizzle over sprouts at the end.