Monthly Archives: November 2015

easy cauliflower puree

Easy Cauliflower Puree

This recipe comes from a few years ago when my family wasn’t eating grains, dairy, sugar and many other delicious things. (This post explains why we were doing that.) Thankfully those days are behind us! But the best thing that happened from that experience was some new and different recipes that I never would have cooked before that time. My kids learned to eat some new things and it opened them up to some new foods I hadn’t really thought about or even attempted to cook.

Easy Cauliflower Puree is my favorite thing to make when I’m scrambling to put dinner on the table. Its about 20 minutes from start to finish. Also, it can be put on subbed by replacing the sweet potatoes on top of the Cottage Pie. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

I will say this: I don’t pretend this is potatoes. We call it cauliflower and they still eat it! Haha! It has a different flavor but it can be seasoned as such.

Sometimes I add other ingredients if we want to mix it up:

1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream and 1/2 cup shredded cheese

2 TBL butter and 1/2 cup milk

3 chopped slices of bacon and sautéed chopped onion and jalapeños.

Easy Cauliflower Puree

World’s best and easy cauliflower puree. I promise. Of all the recipes I make on a regular basis, I use this one the most.

You will need:

1 large pot to cook in

an immersion blender like this one (or traditional blender)

Ingredients:

cauliflower head (mine was about 9-10 inches across)
1 TBL olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cut the cauliflower into quarters. Diagonally chop the core out of each quarter and roughly chop into 2-3 inch pieces. Neatness doesn’t count here!

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Add the oil and cauliflower all in the pot on medium high heat. Stir until the cauliflower stars to brown in a few spots, 3-4 minutes.

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Add the garlic cloves and continue stirring for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper. Turn heat down to medium low and cover. Cook 15-18 minutes, stirring 1 -2 times. Add a splash of broth if it cooks away to quickly.

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When florets are soft and easily mashed with a spoon, turn off heat and blend with immersion blender until smooth. (Either in pot which is easier or spoon into traditional blender.)

easy cauliflower pureeeasy cauliflower puree

Taste for seasoning.

 

This is what my kids look like after dinner:

easy cauliflower puree easy cauliflower puree

Told ya 😉

Easy Cauliflower Puree
Author: 
Recipe type: side dish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 servings
 
Easy Cauliflower Puree is a versatile and easy side dish to complement any meal.
Ingredients
  • cauliflower head (about 9-10 inches diameter)
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1½ cup chicken broth
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Cut the cauliflower into quarters. Diagonally chop the core out of each quarter and roughly chop into 2-3 inch pieces. Neatness doesn't count here!
  2. Add the oil and cauliflower all in the pot on medium high heat. Stir until the cauliflower stars to brown in a few spots, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic cloves and continue stirring for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper. Turn heat down to medium low and cover. Cook 15-18 minutes, stirring 1 -2 times. Add a splash of broth if it cooks away to quickly.
  4. When florets are soft and easily mashed with a spoon, turn off heat and blend with immersion blender until smooth. (Either in pot which is easier or spoon into traditional blender.) Taste for seasoning.
  5. Additional stir-in for extra flavor:1/2 cup greek yogurt or sour cream and ½ cup shredded cheese OR 2TBL butter and ½ cup milk OR 3chopped slices of cooked bacon and sautéed chopped onion and jalapeños.
 

Please let me know what you thought of the Easy Cauliflower Puree! I would love to hear from you!

everything marinade

The Everything Marinade

Now that my kids are getting older, I find them playing together as peers more and more often. Especially since my 5 year old can read to my 3 year old, they really do seem like best buds together! Not that they don’t get into sibling spats and brawls but I often find them like this:

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And this is bedtime the other night. Of course.

dress-up

And before a run last week. Those rain boots usually make an appearance, even when the sun is brightly shining!

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Anyways, enough about the kids!

Over here at my house, we are always looking for a different (but easy!) way to flavor meat.  However, this is the recipe we use when we DON’T do something interesting and new. Its the old stand-by, the easy no-brainer and simple as anything! It gives the meat moisture and a delicious seasoned flavor. Now, I’ve only been using the homemade version for a short time. The other way was a bottle of something store bought but this tastes better, and there’s nothing mystery (or hard-to-pronounce) about it!

everything marinade

The Everything Marinade

This could be used for steaks, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, burgers, pork tenderloins or pork chops or whatever you like to cook! We usually throw it on the grill after marinading but it can be baked, sautéed or whatever kind of cooking method floats your boat!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T ground ginger
  • 1 c soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 1 c water
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional) I don’t usually use this but it just adds that little something extra.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir or use a mason jar and shake vigorously. Pour half of recipe into zip top bag or container and add meat to marinade. Leave for minimum 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Store remainder of marinade tightly closed with lid for up to 1 week. Can be used in a freezer bag with meat for 1 month.

 

We like to have our marinaded steaks with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted broccoli. It always gets gobbled up every time!

everything marinadeeverything marinade

The Everything Marinade
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2 recipes
 
This marinade is great for any and everything!
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T ground ginger
  • 1 c soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 1 c water
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir or use a mason jar and shake vigorously.
  2. Pour half of recipe into zip top bag or container and add meat to marinade. Leave for minimum 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  3. Store remainder of marinade tightly closed with lid for up to 1 week. Can be used in a freezer bag with meat for 1 month.
Please let me know what you thought of the Everything Marinade! I would love to hear from you!