Monday, 3 August 2015

Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower - BudgetBytes.com


Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika 
  • ½ tsp oregano 
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder 
  • ¼ tsp salt 
  • Freshly cracked pepper 
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan 
  • 1½ Tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 head cauliflower 
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with foil and misting lightly with non-stick spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill), and grated Parmesan.
  3. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, then cut into small florets. Place the florets in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the florets until they are evenly coated in oil. Add about ¾ of the Parmesan spice mixture to the bowl and toss the florets until coated again.
  4. Spread the florets out over the surface of the baking sheet, making sure they are in a single layer. Add any Parmesan and spices left in the bottom of the bowl to the top of the florets, then sprinkle the remaining, unused portion of the Parmesan spice mix over top.
  5. Roast the cauliflower in the fully preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the cauliflower is tender. The parmesan will melt slightly and become crispy. Serve hot out of the oven.
Notes
Can be served plain or with dipping sauces like pizza sauce, marinara, or ranch dip.



Step by Step Photos

Parmesan Spice Mix

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bow, mix together 1 Tbsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt, some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill), and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.


Chopped Cauliflower

Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower, then cut it into small florets. I’m not sure how best to describe the size, just keep in mind that they will shrink a bit as they roast so you don’t want them TOO small, but larger florets will take longer to roast.


Seasoned Cauliflower

Place the florets in a large bowl and drizzle 1.5 Tbsp olive oil over top. Toss the florets until they’re evenly coated in oil. Add almost all of the Parmesan spice mixture and toss again. Save about 1/4 of the Parmesan spice mixture to sprinkle over top just before baking.


Cauliflower ready to roast

Spread the seasoned florets over a baking sheet covered in foil and lightly misted with non-stick spray. Sprinkle any Parmesan mixture from the bottom of the bowl, as well as the reserved portion, over top of the cauliflower. That kind of creates a crust on top.


Roasted Cauliflower

Roast the cauliflower in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until they’re browned on the edges and the Parmesan has become a little crispy. Usually I stir vegetables at least once or twice while roasting, but this time I let it be so that the parmesan gets nice and crispy-brown on the bottom of the florets. It was SO GOOD.


Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower - BudgetBytes.com

Feed this to any self proclaimed vegetable hater and then see wha they say.


Smoky Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower - BudgetBytes.com

Also good dipped in a variety of sauces. NOM.




Friday, 10 July 2015

Mango Float - Mason Jar

Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 11

材料:
兩個熟的芒果、
全麥餅乾幾片、全麥餅乾碎適量(將全麥餅乾掰碎後用保鮮袋包好,用毛巾包裹保鮮袋,然後用刀背或鬆肉錘砸碎即可,也可以用食物處理機打碎)、
170ml Carnation濃奶油、
3/4杯煉奶(怕甜的可以酌量減少)
*怕肥的話可以用Yogurt代替奶油和煉奶
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 12

製作步驟:
1.芒果起肉。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 15
2.將濃奶油和煉奶混合
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 16
3.Mason Jar底部放入幾片掰碎小塊的全麥餅乾。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 17
4.淋上奶油煉奶混合物。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 18
5.鋪上一層芒果肉。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 19
6.重複步驟3-5直到裝滿。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 20
7.撒上全麥餅乾碎,放入冰箱冷藏至少4小時即可。
Next Food Trend You Need To Try: Mason Jar Desserts 22
完成!

Thursday, 2 July 2015

Pineapple Pork Kebabs (no grill required)

Pineapple Pork Kebabs - BudgetBytes.com

Ingredients
Marinade
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce $0.30
  • 2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp honey 
Kebabs
  • 1.25 lbs. boneless pork chops 
  • 1 Vidalia onion 
  • 1 green bell pepper 
  • 1 20oz. can pineapple chunks (packed in juice) 
  • 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil 
  • salt and pepper 
Toppings (optional)
  • ½ bunch cilantro 
  • Sriracha (to taste) 
Instructions
  1. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to help prevent burning under the broiler.
  2. Prepare the marinade by mincing two cloves of garlic and grating about one inch of fresh ginger into a bowl. Add the soy sauce, oil, and honey. Stir to combine.
  3. Cut the pork chops into one inch cubes. Place the cubed pork in a bowl or shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. Stir until the pork is coated in the marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Cut the onion and bell pepper into one-inch pieces. Drain the juice from the canned pineapple chunks. Place the onion and bell pepper in a bowl, add one tablespoon of oil, and a liberal sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
  5. Thread the soaked skewers with alternating pieces of onion, bell pepper, pineapple, and pork until all the pieces are used. Arrange the skewers on a broiler pan or a sheet pan with wire racks set on top.
  6. Adjust the oven rack so that the top of the skewers will be 5-6 inches from the broiler. Preheat the broiler on high for at least five minutes. Place the skewers under the broiler and cook for five minutes, or just until the edges begin to brown. rote the skewers and return to the oven for an additional five minutes. Continue cooking and rotating the skewers until they are evenly browned on all sides.** Top the kebabs with fresh chopped cilantro and a squirt of Sriracha, if desired.
Notes
*The pork chops were on sale.

**Cooking time will vary greatly depending on the size of the pieces of meat, your oven, and the distance from the broiler unit. You'll need to watch the kebabs and rotate often until they are fully and evenly cooked.



Step by Step Photos


Marinade

Prepare the marinade by mincing two cloves of garlic and grating about one inch of fresh ginger on a small holed cheese grater (or you can mince it with a knife). Add the garlic and ginger to a bowl with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil, and 1 Tbsp honey. Stir until everything is combined. Set the marinade aside.
Also, before you begin, start soaking your wooden skewers. Making sure they are fully soaked helps prevent them from burning under the open flame. They’ll still burn a little, but it’ll take a lot longer. Always soak a few more skewers than you think you’ll need, just in case.

Pork Chops
I got a really great “last day” sale on these pork chops, for only $1.59/lb. What is a “last day” sale? Last day, as in these pork chops need to be used or frozen TODAY. End of shelf life. Get ’em out of here. Anyway, it’s about 1.25 lbs of meat.


Cube Pork

Cut the pork chops into one inch cubes.


Marinate Pork

Place the pork and marinade in a bowl or shallow dish and stir until everything is coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate it for at least a half hour. 


Dice Vegetables

While the pork is marinating, cut one Vidalia onion and one green bell pepper into one inch pieces. Add the onion and bell pepper to a bowl along with 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they are coated. Drain the juice from a 20oz. can of pineapple chunks (make sure to get the kind packed in juice, not syrup). If you can’t get a Vidalia onion, a regular yellow onion or purple onion can be used instead.


Adjust Oven Rack

In preparation to broil, adjust the oven rack so that the food will be 5-6 inches from the broiler unit. The broiler unit in my oven is located on the roof of the main compartment. Some ovens have the broiler in the drawer below the main oven compartment. Put your broiler pan (or make shift broiler pan) in the oven to get an idea how far the food will be from the flame. Remember to estimate an added inch or so for the height of the food. If I had adjusted the rack to the top level, the food would have only been 3-4 inches away and it would have cooked a little too quickly for my liking. Positioning it slightly farther away gives you a little more control and wiggle room, but is still close enough to get the flame broiled flavor. Preheat the broiler on high for at least five minutes before starting, to make sure the ambient air in the oven is also hot.



Fill Skewers

thread the soaked skewers with pieces of onion, bell pepper, pineapple, and marinated meat. I was able to make ten very full skewers. Line the kebabs on a broiler pan. To make this substitute broiler pan, just set two wire cooling racks on top of a rimmed baking sheet. The racks hold the food off the bottom so air can circulate underneath and fat and juices drip down below. I also like to line the pan with foil for easy cleanup later.



Broiled Kebabs

Broil the kebabs for about five minutes, or until they start to brown. Remove them from the oven and rotate each kebab. Return them to the broiler for an additional five minutes. Repeat this process until they are evenly browned all around (I cooked mine for a total of 15 minutes). Cooking time will vary a lot depending on the size of your pieces, the type of oven you have, and how far the broiler is from the surface of the food, so make sure to keep an eye on them and rotate often (just like REAL grilling!).




Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Three Pepper Pasta with Crispy Pepperoni

Three Pepper Pasta - BudgetBytes.com


Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 3oz. pepperoni (half of a 6oz. package) 
  • 2 cloves garlic 
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper 
  • ½ cup mild banana pepper rings 
  • 24oz. pasta sauce 
  • ½ tsp dried basil 
  • ½ tsp dried oregano 
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 lb. thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta 
Instructions
  1. Thinly slice the green and red bell peppers. Remove about ½ cup of the banana peppers from the brine. Set the peppers aside until ready to use.
  2. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Break the long pasta in half and then add it to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, then drain in a colander.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pepperoni and sauté the slices until they become crispy on the edges (about 5 minutes). Remove the crispy pepperoni to a plate covered with paper towel to drain.
  4. Mince the garlic and add it to the oil in the skillet. Sauté for about one minute or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant, but not brown. Add the sliced peppers and continue to sauté for 5-7 minutes more, or until the peppers have just begun to soften.
  5. Add the pasta sauce, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the peppers. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to heat through.
  6. Return the drained pasta to the large pot, then add the pasta sauce and peppers. Stir until everything is evenly combined and coated in sauce. Add the crispy pepperoni and stir to combine again. Serve warm.
Notes
Breaking the pasta in half before cooking makes it easier to stir the larger pieces of pepper into the pasta once combined.


Step by Step Photos


Three Peppers

Slice one green bell pepper and one red bell pepper so they’re ready to go when you need them. Take about half of the banana peppers (about 1/2 cup packed) out of the brine. Set the peppers aside until you’re ready to add them to the skillet later.
Begin heating a large pot of water to cook the pasta. Once boiling, break the pasta in half, then add it to the water. Boil the pasta until it is tender, then drain in a colander. This can be in progress as you prepare the sauce. 

Pepperoni
For this recipe I used half of this 6oz. bag of traditional pepperoni. Leftovers can be frozen, or saved in the fridge for a pizza later in the week… or sandwich… or snacking. I’m sure they’ll get eaten! You can use turkey pepperoni, but I wouldn’t skip the pepperoni all together because they add quite a bit of flavor.

Fry Pepperoni
Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet. Heat the skillet over a medium flame, then add the pepperoni. Fry the pepperoni until the edges get a little crispy. The fat and seasoning from the pepperoni ends up flavoring the olive oil and adding a lot of flavor to the rest of the pasta dish. Plus, the crispy pepperoni is kind of like bacon and just… YUM.

Drain Pepperoni
Once they’re a little crispy, drain the pepperoni on a paper towel covered plate. The most difficult part of this recipe is trying not to eat these crispy pepperonis. 

Sauté Garlic
Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to the oil in the skillet (Notice the oil is sort of orange? That’s the flavor from the pepperoni). Sauté the garlic for a minute or so to soften it up, but don’t let it brown.

Sauté Peppers
Add the peppers to the skillet and continue to sauté until they are slightly softened (5-7 minutes).

Add Pasta Sauce
Add one 24oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce. I always doctor up my store bought pasta sauce, so I also added 1/2 tsp each of dried basil and oregano, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes. I got this sauce on sale for $1 and it was a “no sugar added” sauce, so it definitely needed some doctoring! Stir and heat the sauce and peppers through.

Add Sauce to Cooked Pasta
If your skillet is big enough, you can add the drained pasta straight to the skillet with the sauce. Otherwise, return the cooked and drained pasta to the pot it cooked in, then add the sauce to that. Stir until everything is combined and covered in sauce.

Add Crispy Pepperoni
Finally, add the crispy pepperoni to the pasta and stir to combine. It’s okay if they crumble a bit like bacon.


Three Pepper Pasta - BudgetBytes.com

And there you have it!