Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Pesto Pasta

 Everything I've tried from Half-Baked Harvest has been delicious!  This was no exception.  A jalapeño in pesto?  Sure!  Pairing that with roasted cauliflower?  Yes!  

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pound pasta, any variety 
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
• 1 cups baby arugula, spinach, or a mix
• 1 jalapeño, seeded (if desired)
• 1/4 cup toasted nuts, such as: pine nuts, walnuts, or pistachios
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 1/4-1/3 cup canned full fat coconut milk (or cream/milk of choice)

Instructions

• 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, 1/4 cup olive oil, paprika, chili flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Add the 2 cloves garlic and the lemon zest. Roast another 10 minutes, until charred. 

  3. Meanwhile, make the pesto. In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, arugula/spinach, the jalapeño, 1-2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, nuts, parmesan, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt. Pulse until a sauce forms, adding 1-2 tablespoons water if needed to thin. 

  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and add the pasta right back into the hot pot. 

  5. To the pasta, add the pesto and coconut milk, tossing to combine. Thin the pasta, as desired, with the reserved pasta cooking water. 

  6. Divide the pasta among bowls, then serve each bowl with a side of cauliflower. Top with herbs and greens. Grab a fork and enjoy!

Breakfast Baked Apple Granola

 I've made this twice in the last week!  A yummy twist on the traditional apple crisp, and a bit easier because the topping doesn't require crumbling or cutting in butter.  The original recipe suggests cooling and enjoying over yogurt.  We ate it warm as a "breakfast crisp" and it was wonderful.  Be careful that the granola topping doesn't burn.  It only took about 35 minutes for the apples to be cooked and bubbly, and the granola topping to be dark brown.

3 pounds of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale with Turmeric Dressing

 Yuuuuummmmm!!  I used chickpeas instead of cooked farro and hid the bowl of this salad in the fridge so I could eat it all myself.

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 cups chopped Lacinato kale (or baby kale)
• 1 cup cooked farro (or grain of your choice, or garbanzo beans)
• ½ teaspoon salt, pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ⅓ up golden raisins (optional)
• ⅓ cup chopped scallions (optional)
• Turmeric Dressing 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• cracked pepper
• 1 clove finely minced or grated garlic

1. 
   
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Trim leaves off cauliflower, and cut into florets. Place in medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and a few twists of cracked pepper. Mix well and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender, about 40 minutes, giving a stir halfway through.
4. Place the kale, farro, scallions and raisins in a large bowl.
5. Make the dressing: combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
6. Once the cauliflower is fork tender, add to the bowl and mix with kale and farro. Pour dressing over and mix until combined. Serve the salad warm, or chill for later. It’s good either way.

Slow Cooker Pork Posole

 Long after we finished eating, my husband walked by and said, "That posole is a keeper."  That's my cue to record the recipe so I don't forget what I made!  I've used a different posole recipe for years, but decided to try something a bit different and, as Ryan stated, it's a keeper.

• 2 ½ pounds Boneless Country Pork Ribs (or pork butt)
• salt and pepper
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white or yellow hominy, drained (do not rinse)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes with juice
• juice of 1 lime

• Trim any visible fat from the pork and cut into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the pork pieces to the pan and cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the browned pork to the slow cooker. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and once shimmering, brown the remaining pork. Remove to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the last teaspoon of oil to the pan. Once heated add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano to the onions. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
• Add the minced chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, hominy, chicken broth, bay leaf and fire roasted canned tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, about 6 to 7 hours on high or 7 to 8 on low.
• Turn off the slow cooker and remove the bay leaf. Skim any fat from the surface of the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the juice of 1 lime. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Pasta

 Thanks to Jessie for sharing this delicious recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I didn't change a thing and would make it all over again just the way it was.

PASTA:

•  1 pound linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine 
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
•  2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 medium lemons)
•  2 to 3 green onions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
•  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper
•  1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

MARINADE:

•  1/2 cup olive oil
•  4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
•  2 tablespoons brown sugar
•  1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
•  1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2-3 medium lemons)
•  1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
•  1/4 cup soy sauce
•  1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2-inch strips or bite-size pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the marinade, combine the olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, cajun seasoning, lemon juice, parsley, and soy sauce. Toss the marinade and chicken together in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or up to 12 (better flavor the longer it marinades).
2. For the pasta, combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot off the heat. Pour the lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and toss lightly to combine.
4. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add the marinade AND the chicken to the skillet, moving the chicken pieces so they are in a single layer. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the pasta to the skillet with the chicken OR pour the chicken and cooked marinade over the pasta in the pot (whichever will fit the mixture best). Toss with Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.