Charred Tomato Garlic Bread

I love bread.

And by that, I mean:

I. LOVE. BREAD.

And if you have a fresh loaf of bread, according to me (or you!), of course it’s good all on it’s own.

But let me tell you how it gets even better...

It's so simple to char the bread in a grill pan with a little olive oil—on high heat.

It will get mouth-wateringly crusty on the outside, while still remaining soft and chewy on the inside.

And when it’s crisp and browned, take it off of the grill pan and rub it with cut garlic and tomato.

This infuses those flavors ever-so-delicately—and just so incredibly perfectly!—into the bread.

Sprinkle this amazing bread with salt and another drizzle of olive oil, and you have definitely transported that fresh loaf of bread to a whole new level.

Charred Tomato Garlic Bread

servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• One 8 X 5-inch loaf ciabatta bread (or other crusty bread)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 medium tomato, halved
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Cut the loaf of bread in half length-wise and drizzle all sides of it with the olive oil. Place the bread crust side-down on the pan, and cook until grill marks appear and the bread is crusty—2 to 3 minutes. Flip the bread over, then press it down to ensure good contact with the pan; continue to cook until grill marks appear and the bread is charred in spots—2 to 3 minutes more.
2. Remove the bread from the heat and and rub the cut side with the cut side of the garlic, going over the bread a few times. Then rub the bread with the cut side of the tomato, squeezing the juice out of the tomato and onto the bread as you do so.
3. Sprinkle the cut side of the bread with the salt and a little extra olive oil. Serve hot and enjoy!

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

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Turnip No-Potato Salad

Summer is officially here!

So, of course, I’ve got summer barbecues on my mind!

And obviously that means I’ve got summer barbecue staples on my mind—potato salad, to be exact!

I think we can all agree that potatoes are great, but there are other root veggies out there that are primed for side dish glory.

Take turnips, for instance.

Turnips are a little sweeter than potatoes and make for the most amazing substitute in a “potato” salad.

Combine them with some crunchy celery, a hit of bacon, and a simple dressing made of mayo and Greek yogurt.

Voila!

You’ve got a potato—I mean a turnip—salad to die for!

Turnip No-Potato Salad

servings: 3 cups of salad, serves 4

Ingredients:

• 5 small to medium turnips (about 1½ pounds), cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 slices thick-cut bacon
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• ½ teaspoon paprika, more for a garnish
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced into half-moons (about ¾ cup)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup), more for a garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the turnips with the balsamic vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Bake the turnips until they are tender and lightly colored—20-25 minutes.
2. While the turnips bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook it until it is crispy—6-7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain, then coarsely chop it and set it aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pickle juice, mustard, and paprika. Add the turnips, celery, scallions, and three-quarters of the bacon. Toss this mixture to combine, and season it with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
4. Garnish the salad with the remaining bacon, along with more scallions and paprika.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

Find more recipes like this in MORE VEGGIES PLEASE!

 

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Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce with Pasta

When I create a recipe, I’m always thinking about what different versions of a dish I can suggest to different groups of people.

For instance, sometimes I think about how to make my vegetarian recipes “meaty.”

Or I might toss out some ideas about how to make a dish more family-friendly (something adults can enjoy that kids will also eat!).

I love when—with just a few tweaks—you can make a couple of versions of a meal at the same time, so everyone is satisfied.

And it’s always a bonus if we get our kids to eat their veggies!

This Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce is one of the most melt-in-your-mouth pasta sauces I’ve ever made.

And I honestly can’t tell the difference between this version and the full-on-million-calorie version.

Actually, I can tell the difference, oh-so-slightly. And I’m not lying when I say I like this one better.

It’s garlicky, cheesy, and creamy—as you would expect.

But the cauliflower adds a whole new element that deepens the flavor and literally makes you want to eat the sauce with a spoon (nooooo, I’ve never done that 😉).

And by dividing the sauce in two and adding parsley and pepper to one half and peas to the other, you’ve got a dish that makes both parents and kids happy.

Grownup version: linguine, parsley + freshly ground black pepper.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce with Pasta

servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, broken or cut into bite-size florets (about 5 to 6 cups)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound pasta shells
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions:

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat for cooking the pasta shells. To a second large pot, add the cauliflower, chicken stock, and garlic. Bring this mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium and cook until the cauliflower is very soft—10 to 12 minutes.
2. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, salt, and pepper, and puree until very smooth.
3. When the water boils, add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions; drain when done.
4. To serve, fold the cauliflower sauce and the peas into the pasta.

Notes:

• The kid’s version is delicious! But if you want to make it a little more adult, replace the pasta shells with linguine. And instead of folding peas in with the cauliflower sauce, fold in about 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Divide among four bowls and top with parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Voilà!

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

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