Asian-Style Grilled Green Beans

Happy summer! This simple recipe is from a cookbook I recently checked out of the library, The Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman. I tried out the recipe last week and sadly the propane ran out about 5 minutes after I put the beans on, so I had to finish them off in my trusty cast iron skillet on the indoor stove, but they were still delicious. I can only imagine that they would have been even better cooked entirely on the grill. They make a nice side dish for my Spicy Peanut Noodles, the recipe for which I'll try to post sometime soon...

1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry (or Chinese rice wine, the book says)
2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Heat grill to medium with a lightly oiled vegetable grill rack in place.
2. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish, then add the green beans and toss to coat.
3. Lift green beans out with tongs and grill them, tossing frequently, until tender and browned (about 8 to 10 minutes, according to the book, but I can't vouch for that).

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Not the most original recipe, I know (in fact, one of my favorite bloggers, Catherine Newman, is coincidentally also writing about hummus this week). I've tried many variations on it over the years, and of course it never comes out the same. This time, I tried to keep track of what I was doing so that if it came out good, I could replicate it. It came out great, I think! (It could possibly use just a little something else...I was thinking maybe some jalapenos roasted on the grill and chopped up might be a good addition.)

1 can of garbanzo beans (15.5 oz), I used Goya brand this time
juice of half a lemon
1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (start with 1/4 cup)
about half a head (is that right, head? it doesn't sound right...) of roasted garlic (wrapped in tin foil, drizzled with olive oil, and roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 45 mins...which I learned from simplyrecipes.com)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup tahini
salt and pepper

Put everything in the Cuisinart except the garbanzo beans and blend it all together. Then add the garbanzos a few at a time. Thin out with more water to the consistency that you like.

Pimiento Cheese

I'm back...after receiving some grief from my family last weekend about not posting for almost half a year, I suppose it's about time...

With a 10 week old baby, my cooking these days has been limited, to say the least. However, I've been watching a ton of Food Network during feedings. (I've seen so much of Bobby Flay that it may qualify as an affair...is it my imagination, or is he on every other show???) The irony is that I'm watching so much FN (and also now subscribe to the magazine) but I can only prepare really simple things...with an infant you always have to be prepared to drop what you're doing at any given moment, so anything remotely complicated is out of the question. Oh well, I'll have a lot of good ideas stored up for when she's a little older, I guess...

I've also got that nursing appetite...I'm ravenously hungry a lot of the time (this may also be tied to the fact that I'm constantly watching FN) and need to have food on hand that is quick to prepare for a snack. I was reminded a couple times (on FN, of course) of pimiento cheese, a Southern staple that was first introduced to me by my Nashville friend, Christy. It's so simple, and so yummy. (And not really good for you, but it beats grabbing handfuls of Doritoes and chocolate chip cookies, which is what I was doing...)

So here's the recipe, adapted from a recipe within a pimiento cheeseburger recipe in the Sunday Parade magazine from (who else?) Bobby Flay. It's great on toast (I've been eating it on some toasted French Italian bread that I got at the local Farmer's Market...delicious...), crackers, and Paula Deen suggests Frito Scoops, which sounds really good but I haven't tried it that way yet.

4 oz sharp white cheddar, grated

4 oz sharp yellow cheddar, grated

4 oz jar of chopped pimientos, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup mayonnaise (I eyeballed it, probably used a little bit less than that)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt

pepper

Simply mix everything together! Ta da.

Broccoli & Cavatelli

This is a simple and delicious (but not "lite") pasta/vegetable dish that my mother-in-law makes that I've always loved. She made it at our house once and I watched closely to try to get mine close to hers. It's certainly not just for Christmas either, but it's another that I associate with Christmas for some reason.

1 lb cavatelli (pasta found in the frozen section...it's not that easy for me to find in Virginia, but I've found it at Giant)
~ 1 lb broccoli florets
~ 1 stick of butter
lots of fresh garlic (at least 6 cloves), minced

Boil the cavatelli according to directions. Microwave or steam the broccoli. Melt the butter and cook the garlic slightly. Add butter and garlic to broccoli, then add it to the cavatelli. Add a little bit of olive oil, some salt and pepper...serve hot and enjoy!

Strawberry Romaine Salad

Since Christmas, I have been meaning to post two side-dish recipes from our Christmas dinner. And, since I still haven't taken down all our decorations (I'm doing it after I'm done here...I swear...) I suppose it isn't too late to still think about Christmas. These are both recipes from my mother-in-law.

A slight warning on this first one: I had to go to 3 grocery stores on Christmas eve to find strawberries. Apparently they aren't real prevalent in December! But I do like having this for Christmas, for some reason, although it could just as easily be a nice, refreshing springtime salad. Note to self, though: don't wait until rush hour on Christmas eve to go grocery store hopping in an obsessed search for strawberries...

DRESSING

(Note: This is half what the original recipe called for, and it still makes more than you will need.)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup sugar (yes, this is right...it will seem like a lot)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika

Combine these ingredients in a jar, cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Can be made and stored for up to a week.

SALAD

1 large head Romaine lettuce
1 large head Boston lettuce
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and sliced
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped nuts (calls for walnuts, I prefer pecans...I tried with the sliced seasoned almonds and didn't like it so much, it needs something a little more substantial)

Tear lettuce into bite size pieces. Combine everything and pour dressing over salad, toss gently.