Sides

Tomato, Artichoke, and Zucchini Casserole

/ andreah94 / Leave a comment

I am thrilled that I created this. D wanted baked tomatoes because he loves them. I did not want to buy two types of tomatoes (I was buying cherry tomatoes for a dish later in the week) so I decided to bake tomatoes but inside a casserole dish. The result of my creation was a man friend who did not say a word throughout dinner, licked his plate, and got seconds. These actions were all precursors to a rave review. This is a super easy, super fresh, super healthy, super delicious, super versatile, and perfect for summer or winter (adjust veggies accordingly).Final verdict: Keeper!

Tomato, Artichoke and Zucchini Casserole
Serves 4

  • 3/4 of a pint of Cherry or Grape tomatoes, halved and seeded
  • One zucchini, cut into half moons
  • One can artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1-2 large shallots
  • 3-5 cloves garlic
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • handful torn basil
  • a few dots of goat cheese or some shredded Fontina
  • a few pieces of torn prosciutto or pancetta (optional)
  • Bread crumbs (optional – I actually do not think they added anything)

Grease a baking dish. Preheat oven to 400. In a skillet, heat olive oil and add prosciutto or pancetta (if using) and allow to render. Remove from plan and garlic and shallots (properly seasoned) and saute until glassy. Add white wine and chicken broth and reduce a bit to just cook off the alcohol.Add some pepper and the thyme and reserve.While the shallot mixture is cooking, seed tomatoes, cut zucchini and artichoke and combine in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix with cheese. Once the shallot mixture is done, pour mixture into the baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 15-20 minutes. You can pull out halfway through and top with more cheese (or you can just move the previous addition of cheese to now if using less cheese). Pull out of the oven and spoon into small bowl or onto a plate.

This would be delightful with a piece of toasted garlic ciabatta bread. It would also be delightful with some chicken sausage for a one-pot meal (can you call it a one-pot meal if you also use a pan – in Andiland you can!).

Stuffed Swiss Chard

/ andreah94 / 1 Comment

One of my favorite sides. Really this can be eaten as a whole meal if you so desire. Healthy and satisfying!

Stuffed Swiss Chard

One bunch Rainbow Swiss Chard
One bunch Green Onions, chopped
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, whole
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 large shallots, diced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (or fresh balls)
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Steam the Chard in a large pot. Remove after Chard has become wilted, lay individual pieces out flat on a greased cookie sheet (I like to double them up to prevent tearing). Salt and pepper the inside of each chard piece.

In a small bowl, combine garlic, shallot, green onions, pepper, cheese, and tomatoes and mix well. Place a small amount of the mixture in the middle of each Swiss chard leaf then roll to create a packet. Seal with a toothpick if necessary. Brush the top of the chard packets with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Bake for about 14 – 20 minutes.

Sauteed Spinach

/ andreah94 / 1 Comment

I can eat sauteed spinach all day, everyday. It is super easy, healthy, flavorful and versatile. It can be used as a side, as a bed for a protein such as salmon, can be used as a stuffing, or as a whole meal. I crave this over and over again – hey I guess it is better than craving pizza!

Sauteed Spinach

Baby spinach leaves, washed and dried – you will need a good bit of spinach as its volume is significantly reduced after cooking
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 large shallots, thinly sliced
Crushed red pepper *optional, I tend to not add it
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Dash of white wine (sub chicken broth if you have no white wine)

Heat a dab of olive oil in a large, high walled skillet. Saute garlic and shallots (properly seasoned) until glassy then hit with a nice pull of white wine (depending on how much spinach you are using decrease or increase the amount of wine added). Once the wine cooks off, add the spinach to the pan and allow to wilt. Pepper and serve.

Sausage-Stuffed Tomatoes

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I am on a pseudo-diet. I thought hey let’s have some chicken with a reasonable amount of goat cheese and baked tomatoes. Low enough in calories right? Well yes in theory….then the dilemma of what to stuff the tomatoes with arose. Usually I stuff them with leftover chicken, but….we were having chicken as the main. In the spirit of dieting, I suggested to D that I just stuff them with garlic, spinach, shallots and arugula pesto. Somehow this turned into sausage or prosciutto or some other man food being included. Final result: baked tomatoes stuffed with Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage, Monterrey Jack, Pesto, Garlic and Shallots. Topped off with fresh torn basil. D was happy and, I have to admit, the man food tasted good! In the spirit of dieting I used chicken sausage so we were all happy. Hey, chicken sausage counts as diet food right?

Sausage-Stuffed Tomatoes

Serves 4 (at half a tomato each)
2 large cluster tomatoes, halved and seeded
One shallot, minced
One clove garlic, minced
1.5 tablespoons pesto (arugula or basil)
One half of a Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage (or other sausage of choosing)
1/3 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack (I used MJ because I had it, Fontina or Mozzarella can also be used)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Use oil to grease a baking dish or sheet.  In a pan, heat oil and add shallots and garlic. Cut the sausage casing and empty half of the filling into the pan and saute with the garlic and shallots. Once mostly cooked remove to a bowl and allow to cool for a minute or two. Combine salt, pepper, cheese and pesto with the sausage mixture – mix well. Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes (making sure to get the yumminess all the way down in the bottom cavity of the tomato) then sprinkle top with salt and pepper as desired and place on the baking sheet.

Bake for fifteen – twenty minutes on 375, remove, top with basil and serve.

*Feel free to coat the top with bread crumbs if you like.

Roasted Broccoli

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Until this past year I have been allergic to broccoli – horrible I know. But, thankfully, now I can eat it and eat it I do – I LOVE my little green friend (since the original date of this post, I have learned that I probably should not eat broccoli, but this time I just cannot seem to give it up!). Usually I steam broccoli for healthy and quick dinner sides, but I absolutely love this roasted broccoli – it can be eaten alone or thrown into any casserole, pasta, or what not. It is excellent in the winter and really does not take much more prep time than any other veg (besides steaming of course). It is also a great snack (even though I usually want cookies). I tend to make more than I need so that I can use it the next day for a pasta or something along those lines.

Roasted Broccoli

2 pounds Broccoli (with stems), roughly chopped
Shallots, 2-3large
Garlic, 3- 5 cloves to taste
Oil (either truffle, garlic, or regular olive oil)
One lemon zested – reserved
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450. DO NOT WASH BROCCOLI. The broccoli needs to be very dry to roast properly. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces, slice shallots, mince garlic. Combine all ingredients with a couple tablespoons oil and salt and pepper. Roast for about twenty minutes (I think – I have never paid attention to the time) and then remove. Toss with lemon zest and serve.