28 by 28: Panzanella

It's no secret that I'm a tomato fiend. I'll eat tomatoes plain with salt and pepper or stacked high on sandwiches, hamburgers, wraps, you name it. My husband, on the other hand, is not a fan. This usually serves me well, as I get his castaways to add to my own grub. (Score!) The game changed this week, though, with the gift of farm-fresh tomatoes from my dear in-laws. He's been snacking on them like nobody's business! I decided this afternoon that, if I was going to knock out the panzanella on my 28 by 28 list, I'd better act fast. It was delicious! Light and refreshing, the addition of the balsamic vinegar and basil transformed a standard tomato salad into something special.

Adapted from Simple Recipes

INGREDIENTS

4 cups tomatoes, cut into large chunks

4 cups day old crusty bread*, cut into large chunks

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Chiffonade the basil. (Stack the basil leaves on cutting board. Roll tightly and slice into thin strips.)

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to marinate, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Serve at room temperature.

* If you don't have hard old bread sitting around, you can take fresh crusty bread, cut it into big cubes, lay the cubes out on a baking sheet, and place in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes, until the outer edges have dried out a bit (not toasted, just dried). If you use fresh bread without doing this, the bread will turn to mush in the salad.

Black Bean Salad

This black bean salad, aka "Texas Caviar" is great on tortilla chips or on its own as a quick and easy side dish.  Be sure to rinse the beans well if you want to keep it looking pretty.

 From Allrecipes

* For gluten-free diners, double check your cans of black beans and corn for gluten sources.   Trader Joe's and Amy's black beans are gluten-free for sure, as are Del Monte cans of whole-kernel corn.  For the dressing, you can opt to make your own vinaigrette or purchase a bottle of gluten-free dressing.  Annie's Naturals, Ken's Steakhouse, Newman's Own, and Wishbone all make gluten-free Italian dressings.

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained

8 green onions, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (more or less to suit your tastes)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and Italian dressing. Season with garlic powder. Toss, and chill until serving.

Roasted Okra

I get a little "Bubba Gump" when I talk about my okra- fried okra, boiled okra, stewed okra, okra gumbo, I love it it all!  Until today, though, I was lacking one glorious method of preparation in my repertoire- roasted okra!  I don't know why I'd never thought to roast it before.  Roasting veggies almost always results in awesomeness, and this was no different.  The roasted okra had less of the "slimy mouthfeel" that my husband loves so much.  (Not!)

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 3

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the seasoned salt label for gluten sources.

INGREDIENTS
18 fresh okra pods, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
Seasoned salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 425.

2.  Place okra and olive oil in a gallon-sized Ziploc and shake to coat.  Place okra on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in preheated oven and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

 Authentic?  Not a chance.  Delicious?  Ohhh yeah!

This is the wonderful rice dish I promised you a couple of weeks ago, and believe me when I say it's worth the wait!  This rice concoction was creamy and spicy- the perfect complement to salsa chicken.  I'm usually not a leftovers type of girl, but I took it to work for lunch three days in a row!

Adapted from Allrecipes

* Gluten-free diners should check their chicken broth for sources of gluten.  This website has a list of gluten-free broths.  In addition, diners should check the sour cream and corn labels for sources of gluten.  Daisy produces gluten-free sour cream and Del Monte's whole kernel corn is gluten-free as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 jalapenos, finely diced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 green onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS 
1.  In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. 

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. 

3.  In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, jalapenos, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese. 

4.  Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.  Top with green onion slices and serve.

Savory Polenta

The Mister and I are not complicated folks.  We're way more likely to eat at a greasy elbows-on-the-table joint than anything with "Chez" in the name.

But we all have to step out of our comfort zones every now and then.

Last summer, we had dinner at Central Park Fusion, a fancy-pants restaurant in Hot Springs.  I chose the filet over creamy truffled polenta.  Now, I'm going to level with you here and admit that I didn't have a blessed clue what polenta would taste like, and wasn't sure that the yellowy mush was really something I wanted to put in my mouth.  I'm so glad I did, though, because it was amazing.  A-maz-ing- rich and savory, with a hint of corn flavor.

Aiming to recreate that dish, I tried a few different polenta recipes at home and have officially found the winner.  With an ingredient list this simple, it's hard to go wrong.  It has a very simple flavor that can be tweaked with additions like roasted poblano peppers or corn on- off-the-cob.

Adapted from Alton Brown
Serves 4

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the chicken broth for sources of gluten.  This website has a list of gluten-free broths.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until they begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
3.  Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while whisking continuously. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every
10 minutes to prevent lumps.
4.  Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.

Corn-Fettuccine Salad

Souper Salad is definitely my favorite lunch spot.  I always enjoy nomming down on their crunchy chow mein noodles, gingerbread cake, blueberry bread, and complimentary soft-serve ice cream - uh... lettuce.  But my absolute MOST favorite thing to pile on my plate at Souper Salad is definitely the fettuccine pasta salad.  It's got sweet corn and parmesan, all wrapped up in tasty pasta goodness.

I came across a copycat recipe for that glorious salad awhile back and had to try it out.  Copycat recipes often miss the mark, but this one is a definite keeper.  It went well with leftover blackened chicken.

Adapted from Copykat.com

8 oz. Fettuccine
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Prepare fettuccine according to package directions.  Drain.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta, mayonnaise, corn, parmesan, and garlic powder.  Stir well, and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve chilled.

Spicing things up!

Hey y'all!  I have some super exciting news to share with you, but first, I want to let you know about a couple changes I've made to the blog.  In the right side bar, I've put a link to Ommy Noms' very own RSS feed, along with a search box so you can easily find a new favorite.  (Bretzel rolls, anyone?)

And now, onto the news!

I am very happy to announce that I've been featured on one of my favorite foodie blogs as a guest blogger!  Many thanks to Jessica for being a wonderful hostess.  Visit The Novice Chef to find out how I made these delicious oven-fried poblano rings!

Squash Casserole

I'll admit it, I'm a creature of habit.  If squash casserole is on the menu, I'm ordering it.  I don't even care whether it "goes" with my entree.  Baked chicken + squash casserole?  Awesome.  Pizza + squash casserole?  Sweet!  Sushi + squash casserole?

Well... I guess I do have my limits. 

Anyway, my grandparents sent me home with a bag full of freshly-picked squash a couple of days ago and I knew just what I wanted to make.  This casserole hit the spot- crushed Ritz crackers were the perfect topping to all that cheesy squash-y goodness.  Try it, you'll like it.  :)

Adapted from Paula Deen
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
6 cups diced yellow squash (about 6 medium squash)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-low until shimmering but not smoking.  Add squash and saute until it is very soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Drain any accumulated liquid and place cooked squash pieces in a large bowl.
3.  Add butter and onion pieces to skillet and return to heat.  Saute for five minutes.  Add cooked onion, sour cream, cheese, and seasonings to the bowl and stir to combine. 
4.  Place squash mixture in a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until casserole is piping hot and lightly browned.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut squash, where have you been my whole life???

I know it's a winter vegetable, but I just couldn't pass up the butternut squash display at the Asian market yesterday.  I was a little worried about trying a new veggie after Luffa Disaster 2K11, but the butternut squash was anything but disastrous.  I was impressed with its smooth texture and pumpkin-like flavor.  My only regret is that I didn't buy two of them.  I am dying to try this butternut squash risotto! 

Inspired by Whole Foods
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Wash squash thoroughly.  Poke several holes in the squash with a fork.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

2.  Cut off the top and bottom of the squash.  Peel (carefully!) with a sharp knife, and cut flesh into one-inch pieces.

3.  Place squash pieces in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Add brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Pour onto a nonstick baking sheet with sides and spread so that squash pieces are in a single layer.

4.  Roast for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This dish tastes like summer to me- delicious, light, and refreshing.  It pairs very well with barbecue.

The original recipe calls to grill two ears of corn.  I am grill-phobic, so I used thawed, frozen corn instead.

Serves 4
Adapted from Jehan Can Cook

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Salad:
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in halves
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray.  Add corn.  Cook until softened and heated through, about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, place dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well so that everything is coated with dressing.  May be served at room temperature or chilled.

Asiago Roasted Potatoes

 The asiago cheese in this recipe dresses up roasted potatoes and turns them into something special.  This dish goes well with a saucy entree.

Om nom nom!



Adapted from Food.com

Serves 4
 

INGREDIENTS

7 medium-sized potatoes (I used white potatoes; red would be good too)

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

Pinch herbes de provence

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 450.  Cut potatoes into one-inch cubes and place in a medium-sized pot.  Add water to cover potatoes.  Add salt to taste and bring to a boil.  Cook for four minutes.

2.  Remove potatoes from heat.  Drain and pat dry.

3.  Pour olive oil, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  Add potatoes, seal bag, and shake to coat.  Pour mixture onto a nonstick cookie sheet.  

4.  Roast potatoes 30-45 minutes until tender and brown, stirring every 15 minutes.

5.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Add asiago cheese and herbes de provence.  Toss to combine.

Sweet and Savory Sugar Snap Peas

If you've never had sugar snap peas before, you are really missing out.  They're kind of like the snow pea's sweeter, crunchier big brother.  I created this Asian-inspired side dish to accompany tonight's pork chops.  They were delicious!  Mr. Ommy Noms is usually "eh" about veggies, but he was all over this dish.

An Ommy Noms Original

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add sugar snap peas and sauté until crisp-tender, approximately 5 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and seasonings in a small bowl.  Swirl to mix.  

3.  Remove peas from heat, add soy sauce mixture, and toss to coat.

Green Bean Salad with Pecans

Mr. Ommy Noms is a HUGE fan of green beans.  If green beans are on the menu, you can bet he'll order them.  I went on a quest to find a new way to put green beans on his plate and came across an interesting Ellie Krieger recipe.  I had never seen green beans in a salad before and figured it was worth a shot.  I made several changes to suit our tastes and the end result was very good.  The mister thought it was outstanding.  Figures!  :-)

Based on Ellie Krieger

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp vinegar (red wine or white)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
Dash garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Bring a pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil.  Add green beans and steam for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add shallot and pecans.  Stir to combine.

2.  In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard.  Pour over green bean mixture and toss to combine.  Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Guacamole

I wasn't always a fan of avocados.  At Mexican restaurants, I was known to shove the "green slime" to the farthest corner of my plate.

That all changed with my first stuffed avocado from Trudy's restaurant in Austin.  Since that first bite, I've been an avocado fiend.  I use them in everything from sandwiches to salads.  I even created a dish incorporating the beloved avocado into a stir fry.  Surprisingly, though, I had never I made fresh guacamole until tonight.  This guac was phenomenal- even by itself!

Based on For the Love of Cooking

INGREDIENTS
2 ripe avocados, seeded and diced
1/4 small red onion, diced finely
1 roma tomato, diced
1 small handful of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, diced finely (if you want it spicy)
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine all ingredients.  Cover and let stand in refrigerator 15 minutes.  Serve.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

This roasted cauliflower was delicious! It turned out tender, but not mushy. Don't let the large volume of garlic deter you- it wasn't overpowering.

Based on the Allrecipes dish by the same name.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head of cauliflower, separated into florets
Dash Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425. Grease a large casserole dish.

Combine garlic, oil, and cauliflower in a Ziploc bag. Shake to combine. Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Top with parmesan cheese and return to oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes.

Onion Rice

This dish hails from Allrecipes. It is a very easy way to dress up plain rice. We had it with burrito bowls.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until almost tender. Stir in rice, and continue cooking until coated with oil.

When onion is tender and rice begins to brown lightly, season with pepper, and pour in the broth. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Roasted Corn and Poblano Polenta

I am a huge fan of the blog Elly Says Opa. Almost everything she makes has me drooling. This dish was no exception. The hubby and I had polenta for the first time on while on vacation to Hot Springs. I started poking around after I got home to find a recipe to try for myself. It was delicious! I served this as she did, with pan-seared shrimp seasoned with cumin, salt, and chili powder.

INGREDIENTS

1 poblano pepper
3/4 cup roasted corn*
2 tsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2/3 to 2 cups chicken broth (depending on how thick you want the polenta)
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup (1 oz.) cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Over a gas burner or under your broiler, char the poblano on all sides, until the skin is blistery and black. Submerge in a bowl of ice water. Once cooled, peel and dice.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat Add the garlic and stir until just fragrant. Stir in the chicken broth, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta – it will absorb the liquid almost immediately. Add the diced poblano and corn. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the cheese and reseason if necessary. Serve immediately.

*I roast the corn in oven for about 8 minutes (for individual kernels) but grilling it is delicious if you are already grilling something else!

Baby Red Potato Salad

This is a very nontraditional potato salad in the sense that the main flavor is potato rather than Hellman's. I got this recipe from Gina's WW Recipes. It's light and delicious. The potatoes can be either boiled or roasted.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups baby red potatoes, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 scallions, diced
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
salt and fresh pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2. While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook.

3. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steamed Broccoli

I don't know why I've never given steaming a shot before. Whilst perusing the wares at our local Big Lots, I found a steamer basket. Now, I'm not going to admit to you whether I bought the thing because I was interested in steaming vegetables or because I was enchanted with the nifty way the thing folds out. *Averts eyes* Whatever the reason, I'll tell you- the thing cooks some DAMN good broccoli.

INGREDIENTS
Bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
1 tbsp sugar
1 inch of water in a pot

DIRECTIONS
1. Expand nifty thingamajigger. Fill with broccoli. Put inside pot w/ water. Bring water to boiling. Cover. Steam broccoli 6-8 minutes.

Crab Rangoon Cups

I love food. I love Asian food. And I l-o-v-e crab rangoons.

But there's something about deep-fried, cream-cheese-filled numminess that tells me it's probably not the greatest thing for my thighs. Hence, here is a tried-and-true recipe for non-fried, cream-cheese-filled numminess!

Inspired by Food.com

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg wonton wrappers
1 8 oz pkg light cream cheese (See? It's practically diet food!)
1 can crabmeat, DRAINED
2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
Seasoned salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mix cream cheese, crabmeat, green onions, and seasonings (to taste) in a small bowl.

3. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Put wonton wrappers in muffin depressions so that they form a little cup.

4. Place a heaping spoonful of crab mixture into each cup. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Edges of the cups should be light brown in color.

(5. Say "you're welcome" to your thighs, which should be thanking you by now.)