Arlen Benny Cenac Jr. recipes Archives - Page 4 of 5

Best Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Over the last few years, cauliflower has become a household staple. It’s been turned into everything from a hummus to a pizza crust. However, cauliflower doesn’t have to impersonate another dish to be delicious; it is enough just as itself. Roasted cauliflower is a pure delight, but tossing it with feta, toasted almonds and olives makes it even better. The additions come together while the cauliflower roasts, allowing you to assemble this side in no time. If almonds aren’t available, walnuts or hazelnuts are good substitutions. This dish works well served warm, but it’s equally good at room temperature if you want to make it ahead. Serve with grilled pork chops or pan-seared chicken thighs with lemon and herbs, or fold it into cooked grains, such farro or rice, for a hearty grain salad. This dish will even work well as a healthy afternoon snack.

Not only is this dish delicious, but cauliflower also has major health benefits. Cauliflower is an extremely healthy vegetable that is a significant source of nutrients. It also contains unique plant compounds that may reduce the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Because of all of these factors, cauliflower has also made super-food status! Take a look at some of the top health benefits below and to read more about why cauliflower is an important food to add to your diet, click here.

The top eight science based health benefits being:

Contains Many Nutrients
High in Fiber
Good Source of Antioxidants
May Aid in Weight Loss
High in Choline
Rich in Sulforaphane
Low-Carb Alternative to Grains and Legumes
Easy to Add to Your Diet

So enjoy the delicious recipe below along with the many added health benefits!

Ingredients

1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup roughly chopped almonds or pecans
⅓ heaping cup/about 2 ounces crumbled feta
½ cup pitted and roughly chopped green olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
½ lemon, to taste
Flaky salt (optional)

Preparation

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil. Season well with the salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and toss again. Spread the mixture evenly onto a large sheet pan and roast until crisp and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning.

Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure they don’t burn, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once the cauliflower is roasted, toss it in a large bowl with the feta cheese, olives, half the almonds and 1 tablespoon parsley until combined. Top with remaining almonds and parsley, and lemon. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

Click here for more delicious roasted veggie recipes and here for general recipes.

Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Is there a more classic comfort food than scalloped potatoes? This dish seems to have transitioned from the staple homemade cheese-goodness to a the quicker $1 and a half box recipe over the last few years and it’s time we bring it back to its from-scratch glory. We guarantee you’ll never go back to boxed!

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/4 pounds Yellow Finn potatoes or other waxy-style potato
2 cups half-and-half
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of organic nutmeg

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the garlic and then the butter around the inside of a Pyrex casserole dish and let it dry. This butter garlic rub is non-stick.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes with a vegetable slicer (about 1/8-inch-thick slices).

In a medium saucepan, combine the garlic, butter, potatoes, half-and-half, salt, pepper to taste, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Shake the pan so the potatoes are distributed evenly.

Bake the potatoes, basting occasionally, until lightly browned and bubbly, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Click here for more delicious and easy comfort food recipes and here for lots of yummy recipes of all kinds!

Healthy Fall Pumpkin Chili Recipe

Healthy fall pumpkin chili recipe. What more could you ask for in a recipe to start of your October!? This pumpkin chili recipe is an autumn favorite. Not only is it healthy, but it’s loaded with delicious ingredients and big, bold flavors. A good chili recipe is the perfect fall staple that is great to make for friends and family on the weekends for a get together and it can even work as left overs for a few days into the week. This simple recipe will quickly become a fall favorite! It’s comforting, cozy, and deviously savory.

Ingredients

2 TB olive oil
1 onion, diced
7 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 TB chili powder
1 TB ground cumin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp ground coriander
1 lb ground turkey
3 TB tomato paste
2 green + 1 orange/yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted tomatoes, with juices
3 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 (14 oz each) cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
shredded cheddar cheese for topping, optional

Instructions

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until hot. Add onion and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sugar, chili powder, cumin, pumpkin pie spice, oregano, and coriander. Stir to combine, 10 seconds.
Add ground turkey to pot and sprinkle 1 tsp salt over it; cook/stir to break up into small pieces. When turkey is cooked through, add tomato paste and stir 30 seconds.
Add bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes with juices, and broth. Scrape bottom of pan while stirring. Bring chili to a simmer; simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add beans and pumpkin puree. Bring chili back to a simmer for 15-20 min or until heated through. Remove from heat. Add additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm, with shredded cheddar cheese if desired.

Notes

Chili keeps well; simply cover and chill in fridge. Reheat by bringing back to simmer on stovetop.
Make it meatless by using veggie broth and omitting turkey.

For articles similar to this one, click here.

Perfect Pot Roast

Let’s cover a southern classic- the pot roast. Sometimes we skip over the classics because we never learned how to make them like Mama or Maw maw used to make them. Try your hand at this hearty favorite with this simple, easy recipe as your guide. You won’t regret it!

Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 3- to 5-pound chuck roast
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole onions, peeled and halved
6 to 8 whole carrots, unpeeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup red wine, optional
3 cups beef broth
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast.
Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pot and toss them around a bit until lightly browned, about a minute or so. Reserve the carrots with the onions. If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate. With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a whisk. Place the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway. Add in the onions and the carrots, along with the fresh herbs. Put the lid on, then roast for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast. For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours. The roast is ready when it’s fall-apart tender.

Click here for more delicious southern classics!

For more articles similar to this one, click here.

Soft-shell Chargrilled Oysters

Created in the Big Easy, this recipe truly lives up to that name because it packs a big punch and is a super easy-to-make-and-eat dish that has quickly become an alternative to traditional chargrilled oysters, which are made on a half-shell. Rather than the shell, you will use a slice of French bread. One side is dipped in a sauce and the oyster is placed on top of the sauce then dressed up with cheese and green onion.

The dry side of the bread is placed directly on the grill over indirect heat. When these are done, the bottom of the bread is firm and crisp, so folks can simply pick the treat up off a platter and chow down. Below you will find the oyster and special sauce recipe. Enjoy, Cher!

Ingredients

(Makes around 2 dozen)

24 to 48 raw oysters, depending on size
1 long loaf French bread, enough to slice 24 1-1/2- to 2-inch-thick pieces
For sauce
3/4 pound butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
3 teaspoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons Worcestershire
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
To top and assemble
1 pound to 3/4 pounds cheese, grated
Creole seasoning, to taste
4 to 6 green onions, coarsely chopped
4 or 5 fresh lemons

Preparation

Shuck oysters, or buy them un-shucked. Slice French bread on an angle, or bias, into 1/2-inch slices.

Make sauce: Combine butter, garlic, hot sauce, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire in a bowl and cook over low heat just until the butter is melted. Wait 5 minutes, then add parsley, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour sauce into a shallow side pan or bowl. Allow sauce to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Place bread slices on sheet pans. Dip one side of bread slice into the sauce. Place it dry side down on the sheet pan. Continue until all slices are dipped. (Only dip one side, so that the bottom of the bread can get crisp and firm, making the oysters easier to manage.) Lift oysters out of oyster liquid and allow to drip for a few seconds. Place an oyster on top of each bread slice. If oysters are small, put 2 on each slice. Sprinkle Creole seasoning on each oyster, to taste. Top each with a generous tablespoon of grated cheese. Sprinkle chopped green onions op top. Preheat grill or oven to 350 degrees.

If using oven, slide sheet pans into oven and bake about 30 minutes, checking after 15 minutes.

If grilling, use indirect heat by pushing coals to other side of grill; then place bread directly on the grill. Close grill and allow to cook for about 30 minutes, checking after 15 minutes. Oysters are done when bread just starts to brown and cheese bubbles. Oysters will be hot, so allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice on top and serve.

Click here for more delicious NOLA recipes.

For more articles similar to this one, click here.

Best Roasted Broccoli Pasta Recipe

If you enjoy a good, classic casserole but also the crispy, lightly browned veggies, you will LOVE this roasted broccoli pasta. This simple recipe has all the elements of the usual casserole — the pasta and vegetables tossed with ricotta and topped with Parmesan-dusted bread crumbs. But because all the ingredients are spread out on a sheet pan instead of being piled into a baking dish, everything browns, which in turn means more crunch and crisp edges. First, the broccoli is roasted until it softens and browns. Then, the other ingredients are spooned on top, and everything is quickly baked, making for a speedy, vegetarian weeknight meal.

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
12 ounces tube-shaped pasta
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces best quality, whole milk ricotta
Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss together broccoli, oil, cumin (if using), 3/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Roast until tender and browned at the edges, 18 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove from oven and set oven to broil.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, panko, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the black pepper.
Toss cooked pasta with broccoli on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then dollop with ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan mix, drizzle generously with oil, and broil until topping is crisped and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste, and serve.

For more easy weeknight recipes, click here.

For more articles similar to this one, click here.