Happy Friday! Tis’ the season to roast vegetables and today is no exception. Lately I have been turning into a huge brussel sprout fan and I am loving it. Many years have passed in my life where I never tried a brussel sprout let alone thought about roasting it in the oven.

Well my friends that has all changed. I am on the brussel sprout bandwagon like society is onto chia seeds. Yep that is right. I heart brussels sprouts. Oh wow, did I just say that?

Ok, enough banter, let’s move on. This recipe doesn’t get much easier than this – 6 ingredients and you have a side dish that will make you happy.

Ingredients

• Brussel Sprouts, halved
• Drizzle of Olive oil
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• Pine nuts
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out the brussel sprouts, season with salt and pepper and drizzle the olive oil.
3. Toss and roast
4. In a small dry pan over medium heat, add the pine nuts to toast them for extra flavor
5. After the brussels are tender ( about 30 minutes) remove from the oven, add the grated Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.  Toss together.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  When you are buying brussel sprouts, make sure you hunt for the firm ones with a tight outer leave.  I find these are the freshest and best for roasting.

A simple dish that goes with anything.  It works as a side dish, an evening snack or for some – maybe even a main course.

Have a great Friday wherever you may be and a nice weekend.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Monday morning to you.  Or let’s at least hope it is a happy Monday.  It’s Easter week which is kind of exciting, shortened work week, chocolate everywhere and a bunny will be hopping by the house soon enough.  Ever not feel like making dinner and ordering out but you don’t want to order out cause you are too lazy to get dressed and go pick it up?  That was like me last night.  I had no energy to venture outside and drive to get a yummy take out meal, possibly Lebanese food, maybe a little taste of china or even one of my staple choices of Swiss Chalet chicken.  Instead I opted for a vegetarian pasta that was super simple yet flavorful.

It started out with fresh ingredients as any great dish should, coupled by a few distinct flavors, garlic and basil and blossomed from there with a hint of parmesan cheese and the juice of ripened tomatoes.  It was GOOD.

Ingredients

• Penne Pasta ( cooked according to directions )
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 Cups spinach
• 1 Clove garlic ( Minced)
• 1/4 Cup Pine nuts
• 1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese
• 10-12 Cherry  Tomatoes
• 6-7 Mushrooms
• 1 Handful of fresh basil

Method

1. Cook pasta according to directions; Heat a large frying pan or wok and add the olive oil
2. Begin to saute the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, add garlic and pine nuts; let cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Toss in tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes; add in spinach, fresh basil and half the Parmesan cheese.
4. Drain pasta, reserving a little bit of pasta liquid and add noodle to the vegetable mixture.
5. Toss and add remaining Parmesan cheese
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Make sure you salt the water when cooking pasta.  Adding salt to the water will allow the pasta to absorb the flavor while cooking and enhance your dish.   When adding pasta to a sauce or mixture like above, you can sometimes under cook the pasta by a minute or two as it will continue cooking in the sauce.

Nothing fancy, nothing astounding, just a dish that will satisfy you in 11 minutes or less and keep you in your pajamas on a wet and windy Sunday night.  Isn’t that really how I roll?  Straight from the hip and a dish for everyone.  This was actually very tasty.  I added some fresh cracked black pepper at the very end which accompanied the cheese very well.

Have a super start to your week and I will be chatting with you again mid week.

Take care

zesty

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Hollar!  One heck of a weekend over here… it flew by but lots of fun was had for sure.  Cookie baking activity on Saturday, pumpkin decorating on Sunday for the kiddos, an new side dish recipe that I am sure we will talk about in the days to come and the weather has been super warm.  I love warm weather…. Did you know that?

Wanna know something else I love?  Chips.  Chips of any kind, any type, any shape with dip or without – it doesn’t matter.  I am a CHIP Lover/Addict.  Today i want to share with you a fun little recipe that was well received at a recent House gathering.  These are simple pita chips with a couple of twists.  Super easy to make and very fun to eat… CCCCRUNCH!

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 3/4 Tsp. Ground cumin
• 1/4 Tsp. Ground red pepper
• 5 Large whole wheat or white pitas with pockets
• 1/2 Cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In cup, with fork, mix oil, cumin, and ground red pepper.
2. With knife or kitchen shears, cut each pita in half. Brush 1 side of pita halves with oil mixture. Cut each half into 8 wedges.
3. Arrange wedges, oiled-side up, in non greased sheet pans.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and salt if you like.
5. Place pans on oven racks and bake crisps 12 to 15 minutes or until golden, rotating pans from upper to lower racks halfway through baking for even browning.
6. Cool chips in pans on wire racks.
7. Dip with your favorite Hummus or Bean Dip
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If there are any leftovers, store chips in tightly covered container or large self-sealing plastic bag up to 1 week.  They will stay crunchy – I tested out 2 batches!

The cumin flavored combined with the slight heat of the red pepper was a fantastic combination.  I feel the simple oil mixture elevated a somewhat boring piece of Pita Bread into an exciting bite for the guests.

Kick start your week with a super day today.  Let’s see if we can do something fun.  As you know I am not a huge user of twitter but when I squeeze in a minute or two I try to hop on and give something a tweet.  With that said, whoever has twitter and reads this post – give it a re-tweet and than let me know.   I will start the tweeting off in a minute.  Do you think I could make it to 100 tweets?  I am not sure a post of mine ever made it to 100.

Have a super Monday and do note that I will be going back to my normal schedule of posting Monday, Wednesday and Fridays not that Help the Students event is complete.  I will talk to you on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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Help The Students Event: Day 18

Happy Friday!  It is hard to believe that the end of the month is drawing so near.  Does anybody else feel that September flew by?  I cannot believe it.  Lots of action over here so I guess that usually makes time fly.  Alright, today I have a very special post!  This recipe has been donated by a zesty in law and truly is a family favorite.  In fact this recipe is by far one of the all time fav’s of a zesty niece ( The niece who really inspired me to start the help the students events ).

I have consumed this recipe many times and I must say it is super easy, very quick and the sauce always hits the spot.  The combination of lemon and basil flavor the chicken and infuse a tremendous balance in your mouth.  This recipe literally takes the amount of time it takes to boil some noodles in a pot.  The sauce is completely done in the microwave, the chicken is sauteed on the cook top and the entire dish makes friends with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Take a look at the recipe and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken Breasts ( chopped )
• 1 Tbsp. Basil ( dried )
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Box Roitini Noodles
• Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• Salt ( for pasta water )

Method

1. Combine basil, olive oil, lemon juice and soy sauce in a large microwaveable dish
2. In a medium sauce pan, cook pasta according to directions
3. Heat saute pan over medium heat and begin to cook chicken until no longer pink.  Once chicken is no longer pink, transfer to the sauce dish
4. Heat on high in microwave for 2 minutes.
5. Drain pasta noodles and plate.  Serve chicken and sauce on the side or atop the noodles ( whichever you prefer )
6. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese



7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If you have leftovers, keep the sauce separate from the noodles and reheat the sauce .  Once the sauce has been warmed through you can put it on top of the noodle and reheat together.  This will avoid the congealed texture from the sauce and keep the noodles from clumping together.

Hopefully you enjoyed this simple chicken dish.  This is a great recipe to make using tofu or even a vegetable such as squash or eggplant.  So whether you are a meatatarian, vegetarian or full vegan you can spin this recipe to your liking.  I would like to wish you all a great weekend and hopefully the weather holds on for a few more days.

I am golfing on Sunday with the “BOYS” so I am looking forward to that.  Other items on the agenda include some yard work, some writing and of course some cooking.  I will be back on Monday morning with a few more days of the “Help the Students Event” to round out the week.

Take care

zesty

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Hey there and happy Monday!  I feel I have a little bit of hop in my hands on the keyboard tonight.  I am writing this post and watching the Grammy’s at the same time in preparation for tomorrow.  My calendar tomorrow is jam packed with work stuff as well as a meeting with the folks at OpenSky regarding product sourcing.

As an aside, you will never guess what I had for breakfast Saturday morning!  Another classic rendition of Super Star Toast.  You can never get tired of this.

On Saturday evening I was wandering around the kitchen and pantry trying to figure out what I can make for supper.  I was in a weird mood and totally unsure what to prepare.  We had just finished shoveling for about an hour and we were starving.  I remembered that I had bought some fingerling potatoes a week ago and had yet to crack them open.

Just then the light bulb went off…. some roasted potatoes topped with red pepper flakes, chives and some Parmesan cheese.  What a choice!

Ingredients

• 8 Fingerling Potatoes ( cut in 4)
• 1 Tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Dash of Garlic powder
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp. Chives ( dried or fresh)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees



2. Slice potatoes and rinse ( hand dry)



3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grab a large bowl.
4. Toss the potatoes in a large bowl and coat with all the ingredients ( preserving half the cheese and chives for the end )



5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown
6. Top with leftover cheese and chives
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Ensuring the potatoes are dry before starting will ensure they get nice and crispy.  I also like to give them a quick turn in the oven about half way through so they get brown on all sides.

These potatoes were amazing!  The red pepper heat warmed us up from being outside and the Parmesan cheese added a great flavor.  I have also been on a huge sea salt kick as of late. Do you use sea salt when you cook?

I am going to watch a little bit more of the Grammy’s, do a sudoku puzzle and call it a night.  Have a great Monday.

Take care

zesty

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Homemade Basil Pesto

Happy Tuesday!  I am somewhat excited as I get to share with you a super simple homemade Pesto recipe that you have to try!  Usually I find myself focusing on one or two foods that I find in the grocery store that either happen to look great or on sale.  I then try to wrap my brain around ways to use those ingredients to make 2 or 3 dishes until the ingredient is gone.

Just last night I found some great looking basil which is a perfect excuse to use my Cusinart Food Processor.  I am a big fan, as you may already know, of using all the food in the fridge and trying to minimize waste as much as possible.  Although, I have been known to toss some spoiled food out at times but it really “ROTS” me.

I have been meaning to share this versatile basil pesto recipe with you for some time now.  As you may know, my favorite herb is “BASIL” – I absolutely love it.  This basil pesto is  a treat whether you use it as a sandwich spread, pizza sauce, on top of  pasta or even smear it on your favorite meat, chicken or fish.  You will be pleasantly surprised with the flavor it packs.

The recipe below assumes you have a food processor.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Parmesan cheese ( cut into 1/2 inch pieces )
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lightly toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Method

1. With the machine running, drop the cheese down the feed tube and chop about 10 seconds.  Remove and reserve.









2. Chop Garlic, then add basil and pulse about 20 times ( Scrape down sides).





3. With the machine running, drizzle Olive Oil down the tube and process until mixed. (Scrape down Sides)
4. Add pine nuts, reserved cheese and salt and pulse until nuts are chopped.
5. Let sit and store in a jar



6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I know for me it is sometimes hard to get fresh basil this time of year so when I find a really great crop I tend to buy a lot of it and freeze it. You can see a great set of instructions over at Kayln’s kitchen with more details on how to do this.

I look forward to sharing with you in the near future a few different ways I like to use basil pesto. Stay tuned and by all means you know I want to hear about your favorite ways to use basil pesto.  Have a great day and keep smiling.

Take care

zesty

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Well it’s Monday again!  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  I thought I would take some time today to share with you a classic recipe that can be made a thousand different ways.  “Caesar Salad”, can be served as a classic side dish or even as a main course.  This post will go through tips and techniques that I use, as well as the recipe to a great Caesar dressing that will be sure to have your friends talking for ages.

Of course, keep in mind this is my own personal preference and by all means I would love your feedback with your ideas on your favorite Caesar salad.

Tips and Techniques

One of the hardest things to perfect when making a Caesar salad is finding the right balance between the dressing and the lettuce.  If the salad is too wet it becomes soggy and if it doesn’t have enough dressing it tastes bland.   Tip : The best way to avoid this from happening is to first of all make the salad dressing in a large separate bowl and place the prepared lettuce and green onion mixture in another bowl. Then once ready, pour the dressing a little at a time, onto the lettuce mixture until the desired wetness is reached.  The lettuce pieces should only be lightly coated.  Left over dressing can be used for another day.

Salad

• 2 Heads Romaine Lettuce, wash the lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces (Note: Do not cut with a knife as it will cause the edges to brown faster).
• 4-5 green onion tops, cut into 1/4″ pieces.
• 1/4 Cup crumbled bacon (cooled).
• 1 Cup Croutons.

Tip: Spin the lettuce pieces dry in a salad spinner and place in a large mixing bowl.  It is important that the dressing not become diluted with water from the lettuce (ie. make sure the lettuce is dry).

Croutons, Parmesan Cheese, Garlic, Lemons, Olive Oil

Use a good quality croutons made specifically for Caesar salads.  There are a variety of good packaged croutons available at your local supermarket.  If not, you can always cube up some homemade bread you had left over, drizzle with some olive oil and bake off a batch at 400 degrees.

Tip: Always use fresh, finely ground Parmesan cheese, fresh garlic, and a fresh whole lemon and extra virgin olive oil for best results.

Mixing Process

As mentioned earlier, the wetness of the salad is very important.  It takes a “surprisingly” little amount of dressing on the lettuce and green onion mixture to get the correct wetness level.  The best way to get the right level is to pour a small amount of dressing over the mixture, then using a wooden spoon and fork, start mixing in one small area of the bowl from the top to the bottom of the bowl with a ‘pawing’ action. Move around the bowl doing one small area at a time.  Keep an eye on the dressing level – lightly coated is what you’re going for.

Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

1. The initial part of the salad making process is to grind into a paste the following ingredients:
   • 4-5 medium Garlic Cloves
   • 2-3 Tsp. Seasoning Salt
   • 1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper

Cutting the garlic into small pieces will make it easier to grind into a paste. Place the garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with some of the seasoning salt on top prior to slicing it – it will act as an abrasive and slice easier… then crush it.

2. Add to the Paste into Bowl
   • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
   • 2 Tbsp. Dry White Wine
   • 2 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
   • 2 Tsp. Anchovy paste
   • Juice for 3/4 Medium Lemon
   • 1 Egg Yolk
3. Stir the ingredients very well.
4. Add to this mixture 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (add slowly while stirring constantly) while continuing to add 1/4 Cup of mayonnaise.
5. Mix well.  Whip the mixture up the sides of the bowl to ensure a good blend.
6. Mix the cheese into the dressing and let it stand for a few minutes.  It is now ready to be poured over the lettuce mixture.
   • 2 Tsp. Fresh Fine ground Parmesan Cheese
7. Once you have reached the desired wetness level, sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese, add 1 Cup of Croutons.
8. Toss the Salad to complete the process.
9. Enjoy!

Wow, that was long-winded.  That maybe the longest post in zesty history but I really wanted to share all that with everyone.  I also would like to hear, what everyone enjoys in their Caesar salads.  I know there are tons of different flavors and variations so I cannot wait to see them all.

Have a great start of the week!

zesty

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Thursday is here which means that there’s only one more day until Halloween!  Welcome everybody to another silly episode of me trying to write something witty before we get to today’s recipe.  This recipe was inspired by my little guy who is 3 1/2 years old as he was asking if we could have space worms for dinner last night or AKA Spaghetti.  So of course I said yes, anything to get him from eating peanut butter sandwiches or chicken nuggets.

So with that being said, I tend to do my spaghetti sauce in two stages. First stage is to brown the meat and then use the pan drippings to move on to the vegetable and tomatoes.  If you have the time, which is not much longer than opening a can of your favorite spaghetti sauce, give this sauce a try.

My tomato sauce has been tweaked and modified over the years to try and come up with a unique and rich flavour to tantalize everyone’s taste buds. The basis of the sauce stems back to the no nonsense tomato sauce recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb. Lean Ground Beef
• 1/2 lb Lean Ground Pork
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
• 3-5 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced thinly
• 1/2 to 1 cup diced, fresh basil. (It’s your call. I usually use close to a cup)
• 1/2 cup red wine. (Good enough quality to drink)
• 1 Tsp sugar (or Splenda)
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 28 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes.
• 1 t lemon juice (optional)
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Method

1. Cook pasta according to the directions.



2. Add meat and ginger to pan and cook until brown.  Drain excess fat and remove meat from pan.
3. Leave the pan dirty with flavour from the meat and sauté onions in olive oil over low heat, covered, for 10-12 minutes.
4. Add garlic and basil, re-cover, for another 5 minutes or so.
5. Add meat back in the pan.
6. Uncover and add wine. Reduce by about half.
7. Add tomatoes, S & P, and simmer for 15 minutes. You can reduce the sauce further and intensify the flavour.
8. Add the lemon juice about 3-4 minutes before finishing.
9. Fresh Italian Parsley can be added at the end if you like it.
10. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
11. Top with Parmesan Cheese.



12. Enjoy!

Zesty Tip:  When cooking any type of pasta, make sure you salt the water very well.  If not the pasta will be flat and taste very bland.  Also when making sauces, it is an excellent idea when draining your pasta to add a little bit of the pasta water to your sauce.  This will give your sauce an extra layer of flavour.

As for the usual, I would like to know something! What is your favorite drink to serve with a big platter of spaghetti? Also I am trying to reach an individual goal for this post.  I have never had over 60 comments on any post yet in zesty land… so I am asking very politely (of course) for every reader of this post to write a quick little comment and let me know what you think of either the pasta, the site in general or what you drink when you eat spaghetti.  For me I am a big milk fan with my spaghetti!

Thanks everyone and have an awesome Thursday!

Zesty

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