Recipe Review: Baked Broccoli

Baked Broccoli:

1/2 yellow onion, crudely chopped.
1 head broccoli.
4-6 garlic cloves.
1 tsp chili flakes.
salt, pepper to taste.
1-2 tbsp olive oil.

Chop onions and broccoli. Take skin off of garlic.

Place on a large pan and sprinkle with chili flakes, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

As I mentioned before, one of the best ways to be fun and creative in the kitchen is to look online for new recipes. Although this is a good method with which to experiment, I find that friends also have a great wealth of culinary knowledge. A Brazilian friend of mine taught me this recipe in Montreal, and it’s a delicious side to any main course.

With such simple directions, this recipe also calls for simple ingredients. Onions, broccoli, and garlic should be found in almost any fridge and pantry, while the spices are an investment for future dishes. Plus, if you’re living on a tight budget and need some vitamins, this is the way to go.

When baked, the onions should be soft and sweetened, while the garlic’s natural odors should increase. The broccoli should be lightly browned on its side and should contrast with the smooth and sleek onion by providing a crunch.

Perfect with red meat, specifically steak, baked broccoli is a very versatile side. Even though the sweet onions and the crispy broccoli compliment red meat the best, I have also made it as a side to a chicken and rice meal. The beauty of baked broccoli is that it goes well with spicy foods, and it balances the texture of the chewy meat.

Baked broccoli will definitely melt the heart of any carnivore to the overwhelming delight of the vegan.

TL;DR: Although a vegan dish, it’s a great side for any main course.

Next on the recipe review schedule: French Muffins

Next on the review schedule: Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

Recipe Review: Celery and Potato Soup

When creativity runs low and morale diminishes, cooking sites are the best place to find new recipes. They offer an assortment of fun ideas, and they also help get rid of those unwanted veggies, fruits, and meats. With this in mind, I cooked Celery and Potato Soup to finally use up my celery stalks and my sack of potatoes.

The ingredients are basic and can be typically found around the kitchen: olive oil, onion, celery, potato, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and water. Furthermore, what is beneficial about these ingredients is that they are all relatively cheap. Only the spices will increase the price, but once they are purchased, they have a long shelf life.

The directions were easy and straightforward. A panic never set in when the onions and the celery were frying too quickly or when I had to puree the soup, which is what often happens with complicated recipes. I didn’t have to fry two things separately or blanche the onions while julienning the potatoes; the directions were thorough and required no “Iron Chef” techniques.

The preparation itself didn’t take long. All in all, the vegetables were chopped within 10 minutes, and the soup was done within 50. However, since I did not have a food processor, only a blender, it was difficult to maneuver the hot soup into the tiny blender. Although the blender performed its job perfectly, it is still best to use a food processor because it can accommodate more soup. In addition to not owning a food processor, I was also missing thyme, but it did nothing to worsen the taste of the soup. I substituted the thyme with more of the other spices.

Although the soup was easy to cook, its taste and texture can be improved. Because the soup is pureed, it should be completely uniform. Since there are no potato, celery, or onion parts floating around, the soup is in desperate need of pizazz, and a way to add more fun to the soup is by not pureeing the entire soup. It should still maintain its green color, but every couple of spoonfuls, a diced potato or celery stick should surprise you.

Furthermore, the soup could benefit from some protein in the form of chicken because it would break up the monotonous green with a healthy tan color. Also, the chicken would enrich the soup’s flavor by adding a more complex taste.

If adding chicken and leaving chunks of veggies does not appeal to you, then I would definitely suggest adding bread crumbs to the soup. It would add a crunchiness to the soup that it certainly lacks in its current form. The bread crumbs can be quickly prepared while the soup boils.

Overall, Celery and Potato Soup is a worthwhile venture with some minor drawbacks. Adding chicken or breadcrumbs will drastically reduce the soup’s bland texture, as would keeping some of the soup’s original chunkiness.

TL;DR: Very simple, cheap recipe. Taste was OK. Needed chicken and bread crumbs. Then, it would have been delicious.

Recommendations for recipes: Stepf’s Quinoa-Black Bean Casserole, Summer Cucumber Salad, and Parmesan Zucchini Crisps.

Next on the recipe review schedule: Baked broccoli.

Next on the review schedule: Yamashiro Farmer’s Market

Note: no pictures available because eaten too quickly, just like the burger.