Broccoli Casserole

This casserole is a very good way to get kids to eat vegetables. It is delicious and healthy - especially if you use low fat cheese and sour cream like I do. I also make it using a mixture of yellow squash and zucchini when they are in season. A wonderful dish to bring to a pot luck. Your vegetarian friends will approve too. Enjoy!


Broccoli Casserole


1 package fresh or frozen broccoli florets - about 5-6 cups
1 small onion, chopped - about 2/3 cup
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell bepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese combo
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp Montreal Seasoning (see recipe below)
1/2 tsp or more of salt (taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Butter to butter the casserole pan - about 1 Tbsp

Topping: 2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 crush pecans
2-3 tbsp butter melted


Over medium heat saute onion and red pepper until soft. Add garlic and saute a minute. Add broccoli and cook, stirring for a few moments. Add red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp Montreal Seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix and cover pan and let cook until broccoli is tender, but not mushy and discolored - about 5-6 minutes. Pour into a buttered casserole pan. Add the sour cream, remaining Montreal Seasoning and cheese. Mix well. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Set aside.
Mix together butter, pecans and bread crumbs in a separate bowl until well mixed. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake casserole until bubbly and cheese has melted, at 425 for about 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully so the pecans don't burn.

Spinach-Basil Pesto

Lately I've been addicted to this pesto, tossing it with thin spaghetti and topping my pasta with grilled shrimp. So yummy! As always, you can adjust the ingredients amounts to your liking.

Spinach-Basil Pesto

1/2 cup Fresh Basil
1 2/3 cups Fresh Spinach leaves
2 large cloves garlic or 3 small cloves of garlic
1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan cheese, broken into small cubes
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
1/2 cup toasted Walnuts, cooled
Pinch of Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil , plus more for storing.

Toast the Walnuts in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Immediately put them in a food processor and let them cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Meanwhile, wash and steam basil and Spinach and squeeze dry with a paper towel. Chop garlic roughly and set aside. Zest 1/2 the lemon. Set aside.

Pulse the walnuts in the food processor until coarsely ground. You don't want them too fine. Add the remaining ingredients and the lemon juice. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure you have an even consistency. I like my pesto a little rustic so I don't over process it.

To store, I divide the pesto into small Tupperware. Cover with a film of olive oil so that the pesto doesn't turn dark. Serve over pasta (mix with a little pasta water) or use in your favorite lasagna recipe ( mix with the ricotta cheese) or baked fish or chicken, or mix with tomatoes for a delicious topping for bruschetta. The uses of Pesto are endless. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos

Every so often I get a craving for fish tacos. Luckily, I  live in Miami where fresh fish is plentiful, but you can use good quality frozen fillets too. I have made these with a mango salsa and a jimica slaw which was wonderful but also with a traditional tomato salsa, lettuce and cheese. I don't use a creamy cheese because I don't think it goes well with the fish. I use Queso Fresco ( a fresh Latin cheese) or feta. Feta makes a good substitute but is saltier. If you have a ripe avocado laying around, by all means make guacamole to go with it. I generally use sour cream too. I use soft corn tortillas, home made or store bought which I brown up in a little oil. They tend to rip apart when you eat them but then again, tacos are a messy food to begin with, though very tasty. I don't mind the mess- that's the fun of  it. This is what I made tonight. It's not a recipe really - I never measure anything so the ingredients are eye balled. Adjust to your liking.

Fish Tacos

6 ounce mild white fish fillet per person, such as Mahi Mahi or Snapper.
Chili Powder
Chipolte Powder
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
A squeeze of lime

Pour a bit of olive oil over the fish fillets. Sprinkle with Chili and Chipolte powders, salt and pepper. Pan fry in a little olive oil until just cooked.  Fish should flake easily with a fork. Do not overcook. Squeeze a little lime over the tops of the fish when cooked. Remove from pan and set aside and keep warm until ready to assemble tacos.

Basic Salsa
1 1b fresh or canned tomatoes or a combination of both (I used a combination).
1 sweet onion, small chopped - about 1/2 cup
2-3 fresh Serrano peppers or to taste - thinly sliced, seeded and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Red bell pepper, chopped fine
Apple cider vinegar - about 2 -3 tablespoons
Sherry Vinegar - About 1-2 teaspoon
Strawberry balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Pinch of sugar (If tomatoes are particularly acidic)
Salt and pepper to taste
Squeeze of lime juice
1 handful of fresh chopped cilantro
Olive oil for sauteing
*Add chopped mangoes if you want an easy mango salsa

Saute onions in a little olive oil until soft. Add Serrano peppers and red pepper and continue sauteing until peppers are soft. Do not let brown. Add minced garlic and stir about one minute. Add tomatoes  and mango is using, and cook until slightly softened over medium or medium low heat. About 5 minutes. Add vinegars and lime juice. Off heat. Stir in cilantro and pour into a bowl to cool. Serve over tacos, nachos or anything you like.

To Assemble:
Cooked white fish fillets (see recipe for fish tacos)
Salsa
Shredded romaine lettuce
Sour cream and/or guacamole
Crumbled Queso Fresco or Feta cheese
Home made or store bought corn tortillas

In a non stick pan or iron skillet pour in a small amount of olive oil. Fry tortillas until crisp but still soft. Fold tortillas as you take them out of the skillet to help them keep a taco shape.
Fill tacos with about 2 ounces of fish. Top with salsa, sour cream (and/or guacamole) lettuce and cheese.