Roasted Cauliflower

This very simple, healthy, not-even-a-recipe recipe is something I made to entice my mother to have supper with us recently.

Yes, I have to shamelessly bribe her with vegetables.

I'm not a huge fan of steamed cauliflower, but when roasted, it takes on a much sweeter and more complex flavor. Needless to say, Mom loved this. I got to try a few bites, and we loaded some on the little man's plate. But the rest of the cauliflower went to Mom.

And when the little man (who eats in sprints) took a quick break from eating and left the room, the cauliflower mysteriously disappeared from his plate before he returned. Hmm ...

Roasted Cauliflower
Serves 2-3, or my mom

1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and garlic, and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Cover and bake 15 minutes.

4. Remove cover, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F, and bake another 10-15 minutes until cauliflower starts to crisp up.

Beef Noodle Skillet

This is a quick and easy recipe that we threw together after a long afternoon of sledding and snowblowing recently. It's not fancy fare, but it's tasty, filling, economical, and makes a ton of food. (It also reheats pretty well, if you don't cook the bejeezus out of your noodles.)

The idea for this recipe came from Everyday magazine, but as usual, I made some changes to suit our tastes and make it cook faster. (I was hungry.)

Beef Noodle Skillet
Serves 6-8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, and onion salt
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut in small chunks
1 large bell pepper, cut in small slices
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
12 ounces dried egg noodles (although you might not use them all)

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ground beef, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion salt. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer to a plate or bowl.

3. In the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Add the potatoes to the pan and stir to coat with the rendered bacon grease.

5. Cover and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes.

6. Stir in peppers, hamburger mixture, tomato sauce, and water.

7. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling, salted water until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain.

9. Add the noodles to the skillet, starting with about half to two-thirds, and then adding more as needed. Stir well to combine.

10. Before serving, season to taste with salt, pepper, and onion salt.