Ahhhhhh! If I could sing about how good tonight's dinner was, I would. This was exactly what I have been craving. Cauliflower has never been a favorite of mine. I'm not a big fan of veggie trays, and that's really the only way I had ever had it. Roasting it with the sweet potatoes tonight was delicious! I will be having it more often in my house. My local farmers market had cauliflower and broccoli on sale this week for $.99 a head. I only used half. I may use the other half and make the Cauliflower Mac and Cheese I made a couple of months ago. So good! I always cook chicken breasts this way, but I never finish it with the sauce. It was really a nice twist at the end. If you're watching your calories, you could leave off the butter. Or just leave off the sauce all together and simply saute the chicken breasts in a little olive oil. I also served it with green beans because I love to see a little green on my plate. Shannon from The Bargain Buggy....you will love this one!
1 sweet potato, cut into large chunks
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes and cauliflower with 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until cooked through and browned, about 30-45 minutes. Flip with a spatula about halfway through.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper (I also put mine in a large zippy bag and pound slightly with a meat tenderizer to even the thickness). Cook until golden and cooked through, about 5-8 minutes per side (depending on the thickness). Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
To skillet, add broth and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Cook over medium-high, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by half, 3-5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet and turn chicken to coat with sauce. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Serve chicken with vegetables and pan sauce.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Everyday Food)
I feel that I have redeemed myself in the kitchen tonight. The reason there was no recipe post last night is because BOTH recipes I attempted were a total BOMB! First, I tried Thai Peanut Chicken with no success. Although, now I know how to tweak it to possibly post it later on. So then I tried a sweet potato muffin cream cheese thingy, and that didn't turn out either! So, I went to bed at midnight totally discouraged. I am proud to say that tonight, dinner was successful. This dish is a lot easier to make than I had anticipated. I shortened the ingredient list just a bit to make it more simple. I also halved the recipe and baked it in a 1-1/2 quart casserole instead of a 3-quart casserole. It would be great as a side dish or fuss-free main course. I will definitely be making this again! Publix has cauliflower on sale this week, so add it to your shopping list and try this dish. You'll be glad you did!
P.S. I am normally not a fan of cauliflower. So, even if you don't normally groove on cauliflower, step outside the box and give this recipe a try. Half it like I did, and serve it alongside something.
For the Full Size recipe:
12 oz. multigrain elbow macaroni (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne)
1 head cauliflower broken into small florets
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups grated extra sharp Cheddar (I used cheddar and muenster)
1-1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking time; drain.
Return the pasta pot to medium heat and add the tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, just until soft, 5-7 minutes. Mix in the pasta, cauliflower, cheese, sour cream, and milk.
Transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Melt tablespoon of butter in a small bowl and mix in breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
This one is a keeper in my book!
** Update: I did make this again and I didn't use the cheddar like I used the first time and it was lacking in flavor. The sharpness of the cheddar allows you to use less cheese (more figure-friendly), but not skimp on the flavor. So, use cheddar if you have it available. The first time around, I used a marbled white and regular cheddar. YUMMY!
(adapted from Real Simple)
