A Tropical Heatwave

I think the title just about says it! I have never been a fan of air conditioning but ………….. here I am luxuriating in its cold beauty! I mean, a lady can only take so much (said in a deep southern drawl with a glass of sweet tea in my hand. Disclaimer, I hate sweet tea. It’s just an image folks!)

Some of you may be wondering when is the best time to water my outdoor plants in this blistering heat. The answer is early evening. This gives the plants enough time to dry out but there is still enough of a chance for the roots to soak up the water. If you can’t do it in the evening then your second best time is very early morning.

Recipes

This time of year I am all about fresh locally grown produce so I would like to share a couple of simple recipes to enjoy when local harvest of these items begins.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

The trick with this recipe is to use a medium size head of cauliflower. If it is too large it won’t get done all the way through.

You need to start by rinsing and drying off your cauliflower head. Then take off all the green leaves and cut the off the bottom so that it sits flat. In addition you can cut out some of the woody stalk but be careful as this technique calls for the cauliflower to stay intact.

Spray a Dutch oven and place your cauliflower in it. You can use a baking sheet too but I prefer the Dutch oven. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Mix up a sauce which includes the following ingredients;

Parmesan cheese

garlic

olive oil

Italian seasoning

sea salt

pepper

There are no real amounts of each ingredient. Just do it to your liking.

Drizzle half of the mixture onto the underside of the cauliflower head and allow it to drain down into the head. Then turn the head over and brush with the remaining sauce.

Place the lid on the Dutch oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until head is fork tender. Then remove the lid and allow the cauliflower head to brown for around 10 minutes. Viola!

Cabbage Steaks *thespruceeats.com

• For the Cabbage:
• 1 head green cabbage
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt (to taste)
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• For the Dressing:
• 1 clove garlic (finely minced or grated)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt (to taste)
• Ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
3. Place the green cabbage with the root end up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into approximately 1-inch thick slices, trying to keep the leaves together as much as possible. Keep the core intact to help the cabbage steaks hold together.
4. Transfer the cabbage rounds to a large sheet pan and brush both sides generously with the olive oil. Drizzle any remaining olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, flip them over and continue roasting for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized.
5. To make the dressing: add the garlic, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, ground black pepper and fresh parsley to a bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
6. Once the cabbage steaks are cooked, drizzle them with the dressing and serve hot.

*Did you know that you can make ricotta cheese in your microwave? I didn’t either until recently. This would be handy if you had a hankering for stuffed shells or the like and didn’t have any ricotta on hand.

Microwave Ricotta

2 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in a 4 cup microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. It depends on the wattage of your microwave. Mine is 1100 and was ready in 4 minutes. You can also use a food thermometer. It has to read 165 degrees for the curds to separate from the whey.

Using a fine mesh sieve or colander lined with paper towels or cheese cloth. Pour or spoon the curds in to drain. This should be stored in your refrigerator until use.

Hacks

*I have always struggled with making a nice looking bow. I have just recently discovered a great way to do it. It is called the re-fab bow. Follow the link below to learn all about it.

How to Make a Bow the SUPER EASY Way

*You can make your own laundry stain remover with one part Dawn dish soap with two parts hydrogen peroxide. Pour or spray it onto the stain.

*If you soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and hold it on a bruise for a couple of minutes it will noticeably fade the bruise. I have tried this and it really works.

*Did you know that you can add 2 eggs and a half cup of vegetable oil to any cake mix to make cookies? Yep, it can be done! Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Form approximately two tablespoons of dough into a ball. Bake on a baking sheet (parchment lined) at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

That’sssssssssssssssssssss all folks (said in my best Porky Pig voice). Stay cool. Please comment and share your thoughts and remember to let me know if you try any of the recipes or hacks. See y’all soon! (Throwback reference to southern drawl and sweet tea. Didn’t your writing teacher always tell you to tie your closing back to your opening?