Uchiko Brussel Sprouts

I'm baaaacckkk!!!

I have to sincerely apologize for being MIA for like actually an entire year.  But I come bearing gifts for y'all - a gift specifically in the form of the perfect replica recipe for Uchiko's amazing brussel sprouts.

If you live in Austin (and now maybe Dallas I think too), you have probably heard of Uchi and/or Uchiko and how "you totally have to get sushi there" - which you do - but the real draw is the brussel sprouts, trust me.  They are like crack.  I have gone to dinner with my girlfriends and ordered bowl after bowl after bowl of these babies.

So it's no wonder that while I was pregnant, and the rare times I felt like eating, I wanted these delicious nuggets of heaven.  However, Uchiko can be a bit...uppity? and denied me my lifeline through Favor and I was woefully unable to have them whenever I wanted. 

Now that I am post-partum and climbing back to my old self, I got in the kitchen and got to work.  I wanted these sprouts and I made it happen!  These are insanely easy and outrageously good - even my kids chow down. 

Uchiko Brussel Sprouts

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher Salt
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
• Juice of one small lemon
• 1 tbs. minced garlic
• 1 tbs. Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Trim the stems off the sprouts and halve them, top to bottom.  If the sprouts are large, cut them into quarters.  You want them to be bite sized pieces.  Rinse the sprouts with water in a colander and turn out onto paper towels to dry while the oven heats.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon baking mat (or foil).  Spread the sprouts out on your prepared baking sheet and drizzle with oil and season well with kosher salt.  Toss with tongs to coat the sprouts evenly.  Bake on the top rack for 45-60 minutes, tossing the sprouts every 15 minutes.   Bake until browned and crispy.

While the sprouts cook, prepare the sauce.  Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic and Sriarcha sauce in a small sauce pan and season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce the mixture to half, stirring constantly.

Remove the sprouts from the oven.  In a bowl, toss the sprouts in half the sauce.  Taste and add more sauce to taste.

Broccoli and Cheese Pasta

This pasta dish is a straight indulgence.  I'm not even going to try to pretend otherwise just because there is something green in here, this is thick, dreamy, cheesy indulgence.  If you grew up a fan of Velveeta shells and cheese, this is right up your alley.

I was having a craving the other day for something cheesy and filling and comforting.  It was cold and I was the kind of exhausted that makes you want to get in bed and stay there until spring.  All I could think of was bacon cheeseburgers and Velveeta shells and cheese. So I started thinking maybe I should make the kids broccoli, cheese and rice soup, but I couldn't quite convince myself of it because I wanted something richer, more decadent.  So I decided to make my version of Velveeta, but with some broccoli and chicken thrown in there, all over pasta instead of rice.

This cheese sauce is stick-to-your-ribs thick, but you can thin it out a little more if you want, and the cheese level is easy to adjust to your taste as well.  Once you master a sauce like this, the possibilities are endless. Next up, I am going to make a homemade version of the Annie's White Cheddar sauce.  Stay tuned for that!

Broccoli and Cheese Pasta

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

• 8 - 16 oz of pasta, cooked and rinsed (I made the whole box and then added until it was my desired cheese-pasta ratio)
• 6 chicken tenders
• 1 white onion, minced
• 3 tbs. butter
• 1 tbs. minced garlic
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of flour
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 - 12 oz of sharp orange cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• 4 oz. (half a block) cream cheese
• 2 cups frozen broccoli florets

In a dutch oven, over medium-high heat, melt 1 tbs. of butter.  Season one side of your chicken tenders with salt and pepper, then place seasoned-side down into the dutch oven and brown, about 3-5 minutes.  Season the uncooked side of the chicken and then turn it over, browning the other side.  After the outsides are browned, add enough chicken broth to cover half the depth of the chicken.  Flip the chicken and cover the pot, turn the heat to medium, and let the chicken simmer and steam in the broth until cooked through and tender.  Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate. 

Add the minced onion and garlic to the broth, saute and simmer in the broth until onions are soft.  Add the remaining 2 tbs. of butter and let it melt.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the broth mix and whisk together.  There should be enough flour to absorb all the liquid, if you need to add more flour, do so a little at a time until all the broth is absorbed. 

Slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese, a handful at a time, and stir after each addition until cheese had completely melted and incorporated.  Add your desired amount of cheese, I recommend at least 8 oz, but go for more to your taste.  Stir in the cream cheese until incorporated. 

If the cheese sauce is too thick for your liking, slowly add chicken broth until it has thinned to your preference.

Add the pasta, a handful at a time, mixing to coat in the cheese sauce.  Add the broccoli florets and stir to incorporate.  While the broccoli heats through, chop the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces and add to the pot.  Season with salt and pepper, serve immediately.

Lemon Basil Broccolini

This is a super easy, quick green-veggie side dish.  As a momma, it is super important to me that my kids have a vegetable at every meal and this one is an easy go-to that adds a lot of nutrition and taste to their plates. It has also been a huge hit over the years with my vegan and vegetarian friends!

Lemon Basil Broccolini

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs. butter or olive oil
• 1 bunch broccolini
• Half a lemon
• 2 tbs. dried basil
• Salt and pepper

In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt your butter, or heat your oil.  Add the broccolini to the pan, season with salt pepper and half of the basil (or more to taste).  Using tongs, toss to coat. Juice the lemon half over the broccolini.  Toss again.  Season once more with salt, pepper and the remaining basil.  Continue to toss and saute until broccolini are desired tenderness.

Jalapeno Chedder-Jack Grits

Grits are not something I grew up with in New England, but I sure am glad I found them when I moved down here.  There are endless opinions and ways to make grits - lots of people think they know the "right way" but the way I look at it, there isn't one right way, but there is the right now.  When I made these, I was serving them with some delicious garlic baked shrimp and thought these flavors would be a perfect compliment.  That's whats so great about grits, they are a total blank canvas for flavor.  These come out creamy, lightly cheesy and with a hint of heat.

Jalapeno Cheddar-Jack Grits

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs. butter
  
• 3 tsp. minced garlic
  
• 1/2 medium white onion, diced very small
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced very small
  
• 4-5 cups of chicken broth
  
• 1 1/2 cups of stone ground grits
  
• 3/4 cup half and half
  
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar
  
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
  
•  Salt and pepper
  

In a medium-large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Add the garlic and saute for just a minute or two, until fragrant.  Add the onion and jalapeno, and saute for five minutes more. 

Add 3 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil, add the grits and stir, lowering the heat to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.  After half of the liquid is absorbed, add another cup of chicken broth and the half and half. Cook until thickened, if the grits are still not soft enough, add a little more chicken broth until it is to your liking. Total cooking time should be about 15-20 minutes.

Turn the heat very low and add the cheeses, handfuls at a time, stirring to incorporate between additions. Once all the cheese is added, turn off the heat and continue to stir until all the cheese is melted and mixed smooth. Serve immediately.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Risotto

I had just finished checking a whole lot of things off my to-do list, like Townes' birthday invitations and health insurance changes, when I realized it was suddenly 3:30 and I had no idea what we were eating for dinner.  I also looked outside and it had gone from a blustery, damp day to pre-storm gloom.  I had to make a decision fast and had no where to start.

I wanted something comforting, but I didn't want another comfort food that was covered in cheese and grease and overly decadent.  I wanted comfort food that would warm my soul but also make me feel good.  I wanted veggies and freshness.  I decided risotto was a great place to start, but my favorite (mushroom risotto) would be a no-go with Aaron.  So while I walked to Randall's with T in the stroller I started deciding what to put together. 

I thought sweet potatoes would be an interesting starch to add to the rice, but wouldn't be savory enough on their own.  I always think bacon marries well to sweet potatoes and would add some kick.  Chipotle and sage would add smoky, spiciness that would bring out the depth of the sweet potato instead of the sweetness.  I decided to up the nutritional factor and add some spinach, along with the risotto staples of onion, shallots and garlic. Finish it off with nutty Parmesan and I was good to go.

The best part about how this came out, is that you can keep customizing it.  Substitute kale for spinach, use prosciutto instead of bacon, vegetable broth instead of chicken.  This can be filled with super foods, its gluten free, and it could be vegetarian!

Chipotle Sweet Potato Risotto

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped into 1-inch chunks
• Olive oil
• 1 tbs. chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbs. Chipotle powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 8-12 oz. bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/2 medium white onion, diced small
• 2 tbs. minced garlic
• 2-3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray or olive oil. 

In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweet potato chunks with the sage, Chipotle powder, garlic powder, season with salt and pepper and 2-3 tbs. of olive oil, until evenly coated.  Spread the sweet potato onto the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until very soft and tender.  Mine took about 30 minutes, tossing them every 10 minutes to make sure they cook evenly.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the diced bacon.  In a separate sauce pot, warm the chicken broth over medium high heat, if it comes to a boil, turn the heat down and keep it warm.

When the bacon is done, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon into a paper towel-lined bowl.  Pour out the bacon fat, leaving just about a tablespoon or two at the bottom, discard the rest.

Melt the 2 tbs. butter in the dutch oven into the bacon fat over medium heat.  Add the shallots and onion, sauteing until translucent, 3-5 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and spinach, cook until spinach has wilted. 

Your sweet potatoes should be done around now, just pull the tray out and set it aside and let them cool for a bit.

Add the rice to the pot with the veggies and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the rice doesn't burn, but starts to toast.  Add the white wine and stir until the wine has been absorbed. 

Once the wine is fully incorporated, pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the rice.  Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom or burning.  The broth should bubble a bit, but should not be boiling.  After the broth is absorbed, add more broth, just enough to cover the rice and repeat the process until the rice is tender and cooked.

While the rice is cooking, put your sweet potatoes into a bowl and mash until smooth.  Taste and re-season to your preference.  I added more Chipotle powder to kick up the spice factor. Don't forget to keep stirring your rice, though!

Once your rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed (you may need more or less than 4 cups of chicken broth depending on your rice), turn the heat down to low and stir in the sweet potatoes one scoop at a time.  My potatoes made about 1 1/2 cups mash and I used it all.  If your potatoes were very big you may not want to use it all. Stir well until the sweet potatoes are well incorporated.  Keep stirring and let it cook for a few more minutes to let the flavors mingle. 

Add the grated Parmesan and half of the cooked bacon, mix well, and turn off the heat. Taste and re-season as needed.  Garnish with Parmesan, bacon and some fresh herbs like sage or parsley.