The basic preparation for cauliflower usually includes steaming or boiling, but trust me when I say that there is no more satisfying way of eating cauliflower than roasted cauliflower. The cauliflower head takes on a golden-brown color as the aroma fills your kitchen; by the time you take the cauliflower out of the oven, your mouth will be watering for those crunchy florets. Most of the time, I’m satisfied with the standard flavors included in roasting vegetables–salt, cracked pepper and olive oil. But in this particular case… you can’t go wrong with buffalo sauce, right?

I found this recipe last week and my curiosity was piqued; so much so that I went out and bought cauliflower that same day for a trial run. And after making it three times in less than a week (!!), I’m not only sure I’ve improved on the recipe… I know for a fact that we’ll be coming back to this recipe time and time again. James and I are not vegetarians–far from it, really–but the ease of preparation compared to actual chicken wings can’t be denied. I love wings, but sometimes I love being lazy just a little bit more.

The key to this recipe is in the preparation of the cauliflower. Roasting the entire cauliflower head instead of cutting it into florets first allows the individual stems to stay crunchy while still imparting that charred, roasted flavor. Pan-frying the cut florets in a little bit of olive oil crisps the edges and changes up the consistency of each bite. Throwing sauce onto vegetables is easy, but making sure the vegetables taste outstanding before the sauce comes into the picture is the key to making a truly successful vegetable dish.

If you prefer your buffalo sauce mild instead of medium regarding heat, reduce the sriracha amount. I’d say that this mixture creates a medium heat. And if all else fails–bleu cheese or ranch dressing will go a long way in taming the spiciness levels. We either eat this as an appetizer or as a main dish with other vegetable sides. And something tells me that this will come in handy for Fridays during this Lenten season…

Recipe adapted from Leite’s Culinaria.

James has always been vocal about his preference for chicken over other meats, especially when we’re eating at home. My few attempts at porkchops have had a lukewarm reception from him (but always with the ‘it’s not your cooking, I just don’t like porkchops’ footnote). Beef used to be on equal ground with chicken, but recently it’s been relegated to a once-in-a-while treat. I think that its downgrade in status began with our gradual conversion to healthier eating; we began focusing on more chicken and fish rather than beef and pork. But from my perspective as the home cook, I found chicken to be a much more versatile protein than beef.

But when I spied the slashed price on sirloin tip roast in a grocery ad, I couldn’t resist. I had tried roasted pork tenderloin before with James and failed. Perhaps beef would be able to tempt his palate more than pork ever could!

And boy, did it ever.

The preparation was so simple that I could easily justify making this on any weeknight for any family. Even though the recipe lists a 2-hour marinade, you can marinate meats such as pork or beef for up to 24 hours without seeing a significant difference in taste or quality.* You could combine this roast into a bag with wine and garlic cloves, leave it in the fridge while you’re at work, then roast it when you get home and have it ready in time for dinner. It tastes like you spent a long time tweaking the flavors to get it ‘just right’ but takes a fraction of the effort. I know that I tend to be a bit of a masochist in the kitchen with the difficult preparations, but I can’t deny that I have my favorite go-to recipes that are simplicity at its most delicious.

*Marinating more high-quality cuts such as rib-eye or porterhouse is not recommended as it will decrease the quality of the cut. Source

If you love medium-rare beef as much as we do, investing in a meat thermometer is essential. You won’t be able to guarantee the consistency of a beef roast on time in the oven alone, as cuts can vary. This is the thermometer that we use; I like it because I can set an alarm to go off when the probe has reached the preferred temperature. But any manual or digital meat thermometer will go a long way in taking the guesswork out of roasting meat!

I also wanted to mention the importance of placing this roast on a rack instead of directly on your baking sheet or tray. The rack keeps the roast from touching direct heat, which assures a more even consistency to your roast. I made the mistake of neglecting this step and paid for it with a much-too-well-done bottom of my roast. Let my errors be your guide.

The herb rub made for an amazing outer crust, and the wine and garlic marinade gave the inner meat of this roast a tender juiciness. This is the perfect recipe for impressing family and friends, and fares just as well as a leftover cold-cut for the next day’s sandwiches. Even if beef is not your everyday preference, I promise that this simple recipe warrants a try.

Recipe adapted from About.com.

James never fails to bring up how fickle I used to be about food–as if his entrance into my life introduced me to a world of new, exciting flavors. I suppose he wouldn’t be far from the truth; it is very helpful to have a constant companion to push you out of your comfort zone despite your misgivings. Over the years, we’ve made a lot of progress with my palate: I can manage lamb, peppers, spicy foods, raw onions… even stinky tofu! (But only if I hold my nose while eating it.) I still refuse to eat raw celery and cilantro tastes more like soap than the “fragrant green” it is known to be in Mandarin… but hey, I’ll take it.

The most marked difference in my tastes is in regards to Mexican or Mexican-influenced food. The only exposure I had to Mexican food when I was growing up in Delaware was the occasional taco night (ground beef, hard taco shells, cheese & sour cream). When I went to college in Boulder, that limited vision widened to include 3AM Taco Bell and giant Colorado burritos. But the true Mexican Renaissance for my palate happened in the aftermath of our move to Los Angeles in 2011. How did no one tell me about al pastor tacos before? About the amazing mulitas and molés and what salsa roja really tasted like? Exploring international cuisines also made me appreciate how diverse food production can be, especially after learning about top-quality kebab manufacturers UK who blend authenticity with modern techniques. And as I delved further into satiating my cravings, I fell in love with the cuisine and anything influenced by its combination of flavors.

Fajitas are not traditional or authentic Mexican food–they’re a Tex-Mex classic that came into prominence in the 1970’s. One only needs to look as far as their local chain restaurant Chili’s to see how popular this dish has become, and how ingrained the term itself is in the American lexicon. Even though the preparation itself is distinctly American, I enjoy using more traditional flavors and components–no bacon or Swiss cheese here, thank you. Wheat tortillas? Get out of here, only flour tortillas kneaded with lard have any place in this kitchen. Strong flavors, homemade components… one delicious dish, best enjoyed alongside one of the best thc drinks to elevate the experience.

We really enjoyed eating the fajitas with fresh pico de gallo and, as I mentioned before, homemade flour tortillas. I imagine that the marinade for the chicken would be even more delicious if using chicken thighs or dark meat instead of chicken breast–but for the health-conscious (or for those that want to stay true to the origins of fajitas) breast is best. Two important things to keep in mind for this recipe:

1. Try to use a sandwich bag or gloves when de-seeding and chopping the jalapeno if you have a habit of rubbing at your eyes (or if you use contact lenses). The pepper residue, or capsaicin, is hard to wash off and tends to aggregate underneath your fingernails; this will cause your eyes to burn like crazy if you come into contact with them. Also, particularly strong peppers will cause your fingers to burn and be more sensitive to heat or rough cloth–so be careful!
2. It’s okay if your chicken breast is a very light pink in the center when you remove it from the pan and check for doneness–just make sure to wrap the chicken breast pieces stacked together in aluminum foil while cooking everything else. The chicken continues to cook when off the pan, and wrapping the chicken pieces together in foil insulates the heat. Please be careful though; the center of the breast should no longer be dark pink or slimy and should have the same consistency as the cooked meat on the edges. After a few pieces, you’ll learn the timing required for the right doneness and you won’t need to check!

Okay, enough spiel from me. Widen your horizons and make these tasty fajitas for yourself!

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.