Roasted Cauliflower

Two recipes in one day!
To me, most things taste good with a bit of caramelization, and they taste even better with a lot of caramelization - hash browns, burgers, steak, chicken, and in this instance, vegetables, specifically, cauliflower.  When you take a bite, it's crunchy, it's tender, it's sweet, and it's savory - a perfect mix of flavors & textures.  I have roasted beets, broccoli, cabbage, corn, green beans, okra, onions, and likely others, too, but nothing else is coming to mind, and honestly, roasting is one of my favorite preparations.  Not only do you get a delicious vegetable, but it's so simple and clean-up is a breeze.  I use very simple seasoning, only extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper, although I'm sure you could use whatever seasoning that you fancy; I just prefer plain & simple. 
I'm linking today's post to Reeni's Saturday Sidedish Showdown over on Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice.  The theme for this Saturday was cauliflower; so check it out, as I'm sure tons of delicious cauliflower recipes await you.

Roasted Cauliflower Printable recipe
1 medium-large head cauliflower
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Prepare a sheet pan with a piece of parchment.
Trim core from cauliflower and then cut cauliflower into florets.
In a bowl or in a ziplock bag (no cleanup!) combine cauliflower, olive oil, salt & pepper. 
Stir or shake well, all pieces should be well-coated with the oil.
Pour onto prepared sheet pan.
Roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping pieces over as they brown. 
Remove from oven when cauliflower is well-browned and tender.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

"Dressed-up" Carrot Cake Muffins

A pun on my mystery ingredient - Apple Poppyseed dressing.  I was out of oil, but I had a bottle of Girard's dressing, and feeling creative, as well as desperate, I substituted the Apple Poppyseed dressing for the oil, and voila!  An incredibly delicious, moist, and sensory delight!  Even before I popped then into the oven, they smelled wonderful - autumnal, shall we say.  To kick up my cream cheese icing, I added a 2 teaspoons of the dressing and WOW, the flavor defies description - just delicious! 

"Dressed-up" Carrot Cake Muffins Printable recipe

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (not low-fat or fat-free)

1/2 cup Girard's Apple Poppyseed dressing

2 large eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
1 cup pecans, toasted & finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (if you can, freshly grated, if not, ground is ok)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine flours and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, salad dressing, eggs, brown sugar, carrots, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Beat together until well-mixed.
Stir in the flour mixture.
Portion batter into cupcake liners - I made 20.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Apple Poppyseed Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing
1 teaspoon half & half
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, dressing, and half & half together until light and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar, and mix until creamy.
Spread on cooled muffins.