Adding fresh side dishes to leftovers...

I thought it was dusty the other day... boy was I in for a shock when I came in from mowing this afternoon! They had been sanding the walls and ceiling for most of the morning today - so when I came in to get a snack, there was almost an inch of stuff all over the floors! Thankfully they have been pretty good about cleaning up, but I have a feeling I will be vacuuming up this stuff for a few days. It looks as if the kitchen could be coming along a little faster than we were told, so we might be back in action in the next few weeks!

To go along with the leftovers we had for dinner tonight, I was able to throw together a side of Broccoli with Spicy Tahini. These quick and simple sides we have been making are good for keeping dinners from getting too boring since we are used to cooking so many recipes each week. In this recipe, instead of just using broccoli florets, you use a good amount of the thick stalk from the broccoli by simply peeling them to remove the tough outer skin. Once prepped, the broccoli is steamed just until crisp tender, then a portion of the liquid used to steam is set aside to help thin out the sauce. To make the sauce, tahini (sesame seed paste), the reserved hot liquid, harissa, lemon juice and salt are blended together to be served over the broccoli. This sauce is creamy and quite spicy from the harissa with the lemon juice bringing a fresh bright flavor. Harissa is red paste made from chili and a few spices - if you can't locate it, you could use chili paste or hot sauce. I used a full tablespoon as we love the spiciness, but start out with a smaller amount if you don't like it too hot. It is easier to add more to taste than to try and reduce the heat later.

PS - Will there be a treat day tomorrow for Jeff's co-workers? Stay tuned...

Recipes
Broccoli with Spicy Tahini