As I was trying to plan what I am going to make for dinner tonight I determined that my starch was going to be sweet potatoes and I realized that I have not yet posted the recipe for these. I thought that stragne because it is one of our favorite side dishes. I still don't know what my protein will be but atleast I know anything will go with sweet potato fries. I call them steak fries because they are cut thicker and bigger than regular fries.
1 sweet potato per person (less if they are the bigger ones)
1 tbsp oil per potato
seasoning of choice
Peel and cut your sweet potatoes into wedges. Spread out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle on seasoning. Toss until all wedges are coated. Spread in an even layer. Place in a preheated 375F oven for 30-45 minutes (time depends on how thick the wedges are and how much you have on the sheet).
You can dip in ketchup just as you do regular fries or you can use your favorite dipping sauce. You can even use the BBQ Tartar sauce from my fish stick post as a dipping sauce just add a touch of the pickle juice instead of the chopped pickles so it's easier to dip in.
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A & C which are powerful antioxidants. They are also rich in potassium which help people with stomach ulcers and other digestive problems. There are many benefits to eating sweet potatoes over regular white potatoes. We rarely eat white potatoes anymore.
When buying sweet potatoes make sure you get sweet potatoes and not yams. Yams do not have as many health benefits and are sweeter. I buy the orange or you could even call it pink sweet potatoes. I find they taste and cook up the best. I said in the recipe to peel the potatoe but you don't have to. There are many nutrients in the peels themselves. If you don't peel them though make sure to clean them very well.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Holiday Stuffing
In honor of it being Thanksgiving I am posting my stuffing recipe. I probably should have posted it before the holiday so you could have a chance to make it yourself, but I couldn't quite remember how exactly I did it or the measurements of the ingredients I put in so I had to wait until I made it again. I measured everything out this time and am able to give it to you now. At least you can have it for the next holiday dinner you plan.
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion chopped
5 celery stalks chopped
2 large apples chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cranberry, orange or apple juice
5 cups bread diced
3 tbsp stuffing or holiday seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add celery, apples, cranberries and seasoning and cook until tender. Add the chicken stock and juice and heat through. Toss in the bread cubes until they are all coated. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
You can mix up your juices by using two kinds or even all three. Add the zest of an orange for a fresh citrus flavor. You can also change up the taste by using all different kinds of bread. I used multi grain and rye for mine today. It is better when you use an artisan bread instead of plain white loaf. Stuffing and holiday seasoning will probably only be available around the holiday seasons or in speacialty stores.
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion chopped
5 celery stalks chopped
2 large apples chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup cranberry, orange or apple juice
5 cups bread diced
3 tbsp stuffing or holiday seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add celery, apples, cranberries and seasoning and cook until tender. Add the chicken stock and juice and heat through. Toss in the bread cubes until they are all coated. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
You can mix up your juices by using two kinds or even all three. Add the zest of an orange for a fresh citrus flavor. You can also change up the taste by using all different kinds of bread. I used multi grain and rye for mine today. It is better when you use an artisan bread instead of plain white loaf. Stuffing and holiday seasoning will probably only be available around the holiday seasons or in speacialty stores.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Cream Peas on Toast
Now I know this sounds gross and very wierd, but it has been a family favorite of ours through my whole childhood and still remains a go to when I just don't feel like cooking or I didn't take any meat out of the freezer to thaw. It's not mushed peas on toast as some people think when I first suggest it and it might not be everyone's "cup of tea", but promise me you'll try it before you judge me insane.
4 cups frozen peas
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp Sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp Mustard
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
Cook peas but not until done. You still want them a little crunchy because they will continue to cook in the sauce. In a medium sized pot melt the butter. Add the flour and stir together. Add the mustard and sweet chili sauce. Pour in 1/4 cup of the milk and stir continuously until it is all incorporated. Then you can slowly add the rest of the milk stirring continuously. Once the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly add the peas. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pea mixture on a piece of toast. We always top with some ketchup, but don't feel you need to.
Ways to change it up and make it your own would be adding spice mixtures (most will work well), cheese (especially flavored cheeses), or topping with hot sauce or BBQ sauce. You can also play with the breads you use for toast. We generally use plain white toast, but you can use rye, whole grains, bagels, sourdough or pumpernickle.
4 cups frozen peas
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp Sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp Mustard
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
Cook peas but not until done. You still want them a little crunchy because they will continue to cook in the sauce. In a medium sized pot melt the butter. Add the flour and stir together. Add the mustard and sweet chili sauce. Pour in 1/4 cup of the milk and stir continuously until it is all incorporated. Then you can slowly add the rest of the milk stirring continuously. Once the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly add the peas. Pour about 1/2 cup of the pea mixture on a piece of toast. We always top with some ketchup, but don't feel you need to.
Ways to change it up and make it your own would be adding spice mixtures (most will work well), cheese (especially flavored cheeses), or topping with hot sauce or BBQ sauce. You can also play with the breads you use for toast. We generally use plain white toast, but you can use rye, whole grains, bagels, sourdough or pumpernickle.
I Need a Little Help
I don't know if it's because I've been so wrapped up in my cake business that I have come down with a case of recipe writers block. So I am looking to all of you for help. Please leave me a comment telling me some of the food you love to eat that you want recipes for. I need some inspiration. I am working on a few weekly meal plans but I would like to add a couple new recipes. I would really love to hear from you.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hot Macaroni Salad
I made this dish for dinner tonight to go with prok chops. I made mine a bit spicy but you can alter the flavoring any way you like it. This can be a side dish or a meal in itself.
2 cup whole wheat macaroni noodles
2 cups peas
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 ranch dressing
1 Tbsp mustard
2 cups grated cheese
1 Tbsp garlic seasoning
1 Tbsp Cajun or Taco seasoning
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cook macaroni. Just before you are about to drain the macaroni pour in the peas. Don't actually cook the peas this is just so they don't go into the mixture frozen. Drain your peas and macaroni. In a casserole dish mix the mayo, ranch dressing, mustard, grated cheese, and seasonings. Add the macaroni and peas and stir to combine. Preheat oven to 350F. In a seperate bowl mix the bread crumbs and cornmeal then sprinkle over the macaroni salad. Bake for about 15 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown.
You can make everything but the bread crumb topping in advance and keep in fridge until ready to bake. By the time the breadcrumbs are crispy, golden brown the macaroni will be heated through.
To change the flavoring you can use any of the different flavor of ranch dressing or change up the seasoning blends. You can add any dip mix as a flavoring as well. I didn't give a specific cheese because you can use any cheese you like really. Cheddar, 1/2 cheddar 1/2 mozarella, jack cheese, Jalapeno cheese, etc. If you like it really cheesy feel free to add more cheese.
2 cup whole wheat macaroni noodles
2 cups peas
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 ranch dressing
1 Tbsp mustard
2 cups grated cheese
1 Tbsp garlic seasoning
1 Tbsp Cajun or Taco seasoning
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cook macaroni. Just before you are about to drain the macaroni pour in the peas. Don't actually cook the peas this is just so they don't go into the mixture frozen. Drain your peas and macaroni. In a casserole dish mix the mayo, ranch dressing, mustard, grated cheese, and seasonings. Add the macaroni and peas and stir to combine. Preheat oven to 350F. In a seperate bowl mix the bread crumbs and cornmeal then sprinkle over the macaroni salad. Bake for about 15 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown.
You can make everything but the bread crumb topping in advance and keep in fridge until ready to bake. By the time the breadcrumbs are crispy, golden brown the macaroni will be heated through.
To change the flavoring you can use any of the different flavor of ranch dressing or change up the seasoning blends. You can add any dip mix as a flavoring as well. I didn't give a specific cheese because you can use any cheese you like really. Cheddar, 1/2 cheddar 1/2 mozarella, jack cheese, Jalapeno cheese, etc. If you like it really cheesy feel free to add more cheese.
Asian Sausage & Peppers
This was last nights dinner. I had sausages out but no idea what to do with them until I went to the garden to get something to go with it and I saw that I had quite a few peppers to pick. I put mine over Uncle Ben's asian rice side dish, but you can cook up some brown rice and use that instead.
6 sausages (pretty much any flavor will work)
2-3 peppers chopped in large pieces ( any color of pepper works or use 1 of each)
1 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp frozen OJ
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soya sauce
1/4 cup OJ
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp teriyaki seasoning or garlic seasoning
In a large skillet over med high heat add a tbsp of olive oil and sausages. Cook until almost done then remove and slice into chunks. While the sausage are cooking in a seperate bowl mix all the sauce ingredients. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sausages back to the pan. Now you can add the peppers. Let the peppers cook for a couple of minutes then add the sauce. Let the mixture cook for 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water to make a slurry. Add slurry to pan and stir in. Let it cook for another minute or two until sauce thickens. Pour over rice and serve.
Like I said in the beginning I used a rice in a bag mixture. I read the ingredients and there was only one that is bad. Silicon Dioxide which is really sand and they use it as a filler. It's not the stuff off the beach but still. I do use these once in a while because I am not really good at cooking rice. Other than that they have no preservatives and all the other ingredients are not really bad. Just make sure you read the ingredients when you are buying as some brands use lots of extra stuff and others don't.
6 sausages (pretty much any flavor will work)
2-3 peppers chopped in large pieces ( any color of pepper works or use 1 of each)
1 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp frozen OJ
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soya sauce
1/4 cup OJ
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp teriyaki seasoning or garlic seasoning
In a large skillet over med high heat add a tbsp of olive oil and sausages. Cook until almost done then remove and slice into chunks. While the sausage are cooking in a seperate bowl mix all the sauce ingredients. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sausages back to the pan. Now you can add the peppers. Let the peppers cook for a couple of minutes then add the sauce. Let the mixture cook for 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water to make a slurry. Add slurry to pan and stir in. Let it cook for another minute or two until sauce thickens. Pour over rice and serve.
Like I said in the beginning I used a rice in a bag mixture. I read the ingredients and there was only one that is bad. Silicon Dioxide which is really sand and they use it as a filler. It's not the stuff off the beach but still. I do use these once in a while because I am not really good at cooking rice. Other than that they have no preservatives and all the other ingredients are not really bad. Just make sure you read the ingredients when you are buying as some brands use lots of extra stuff and others don't.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Apple Cranberry Chutney with Pork Tenderloin
I am actually smelling this recipe right now. It is what I am having for dinner tonight. It also uses one of my favorite kitchen tools the crockpot. Not only is dinner ready when you get home, you walk into a house that smells so good.
6 apples peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 med onion chopped
1 c celery chopped
3 Tbsp brown sugar
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp holiday seasoning blend
1/4 c cranberry sauce
1/4 c vinegar (regular or red wine)
1/4 c water or apple juice or orange juice
Combine everything in your crockpot and stir. Place a pork tenderloin big enough to feed your family (if it's really big you might have to double the chutney recipe) and turn on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
6 apples peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 med onion chopped
1 c celery chopped
3 Tbsp brown sugar
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp holiday seasoning blend
1/4 c cranberry sauce
1/4 c vinegar (regular or red wine)
1/4 c water or apple juice or orange juice
Combine everything in your crockpot and stir. Place a pork tenderloin big enough to feed your family (if it's really big you might have to double the chutney recipe) and turn on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
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