Compound Herb Butter

Kirsten, my gardening goddess, made this compound herb butter. Spread over a fresh slice of whole grain bread... delicious.

Ingredients
1 lb. butter, softened
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (mostly green portion)
2-3 T fresh thyme
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, stems removed, chopped
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Let butter set at room temperature for 2 hours. Mix in herbs. Form into a roll on wax paper. Refrigerate until firm.

Warm Winter Salad

Photo via The Curvy Carrot

This recipe from The Curvy Carrot is delicious. I can't stop making it. We've had it for dinner a few times, I've had it as a snack, and I've even served it with breakfast (think substitute for hash browns).

Quick! Make it before Spring is here!

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good

Try this dish! My friend Caroline passed it along to me from the NPR web site. It is super easy, but looks fantastic on the table. Like the title says, you just stuff it and bake it. The recipe says it serves two very generous portions. I served it as a side dish and I would say it serves 4.

Salsa

The first person to ever teach me to make salsa was Xochi's Granny. I love her and Grampy. I couldn't figure out why in the world they wanted to stay in a hotel when they came to visit instead of at Melville Manor with us. I love how on Sunday they said, "It's so cute how every one walks to church carrying their little satchels." Granny gave really good hugs. Soft hugs that made you just want to stay there for a while. I'm honored that I got to spend time in the kitchen with her. Even if it was the M2 kitchen with really really really dirty floors.

Since then, I've turned into a bit of a salsa snob. Once I figured out how easy it is to make delicious salsa, I couldn't bring myself to snack on the store brands any more. So here's all you need to know about salsa: it contains 6 ingredients: tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, salt, and some type of pepper. Once you start making salsa, you can adjust it how you like. Here's a recipe to start from:

Ingredients
1/4 of a red onion, chopped
2 T cilantro, chopped
1 t salt
1-2 limes
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes

Instructions
Pulse the first 5 ingredients in a small food processor (or just blend in a blender, or if you like salsa chunky, you can just chop all of the ingredients). Add tomatoes and pulse until salsa reaches the desired consistency.

I usually use a chipotle pepper (you can find them canned in the grocery store, packed in adobo sauce) in place of a jalapeno pepper. I also sometimes use one minced garlic clove in the salsa.

If you want to make pico de gallo, you use the same recipe, but use fresh chopped tomatoes instead.

Fruit Salsa

I found a new food blog. I can't remember how I got there, but after just a few minutes I found two recipes that I had lined up to post in the near future. So instead of going to the work of making them again, taking pictures and writing about it... I'll let Our Best Bites do the work for me. If you like my blog, I really recommend pursuing their site. I've never found a food blog so similar to my own tastes. Needless to say, I'm a big fan.

Okay, first, Sweet Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips. I got the recipe from my sister-in-law Amy. We used kiwi, apples, blackberries, and strawberries. Then we used 2 Tb white sugar and 1 Tb brown sugar. As for the Cinnamon Chips, they are great. However, if you're in a hurry, just pick up some Stacy's Cinnamon Pita Chips at the grocery store and you're set. They taste great.

Toffee Apple Dip

A quick shout out to Jana S for introducing me to this sinful dip. She has a habit of pushing delicious, fattening recipes my way while she stays a size 2.

This dip is like crack. You just can't stop coming back for more. I recently served this at an event and it was by far the most requested recipe. So for all those requests, here you go:

Ingredients
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pkg. toffee bits (you can find these by the chocolate chips at the grocery store)

Instructions
Combine cream cheese and sugars. Fold in most of the toffee bits and then sprinkle what's left on top. Serve with apple slices and prepare to be harassed for the recipe all night long!

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes are the real reason I started blogging again. When you taste something this good, you have to share it with the world. Or cyberspace at least. What I love about this recipe is that it is savory. So often we just put some form of sugar all over sweet potatoes and call it good. I'm not opposed to that mind you, but it's nice to change it up a little.

I got this recipe from Aunt Jeanene of lemon ricotta pancake fame. She said it originally comes from Martha Stewart, but you can't find it on the web site. I've only made it a couple of times, but I've already had two people declare that this version as converted them to sweet potatoes. Try it!

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 pounds sweet potatoes

4 ounces smoked bacon, diced

2 T dark brown sugar

3 T unsalted butter, softened

2 shallots, minced

1 t minced fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish

1 large egg

2 T heavy cream

2 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated, plus more for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet; bake until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool slightly.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; fit with a wire rack. Arrange bacon strips on rack and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cook until well glazed and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool slightly and roughly chop. Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; saute until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rosemary and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and set aside. Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out flesh, leaving about a 1/4 inch border all around potato halves; place halves on a baking sheet, and set aside.

Place potato flesh in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, reserved shallot mixture, egg, cream and Gruyere. Mix well until combined.

**Note** I don't save the skins, I just put the sweet potato mixture in a baking pan and cook it as it is.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip; pipe into reserved halves.

Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with Gruyere, rosemary and reserved bacon.

Serves 6

Whipped Sweet Potatoes

From The Common Grill Cookbook

4 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in 1" pieces

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced fine

1/2 c heavy cream

1/4 c butter

2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook until tender. 

In a saucepan combine apple, cream, butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  Bring to a simmer.

Drain potatoes and transfer to mixer and whip with wisk.  Gradually add cream mixture and whip.  Add salt and pepper.

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

You should really make this.  Really.  Even if you don't want to make a fancy dinner, just roast some potatoes, make some broccoli and whip this recipe up for dinner one night.  It won't kill your family to have a night of just veggies.  And I promise, you will love this cauliflower.  

I got the recipe from The Barefoot Contessa at Home, but I've already returned it to the library so you get my less impressive directions.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower

3 T olive oil

Kosher salt

pepper

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded  

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into florets and then lay them on a baking sheet.  Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower and add plenty of salt and pepper.  Toss and then put in the oven for 30 minutes.   About halfway through toss again to keep from burning.  

Once the cauliflower is roasted, add the cheese on top and put it back in the oven for another two minutes.  

White Cheddar Mashers

For most of my life I saw mashed potatoes strictly as an accompaniment to gravy.  They were only there so that I didn't have to drink the gravy straight from the gravy train.  Then I tried these and I find myself eating the leftovers straight out of the dish.  No adornments needed.  I also find myself hiding them in the back of the fridge so that no one else will see them and I'll get them all to myself, but that's another issue all together.  

Adapted from the Common Grill Cookbook

Ingredients

2 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled

1/4 lb. white cheddar cheese, grated

2 T melted butter

2 t seasoning salt

1/2 t white pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft, approximately 30 minutes.  Drain and transfer to large mixing bowl and slowly mash potatoes (use a masher, NOT electric beaters), add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. 

Tropical Green Beans

I could eat these all day. 

Ingredients

4 T olive oil

1 lb fresh green beans, cleaned, cut, and dried

1 small yellow onion

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 t salt

2 T balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, diced

2 t toasted pine nuts

freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush a large baking dish with 2 T of olive oil.  Put green beans, onion, and garlic in the dish, drizle with remaining oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 25 minutes, stirring beans at least 3 times.  When tender, remove beans from oven and transfer to bowl.  Immediately drizzle with vinegar.  Add tomatoes, pine nuts and pepper, to taste, and toss. 

Lemon Asparagus with Pine Nuts

This is sort of a fancy side dish, but I'm telling you, little kids love it.  Weird, I know, but I've had several kids shock us by demanding seconds.  What is better than a dish everyone loves?  Not much.  

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh asparagus

3 T pine nuts

1/4 c olive oil

1 T lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1/2 t salt

1/2 t dried basil

1/2 t dried oregano

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Snap off tough ends of asparagus.  Remove scales from stalks with knife or vegetable peeler, if desired.  Place spears in a steaming rack over boiling water; cover and steam 4-5 minutes or until spears are crisp-tender.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Saute pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat 2-3 minutes, until browned.  Set aside.  Combine olive oil and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir with a wire whisk to blend.  Cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.  Pour over asparagus.  Sprinkle with pine nuts.  Let stand to room temperature before serving.  

Crash Hot Potatoes

This photo and recipe come from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  If you haven't jumped on that bandwagon yet, it's about time you do.  She has the easiest, tastiest, most fattening recipes around.  Love her.  

Veggie Potato Topper

This recipe makes a great side dish, but you can also serve it over baked or roasted (I prefer roasted) potatoes and make a meal out of it.  I would only add shredded cheddar (as pictured above) if you are going to serve it with potatoes.  

Ingredients

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

1/2 head cauliflower, cut in bit sized pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 bunch broccoli, cut in bite sized pieces

1 med. zucchini, cut in bit sized pieces

1 c sour cream

3 oz cream cheese

2 T butter

Instructions

Saute onions and mushrooms in butter. Steam the cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini for about 2 minutes (You want these veggies to stay crisp).  Mix sour cream and cream cheese in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir until smooth.  Add all veggies to cheese sauce and warm through. 

Sun Dried Tomato Quiche

I loved when we hung our with our friends the Davises in Virginia, because Jessica always brought the most mouth watering dishes.  Roasted Red Pepper Enchiladas, Squash Tart, Sun Dried Tomato Quiche... almost thou persuadest me to be vegetarian Jessica.  Almost.  

I specifically made this quiche last week so that I could take a picture for today's post, and of course, I forgot.  But I'm sure it won't be too long before I make it again.  I'm telling you, if you're gonna make a quiche, this is the quiche to make.  

Ingredients

3/4 c Swiss cheese, shredded

3/4 c Cheddar cheese, shredded

2/3 c chopped sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)

2 T finely diced onion

1 t Italian seasonings

1/2 t salt

4 eggs

1 c half and half

3/4 c milk

1 T flour

one 9-inch pie crust (this recipe makes enough for two 8-inch crusts too)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and then bake pie crust for 5 minutes.  in a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together.  Pour mixture into the crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Slice into wedges and serve.

Black Bean Salad

This recipe was originally called Black Bean Salsa in the Favorites: A Collection of Favorite Ivory Family Recipes cookbook, but mi amiga Marianne helped me see the full vision of this recipe. I now use it as a side salad for mexican dishes.

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

8 ounces frozen corn

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 TB shopped green onions

2 TB chopped red onions

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 TB vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped ripe tomatoes, drained

Instructions

In large bowl, combine beans, corn, cilantro, green onions, red onions, lime ice, oil and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Just before serving stir in tomatoes.

Coconut Rice

It looks like regular rice, it sounds like regular rice, but it sure doesn't taste like regular rice.

Ingredients

1 c jasmine rice

2 c coconut milk

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c milk

Instructions

First rinse the jasmine rice with cold water until your water is clear and not white.  Put the rinsed rice in a medium pan and combine with sugar, milk, coconut milk.  Bring to a boil and then down to low.  Cover and cook for about 25-35 minutes.  Stir rice and milk every 5-10 minutes.  Rice is done when milk is absorbed and rice is tender.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Serve warm.   

Summer Vegetable Gratin

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated.  I won't lie, it's a little time intensive, but it's good and you can always make it the day before.  

Ingredients

6 T olive oil

1 lb. zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 lb. yellow summer squash, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 t table salt

1 1/2 lb. ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and sliced thin pole to pole (about 3 cups)

3/4 t ground black pepper

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 T minced fresh thyme leaves

1 large slice white sandwich bread, torn into quarters

2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)

2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush 13-by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.

Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl.  Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes.  Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels.  firmly press each slice to remove as muc liquid as possible. 

Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes.  Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onions, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and dark golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.  Set onions aside. 

Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl.  In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish.  Arrange caramelized onions in even layer over squash.  Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of onions.  Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes.  Bake until egetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, process bread in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds.  (You should have about 1 cup crumbs.)  Combine bread crumbs, remaining tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and shallots in medium bowl.  Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degreees.  Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly on top of tomatoes.  Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.  

Cheesy Potatoes

I suppose my tastes should be more refined than this, but that won't stop me from posting the best cheesy potato casserole I know. I'm just keepin' it real baby.

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes (You can cook frozen hash browns and use them instead - the kind that serves 11)

1/4 c butter + 2 T melted butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 pint sour cream

1/2 t salt

1/2 c chopped onion (you can saute these before putting in casserole so they are cooked better, this is where you also cook the hash browns, but only until soft, not crisp)

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 c crushed corn flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes for one hour or until they are fork tender. Cool. Butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Mix together corn flakes and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside. Once cool, peal and then grate potatoes.

Heat butter and stir into sour cream, salt, onion and cheese. Add soup and stir into potatoes. Place in prepared casserole dish. Top with corn flake mixure, if desired. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cornbread

Okay, corncake really.  Look, I'm not saying it's authentic, I'm just saying it's good.  Real real good.  This recipe comes from my mom's bff, Susan. 

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

2 boxes jiffy corn bread mix (small boxes)

2 cups water

1 egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9x13 pan and set aside.  Combine ingredients and beat with a mixer.  Pour into pan and bake for 30 minutes.