Sweet Potato Pancakes

These sweet potato pancakes were a nice change of pace for a side dish.  I served these with simply baked chicken legs and it was a great pairing.  I used my food processor to quickly shred the sweet potato which made prep time quick.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Makes 6-8 medium sized pancakes

3 eggs
2 teaspoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups shredded sweet potatoes (1 medium)
Coconut oil for pan frying

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the flour and spices.  Shred the sweet potato either using a food processor or hand grater.  Add the potatoes to the eggs and mix well.

In a large skillet, melt enough coconut oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.  Spoon the potato mixture in and gently press out into a circle shape.  Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes and flip to cook other side.

Remove cakes to a paper towel lined plate and lightly season with sea salt while still hot.  Continue pan frying cakes until batter is done.


Recipe from Practical Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Cauli-Rice

In our quest to eat more Paleo based meals, I found this recipe as a substitute for brown rice.  It was actually a nice change and an adequate substitute for the rice.  This "rice" was flavored with cilantro but you could easily substitute parsley if you're not a cilantro fan.

Cauli-Rice
Makes 4 servings

1 head cauliflower
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Cut the head of cauliflower in half through the core.  Remove the outer leaves and stem and chop it into large chunks.  Shred the cauliflower using either a box grater or a food processor.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil or butter and saute the cabbage, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Saute for about 5 minutes or until the cauliflower begins to become translucent, stirring frequently.  Toss with the cilantro before serving.

Recipe from Practical Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Baked Beets with Fennel

This side dish was wonderful if you like beets and fennel.  Both of these vegetables are ones that people either love or hate.  If you love them, this is a flavorful side dish.

Baked Beets with Fennel
Makes 3-4 servings

2 large beets
1 fennel bulb
1/2 orange
2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler and chop into 1-inch cubes.  Chop the tops (fronds) off the fennel bulb and slice the bulb into 1/4-inch strips.  Cut the orange into 1/2-inch pieces.

Melt the coconut oil or butter and pour over the beets, fennel and orange pieces and toss to coat all the pieces with the oil.  Spread evenly in a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the beets are fork-tender.

From Practical Paleo

Our rating:

1/2

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Happy 4th of July!  The area of Seattle we are in at the moment did their local fireworks last night which we opted not to attend.  We really weren't sure how our 6 month old puppy would react to them which was a big part of why we didn't go.  We spent the day exploring the area of Poulsbo which has a very quaint downtown area on the water where we had a lovely lunch overlooking the bay.  We did come home to cook dinner and this wonderful corn was a part of it.

Grilled Corn on the Cob
Makes 2 servings

2 ears fresh corn
Butter, optional
Sea salt, optional

Fill a sink or a large bowl with water and place ears of corn in with husks on.  Let soak for 30 to 60 minutes.  Meanwhile preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  Remove corn from water and grill for about 20 minutes, turning corn every 5 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and remove husk and any stray silk.  Serve with butter and sea salt if desired. 

I like my grilled corn as is since it is always tender and slightly smoky from the grill.


Our rating:

French Lentils

I find that lentils can be a little underwhelming at times.  I don't mind the texture but often there is just not enough flavor to them.  I love this particular recipe from Ina that yields perfectly cooked, flavored packed lentils.  This recipe calls for French green lentils (lentilles du Puy) and they turned out beautifully.  This was the side dish for the Crispy Skin Salmon I posted yesterday.

French Lentils
Makes 4 servings

1/2 pound French green lentils
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 cups yellow onions, chopped
2 cups leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped (4 stalks)
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped (3 carrots)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar

Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water.  Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.  Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, chicken stock and tomato paste.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.  Add the vinegar and season to taste.


From Barefoot in Paris

Our rating:

Oven Roasted Bacon Veggies

This was the side dish we had yesterday with our Balsamic Mustard Chicken and they wee so good, I decided they needed their own post.  It was simply Brussels sprouts and zucchini tossed with olive oil and 1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat and roasted in a 350 degree oven.  The bacon bits were sprinkled over the veggies for the last 5 minutes of roasting in the oven.  The bacon was a wonderful flavor component for the Brussels sprouts and I loved the roasted zucchini.

Oven Roasted Bacon Veggies
Makes 4 servings

5 strips bacon chopped
4 small zucchini
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute the bacon until crispy.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel lined plate.  Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

Cut Brussels sprouts in half.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and then slice into half moon shapes.  Drizzle Brussels sprouts and zucchini half moons with olive oil and bacon fat, season with salt and pepper and spread on a baking sheet.  Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden brown.  Sprinkle the bacon bits over veggies and continue to roast for another 5 minutes to warm the bacon.


Slightly adapted from Everyday Paleo

My rating:

1/2

Cilantro Rice Cakes

I almost passed by this recipe since it sounded so simple.  Simply combining freshly cooked brown rice with chopped cilantro, forming it into cakes and sauteeing in olive oil.  I was absolutely amazed at how the rice was transformed by this process.  We have been eating a lot of brown rice lately since we are avoiding anything containing gluten, so this recipe offered up a nice little change.  The cilantro is a strong flavor, which we happen to love.  If you are not a cilantro fan, you can just substitute parsley.  The light crunch on the outside of these cakes added a nice texture change.

I served these with a chicken stir fry containing chicken, red and green pepper strips, onion slices and broccoli florets.  I used olive oil for stir fry and finished it with arrowroot dissolved in coconut aminos.  Everything went together really well.

By the way, our dairy addition for today was our usual shake for breakfast made with kefir instead of coconut milk.

Cilantro Rice Cakes
Makes 4 servings (8 cakes total)

1 cup brown rice
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
salt
1/2 cup cilantro, washed and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Bring the chicken broth and water to a boil, then add the rice, lower the heat and cover.  Cook them until the grains get very soft and burst, adding water as needed. At the end of their cooking time, stir in the chopped cilantro. Give the rice a vigorous stir and you’ll start to tell when it’s all sticking together that it’s ready to be shaped into cakes.

Shape the rice cakes easily by pressing the cilantro rice into a quarter cup measure and tapping the bottom of it so they fall out in the right shape. Heat the oil over medium heat and cook them in batches. Fry them for just a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.

While the rice was cooking, I prepared all the components for the stir fry.

Chicken Stir Fry
Makes 2-3 servings

2 chicken breast halves, sliced thinly
1/2 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
Broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Add chicken and stir fry until just barely cooked through.  Remove chicken, heat additional tablespoon oil and add vegetables, stirring frequently until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Dissolve arrowroot in coconut aminos and set aside.  Return the chicken to the skillet, stir in the coconut amino mixture and stir for a minute or so.

 
Slightly adapted from Fledgling Foodie

Our rating:

Sweet Potato Fries

We turned to a very easy classic for dinner tonight, a grilled steak, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed spinach with slivers of garlic and sweet potato fries.  We grilled some New York Strips seasoned with Montreal Steak Seasoning since it was a beautiful day for outdoor grilling.  Since white potatoes are not recommended on our eating plan at the moment, I turned to sweet potatoes and decided to make fries which turned out great.  While the fries were baking in the oven, I sauteed the mushrooms and at the last minute I sauteed the spinach with the garlic.

Our menu for the day:
Breakfast - Protein Shake
Lunch - leftover Bolognese 

Sweet Potato Fries
Makes 2 servings

1 washed, skin-on, medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips
3/4 tablespoon coconut or palm fruit oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, oil, sea salt and paprika.

Place strips on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 to 28 minutes, depending on consistency desired.  Flip or toss the fries about every 5 to 6 minutes to cook evenly.


Slightly adapted from The Virgin Diet

Our rating:

Summer Squash Medley

One of my favorite side dishes is this simple dish of sauteed onions, zucchini and yellow squash.  It pairs beautifully with any kind of grilled or roasted meat and simply cooked fish.  It is quick and easy to make and simply highlights the freshness of the ingredients.  I like to simply season this dish with a pinch of sugar, salt, and freshly ground pepper.


Summer Squash Medley
Makes 2-3 Servings

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 zucchini, cut in half moons
1 yellow squash, cut in half moons
pinch of sugar (preferably turbinado or demerara)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a skillet melt butter in oil over medium heat and saute onion for a couple of minutes or until just starting to become tender.  Add the squash and sprinkle with the sugar, salt and pepper and saute until squash is tender and just starting to brown in spots.

My rating:

Greek Couscous Salad

I have made an administrative change to my blog to allow people to be able to leave comments much easier now.  So please leave me a comment if you find a recipe you like.

Now on to the food - this was the side dish I served with the Lamb Chops last night and it was the perfect side.  This couscous was so good it could certainly stand alone and so I felt it deserved its own blog post.  The simply cooked couscous was combined with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, drizzled with fresh lemon juice, a little olive oil and finally combined with feta cheese and fresh dill.  I served it at room temp and had some leftovers today served cold.  I think the flavors are a little more pronounced by letting it come to room temperature.

Greek Couscous Salad
Makes 4 servings

1 cup water
1/2 cup couscous (preferably 100% whole wheat)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped

Bring the cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir the couscous into the boiling water. Cover saucepan, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes (or follow package directions), fluff with a fork.  Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool briefly.  Add tomatoes, cucumber, feta, lemon juice, olive oil and dill.  Stir to combine.  Season as desired with salt and pepper.

Slightly adapted form Jillian Michaels

My rating:

Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice

What makes this coconut rice is using some coconut milk.  I tend to use lite coconut milk unless instructed specifically to use whole milk.  The other part of this recipe is that the coconut milk is diluted with water and a splash of vinegar and a little sugar are added giving it that perfect blend of sweet and savory.  I have made this rice a few times now and it is always delicious.

Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice
Makes 8 servings

2 cups white or jasmine rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Splash of white vinegar
2-3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus chopped green onion tops
Black pepper to taste

Combine rice, coconut milk, water, salt, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and cover for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Allow to stand 5 minutes.  Add chopped green onion bottoms, black pepper (if desired), and additional salt if necessary.

Garnish with green onion tops and serve immediately.

Recipe from Our Best Bites Cookbook

Our rating:

 

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Herbs

Until a few years ago, Brussels sprouts were not served in our house.  It happens to be that Brussels sprouts are one of our son-in-law's favorite vegetable.  I began experimenting with the little cabbage heads and as a family we have embraced the little sprouts.  The trick is to cook until just done to avoid the bitterness that can sometimes be associated with them.

In this recipe, they are browned in olive oil and butter and then braised in chicken (or turkey) stock until tender before being tossed with crisp bacon and chopped herbs.  These were absolutely worth the space on the Thanksgiving plate.  I know I will make them again and again without waiting for Thanksgiving.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Herbs
Makes 4 servings

1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 1/2 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1/2 cup mild onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
2/3 - 3/4 cup chicken stock, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Remove any dry or yellow outer leaves from the sprouts.  Slice off the dry stem and cut into quarters.  Set aside.

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7  minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl.  Pour off all but 1/2 tablespoon of fat from the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon.  Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

Wipe out the pan with paper towels and place over medium-high heat.  Melt the butter and oil.  Add the Brussels sprouts and season with salt; stir to coat evenly.  Cook until the sprouts begin to brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir again, then cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup of stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed until the sprouts are soft and tender, about 15 minutes more.  Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate.  Stir in the chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Slightly adapted from The Galley Gourmet

Our rating:

Acorn Squash with Cranberry Sauce

This Thanksgiving feast was a very different take for me since it was just the two of us in the motor home.  We are still in Fredericksburg, Texas which is a lovely place to spend Thanksgiving.  Since I was cooking for two, I kept on with the tradition of some of the classics, but did change up quite a few things.  Instead of roasting a whole turkey, I opted for a turkey breast (I happen to love white meat so that worked out great for me), stuffing, gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole (a family classic), homemade cranberry sauce, Acorn Squash with Cranberry Sauce, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Herbs, rolls, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits.  I decided to skip regular potatoes this year and I added the Acorn Squash with Cranberry Sauce.  I replaced the typical green beans with the Brussels sprouts and I replaced the pumpkin pie with the Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits.

It was an absolute feast for the two of us.

Acorn Squash with Cranberry Sauce
Makes 2 servings

1 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound)
1 cup whole cranberry sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon allspice

For the Cranberry Sauce
2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 tablespoon grated orange zest

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring occasionally and boil for 5 minutes.  Add cranberries and orange zest, bring back to a boil and boil gently for 5 more minutes until cranberries begin to burst and soften.

Let cool and refrigerate.

For the acorn squash:

Prick squash several times with fork to allow steam to escape.  Place in oven.  Microwave on high 15 to 20 minutes until soft when pricked with fork.  Turn squash over after 9 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Cut in half and remove seeds.  Place cut side up in a casserole just large enough to hold both halves.

In small bowl, combine cranberry sauce, honey and allspice.  Spoon into squash halves.  Bake in a 350 degree oven 15020 minutes until heated through.

Adapted from GE's Microwave Convection Oven Cookbook

Our rating:

Pancetta Green Beans

I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday today by simply doing the things that I love.  We moved to a new location yesterday in our motor home so we are in a wooded site by Lake Lewisville.  We have the benefit of a shady site and a view of the lake.  It is a very peaceful place to spend a few days.  I started my day with breakfast followed by 2 classes of Jazzercise (which is my absolute favorite work-out routine).  I stopped at my favorite grocery store for seafood and produce (Central Market) on my way back to our RV park and picked up sushi from the market for lunch.  I watched some Netflix after my shower and then spent a couple of hours outside reading on my Kindle. 

I decided it was the perfect day for a repeat performance of the Crab Cakes I had made back in July for dinner.  This is my absolute favorite crab recipe ever!!!  We had a side of Pancetta Green Beans to go with them which is another favorite recipe since I have made these twice in the past week.

Pancetta Green Beans
Makes 2 servings

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1 ounce pancetta, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice cubes and cold water.  Toss the beans into the boiling water and cook just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain, transfer to the ice-water bath, and cool for 2 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and saute until frizzled and crisp, about 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon , transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels and pat dry.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the butter.  When the fat is hot, toss in the beans and cook, stirring, until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the pancetta.  Remove from the heat and drizzle the beans with a little oil.

From Around my French Table

My rating:

South Beach Mashed Potatoes

I turned to steak and potatoes for dinner tonight since that is what I was craving.  I did my research and discovered that one of my favorite steak recipes comes in at 267 calories per serving so I knew we could certainly manage Giada's Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce.  One of the side dishes tonight was Ellie Krieger's Green Bean Salad which had fresh, steamed green beans tossed with toasted walnuts, chopped parsley, diced red onion and dressed with a light vinaigrette. 

The green bean salad was a very nice side to this dinner, but the item on the plate that looks like mashed potatoes is actually cauliflower, steamed until tender and pureed with a little butter, fat-free half and half and seasoned with salt and pepper.  The first time we had these "potatoes" was probably ten years ago and I still remember how good these were.  The best part is they come in at less than 50 calories per serving.  Don't get me wrong they really don't taste like mashed potatoes, but if you like cauliflower and mashed potatoes, these make a great substitute.

Cauliflower Puree
Serves 4

1 small cauliflower (4 cups florets)
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ounce fat-free half and half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steam or microwave cauliflower until tender (I steamed mine for about 10 minutes).  Once tender, puree in a food processor adding butter, half and half and salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted from South Beach Diet online

My rating:

BLT Pasta Salad

I love a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich on perfectly toasted white bread, slathered with mayonnaise and layered with crunchy lettuce, crisply cooked bacon and beautifully ripe tomatoes (who doesn't?), so when I came across this salad, I knew I had to make it.  It combined all the components of the sandwich but substituted pasta for the bread and turned out to be everything I love.  This is definitely an updated macaroni salad which will appear frequently on my summer menu.

I served the salad with a grilled pork chop drizzled with a garlic lime sauce which was also wonderfully delicious.

BLT Pasta Salad with Creamy Bacon Dressing
Makes 10 servings (about 7 1/2 cups)

1/2 pound dry pasta (I used penne rigate)
1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups halved grape tomatoes

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions.  Transfer pasta to a bowl of ice water; drain well.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.  Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons drippings; set aside to cool.  (To keep the dressing from curdling, be sure to cool the bacon drippings to room temperature before adding to the mayonnaise.)

Whisk together mayonnaise, reserved drippings, shallots, basil, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.

Stir in pasta, romaine, tomatoes and bacon; toss to coat.  Season salad with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Issue No. 94, July/August 2012


Note:  Even though this recipe sounds decadent it comes in at 243 calories for a 3/4 cup serving.


My rating:

Grill-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

This is the recipe for the potatoes I served on Wednesday night with the Brown Sugar Grilled Chicken. These are a cinch to prepare and are a nice addition to any grilled meat dish. If you are already grilling the protein, you may as well grill the potatoes too.

I started with a 1 1/2 pound bag of small yellow potatoes which I scrubbed clean. They went into a pot, covered with water, salted and brought to a boil. I reduced the heat to allow the potatoes to simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. This par-boiling can be done early in the day but should be done about an hour before grilling time. It is much easier to slice cooled potatoes and they will hold their shape better. The sliced potatoes were tossed in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper until well coated before going on the grill (save oiled bowl). Once the potatoes are on the grill, add some lemon zest, chopped rosemary and minced garlic to the remaining olive oil in the bowl. Once the potatoes are golden and crispy, put them back in the bowl and toss again gently to coat with the herb mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.



Grill-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes (Serves 4)

1 1/2 pounds small yellow potatoes (each 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter, scrubbed
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
zest of 1/2 lemon (finely zested)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Place potatoes in a large pot of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes (potatoes will not be completely cooked).

Drain potatoes well and allow to cool for at least an hour, preferably several hours, then cut in half. In a large bowl combine 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add potatoes and toss gently to coat.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Transfer potatoes to hot grill, letting excess oil drip into bowl (save bowl with oil). Add chopped rosemary, lemon zest and minced garlic along with the 1 tablespoon extra olive oil to the same bowl and stir to combine. Grill potatoes, covered, turning once or twice, until crispy and golden about 5-8 minutes.

As soon as potatoes come off the grill, add them to the bowl with the herbed oil and again toss gently to coat. Sneak a potato for taste testing and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy!

Adapted from The Cafe Sucre Farine Blog

My rating:

Hoki Filets and Vegetable Trio

My local market had a special on Hoki fish filets this week and since I had no idea what a Hoki fish was, I did some research. A hoki is a type of fish in the hake family found off the coast of New Zealand and Australia, aka the Blue Grenadier. This is also the fish of choice for McDonald's Fish Fillet and is frequently used in commercial fish sticks. I found a recipe online from New Zealand using Hoki filets and I decided to try it tonight. I will not be sharing that recipe since I really did not enjoy the fish (I found it to be quite fishy). I'm not sure if it was the quality of the fish or the preparation that threw me off tonight but I don't think I'll be preparing that fish again for a while.

Our side dish tonight was the hit of dinner and it was a vegetable side dish that I have not made in years. It's a recipe I've had in the back of my mind for a while and since I wanted a colorful vegetable side to serve with my fish, this is what I chose. This is a very simple recipe with the most time consuming part being the prepping of the vegetables. Carrots are cut into matchstick-thin strips. Snow peas are trimmed and cut diagonally in half and mushrooms are sliced thin. Once all these vegetables are cut the rest is a breeze. You throw them all in a saucepan with a little salt, fresh thyme and butter. Place over medium heat, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes. The results are spectacular.



Vegetable Trio (2 generous Servings)
Adapted from Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook

1/4 pound carrots (about 2 large carrots), cut in matchstick-thin strips
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally in half
2 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

In a saucepan over medium heat, place all ingredients. Cover and cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.


Our rating:

French Fries

After working out first thing this morning, I picked up my CSA bin which had all kinds of wonderful produce in it. I washed it all and put it all on a towel to dry while I got ready to go out with all my girls for lunch and then bridesmaid dress shopping.

We met at Elizabeth's apartment before going out for lunch and then to a special bridal shop in Lewisville which carried dresses by a certain designer that Elizabeth loved. The bridesmaids will be her two sisters and her two best friends from elementary through high school. Each of the women will wear the same color dresses, but in a style most flattering for them. It was a very fun and special afternoon.

Val and I split the produce from the CSA bin when we got back here and I then proceeded to make dinner which consisted of hot turkey sandwiches with some of the leftover turkey meat and hot turkey gravy over toasted bread. Our side dish was homemade French Fries made from a couple of the potatoes from the produce bin. This is the last meal we will have from the turkey for now, but I did freeze 2 packages of leftover meat that I will use for turkey pot pie in the future. I also froze two packets of homemade turkey stock which I will also use for the pot pies.

Homemade French Fries

2 large Russet potatoes, peeled
3 cups vegetable oil
Kosher salt

Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick fries. Put the fries in a large bowl of cold water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed medium stockpot over medium heat, or in a tabletop deep fryer, to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.

Drain the fries well and pat dry in batches with paper towels. Fry each batch, turning frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the fries are a pale blond color and limp. Remove with a mesh skimmer to the baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Increase the heat of the oil to 375 degrees.

Fry the potatoes again, in batches, turning frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with the skimmer and drain on clean paper towels. Season immediately with salt and serve hot.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Thanksgiving is a day of following traditions for the big meal of the day. My family does not like to change any of the foods they have grown up with on this particular day. I can totally change up other holidays, but not this one.

We always have an oven roasted turkey, stuffing, (sometimes a regular bread stuffing in addition to a cornbread stuffing depending on who is at the table), homemade gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce, green beans and a sweet potato casserole. One of our standard desserts is pumpkin pie and I usually try to add something a little different to the dessert offerings. This year I added pumpkin ice cream and Val made a Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart.

The sweet potato casserole is exactly what you imagine with mashed sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and just in case it isn't sweet enough, it gets topped with mini marshmallows. The guys all find this a little too sweet, but all the women love this addition on their Thanksgiving plate. This has been a standard on our table for the last 15 years.

Sweet Potato Casserole

5 sweet potatoes
1 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
miniature marshmallows

Cut sweet potatoes in half. Boil until tender. Drain and peel potatoes, place in bowl. Mash potatoes with butter, brown sugar, syrup and salt. Put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Add marshmallows, bake for an additional 5 minutes.


Our rating: