Greek Zucchini Bake

I roast a vegetable with some canola oil and garlic salt nearly every night for dinner. I wondered if I could add enough variety to make it worthy of a main dish.

I've tried Thai-inspired, teriyaki, and Mexican. So far, this Greek one is my favorite.

Greek Zucchini Bake
Serves 4-6

2 zucchini sliced to about 1/2 inch coins
2 yellow squash sliced the same
1 red onion roughly chopped (to size of squash)
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper chopped to size of squash
1 cup cherry tomatoes whole
1/2 cup Kalamata olives whole
2-3 T canola oil (or whatever oil you prefer)
1 1/2 t Lawry's garlic salt

6-8 oz crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Wash and chop vegetables. Then, toss all veg with oil and garlic salt on sheet pan. Bake 20-30 minutes. Toss about halfway through. 5-10 minutes before you're ready to take the veg out, sprinkle feta over sheet and bake until feta just begins to brown.

Apple Pie Granola

I used Jesseca's Pumpkin Pie Granola as a template for making this apple pie granola. I'm still tweaking it a bit, but it shows promise.

Apple Pie Granola

Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 t cinnamon I'm going to try this with 1 teaspoon next time
1 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts I used sliced almonds
1/2 cup Bare Baked apple chips smashed into smaller pieces again, I might do more here
1/4 cup coconut oil I used canola oil
1/3 cup honey I did 1/4 c and that was sweet enough for me (mostly because I didn't want to dirty another measuring cup)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce I'm thinking of trying this with apple butter next time or perhaps 3/4 c of applesauce instead of 1/2 c

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment and set aside.

Whisk together the oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, almonds, and pecans in a large mixing bowl.
Microwave the coconut oil and honey for just a few seconds in a small separate bowl until liquid. Whisk in your vanilla and applesauce. Ok, I didn't read this closely. Honestly, I put everything in the same bowl at once. I did do a lot of stirring because I worried that I wouldn't spread the flavors evenly, but I haven't had a problem doing it this way.

Gently stir your wet ingredients into the dry until fully incorporated. Spread onto your prepared baking tray in an even layer.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown making sure to stir once halfway through baking. Allow to cool completely on the baking tray before enjoying. I added the baked apple chips after baking and cooling. I really wanted to keep the crunch of the apple chips, and I worried about burning them if I baked them with everything else.

Recipe Notes
For a more clump filled granola make sure you keep the granola in a thicker layer. You may need to increase baking time by 10-15 minutes

Mint Berry Salad

At a feminist retreat I attended in March, my friend, Brooke, made this lovely fruit salad with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Then, she topped it off with a minty syrup. It looked stunning and was helpful for a queasy, morning sick stomach.

For Father's Day, I tried to recreate the syrup. Recipe sites like allrecipes.com and epicurious.com have suggestions for other fruit that would go well with the mint syrup. I followed Brooke's excellent example for mine, though.

Mint Berry Salad

1/2 flat of strawberries
3 pints of raspberries
3 pints of blueberries
3 pints of blackberries

Mint Syrup

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 plastic container of fresh mint leaves (mine said .66 oz)

Take 10-12 mint leaves and set aside. Put the rest of the mint (stems and all) with sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar dissolves.

Allow mint/sugar mixture to seep for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool.

Add 10-12 mint leaves and cooled syrup to blender. Pour to taste over mixed berries and serve within 10 to 20 minutes of adding syrup.

Eggplant Torta

I bought this cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison years ago when we were living in Boston. I have to confess I don't use it often because the recipes require a certain level of knowledge about seasonality of vegetables and access to high quality ingredients. The recipes are very minimalist, designed to bring out the flavors of each ingredient, which is great if one knows how to pick the best foodstuffs in the store (a skill I'm still working on). It's one of two cookbooks that sits on my shelf and doesn't get much use, not because it's not excellent, but because I'm still trying to figure out how to balance vegetarian meals.

Anyway, this is a recipe that I had in mind when I first started this blog, but I've never posted it because it's so long, which is why it's scanned. It's beautiful, delicious, and will satisfy both vegetarian and meat-eaters. But, it's time consuming (as you can see by the length of the recipe).

I made it last night for dinner when the swiss chard I planted in October decided to finally grow in May and was getting close to bolting (ok, it kind of did bolt--a little bitter than I cared for). And, I realized that I had about 1/2 of all the primary ingredients: 1/2 a large bunch of chard, and 1 eggplant (this recipe needs about 2 big ones). So, I halved those, but everything else I kept the same (except the saffron, I've never used it) and just made one layer of each mixture. Still tasty and much easier.

Clay Pot Pork

So, a little disclaimer here...Asher and I loved this dish. Nate did not. Nate who NEVER says he doesn't like a dish I make, even when they're disasters took one bite and said, "Ohh, this is not good."

Asher and I were like, "Are you crazy?!" I think the problem is that this dish uses a lot of fish sauce. If you don't like seafood (like Nate), you probably won't like this.

Oh, and fish sauce? It's hard to find a good kind. So, I've put a picture here of the bottle my Aunt Katie showed me is good and is pretty common in most Asian supermarkets.

Oh, and the thing about fish sauce? It STINKS! I love it mixed with other things, but every time I use it, I think, "Oh heavens, how can something that smells this bad taste good in the end?!" But, it does.

Clay Pot Pork** (but you don't actually need to have a clay pot)
Gourmet Cookbook

1/3 c sugar

1/4 c chicken stock
1/3 c Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese
3 shallots, thinly sliced I did 1/2 a red onion instead
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced I minced them
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
1 pound trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes this is a very cheap, but very fatty cut of meat. It took me a solid half hour to trim off enough fat for my liking.
1 t freshly ground black pepper I found this a little too spicy; next time, I'll do 1/2 t

Cook sugar in a dry 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork (a fork, really? I just used a spatula, so I didn't scrape the heck out of the bottom of my pan), until sugar has melted into a deep golden caramel. Carefully add stock and fish sauce (caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Add shallots, garlic, and white part of scallions and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.

Toss pork with pepper in a bowl and stir into sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover pan, reduce heat to low, and braise pork, stirring once or twice, until very tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in scallion greens and serve with rice. I thought the sauce was a little runny, so I made a slurry with 1 T cornstarch and 4 T water, added it to the sauce and pork, simmering it all for about 10 extra minutes. Then, I poured it over rice noodles.

Christmas Gift 2009: Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

Every Christmas, I try to make a treat for neighbors who help me make it through my day-to-day life. However, I am not a baker, and though I LOVE it when others bring me cookies and treats, some days around the holidays, I think it would be so handy to have a quick homemade dinner (that I didn't have to make).

This year, I wanted to make pesto because it can be used for so many things, but when pine nuts cost $7.99 for a little over a cup, plus the copious amounts of good quality olive oil and parmesan cheese, I decided that may be a little pricey.

Then, inspiration hit...I could make this tasty tomato soup and put a little pesto on the side. Have you tried 1 (or 2) teaspoons of pesto in tomato soup? DELICIOUS!

And, it's a gift that has red and green! How festive! I know, I know, just call me, "Martha."

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup
Cook's Illustrated

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling I only use about 2 T at the beginning; the recipe says to add more as you're blending the tomatoes, but I haven't found that to be necessary to the creaminess or flavor-enhancing
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional) I haven't done this
1 bay leaf
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice I buy mine diced
1 T brown sugar I do 1 1/2 T brown sugar
3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces I measured 3/4 c of fresh bread crumbs that I've run through the food processor and keep in the freezer
2 C low-sodium chicken broth I think homemade stock makes the difference here because there are so few ingredients
2 T brandy (optional) I haven't done this
Table salt and ground black pepper I left out the pepper for purely aesthetic reasons and thought it still tasted fine
1/4 c chopped fresh chives I think this is unnecessary when adding the pesto

Heat 2 T oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3-5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain (this is why I just buy the tomatoes already diced).

Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely staurated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 T oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Sometimes, I add this, but often, I don't. There's usually a little fat in the chicken broth, so I count that instead. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.

Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil. I omit this last sentence and instead add 1-2 teaspoons per bowl of this pesto. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for an easy dinner.

Gingerbread People

I've never tried another gingerbread recipe because I love this one so much that I've never felt the need. These are decadent with just the right amount of spices. Mrs. Fields has a recipe for icing, but the thing I love most about gingerbread people is that they can be decorated with red hots, sprinkles, and chocolate chips BEFORE they're baked.

I'm so lazy that I just never do icing or frosting on cookies.

On a completely unrelated note, will they take away my feminist card if I call them "gingerbread men?" :)

Gingerbread Men
Mrs. Fields' Cookie Book

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1 c salted butter, softened
3/4 c dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1/2 c unsulfured molasses

Whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in medium bowl.

In mixer, cream butter and sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add egg and molasses, and beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape bowl and add the flour mixture. Belnd on low speed just until combined; do not overmix. It will be magically clear when you've mixed enough.

Separate dough into 2 balls and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag, and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. With floured cookie cutters cut into gingerbread men. Gather scraps and reroll dough until all dough is used. Place on ungreased baking sheets 1/2 inch apart. This is where I decorate with the above mentioned items.

Bake 9-11 minutes being careful not to borwn. Transfer to cool flat surface with spatula.

Corn and Tomato Pie

So, for Nate's birthday, he asked that we do P90X together. Between the high protein diet (and by high protein, P90X creators apparently mean, "Eat lots and lots of meat--until you feel it coming out of your pores.") and the daily workouts, I haven't felt like cooking.

Now that we're heading into week 3, we've decided to go back to our old eating habits and just watch our portions. To celebrate, I made this corn and tomato pie from Smitten Kitchen (I'm loving this website--this woman seems to know just what I love to eat and her pictures are WAY more appetizing than mine) that my talented friend, mraynes introduced me to.

I don't have much to add to this pie (except I had to use 2 T pesto instead of the fresh basil and 1 green onion instead of chives because I was so caught up in making sure I had farmer's market corn and tomatoes that I forgot about the rest of the ingredients). It took a while to make the first pie, but I suspect that's because I have never made pie dough before. In fact, I never really liked pie crust so whenever someone talked about making pie dough, I never listened.

Fortunately, it's remarkably easy. I watched this tutorial first, and it was SO helpful.

Oh, and though this recipe does require the use of an oven, I'm still categorizing it as a "summer" meal because I think with a recipe that uses so few ingredients, it's important that the corn and tomatoes be in season.

Leonore's S'mores Bars

My friend, Leonore, first introduced me to these beauties 2 years ago at a Primary Presidency meeting. She created these all on her own, and I kept bugging her for the recipe. She said, "They're like Rice Krispie Treats but you throw a handful of marshmallows and chocolate chips once they're in the pan."

I'm a concrete recipe follower, so such instructions made me a little anxious. Last night, I was brave enough (or desperate enough--Nate and I start P90X on Monday) to make these. I wrote down what I did, but I still think Leonore's are better :)

Leonore's S'more Bars

1/4 c butter or dairy-free margarine
3 1/2 c Golden Grahams
3 1/2 c mini marshmallows
1/2 c chocolate chips

Melt margarine and 3 cups of marshmallows. Add all Golden Grahams and stir until covered.

Put mixture in a greased 8X8 pan. Sprinkle 1/2 c of chocolate chips and remaining marshmallows over the top.

Broil pan for 2-5 minutes to get chocolate melty and marshmallows golden brown.

Cobb Salad

A couple months ago, I couldn't think of what to make for dinner, so I had thawed some chicken breasts and had lettuce. I figured I'd just make some boring salad with chicken in it. I was chatting with a piano lesson mom who said, "The only salad my family will eat is a Cobb salad." I'd never made one at home before, but I do love them! And, they have so much stuff in them that they're quite versatile--leave out the eggs and cheese and it's a delicious "allergen-free" dinner. Leave out the bacon and chicken and it's vegetarian. THE only Cobb salad for me.

Cobb Salad
6-8 servings

1 medium-size head of iceberg lettuce, shredded--I used a head of Romaine
1 large tomato, chopped
1 1/2 c diced, cooked chicken--I grill a pack of chicken tenders with grill seasoning
1 large advocado, peeled and diced
3/4 pound bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled--I used the whole package when feeding 6 adults
2 hard boiled eggs--I used 4 when feeding 6 adults
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Chive Dressing
6 T white wine vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder--I did 1/2 t of Adobo seasoning instead of the salt and garlic powder
1/4 t fresh ground pepper
3 T chopped chives
1/2 c vegetable oil--I used olive oil

Place lettuce in large salad bowl. Prepare dressing by combining salt, garlic powder, pepper, chives, and oil in a jar and shaking well. Pour the dressing over the lettuce and toss. Arrange the tomato, chicken, avocado, bacon, and eggs on top of the lettuce. Place crumbled cheese in the center of the salad. Toss at the table.

Hamburger Buns

When my trusty Gourmet cookbook said, "Yes, homemade hamburger buns are SO worth the effort." I wasn't convinced. So, I made a batch of Asher-safe ones (without whole milk and without eggs); good, but not worth the effort.

Then, I had the real ones at a friend's house, and yes, they are worth the effort--especially since this recipe makes 20 (or 5 meals at my house). And, we don't just use them for hamburgers. They make for delicious egg salad sandwiches, black bean burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, etc.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hamburger-Buns-242614

Corn, Arugula, and Cherry Tomato Salad

This picture doesn't do this salad justice. It's very pretty and even after it's dressed, it stays quite fresh. (I had it for lunch the next day while my kids ate Dino Chicken Nuggets because they have such refined tastes.)

But, be warned, I thought this was one of the BEST recipe finds I had made for quite a while, and if I could eat it every day this summer, I would. Nate, on the other hand, wasn't that impressed.

Corn, Arugula, and Cherry Tomato Salad
Williams-Sonoma Grilling Essentials

5 slices lean bacon, cooked and chopped
6-8 large ears of corn, shucked I found 6 to be plenty

2 C cherry tomatoes
1 bunch arugula (rocket), tough stems removed
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c fresh lime juice
salt and freshly cracked pepper

Oil grill rack. Note to self: don't spray cooking spray on the grill rack AFTER the grill is on--sigh...Grill the corn directly over the heat elements, turning occasionally, until just tender, 10-12 minutes total. The corn will char and be delicious.

Transfer the corn to a cutting board and let cool just until it can be handled. Cut off kernels. In a bowl, combine corn kernels, bacon, tomatoes, arugula, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice. Toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve salad soon after.

Add crumbled goat cheese for an added treat!

Hungarian Chocolate Mousse Cake Bars

That's a mouthful of a title, isn't it?

This recipe is in the top 5 of most difficult AND time intensive recipes I have made, but it is so very worth it. The apricot jam (I had scored some homemade from the fabulous Kate H.) add a depth and complexity to the bars--almost a mocha flavor.

I used my handy Gourmet Cookbook to make this and probably wouldn't have posted it here (it's a LONG recipe to type). Fortunately, Epicurious.com has the recipe. I've just attached pictures I took of the big steps because it's a scary recipe. I would have loved to see that I was doing things right along the way.

They aren't kidding when they say you'll be making two layers of VERY thin cake!

Chocolate mousse filling over the thin apricot jam layer

Whip cream filling
My only suggestion with this recipe would be to cut off the crispy edge of both cake layers and perhaps trim a bit more off the top layer to help with placing the 30 tops on top of the whip cream filling.
TahDah (I was too tired to try to make this look nice)

Storing Basil

If you're like me and can't grow a decent basil plant and have to buy it at the farmer's market (because it's SO much cheaper than at the grocery store), here's a tip. The farmer's market cashier told my mom, "Just change the water and leave it on the counter. It doesn't need to be refridgerated."

My mom did that (her plant was on the right) and so did I, until I finished making dinner. As I was cleaning up, I thoughtlessly put my basil back in the fridge for the night (mine is on the left).


Apparently, basil is the exception that proves Food Network's rule of storing herbs upright in the fridge with water.

Key Lime Pie

I keep meaning to try some new dinner recipes, but lately, desserts have been calling to me. This pie is so easy and perfect for a casual summer dinner. The taste of lime is light; I may try added some of the lime zest next time.

Key Lime Pie
Gourmet Cookbook

For crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice (if using bottled, preferably Manhattan brand) have you seen how LITTLE Key limes are? I just used regular ones.

For topping
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (4-cup) glass pie plate.
Bake crust in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool in pie plate on a rack. Leave oven on.

Make filling and bake pie:
Whisk together condensed milk and yolks in a bowl until combined well. Add juice and whisk until combined well (mixture will thicken slightly).

Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack (filling will set as it cools), then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Make topping:
Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks.
Serve pie topped with cream.

Block Party Beans

So, I have this goal to publish one dinner a week this summer that doesn't involve using an oven and/or no more than 5 minutes with a stove on (their label will be "summer"), but this recipe is too good to pass up. I loved it, my kids loved it (and my 4-year old loved that it was a dish that had the word, "party" in it), and my husband loved it.

I suspect it can be easily adapted to the Crock Pot; once I practice it, I'll post the adaptation.

Block Party Beans
Cook's Country

2 1/2 pounds 85% lean ground beef I used 1 pound since I halved this recipe

1 onion, chopped fin
4 garlic cloves, minced

4 15 oz cans beans, drained and rinsed I used 3 cans since I did less meat: red beans, black beans, navy beans

2 28 oz cans tomatoe sauce I used a jar of spaghetti sauce

1/2 c barbeque sauce

1/2 c packed dark brown sugar

1/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 t red pepper flakes I left this out

salt and pepper

12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces I used frozen green beans to cut down on cooking time

1 10 ounce package frozen lima beans didn't have these

Make sauce: adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook beef in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain beef in colander, then return to pot. Stir in onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, sugar, vinegar, pepper flakes, 1/2 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper and bring to boil.

Bake: Transfer pot to oven and cook, covered, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes I found 18-20 min adequate with halved recipe. Stir in green beans and lima beans and continue to cook, covered, until green beans are tender, about 30 minutes mine were done in 12. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serves 10-12.

Wild Rice Chicken Salad

I make this once a week all summer long. It's delicious and comes from Kate's cookbook and from a fellow Boston Gourmet Group member (embarrassingly, I can't find Saydi's contact info anywhere...anyone have it?). It requires a few hours to marinate before dinner. And, it gets better the next day when we like to scoop it onto pita bread. Kate's notes are in ()'s and mine are in italics. This is one of the BEST top-8 allergy free recipes I've found.

WILD RICE CHICKEN SALAD
Saydi Eyre Shumway

1 box (Uncle Ben’s) long grain and wild rice
juice of 1 lemon
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced--I sprinkle grill seasoning on chicken breasts and grill them
2 avocados, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 oz Chinese pea pods, ends removed (I usually skip these even though they taste good)
1 c toasted, chopped pecans optional

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 c olive oil
1 Tb Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 c seasoned rice vinegar


Prepare rice mix according to directions. Blend all dressing ingredients well in blender. Add oil last, slowly, to thicken (But I just press my garlic and shake the dressing in an old jam jar). Mix all salad ingredients except avocados and pecans. Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours (better if 24). Add avocado and pecans immediately before serving. I love this without the chicken; I think the advocado and pecans make it a perfect vegetarian dinner.

Creamy Tuna Twist

This is the time of year when I start to try to minimize turning on the stove or oven for dinner. It feels wasteful to me to be cooking as my air conditioner plugs away, ever diligently, to keep the house at 80 degrees. This recipe was a staple in our Arizona house growing up; in fact, my sister, Rachel, is sick of it. But, I still love it for all its deliciously 1970's/1980's flavors (frozen peas, egg noodles, dill).

1 C mayo I used "Vegannaise" to make it Asher-safe; the strong flavors of tuna, dill, and red onion covered any soy aftertaste
2 T cider vinegar
dash pepper
10-12 oz twist macaroni, cooked
1 can tuna, drained, flaked
1 C cooked peas
1 C sliced celery
½ c chopped red onion
¼ c fresh snipped dill or 1 T dried trust me, spring for the fresh dill
salt to taste

in large bowl stir together first 3 ingredients until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, toss to coat, well. Cover, chill. Serves 4.

Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples

Kate H. put out a compilation of family recipes this year around Christmas--really, it was one of the best presents I got! I've never made a recipe from Kate that hasn't soon gone into my regular meal rotation.

These sweet potatoes are delicious (and so much healthier than my Thanksgiving recipe); we love them with apple-maple glazed chicken breasts.

WHIPPED SWEET POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES
Susan Hamilton and Royal Hansen

4 large sweet potatoes (3 lbs)
3 Tbs unsalted butter, softened we use Earth Balance margarine; canola oil would work also
2 Tbs heavy cream I like vanilla soy milk, but the plain is fine, too; or rice milk if soy won't work either
1/2 c applesauce
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 apples, peeled and cored
3 Tbs sugar

Place sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet; pierce each several times with a fork. Bake until very tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Cut open potatoes and scoop out flesh into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 2 Tbs butter and cream, and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce and ginger. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven-proof serving dish and bake at 375°until heated through (10 minutes).

Cut apples into 1” pieces. Melt remaining Tbs butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and sugar; sauté until golden and nicely caramelized, 8 minutes. Top potatoes with apples and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Broccoli and Red Onion Scramble with Goat Cheese

If I didn't have a kid who was very allergic to eggs, I would make this once a week for dinner. Rachael Ray makes it as a frittata, but I'm too lazy to go and bake the darn thing. So, it always ends up being scrambled eggs with "more goodness" (as my brother, Tom, would say).

2 T olive oil
2 ½ c broccoli florets
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves (4 sprigs)
½ large red onion, finely chopped
12 eggs
Splash of cream or half-and-half
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½ lemon
8 ounces goat cheese

Heat 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add broccoli florets, thyme, onion, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes until broccoli tarts to take on a little brown color ans is tender. Beat eggs with salt, pepper, cream, and lemon zest. To the broccoli mixture, add crumbled goat cheese and lemon juice. Immediately add seasoned beaten eggs. Scramble all together.

Makes 4-6 servings.

I got my vegetables mixed up, so the picture has twice the vegetables of what the recipes calls for--still, it was quite tasty. I may just start making it that way all the time.