Roasted Sweet Potatoes with black beans

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with black beans

2 sweet potatoes
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 red pepper, diced small
1 red onion, diced small
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 15oz. can black beans, well rinsed
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 TBSP lime juice

1/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F. In large bowl, mix together the vegetables. Then toss in olive oil and spices. Roast for 18-22 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Toss with black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Then add shredded cheese before serving.  

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 sweet potato, scrubbed with ends cut off, sliced into 3/4 inch thick rounds
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Pepper

Line baking sheet with silpat. Spray sweet potato rounds with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet, then cover with tinfoil. Place pan in a cold oven. 

Turn oven on to 425 F and cook for 30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and discard foil. Return potatoes to the oven and cook for 7-8 additional minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and flip sweet potatoes. Continue roasting until bottom edges are golden brown, approximately 4-5 additional minutes. Let potatoes cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

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This is my favorite recipe for sweet potatoes. They are super creamy on the inside with a nice caramelized exterior. Recipes modified from Cooks Illustrated Vegetables cookbook.   

Crispy Oven Baked Fries

Crispy Oven Baked Fries
Adapted from The Purple Foodie www.savoryseasonings.blogspot.com

8 garlic cloves, minced (or grated using a zester)
6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
5-6 medium russet potatoes, each cut into 12 wedges
3 TBSP arrowroot powder, tapioca starch or corn starch
1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. chipotle Pepper
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
1/8 tsp. paprika  

Preheat oven to 440° F.  Combine the garlic and oil in a small sauce pan, warming it until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.   Bring a large stock pot to a boil, then par-boil the potatoes for 8 minutes, then let them dry by laying them in a single layer on a kitchen towel for a few minutes.  Combine the arrowroot powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, chipotle pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the spices over the hot potatoes and toss well to coat.  Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and garlic.  Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or crinkled tinfoil.  Drizzle the olive oil/garlic mixture over the potatoes, then bake, turning once, until deep golden brown and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes.

   

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A huge thanks to The PurpleFoodie for this amazing recipe!  These fries are super crispy, with the perfect amount of spice.  We have made these several times, varying the recipe a little bit each time.  Arrowroot powder and tapioca starch work equally as well.  Crinkling tinfoil as the base on the cookie sheet does help the fries cook more quickly without the need to turn the fries as much.  A Silpat works well too.  These fries do have a lot of heat with the cayenne pepper, for a milder fry, skip the cayenne all together.

Roasted Chili Peppers (replacement for canned Chili's)

Roasted Chili Peppers (replacement for canned Chili's)
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Chili peppers (we prefer Anaheim Chili’s)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread the peppers evenly on a cookie sheet, in a single layer. Roast the peppers for about 5-8 minutes until the skins blister, then turn peppers to allow them to blister on all sides (cooking for a total of 15-20 minutes). Watch carefully so they do not burn. After all sides are blistered, place the roasted peppers in a plastic bag and seal the bag (or place in a large bowl, then cover with plastic wrap). Once the peppers are cool enough to handle (approximately 15 minutes), pull the stems out of each pepper.

Hold one end of the pepper down on a flat surface and gently peel the skin off of each pepper. The skin should slide off fairly easily. Lift each pepper up and use your free hand to squeeze down the pepper's length. The bulk of the seeds and pulp should drop out the bottom when this motion is completed. Using a sharp knife, slit open each pepper and spread them out. With the dull side of your knife, scrape off any of the ribs or membrane that remains in the pepper. Then chop to a medium to fine dice. Use in any recipe that calls for “canned green chili’s” or freeze for later use.

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These are fantastic to add to any Mexican dish such as Shredded Chicken Burritos or recipes that call for “canned green chili’s.” Chiles roasted impart a delicious smoky flavor and the heat can be controlled by the type of chili you use. Anaheim’s and green bell peppers are our favorites. We freeze in quart size bags and break off a piece as large as we need.

Caramelizing onions (for the freezer)

Caramelizing onions (for the freezer)
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Onions
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Prepare onions by peeling and slicing. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a roasting pan or cookie sheet. Add onions and then drizzle a bit more oil on the onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add fresh thyme leaves (optional). Roast at 350° F for approximately 2 hours, stirring with tongs every 30 minutes. Allow onions to cool, then store them in your fridge for several days or freeze for later use.

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Caramelizing onions, by slowly cooking them in a little olive oil until they are richly brown, is a wonderful way to pull flavor out of this simple ingredient. Onions are naturally sweet, when you cook onions slowly over an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, making the result intensely flavorful and wonderful. Use these onions to top a baked potato, top a steak, add to French onion Soup or other soups and stews. Add to a pot roast or add to a gravy. They work great as a topping for pizza, focaccia or fajitas. Added to an onion dip is also a great option.

I love caramelized onions in several dishes but it is very time consuming and takes a large allocation of time just before dinner. I recently came across the idea of caramelizing a large batch of onions in the freezer to use for later dishes. The method is fantastic and is a huge time saver. The texture is affected slightly by the freezer but the flavor is the same. I avoid freezing raw onions due to the side effect of all my bread in the freezer smelling like onions but have loved the option of freezing these onions because they don’t impart the bitter raw onion smell plus they take up such a small amount of freezer space. What a great way to store a bunch of onions from the garden, plus have a huge time saver for preparing meals.

Freezer Tomato Puree

Freezer Tomato Puree
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Roma tomatoes

Slice Roma tomatoes in half and gently squeeze over the sink to remove jelly and juice. Process tomatoes through a Victorio Food Strainer using the applesauce/tomato juice attachment. Simmer for approximately 2 hours until sauce is reduced in half. Freezer in containers or follow proper canning instructions to preserve for later use.



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My favorite containers for freezer storage are the Rubbermaid Take-along 2.9 cup storage containers. They stack great, hold up well to repeated washings and if they break they are cheap to replace (10 for $3.97).

A half bushel (23LB box) of tomatoes produces 35 cups of tomato puree. 2009 prices are $16.00 a box.

Freezer Corn

Fresh corn on the cob
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Remove all the husk and silk from the ears of corn.

Bring a large stock pot of water to a slow boil. Blanch corn in batches, boiling for 4 minutes each batch. Remove corn from boiling water and quickly cool in cold water (a sink filled with ice water works well for this step).

Once corn is completely cool, cut kernel s off with an electric knife or sharp chef’s knife. A quick way to do this is to use an angel food cake pan or bundt pan. Place ear on center and begin cutting kernels off so they fall into the pan. Run the back of the knife along the corn a second time to get the juice and small bits out of the ears. Repeat until pan is full or all ears are cut.

Place in quart freezer bags or freezer containers. When ready to eat, simply warm in the microwave or stove, then serve.



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Growing up I always looked forward to visiting my Grandparents farm and especially looked forward to my grandma’s freezer corn. It was the highlight of every meal. Incredibly sweet year after year- we all loved it. Thanks to my grandma for teaching me how to make this corn.

My grandma recommends using young corn and freezing the corn as soon as possible after it has been picked. This is due to once the corn has been picked its sugar will turn to starch causing it to lose its sweetness.
My favorite containers for freezer storage are the Rubbermaid Take-along 2.9 cup storage containers. They stack great, hold up well to repeated washings and if they break they are cheap to replace (10 for $3.97). Corn will be good for up to a year, to use, defrost in the microwave and serve.

45 ears of corn produces 27 cups of corn or 11 2.5 cup servings. 2009 prices are $4.00 for a bakers dozen. Salt and pepper variety is fantastic.

Fruit Popsicles

Fruit Popsicles
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1 cup orange juice
3 carrots, juiced
2 banana’s, frozen
1/8 cup black berries, frozen
1 cup strawberries, frozen
Water or milk

or
2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
3 cups canned peaches
3 carrots, juiced
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Thin with water or milk until you reach desired consistency. Serve immediately as a shake or freeze in popsicle molds. Fill each popsicle mold with fruit/vegetable mixer. Insert wooden sticks and freeze for at least 6 hours or until solidly frozen.

Remove molds from freezer and allow to soften for 5 minutes, then remove popsicles from molds. Serve immediately or wrap separately in plastic wrap and store in a bag in the freezer.

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My daughter loves these! These are a favorite summertime snack and a great way to use up frozen berries. It’s nice that you can mix and match the fruits and vegetables to whatever you have on hand. I have the Omega 8003 juicer to juice vegetables and a few other fruits and have really liked it. It’s really easy to add juiced vegetables to these smoothies or popsicles. It’s pretty quick and isn’t messy at all.

Crock-pot Pot Roast and Vegetables

Rump Roast
Peppered Roast Rub
Onions, sliced
Carrots, diced
Celery, diced
Potatoes, diced

Generously season all sides of roast with Peppered Roast rub. If time allows, let roast marinate in fridge for an hour. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, then add a small amount of olive oil.
Sauté onions until they are golden brown, then place roast in sauté pan and sear each side of the meat, cooking for just a few minutes on each side. Add sautéed onions, roast and remaining chopped vegetables to crock-pot.

Add water to sauté pan and deglaze pan to remove all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan to create a rich flavorful broth. Add the broth to the crock-pot along with additional water to bring the water level up to the top of the roast. Cook on high for one hour, then on low for 4-5 hours.

Strain liquid from meat and vegetables and thicken with arrowroot powder to make a gravy (I avoid cornstarch and use arrowroot powder as a replacement for a thickener. See below for more information). To thicken with arrowroot powder, create a slurry with 4 TBSP of room temperature water and 2 TBSP of arrowroot powder. Mix to dissolve. Wisk into 2 cups of liquid and simmer until thickened.


About Arrowroot powder:
Arrowroot powder has several advantages over cornstarch. It has a more neutral flavor, so it's a good thickener for delicately flavored sauces. It also works at a lower temperature, and tolerates acidic ingredients and prolonged cooking better. And while sauces thickened with cornstarch turn into a spongy mess if they're frozen, those made with arrowroot can be frozen and thawed with impunity. Flour is a better thickener for dairy-based sauces, since arrowroot powder will turn a dairy based sauce slimy. Arrowroot powder can be found at most health food or baking supply stores sold in bulk. Use 1 TBSP to thicken 1 cup of liquid. Resources: http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenStarch.html

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower
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1 head of cauliflower (fresh, not frozen)
1 TBSP olive oil
Salt

Select cauliflower that is uniformly white and blemish-free with green, non-wilted leaves. Rinse cauliflower under cold water right before you're ready to use it. Remove and discard outer leaves. Using a sharp knife, cut off stem and discard. Remove core from cauliflower and discard. Break or cut cauliflower into small florets (about the size of your thumb is best), then place on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt. Place oven rack slightly higher than the middle of the oven and roast at 450° F for 20 minutes. Stir every 5-10 minutes for even roasting.


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After you try this, I promise you will be craving cauliflower. My husband and I will eat an entire head of cauliflower in one sitting and fight for the last piece when it has been roasted like this. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness and the browned crunchy edges are the best part. Try it. You’ll love it.

This is a perfect appetizer to make while your oven pre heats your pizza stone for pizza. We make pizza a few times a month and I like to cook some vegetables before the pizzas are ready so we fill up a little on veggies before we dive into the pizzas. When working with a pizza stone your oven needs to pre heat for 30 minutes or so to get the stone nice and hot. Might as well roast some cauliflower while the oven is on and enjoy this treat while your pizza cooks.

Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup

1 LB fresh broccoli, chopped
¾ cup onions, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1/2 LB butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 qt. chicken broth
1 qt half and half or milk, warm or at room temperature
1/2 LB cheddar cheese
Pepper
Salt

Steam broccoli until tender. While broccoli is being steamed, sauté onion, carrots and celery until tender. Set aside until ready for use.

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add flour to butter and cook 2-4 minutes stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, then bring to a boil and cook until thick. Turn heat down, then add half and half or milk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Simmer on low until cheese is melted and soup is hot.

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This recipe is always a big hit at dinner parties and a favorite at our home. My all time favorite meal is a toss up between this soup and a big salad with breaded chicken strips. It’s easy to make and freezes well. This soup tastes best the day after it is made as it thickens slightly.

Restaurant Salsa

Salsa
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10 Roma tomatoes (frozen tomatoes can be used), diced

1 Jalapeno, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 Roma Tomato, chopped
¼ cup sweet onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin

Version 1 (stove top cooked method)
Place tomatoes in a medium saute pan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain off excess liquid and discard. Continue cooking diced tomatoes for an additional 10 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool. Press cooked tomatoes through a sieve or metal strainer until only the skins and seeds remain in the sieve. Discard skins and seeds. The tomato mixture will be quite thin.

Combine tomato mixture with the chopped tomatoes, jalapeno and onions. Season to taste with salt, chili powder and cumin. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Version 2 (no cook/large quantity method)
Slice Roma tomatoes in half and gently squeeze over the sink to remove jelly and juice. Process tomatoes through a Victorio Food Strainer using the applesauce/tomato juice attachment.

Combine tomato mixture with the chopped tomatoes, jalapeno and onions. Season to taste with salt, chili powder and cumin. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.


Version 3 (with canned tomatoes)
If you are short on time or don't have fresh tomatoes, replace 10 Roma tomatoes with 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Puree in food processor until smooth.

Combine tomato mixture with the chopped tomatoes, jalapeno and onions. Season to taste chili powder and cumin (when using canned tomatoes, additional salt is omitted). To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

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I love all kinds of salsa but I really enjoy this version which is similar to the salsa commonly served at Mexican Restaurants. Thanks to my friends at ChefTalk for helping me figure out the best way to get the right texture for this recipe.

The Victorio Strainer is by far the quickest way to make a big batch of this salsa. The tomato puree freezes great too! Simply thaw the tomato puree, add in a fresh diced tomato, onion, jalapeno and spices and you have a great salsa.

Spicy Oven-Baked Fries

1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. oregano
8-12 medium potatoes, washed and left unpeeled
olive or canola oil

Combine all spices in a bowl. Slice potatoes lengthwise into ½” thick pieces. Turn and slice again lengthwise making large french fry type pieces. Place on cookie sheet lined with a silpat. Drizzle with oil to coat lightly. Toss with hands. Spread evenly over pan, then sprinkle with seasonings and toss again. Bake at 470° F for 20-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until light brown and crispy.

Optional: Sprinkle cheese over fries during the last few minutes of baking.

*****
Hands down, THIS spice mixture beats all spicy fry recipes I’ve tried. It’s AMAZING!!! Thanks to Emily at My Muffin Thursdays for this great recipe! It does have a lot of kick to it, so if you want to tone it down, then reduce the amount of paprika and cayenne.

Cream Cheese Vegetable Spread

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup plus 1 TBSP finely chopped broccoli florets
¼ cup chopped carrots
3 TBSP minced green or red bell peppers
1/8 cup finely minced sweet onions
Salt
Pepper

Allow cream cheese to soften at room temperature, then mix in chopped vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for several hours before serving.


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This is my favorite spread for a bagel. I love having the carrots a little chunky but the broccoli, peppers and onions chopped very fine. The flavors mellow perfectly after being chilled for a few hours. Celery and radishes would also blend well with this vegetable mix.

Homemade cream cheese or store bought work with this recipe. If I don’t have any homemade cream cheese on hand, I prefer the generic store brands of cream cheese (most name brand cream cheeses have whey protein concentrate added).

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
3 - 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for shaping
3 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 cup cheese, plus more at the table
Freshly ground black pepper

Wash, and then peel butternut squash. With a sharp kitchen knife, cut the squash in half - lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds from the round end of the cut butternut squash, then cube squash. Steam cubed squash until tender, then puree in food processor (this step can be done ahead of time and the pureed squash can be frozen).

In a large bowl or food processor, thoroughly combine 2 cups pureed squash (freeze any extra for another use), salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a dough forms (it will pull away from inside of bowl).

Turn dough out on a generously floured work surface. With well-floured hands, knead dough 10 to 12 times.

Divide dough into four sections, and then roll each section into a 3/4-inch thick rope and cut into 1/2-in.-long pieces. Put pieces on a floured baking sheet and set aside. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil gnocchi until they rise to the surface, about 4 minutes; cook 30 seconds longer and then lift with a slotted spoon, making sure water drains from gnocchi, and place in a large serving bowl. Gently toss with butter and top with cheese and a sprinkling of black pepper. Serve hot with sautéed chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. Top with extra cheese at the table.

*****
Unfortunately we are not big squash eaters- I’m just not a fan of the stringy texture. Squash is loaded with tons of great nutrients so I’m always trying new dishes with squash hoping one of these days we’ll like it. I recently came across this recipe and we have really enjoyed it- both of us!! They are great served alone with butter and a little cheese but even better served with some chicken and other vegetables.

These little dumplings are ever so slightly sweet and are loaded with an excellent source of vitamin A, a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. In addition, butternut squash is also a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6 and niacin-vitamin B3.

Recipe courtesy of www.myrecipes.com.

Freezer Tomatoes

Fresh ripe tomatoes
Quart size ziplock freezer bags

If you have the freezer space, freezing tomatoes is incredibly fast and easy (last night it took 35 minutes to freeze 14 quarts of tomatoes including clean up time). We use frozen tomatoes in soups, sauces, fajitas’, chili’s or any recipe calling for canned tomatoes. To use, simply run warm water over the tomato and the skins easily fall off.

Directions:
Wash, core and quarter tomatoes. Fill quart size bags with tomatoes and store in deep freeze.

Option 2 (flash freezing): Place washed, cored and quartered tomatoes on cookie sheet in freezer. Once frozen, transfer to quart size ziplock bags. Benefits of flash freezing are the tomatoes are frozen separately allowing you to later remove only a portion of the tomatoes from the bag.

Use within 1 year (if kept at 0° F).

Roasted Vegetables

6 potatoes, cubed into ½” pieces
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery sticks, diced
Canola oil
Spices

Place vegetables on cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil to coat lightly. Toss with hands. Spread evenly over pan, then sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper and your favorite spices such as garlic powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, paprika and oregano. Bake at 470° F for 20-40 minutes until light brown and crispy edges. Spices may be omitted.


*****
This is such a simple side dish but one of our favorites. We make this at least once a week. This dish is also good with just a little salt and pepper.

Avocado, Tomato and Corn Salsa

¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
2 TBSP olive oil
½ tsp. salt

1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 cup corn (canned or frozen)
1 large tomato, diced
¼ cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ½ cup black beans

Combine lime juice, sugar, olive oil and salt. Add remaining ingredients, toss to coat. Chill for at least one hour. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping for your favorite Mexican dish.


*****
Thanks to my mom, for this great recipe. This is one of my favorite snacks- amazing flavor! When limes go on sale for .06 or .07 each, I buy a bunch and juice them all, then freeze the juice in ice cube trays, then once frozen transfer to a freezer ziplock bag until ready to use. This way I always have fresh lime juice on hand for salsa’s, guacamole dips, salad dressings and other Mexican dishes.

Fresh Salsa

3 TBSP chopped onion, finely chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
2-3 TBSP minced cilantro
2 TBSP fresh lime juice or juice from one lime
salt
pepper

Place chopped onion and garlic in strainer, pour 2 cups of boiling water over them and drain (to mellow flavors). Discard water.

Combine onions and garlic with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 2-4 hours to blend flavors. Makes 2 cups.

Oven Baked French Fries

Slice potatoes lengthwise into ½” thick pieces. Turn and slice again lengthwise making large french fry type pieces. Place on cookie sheet lined with a silpat. Drizzle with oil to coat lightly. Toss with hands. Spread evenly over pan, then sprinkle with salt. Bake at 470° F for 20-40 minutes until light brown and crispy.

Optional: Sprinkle cheese over fries during the last few minutes of baking.