Smoky Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

This is a Bobby Flay recipe, that you can find here. It looked so easy (only 3 ingredients) that I had to try it.

This calls for a chipotle pepper. I have quite a few recipes that call for only 1 chipotle pepper, but each can has something like 8-10 peppers. So I found that it's easy to open a can (pictured), and then put leftover individual peppers into ziploc bags and freeze them.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1/8-inch thick

This calls for "chipotle pepper puree." I just ran a mincer over my chipotle pepper on a cutting board and it disintegrated perfectly and I just scraped it right into some cream. The cream was really powerful enough to erase any of my fears about how hot this might be - it really just ended up having a smoky flavor that I liked. But, obviously, this was really, really filling. Which I kind of like because it's the perfect side dish - you'll only want a bit.

I used yellow sweet potatoes instead of the orange, just because that's all they had at the store. The yellow ones have sort of a lighter, more flowery flavor, but I'd also like to try this recipe with the orange ones. I sliced my sweet potatoes with a mandolin, which was blissfully easy, and I made sure to stop when I had about two inches of potato left and just thew away the nub at the end. It's not worth it getting any closer to the mandolin.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together cream and chipotle puree until smooth.

In a 9 by 9-inch casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in even layers. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the cream mixture and add a new layer of sweet potatoes and cream. Continue layering, and season every 3rd (or so) layer with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, cream, and salt and pepper to form 10(ish) layers.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through and the top is browned.

When I did this the cream didn't get absorbed all the way but it didn't really matter. It was delicious. It makes about 6 servings.

Red Chicken Noodle Soup

This one was a winner last night so I took a picture (I'll work on presentation next time) and thought I'd submit it.

2 Cans Chicken Broth + 2 Cans water
1/2 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (I bag and freeze the other half for another meal)
3 Carrots, chopped
1/4 C Onion, diced
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Can Tomatoe Sauce
1 C Brown Rice Spiral Noodles
1 C Frozen Peas

Simmer broth, water, chicken, carrots, onion, celery and tomatoe sauce for 15 min or until crisp tender. Add noodles and cook 10-15 more min. Add frozen peas.

Pear & Spinach Bistro Salad

Yes, that's right, there's bacon! And a whole lot of other yummy ingredients. The first time I tried fruit in a salad, I was definitely hesitant, but now, I love the sweet flavors and the way they combine to make something so delicious! This salad goes way beyond your common Waldorf to incorporate pears, avocado and craisins in a taste explosion! It's a feast for your tastebuds. And don't be intimidated by the preparation. This is definitely a dinner salad. Be sure to make plenty because you'll keep coming back for more. And your body will thank you!

Ingredients:

1/2 - 1 pound ready-to-eat spinach

2-3 large Bartlett pears sliced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

3-4 bacon slices, cooked crisp and crumbled

1/2 cup pine nuts or other nut, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or craisins)

1/4 cup fresh mushrooms (optional)

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (we just used regular rice vinegar)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1. Combine spinach, pears, avocado, bacon, pine nuts, dried cranberries, and mushrooms in a salad bowl.

2.To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.

3. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Makes 4 servings.

Lime Chicken with Rice Soup

This should really be called a casserole. With a hint of lime it tastes like chicken and rice with a twist! Something about the blend of flavors makes you keep coming back for more. I think I'd try a different long grain rice (this was Basmati) to see if it would hold it's shape a little better, but despite that, it's a delicious dinner recipe. I doubled it and had lots of leftovers!

Ingredients:
2 cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 rib celery, sliced into ½ inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced ½ inch thick
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup long-grain rice
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried lemon thyme

1. Combine the broth, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf, and chicken in the crockery pot. Cover and cook on Low just until the chicken is almost cooked through, 4 to 5 hours on Low.
2. Stir in the rice, cover and cook on Low until the rice is tender, 1 ½ to 3 hours.
3. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the lime juice and peel, black pepper, and thyme. Cover and cook for 5 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Carribean Black Beans with Mango Salsa

This was delicious! And I found some great shortcuts for making it. Try Costco's Mango Peach Salsa instead of making it from scratch--any sweet salsa would probably be great. Then, I didn't end up putting it in the oven, just cooked the ingredients thoroughly on the stove and put them altogether. It turned out great and the kids loved it! (I didn't give them any salsa, mind you.) (p22 in my cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup uncooked Basmati rice
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 pound chorizo sausage (kielbasa in pic)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (not in pic)
3 cups canned black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (not in pic)

Salsa:

2 small mangoes
1 cup chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Place broth in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir in rice. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes until browned and no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet and let cool. Cut into 1/2 inch slices; set aside. Drain fat from skillet.
3. Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet; heat on medium-high, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add bell pepper; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in beans, sausage, rice and cilantro. Spoon sausage mixture into casserole dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Chop mangoes to measure 3 cups. Combine with remaining ingredients in large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
6. Spoon sausage mixture onto plates. Serve with mango salsa.
Makes 4 servings

Garden Linguini

Here's a recipe out of my cookbook. (p31)

I used a green bell pepper instead of red and onion powder because the kids don't like onions right now. It's a fun vegetarian meal to try!




Ingredients:
8 ounces linguini or rotini pasta
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup sliced onions
2 cups snow peas, cut into halves
2 cups diced zucchini
½ red pepper, cut into strips (optional)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup Parmesan cheese

Cook linguini as directed on package; drain. Set aside. Heat oil and butter in saucepan; sauté mushrooms, onions, snow peas, zucchini and bell pepper, if desired, until crisp-tender. Remove saucepan from heat. Add seasonings to vegetable mixture. Toss with linguini. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.