Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans

Hubs is the bean lover, not me. I didn't want anything unfortunate to happen to me on the Labor and Delivery table, so I kept FAR away from anything that could potentially cause... that to happen. You ladies know what I mean. Basically, I was on a diet of cheese cheese and more cheese. Anyhoo. Enough of that sort of talk on a food blog...

He really, really liked them. And they smelled really good! And they were crock pot magic, which makes it even better. If you are looking for a new bean recipe for your summer cook outs, this might be the one. Tons of flavor, tons of leftovers (for those weekday grilling evenings), and making them in the crock pot ensures that you're not heating up your kitchen. Total win!

Crock Pot Cowboy Baked Beans

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon

1 c. chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans, drained

1 (16 oz.) can Great Northern beans, drained

1 (16 oz.) can baked beans

1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained

3/4 c. ketchup

1/2 c. molasses

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. liquid smoke

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly browned. Drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. of drippings. Crumble bacon and toss in crock pot. Cook the onion and garlic in the drippings until onion is tender; drain excess grease and transfer to crock pot as well.

To the crock pot, add all remaining ingredients and combine well. Heat in crock pot on High for 1 hour, or on Low for 2-4 hours.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

This is my most favorite potato salad recipe, and I've tried lots. For one, it is very simple and easy to remember (I can make it easily from memory). If you want to snazz it up and add more, though, it takes well to any addition (sometimes I add fresh dill, or pickles, or whatever fresh gardeny goodness I have lying around). I love to cut the potato in big, rustic chunks - I think a big part of it is the texture. Plus you really get the flavor of the potato, which is, rightfully, the star.

The thing that really makes this potato salad recipe FANTASTIC is tossing the hot potato chunks with the vinegar before assembling any more of the salad - the tart, sour vinegar really gets inside the potatoes, which brightens up the dish and contrasts nicely with that creamy dressing.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

(adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boiling potatoes (I like Yukon Golds for this, they hold up well to boiling)

3 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. chopped white onion

3 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped

1 c. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Combine potatoes with well salted cold water to cover by 2 inches in a 3-qt. saucepan, and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are just tender, 15-25 minutes, depending on size. Drain and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar and salt in a large bowl until the salt is dissolved.

When potatoes are just cool enough to handle (still quite warm), cut into large 1-in. chunks, adding to vinegar mixture as you cut them, tossing gently with a large spoon or spatula. Cool to room temperature.

Add all remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Cornbread Supreme

We had a charity Chili Cookoff at my office, and I offered to bring some cornbread - mainly because I had the best, most delicious recipe for cornbread compliments of Ali over at Divine Domesticity. It is the perfect companion to the Calico Beans, but also works with chili or ham n' greens or hearty stews... Or by itself, too, that works :)

I omitted the green chiles this time because I was making it for others (who probably are not used to the heat coming from their sweet cornbread), but it's fantastic in there, so give it a shot at least once. This cornbread is more moist than your usual, and so much more flavorful. I love the addition of all that actual corn that dots the inside, and the slight heat that comes from the chiles. Stir in some of the cheese if you want to incorporate that flavor throughout as well (I certainly do on occasion). Great stuff! Best warm, but will work at room temperature too. And feeds a crowd...

Cornbread Supreme

(from Ali)

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (16 oz.) can cream style corn

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles

16 oz. container sour cream

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup margarine or butter, melted

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix (7 1/2 oz. each)

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine cornbread mix, sour cream, butter, whole kernel corn, cream style corn, diced chiles, and eggs. Place in a lightly greased 9" x 13" baking dish and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden on top and cooked through.

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

My favorite little grocery store has the most amazing grocery-made food offerings, I swear. The coffee/juices/smoothies are amazing, the main dishes rock (usually a salmon, a meatless option, and ground beef or turkey), the green salads and deli sandwiches are soooo good... Don't even get me started on their hummus, which is always in the fridge at home. My favorite of their offerings, though, are the side dishes.

They have a fantastic tabbouleh mix. A quinoa grain with black beans and mango. Lentil salads, Chinese noodle salads, side salads galore. They have roasted sweet potatoes with orange and caramelized onions, and the side dish I grab almost every time I'm there: roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon and garlic, and a dusting of fresh Parm. Oh, so so good.

Finally I decided to get off my lazy butt and try to make this at home. And embarrassingly enough: it was pretty easy to replicate. The outcome here is a little different, a stronger garlic flavor than The Merc's version, otherwise almost identical though. I love the crunchy, crispy (sweetly caramelized) Brussels sprouts with the tangy lemon and nutty cheese. Ooooh, you gotta try this yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

(another Nemmie original)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed and dried

4 garlic cloves, sliced

4 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut sprouts in half and toss on a sheet pan with garlic slices. Pour olive oil over the mixture, and season with salt and pepper (and half of the lemon zest). Toss to coat, then top with small bits of the butter.

Pop in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, then stir and lower heat to 400 F. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. The sprouts will be tender and caramelized. Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl: toss cooled sprouts with remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Chill or serve room temperature.

Roasted Beet Salad

My favorite corner market is starting to change out their regular items - the fresh berries and tender greens are gone, and the hearty gourds, the apples/pears/figs, and the root veggies are coming out full force.

Now: beets are something they have year-round, but my last trip they happened to have yellow, gold, and regular (red) beets. All I could think about was what a beautiful salad these beets could make, so I filled up my basket with a few pounds of them.

This beet salad comes from Serious Eats. It is perhaps more of a summer recipe, but it was good with the sandwiches that we've been having for dinner most of this (very busy) week. Sweet beets, raw spicy onion, and the tart vinaigrette all give it such great flavor, as well as my absolute favorite (cilantro). Yum! Give it a shot next time you need an easy (and tasty) side dish.

Roasted Beet Salad

(from Serious Eats)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beets, stems removed and washed

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1 Serrano chile, seed and thinly chopped

1 tsp. minced ginger

2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Pinch of sugar

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sprinkle the beets with salt and a tablespoon of the olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil, leaving a little hole in the top facing up, and set in a roasting pan. Cook until easily pierced with a knife, 45-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the rest of the olive oil, red onion, Serrano, ginger, cilantro, sugar, and red wine vinegar.

When beets are done and cool enough to handle, peel and chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Nemmie’s Cold Summer Salad

I will admit to the occasional “cooking taboo”. We all love something or another that we’d be embarrassed to admit, no? Aside from baked bean sandwiches and cold green beans (out of the can, with lots of salt), I must admit to an undying love for a certain boxed quick-salad. I am talking, of course, about Suddenly Salad.

But not just any Suddenly Salad! I never buy them, I swear, except for the Bacon Ranch flavor. If you’ve never had it, you don’t know what you’re missing. I used to love to make it as a meal – add chopped veggies and some canned tuna, and you’ve got a great summer salad on your hands. However, I still felt the guilt of buying a boxed quick-make-thing, and those freeze-dried carrots/peas in the mixture were something I tried not to think about too hard.

Finally I admitted my addiction to a group of friends. One of them, Julie, recommended I try to make it from scratch – she had done so and it was much better. Genius! That way, too, I can control the salt and fat and have all fresh veggies… What I would do without my girlies, I can’t tell you.

Anyhoo – here is my “healthier” version of that beloved box of Suddenly Salad. I like it because I’ll use more sour cream if I want to be healthier, or the low-fat dressing mix. Plus this recipe makes tons, a lot more than the wimpy Suddenly Salad box, so there are leftovers galore for many days! Which is perfect, because now I can enjoy this salad guilt-free : )

Nemmie’s Cold Summer Salad
(A big thanks to Julie)

Ingredients:
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1/4 c. of mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
4-5 slices bacon, browned and broken into pieces
A handful of nuts or seeds (I like sunflower seeds), optional
1 lb. of pasta of choice (rotini, penne, bow ties, shells, whatever you like)
1 c. frozen peas
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
3-4 tomatoes, diced and drained on paper towels
1 cucumber, diced and drained on paper towels
2 cans tuna in water, drained and flaked

In a large bowl, mix the ranch dressing mix with mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in bacon pieces and nuts or seeds (if using). Set aside.

Boil pasta in water, as directed. When the pasta has 2-3 minutes left to cook, throw peas in pasta pot. When done cooking, drain and run pasta/peas under cold water, to stop the cooking and cool it off to be added to the salad.

Add pasta to ranch mixture. Stir in carrots, tomatoes, and cucumber and mix well. Finally, add tuna and mix gently. Put in the refrigerator to cool, at least 1 hour.

Panzanella (Bread Salad)

This is a perfect recipe for the 4th of July holiday - a fabulous salad that comes together quickly, uses the smallest amount of stovetop time (just enough to dip your tomatoes), and the longer it sits at room temperature, the better it tastes. You can toss it together well ahead of lunch or dinnertime, and forget about it.


I love a good bread salad. This one has lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and capers, along with a nice thick country bread; all soaked in a tart vinaigrette until the flavors meld together. The bread is stale and therefore doesn't get mushy but instead has a nice soft texture. I love to make this in the summer for a side dish, and it always goes quickly.

Panzanella

(adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis' Everyday Italian, 2005)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. drained capers

2 Tbsp. + 1/4 c. red wine vinegar

12 oz. ciabatta or other country-style white bread, 2 to3 days old

8 ripe tomatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds total), cored and scored on the bottom

2 Tbsp. + 2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. + 1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 c. diced cucumber chunks (salted and drained on paper towel)

1/4 c. pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise

Soak the capers in 2 Tbsp. of vinegar in a small bowl for 10 minutes. Drain.

Cut the crust off of the bread. If it is not quite “stale” enough: Cut into 2-inch slices and toast in a 350 F oven for about 20-30 minutes. Once toasted, cut or tear bread into 1 inch cubes and set aside.

Submerge the tomatoes into a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl of ice water to cool slightly. Using a small sharp paring knife, peel off the tomato skins. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch cubes and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk 2/3 c. of oil, 1/4 c. of vinegar, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the bread cubes, tomatoes, and basil; toss to combine.

Transfer half of the bread mixture to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish. Arrange half of the cucumbers, drained capers, and olives over the bread mixture. Repeat layering with the remaining bread mixture, then the remaining roasted peppers, capers, and olives.

Cover the salad and let stand at room temperature for flavors to blend, at least 1 hour (and up to 8 hours).

Calico Beans

These were the yum. And quick. And I almost burned the house down when I made them (note to self: turning the stovetop knob all the way to the left keeps the flame on, it does not turn off the burner). Good thing I caught the still-lit burner an hour later...

Calico Beans

(from Ali)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into pieces

1/2 large onion, chopped and cooked

1 lb ground beef, browned

1/3 c. ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. mustard

2 Tbsp. molasses

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. liquid smoke

2 cans white beans

1 can butter beans (do not drain)

Cook onion and bacon in a skillet, then add all other ingredients together and mix in a large roaster. Bake for 40 minutes.

Macque Choux

I found this recipe at a fellow Cape Cod owner's renovation blog. Amy's blog appeals to me on a few different levels, not only the fact that we were both stuck with ugly wood cabinets and green walls in kitchen area (although we were), but because she also shares a love for the UW Badgers and has some pretty rocking recipes on her site. I was drooling (DROOLING) over this macque choux when I saw it, and worked it into my dinner menu for the following day. So glad I did.

If you aren't familiar, macque choux is a traditional side dish found in the South (namely the Louisiana area). It is said to have originally been introduced to French settlers by the area's Native Americans. It is usually not served over avocado, but it was a great twist on the original dish. I did really love this – a creamy and warm corn concoction spooned over buttery, rich avocado? Heaven! I'll be making this a lot this summer, methinks.

Macque Choux
(from Amy at Cape Cod Makeover)

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
A sprinkle sugar
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced

Warm a large skillet over moderate heat. Add olive oil, chopped onion, jalapeno, and red bell pepper. Saute 2 or 3 minutes.

Working on a plate to catch the milky juices, scrape corn off the cob. Break up the kernels and pour into the skillet. Combine corn with peppers and onions. Season with a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cayenne pepper and salt. When mixture bubbles, reduce heat to simmer.

Cut butter into pieces and stir into corn mixture. Allow mixture to simmer and cook until creamy, 5 to 7 minutes.

Cut avocados in 1/2 lengthwise and remove pits. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados to keep them from browning and season them with a little coarse salt. Arrange on the serving plate.

To serve: fill the avocados with macque choux, allowing the corn to spill down and over the sides of the avocado onto the serving platter. The ripe avocado is spooned away from its skin with bites of creamy, warm corn and peppers.

Crunchy Pea Salad

Here is how it usually goes down when I make this salad: I toss it together, usually in the summertime when we are grilling out. When it's time to eat, Hubs and I take a conservative portions of our fresh-off-the-grill chicken or fish and grilled vegetable (or green salad). Then we take a gigantic heaping scoop of this pea salad. After dinner, I pack up the leftover pea salad (notice that I show incredible self-control by packing it up, rather than scarfing it down). Then, at some point later that evening, the container of leftover pea salad magically appears in front of us and we together polish it off. End of story. I don't really know why I bother packing the leftover salad into Tupperware.

This is really good, and really addictive. I hate pea salads with gloppy old mayonnaise, and this one (sour cream-based) makes it not only healthier but lighter, still tangy but not so overpowering like mayonnaise can sometimes be. I like the mix of textures, and of course bacon on anything is just plain good.

Because we tend to pig out on it, I am careful to only make small batches of this salad. I also try to make it more healthy, by swapping out the cashews for sunflower seeds and the bacon (sometimes) for turkey bacon. I imagine that if you don't want to do the nuts, you could also throw some chopped water chestnuts in there, which would still give the nutty flavor. Believe me, it's possible to make this more healthy. And take it from me: there still won't be leftovers.

Crunchy Pea Salad
(Adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
1 (10 oz.) package frozen green peas, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 c. finely chopped red onion (or use green onions)
2/3 c. low-fat sour cream
1 c. chopped cashews or sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine peas, celery, onion, and sour cream. Toss gently to mix.
Just before serving, stir nuts and bacon into salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Onion Pudding

Onion pudding. The English should be applauded for coming up with this concept. Essentially a savory bread-like dish, it's warm and cheesy and filling with huge chunks of roasted onions inside. Fabulous. And just perfect with a nice roast, I think.

While my puddings came out rather glossy-looking in the photos, this pudding is surprisingly light and non-greasy. I wish I could have taken photos more quickly! Just like a souffle, these beauties are golden and puff up in the oven, but fell before they hit the dinner table. No matter, though: still tasted wonderful. If you love onions as much as us (we've been known to just roast them whole with a pat of butter and salt, mmmm), you'll adore this little side dish!

Onion Pudding

(from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, December 2007)

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, cut into 8 wedges each, root end attached
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
4 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh sage

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large skillet cook onions in hot oil 5 minutes over low heat; season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and garlic; cook 8 minutes more or until onions are tender. Remove from heat; set aside.

Grease 10 to 12 (5- to 7-ounce) baking dishes with the remaining butter. In bowl, combine eggs and milk; whisk in flour. Add cheese and the snipped sage; combine. Spoon onion in dishes; pour egg mixture over. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove; let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with fresh sage leaves. Serves 10 to 12.

Roasted Tomato Tart

I had a bunch of tomatoes to use up that were leftover from other recipes, a nice mix of plum and cherry tomatoes. I also had this recipe cut out from a magazine that was sitting in my "must make" folder for way, way too long. Hurray! I love it when my leftovers and recipes can make a happy union. I made this for a great dinner one evening (with a salad and the Stilton cheesecakes). Just perfect.

This was easy-peasy to make, thanks to the frozen puff pastry dough (for the adventurous types, feel free to make your own). And so so good, I could not get enough of this tart. I think mainly because I had forgotten just how delicious freshly roasted tomatoes can be. Buttery, flaky crust with juicy sweet roasted tomatoes and salty nutty Parmesan, mmmm.

If you make this, make sure you can finish it off in one sitting - I'd imagine the pastry would get rather soggy if you tried to keep it for long. And I think it's a great one if you have company and want to make a little appetizer that you can prep ahead.

Roasted Tomato Tart

(from Gourmet magazine, July 2006)

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17 1/4-oz. package), thawed

2 lb. plum tomatoes (8 large), halved lengthwise

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil

3 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

1/2 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (plus additional for garnish)

Put oven racks in middle and lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large shallow baking pan with foil.

Roll out pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into an 11-in. square (1/8-in. thick). Using a plate or pot lid as a guide, cut out a 10-inch round.

Carefully transfer round to an ungreased baking sheet by rolling pastry around rolling pin and then unrolling onto baking sheet. Chill round on baking sheet until ready to use.

Toss tomatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a bowl until well coated. Roast tomatoes, cut sides up and in 1 layer, in foil-lined baking pan in middle of oven, 1 hour.

Brush pastry round with 2 tsp. oil, then sprinkle with 1 tsp. thyme. After roasting tomatoes 1 hour, move tomatoes in pan to lower third of oven and put pastry on baking sheet on middle rack. Bake pastry and tomatoes until pastry is golden brown and edges of tomatoes are slightly browned but still appear juicy, about 15 minutes.

While pastry is still warm, scatter 1/2 c. cheese shavings evenly over it. Top shavings with warm tomatoes, cut sides down and in 1 layer, then sprinkle evenly with remaining thyme and about 1/4 tsp. salt + pepper to taste. Sprinkle with additional cheese shavings if desired.

Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad

My sister Aimbot got married in the summer of 2006, in gorgeous southern California. Her friend Cat threw her a bridal shower a few days before (so everyone flying in could attend). Just the sweetest little shower I've ever attended: much giggling and chatting and glasses of champagne, no games or other such things. Good conversation and good food, what could be better?

The lunch included yummy little sandwiches and sides and an awesome strawberry tiramisu, but it was the wild rice salad that really did me in. I didn't want to be a total pig, so I took a very ladylike portion, but seriously I could've eaten an entire vat of the stuff. It was fruity and nutty and yet savory. Quite good. And Cat was gracious enough to share the recipe, that lovely woman. I'm forever indebted.

I have dubbed this Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad because that's my fond memory of it, plus it is something that's perfect for just such an occasion: dainty and healthy, with a charming mix of ingredients. Blueberries and nuts with onion and celery to round out the flavors. Probably more of a summery salad, but I love to make this one year-round.

Bridal Shower Wild Rice Salad



Ingredients:
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
1 c. wild rice (about 6 oz)
1/2 c. dried blueberries
1/3 c. chopped toasted pecans (About 1 ½ oz)
1/3 c. chopped unsalted cashews (About 1 ½ oz)
1/4 c. chopped green onion tops
2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 c. oil (I use a vegetable and olive oil mix)

Combine water and salt and bring to boil. Add rice, reduce heat to medium low and cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain well and cool.

Transfer rice to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients. Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Mix next 5 ingredients in blender. With blender running gradually add oils. Pour dressing over rice and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Thought this would be an appropriate post, given the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. I don't know about anyone else, but I am not a huge fan of the marshmallow-topped, sickeningly-sweet yams most serve on this holiday. Aside from the fact that it's weird to me to sweeten up a starch, the overly sugary taste pretty much masks any sweet potato flavor (meaning all you really get is the texture of the mashed sweet potato). Why do that, though? Don't we get enough sweet stuff with all the gorgeous pies and cakes and other goodies around on Thanksgiving?

My objective was to find a mashed sweet potato recipe, but one that lacked any sugar. It was quite the exhausting search, trust me. What I finally found was this beauty at Cooking Debauchery. A very simple way to make a delicious side, without a speck of sugar in sight. Think about giving the marshmallows a rest this year and placing this side dish on your holiday table. You won't be disappointed.

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

3-5 sweet potatoes

1/2 to 1 c. of heavy cream

Salt

Spice of choice (try sage, thyme, or just plain pepper; I also added a healthy pinch of nutmeg)

Peel the sweet potatoes and slice thinly. No more than a quarter inch thickness. This is best done by halving each potato then placing the cut side down, halving again and then slicing thinly.

Place the thinly slices potatoes into a pan large enough to hold them. Shake the pan to evenly distribute the potatoes. Add enough cream to come just under half way up the potatoes. They will not be covered. Do not use regular milk because it will curdle.

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat, season with salt and spice of choice and mash until smooth.
For a smoother creamier puree, put into the food processor and pulse just until smooth.

Serve.

Spanish Rice

I'm back and armed with a quick recipe! Actually, it's the only one left in my archives (forgot to take pics of my hominy soup, sorry guys) so that's what you get. I am making some lovely things the rest of the week, read lots of newspaper Food sections and cooking mags while traveling, so I'm well armed with posts. You just wait.

So, Spanish rice. This is something I always used to just make from the Rice-A-Roni package in the past, loved it and it was easy and I figured too hard to make on my own. My parents would make it from scratch when I was young, but I remembered it as taking forever to make. No thanks. I used my beloved Rice-A-Roni for years. So color me surprised when, about a year ago, I was craving my Spanish rice (with no packages of Rice-A-Roni in the cabinet, gasp!) and realized that Fanny Farmer had a surprisingly easy recipe of their own. Go figure!

This tastes like the boxed stuff, but oh so much fresher. And you get to add all the chiles you want, plus no standing over the stove! I love it. Very versatile too: You can make it as a side, of course, but it also makes a lovely meal if you add some sausage or chicken chunks. Or use brown rice to make it a bit healthier. I like to add cilantro (yeah, big surprise) so you can see that in my pics...

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

1/4 c. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, diced

3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (I will also use a 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes)

4 Tbsp. diced canned chiles

1 c. long-grain rice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 c. chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a 2-quart casserole dish. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onion, green pepper, garlic, and celery.Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Transfer to the casserole dish and add the tomatoes, chiles, rice, salt, and pepper. Pour in the broth, stir, and cover dish with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

Stir again, and bake for another 30 minutes. If you want to add meat, saute diced chicken or sausage and add to the casserole with the onion mixture.

Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables

This is a great basic recipe for this time of year: it's good for you, tasty, and oh so easy to make. Unfortunately, Hubs hates brussels sprouts (and I adore them, especially roasted, so boo). So instead of brussels sprouts this time we bought patty pan squash to roast along with the other veggies, just added them for the last 10 minutes of roasting.

This recipe is very versatile: I change it up regularly depending on what looks good at the market or what I'm hungry for, using baking potatoes or fennel or butternut squash or beets. Possibilities are almost endless!

Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

8 oz. brussels sprouts, whole or halved if they are large

1/3 c. olive oil

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

1 Tbsp. dried rosemary

Salt and ground black pepper

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, toss the parsnips, carrots, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, oil, and herbs with 2 tsp. each salt and ground black pepper to coat. Arrange the vegetables evenly on a large, heavy baking sheet.

Roast the vegetables until tender and golden, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. The veggies can be made up to 4 hours ahead; rewarm in the oven before serving.

Harvest Rice Salad

I make this rice dish fairly often, it's a combination of a few different recipes I've seen. Aside from coming together easily, it is also filling and a great mix of flavors and textures. The rice gives the dish a nutty base. The onions and cranberries sweeten it up. The bell pepper and almonds give it a nice crunch, and the lemon zest seems to brighten up all the flavors in the dish.

I like to serve this with salmon or grilled chicken, and I think it's perfect for a cool autumn evening.

Harvest Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 c. slivered almonds
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. uncooked brown rice
1/2 c. uncooked wild rice
3 Tbsp. butter
3 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste

Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.

Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 50 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.

In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Saute until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.

Stir cranberries and green pepper into the skillet. Cover, and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and lemon zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.