Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Around Thanksgiving, my mom and I always wonder: “Why don’t we eat sweet potatoes all the time?” Besides the fact that we try to eat seasonally, we didn’t have much of an answer. We only eat them during big holiday meals.

Is it just my family that strictly has them for holidays? We never have sweet potatoes during any other time of the year. After Christmas its Au Revoir, sweet potato! (Picture me saying that how Col. Hans Landa says it in Inglorious Bastards: “Au Revoir, Shoshanna!”)

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Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

This post has been coming for a long time. A very. Long. Time. I love this soup, just like (almost) everyone else. I am set on the notion that if you don’t enjoy broccoli & cheddar soup that there is something wrong with you. Just kidding… At the very least, you are not an American who grew up loving cheese covered comforts. Which, let me clarify, isn’t a bad thing.

(Side Note: Look at the container the soup is in, I found it recently behind a million things in the kitchen. I love the subtle cracks in it, it shows its age well and even though I am afraid it will break whenever I use it.)

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Cranberry & Raisin Granola

The setting: Saturday evening, 9pm. The craving: granola for my Sunday morning cereal. It wasn’t too late; normal 20 something’s were just getting ready to go out to town. Me? I’m busy making granola!

I found a generic granola recipe and sized up my pantry. I’m missing at least 3 ingredients. Do I care? Not really.

Oats (Lots of oats), dried cranberries, raisins, walnuts, pecans, and coconut. Toss in oil & honey, spread along two baking sheets and bake. Easy peasy and crazy delicious.

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Eggplant Mozzarella Melt

To debut my new blog layout which was redone by the awesome and talented Lindsay of Purr Design and Love & Olive Oil, I figured there was no better way than an eggplant recipe! I love the little eggplants in the background and the eggplant in the header. You see, I am sort of obsessed with eggplant. In fact I am making eggplant lasagna tomorrow for my boyfriend!

I’ve been mentioning my boyfriend a lot lately. It’s time to give him a name. I think I’ll just use his first name’s initial because I kind of like the idea of calling him “G.”

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Blueberry Ice Cream and a Lesson Learned

My boyfriend is a charming and lovable guy whose tall stature and hairy face might make him a little intimidating to some but underneath all of that hair is the coolest dude around.  I love him! Not because he bought me the longed for ice cream attachment for the Kitchen Aid stand mixer but because he is the epitome of every good adjective I can think of and reminds me of a strong yet gentle canine.

This is my first experiment with said ice cream attachment. I didn’t really read anything about it; I just threw myself into a simple, no egg recipe. In hindsight, I slightly regret not reading any reviews. The attachment is awesome but I wish I had the sense to finish what I was doing before putting dairy products into a freezer bowl and letting them sit. Yeah, don’t do that.

This recipe came out a little crystallized and less creamy than I was hoping for. I’m not sure if it was the recipe itself, lack of eggs or my ice cream making skills. I’m sure it is a combination of all three things. You see, I messed up. I took the blueberries and thought I could heat them up in a pan so they would burst open and give me some blueberry juice to help the flavor…

…But…

Before I tried that, I dumped all the ingredients into the freezer bowl and let them sit while finishing the blueberries on the stove. That was a huge mistake! The ingredients started to freeze almost immediately and when I was ready to add the blueberries I realized that I could no longer successfully turn on the machine. The ice cream attachment paddle (for lack of a better word) wouldn’t budge.

I panicked slightly and ran hot water over my freezer bowl to unfreeze the sugar, half and half, and heavy cream. I then dried the bowl and decided to try again (without re-freezing, which could have been why this recipe came out a little crystallized, I don’t know for sure.)

What did I learn from this? Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready before you start churning your ice cream! I also realized that I did not churn this recipe for as long as I should have. At least I now know what not to do! Oh, and one more note about this recipe: it’s missing something. The blueberry taste was lackluster.

Blueberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 cups half-and-half cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup blueberries
1/2 pinch salt

Directions:

Add blueberries to a skillet and heat on medium-high until most of the juice is released and the blueberries begin to burst. Once the blueberries burst open transfer the juice and blueberries to a bowl. Add the half and half, heavy cream, sugar, blueberries, berry juice and salt to the freezer bowl of your ice cream maker.

Churn the ingredients for as long as your ice cream maker suggests, usually about 20 minutes. With a non-metal utensil, transfer the soft ice cream from ice cream maker to a plastic, freezable container. Freeze 4-6 hours.

adapted from: allrecipes.com

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Fruit & Oatmeal Flax Smoothie

Oatmeal and smoothies together equal pure bliss. I make these smoothies for a quick breakfast in the morning and sip it on my drive into work in my super cool travel cup. Another really great thing is that this is full of healthy things and we all need some health in our lives. Oatmeal is always good and you need fruits to complete your diet, lots of them. I also added some ground flax seed because that’s how I roll. I love flax, mainly because I don’t eat much fish (I’m sure my boyfriend will eventually change this fact) and flax contains Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 3 fatty acids rock the world!

I like when recipes are customizable because whenever you are missing something like say….strawberries, you can substitute them for any other fruit you do have, or would like. That is great for me as someone who always forgets something and then doesn’t want to go back out to get it.

I use my trustworthy food processor for most smoothies because my blender is the worst blender, ever. But you can use whatever you want; food processor, blender, your super cool Vitamix that I hate you for having…

Fruit & Oatmeal Flax Smoothie

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Ingredients:

1 cup ice
1 cup mixed berries (or whatever fruit you'd prefer)
1/2 cup oats
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain & low fat)
2 tablespoons flax seed meal (or your own ground flax seeds)

Directions:

Add the ice and fruit to a food processor or blender. Blend together until ice is crushed
Next, add the oats and flax seed meal to the food processor and blend until the oats are incorporated fully.
Lastly, add the yogurt and milk and pulse a few more times until creamy.

adapted from: Martha Stewart

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2012 Ambitions

2012 is a big year for me; I am suppose to graduate this year and towards the end of 2012 – I am planning on moving! Going to get my Registered Dietician credentials, or ya know…scrap that plan and go to culinary school. We all know I have a hard time making decisions, especially important life changing ones. It also depends on where I am living and what is available school wise. Regardless, I know I am destined for great things, whatever they are, and I know I will figure it all out eventually.

I have compiled a list of recipes I want to have finished by the time January 1st 2013 gets here. I will add things to this list whenever I get inspired and I will cross things off as soon as I make them! Posts will be coming soon on the items crossed off!

2012 post ideas:

• Stuffed French Toast
• Eggplant Mozz Melts
• Pecan Bread
• Blueberry Ice Cream
• Poutine
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake
• Blueberry Syrup
• Salted Caramel Sauce
• Mozzarella Sticks
• Roasted Winter Squash
• Oatmeal Smoothie
• Banana Nutella Panini
• Kale Chips
• Maple Sugar Pie
• Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
• Poptarts
• Granola
• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Coffee Ice Cream
• Pumpkin Ice Cream
• Eggplant Parm
• Egg Boats
• Bacon Eggs & Toast Cups
• Carrot Cake Jam
• Black Bean Soup
• Marshmallows
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
• Fig Galette
• Homemade Pb cups
• Breakfast Quinoa (Eggs & Kale)
• Shrimp Creole
• Butternut Squash Lasagna
• Blueberry Cucumber Smoothie
• Spinach Oatmeal
• Banana Jam

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

I’m not completely sure what to call these bad boys. Are they cookies? Are they truffles? I don’t really care! Whatever you call them, they are extremely addictive and I can’t get enough of them.

I had these last year at a Christmas party so when I first read this recipe I never would have guessed they were made with vanilla wafers. I was a little thrown off by that ingredient but after making them myself and eating them, I remembered one of my favorite childhood snacks, Nutty Bars!  Have you ever had those Nutty Bars by Little Debbie? They taste exactly like that! I don’t normally buy things like that but since I grew up eating them, I had to get the recipe from my ex’s mom. (She rocks!)

Also, I know the hot cocoa packets sound strange too, I’m sure you could replace it with regular cocoa. I followed the instructions as is and they turned out wonderful.

In other news, I have a surprise for you so check back soon!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Serving size: makes about 20.

ingredients:

• 1/3 cup hot water.
• 5 packets (envelopes) of hot cocoa mix.
• 1 cup peanut butter.
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup.
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar-divided
• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers

directions:

1. Whisk cocoa mix w/ hot water til smooth.
2. Stir in peanut butter and corn syrup until blended.
3. Blend in 1 cup powdered sugar and wafers until well combined.
4. Roll mixture into balls and cover w/ remaining powdered sugar.
5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

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Gingerbread Cookies

These little gingerbread men were made in a tipsy frenzy; for my little nieces and nephew, Helena, Steven and Lilly.  Before Christmas, I gathered ingredients for these guys in a plastic bag and headed out with my friend Stephanie for a day of shopping, followed by a night cooking and baking.

Unfortunately, These guys became stale before I finished my Christmas shopping for the kids. I didn’t freeze them because I forgot.  I made them other Christmas cookies to enjoy in January! I am such a bad aunt!

That night, we made mac and cheese for ourselves and Don. This recipe is becoming a go-to-quick-fix for dinner. Actually, I think I’ll be making it again this week with some broccoli in the mix of the cheesy goodness that is macaroni and cheese. After we got the mac and cheese together, we waited to put it in the oven while we worked on these cookies. We made gingerbread snowflakes, bells, candy canes and the classic gingerbread man.

While mixing the cookie dough, I remembered my hatred for cookie cut outs. Is that horrible? Also, piping really isn’t my thing. I can pipe a cupcake and ice a cake but I don’t like doing it for cookies. You would think that because I have an artistic background that I would be all for it, but I’ve never mastered it. Mainly because it takes a lot of patience and practice and I am just not patient with anything! So you will notice that these cookies don’t have cute buttons on them or faces. They are blank gingerbread men, I sort of feel bad for them now. Poor, faceless gingerbread cookies!

Gingerbread Cookies

makes approximately 16 large cookies

ingredients:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses

directions:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda) and set aside.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix together on medium speed until fluffy. (Use an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment or a hand mixer.)
3. Add spices and salt then eggs and molasses.
4. Switching to a lower setting and slowly mix in the flour until combined.
5. Divide dough in half and refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling out.
6. Preheat oven to 350 and roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick (I usually do this between two sheets of wax paper. )
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until  lightly brown around the edges.

Source: from Martha Stewart

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Fall semester 2011 & Pesto Fettuccine Shrimp Pasta

I just finished my first semester back at College after a 5 year hiatus! Phew! The semester ended a week ago and I started to cook again! I missed my kitchen and my weekends off. I’ve been taking night classes so I can still keep my 8am-4pm day job. Winter break started a week ago and I’ve been trying to relax and I was finding myself a little bored, so naturally I landed in the kitchen!

I’ve been telling everyone I see, even strangers: I made the Dean’s List! Okay, I haven’t really been telling strangers but I am extremely proud of myself. My first semester back in five years and I did so well that my name will appear on the Dean’s List! I struggled through some projects and breezed through others, hello “A” on my diet analysis project! My nutrition class was life changing and so great. I will miss spending my Wednesday evenings with my favorite professor: Doc LaRosa, you are awesome! I am now seriously considering becoming a Registered Dietitian! Samantha Seeley, Dean’s List and eventually Samantha Seeley, R.D?

It was touch and go there for awhile in one particular short story class. I handed in tear soaked essays on beating hearts under floor boards and deteriorating yellow wallpaper that had the capability to drive someone insane. English is my best subject, or at least it was. My teacher was really tough and yes, I cried. We had a running joke by the end of the semester that my typed pages were covered in blood, sweat and tears. He eventually started giving me B’s and I ended the class with a B-, somehow. I probably wouldn’t have finished the class without the encouragement and guidance from my Aunt Sherri or the nights my boyfriend spent calming me down and trying to stop my tears. True story.

Incoming: Christmas cookie posts. I’m a little late to the cookie game this year. Thanks, College!

Fettuccine Shrimp Pasta with Pesto Sauce

Serving size: 4

ingredients:

for pasta:

• 8oz Fettuccine
• Shrimp, precooked

for pesto: (makes about 1 cup)

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

directions:

for pasta:

1. Boil lightly salted water in a large pot.
2. Add the fettuccine and stir frequently until cooked to your liking.
3. Drain and run cold water over the noodles so they don’t stick together.
4. Let sit while you work on the pesto sauce.

for pesto:

1. Combine the basil with your choice of nuts in a food processor, pulse a few times.
2. Add garlic and pulse a few more times.
3. While the food processor is on, add the olive oil through the open top.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste and scrape down the sides of the food processor.
5. Take out a large skillet and combine the pesto sauce with the fettuccine.
6. Add as much shrimp as you desire, I added a large handful.
7. Turn burner on medium and cook until heated.

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