Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Yeah, weird combination for sure, but it was delicious!!!  Absolutely loved this, and it's vegetarian which I love even more.  Stuart, a true carnivore, thought they were great too.  I used my Salsa Verde, which I made the night before.  I used to bake the sweet potatoes but now I cut them in cubes, coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes until done.  Makes for a nicer texture for sure.

8 corn tortillas (I like La Tortilla Factory)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
1 can (4.5 oz) mild green chiles (or 1 large Hatch Anaheim chili, roasted)
1 T. minced pickled jalapeno
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. chile powder
salt and pepper
Salsa Verde
2 heaping tablespoons sour cream, crema, or 0% Greek yogurt 
Grated cheese (monterey jack, Mexican blend, Chihuahua, etc.)

In a bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, green chiles, jalapeno, cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper.  Add black beans.

To assemble:

Heat the Salsa Verde.  Turn off heat and add the sour cream or yogurt (I use Fage 0% Greek yogurt).  Microwave the tortillas for about 30 seconds wrapped inside paper towels.  Spoon a little of the salsa into the bottom of a greased baking dish that will hold 8 enchiladas.  Spoon a little more salsa verde into a wide bowl and dip each tortilla into the salsa.  Top each tortilla with 1/8th of the sweet potato bean mixture.  Roll up and put into the baking dish.  Top with the remaining salsa verde and shredded cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until top is brown and bubbly, like the picture.  I serve it with a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. 

Salsa Verde

I would never claim to be a great Salsa Verde maker except my girlfriend, Roxy, told me that mine was really good!  She spent a week with me at the house last year and chicken with salsa verde was the first thing I made her.  I had to work until 7:00 that night so she might have just been really hungry, but she told me it was excellent, so I'll just run with that!

1 lb. tomatillos – about 8-9
1 bunch green onions, green part only
1 bunch cilantro
1 T. jalapeno (jarred or canned), more or less to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t. sugar
Juice of one lime

Peel and rinse tomatillos (they’ll be sticky to the touch).  Simmer tomatillos for 10 minutes until they turn a lighter green.   Put tomatillos and remaining ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.  Pour sauce into a pot and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

This isn't the greatest picture but this was so good.  I made a sauce/glaze of mustards, horseradish, honey, and fresh mint (thank you Bobby Flay).  I grilled the salmon with the glaze on the non-skin side and then added more after it was done.  It was yummy!

2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. whole grain mustard
1 T. horseradish
2 T. honey
1 T. fresh mint, chopped
Salt and pepper

If you're going to make it ahead of time, leave out the fresh mint until you're ready to use it.

Caprese Grain Salad

This great salad can be made with any grain.   I used Farro, which I like a lot, but nothing beats Quinoa in my book!  Make this when tomatoes and basil are fresh and plentiful!

1 cup farro or quinoa, cooked according to package directions

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

8-12 oz. fresh small mozzarella balls (bocconcini), cut in half

Handful of basil leaves, chiffonade*

1 T. olive oil

1 T. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Combine grain, tomatoes, and mozzarella.  Whisk together oil, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper.  Add to grain mixture.  Enjoy!

*Chiffonade=Pile the herb leaves on top of each other, roll up like a cigar, and then chop.  Makes little ribbons of herbs.

Roasted Curry Cauliflower

I have never been a big fan of cauliflower but a few weeks ago my friend, Roxy, and I went out for Indian.  Roxy knows her Indian and it was fantastic.  One of the best things we ate was some kind of cauliflower appetizer.  I have no idea what it was exactly but it got me interested in this old veggie.  So, tonight I made roasted cauliflower with tomatoes, cumin and curry.  It was really good and reaffirms my belief that any veggie is good so long as it's roasted in the oven!!

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pint tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. curry
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T. chopped cilantro

Put cauliflower florets and tomatoes into a big bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil to coat.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and curry.  Add garlic and stir to combine.  Put on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and squeeze lemon juice over veggies.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Stuffed Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is one of our favorites and is so super easy.  I usually buy stuffed ravioli or tortellini at Costco and have it on hand in the freezer.  Costco also sells beautiful hydroponically grown Campari tomatoes that I love to use in this recipe.  I add a little Mascarpone cheese if I happen to have it around as it makes the sauce nice and creamy.

1 shallot, finely chopped (about 2 T.)

3 cups fresh tomatoes*, seeded and diced

¼+ cup pasta water

Heaping tablespoon of Mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve some of the pasta water. 

Sauté shallot over medium heat in olive oil for a minute or two.  Turn up the heat and add the tomatoes.  Sauté for about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the pasta water and continue cooking about 5 minutes.  Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.  Turn off the heat and add the Mascarpone and fresh basil. 

Especially good with fresh stuffed tortellini or ravioli.

*Use whatever tomatoes are in season.  Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze out seeds before cutting.

Kale Chips

The other day at work Libby noticed that we got new chips...they were kale chips, so, of course, we had to open them up and try them.  Our job is tough but we do our best!  The chips were really tasty but there was only a handful of in the bag and it was $6!  Sorry, but I don't pay $6 for a handful of chips, kale or no kale.

I told Libby I would try and make kale chips myself, so that's what I did today.  And???  They were awesome!  I think Stuart thought I was crazy when I told him they were kale chips but he sure didn't mind eating them.  He said, "What could be bad...they are crunchy and salty."  But, unlike potato chips, kale chips are actually good for you.  I called Libby and told her to come over but she wasn't home.  That's a good thing cause we had those puppies polished off in no time, especially because I offered some our neighbor, Mary, who ended up scarfing them down and getting green kale crumbs all over her!

I used organic kale cause I think that's pretty important for greens.  The most important thing, though, is to get the kale really, really dry.  This is where the good old salad spinner comes in handy.  I plan on playing with the recipe to see if a lower heat/longer cooking time will be better.  Just keep an eye on them while they're cooking.  The minute they crisp up is when you need to take them out of the oven; any longer and they start turning brown and getting bitter.

This is how much kale I got from one bunch.  It doesn't look like much but it filled two cookie sheets and made a bowl of chips.

As a long-ago friend of Stuart's used to say:  Get your snack-upon!

1 bunch organic kale, leaves removed from stems, rinsed and dried thoroughly
3 T. olive oil
1 T. vinegar (I used champagne but I think I'll try apple cider vinegar next time)
1 t. salt+more sprinkled on top once the chips are out of the oven, if needed

Whisk the oil, vinegar and salt in a salad bowl.  Swirl the oil mixture around to coat the edges of the bowl.  Put dried kale into the bowl and toss.  Make sure the leaves are well coated.

Place leaves in a single layer on two parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes.  Keep an eye on them since all ovens vary!

BLT's

Okay, I know it seems weird to post a picture of BLT's...nobody needs a recipe for sure.  But, I am posting it because Stuart likes to say, "We never get to eat bacon."  Well, you're wrong cause every year or so we get to eat bacon!   So, this picture is for Stuart, for when he wants bacon, and I'll remind him of it whenever he asks!  Bad Helen....

Madras Curry Shrimp and Quinoa

Quinoa again?  Yes!  Get over it, I like quinoa!  This recipe was a collaboration at work.  It started with Michelle demoing Robert Rothschild Zesty Madras Curry Sauce.  She made it with chicken and it was really good.  The sauce was buy one, get one free, so I really couldn't pass it up.  But, I wanted to make something with shrimp and I wanted more veggies involved.

After running a few ideas past Michelle, who, by the way, is an incredible cook, I talked to David, who gave me the great suggestion of using yogurt to chill the heat.  Then I talked to Linda and we ran through veggies to use.  She suggested using cauliflower, which I agree with but did not do, but will next time.  I ended up using Japanese eggplant, which are smaller than regular eggplant, red pepper, and carrot.  It ended up tasting great and we really enjoyed our dinner!  So, here's the recipe:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 bottle Robert Rothschild Zesty Madras Curry Sauce
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 small Japanese eggplant, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 (15 oz.) can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 container (6 oz.) fat free Greek yogurt
1/2-3/4 cup chopped cilantro
Olive oil

1 cup quinoa+2 cups water=Bring to boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until done.

Heat olive oil and saute veggies about 5-7 minutes.  Add beans and shrimp and saute about 2 minutes.  Add the curry sauce and heat for about 1-2 minutes.  Add yogurt and cilantro.

Serve on top of hot quinoa.  Easy!

Antipasto Platter

A few weeks ago I invited our friend and neighbor, Rob, over for appetizers and wine.  I made this antipasto platter and it was awesome!!  The first thing Rob said when he saw the platter was, "Did you take a picture?"  Well, yeah, of course we took a picture! 

There was an absolute ton of meat, cheese and other goodies.  We snacked all night long and it went beyond appetizer and became our dinner.  I  bought different meats, like salami, sopresattas, ham, etc., and a couple of cheeses (fontina and havarti on this platter).  Then I added dolmas (stuffed grape leaves...yum!!), pickles, olives, roasted tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, and some other goodies. 

It's the best appetizer ever cause you can put together anything you like.  And, it's beautiful!  Serve with some good crusty bread.  Winner!

Spinach Egg Soup

This soup is super easy.  (Get it, soup/super...I crack myself up!).  There are only four ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 t. sesame oil

2 eggs, beaten

Heat chicken broth to boiling.  Add chopped spinach and allow to wilt.  Season with sesame oil.  Rapidly stir in egg and cook for about a minute.  Add salt only if you are using low-sodium broth. 

That's it!

Orange Glazed Pork Chops

I decided to use my Orange Glazed Chicken recipe and substitute pork chops instead.  Stuart and I both liked it better than the chicken thighs.  I used thick chops (1-3/4", yes, I got out a ruler and measured them!) and the baking time was exactly the same as the chicken recipe.  Thinner chops will take much less time...just cook them to an internal temperature of 150-155 degrees.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I had a couple of Italian sausages I needed to use so I decided to make stuffed Portobellos.  I figured Stuart would hate it cause mushrooms aren't his favorite, but he loved them!  I had an extra orange bell pepper that needed to be used so I roasted it for this recipe.  The way I roast my peppers is I just cut them in half and remove the seeds and membrane, brush them with oil, and then throw them on the grill until they start to get black.  Then I put them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.  After about 10 minutes they cool down and you can just pull the skin right off.  Much, much better than those watery ones out of a jar.

Anyway, the mushrooms weren't the prettiest things to look at but they sure were good!  Here's the recipe:

Olive oil

2 Italian sausages, casings removed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup low-fat ricotta

1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves, or 1 t. dried

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano leaves, or 1 t. dried

3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

1/2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

4 large Portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems and gills removed*

1 roasted red, yellow or orange pepper, optional

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until broken up into pieces and cooked through, about 5 minutes.   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and drain fat. Stir in the ricotta,  thyme, oregano, bread crumbs, Gorgonzola, and asiago (reserving some for the top).  Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the mushrooms on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms, stem side down, for 3 minutes. Turn the mushrooms over and grill for 5 minutes until tender. Fill each mushroom with the sausage mixture.  If using, cut the roasted pepper into strips and place on top of the mushroom mixture.  Top with Asiago.  Put the mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for a minute or two until the cheese melts.

*Use a spoon to scrape out as much of the gills as possible without tearing the mushroom.

Baby Back Ribs

My friend and fellow Foodie, Libby, got ribs on sale today at Central Market.  Libby never met a sale she didn't love!  This is the most awesome rib recipe cause the meat just falls off the bone.  Squirrel Friend, you'll need lots of napkins!

The Rub:  Stonewall Kitchen Chicken and Pork Rub + a sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper (or use whatever you like).

Cut the racks in half and sprinkle the meat side only with the spices.  Place in heavy foil packets, rolling the top and sides to close.  Refrigerate overnight.

Put rib packets on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Open one end of each foil packet and pour in 1 cup (just estimate) unfiltered apple juice*. 

Bake at 250° for 2-1/2 hours.  Let the ribs rest in the foil packets for about 15 minutes.  Remove ribs and coat the meat side with BBQ sauce.  Grill for about 5-10 minutes until sauce is browned.  Coat other side with sauce.  Flip over and re-apply more BBQ sauce to the meat side.  Grill another 5 minutes.

*The juice should contain nothing but pressed apples, preferably organic as they use a lot of pesticides on apples.

So good!!!

Spagetti with Turkey Meatballs

Last night I made Spagetti with Turkey Meatballs.  This recipe is long but very simple, and best of all, it tastes great!  I usually don't like ground turkey but these meatballs are yummy, and definitely healthier than my old spagetti recipe.

Meatballs:

1 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb.+ ground turkey (white and dark meat combined) 

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup grated parmesan or Asiago cheese

2/3 cup low fat ricotta

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use panko)

2 t. Mexican oregano or Italian seasoning (I use Anna's Herbs) 

1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 T. fennel seeds

Sauce:

2 cups yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and very finely minced

2 cans (28 oz.) whole, peeled tomatoes*, crushed by hand into the sauce pan

1 can (28 oz.) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (I like Muir Glen brand)

3 T. tomato paste

1 T. dried Mexican oregano or Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup+ fresh basil, chiffonade

Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Using Less Pots:  Saute the onions, garlic, and fennel seeds first and then take out enough for the meatballs before you make the sauce.  It's fine that there are fennel seeds in the sauce.  If not, follow these directions:

For the meatballs, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5-6 minutes.  Add garlic and fennel seeds and sauté another minute.  Set aside and let cool.  Mix all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.  Don’t worry about measuring…just eyeball the breadcrumbs, ricotta, etc.  Line baking sheets with foil and coat with cooking spray.  Form mixture into slightly larger than golf-ball sized meatballs.  You should end up with about 15-20 depending on size and how much turkey you have.  Refrigerate for about one hour.

For the sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add onions and sauté about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat and add garlic and chipotle; sauté another minute.  Season with oregano, salt and pepper.  Add whole tomatoes, breaking them up by hand before adding to the pan.  Add crushed tomatoes and paste.  Season again with salt and pepper.  Add remaining ingredients except basil.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a slow simmer.  Simmer at least one hour.  Add water (about ½ cup at a time) as you simmer, if necessary.  I usually end up adding a couple of cups of water.  Add the fresh basil to the sauce just before the meatballs are ready.

Meanwhile, cook the meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425°.  Bake the meatballs on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.  Remove and add immediately to the simmering sauce.  Simmer about 15 minutes, while you cook the pasta and bake the garlic bread.

Spoon meatball sauce on top of cooked spaghetti. Serve topped with fresh Parmesan or Asiago cheese, garlic bread and salad.

*If possible, use San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.  There will be a large basil leaf or two in the cans.  I don't use these.  Want to know why there is a basil leaf in the can?  Because the import tariff for canned tomatoes is more than for canned tomato sauce.  The basil leaf makes it a "sauce".  Useless Foodie Fact!