Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Salad

Inspired by Meg. Our lover of sweet potatoes and recipient of the infamous and ever-remembered sweet potato bridal shower!! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 - 1 sweet potato
• Gorgonzola (crumbled or chopped)
• Pecans
• Maple syrup
• Spinach, romaine, arugula
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sugar
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Peel sweet potato. Shred into thin strips and lightly fry in pan with olive oil. Set aside to cool on paper towels.
2. Roughly chop pecans. Place into medium-heated pan with a small tab of butter. Coat pecans with butter and warm for 1 -2 minutes. Once warmed, drizzle with maple syrup and turn heat down to low. Stir frequently to rotate pecans. Warm for 5 - 7 minutes. Turn out onto cutting board to cool for 5 - 10 minutes.
3. In a sealable jar or bowl, eyeball equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Whisk in several teaspoons of sugar, until vinaigrette is to taste.
4. Mix sweet potato shreds and pecans with salad greens and gorgonzola. Top with balsamic vinaigrette.

Meatless Manicotti

Okay, I can't take all the credit for this one, it actually came from a friend, the lovely Liz Posey Jones, but it's soooo good and super easy. One of my favorite meatless dinners!

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 carton (16 ounce) cottage cheese

1 package (10 ounce) fresh or frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained or squeezed

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 black pepper

1 package manicotti shells

1 jar tomato-basil pasta sauce (or use homemade!)

3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375. 

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, black pepper, spinach and Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons mixture into each uncooked manicotti shell. Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce into a 13x9 baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly over sauce. Pour 3/4 cup water into dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until shells are tender (I've done a little less, 53 or 55ish min has still been okay). Let stand 10 min. before serving. 

Shan's own Butternut Squash Lasagna

I never measure anything when I make up recipes (or really ever for that matter!), so eyeball everything. *Tip: I love to make individual servings of lasagna and bake them each on their own plate, so servings aren’t sloppy like most lasagna. To do this, cut the noodles with kitchen shears and assemble individually in ramekins or on a bake able dish.

Ingredients:

-1 package lasagna (I like to get the completely flat lasagna with no ugly side ridges)
-1 butternut squash
-cream
-Swiss, gruyere, or emmanthaler cheese (or all 3!)
-fresh spinach
-butter
-EVOO
-a little flour (for the roux)
-salt
-pepper
-nutmeg
-zest of one lemon

Directions:

1. Peel, cube, and roast squash with lots of EVOO, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg in about a 400 degree oven until golden brown (or just taste until soft on the inside)
2. Cook lasagna noodles.
3. Mix about 2 -3 tablespoons of butter with a little flour to make a roux. Continue by adding cream and a handful of grated cheese, and then lemon zest for a lovely bichemel sauce. Add salt and pepper as needed. Whisk the whole time.
4. Put roasted squash into a VitaMix (my favorite tool!) or a Cuisinart/food processor. Puree for a couple seconds; you want it pureed but not too smooth, so it retains some of that gourdish texture. Add more evoo if needed, and add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg also to taste.
5. Strain lasagna noodles and pat dry.
6. Spoon squash puree into the bottom of a lasagna dish. Layer noodles, then white sauce and spinach, then more noodles, then butternut squash, then repeat. Cover top with more grated cheeses and throw back in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is golden!

It's almost Spring!

I'm wondering if anyone bakes or cooks anymore?!?! Because I spend every free second I get in the kitchen. This could explain my pants feeling tighter :)

This recipe is so, so good. It's full of fiber, taste, and color (as well as a splash of healthy fat)!

Tomato Vegetable Casserole (Thank you Giada)

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
Salt and pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons dried Italian-style bread crumbs
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss the potato, yam, bell pepper, carrots, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until coated. Spread vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Arrange the onion slices evenly over the vegetable mixture. Arrange the zucchini over the onion. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the tomato slices over the zucchini.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the Parmesan bread crumbs over the vegetables in the baking dish. Drizzle with the last tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender, and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs, if desired.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas

A Megan and Dustin favorite :)

8 corn tortillas
2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked & diced
1 can black beans
1 yellow onion, diced
1-10 jalapenos, seeded & diced (anaheim peppers are also good, and less spicy)
1 TBS. minced garlic
1 tsp. each coriander, cumin, chili powder

Water saute the onions; after 3 minutes add garlic. After the onions and garlic are softened, add everything else and cook down until consistency is thick.

Heat tortillas on a dry griddle, or nuke for a minute to soften. Spoon filling on tortilla in an off-center strip and roll. Smear filling on side to seal edge. Place in baking dish; seam side down. Serve with salsa verde.

So good! The extra filling also works well as a dip for chips. At least I think so :)

Autumn Brie

1 small McIntosh or Cortland apple
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider
1 (8-inch) round Brie cheese
1/4 C. sugar
Craisins
Pecans, sugar, 1/4 t. cayenne

Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Core and chop the apple. Place in a saucepan with the raisins, craisins, cider and sugar and boil gently until the apples are tender but not mushy (approximately 1/2 to 2 minutes.) Put the Brie in an ovenproof dish slightly larger than the Brie. Strain the liquid from the apple/raisin/craisin mixture and put drained apple and raisins/craisins on top of the Brie. Garnish with chopped pecans, a little extra sugar and cayenne and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve with sliced French bread, or I prefer a baguette (and I know Shan does too!)

Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

My personal favorite.

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 TBS. fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Mash bean. Finely chop onion. Add onion, corn, salsa, pressed garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper to the beans; mix well. Add bread crumbs and egg whites to bean mixture; mix well. Form bean mixture into four round patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Heat skill over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray pan and cook patties 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Place burgers on buns. Add tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, etc., etc.

And now... to really make them good... make some homemade Sweet Potato Fries (my own recipe!)

Cut Sweet Potatoes vertically. The skinnier they are, the faster they will cook. I leave the skins on. Put them in pan. Drizzle with EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you non-foodies). Add salt, pepper, and cumin (trust me, it's amazing). Cook at 350 for approx. 20-30 minutes.

Wait for your life to change. You'll seriously never want beef again.

Caprese Salad

Mozzarella Cheese (preferably buffalo)
Mouth watering tomatoes

Cut both between 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Layer Mozzarella then tomato then mozzarella etc. Pour equal amounts of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Top with fresh Basil. Add salt and pepper according to preference.

Corn Tortelli with Lemon Basil Butter

This recipe is amazing! It's like an Italian ravioli but flatter and hand-made. Also, the corn and the mascarpone go together so well. I got the original recipe from Giada (of Everyday Italian fame), but naturally I've altered a couple things. Her original recipe calls for tarragon butter, but basil and corn just go so well together I couldn't resist. Also, chicken is really good in it or on the side for you meat lovers. Enjoy!

1) Fresh Pasta Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place flour in a food processor. In a small bowl whip eggs. Add the salt and olive oil to the eggs and combine. Add the egg mixture to the flour. Pulse to combine the ingredients, scraping down the sides. Continue until the liquid is evenly distributed, about 1 minute. The dough should stick together if pinched between your fingers. The dough will be cornmeal-yellow in color.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball and knead gently until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

2) Corn Tortelli:
Cornmeal, as needed
2 cans corn, drained well (about 1 1/2 cups total)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup mozzarella or other white cheese of your choice
1/2 teaspoon minced basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, for egg wash

Special equipment: pasta roller, scalloped pasta cutter (this is optional--I just cut mine with a knife)

Sprinkle baking sheet w/cornmeal and set aside. Roll out pasta dough. Cut a piece of the dough off the ball and shape into a rectangle about the size of a deck of cards. Cover remaining dough with plastic wrap and set aside. Roll the rectangle dough through the widest setting of the pasta machine a few times until smooth. Then roll through to the thinnest setting. Gently fold, place on the cornmeal-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Continue rolling out the rest of the pasta.

Next, in a medium bowl mix together the drained corn, mascarpone cheese, mozzarella cheese, basil, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and set aside. To form tortelli, place a sheet of pasta on a dry surface. Use pastry brush dipped in egg wash, to brush entire sheet of pasta. Place rounded teaspoons of the corn filling on the pasta sheet, about 2 inches apart. Carefully place another sheet of pasta over the mounds, smoothing out any air pockets and firmly sealing the pasta around the filling. Cut the pasta into small squares. Transfer the Tortelli to the cornmeal-lined baking sheet. Continue forming the remaining tortelli.

3) Basil Lemon Butter:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/3 cup corn (canned or fresh)
1 teaspoon chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, for garnish

-In a medium bowl, gently mix together all the ingredients.

To serve, place the Lemon Basil Butter in a large serving bowl. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until they float, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta, using a large mesh strainer or slotted spoon, into the bowl with the butter. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings