Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Continuing with our pre-holiday preparations, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Sweet Potatoes!  But instead of serving the super sweet, marshmallow topped version this year, try serving the real thing, Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

This recipe lets the natural flavor of the potatoes shine through, with just a touch of honey added for sweetness.  For extra flavor you can add orange juice or maple syrup to the finished potatoes.  This works really well if you are serving a baked ham.

If you have any sweet potatoes leftover, you are in for a treat.  We have several delicious ways to use up any extras such as Sweet Potato Bread, Sweet Potato and Oatmeal Muffins, or Sweet Potato Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Cranberries.

6  Medium Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed
3 cups  Water, or enough to cover potatoes
1 tsp  Salt
1/4 cup  Butter, softened
3-4 TB  Honey
1/2 tsp  Salt

Cut off the ends of the potatoes and peel, removing any bruised spots. Chop potatoes into small 1-inch cubes, place in a large saucepan and add the water and salt.  Boil about 20 minutes or until just fork-tender.  Drain potatoes, return to the pan and add the butter.  Whip with an electric mixer until potatoes are smooth, then add honey and 1/2 tsp salt.  Serves 6-8.

Options:
For Orange-Flavored Sweet Potatoes: Add 2 tablespoons orange juice along with the honey.
For Maple-Flavored Sweet Potatoes: Prepare as above, substituting maple syrup for the honey.

Asparagus Casserole with Crunchy Onion Topping

With Thanksgiving Day quickly approaching, many people are making plans for the big day.  And with those plans come many questions.  What should I serve?  How many people will I be feeding?  Which wine should I buy?  Do I have to make turkey?  Ahh!  So much stress over one meal.  Why do we do this to ourselves?

To answer the above questions, I will be posting for the next 9 days, tips, hints, recipes and suggestions to help make your Thanksgiving Day a little bit easier.

Today we will start with Asparagus Casserole.  Although most people will stick with their family traditions, this recipe will update a family favorite and will have your guests asking for the recipe.  This is one of the rare occasions when I use a canned soup, but this stuff is just so good!

I made up this recipe when I was living in California.  The stores were closed and I didn't have green beans on hand, just a can of asparagus.  So this recipe was created based on the classic French's Green Bean Casserole, I just substituted the asparagus for the green beans.  Not being a big fan of green beans, I always knew there had to be a way to update the original recipe with a vegetable that I liked and asparagus is a delicious improvement.  Take this to your next holiday dinner and everyone will be pleasantly surprised.  Enjoy!

1  10-3/4 oz can  Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup  Milk
1/8 tsp  Black Pepper
1 cup  Crunchy French Fried Onions
2  15 oz cans  Asparagus Cuts
1/2 cup  Crunchy French Fried Onions for Topping

In a medium casserole dish, mix soup, milk and pepper until combined.  Add onions and asparagus and combine gently so you don't crush all on the onions.  Smooth the mixture into the casserole pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until hot and crispy on top.  Top with the 1/2 cup of onions for the topping and bake 5 more minutes, then serve.  This recipe can easily be doubled.

Roasted Red Potato Salad with Rosemary

As a side dish for the Oven Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken we served this yummy Roasted Red Potato Salad. With a combination of cider vinegar, a touch of Dijon mustard and fresh rosemary, the salad was the perfect addition to the zesty chicken.

This is a also great salad to take to a pitch-in or potluck dinner.  Since it contains no mayonnaise, it can easily be set out for a picnic without the need for refrigeration.  The salad can also be served slightly warm or can be chilled and served cold. We tried the salad both warm and cold and I think I preferred the warm version a bit more, while the kids preferred it cold. The salad had a nice vinegar taste that reminded me of a classic German Potato Salad. Either way the flavors were crisp, bold and delicious.

1 1/2 lbs  Red Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite sized cubes
1 TB  Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 TB  Olive Oil
1 1/2 TB  Apple cider Vinegar
4 tsp  Dijon or Spicy Brown Mustard
2 - 3 TB  Chopped Green Olives
1 TB  Capers, rinsed and drained (optional)

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, toss the cubed potatoes with the olive oil and rosemary, mixing well to evenly coat.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil and spread the potatoes onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake the potatoes for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring once, until potatoes are just beginning to brown on the edges and are almost fork-tender.  Do not overcook or the potatoes will crumble.

Allow the potatoes to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.  Mix the remaining ingredients in a large serving bowl, stirring to combine, then add the cooled potatoes and stir to coat the potatoes with the vinegar dressing.  The salad can be served immediately for a slightly warm salad or can be chilled and served cold.  Enjoy!!

Summer Ham Salad

When you have a food blog, sometimes life just gets in the way of being creative.  During the past several weeks our yard has been "under construction" while we had an old patio and retaining wall replaced, then followed it up with laying new sod.  What a huge project this turned out to be!  But on the brighter side, we have a nice new patio and since we can use our grill a bit easier now, we'll be adding lots of new grilling recipes to the web site very soon.

Once that project was finished, I made a quick trip to Tallahassee and reacquainted myself with restaurant food.  Ya know what??  I really don't like restaurant food.  The service received at restaurants seems to have really fallen off over the past few years.  Servers are slow and inattentive, the food is under seasoned and sloppy, and the prices?? Yikes!  I knew it had been a while since I'd  been out to dinner but really, the prices being charged for mediocre food are shocking.  I could not wait to get back home so I could cook something...anything, just so I could add some seasoning!

So, after a couple of crazy-busy weeks, it's time to get back to posting some new recipes. Well, kind of new recipes.  Ham Salad is a dish I learned to make when I was in high school while I was working at a country club.  Ham Salad finger sandwiches were commonly served there for wedding receptions and I probably made several thousand of these over my years there. 

It's been so long since I made this dish I had to really think about the measurements because I've always prepared it by memory.  The ingredients are very flexible and can be changed according to your own tastes. The original recipe used German garlic bologna instead of ham but we still called it "ham" salad...lol.  It's also very good made with smoked ham or honey ham for a slightly sweeter batch.

This salad is great on crackers or on a nice soft dinner roll and makes a great lunch or light dinner.  It's perfect for hot summer days (like today!) when you want something quick and cool and easy.  Just add a small salad and dinner is ready.  Enjoy!



2 lb  Smoked Ham  (or German Beef Bologna or Honey Ham)
3  Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped**
1 cup  Shredded Cheddar Cheese**
1 cup  Mayonnaise**
1/2 cup  Sweet Pickle Relish**
3 TB  Sugar

Using a food grinder, grind the ham into a large bowl. (A food processor works great, too.) Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.  For the best flavor, prepare the salad one day in advance.

**  The amounts for eggs, cheese, mayo and pickle relish can be adjusted to suit your own preferences.  If you like more mayo, just add an extra tablespoon at a time and mix it into the salad  until you get the consistency you prefer.

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Mmm..Baked Macaroni is sure to please even the most picky eaters and is truly comfort food in every sense of the word!  My friend and mentor Brownie, who was a wonderful chef and teacher, used to make the most mouth-watering macaroni and cheese that no one else could duplicate.  She always told me the secret ingredient was dry mustard and including it in this dish gave it the mystery flavor that will make everyone ask, "What is that flavor?"

We kicked this up a bit by adding the Pepper Jack cheese and panko crumbs on top and the flavors together are fantastic with just a little bit of crunch from the panko.  I think Brownie would like this Baked Macaroni almost as much as her own. 
Cheers Brownie, we miss you.

  

12 oz  Dry Elbow Macaroni
6 TB  Butter
6 TB  Flour
1 1/2 tsp  Dry Mustard
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Black Pepper
1/4 tsp  White Pepper
1 1/2 cups  Milk
1 1/2 cups  Half and Half
3 cups  Shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
1 cup  Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
1 cup  Panko Crumbs
Olive Oil Spray


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook macaroni according to package directions and cook until just al dente then drain.  Butter a 13" x 9" baking dish and pour the drained pasta into the dish.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the flour, dry mustard, salt and pepper.  Use a whisk to combine, then slowly add the milk and half and half, adding only about a 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly until all of the milk is added. 

Increase heat to medium-high and heat until mixture just slightly boils.  Begin adding the shredded cheese about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until melted then adding another 1/2 cup.  When all of the cheese is fully melted, pour the sauce over the macaroni.  Sprinkle with the Pepper Jack cheese, then top with the panko crumbs.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are just a bit crispy.  Serve with Southern Baked Cornflake Chicken Drumsticks.  Enjoy!!

Jamaican Beans and Rice

I've been trying to come up with a way to introduce my kids to black beans and this was a great start.  The rice is not spicy, but has a great blend of flavors, plus a healthy portion of black beans.

We served these Jamaican Beans and Rice with Caribbean Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Kabobs, with some extra grilled pineapple on the side as dessert.

1 TB  Olive Oil
1 TB  Butter
1 cup  Jasmati Rice
1 small  Onion, diced
2 cups  Water or Chicken Broth
1 can  Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2 TB  Ketchup
2 tsp  Frank's Hot Sauce
2 tsp  Caribbean Jerk Seasoning (same rub used on the Caribbean Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Kabobs)

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, butter and onion over medium heat until the butter melts.  Add the rice and sauté until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, stir and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

Baked Corn Pudding

For those occasions when you need a last minute potluck dish or an easy side dish for dinner, this will be your Go To recipe.  Simple, delish comfort food that can be served hot or cold;  this dish can also be easily doubled. 

Thank you to my nephew John and his wife Alicia for this yummy recipe and for inviting us over to their visit farm in paradise. Good food, good company and a beautiful day at John's farm/zoo.

1 can  Whole Kernel Corn, undrained

1 can  Creamed Corn

1 box  Corn Muffin Mix (Jiffy)

1 cup  Sour Cream

1  Egg, beaten

Spray bottom of a 9 x 9 casserole dish for a single batch, (or 13x9 for double batch)  with nonstick spray or coat the bottom of pan with butter.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to blend.  Add the beaten egg and stir.  Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 60-65min.

**Note:  I want to try this with diced green chilies or even jalapenos for an added zing, although the original recipe is tough to beat.  The possibilities for this one are endless!

Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is quite versatile and can be made with regular or whole wheat pasta.  We have tried it many ways over the years and it's always a hit in the summertme. You can also mix and match the veggies with what you have on hand, such as adding blanched broccoli or asparagus.

1 lb Pasta (Use bow ties, penne, rotini, fusilli or shells;  regular or whole wheat)
1/2 lb Thick Cut Bacon, cut into small pieces
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
6 - 8 Radishes, cleaned and thinly sliced
3  Hard-Boiled Eggs, chopped
1  16 oz bottle  Parmesan Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, chilled (or use caesar, buttermilk ranch, another favorite; vinaigrette flavors work great)
2 Green Onions, finely chopped

Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions, cooking until just al dente.  You don't want the pasta fully cooked or mushy.

Drain the pasta in a colander and allow to cool; return the pot to the stove.  Add the bacon to the pot and cook until slightly crisp. Drain the bacon pieces on a paper towel and let cool.

Add the cooled pasta and bacon to a large bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients.  Combine gently with a spatula, sprinkle with a handful of fresh chopped green onions and chill 1 hour before serving.

Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise

When you were little and your parents told you fish was brain food, they were right! Recent studies show that people who eat fish at least once a week have a lowered risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.  This is a delicious high-protein meal packed with healthy veggies and a light dressing.

1 lb fresh Tuna Steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1⁄3 cup White Wine Vinegar
2 TB Drained Capers
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Dijon-Style Mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 lb Small Red Potatoes
8 oz Green Beans, trimmed
1/2 cup Red Onion, cut into wedges (1 medium onion)
2 small heads Boston or Bibb (butter) lettuce, rinsed and cored
8 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
3 Hard-Booked organic eggs
1/3 cup Niçoise Olives or Pitted Kalamata Olives

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Set fish aside.

Prepare Caper Vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, drained capers, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Cover and shake well. Remove 1⁄3 cup to use as marinade. Cover remaining vinaigrette and set aside.

Place fish in a shallow dish; drizzle with the 1⁄3 cup vinaigrette. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, peel a strip around the center of each potato; place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add green beans; simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until potatoes and beans are tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Set aside.

Drain fish, reserving marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill fish on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, carefully turning and brushing with marinade halfway through grilling. If desired, place onion wedges and cooked potatoes on grill for the last half of grill time. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Discard any remaining marinade.

Using 2 forks, flake the tuna into pieces. Cut eggs into halves. Line a serving platter or individual plates with lettuce leaves. Arrange fish, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onion, eggs and olives on lettuce. Drizzle with remaining Caper Vinaigrette.

Makes 4 servings.

Light Confetti Slaw

2/3 cup Light Mayonnaise
2/3 cup Light Sour Cream
1/4 cup Fresh Dill, finely chopped
3 TB Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Medium Head Green Cabbage, cored & finely shredded (about 6 cups)
1 Red Bell Pepper, cored and diced
1 Green Bell Pepper, cored and Diced
1 Yellow Pepper, cored and diced
5 large Carots, trimmed, peeled, and coarsely grated

In a large bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, dill, lemon juice, pepper, salt and sugar; stir to blend well.

Stir in cabbage, peppers and carrots. Stir to coat and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours or overnight for best results. Serve chilled.

Sweet & Spicy Asian Slaw

1 (16 oz) bag Coleslaw Mix
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced thin
4 Scallions, sliced thin
1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup Fresh Mint, chopped
1/2 cup Roasted Peanuts, chopped

Dressing

5 TB Lime Juice
2 1/2 TB Fish Sauce
3 TB Sugar
3 TB Rice Vinegar
1 TB Grated Fresh Ginger
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Salt

For the salad, combine coleslaw mix, bell pepper, cucumber scallions, cilantro, mint and peanuts in a large bowl.

For the dressing, combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, ginger and cayenne in medium glass bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt. Serves 4-6. Use within 2 days.

Perfect Pasta Salad

Mix and match ingredients you have on hand to create a unique and fun pasta salad.

To make your pasta salad a meal, add cooked and cubed chicken, ham, bacon or turkey.

Pasta  - 4 - 5 cups cooked and cooled;  Choose shapes that will hold onto the dressing such as penne, rotini, bow tie, etc.

Vegetables - 3 cups cubed/diced;  Add color, crunch and flavor with thinly sliced radishes, seeded and cubed cucumber, tiny broccoli florettes or grated carrot

Cheese  - 3 - 4 oz shredded;  A sprinkle of Parmesan or Romano can add lots of flavor or use grated cheddar or a 6-cheese Italian blend

Dressing   - 3/4 to 1 cup salad dressing;  Change up the flavor of each salad by choosing a Balsamic Vinegrette, Caesar (creamy or vinaigrette) or even a basic ranch-style dressing

Herbs  -  1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped;  Choose basil, parlsye, cilantro, chives or whatever you have on hand

Extras  -  1 chopped Avocado,  1 cup drained/rinsed Beans,  1/4 cup chopped Olives,  1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped cooked Bacon;   Add chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped olives, leftover chicken or turkey, or anything else that will tie in with the flavors of your dinner.

Mimosa Salad with Orange Honey-Mustard Dressing

This is a great salad to serve for a summer brunch.  It looks very elegant but is quite easy to assemble.

5 oz Black Walnuts
8 oz Mixed Salad Greens, washed
11 oz can Mandarin Orange Segments, drained
7 oz can Hearts of Palm, thinly sliced
6 oz Fontina Cheese, finely shredded
1 cup Orange Honey-Mustard Dressing (see receipe below)

Place walnuts on a cookie sheet and place in oven at 375 degrees, lightly toasting for about 4 - 5 minutes. Let toasted walnuts cool to room temperature. In a salad bowl, toss salad greens, Mandarin oranges, hearts of palm and walnuts. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and serve with Orange Honey-Mustard Dressing on the side.

Serves 4.

Orange Honey-Mustard Dressing

1/2 cup Deli Style Mustard
3/4 cup Honey
9 oz can Mandarin Orange Segments, drained
1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise

Place all ingredients, except mayo, in a blender. Puree until orange segments are no longer in large chunks. Fold puree into mayo until thoroughly blended.  Maps 3 cups Dressing

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup White Vinegar
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Sugar
2 TB Corn Syrup
2 TB Parmesan Cheese
2 TB Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt - or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Olive Garden Salad Mix

Mix all ingredients in blender. If the dressing is a little too tart, add a bit more sugar. Serve over the Olive Garden Salad Mix, recipe follows.

1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
4-5 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
2-4 Banana Peppers
1 cup large Croutons
1 small Tomato Quartered
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Chill a large salad bowl for at least 30 minutes. Pour bag of salad in bowl and top with red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.  Serves 4

Quinoa Salad

Purchase quinoa at most major supermarkets or any natural foods store.

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used a little less than 1/8 c)
1 tsp Minced Garlic 
1 small Shallot, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded, chopped
4 Sun-Dried Tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Curry Powder
1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
1 cup Water (maybe more if needed)
1 small Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 TB finely Chopped Cilantro
1 TB Fresh Lime Juice
12 Endive Leaves
Sea Salt

Pour the uncooked quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve; rinse and drain. (This helps remove some slight natural bitterness from the grains). In a small saucepan, add quinoa and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, and cover until all of the water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. (If the water has evaporated before the quinoa is cooked, just add a bit more.) The quinoa will be done when the grains have turned partially white, and the spiral-like germ of the grain is visible. They should maintain a slight crunch when eaten. This will yield about 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.

In a small skillet, sauté garlic and shallots in olive oil over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add the jalapeno and curry powder; heat another 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Place in a bowl, and add cooked quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Toss to coat well. Serve in endive leaves or eat on its own.  Makes 4 side or 2 main servings.