Sweet Potatoes

TUESDAY, MAY 4TH, 2010

4 stars (out of 5 - the simplest, yet delicious, sweet potatoes!)

I don't usually like sweet potatoes, but I was inspired by my new cast-iron frying pan to purchase one and try it out. I wasn't disappointed! With the guidance of PTL, these turned out so well, and were incredibly easy.

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes (I used 1 which = 3 (very) small side dishes)
Olive oil

1. First, I peeled the sweet potatoes, and cut it into cubes.

2. I added them to a microwaveable bowl, and zapped them for 3 minutes. I had originally added these to the oven, but they weren't baking quickly enough, so I only needed to microwave them for 3 minutes. I would recommend microwaving them at 2 minute intervals, stirring after every 2 minutes. They cook very quickly, though. You want them to be just a tiny bit undercooked at this point.

3. I then heated my (new!) cast-iron frying pan, added a bit of oil, and added the sweet potatoes when it was hot.

4. I cooked over medium heat, until they were slightly burnt on some of the sides. This didn't take long with my new pan.

5. I then served them with my pork recipe: http://etryingtocook.blogspot.com/2010/05/pork-tenderloin-w-sage-parsley-crust.html

Overall, I loved these! I like the flavour my cast-iron pan added to them and the texture was great. This was a fantastic way to mix things up and I will definitely be making them again.

Green Beans

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010

3.5 stars (out of 5 - an okay, but not too exciting veggie dish - perhaps better if I don't overcook!)

I wanted to try another recipe from Pioneer Woman, and also expand my repertoire of vegetable sides (I'm always using asparagus!). SB really likes green beans, so when I saw this recipe I thought it would be perfect. It was pretty good, but because I was also making another dish (fish - see following post), I didn't plan the timing so well, and they ended up being a bit overcooked. If there was one thing I could improve right now, it would definitely be my timing of dishes (or lack thereof!). Here is the link to the original recipe: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/fresh-green-beans-one-way/

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans*
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken or veggie broth
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper

{*Note. I probably used a bit less... see picture.}

1. First, I washed the green beans and snapped the stems off.

2. I then chopped the onion fairly finely...

3. ... and the red pepper (again pretty finely).

4. I then heated up the oil and added the butter over medium-low heat.

5. When it was hot, I added the onion and the garlic, and cooked for about one minute.

6. I then added the green beans and stirred. I cooked these for about one minute (until they were bright green).

7. I added the broth and the red pepper, and stirred (salting it as needed).

8. I then turned the stove to low-medium heat, and cooked it covered (leaving it open a crack for the steam to escape)for about 30 minutes (to your liking).

Final product (slightly overcooked)

Overall, I enjoyed the green beans, but would keep a better eye on them so that they don't overcook. They're not too terribly exciting, but I guess it's a nice alternative to my regular ol' asparagus. I'll make them again and try to get the timing better.

Zucchini Stuffed w/ White Bean Pesto (Slow Cooked)

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, 2010

4 stars (out of 5 - simple, delicious, no-stress side dish!)

I decided to try a recipe out of my new Vegetarian Slow-Cooker book (thanks, PTL!) to make part of our Valentine's Day dinner (SB making the other part). This recipe appealed to me because it seemed very simple (I am not up for anything complex on my weekends!) and I could make it a few hours ahead of time, and then relax. This is a delicious side dish, that I would definitely recommend.

Ingredients:

4 small-medium zucchinis*
2 tbsp olive oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped coarsely
1-1.5 large garlic clove, pressed
1/4 - 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 (small) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

{Note. The number of zucchinis depends on how many you can fit in your slow-cooker!}

1. First, I prepared the zucchinis by hollowing them out with a small spoon. Keep the pulp and chop it up.

2. I then added 1 tbsp of the olive oil to a sauce pan, and heated it over medium heat. When it was warm, I added the zucchini pulp, garlic, and green onions. I also added some salt and pepper. I covered and cooked for about 10 minutes, just softening everything up.

3. As the veggies were cooking, I toasted the pine nuts over medium heat for about 4 minutes (watch them, they burn fast!).

4. I also prepared the parsley, basil, tomato, and rinsed the beans. So little stress!

5. After the zucchini/green onion/garlic combo had cooked for 10 minutes, I added the beans, pine nuts, tomatoe, and fresh herbs...

6. ... and stirred everything very well.

7. I then scooped the veggie-bean mixture into the zucchinis. There was enough to fill 4 halves, but my slow-cooker could only fit three :(

8. I placed the zucchini in a lightly oiled slow cooker, drizzled a bit of olive oil over them, and switch it on "Low" for about 3 hours. I put them on for a bit more than 3 hours and they were slightly overcooked. I would even bet that 2 hours would be good enough.

Overall, these were pretty delicious, and very low stress. I actually really liked the veggie filling on its own. I think the slow-cooker was ideal for this recipe, as it cooked the zucchini without drying everything out. I would definitely make this again, but cook them for a bit less time. I would also prefer if I could fit one more in my slow-cooker in case we have a couple of people over for dinner.

Caramelized Mushroom & Onion Mashed Potatoes with Green Bean Side

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2009

5 stars (out of 5 - excellent twist on mashed potatoes!)

My sister visited last September and she honoured us with this recipe for mashed potatoes. I was a little hesitant at first, given my dislike of mushrooms, but we ended up asking her to make this for us at least 2 times during the week!! Sooo good!

Ingredients for Potatoes:

1.5-2 potatoes per person, peeled and cut
Milk and sour cream* (*as you like)
1 package mushrooms
1 onion
2-3 sprigs of rosemary
3 tbsp brown sugar
Butter and olive oil
Salt and pepper

Ingredients for Green Beans:

1 handful of green beans per person
Butter
Salt and pepper

1. First, we prepared the potatoes and added them to boiling water with a few sprigs of rosemary to taste.

2. As the potatoes were cooking, we prepared the mushrooms by washing and slicing them...

3. ... and dicing up the onion into large chunks.

4. We then cut up the rosemary (tip: kitchen scissors work well for this task!).

5. When the potatoes were almost ready, we melted some butter in a pan with olive oil (to prevent splashing and burning of the butter)...

6. ...and added the mushrooms...

7. ...followed by the rosemary...

8. ...and onions (the mushrooms were cooked for about 3-4 minutes longer than the onions).

9. Once the mushrooms and onions were soft, we added the brown sugar and stirred everything together.

10. We let this cook for a while, and at the end drained any excess liquid. This is what it should look like:

11. At this point, we had mashed the potatoes with the milk and/or sour cream and plenty of butter, salt and pepper. You can then either serve the mushroom mixture on top of the potatoes...

12. ... or stirred in. On top looks better, but stirred in tastes better!!

13. We served these with green beans, trimmed and boiled for 4 minutes with butter added.

14. Salt and pepper them and you have a super-easy but refreshing side dish!

The crew eating! Note that we served the mashed potatoes with the eggplant appy's (pictured at the centre of the table: http://etryingtocook.blogspot.com/2009/11/eggplant-feta-appy.html), which we used as a meat replacement for vegetarians. How versatile!

Overall, this was such a treat! A very very delicious meal that my sister showed me and that everyone loved. I love love love mashed potatoes, and this was such a great way to mix it up a bit. They were definitely the best mashed potatoes that I have ever had (and I don't even like mushrooms!). Thank you to MK and SB for helping out with this dish (and to Ash for showing it to us!). I have made these several times since her visit, and they have always turned out. I am thinking that the mushroom/onion sauce can be used to top other things, such as meat. Perhaps, I will try that in the future....

Classic Beef Dinner with Couscous & Asparagus Sides (Vegetarian Version Included)

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2009

4.5 stars (out of 5 - recommended for a quick, easy meal)

Today decided on a classic, simple dish: tournedos with asparagus and couscous sides, and a salad to boot! It has become a staple in our home (for those days when I don't feel creative or motivated enough to cook something "special").

1. We simply heated the pan, added some oil, and cooked the beef (either rare or well-done - SB likes rare). As I am heated up the pan, I started steaming the asparagus (approx. 6-7 minutes), and laid out the salad (adding cherry tomatoes and olives to each of our taste). I like to steam my asparagus until tender-crisp, then just add a bit of salt & pepper (or butter on bad days). I also added a tiny side of a couscous dish I had made on the weekend. For this dish:

1/2 box uncooked couscous
Sundried tomatoes
Sliced olives w/ oil

Lemon juice
Cherry tomatoes

Green onions
1/4 pack feta cheese


I cooked the couscous until ready, and cooled it slightly in the fridge. As it was cooking, I mixed up some sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and green onions, all diced, and the crumbled feta cheese (can leave it a bit chunky). All the amounts depend on your taste... I just sorta added as I went. The real trick was to buy really good sliced olives (kalamata) from our grocer (none of the canned stuff!), which were packed with flavour. Then, instead of mixing olive oil and lemon juice, I used the oil from the olives for extra punch.


After the couscous cooled, I added it to my mixture. I have to admit it turned out well! You can leave this in your fridge for days and snack on it, or use it as a nice side dish.


Here was SB's dinner:

2. For my vegetarian dish, I had the same sides, but I substituted the beef with some "chick'n" breasts. I buy the frozen variety from President's Choice ("World's Best Meatless Chicken Breasts"), and find they work well. I defrosted the chicken breast, coated it with bread crumbs, and stuck it in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes. I love the variety of the dishes, and the protein I get from my chick'n!