Recipe Monday - Salsa Salad Mix

This was amazing. I used it as a side dish for enchiladas the other week. It's really simple, too.

1 can black beans
1 can corn
2 fresh diced tomatoes
2 avocados
1 small onion
lime juice
garlic
salt
pepper

Cut up anything that needs to be cut. Mix it all together. Refrigerate for an hour.

DONE.








 

Sweet Potato Pecan Hash - Guest Post

Sarah Tormey over at The Answer Is Garlic was kind enough to give me a smashing fall recipe just in time for the autumn weather!

...

As we creep further into October and the weather starts to cool, I start to crave not only eating but cooking heartier foods. Stews, roasts, casseroles, and root vegetables. As much as I like pumpkin pie and butternut squash soup, sometimes I want a good side that makes me think of fall. This hash fits the bill, and it's a double duty recipe because I also love it for breakfast, with some eggs and some thin pan fried pork chops.

It's just a few simple ingredients, but they are all so flavorful and blend so well together, and it's satisfying in a way that regular potatoes (which I LOVE, don't get me wrong) aren't always able to be. They're just heartier, somehow.

I start with a few good sized sweet potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and cut into 1-inch size chunks. They don't have to be perfect or uniform. Rustic is fine for hash.

I par-boil the sweet potatoes until they are a bit soft, but still hold their shape. While those are working, I start the pecans toasting.

Onions, garlic, and sage are next. I like them nice and soft and caramelized in yummy butter and olive oil.

K checks my onion chopping skills

I check on my little sous chefs...

D is annoyed he's not already eating

K is drawing, he stayed home sick and has been taking it easy today

Now that the potatoes are par-cooked, I drain and add to the onion mixture.

I also like to add a little fresh nutmeg here, and then chop the nuts and fold them in.

And it's as simple as that! I stir to combine all the flavors, add another pat of butter to bring it all together, let it simmer for a few minutes, and top with some chopped sage.

My sues chef approves!

Sweet Potato Pecan Hash
2-3 large sweet potatoes, around 3 pounds
1 large red onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup pecans
5 TB butter, divided
2 TB olive oil
small bunch of fresh sage
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Preparation
Peel and rinse the sweet potatoes. Chop into 1 inch large chunks. Put in a heavy bottomed skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and par-boil until they just start to get tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, toast the pecans in a dry skillet or cast iron pan, on low. Give the pan a shake every few minutes. Toast 8-10 minutes, until you just start to smell them. Keep a close eye on them, once they start to toast they will burn quickly. Pull off the heat and set aside to cool.

Melt 4 TB  butter and 2 TB olive oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron). Chop red onion and garlic and add to the skillet. Add in about 3/4 of a small bunch of sage, 8-10 leaves, finely chopped. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add in the cooked sweet potato, fold to combine. Add freshly grated nutmeg to taste (if you don't have fresh nutmeg, pre-grated is fine, about 1/4 teaspoon). Roughly chop the pecans and fold in. Add the last pat of butter and stir to combine, cooking until all the flavors meld, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with the last bit of chopped sage. Serve with any grilled or roasted meat and veggie (shown here with roasted chicken and sauteed green beans), or with eggs for a great breakfast.

 

Recipe Monday - Strawberry Avocado Salad

The honey-lemon vinaigrette makes this dish almost irresistible. The sauce was even good on the fish I served with the salad!

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges
8 ounces strawberries, halved

PREPARATION
1. Whisk the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper together.
2. Arrange the avocados and strawberries on 6 salad plates.
3. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the fruit salad. Serve immediately.


Originally from TheDailyGreen.com



 

Recipe Monday - Cheesy Tomato Slices

Today I'm coordinating a huge project on Facebook. If you support women's rights in Texas, wear orange, snap a pic of your self, and post it publicly on Facebook with the hashtag #fordarlena

I am collecting these for an epic slice of life tomorrow! We can really make a statement if we all pitch in!

Anyway, while I'm doing that, here's one of the best ever recipes I've discovered this summer.

Okay, I know it looks like a pinterest fail, but bear with me. These are the most delicious things you will ever put in your mouth, I swear.

1/2 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese blend
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 large tomatoes

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.
Cut each tomato into five slices.
Spread each with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Broil 3 in. from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until cheese mixture is golden brown and tomatoes are heated through.

Yield: 20 appetizers.

TRY THIS YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY.


 

Recipe Monday - Zucchini Avocado Salad

We're experimenting with vegetable sides over here, to great success. Here's my first attempt, a zucchini avocado salad everyone loved.

2 cups zucchini, cubed and lightly steamed
1 haas avocado, peeled, pitted,and cubed
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
salt

Combine all ingredients
Cover and chill at least one hour

That's it! Delicious!


 

Recipe - Creamy Shrimp Tomato Bisque

I have been using this recipe for years, courtesy of my friend Audrey. I'm crap at taking pictures, so this is as good as it gets, photowise, but the ease makes up for that. Perfect if you're making sandwiches and want a little something extra.

1 can (10 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (10 oz) milk or cream
1 can of shrimp (you can also cook up your own shrimp)
1 can crabmeat (I skip this part)
cheese (she uses a cheddar mix, I believe, but I tried parmesan this time and it was amazing.)


Throw everything but the cheese in a pot on medium heat and stir until creamy. Ladle out. Add generous cheese on top.

THE END.




 

Recipe Monday - Some Holiday Sides

I made some really easy sides the other day for Christmas dinner. Now, these won't be winning any awards for the "from-scratchiest-bestest-hardest-ever" category, but if you've only got 30 minutes and you need something to bring to a dinner party, they are delicious.

Candied Yams:

I went right for the canned yams with this one. My mom does it from sweet potatoes proper, but I'm just not at that level right  now.

Large can of sweet potatoes / yams in syrup, drained
cup of mini marshmallows
2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of melted butter

Mash the yams and melted butter together in a big bowl.

Add the sugar and spices, and 1/2 cup of marshmallows.

Spread in a casserole dish (I used a pie pan)

Spread the remaining marshmallows on top.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350, or until the top marshmallows are golden brown and puffy.



Green Bean Casserole:

I used real green beans for this, but I'm sure you could use canned.

Four to six cups of green beans (steamed)
can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper
cup of French fried onions.

Mix green beans, milk and cream of mushroom soup in a big bowl. Add 1/2 cup onions and spices and stir well.

Pour into 8x8 casserole dish and spread the remaining onions on top.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350.





 

Guest Post - Andouille Dirty Rice Dressing

I am so pleased to be here today and share one of my favorite Cajun recipes on my friend Darlena’s incredible blog, Tales of an Unlikely Mother. Please, let me introduce myself: I’m Jessica, the girl behind the Cajunlicious blog. When Darlena asked me if I would like to do a guest post on a Cajun twist to a Thanksgiving Day side I knew this would make the perfect side dish for anyone’s Thanksgiving menu.

If you are not familiar with Cajun food, here is a little history.

Cajun cuisine (in French: Cuisine Acadienne) An authentic Cajun meal is usually a three-pot event, with one pot devoted to the main dish, one dedicated to rice, cornbread, or another grain dish, and the third containing a vegetable. The food is regularly spicy and typically makes use of regionally abundant provisions such as seafood, wild game, and rice. Most Cajun dishes begin with trinity, which provides the distinctive flavoring of specific dishes.

To read more about Cajun Culture click here

So, without further ado, I give you my Andouille Dirty Rice Dressing

Traditional dirty rice is made from Boiled Cajun Rice cooked with small pieces of chicken giblets, which give it a “dirty” color and a distinctive flavor, but I love the flavor that Andouille sausage adds to any meal and this side is always on my table for all holidays.

You will need

1-cup long grain white basmati rice

Chicken stock

8 ounces of Andouille sausage, diced

1 & 1/2 cups trinity

3 white mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

Tabasco pepper vinegar, to taste

Crystal hot sauce, to taste

Cajun seasoning blend

To make the Cajun seasoning blend mix salt, pepper, parsley, granulated garlic, onion powder, cayenne powder, and a pinch of dried thyme. Mix well and adjust to your liking.

For the rice

Rinse rice 2 times with a strainer to remove extra starch. Place rice in a saucepan and add 1 ½ cups chicken stock, 2 bay leaves, 1-teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Place saucepan (uncovered) over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let the stock reduce slightly below the rice. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

For the Dirty Part

Sauté the andouille on medium high heat to brown. Once browned and slightly crisp lower the heat to medium and render the fat.

Remove andouille with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Sauté the trinity in the rendered fat until soft and add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the seasoning mixture and stir.

Add 2/3 cup chicken stock and 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco pepper vinegar and deglaze the pan scrapping up any brown bits. Add the amount of hot sauce you like to season while the cooking in finishing.

Add the andouille and rice. Cook until liquid is absorbed.

View my post about perfect Boiled Cajun Rice.

Thank you so much Darlena for inviting me to guest post with you today, it truly is an honor!

Have a happy, safe, and yummy Thanksgiving everyone!