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Sweet Potato Baked Fries
Sweet Potato Baked Fries We have been obsessed with Sweet Potato Fries as of late. We may be single handedly keeping the Sweet Potato farmers association afloat. Previously, I was not a Sweet Potato fan. I endured them. However, I have had a change of heart! These fries are delicious and so incredibly simple to make. I recommend serving them with a little spicy barbeque to offset the sweet flavor that is inherent in these gorgeous little Sweet Potato Fries. BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES (Serves 2) 2 organic sweet potatoes - cut into French fries Olive oil Sea salt, pepper and jalapeño powder to taste Preheat oven to 350°. On a baking sheet lined with a non-stick baking mat toss fries and a drizzle of olive oil (use sparingly or they won’t crisp up). Arrange fries in a single layer. Dust with salt, pepper and jalapeño powder. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°, flip once and continue to cook for up to 15 more minutes. Be careful not to let them burn….yes, learn from my mistake.
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Rhubarb Blackberry Crumble
This particular rhubarb Crumble is special for two reasons. The first is, it also contains Marion Blackberries which are absolutely incredible with Rhubarb. Although I think Rhubarb is a standalone delicacy needing no additional accompaniments. You see I was a pretty fortunate kid. I had the opportunity to visit my grandmother (affectionately known as Raisin) in the Central Coast of California. What made me even more fortunate is that she has a fabulous Meyer Lemon tree and a patch of rhubarb that we would use to make sauce, rhubarb custard pie (family recipe that is divine), and other tasty treats. This brings me to the second reason that that rhubarb crumble is so special, today happens to be Mother’s Day. While I am not fortunate to be with any of the women in my life that helped me become me, I can bake a tasty treat that will remind me of our good times together. Not only do I have a grandmother (Raisin) that I adore, but I have a wonderful mother, mother-in-law, aunts, sister-in-law, cousins, and numerous friends that have filled so many roles for me in my life. From these extraordinary women I have inherited my sense of humor, cooking skills, fashion sense, and resistance to being anything other than myself. (You will notice that athletic ability has been omitted from the list. This was intentional and not an oversight.) My life story could never be told without each and every one of my family, and friends that are just like family to me. My heart would never have been complete without each and every one of them. There are hardly enough words to express my gratitude for these incredible, powerful, strong, beautiful women. Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and all the grandmas, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, and friends out there! This recipe was adapted from a recipe on the back of Stahlbush Island Farms frozen rhubarb. I have adapted the recipe a bit for my own personal preference and I encourage you to do the same. Crumbles are incredibly forgiving, and come together quickly. If you are looking for some more easy dessert ideas look no further! RHUBARB BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE (1-10” pie) 10 ounces rhubarb, frozen10 ounces blackberries, frozen (could use any kind of berry)1 stick (1/2 cup) pastured butter, slightly softened1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour1 cup + 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar1 teaspoon flax seed powder½ teaspoon cinnamon1/2 cup old fashioned oats Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour frozen rhubarb and berries into 10” glass pie pan or 9” baking dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons sugar over berries and rhubarb and toss together until slightly blended. For crumble topping: In separate mixing bowl, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, falx seed powder, cinnamon and butter. Using a pastry cutter or fork, mash butter into flour and sugar until pea-size crumbs form. Stir in oats. Spread crumbly toppings over rhubarb and berries. Cover edge of the pan with a foil strip to prevent crust from becoming too dark. Bake for 50 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling.
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Hot ‘n Spicy Popcorn
I’ll never forget popcorn night as a child as the tiny kernels would magically transform into white fluffy goodness. As an adult a fantastic friend, who happened to be my boss at the time would make popcorn at work as a much needed respite to the day. She single handedly rekindled my love of popcorn. Let me make this clear, the stuff that comes in a little bag, and is stained with food coloring is not popcorn. Not even close. Popcorn is a whole grain too, and when you make it from scratch you can control what is put on it. The closer you are to the source of your food the better! Looking for more snack ideas? Look no further! Now I would like to share with you my recipe for… HOT ‘N SPICY POPCORN (Enough to share for 2 people…if you want) 1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup popcorn kernels (try to find no GMO labeled corn kernels)2 tablespoons melted pastured butter1 clove garlic – minced¼ teaspoon jalapeño powder – or some other hot goodnesssalt & pepper to taste Over medium heat place the olive oil in a large sauce pan, that has a tight fitting lid (glass lid preferably). To the oil add 3 kernels of corn. Now sit back, relax and listen for those kernels to pop to perfection. When you hear one pop add the rest of the popcorn. As the kernels begin to do their thing, shake occasionally to prevent burning. You will know the popcorn is done when the pops have all but stopped. In the meantime mix the butter, garlic, and jalapeño powder in a small bowl. When the popcorn is done, transfer it to a large enough bowl to hold all the popcorn goodness, and then drizzle the butter mixture over your popcorn. Eat quickly before someone else does.
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Flax Berry Power Pancakes – Whole Wheat Pancakes
Not being much of a breakfast food person I typically stick to cereal (hot or cold). The trouble here is that breakfast foods are my husband’s absolute favorite. It is not that I’m overtly trying to avoid his favorite foods. I just don’t typically think about sausage and eggs, pancakes etc. So, for two glorious days I cooked a nice big breakfast. Day 1 we had these wonderful little whole wheat pancakes. I was sure they were going to be dense, but to my dismay they were light and fluffy. Day 2 we served up some left over St. Patrick’s Day favorites in the form of corned beef hash. Today I’ll be sharing my recipe for these wonderful little whole wheat pancakes from scratch that are surprisingly good, if not great! I loved them! And I was pleasantly surprised how long it took for me to become hungry. I typically find myself crashing and burning with these sorts of breakfast treats (maybe it only tastes like a treat). Looking for more breakfast ideas? Look no further click here! FLAX BERRY POWER PANCAKES - WHOLE WHEAT PANCAKES (SERVES 2) DRY 1 cup whole wheat flour1 tablespoon raw sugar2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon cinnamon½ teaspoon flax seed – ground (grinding it means that your body will receive the nutrients) WET 3/4 cup milk1/2 cup yogurt1 egg1 tablespoon oil1 teaspoon vanilla½ cup frozen berries + more to mix with syrup Mix all of your dry ingredients together and set aside. In a separate bowl mix all of your wet ingredients accept the frozen berries (they will come into play in a minute). Start to add the dry mixture to the wet until they are well combined. Add the frozen berries by gently folding them into the mixture, crushing them will turn you batter blue and pink. On a well oiled hot skillet add the batter in ¼ cup scoops. When the pancake bubbles and is done on the edges it is time to flip them. Allow them to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until they are golden brown. While the whole wheat pancakes are cooking I like to heat syrup with some berries in a small sauce pan. This will allow you to cut down on how much syrup you use and will give you some more berry goodness. Enjoy piping hot with some coffee and a good book.
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Winter Micro Green Salad with Spicy-Sweet Dressing
Oh the doldrums of winter have been broken by this bright and flavorful salad. The ingredients were sourced locally from a grocer that maintains hoop houses throughout the winter. This allows us to have beautiful micro greens on which to place our gorgeous Chioggia Beets, and dug out of the ground that day Carrots (I watched them do this – so I know it’s true!). According to my Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog the Chioggia beet is: A pre-1840 Italian heirloom beet, this variety arrived in the USA prior to 1865. They have light red skin and beautiful rings inside, like red and white candy stripes. The flesh is very tender, mild, and sweet. Named after a fishing town in Italy. I was lucky enough to spend a few days in San Diego where I was reminded how easy it use to be to find fantastic produce. I have to look a little further nowadays but it is truly worth the effort and cost. Our grocery budget is by far our biggest expense. That’s ok. I’d rather spend more on real food than less on the fake stuff. WINTER MICRO GREEN SALAD (serves 2 as a side) DRESSING 2 tablespoons shallots – thinly sliced1 tablespoon local honey¼ teaspoon chili garlic sauce – this is the spicy part and is optional½ teaspoon sesame seeds – toasted½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar1 teaspoon oil – olive, veggie, etc SALAD 2 small handfuls micro greens1 small beet – julienne1 large carrot – julienne DIRECTIONS In a small bowl combine all dressing ingredients, stir, set aside. On two small plates equally divide micro greens, beets, and carrots. Then dress the salads to your liking and enjoy!
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Winter Chop Salad
With New Year’s Resolutions and all that jazz I thought I’d share a meal that exemplifies the resolutions in my house this year. They resolutions are simple: be in the best health of our lives. Have you watched the movie Food, Inc. yet? Yeah, we watched that last week and it reaffirmed our passion for all things local, seasonal, and pastured animal products. The reasons for this: it tastes BETTER, minimally process sing, casts a vote for real food, and doesn’t contain subsidized corn and soy products. I feel better now…phew… Happy New Year!!! WINTER CHOP SALAD (SERVES 2) DRESSING 1-½ teaspoon local honey¼ teaspoon garlic chili sauce (only if you like spicy)½ teaspoon sesame seeds¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar1 teaspoon oil – veggie, olive, etc. SALAD 2 cups green cabbage – shredded2 small beets – peeled, julienne½ cup carrots – julienne1 pastured chicken breast – cooked, and chilled (cook an extra breast the night before for lunches the next day)2 tablespoons cooked wheat berries – only if you have some leftover! 2 tablespoons shallots – sliced thinly, rings separated DIRECTIONS For the dressing; mix the honey, chili sauce, sesame seeds, vinegar, and oil together in a small bowl and set aside. Divide the following between two plates: cabbage, beets, carrots, chicken, winter wheat, and shallots. Pour dressing over the top and enjoy!
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Magnificent Meyer (Lemon) Marmalade
As you can see Meyer Lemons are the featured fruit for this miraculous marmalade. Don’t like marmalade you say? Well, you probably won’t care for this. It still has all that wonderful bitterness of any good marmalade except made from divine Meyer Lemons. Perhaps you are wondering how a girl in IL could get her hands on lovely Meyer Lemons? I’ll tell you how this came to be. See I have an aunt that made sure she hauled some lemons that she picked in my grandma’s (Raisin) back yard when she came home for Thanksgiving. I labored over how to preserve the lemons in a way fitting to their wonderfulness. I realize there are some people in the world that would just assume that Meyer Lemons are just like the waxy, fluorescent, picked to early lemons that are trucked in from FL. Well you see this just isn’t the case. They are a thin skinned, super juicy, slightly sweeter version, with a hint of orange, little lemon. I’m wishing everyone a bright, festive, and glittery Christmas. Cheers to 2010! It’s going to be a good one! MAGNIFICENT MEYER MARMALADE (MAKES 6-8 ½ PINTS) Recipe for Meyer Lemon Marmalade reproduced from Simply Recipes. Complete with step by step photos that are really fantastic. GREAT step by step for a canning newbie like myself. Ingredients 2 1/2 lbs of Meyer lemons (about 9 lemons)6 cups water6 cups granulated sugar Note that the proportion of lemon segments to water to sugar is 1:1:1. So if you don't have a kitchen scale and don't weigh your lemons to begin with, as you proceed through this recipe keep in mind these proportions. Your 2 1/2 lbs of lemons should yield 6 cups of chopped lemon. 6 cups of chopped lemon will be cooked first with 6 cups of water, and then later 6 cups of sugar are added. You can also do this recipe with 4 cups of chopped lemons, 4 cups of water, and 4 cups of sugar. Do not double the recipe. Do not reduce the sugar (if you want a reduced sugar recipe, use a different recipe); the sugar is needed for the jelly to set. Equipment needed 1 wide 6 or 8-quart pan (Stainless steel or copper with stainless steel lining, not aluminum which will leach)A sharp chef's knifeA candy thermometer6 half-pint (8-oz) canning jarsCheesecloth, enough to double over and form a bag to hold the seeds for making pectin, or a Muslin jelly bag Method Preparing the fruit 1 Scrub the lemons clean. Discard any that are moldy or damaged. 2 Prepare the lemons. Cut 1/4 inch off from the ends of the lemons. Working one at a time, stand a lemon on end. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise. Cut each lemon half into several segments, lengthwise. As you cut the lemons into segments, if you can, pull off any exposed membranes. Just get the ones that are easy to get to, ignore the rest. When you've cut down to the final segment, cut away the pithy core. Remove all seeds from the segments. Reserve the seeds and any removed membrane or pith. You will need them to make pectin. Cut each lemon segment crosswise into even pieces to make little triangles of lemon peel and pulp. 3 Put all of the seeds, membranes and pith you removed from the lemons into a bag fashioned out of two layers of cheesecloth or a muslin jelly bag. First stage of cooking 4 Place the lemon segments and water into a large, wide pot. 5 Place the pectin bag in the pot with the fruit pulp and secure to the pot handle. 6 Bring mixture to a medium boil on medium high heat. Let boil, uncovered, for about 25-35 minutes, until the peels are soft and cooked through. Test one of the lemon peel pieces by eating it. It should be soft. If it is still chewy, keep cooking until soft. Remove from heat. 7 Remove the pectin bag, place the pectin bag in a bowl and let cool until it is comfortable to touch. Add the pectin and sugar 8 Once your pectin bag has cooled to the point you can handle it, if you want, squeeze it like play-doh to extract any extra pectin. This is not necessary but will help ensure a good set. (I like to wear latex-type gloves for this part.) You should be able to get a tablespoon or two more from the bag. It has the consistency of sour cream. Return this pectin to the pan with the lemon mixture. 9 Measure out your sugar and add it to the pan with the lemon mixture. Second stage of cooking 10 Heat the jelly mixture on medium high and bring it to a rapid boil. Secure a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. The marmalade may take anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes or so to be ready to pour out. After about 15 minutes, start checking it frequently. 11 There are two ways to test that the marmalade is ready to pour out into jars - the mixture reaching a temperature of 220-222°F (8-10°F above the boiling point at your altitude) and a bit of it put on a chilled plate "wrinkling up" when you push it with your finger tip. I do both. For the wrinkle test, put several small plates into the freezer. As the jelly temperature reaches 218°F, start testing it by placing a small amount of the hot jelly on a chilled plate. If the jelly spreads out and thins immediately, it isn't ready. If it holds its shape a bit, like an egg yolk, that's a good sign. Push up against it with your finger tip. If the jelly sample wrinkles at all, it is time to take the jelly off the heat and pour it out into jars. When you use a candy thermometer to test the temperature of your mixture, make sure the probe is NOT touching the bottom of the pan. Make sure that the indentation on the probe (with modern candy thermometers this is about an inch and a half from the bottom of the probe) is actually surrounded by the mixture. This may mean that you have to tilt the pan to one side, to cover the probe sufficiently to get a good reading. Canning 12 While the marmalade is in its second cooking stage, rinse out your canning jars, dry them, and place them, without lids, in a 200°F oven. They should be in the oven at least 10 minutes before using them. 13 As the time approaches for the marmalade to be done, boil some water in a tea pot. Put the jar lids in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour the boiling water over them to sterilize. 14 Once the jelly has reached 220°F or its "wrinkly" stage, remove the jelly pot from the heat. Carefully ladle the jelly into the jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4 inch head space at the top of the jars for a vacuum seal. Wipe the rim clean with a clean, wet paper towel. Place the lid on the jar, securing with a jar ring. Work quickly. 15 Allow the jars to sit overnight. You will hear them make a popping sound as a vacuum seal is created. Even if the jelly is not firm as it goes into the jar (it shouldn't be), it should firm up as it cools.
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Whole Wheat Pita
I’ve never attempted to make pita bread. No, not once. Those little pockets are pretty intimidating! Especially for a girl that is a little afraid of bread since it is so temperamental. Learning the new steps, and asking “how many times does this have to rise?” only made the experience more fun and rewarding. These were a stretch for me but I enjoyed them immensely as piping hot pita dipped in homemade Tzatziki sauce. These are a bit time consuming so whip them up on the weekend to take to work during the week. WHOLE WHEAT PITAS – original recipe taken from Confections of a Foodie Bride and copied here. 1 package active dry yeast 1 tablespoon honey 1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F) 1 1/2 cups bread flour or high-gluten flour, plus additional for kneading 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp salt cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheets Stir together yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) While yeast mixture stands, stir together flours in another bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup flour mixture into yeast mixture until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Stir in oil, salt, remaining 3/4 cup warm water, and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour mixture until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, working in just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Set oven rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 500°F. Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round a baking sheet lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with a clean kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining pitas in same manner. Serve warm. They are as delicious as they are pretty!
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A Very Thankful Thanksgiving
It’s hard to believe it is almost time to celebrate Thanksgiving again. Spring came and went, summer breezed by, the leaves began to fall, and here we are. This year we have so much to be thankful for. We live in a country where we have so many opportunities. We can grow up to be what we want, and make our own choices when it comes to food. The opportunities to choose food are endless. We can choose to support big or small business, make our own food, or buy it prepared. In this day and age where there are so many choices remember what Thanksgiving is all about. Thanksgiving is our humble reminder of how the earth can produce exactly what we need, more perfectly than any chemist can produce in a lab. The shorter the distance from the farm to your table the better it will taste, the better you will feel. This month I celebrated my one year anniversary as a food blogger and am happy to say that it has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve met genuinely wonderful people that give freely of themselves for the new girl. Reflecting on this year and the changes that have occurred, one thing that is consistent in my life is my friends (this means family too). They continue to give me love and support and in this case share some family recipes. Last year on Just Eat Food I made my wonderful friend Marci’s Berry Sweet Potato Bake and it is a hit whenever I make it. PS she broils marshmallows on top of hers. mmmm....This year Marci has graciously shared her recipe for Cranberry Velvet Salad.Her table is sure to be filled with love, great food, and new family memories. I wish you all a happy and warm Thanksgiving.
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Sweet and Sour Slaw brought to you in Technicolor
tweetmeme_style = 'compact'; tweetmeme_source = 'justeatfood'; Do you like pickles? Like Cole Slaw? Yep, you are in the right place. This is a wonderfully tangy, sweet, tastes as good as it looks salad. The veggies are crisp and the perfect carriers for the interesting flavors that the mustard and cumin provide.This isn’t for the faint of heart. You only need a little bit to pack a punch to your lunch. Serve as a side salad to any protein main dish. There’s nothing reminiscent of a traditional holiday dish here. Or, is it a new tradition?SWEET AND SOUR SLAW IN TECHNICOLOR (YIELDS 2 CUPS) *The colors in this image have not been modified in any way. Do not attempt to adjust your monitor*1 cup apple cider vinegar½ cup sugar1 teaspoon ground mustard½ teaspoon ground cumin1 carrot – peeled, julienne1 small onion – julienne1 green zucchini – julienne1 golden beet – peeled, julienneIn a small sauce pan heat vinegar, sugar, mustard, and cumin over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 2 additional minutes. Remove liquid from heat and allow to cool completely about 30 minutes.In a 1 quart air tight container add carrot, onion, zucchini, and beet. Please note that the vegetables are raw. Allowing the liquid to cool completely will allow the vegetables to maintain their crunch. Pour liquid over vegetables and refrigerate. Stir once after about 24 hours and then enjoy after 48 hours.
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