Sweet Potato Biscuits

Mmm, yum.

Okay I guess I should say more than just that.  Sweet potatoes are a delightful blend of sweet and savory, starch and veggie, angelic and naughty.  Mash them up and bake them into a biscuit, and suddenly you open up all kinds of possibilities.  Have them with a little butter and jam, or some honey, and you've got a sweet treat.  Have them with some prosciutto or ham, and you have a savory snack.

These came out fairly small, more like a soft little cookie than a biscuit, so if you want a heartier biscuit that you can do a bit more with, you might want to double the size (thereby cutting the number of biscuits in half - yes, I can do basic math!)

As with most baked goods, if not all, these biscuits are best straight out of the oven.  But you can eat them cool, too.  They're versatile like that.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

adapted from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea

makes 12-16, depending on size

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sized sweet potatoes

2/3 cup milk (I used skim)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat toaster oven (or oven) to 375.  Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife.  Let cool, then peel and coarsely chop.  Mash the sweet potatoes.  You will have a little over a cup of mashed sweet potato.

2.  After the sweet potatoes are cooled and mashed, preheat the oven to 450.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.

3.  In a medium bowl, mix sweet potato, milk, and butter.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.  Add dry ingredients to wet and stir gently to combine to a soft dough.

4.  Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet (or make them bigger if you like).  You don't need to space them out too much because they won't really spread.  Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden.

Enjoy!

Potato Cilantro Wontons

Imagine a cross between a pierogi and a wonton, and that's pretty much what these are.  They are hearty and delicious, yet come in a small enough package that you could serve them as appetizers if you so choose.  We had ours as a main course, along with a spicy salad. 

The wontons get crispy around the edges, but stay tender in the middle.  The potato filling is piping hot and filled with delicious flavor.  These are probably unlike anything you've had before, and yet the flavor is familiar and delightful.  These also make me realize I definitely need to experiment with wonton wrappers more - they are so easy to use, and make something as mundane as a potato very exciting!

If you want to live on the edge, put a little Sriracha on the side for dunking.  Yum.

Potato Cilantro Wontons

adapted from Cooking Light magazine

makes 16

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium-large baking potato, peeled and chopped

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 wonton wrappers

cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Cook potato in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until tender.  Drain.  Mash the potato and stir in the scallions, cilantro, oil, paprika, salt and pepper.

2.  Preheat oven to 375 and lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

3.  One by one, spoon about 1 tablespoon of potato filling into the center of each wonton wrapper.  Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with water, and fold it into a triangle shape (one corner across to another).  Press the edges to seal into a triangle.

4.  Place the wontons on the prepared cookie sheet and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crispy around the edges and golden on top.  

Enjoy!

Home Made Gnocchi

We loooove gnocchi in our house.  I have found a couple of reliable brands that are incredibly tasty, but I've always meant to try my hand at making them from scratch.  I made sweet potato dumplings once before, which were basically gnocchi made with sweet potatoes.    Here is a more traditional potato gnocchi, with hardly any ingredients and not too much skill required.

Once you've made these, you can lay them out on a sheet of wax paper and put them in the freezer (make sure they're not touching one another) until frozen, then put them in a freezer bag to cook later.  (Don't thaw them before cooking.)  Or you can cook them all right away.  I'd recommend lightly sauteeing them after you boil them so they crisp up a bit around the edges - I paired mine with a home made marinara straight after boiling them, and they got a bit mushy.

If you really want them to shine, dress them simply with a little home made pesto after sauteeing, and voila.

Home Made Gnocchi

adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 large russet potato (about 1 pound)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

about 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose is okay too)

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Peel the potato and cut it into evenly sized chunks.  Place in a pot and cover with cold water.  Salt it.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slighly.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until potato is very tender.  Drain.

2.  Use a potato ricer, or a masher, to finely mash the potato, eliminating any lumps.  Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add about half the flour and stir.  Your goal is to create a dough that is easy to handle.  Add a little more flour if necessary to achieve a dough-like consistency.  Try not to overdo it on the flour.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface a knead a few times to bring it together.

3.  Break off pieces of the dough and roll each one out into a long, thin rope, about 1 inch in diameter.  Use a sharp knife to cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.  Place them on wax paper, not touching, while you continue to work.  Create a gentle indentation with your thumb on each gnoccho, or press against the back of a fork to create lines.  

4.  When you're ready to cook them, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Place the gnocchi, a few at a time, into the boiling water and gently stir.  When they rise to the surface, let them cook a few more seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon.   Sautee them or sauce them as you like, but do so soon, because they don't keep long after being boiled.

Enjoy!

Almond-Turmeric Potatoes

I will never look at a potato the same way again.  This is hands down the most delicious potato side-dish I've ever had, and it's really quite easy.  If you own a mandoline slicer, break it out for this dish, otherwise you'll really be testing your knife skills.  Otherwise, though, it pretty much brings itself together.

The potatoes are super-thin and melt in your mouth, the onions are sweet and caramelized to a blissful point, and the almonds provide a nice texture contrast.  The turmeric tints everything a beautiful golden hue.  The flavors are subtle and exotic at the same time.  It's magnificent.

These potatoes go well with anything from steak to seafood, so remember to try this one out the next time you need a supporting cast on your plate.  I, for one, am planning on eating turmeric potatoes for lunch tomorrow.

Almond-Turmeric Potatoes

adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

serves 3 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

good quality extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced as thin as possible

a splash of low sodium chicken or veggie broth (about a tablespoon or so)

handful of sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Generously film olive oil over the bottom of a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Set the pan over medium-high heat.  Layer in the onion, turmeric, and some salt and pepper.  Top with the potatoes, and season with more salt and pepper.  Cook, without stirring, for about 6 minutes or so, until onion starts to soften and brown.  Don't stir, but peek under the potatoes to look for color.

2.  Add the broth and cover the pot.  Reduce heat to low.  Don't stir, but shake the pan occasionally.  Check to make sure there is still some liquid on the bottom of the pan periodically.   If needed, add some more broth.

3.  Cook for 15 minutes, or until there is a syrupy brown glaze on the bottom of the pan, the onion is coloring, and the potatoes are tender.  Remove the pan off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

4.  Taste for seasoning - add more salt if needed.  Just before serving, sprinkle with the toasted nuts.  Scoop down from the bottom to get all the glaze and onion when serving up the potatoes.

Enjoy!

Sirloin with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Steak Fries

This is a hearty, rib-sticking meal.  And yet you don't feel like you need to be rolled home afterward.  It's that typical Ellie Krieger magic.  She takes what should be heavy and heartburn-inducing and somehow makes it refreshing.  Who knew such a thing was possible?

All you need to know is that this is a delicious meal.  Beautiful sirloin steak topped with a spicy, tangy sauce, and accompanied by crisp-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside fries.  I don't think I need to say any more.

Sirloin with Grainy Mustard Sauce and Steak Fries

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

The Fries

Cooking spray

1 russet potato, scrubbed

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

salt

The Steak

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup low-sodium veggie or chicken broth

1 boneless sirloin steak, about 3/4 pound

salt to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Start the fries first.  Preheat toaster oven to 450.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Cut the potato into wedges and toss with oil.  Lay out on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and crispy on the outside.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.

2.  In a small saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.  Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in broth, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, cook the steak.  Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the steak and cook, turning only once, about 5 minutes per side or to desired doneness.  Set aside to rest and tent with foil.

4.  Add the shallot sauce to the skillet where you cooked the steak, and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Stir and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.  Stir in mustard, and season to taste with salt.

5.  Thinly slice the steak and serve topped with the sauce, alongside the fries.

Enjoy!

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins (CEIMB)

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to order in restaurants were potato skins.  Of course I'm sure I had no idea just how decadent and evil they were - the skins were probably fried, and I can't even imagine what was piled on top of them.  This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick is a fantastic healthy variation on my childhood favorite.

I decided to upgrade this to a full-sized Russett potato rather than small Idaho potatoes, to make this a meal-sized dish rather than a more appetizer-sized one.  Or maybe it was just my excuse to eat more.

These came out so well.  They taste incredible, with the salty crispy skin and the zesty creamy avocado topping.  Make mini ones for your upcoming holiday guests, or just horde them for yourself like I did.  These are way too good.

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

adapted from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 large Russett potatoes, scrubbed and dried

cooking spray

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 head of broccoli, coarsely chopped (about 2-3 cups)

2 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced

1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar

1 small avocado

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 small clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Pierce potatoes several times with a fork, wrap in paper towels, and microwave on high for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.

2.  Preheat toaster oven (or full-sized oven, if you must) to 450.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out all but 1/8 inch of the inside flesh, leaving skin intact.  Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use (see me attempt knishes later this week, unless they are disastrous and I decide not to post them).

3.  Spray inside and outside of potatoes lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt.  Place on the baking sheet, skin-side down, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until skins are crisp and edges are browned.

4.  In the meantime, prepare filling.  Steam broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high.  Add Canadian bacon and cook until crisp, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Reserve.

5.  To make avocado cream, combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.

6.  Fill potato skins with broccoli and cheese.  Reduce oven temperature to 400 and return the skins to the oven, cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Serve topped with avocado cream and bacon bits.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Potato-Kale Stew

Today I did something questionable in the kitchen, and it actually turned out pretty great.  I took a fairly elegant soup recipe and turned it into a chunky, hearty stew.  It doesn't look gorgeous, admittedly, but it tasted wonderful, and it was a remarkably satisfying bowl of yumminess.

This is a healthy, easy way to get a load of flavor into a bowl.  Potatoes, kale, and sausage are the three musketeers of soup, and everything that is good about them joins together to form a wonderful meal.  A little spicy, a little creamy, with earthy dark greens throughout - this is a winner.  And perfect for a cold evening.

Tuscan Potato-Kale Stew

adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 hot Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed

handful of sage leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

1 bunch of kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a medium-large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Add sausage and sage leaves, and use a wooden implement to break up the sausage as it cooks.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage browns and sage leaves get slightly crispy, about 4 minutes.  Scoop out the sausage and sage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2.  Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until onion softens and garlic becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for about 2 minutes, then add chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

3.  Puree the mixture carefully, using a food mill or immersion blender, or your preferred method.  Be sure to leave a good deal of texture - we don't want completely whipped potatoes here.   The mixture will be quite thick.  Return to low heat and stir in the milk and parmesan.

4.  Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and blanch the kale until bright green and somewhat tender, about 2 minutes.  Drain well, reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water.  Add the kale to the soup pot and stir.  If the soup is too thick, add the reserved kale cooking water.  Stir in reserved sausage and sage, and serve.

Enjoy!

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives (CEIMB)

 

This week for Craving Ellie in my Belly, we each were to make an Ellie dish for our Thanksgiving spread.  I chose something simple - I had offered to be in charge of potatoes, and no Thanksgiving is complete without some kind of mash.  If you like your mashed potatoes smooth and creamy, you might prefer something like this.  These, however, are a lovely rustic smash with the peels still on, the occasional chunk, and yet they still have a lovely smoothness to them.

I think we all know that the traditional topping for a baked potato is sour cream and chives.  I have never been a huge sour cream fan, but somehow when you mix it all together with the fluffy potato innards instead of letting it rest on top, I like it.  And that's exactly what this mashed potato recipe is.  You'd never even guess that there isn't a drop of butter in the recipe.   Also, it's one of the easiest side dishes ever, apart from the exercise of mashing the potatoes, but that's a great way to let out aggression!

I doubled the recipe for our group of eleven, and there was still way more than enough.  If this is your only side dish at a non-thanksgiving meal (such as bangers and mash, perhaps?) then believe the serving count as it is.

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes, large ones halved

salt

1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth, warmed

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (NOT nonfat)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to about 1 inch above the tops of the potatoes.  Salt it, cover it, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil, uncover and reduce heat slightly to medium-high.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are knife tender.  Drain.

2.  Return potatoes to the pot and add the warm broth.  Mash with a potato masher to the desired consistency - I'd recommend getting rid of any serious chunks of potato, but leaving a somewhat rustic texture.

3.  Stir in sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Leeks and Sage

Well hello, fall comfort food.  Thank you for turning up on my dinner plate.

This is such an easy dish that showcases some incredible fall flavors.  Baby fingerling potatoes, crispy and brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside?  Check.  Pungent fresh sage leaves, turned crispy after a visit to the oven?  Check.  Roasted leeks and crispy bacon to tie it all together with a power chord of flavor?  Check.

It's that simple.  And it's that good.  This sounds like a side dish, but trust me, you won't need anything else.

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Leeks and Sage

adapted from Bon Appetit

serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 strip of bacon, chopped

1 pound of baby fingerling potatoes, halved

1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped

5 or 6 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven (preferably toaster oven) to 375.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

2.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon pieces and cook until browned and crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

3.  Toss the potatoes, leek, and sage with the olive oil (and drippings from the bacon, if you like, in which case reduce the amount of oil).  Season lightly with salt and pepper, place on the baking sheet, and bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are getting evenly browned, and leeks and sage are getting crispy.

4.  Add the bacon pieces and toss everything together.  Raise oven temperature to 400 and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until everything is browned and crispy, and potatoes are tender.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ever since sweet potato fries started popping up on menus everywhere as an alternative to french fries, I've had a hard time resisting them.  It was only a matter of time before I had to try my hand at making a healthier version at home.  Here they are.

There's no fooling anyone - these don't taste "fried" - but they do taste fantastic.  Starchy and sweet and tangy and spicy, these fries will definitely satisfy your sweet potato fry itch.  Serve them with sandwiches, burgers, or just eat them on their own.  You can avoid the guilt of the deep fried sweet potato and get all the same rewards.

Sweet potatoes are in abundance right now, so stock up and give these a try.   If you want to be fancy, you can make some kind of herb aioli to go with them, or just have them with ketchup, or even straight up.

Sweet Potato Fries

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 2+

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium-small garnet sweet potatoes, peeled

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Cut sweet potatoes in half length-wise, then into wedges (about 6 to 8 wedges per sweet potato).

2.  Toss the wedges with remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Lay out on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping them all once about halfway through, until browned and crisp on the outside.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

"Bangers" and Mash

I don't think it needs to be said.  You all know it.  British food gets a bad rap.  I've tried to defend it many a time, but there's no use.  People who trash British food have clearly never had a home cooked, a.k.a. Mum-made British meal.  (Or at least their mum wasn't as good a cook as mine).  Sure, there are a lot of British foods I have no interest in eating, but there are a lot of so-called "American" foods that I have no interest in eating, too.  (Chicken fried steak?  Yuck.)

Anyway, whatever your views on the culinary history of Britain, there is one traditional dish that most non-vegetarian people agree is pretty inoffensive.  Bangers are bready, meaty sausages, extremely heavy and extremely tasty.   I decided to use chicken bratwurst instead.  Feel free to use whatever sausage you like, but the idea is to get one of those already-cooked chicken or turkey sausages with interesting spices and flavors in it.  And who doesn't like mashed potatoes?

Grilled onions provide a deep, luxurious flavor to the sausage.  Simply sauteed spinach picks up the overflow of flavors from the sausage and the onions.  And delicately creamy mashed potatoes provide a pillowy backdrop for the other items on the plate.  Everything here is much healthier than it looks.  And flavor is not sacrificed one little bit.

There is a certain satisfaction in cooking an impromptu meal that takes you back to your childhood.  Even if you didn't grow up with this food, I'll let you borrow a snapshot from my upbringing and see if it doesn't provide the ultimate comfort.

"Bangers" and Mash

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

for the mash

1 lb.  fingerling or similar potatoes, halved or quartered

salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup skim milk (more or less)

freshly ground pepper to taste

for the bangers 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 chicken bratwurst or similar sausages

1 bunch of spinach, thoroughly washed and spun dry

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place potatoes in a medium pot and fill with water, about an inch above the tops of the potatoes.  Bring to a boil and salt the water.  Keep uncovered and cook at a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and return to the pot. 

2.  Add olive oil and most of the milk, and mash in the pot.  Season with salt and pepper.  If it's too dry, add milk until it's your desired consistency.

3.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat the 1 tablespoon EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onion and cook until just starting to brown.  Reduce heat to medium and add sausages.  Let cook for a minute or two, then flip the sausages with tongs to brown the other side. 

4.  When sausages and onions are nicely browned, add the spinach to the skillet and immediately cover with a lid.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Let cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until spinach is wilted.

5.  Serve the bangers, mash, and spinach together on a plate.  As an added bonus, serve with HP sauce if you have access to it.  You'll thank me.

Enjoy!

 

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Fall officially began a few days ago, but it took California a little while to get the memo. We had insanely hot weather the past few days, but I wasn't having any of it. I insisted on making a fall-inspired lunch today, and apparently the weather checked its calendar. I kid you not - literally as I was cooking, the clouds rolled in and a cool breeze kicked up, and the temperature dropped about ten degrees. Spooky.

But instead of being spooked, I rejoiced that suddenly this meal fit the day perfectly. It's filled with rich, indulgent flavors, but it's actually incredibly nutritious and not very fattening at all. You have your salty, your sweet, your tangy, and your peppery, all on one plate. You can create your perfect bite if you get all the elements on your fork at once. It's an experience to seek out, my friends. I recommend it.

The balsamic glaze is magical - make sure you use high quality balsamic vinegar, since you will be concentrating its flavor. The prosciutto provides a fantastic salty meatiness to contrast the sweet flesh of the potato. The arugula is refreshing and spicy at the same time. It all just comes together in a beautiful symphony of flavor.

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 ounces diced prosciutto
1/4 cup high quality balsamic vinegar
2 cups loosely packed baby arugula
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Cut ten 1/2 inch slits in each sweet potato and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, or until very tender.

2. When the sweet potatoes have about 10 minutes left to go, sprinkle the diced prosciutto on the baking sheet next to the sweet potatoes and return to the oven. Bake the prosciutto along with the sweet potatoes for the remaining time, until prosciutto is crispy and browned.

3. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by about half, and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

4. Toss arugula with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Cut an X into the top of each sweet potato and peel back the skin around it. Mash up the flesh of the sweet potatoes lightly with a fork. Serve topped with arugula, prosciutto, and drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Enjoy!

Canadian Bacon and Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes

In need of comfort food at its finest and easiest? Here you have it. Big baked potatoes loaded with broccoli, cheese, and a bit of bacon (Canadian, that is) really hit the spot when you need a soothing supper.

These don't require a lot of comment - there's nothing overly decadent here, in spite of what your taste buds will tell you when you take a bite. Use good quality cheese, and don't overcook the broccoli, and you'll be golden.

Canadian Bacon and Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes
adapted from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 large baking potatoes
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
cooking spray
3 pieces of Canadian bacon (or turkey bacon)
1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat toaster oven (or oven) to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Scrub the potatoes and pierce them several times, then place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Set aside to cool.

2. While the potatoes cool, spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the Canadian bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until browned. Let cool, then dice the bacon and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, bring about an inch of water to a boil and salt it. Blanch the broccoli for about a minute or two, just to take the edge off. Drain and put the broccoli in a bowl. Add the diced Canadian bacon, broth, and scallion.

4. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half length-wise and scoop out most of the potato flesh, just leaving enough to maintain a thin shell. Add the potato flesh to the bowl with the broccoli and stir it up to combine. Add about half the cheese and stir. Fill the potato skins with the mixture, dividing fairly evenly among them. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve.

A balanced meal stuffed inside a beautiful vehicle - the potato. Enjoy!

Potato and Arugula Torta

I went a few days there without cooking anything blog-worthy, so you'll have to accept my apology. It comes in the form of a delicious vegetarian meal that is so cheap to make and so fun to eat that you'll be sure to forgive me. This meal is bound to become a staple at family gatherings - it just screams "pot luck" and "Thanksgiving" and "mmmm, potato!"

This meal does require a bit of work, but nothing too difficult to manage. Turn on some good music, or the Food Network (my personal choice) while you make it, and the time will go by before you know it. While the torta is baking, you can make a side salad to go with it - we had a baby spinach and strawberry salad with a home made balsamic dressing.

We had company for dinner tonight, and I'm proud to say that this is the "after" shot of the torta:




We should have people over more often!




Potato and Arugula Torta
adapted from Cooking Light
serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
salt
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed
one bag of baby arugula, washed (about 5 cups packed)
1/2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
cooking spray
3 tablespoons panko (or other dry) bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1. If potatoes are not uniform in size, cut the bigger ones so that all pieces are relatively even. Put in a medium pot with a generous amount of salt and fill with water up to about an inch over the tops of the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. Heat EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for two minutes. Add arugula and toss with tongs to coat with the oil and garlic. Cook, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute, until leaves are wilted down. Turn off the heat and give the wilted arugula a rough chop.

3. Turn on oven to preheat to 375. Press the cooked potatoes through a ricer into a large bowl, discarding the peels. Stir in the greens, milk, about 1/2 cup of the fontina, and eggs until combined.

4. Coat a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan with cooking spray; dust with breadcrumbs. Add potato mixture. Top with remaining fontina and bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Eat up and enjoy!

Best Mashed Potatoes

I have always been a fan of creamy, fluffy, decadent mashed potatoes. I'll happily eat the "skinny" mashed potatoes, too, but the key for me is that they have to melt in your mouth. And they have to have flavor.

One of my contributions to our Easter/Passover lunch yesterday was mashed potatoes. I had never actually made them before, believe it or not, but I knew I wanted to do my favorite potato dish justice. I didn't want it to be too frilly and fancy, but it had to be flavorful and interesting. And fluffy.

Not only was my first attempt at mashed potatoes a success, but I have to say they're the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten.

A note - I highly recommend using home made stock. If you don't have any, then warm up a little more than a cup of stock-in-a-box with a bay leaf and a generous amount of pepper for about 10-15 minutes; remove the bay leaf before you add the stock to the potatoes. You want the stock to pack a punch.

Another note - I also highly recommend using a potato ricer to mash the potatoes. It's so much easier than using a masher, and you get beautifully smooth results. If you use a masher, I'd recommend peeling the potatoes for a smoother consistency.

Best Mashed Potatoes
makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds baby red and/or gold potatoes, washed/scrubbed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup good quality low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the potatoes in a large stockpot and fill with water up to about 2 inches above the top of the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. When it comes to a boil, remove the lid. Cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are very easily pierced with a fork or knife.

2. Drain potatoes well. Use a ricer to mash the potatoes directly back into the pot. (If you're using a masher, return potatoes to the pot and then mash them). Put back on the stove over low heat and add the butter. Stir.

3. Slowly pour in the stock, milk, and cream, and stir to combine. Add rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. As soon as everything is combined and butter is completely melted, serve.

4. If you can't serve right away, reheat in a casserole dish in the oven at about 350 for 20 minutes.

Absolutely fluffy, gorgeous and delicious. And they are still healthier than your typical cream-filled, butter-laden mash.

Enjoy!

Spicy Twice-Baked Potatoes

We are back in Los Angeles, and back to work (or at least some of us are). And I am back in the kitchen, which for me is the silver lining on this cloud we call reality. Tonight my husband is fighting off some kind of flu-ish horribleness, so I decided it was time for comfort food. Namely, twice-baked potatoes with yummy things mixed in, and a green salad.

I found the inspiration for this recipe in Cooking Light magazine a few months ago, and tweaked it to my liking. The flavors are bold, both a little bit spicy and a little bit salty. If you abstain from bacon, feel free to leave it out. It will be missing a little something (umami, as I have recently learned in one of my favorite Christmas gifts, The Flavor Bible). But it will still be tasty. Absolutely do not leave out the chipotle, as it is the best part. I have recently discovered the joy of chipotle chiles in adobo and I can't stay away from them. You can find cans of them in the "ethnic" aisle of your grocery store, and if you refrigerate the part you don't use in tupperware, it will last for months.

Spicy Twice-Baked Potatoes
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine
Serves at least 2, up to 4 (depending on how hungry you are)

INGREDIENTS:





(look at the potato trifecta! just waiting to be twice-baked and eaten!)

3 large baking potatoes
Olive Oil spray
2/3 cup skim buttermilk (or 2/3 cups skim milk whisked with 2 tbsp lemon juice)
3/4 cup shredded extra sharp white cheddar, divided
3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo
a pinch of ground sea salt
2 bacon slices, cooked, drained and crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven (or toaster oven, which I would recommend for energy-saving purposes) to 450. Pierce potatoes with a fork, spray lightly with olive oil spray, and pop them in the oven for 50 minutes. Turn once about halfway through.

2. While the potatoes are baking, combine the buttermilk, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, and the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

3. When the potatoes are done, let them cool for a few minutes. Cut them completely in half when they are cool enough to handle. Scoop the potato pulp out of all three potatoes, leaving about a 1/4 inch thick shell. Discard two of the six shells (or save for a later use - potato skins tomorrow, anyone?). Add the potato pulp to the mixture you made in step 2, and mash with a potato masher until everything is combined.

4. Spoon potato pulp mixture evenly into the four remaining shells. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup cheese evenly over the potatoes. Bake at 450 for an additional 10 minutes, or until you can't stand the delicious smell any longer.


Serve alongside a simple green salad for a balanced meal. I made mine with mixed baby greens, sliced grape tomatoes, and topped it with a home-made red wine vinaigrette (3 parts EVOO + 1 part red wine vinegar + a splash of lemon juice + salt + pepper). Enjoy!