recipe of the week.

fridays are such good days for recipes. especially when they involve the crock pot. its hard to believe it, but in our almost 5 years of marriage, I have never made ribs. gasp. i think it was kind of like the whole chicken thing for me, it was intimidating and it seemed like a kind of meat that had a great potential for total catastrophe if I did it wrong. happy to say the first time around, it rocked. and because it was so good, I just had to share. 


slow cooker honey barbeque ribs

3 lbs boneless pork ribs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar (next time I am going to try and substitute molasses)
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbl liquid smoke

place pork ribs in bottom of slow cooker. cover and cook on High for 3 hours. drain and discard liquid. reduce heat to low. in a bowl, combine garlic salt, pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, spicy brown mustard, worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. mix well. pour over ribs in slow cooker. cover and cook on low for 3 hours. 

and also because its friday, I had to share something that has made me laugh...

found on one of my new favorite blogs, homemade crap. horrible blog title, but great ideas. 

recipe of the week.

trying new recipes hasn't been happening much, I went from doing a detox to wedding celebrations, to birthday celebrations to vacation. so needless to say, I haven't been cooking nearly as much as I usually do and I really have missed it. 

it was so nice to get back into following through with my meal plans last night and made these:

(image courtesy of whole foods market)

grilled apple and cheddar grass fed beef burgers

3/4 pound 90% lean ground grass-fed beef 
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 
2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 
1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/2 cup shredded peeled granny smith apple 

combine beef, onion, cheddar, mustard, salt, pepper and apple in a large bowl and form into four (4-inch) patties. grill over medium heat or broil, flipping once, until done to your taste, 6 to 8 minutes. 

quinoa with black beans and cilantro (from bon appetit)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped white onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup quinoa

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1 1/2 cups water
1 15oz can of black beans (or used soaked if desired)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided

crumbled cotija or feta cheese to top with (optional) 

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and red pepper; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add water; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, about 14 minutes. Add beans and 1/4 cup cilantro; cook uncovered until heated through and liquid is fully absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro and cheese, if desired.

recipe of the week.

this is going to make for a great summer side, or lunch, or anything really because it was just that yummy and easy to make. great source of protein and great taste. double score. 

(image via epicurious)

black-bean and tomato quinoa from gourmet

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (to make this DF you can use earth balance spread)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 teaspoon sugar (I used palm sugar)

1 cup quinoa

1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 medium tomatoes, diced

4 scallions, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. let stand 5 minutes.

add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

enjoy! 

recipe of the week.

I'm back. after long last I have something food-worthy to share. and since I feel like I can smell spring in the air today I hope to keep them coming. what is it about spring that brings inspiration to making yummy food? I would have to say that it could have something to do with dinners on the deck, grilling out, and not being sick anymore that would be at the top of my list.

chicken enchilada casserole adapted from cooking light

(image from cooking light)

here's what you need:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/3  cup  chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1  cup  frozen corn kernels, thawed (when in season fresh corn would be an amazing addition)
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 2  cups  chopped onion, divided
• 6  garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1  cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2/3  cup  salsa verde (you can make your own from this recipe...you wont be sad you did or if you want to save time buy a store brand, we like the TJ's salsa verde)
• 1/4  cup  water
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pickled jalapeño pepper (if you do not like spicy do not put these in, they def add a bit of heat)
• 9  (6-inch) corn tortillas
• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 
  
• here's how to do it: 
• 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
• 2. Boil chicken on stovetop for 15 min, cool, and then shred. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.
• 3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.
  4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.
  6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.
  I served it with avocado and sour cream to cool off our spicier version. it was easy, delicious, and made for great leftovers. 

recipe of the week. last minute shopping & merry christmas.

the week before christmas is like being hit by a wave day after day. projects to do, presents to shop for, gifts to wrap. leaving little time for blogging, facebook, twitter, or even email (if you emailed this week, I love you, and I cant wait to respond). and did I forget to mention getting sick? double awesome.

last night I found myself subjected to the insanity of last minute shoppers and item grabbers in not just one, but three stores. the shelves were picked bare and even walmart had entirely run out of basic cooking essentials like chocolate chips (dont even ask why I was in there) and you couldn't find a single box of candy canes in target. sigh.

for one who did most of my christmas shopping online this year, this was a shock to the system and one that I don't think I will ever repeat. I learned my lesson. not doing that again.

thankfully prior to the insanity we were able to enjoy a wonderful recipe from real simple that I just had to share.

coconut chicken and rice
serves 8 (I halved it)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• zest from 2 limes
• 3 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

heat oven to 325° F. lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. sprinkle the chicken breasts with the garlic, cayenne, and lime zest; set aside. place the rice in the baking dish. combine the chicken stock, coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and pour onto the rice. arrange the chicken on top of the rice. cover with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. remove the foil, sprinkle the coconut on top, and cook 5 minutes more or until the coconut is browned.

while that is set and going, make this stuff too...

spicy peanut sauce

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2)
• Chopped peanuts (optional)

in a bowl stir together peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, coconut milk, garlic, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper. stir in green onion.

be happy. eat good food. forget in store shopping. and reconsider spending the money for amazon next day shipping. you wont be sad. i promise.

and last but not least. merry christmas from us to you!
we celebrate God sending his perfect Son, Jesus.
who saved us from our sin.
and gives us new life in Him.

and that is why we have peace, love, and joy this holiday season.

isaiah 9:6 for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

recipe of the week.

smoky beef tacos by martha stewart

serves 8

• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted (we used hard tacos)

preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. cut beef into 4 equal pieces. add to pot, and turn to coat. cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours. transfer beef to a bowl. with a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. season with salt and pepper. serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

I don't currently have a cast iron pot so I used my stoneware piece instead and covered it with foil. and it worked like a dream.

perfect for yet another cold snowy day.

recipe of the week.

wow, its been awhile with the recipe posts.

but the drought is over.

I'm a pretty picky soup eater. but this one's a winner.

red pepper soup with basil cream from country living
serves 6

• 3 clove(s) (small) garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 can(s) (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1 jar(s) (12-ounce) marinated roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 2 cup(s) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup(s) packed fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon(s) sugar

basil cream

• 1/4 cup(s) sour cream
• 1/4 cup(s) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup(s) chopped fresh basil, for basil cream
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

1. Sauté garlic and onion with olive oil in large pot over medium heat for 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, red peppers, and chicken broth. Cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and sugar and puree in a blender or food processor.
3. For basil cream, stir sour cream and heavy cream together with chopped basil and salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve soup with dollop of basil cream and chopped basil.

perfect for cold, first day of snow kind of days. :)

meatless wonder

I'm sure many of you out there know people or have husbands who dont believe in meals without meat. To them, its just not a meal. But I finally found one!

I had a spaghetti squash to use from our veggie delivery last week and I was able to find a fantastic recipe and just had to share. This recipe is sure to be added to our regular rotation.

Enjoy! You won't be sad you made it either. I promise. So try it out.

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash (3 pounds)
• 1 (14 ounce) can Mexican-style tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. (Anyone out there have any good tips on doing this so you dont lose any fingers or cut your arm off?)
   
3. Remove and discard seeds.
4. Place squash, cut side down, in greased baking pan.
5. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until just tender.
6. Using fork, remove spaghetti-like strands from hot squash and place strands in large bowl.
7. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic salt and pepper; toss well. (I mixed all this together while the squash was baking to save time)
   
8. Spray 1 1/2 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Spoon mixture into casserole.
10. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
11. Bake uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.
12. Serve immediately.

I served it with corn chips, avocado, and sour cream on top. Perfect fall meal.

family favorite recipe

Being gluten intolerant anytime I see a recipe in a magazine for foods that we used to enjoy and are made with ingredients we can actually eat, its always exciting. After making these many a time I thought it would be time to share. You can't keep a good thing to yourself, right?

(image from Rachel Ray)

Cajun Chicken Fingers (serves 4)

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 
  
• In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Working with one at a time, coat the chicken tenders with the cornmeal mixture, dip into the egg, then coat again with the cornmeal. Transfer to a large plate.
• 
  
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken tenders.

• 
  

recipe of the week. goodbye summer. maybe?

I usually wait til I have eaten a meal to post a recipe, but I just made the salsa and I am pretty confident that the taste of that alone pretty much seals a dinner victory tonight. its amazing. and fresh. and my favorite thing...its easy.

Soft Fried Tortillas with Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken from Gourmet

For tomatillo salsa

• 1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks discarded and tomatillos rinsed and quartered
• 3 fresh green serrano chiles, coarsely chopped (including seeds) I used 2 jalapenos, and opted out of the seeds.
  
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 3 garlic cloves, quartered
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

For chalupas

• 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 (4-inch) corn tortillas (see cooks' note, below)
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (from 1 chicken breast half)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons crema or crème fraîche
• 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1/3 cup finely crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese)

Make salsa:
Purée tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then carefully add tomatillo purée (oil will splatter) and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl.

Make chalupas:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in cleaned dried skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then briefly cook tortillas, 3 at a time, until softened and hot but still pale, about 10 seconds per side, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer tortillas with tongs to paper towels to drain briefly, then to a large shallow baking pan in oven to keep warm, arranging tortillas in one layer (overlapping slightly if necessary) and covering pan with foil.

Spread each warm tortilla with about 1 teaspoon salsa, then top sparingly with a few shreds of chicken. Thin crema with a little water and drizzle over chicken, then sprinkle with onion and cheese. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

salad dressings.

Thank you Crate&Barrel for ending my quest for the perfect salad dressing "pitcher."After searching high and low for weeks, my dreams came true and I found just the right one.

We've made some big changes in our fridge and I've almost entirely cut out buying pre-made dressings, because making your own can save a lot of money, its easy, and its really yummy. Here are some we have been enjoying...

Everyday Salad Dressing (I keep mentioning it, because it really is my new favorite thing and tastes good with so many things).

Greek Salad Dressing from Martha Stewart

Asian Vinagrette from Womens Health Magazine (I shamelessly ripped out the page at the doc office because it looked good)

1/3 cup safflower oil
1/2 tsp white vinegar
2 to 3 tsp Hoisin sauce (for GF eaters they do have GF options out there)
1 to 2 Tbs chopped scallions
Puree all the ingredients together in a blender and add s&p to taste.
*Seth actually requests this dressing when I make salad. Huge progress from my non salad eating boy.

Happy Salad Eating!

recipe(s) of the week.

These are two that I have been meaning to post for awhile, they have been a repeat on our summer menu and have been a good use of all the veggies we have been enjoying from our weekly veggie delivery.

Blackened Steak Salad from Bon Appetit

For spice mixture

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

For salad

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cups (packed) mixed baby greens
• 1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 2 5- to 6-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, each about 1/2 inch thick
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1 tomato, quartered
  

For spice mixture:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

For salad:
Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens, bell pepper and onion and toss to coat. Divide salad between 2 plates.

Spread spice mixture on plate. Coat both sides of steaks with spice mixture. Dip both sides of steaks into melted butter. Heat heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board; let stand 2 minutes. Thinly slice steaks crosswise. Arrange slices atop salads. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with tomato and serve.

Some tweaks I made to this recipe: I used whatever steak I happen to have on hand. It all tastes good. Instead of using the balsamic dressing I opt for the everyday salad dressing from the Nourishing Gourmet because that is what I usually have on hand. For the men in your life who claim "salad isn't a meal" the steak tastes great as an entree without the greens.

To make DF, use oil to brown the steaks or grill and leave off the cheese.

Green Bean and Lemon Casserole from Nigella Lawson

• 2 lbs slender green beans
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter (to make DF use Earth Balance Spread)
  
• few drops olive oil
• 1 lemon
• sea salt and fresh pepper
  

Bring a big pot of water to the boil, while you top and tail (trim) the beans. Once the water has come to the boil, salt it and cook the beans until they have lost their rawness (about 6 minutes after the water comes back to the boil), but retain a bit of crunch.

Strain them, and put the pot back on the stove over a low heat with the butter and olive oil. While the butter melts, chop up the lemon. Put it on a chopping board, cut a slice off each end, just enough to remove skin and pith, and then cut downwards, turning the lemon as you go, to peel the fruit fully. Don't worry if in order to remove all the pith you cut into the fruit a bit: just take the pieces of fruity peel over to the pan and squeeze in any juice you can. Then cut the lemon up on the board: I just slice and let each slice tumble into bits on its own. Add the lemon pieces and all the juice that collects to the melted butter and stir well with a wooden spoon, adding the drained beans.

Swirl the pan vigorously and turn the beans in the lemony butter. Add salt to taste and lots of freshly ground pepper. I love white pepper (out of deference to my mother's taste and practice) or the much-abominated 1980s restaurant-style mixed pepper, but neither is crucial.

Remove to a warmed casserole making sure you don't leave any lemony, buttery juices behind.

Simple, easy, delicious.

yummy goodness.

run.

do not walk.

to your kitchen.

to make this salad dressing.

you won't regret it.

and your tummy will thank you.

The easiest chicken recipe. Ever.

For my whole married life I was afraid of cooking a whole chicken. Call me crazy, but something about the pop up timer and not drying it out or undercooking it freaked me out. That was until I discovered you can cook a whole chicken in a crock pot and found an amazing deal on chickens at Whole Foods. Score.

• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible, mine didnt have one and I survived)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut in thin chunks
  

1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.

2. Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken.

3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.

4. Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. (I usually skip this step because I'm always in a hurry).

5. When ready to cook, put chopped onion/carrots in bottom of crock pot.

6. Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it's own juices.

7. Cook on low 4-8 hours.

*And if you want to make your meal even easier stuff the bird with seasoned cubes of bread for stuffing. You won't be sorry. The stuffing that emerges at the end is well worth the 5 minutes of stuffing.

The best part. The crock pot does the cooking for you and you get an amazing meal at the end of it all with about 10 minutes worth of work. Hows that for slaving away in the kitchen?

yumminess.

Oh how I love the spring, even on slightly overcast, cooler days like today, its still warm enough to fire up the grill and make some delicious food for dinner.

Tonight I tried out two new recipes and they were a hit with the hubs. And now thanks to the Epicurious app for the iPhone many more new recipes are to come no doubt.

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops

• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Spanish
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

• Six to eight 10- to 11-ounce bone-in pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
• Vegetable oil spray

At least 1 and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill the pork chops, prepare the dry rub, combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the chops with the spice mixture, place them in a large plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.

Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).

Remove the chops from the refrigerator and let them sit covered at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Spray the chops with oil and transfer them to the grill. Grill for 18 to 20 minutes total. Turn onto each side twice, rotating the chops a half turn each time to get criss-cross grill marks. The chops are done when just a hint of pink remains at the center. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Herbs

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then again into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Toss sweet potatoes with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sweet potatoes to platter.

Mix parsley, thyme and garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes. (Once the potatoes were done I added the herbs and garlic and then put them back in the oven just to stay warm and it helped blend the flavors very nicely).

Comfort Food: Chili

I have two loves in the cold winter, good chili and good soup. Recently I have talked a lot about soup and forgotten about chili, but in the past week I have made chili twice and was sad that I didn't pull out my recipes sooner, with the winter thaw out hopefully coming soon. If the cold does stick around at least I have a good reason to keep making chili. These two recipes are new to my collection and they have become quick favorites in our house. Seth preferred the meaty chili over the chicken version, but I loved them both and they were super easy to make.

Creamy White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (I used white kidney beans because I had them on hand instead)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 5 generous servings.


Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili from Martha Stewart

• 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
• 1 cup dried black beans, rinsed
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream, for serving

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine beef, tomato puree, beans, onion (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish), garlic, chili powder, 2 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover, and cook on high, 6 hours (or on low, 8 hours). Serve chili topped with sour cream and reserved onion. Makes 5 generous servings.

This recipe fed 3 hungry boys, myself and left enough for one person's leftovers.

Back in the saddle again

I've turned a corner and after having meals brought to us by dear friends for a whole month (thank you!) I have gotten back into the swing of things and started meal planning again. For dinner last night I made this new recipe from Martha Stewart and it was quick and easy to get preparations done in advance.

BROWN-RICE BOWL WITH SHRIMP, SNOW PEAS AND AVOCADO

Serves 4.

• Coarse salt and ground pepper

• 1 c. uncooked long-grain brown rice

• 1/4 c. soy sauce (I use the GF brand, Tinkyada)

• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)

• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

• 2 tsp. light-brown sugar

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen

• 1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal

• 1 (1-in.-long) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks (I just used 1 teaspoon of dried)

• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice; cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or liquid-measuring cup, stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.

When rice has finished cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, snow peas and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and snow peas are bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide rice among four bowls. Top with shrimp mixture and avocado; serve sauce on the side.