Irish Roasted Veggies (Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus)

 

OK - before we get started - there is really nothing Irish about this meal.  But I wanted to tie into the colors of orange and green of the two main ingredients.  So that is how I got here.  In regards to the taste, it was fantastic.  I adapted my recipe for Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes to add asparagus.  You could use green beans if you want.  A version of this will be on our Easter dinner for sure.

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)
2 Sweet potatoes 
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided (add more if desired)
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1 tsp Dried Thyme, divided
1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp Black pepper, divided
1 bunch Asparagus, cut to 4-5 inches

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Peel sweet potatoes; cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges, and then into 3" slices. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil, rosemary, mustard, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Toss well to coat.
3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes at 425° for 17-19 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add asparagus to the large bowl and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Toss well to coat.  
5. At the end of the first roasting period (425° for 17-19 minutes), turn the wedges and add the asparagus (and additional oil if needed).  Cook for an additional 15-16 minutes.

Enjoy!

Turkey Fried Rice

I adapted this from the Turkey Fried Rice recipe at Real Simple.  I have been carrying this around for a while and I wanted to try it out.  I added a different mix of vegetables and loved the way that this came out.  This is a really nice simple meal, which is a great way to use leftover brown rice.  It is also a very nice one-pan dinner idea.  This is a real winner and we will definitely make it again.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Peanut or vegetable oil
8-10 oz Ground turkey
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
1 tbsp Ginger, minced (or ginger paste)
2 small (or 1 medium) Onion, chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen Peas and carrots
1 cup frozen Edamame
2 cups Cooked brown rice
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tbsp Rice vinegar

Directions
1. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, garlic, ginger, and chopped onions.  Stir-fry (breaking the meat) for 5 minutes.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 1 additional minute.
3. Add the frozen peas & carrots and the edamame.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the rice and the hoisin sauce and rice vinegar.  Mix thoroughly again and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pork and Mushroom Pot Stickers

This is a wonderful new recipe in my favorite magazine, Cooking Light.  The recipe was adapted for Pork and Shiitake Pot Stickers. in the March 2014 issue.  While I am sure that this is lighter than the pot-stickers that you get in Chinese restaurants, it is not quite health food.  I tweaked the recipe for more mushrooms and less pork - and loved the way that it turned out.  Not only was it great when I cooked them, but also when I brought them for lunch the following day.  They heated up very well.  These are definitely going to fall into the rotation of things I will be making.

Ingredients
2 tbsp Sesame oil
2 stalks, Green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger, minced
8 oz Mushrooms (white or baby bella), thinly sliced
1 tbsp Lower-sodium soy sauce (plus some for dipping)
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp Black pepper
11 oz Ground pork
40 gyoza skins or round wonton wrappers
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan.  Add green onions, garlic, ginger and mushrooms; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool slightly in a bowl. Combine mushroom mixture with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper and ground pork.  Mix thoroughly.
2. Working in batches of 6-10 goyza skins (depending on your space), arrange gyoza skins on a clean work surface; cover remaining skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons pork mixture in the center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half; press edges together with fingertips to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining gyoza skins and pork mixture.
3. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Generously coat pan with cooking spray. Add 8-10 pot stickers to pan; cook around 1 minute (until browned on that side).  Turn pot stickers over & add 1/3 cup water to pan. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 minutes. Repeat procedure in batches with remaining pot stickers and more water.

Enjoy with additional soy sauce!

Chicken with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Here is a recipe that can actually be called a Corey-original. Well, insofar as any recipe can be called an original, but you get the idea.  So in our renewed push to eat healthy and the scale back on carbs - while increasing vegetables, we created this dish.  The nice part about this is that with the walnuts, it is very filling without putting this atop rice or served with potatoes.  It reheats really nice for lunch options as well.  While I do not have the health stats, it appears to be something that even Dr. Oz might approve of.  Well, he might not say it is really horrible!  Health aside, the dish is great and I loved the way it came out.

Ingredients (Makes 3 servings)
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/3 cup Broth (chicken or vegetable)
3 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp Corn starch
2 Chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
2 crowns Broccoli
16 oz Mushrooms (baby bellas or white), sliced
1/2 cup Walnuts

Directions
1. Heat oil in saute pan over medium-high heat.  In a bowl, whisk together broth, cooking sherry, vinegar and corn starch.
2. Season chicken breasts with thyme, kosher salt and black pepper.  Add to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add broccoli and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
5. Add walnuts and mix thoroughly.  Then add broth mixture, cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

Enjoy with or without rice.
NOTE: You can replace broccoli with asparagus or green beans if you would like.

Poached Cod & Asparagus

This was a recipe adapted from an Eating Well recipe for Poached Cod & Asparagus.  I liked the way this came out, especially the asparagus.  The meal was very good - and very healthy.  But on the downside, it definitely tasted like a healthy meal.  But then again, if you can get this much nutrition with very little fat, it has to be a good thing - right?

Ingredients (serves 3)

2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 cup Dry white wine
2 tsp Cornstarch
1 Shallot, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 pound Cod, cut into 3 equal portions
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Dried tarragon
1 bunch Asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup water
1 lemon, sliced 1/3" thick
1 tbsp Butter

Directions
1. Whisk the lemon juice, wine and the cornstarch until combined. Add the chopped shallot and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, around 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Sprinkle cod with 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, black pepper and dried tarragon.
3. Place asparagus in an even layer in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup water and lemon slices to the pan. Place the cod on top of the asparagus. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook until the asparagus is tender and the fish is cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaves from the reduced sauce.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and mix thoroughly until melted.  
5. Serve the fish and asparagus topped with the sauce.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I think I found a new favorite side dish.  Strike that - I definitely found a new favorite side dish.  I have liked the sweet potato fries I have made but they have been a bit fussy.  These were easy to make and tasted absolutely fantastic.  They were easy enough to replace frozen fries and will be a staple at our dinner table from here on out.  This was adapted from a Health.com recipe for Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges.  And all I can figure is that it is pretty guilt free - a win all around!

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)
3 small Sweet potatoes 
1 tbsp & 2 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Peel sweet potatoes; cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients; toss well to coat.
3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes at 450° for 30 minutes or until soft and lightly browned, turning wedges after the first 15 minutes.

Field Greens with Shrimp and Mustard-Balsamic Vinaigrette

We loved making this dinner salad.  I borrowed and adapted the dressing recipe from Eating Well (one of my favorite magazines).  The recipe was just for the Mustard-Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and I played with it a bit.  We want to make more salads for dinner and this will definitely be on a quick rotation.  Very easy (even with making your own dressing).  The best part is that it is pretty healthy, so great for those weight loss resolutions!

Ingredients (2 dinner portions)

Dressing
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
10-12 Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1/2 tsp Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Basil, dried
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

Salad
1/4 cup Pine nuts
5-7 oz Field Greens (or any salad mixture) - enough for two salad plates.
1/2 cup Edamame, shelled
1/2 Cucumber, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 Red Onion (small), sliced
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
2/3 cup Shrimp, deveined
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

NOTE: you can add any vegetables as you see fit

Directions
1. Prepare dressing by adding  balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, olives, brown sugar, basil and kosher salt & black pepper (to taste) into a mixing bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  Set aside.
2. Heat a skillet over low heat.  Add the pine nuts and toast for 7-10 minutes until lightly brown.  Set aside and remove from the heat.
3. Prepare the salads with field greens, edamame, toasted pine nuts, cucumbers, and red onions.
4. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and chopped garlic to the skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp and cook until pink (4-5 minutes).
5. Add cooked shrimp to the dressing and mix thoroughly.  Spoon the shrimp with dressing atop the salad.

Serve and enjoy!

Quinoa Vegetarian Chili

I have wanted to try some vegetarian chilis and stumbled on this recipe from Midwest Living magazine.  The recipe was for Quinoa Harvest Chili (from Brianne Jamerson of Indiana). I played with this a quite a bit and loved the way that it turned out.  It thickened up nicely and you can easily eat this in a bowl by itself or over rice.  I am not sure how it comes out with calories and fat, but I am sure that it is pretty healthy.  There are only two tablespoons of oil and no meat.  This does not taste like a vegetarian dish, which is really great.  I cannot wait to make this for family.

Ingredients (8 servings)

2 Onions (medium), chopped
2 tbsp Olive oil
4 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 4 cloves)
2 (two) 15oz cans Black beans, rinsed and drained (see note)
2 Sweet potatoes (small or 1 large), peeled and cubed into 1/2" pieces
4oz Mushrooms (white or baby bella), sliced thin
1 28oz can Crushed tomatoes
4 cups Vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth if you want)
2 tbsp Chili powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained
NOTE: If you are using dried black beans, you may replace the two cans with one cup off dried beans that are soaked overnight.

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or chili pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in the black beans, diced sweet potatoes, mushrooms, crushed tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, kosher salt and black pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Bring to a boil and then cover.  Reduce heat to a simmer (low) and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in quinoa and bring to a boil.  Once again, return cover to the pot and lower the heat to a simmer.  Cook for an additional 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tilapia With Vegetables

The recipe was my second one adapted from Real Simple Magazine's Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons. What I wanted to do here was cut down on the potatoes and add more vegetables.  So from the other entry, we cut the potatoes in half, added peppers, and the beans.  We also increased the number of olives in the recipe.  It came out so great and we loved it.  This might be the way that we prepare tilapia from here on out.

Ingredients (Serves 4):
12 oz Baby potatoes or fingerling potatoes, halved
2 Bell peppers, diced into large (3/4") pieces
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp Thyme leaves, dried
2 tbsp Olive oil, plus some olive oil spray
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp Black pepper (or to taste)
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
8 oz Green beans, trimmed
4 Skinless tilapia fillets (about 1 lbs)
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, bell peppers, lemon, thyme, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
4. Then toss the olives and green beans with the potato & pepper mixture.  Move the vegetables to the outside of the pan. Lightly spray the cleared center with olive oil and place the tilapia fillets in the opening.  Season the fish with the paprika and the remaining 1/4 tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
5. Continue to roast for around 16 to 18 minutes - the fish will be opaque throughout.

Enjoy!

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

This is a recipe that is making the rounds on facebook and other social media venues (Life Health Travel With Kate - I think!).  It looks like a really nice and healthy way to prepare chicken fajitas at home.  It also looks very easy, which makes it even more appealing!  So sign me up...I am in.  I played with the ingredients to get in more peppers and a little less spice.  It was amazing and this will be a staple in our house.  We have been looking for a nice lower-calorie Mexican option.  I am going to make this for lunches and serve it over rice.  We are also going to play with this a bit and add different vegetables, especially mushrooms.

Ingredients (serves 4)
Cooking spray (or olive oil spray)
3 Chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 1/2 tsp Chili powder, divided (adjust to taste)
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 Onion (medium), sliced into wedges
1 Red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 Green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 Orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips (or you can use another red or green pepper)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray cooking spray or olive oil on the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish.
3. Place the chicken on the bottom of the pan and drizzle the olive oil on top.  Combine the 1 tsp chili powder (leaving the remainder for the end), cumin, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper.  Sprinkle the spice mix atop the chicken.
4. Add the tomatoes (with liquid), peppers, and onions to the baking dish and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the last 1/2 tsp of chili powder on top of the baking dish.
5. Bake uncovered for 28-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

Enjoy!

Vegetarian French Onion Soup

Adapted from a Recipe for French Onion Soup at the Vegetarian Times. This soup is nothing short of amazing.  It does take a long time to make, but it is totally worth it.  I loved the sweetness that comes from the Vidalia onions and I do not miss the beef broth at all.  The soup has some calories (I am sure), but it is really not that bad.  You can also modify some of the calories by reducing the cheese on the toast topping (or by using light Swiss).  You want to make sure that you have a large pot - because the onions cook down a lot during the process.  This is a soup we are going to definitely have the next time we entertain.

Ingredients (6-8 portions)

• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 2-3 tbsp Olive oil
• 5-6 Vidalia onions (about 3 lb.), halved and thinly sliced (3/16" on the mandolin)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 3 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 6 cups Vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup Dry sherry or cooking sherry
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Bread and cheese topping

3 4" sections of a Baugette, sliced in half and lightly toasted

1/2 cup shredded or thin sliced Swiss cheese

• Directions:

1. Heat butter and oil in heavy, large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, kosher salt and black pepper, and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 60 minutes, stirring every 7-10 minutes.

2. Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more (stirring constantly). Blend in broth, sherry and mustard. Cover, and simmer over low-medium heat for 15-17 minutes.

3. Prepare bread and cheese topping.  Slice the baguette pieces in half and toast for a few minutes.  Place Swiss cheese on the bread and place under the broiler (on high) for around 2-3 minutes (until the cheese bubbles).  Remove from the oven and place one in each of the bowls of soup (as shown).

Enjoy!

Corey's Veggie Pasta Bake

I wanted to create a vegetarian pasta bake that we could put into our rotation.  This could work nicely for meatless meals or when you are entertaining vegetarians.  This was adapted from one of my recipes that includes turkey sausage. I love the way this tuned out and think it could be a regular addition to our menu.  In regards to the peppers, I used a green, red and orange.  The key is that you use three peppers, the color is less important.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 12-14oz. box Rotini or penne pasta (NOTE: you can use 80% of the box just fine for this dish)
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 medium Onions (or 1 large yellow), chopped
1 Green pepper, cut into thin strips of around 1 1/2" long
1 Red pepper, cut into thin strips of around 1 1/2" long
1 Orange or yellow pepper, cut into thin strips of around 1 1/2" long
1 pkg (12 oz.) Mushrooms (white), sliced in half
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
1 28 oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can Petite diced tomatoes (any flavor or variety)
1 tsp Basil, dried
1 tsp Oregano, dried
2 tsp Parsley, dried
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 13"x9" (or larger) baking dish with cooking spray. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir for around 8-9 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and spices; heat 2 minutes or until bubbling.
3. Add pasta to tomato mixture; stir until pasta is well coated. Spoon half of mixture into baking dish. Top with half of the cheese. Repeat layers once more. Bake 15-17 minutes or until hot.  Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Barley Soup

Inspired by the recipe for Onion-Barley Soup with Mushrooms from Prevention Magazine, we made this great soup tonight. What I loved about it is that it is perfect for a vegetarian meal (got "Meatless Monday"), but that it is a soup that really tasted different.  So many soups really taste simple (which is OK).  This soup had a great taste and really was not like soup I had before.  I would love to have this with a salad or another side - but this is hearty enough to be a main course.  For mushroom lovers like us, this is a definite keeper.

Ingredients (serves 6):
1 oz. Dried shiitake mushrooms
3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
2 Onions, medium, finely chopped
2 tsp Ginger, minced
5 tsp Garlic, chopped (or five cloves)
12 oz Mushrooms (white or baby bella), sliced with stems
2 1/2 cups Vegetable stock (low sodium or unsalted)
2/3 cup Quick-cooking barley
1/4 cup Cooking sherry
3 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Sesame oil
Kosher salt, one pinch (to taste)
Black pepper, one pinch (to taste)

Directions:
1. Bring two cups of water to a boil and combine with dried mushrooms in heatproof bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve the liquid.  Slice the mushrooms and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and mushrooms and cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in broth, barley, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, mushroom liquid, shiitake mushrooms, and a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer, and cook for around 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Zombie Eyes (Easy Chocolate Pretzel Treats for the Holidays)

These are very simple and very delicious!  It was adapted in part from something Pam saw and this recipe for ROLO Pretzel Treats that we already shared.  Perfect for the holidays...or any day!

Ingredients:

You will need equal numbers of the following (up to around 40 on a cooking sheet at a time)

• Small pretzels (I used mini twists) 
• Hershey Milk Chocolate Kisses
• M&Ms (or Smarties if you are in Canada) - any candy coated chocolate

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Line a flat cookie sheet with parchment paper. (NOTE: use a cookie sheet without a lip for easy removal)
2. Place pretzels on the cookie sheet (they can be as close as 1" to each other). Top each pretzel with one unwrapped Hershey's Kiss, with the point tucked into one of the holes in the pretzel.  They will look upside down.  
3. Bake 4 minutes and remove from oven.
4. Carefully, slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet onto a flat surface (NOTE: This will help it not melt as much)
5. Top each pretzel with Rolo with a M&M (or other candy coated chocolate), carefully pushing down onto the kiss. If you want, add sprinkles here before the chocolate cools.
6. Leave on parchment paper until cooled completely (it will take a while to cool).  You may speed up the cooling in the fridge (use a plate or tray under the parchment paper). If they touch as they cool - that is not a problem as they break apart nicely.

Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Adapted from a recipe from Cooking Light. First stab at making this dish at home and this was super easy and delicious! It has a real nice orange taste (I love the blend of orange and cranberries).

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Orange juice
2 tbsp Orange rind, grated (from one large orange)
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
12 oz package Fresh Cranberries

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes (or when the cranberries pop).
3. Pour into a serving container and chill before serving (excellent to do the day before you need it).

Enjoy!

Red-Skinned & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Red-Skinned & Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Getting these recipes that were from last Thanksgiving finally on my blog.  This was a recipe that was adapted from a few.  The primary inspiration came from the recipe for Red Skin Potato Mash from Food & Wine magazine.  We don't normally make mashed potatoes from scratch, but these were not that hard and came out great.  A great addition to any big holiday meal.

Ingredients (serves 12)
1 Garlic head, top sliced off
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
5 lbs Red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2" chunks.
1 2/3 sticks Unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups Skim milk
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place the garlic head (with the top sliced off) in aluminum foil and drizzle with the olive oil and 1/2 tsp of kosher salt.  Close the foil over the garlic to create a pouch.  Place it in the oven for an hour and half.
3. After the garlic has been cooking for around an hour, add the potatoes and the remaining kosher salt in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat for around 25-30 minutes.  Drain the potatoes and return to the pot off the heat.
4. Remove the garlic from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.  Squeeze the roasted garlic into the potatoes and then add the butter, skim milk, and black pepper.
5. Mash the potato mixture until well blended.  Add butter and milk as needed.

Enjoy!

Corey's Green Bean Casserole

Corey's Green Bean Casserole

This is my variation of the holiday favorite.  We made this last year for Thanksgiving and I am only finally posting it now.  I adapted this from the "official" recipes on the Campbell's Kitchen site and French's (the people that make the great French Fried onions.  This is simple and a great addition to any holiday meal.

Ingredients (serves 6 - The above picture is a double portion)

1 10 3/4 oz can Condensed cream of mushroom Soup
1/2 cup Skim milk
1/4 tsp Black pepper
4 cups Green beans, frozen
1 1/2 cup French fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix the soup, milk, black pepper, beans and half the fried onions in a casserole.
3. Bake for 40 minutes and then stir the bean mixture.
4. Sprinkle the remaining onions atop the mixture and cook for 5-10 minutes more (until golden brown).

Enjoy!

Sauteed Carrots with Sage

Sauteed Carrots with Sage

   

 This is another side that I am going to make a staple in our Thanksgiving dinner. This is a very easy side, but very tasty. It works great for any big meal, like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. This was adapted from a recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients (for 8 servings)
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cups Carrot, sliced diagonally (or baby cut carrots cut in half longwise)
4 tbsp Water
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Sage, dried

Directions
1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Then add carrots and water. Partially cover pan and cook 10 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. 
3. Add kosher salt, black pepper and dried sage to the pan.  Increase the heat to medium-high and cook 4-6 additional minutes or until carrots are tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently.

Enjoy as a great side with meals.

Salmon with Ginger-Soy Butter

Salmon with Ginger-Soy Butter  

 This is a really nice and very easy recipe for salmon that was adapted from one I found at Prevention. I have not done a lot with butter sauces - but I am hoping to do more in the future. I really loved the way this turned out. 

Ingredients (serves 3-4)
1 1/2 tbsp Unsalted butter, softened (try to get two hours at room temperature)
1 tsp Grated ginger
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Olive oil
3-4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz each)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil

Directions
1. Mix the butter, ginger, lemon juice, and soy sauce until well blended. Set aside.
2. Preheat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. 
3. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and rub with the oil. 
4. Add salmon to the pan (skin side down) and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.  Turn the salmon and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side.  
5. When the salmon is removed from the pan, place a spoonful of the flavored butter (along with any additional liquids that did not blend).

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries


So this recipe has been sitting on my flickr photostream without a recipe for...well a full year.  So I wanted to get this down and shared because it was fantastic and super easy.  We are going make this again for Thanksgiving.  I love the fact that it takes just a few minutes to get rolling and it will cook all day without using a burner.  What a great meal that is perfect for Thanksgiving - but really nice with any winter meal.  Definitely will be a family favorite.  This was adapted from the recipe for Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries With Toasted Pecans from Food.com.

Ingredients
4 Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" slices
3/4 cup Cranberries, fresh
1 Apple, peeled & cut into 1/4" slices
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2/3 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Apple cider

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker in the order that they are listed in recipe.
2. Cook on LOW setting for 7-9 hours (until the sweet potatoes are tender).

Enjoy!