Sweet Potato Wedges

How I love this orange beta carotene-filled potato, let me count the ways. I'll be honest with you, I used to turn my nose up at this potato that I thought only came in a can and the only thing you did with it was cover it with brown sugar and marshmallows. Gross. That is one dish that was ALWAYS left out at our Thanksgiving, and boy was I thankful for that! I have since grown in my adventurousness with this delightful orange super food and absolutely love them! Sweet Potatoes are seriously so versatile. I have used them in cupcake and soup recipes and I know you all have your favorite SP dishes, too. Whenever I am in need of a quick and filling side to go with my salad or my protein I know I can always turn to my sweet orange friend to fill the gap. Check out this easy recipe for Sweet Potato Fries. (You will have extra if you're eating for one, so be sure and save them for your next meal!)

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 tsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and add parchment paper to a baking sheet
2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes
3. Slice sweet potatoes in long fries. It helps if you cut it lengthwise, then each half in half and slice into wedges from there.
4. Cover the wedges with EVOO and salt and pepper
5. Pop in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the fries are golden brown

Note: sweet potato fries aren't quite as cripsy as normal potato fries, especially since we were healthy and didn't fry them!

Cheese and Melon Crostini

This was the perfect little appetizer to my Tuesday dinner this week. It was so easy and delicious, I am just about ready to head out to the store right now to get some more bread so I can snack all day on this little yummy crostini's of goodness. The herbed goat cheese melted into the toasted bread and the crisp freshness of the cucumber paired with the sweetness of the melon was absolutely to die for. An absolutely wonderful starter for a summer grill-out!

Ingredients:

1 baguette

Herbed goat cheese

1 sliced cucumber

1 cantaloupe cubed/sliced, however you would like it

Instructions:

1. Slice and toast your baguette

2. Spread the goat cheese over the baguette

3. Add the sliced cucumber and cantaloupe

4. I added a little salt to the top of my snacks to really pull the flavor out of the melon

Enjoy!

Panko-Crusted Shrimp

Oh this shrimp was so so so so gooood! I really wish I had about 20 right here in front of me so I could pop them in my mouth one after the other enjoying their crispy spicy from-the-sea yumminess. I have had a bag of frozen shrimp sitting in my freezer begging to be thawed, prepared and eaten. Well, I pulled out my cookbooks that have been temporarily packed due to my impending move across town and found the perfect recipe. Thanks to Cook Yourself Thin, I enjoyed my shrimpies and I was left with a stomach that was extremely satisfied. So satisfied in fact, that I think I'm going to buy myself some more shrimp next week and maybe throw a little Sunday Night Football party featuring these little delights of the sea.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo)
2 tablespoons creamy dill mustard (I used dijon mustard)
2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped (I omitted due to an empty pantry)
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied

Instructions:
1. Combine mayo, mustard, and capers in a small bowl for dipping sauce.
2. Preheat oven to 475°. Whisk egg whites with 1/4 tsp salt until frothy. Toss together crumbs, cayenne and remaining salt in a shallow dish.
3. Dip each shrimp in egg whites, dredge in panko crumbs and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake until shrimp cooks through and crumbs are golden, about 12 minutes.

Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Enjoy!!

Neiman Marcus Delights

Uh muh gawd. To look at a picture of this Heavenly carb delight teases my tastebuds and make me yearn to once again be seated at the Neiman Marcus Fashion Cafe. Steph told me of this delicious, pop over and the impact it had on your life once the flaky and buttery bits hit your mouth, but let me tell you, I had no idea. Then, to add the strawberry butter to your palate, someone get me some water because I am starting to get all hot and bothered again just thinking about this. 

Seriously, if you get a chance to go to a Neiman Marcus cafe for brunch/lunch/dinner or really just a snack anytime during the day, be sure to ask for 2 of their speciality pop overs. You won't regret it. And please, send one to me ;)

Jalapeno Hummus

I have been making this delish dip for quite a while now and don't know why I haven't posted it. I just made a fresh batch today and wish my dad was here to try it. He was a hummus newbie until just last week and now he is practically an indulgent. I normally like to make my own hummus but the one he happened to first taste was a yummy hot and spicy red pepper flavor. He questioned it and inquired what to use it for. He was extremely interested to find out that you can use it for just about anything. I told him I put some in a pita with some fresh veggies for a light and tasty lunch. He wasn't too keen on that idea. I told him that I also dip my vegetables in it and that it's a good replacement for ranch dressing. Again, didn't trip his trigger. Then, I told him that he can dip chips and crackers in it. THAT got his attention. If he can dip chips and crackers in something...anything, he will.

This is a recipe all my own and you may notice that I do not use Tahini paste. It's not that I don't like it, it's really just that I don't have it on hand and every time I go to the grocery store I seem to forget to pick some up. I don't know how this would taste with that addition, but I sure like it without and it is even a favorite of my friend's boyfriend. He requests that I bring it whenever we have a get together. I guess I'm doing something right!

Ingredients:
1 can of cooked chickpeas (reserve 1/3 cup of the liquid)
3 small jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used garlic in the jar)
crushed red pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
1. Combine the can of chickpeas (with liquid) and half of the garlic in a sauce pan and cook on medium high for about 5 minutes
2. Mix cooked chickpeas (drained), jalapeno, the rest of the garlic, crushed red pepper and EVOO in a food processor or blender
3. Blend until smooth and slowly add the reserved 1/3 cup of liquid to smooth the mixture out

Enjoy!

Madras Pizza

So, on a trip to Whole Foods with only one goal in mind: GET WINE; my friend Quinn and I decided to wander a little bit to enjoy our beautiful produce surroundings and just happened upon some Indian Madras simmer sauce that would make my Indian cooking oh-so much more simple. The sauces were on special buy one get one half off, so she and I each snatched up two jars! This sauce is so versatile that I made a dish the other night (coming soon) where I just sauteed up some chicken added veggies poured some Madras sauce on top and had a delish meal in 15 minutes!

I was really craving pizza after a trip to my favorite local joint in Lincoln, Yia Yia's, but wanted to cook at home. I had grabbed a couple of pre-made whole grain pizza crusts from my local grocery store, and some fresh vegetables that I knew I could dice up and throw on top to make something scrumptious. Originally, I bought some regular tomato pizza sauce, then in a wink, a lightbulb clicked on in my foodie brain and I remembered my Indian simmer sauce!

I scurried home, put away the rest of my groceries and got to work on my Madras Masterpiece. I have discovered that when making a pizza you can pretty much practice the "chop suey" method where you throw on anything you have in your fridge, top it with some cheese and crushed red pepper stick it in the oven and BOOM you have a homemade pizza that is probably better than anything delivery or frozen you would spend money on.

Remember, when making a pizza, be creative, use what you have and always top it with crushed red pepper!!

Ingredients:

Pizza crust (go ahead and buy a pre-made or if you're feeling sassy, go homemade!)
Indian Madras simmer sauce (I used about 6oz of the 12oz jar)
Shredded Cooked Chicken
Sliced mushrooms
Fresh spinach
Chopped white onion
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Crushed Red Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. Sautee chicken breast seasoned with a seasoning salt or Indian spices, shred when cooked
3. Brush your pizza crust with EVOO and spread with Madras simmer sauce
4. Top the pizza with all of your toppings (I spread them out evenly, because I can be kind of OCD like that, but you can just throw them on!)
5. Sprinkle cheese all over and if you want to sass it up, toss on some pepperjack or jalopeno cheese too!
6. Last step: CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes checking until the cheese is melted golden brown and the crust has a nice golden finish

Fresh Salsa

Chips and salsa is a complete guilty pleasure that I happen to indulge in quite frequently ;) I absolutely love making my own fresh salsa as an alternative to opening a $4 jar. Using fresh ingredients and however much of what you want, this salsa can become a personal favorite of yours and a request from friends and family!

Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes
1 large white onion
2 jalopeno peppers
lime juice
season salt (I like to use Vulcan fire salt, but Cajun is great too!)

Instructions:
1. De-seed jalopenos (I always wear gloves ever since a nasty occurrence including a horrific burning sensation all over my hands...ick)
2. Chop and combine all ingredients
3. Toss with lime juice and season salt

Roasted potato wedges

Potatoes are an easy and nutritional addition to any meal. They fill you up and complete meat and veggies as a sustaining side. Additionally, you can season these wedges so that they hardly add any unnecessary calories to your daily allowance, while still tasting absolutely delish!

Ingredients:
Potatoes
-Baking potatoes
-Baby red potatoes
-Yukon gold potatoes
Pam spray
Lawry's season salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 525
2. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Cut potatoes into bite-sized wedges
4. Place wedges on cookie sheet and spray with Pam
5. Sprinkle with season salt
6. Bake for 20 minutes, checking occasionally, turning if necessary until you see a golden brown outside

Pesto Bruschetta

I love coming home and preparing a fun little snack that is super easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. Making your own fresh appetizers is fun to do and seems to just taste better. All of these ingredients can be found at your local grocer or feel free to make your own pesto out of the basil found in your garden! I have a friend who has a huge basil plant and is always so generous to share. I like to make a couple varieties of bruschetta so feel free to mix and match and come up with your own favorite!

What you need:

baguette or similar bread

ripe Roma tomatoes (I always think they have the best flavor for dishes like this)

fresh mozzarella cheese

pesto (homemade or store bought)

fresh basil leaves

olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven broil

2. Slice your baguette into 1/2 inch slices and brush on olive oil, place in oven when ready until golden brown edges.

3. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella cheese

4. Top your golden delicious bread with pesto, tomato, cheese and basil in whatever fashion you would like.