Sunday, March 24, 2013

Two kid tested veggie recipes! Sweet potato beans with greens & veggie enchiladas

So, this week I kid and family tested two recipes.  Ones I've tripped over on Pinterest.  Here is the recipe for sweet potato beans with greens.  I had it once, loved it.  Tried it twice, and now it is officially Sam approved.  And, although my husband is not a fan of sweet potatoes, the beans and greens are so tasty, he loved it as an entree for lunch.  SUCCESS = I do not have to cook 3 different meals for 4 people so, this is a big success for me!



Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Beans and Greens

Serves 4
4 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4-inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups (or 1 can) cooked and drained white beans
6 cups kale, trimmed and sliced into ribbons
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick them in a few places with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Start the beans and greens about 15 to 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done.
In a wide, deep saucepan with a cover, heat the olive oil over low-moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the kale is soft. Remove the rosemary sprig, stir in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, slice each sweet potato lengthwise and push on the ends to open up the middle. Spoon the beans and greens into the center.
I was feeling so good that I tried for two and found these stacked roasted veggie enchiladas.  LOVE them!!!  And the 3 pickies in my family loved them too!  See evidence below.  Mike ate every last bite. I made it exactly as is but added carrots and tomatillos to the mix and used less cheese.  Also, I used Ana's Salsa which I love!  If you live in Texas, you can pick it up at HEB in the produce section (because the ingredients are natural).  They are my radio client, the sweetest couple, and live right here in Austin.  Anna worked in the school district and used to make salsas for Christmas presents.  It's one of those once in a million success stories, and the salsa is delish!  
Here's a photo pre-bake and before the last cheese spread:


Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

ingredients:

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.
Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
BUEN PROVECHO!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Salty Sow Style Roasted Brussels Sprouts & basil pesto recipes to die for

The other night I was just craving the Salty Sow roasted brussels sprout leaves I'd been missing since Mike's 40th birthday.  And, I had the biggest, juiciest heirloom tomato which practically called out for some pesto, salt and pepper, and a smidge of parmesan.  A few googled recipes later and voila!!


Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Author: 
Recipe type: Side Dish
Prep time:  
Cook time:  
Total time:  
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 Pound Brussels Sprouts
  • 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbs. Braggs Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
  • 2 Tbs. Pure Maple Syrup
  • 2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, Braggs, maple syrup, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the brussels sprouts by chopping the ends off. You’ll want to chop about ⅓ of the stem side off.
  5. Peel off the leaves and place them in a large bowl.
  6. Pour the dressing over the brussels sprout leaves and toss to combine.
  7. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer.
  8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until nice and crispy.
Notes
You’ll want to keep a close eye on the brussels sprouts after about 5 minutes in the oven. There is a fine line between perfectly crispy and burnt.   


Ingredients
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
Directions
Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P. 

And, the best part was the next night, I LITERALLY made a 1 minute meal.  I just put together some penne pasta (Mike had cooked al dente for the clan), a little shaved parmesan, pine nuts, and the yummy basil pesto and, then (sorry John Hewlett) nuked that sucker 1 minute in the microwave.
And... YUM!  The presentation isn't so pretty, but it was SO delish!!  That pesto recipe is the bomb!

Enjoy amigos.